Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1910-08-20

ing.
Good heavensl" exclaimed johnson.
he is blind"
moi" replied Ciawbonny. mol My
poor friends, we have only saved the
body of Hatteras; his soul is left be-
hind on the top OF the volcano. His
reason is gone!"
Three hours after the whole party
were back once more in the grotto.
We'll. friends" said the doctor, I'VE
cannot stay longer in this island; the
sea is open, and we have enough pro-
visions. We ought to start at once,
and get back without the least delay TO
Fort Providence. where we must win
ter"
The day passed in profound dejec-
ton. The insanity of the captain was
a bad omen. and when they began to
talk over the return voyage, their
hearts failed them for fear They
missed the intrepid spirit of their
leader.
Next morning they made all ready
to sail, and brought the tent and all Its
belongings on board.
But before leaving these rocks, never
to return, the DOCTOR carrying out the
intentions OF Hatteras. had cairn
erected on the very spot whore the
poor fellow had jumped ashore. 1t was
made of great blocks placed one on the
top of the other so as to be a land
mark perfectly visible while the erup-
lions of the volcano left 1t undisturb-
ed. On one of the side stones. Bell
chiseled the simple inscriptions
JOHN HATTERAS.
The duplicate of the document at
testing the discovery of the north pole
was inolosed in a timed iron cylinder,
and deposited In the cairn. to remain a
silent witness among those desert
rocks.
This done, the four men and the cap
tain, a poor body without sout, set
out on the return voyage.
On the 18th they sighted Altamont
harbor but as the sea was open all
along the coast, they determined to go
round to Victoria bay by water, In
stead OF crossing New America In the
sledge.
AS the sloop made Victoria bay they
all FASTENED to Fort Providence. But
what a scene of devastation met their
eyesi Doctors house. stores. powder
magazine, Notifications. all had melted
away, and the provisions had been ram
After thorough search. a few cases
OF pemmican were found scattered here
and there, and two barrels of preserv-
ed meat, altogether enough for six
weeks, and a good supply of powder.
1t was soon collected and brought on
board.
At last, after thirty days tolerably
| quick sailing, and after battling for
forty eight hours against the increas-
| ing drift ice, and risking the frail sloop
a hundred times. the navigators saw
themselves blocked in on all sides.
Altamont make a reckoning with
scrupulous precision. and found they
were in II degrees Is minutes latitude
and 85 degrees minutes longitude.
This is our exact position. then. -
said the doctor. I'VE are in South
Lincoln. just at Cape Eden. and are
entering Jones sound. with a little
more good luck we should have found
open water right to Baffins bay.
'I suppose then" said Altamont
our only course is to leave the sloop
and get by sledge to the east coast OF
| Lincoln"
The rest agreed.
The little vessel was unloaded and
the sledge put together again. At last
on the gath, they set foot on North
Devon.
1t was not till the 10th of August
that they emerged from those wild
mountains into a plain, which seemed
| to have been upturned and convulsed
by volcanic action at some distant pc
riod.
Altamont, who had displayed great
unselfishness and devotion to the 9TH
ers, reused his sinking energies. and
| determined to go out ar find food fol
his comrades.
He had been absent about an hour
and only once during that time hac
they heard the report OF his gun; and
now he was coming back empty hand
ed, but running as II terrified.
Down there. under the snowl" cried
Altamont. speaking as II scared, anc
pointing in a particular direction.
| ssWhat7"
"a whole party OF meni-
"Alive7~
"Dead-frozen-and even
He did not finish the sentence, but 6
look of unspeakable horror came over
his face.
The doctor and the others were Sc
reused by this incident that they man
| aged TO get UP ana urdS themselves
after Altamont towards the place h,
| indicated.
They soon arrived at a narrow par
at the bottom OF ravine. and what G
spectacle met their gael Dead bodies
already stiff. lay half buried in a wind
ing sheet of snow.
1t was evident this ravine had beer
but recently the scene of a fearful
struggle, that the poor wretches had
been feeding on human flesh. perhap.
while still warm And among then
the doctor recognized Shandon, Per
and others OF the Inflated crew OF tbs
Forward
Come away come awayi" cried tn,
doctor. dragging his companions from
the scene Horror gave them momen.
tary strength, and they resumed theil