The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1910-08-25

ered was It with cones ana unarA ngu
peaks
A strong breeze from the southeast
was blowing. which SCOT increased to
a hurricane. sweeping over the rocks
covered with now md the huge mass
Is OF ice. which took the forms or Ice
bergs and ~hummoeks. though on dry
land
On all sides nothing could be heard
! but the noise OF cracking Ice and fall
Ing avalanches.
The travellers had 10 be very careful
In avoiding hills. ard even IN speaking
aloud. for the slightest agitation tn
the air might have caused a catastro-
pie. fadued. the s~uddenness Il the Pc
culiar fsaiure IN arctic avalanches. dis
tinguishins them from those o. swift
zerland and Norway.
OFTEN the dislodgement OF a block o.
Ice Is instantaneous and not even q
cannon bah or thunderbolt could he
more rapid IN It's descent. The loosen
ing. the fan and the crash happen al
most simultaneously.
Happily, however. no accident hefen
any OF the party. and three days after.
wards they came 70 smooth. level
ground again.
On the Fourth OF July there was
such an exceedingly dense fog that II
was very difficult to keep n straight
course for the north. No m~isadven-
ture. however. befel the party during
the darkness. except the loss OF Bells
sn~owshOes
At Bells suggestion torches Nwere
contrived made OF tow stepped IN splr-
its OF wine and fastened on the end OF
a stick. and these served somewhat 70
help them on. though they made but
small progress; for. on the sth. after
the fog had cleared on. the doctor took
their bearings. and found that they
had only been marching az the rate Of
eight miles a day.
Determined 70 make up for lost
time. they rose mex morning very ear
" and started on. Ben and Aitamont
as usual going ahead OF the rest and
acting as scouts. Johnson and the 9TH
ers kept beside the sledge. and were
soon nearly two miles behind the
guides; but the weather was so dry
and clear that all their movements
could be distinctly observed.
Storms blew up again and the tent
was pitched IN a ravine for shelter. as
the sky was dark and threatening.
and a violent north wind was blowing.
Tn afraid vel have a bad night"
said johnson.
"A pretty noisy one. I expect re-
piled the doctor. but not cold We
had better take every precaution. and
iasten down u tent with good big
stones
You are right. Mr.. Clawbonny. II
the hurricane swept away our tent. I
don't know where we should md II
The tent held fast. but sleep was I'M
for the tempest was led iooae
md ragged with tremendous violence
Tt seems to me-" said the doctor.
a brief lull IN the deafenfng
-oar. as II I could hear the sound OF
collisions between icebegs and ice
ields. II we were near the sea. I
really believe there was a gem
.rai break up IN the lce.~
7 can't explain the noises other
said Johnson
Can we have reached the coastf-
Fonder7~ asked Hatteras-
Tt Il not impossible replied Claw
'onny. Tistenl Do you hear that !
That II certainly the sound OF
cebergs falling. We cannot be very :
IT from the I
Wei. II Il turns out TO be 20. I shall /.
Iush right on 0ver the ice fields .
~Oh. they'll all be broken up after :
uch a storm as this We shall see !
that Tomorrow brings: but all I can {
ay IL. II my poor fellows are wander J
about In a night like this. I pity 4
hem" Q
Ito b. contInuedl B