Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1910-04-29


reward in coming. for the country
abounded In game. Bears were fire.
quently seen. and numerous herds of
musk-oxen and deer.
On the 29th Bell killed a fox and AL
lamont musk-ox. These supplies OF
fresh food were very acceptable, and
even the doctor surveyed. with consid
cradle satisfaction, the launches of
meat they managed to procure from
time to time.
Don't let us stint ourselves" he
USED to say on these occasions; food
Is no unimportant matter in expedi
tions like ours"
Especially" said Johnson, when a
meal depends on lucky shot"
You're right, Johnson; man does
not think so much about dinner when
ne knows the soup-pot Is simmering
by the kitchen fire."
On the both they came to a district
which seemed to have been upturned
by some volcanic convulsion, so COW
cred was 1t with cones and sharp, lofty
peaks.
A strong breeze from the southeast
was blowing, which soon increased to
a hurricane. sweeping over the rocks
covered with snow and the huge mass
es of Ice, which took the forms of Ice
bergs and hummocks though on dry
land.
On all sides nothing could be heard
out the noise of cracking ice and fall
Ing avalanches
q.
Inc travellers had TO be very careful
IN avoiding hills, and even in speaking
aloud, for the slightest agitation in
the air might have caused a catastro-
phe. Indeed, the suddenness Is the Pc
culiar feature in arctic avalanches, dis
tinguishing them from those of Swift
zerland and Norway.
OFTEN the dislodgement of block OF
Ice Is instantaneous, and not even a
cannon ball or thunderbolt could be
more rapid in It's descent The loosen
ing, the fall and the crash happen al
most simultaneously.
Happily, however, no accident befell
any of the party, and three days after
wards they came to smooth, level
ground again.
On the Fourth of July there was
such an exceedingly dense fog that 1t
was very difficult to keep the straight
course for the north. No misadven-
ture, however, befel the party during
the darkness. except the loss of Bells
snowshoes.
At Bells suggestion torches were
contrived. made of tow stepped in spir-
Its of wine and fastened on the end OF
stick, and these served somewhat t.
help them on, though they made but
small progress; for, on the 9Th, after
the fog had cleared off, the doctor took
their bearings, and found that they
had only been marching at the rate oi
eight miles a day.
Determined to make up for lost
time, they rose next morning very ear.
ly and started off, Bell and Altamont
as usual going ahead of the rest anG
acting as scouts. Johnson and the 9TH
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 violent north wind was blowing
I'm afraid wei have a bad night,
said Johnson.
"a pretty noisy one. expect" re-
piled the doctor, but not cold. We
had better take every precaution, and
fasten down our tent with good bis
stones"
You are right, Mr.. Clawbonny. Il
the hurricane swept away our tent,
don't know where we should find II
again."
The tent held fast, but sleep was i'm
possible, for the tempest was led loose
and ragged with tremendous violence
TT seems to me-" said the doctor
during a brief lull in the deafeninl
roar, "as II l could hear the sound OF
collisions between icebegs and Ice
fields. II we were near the sea,
could really believe there was a gen.
eral break up in the ice."
II can't explain the noises any Other
way" said Johnson.
Can we have reached the coast?"
wonder?" asked Hatteras.
1T is not impossible" replied Claw.
bonny. Listen! Do you hear that
crash? That is certainly the sound ol
icebergs falling. We cannot be very
far from the ocean,"
well, II It turns out to be SO, shall
push right on over the Ice fields"
"Oh, they'll all be broken up after
such a storm as this. We shall see
what tomorrow brings; but all car
say is. II any poor fellows are wander
ing about in night like this. pity
them"