Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1910-08-05
CHAPTER XI.

Next day at early dawn, Hatteras
gave the signal for departure. The
well-fed and well-rested dogs were
harnessed to the sledge They had
been having a good time of 1t all the
winter, and might be expected to do
good service during the summer.
1t was at 6 in the morning when the
expedition started After following the
windings of the bay and going past
Cape Washington, they struck into the
direct route for the north, and by Z
o'clock had lost sight of the lighthouse
and Fort Providence.
During the first two days they made
twenty miles in twelve hours, devoting
the remainder of the time to rest and
meals. The tent was quite sufficient
protection during sleep.
The temperature began to rise. In
many places the snow melted entirely
away, and great patches of water APP
peared.
Hunting was not forgotten during
the march, for fresh meat was a ne
cessity Altamont and Bell kept their
guns loaded, and shot ptarmigans,
guillemots, geese, and a few young
hares.
Hatteras advised them not to go
more than a mile away az there was
not a day, nor even an hour, to lose,
for three months of fine weather was
the utmost they could count upon. Be-
sides, the sledge was often coming to
| difficult places, when each man was
needed to lend helping hand.
| For several days the expedition had
been attended with no fatigue. The
travellers had only suffered from the
intense glare of the sun on the snow
which threatened them with snow
blindness.
At another time of the year they
might have avoided this by walking
! during the night, but at present there
was no night at all. Happily the snow
was beginning to melt, and the bril-
liancy would diminish as the process:
of dissolution advanced.
On the Sth of June the thermometer
rose to as degrees, and the rain fell II
torrents. Hatteras and his compan'
ions. however, marched stoically on
and even hailed the downpour will
delight, knowing that it would hasteI
the disappearance of the snow
AS they went along, the doctor Otter
picked up stones, both round ones an'
1at pebbles. as II worn away by thu
tide. He thought from this they mus
be near the Polar basin, and yet far a
the eye could reach was one intermin
able plain.
There was not a trace of HOUSES, o
huts, or cairns visible. 1t was evtden
that the Greenlanders had not pIshe
} their way so far north, and yet tn
) famished tribes would have found thei
} reward in coming, for the comltr
abounded in game. Bears were ire
4 quently seen. and numerous herds c
musk oxen and deer.
On the goth Bell killed fox and Al
lamont a musk-ox. These supplies {
e fresh food were very acceptable, en-
even the doctor surveyed, with conSad
/, cradle satisfaction, the launches {
). meat they managed to procure froi
n time to time.
: Don't let US stint ourselves"
used to say on these occasions; "fcc
g is no unimportant matter in expOA
o tons like ours"
h Especially" said Johnson. when
meal depends on a lucky shot"
a You're right. Johnson; = man do'
II not think so much about dinner whS
j. he knows the soup-pot IL simmerir
10 by the kitchen fire."
On the S0th they came to . distri
ID which seemed to have been upturn'
1t By some volcanic conVIiSion. % oA'