Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-09-22

Nonsense. That breeze won't hurt

"Breezew Bait laughed. Its more
like tornado up yonder. NO; weye
just got to take It easy Gil the right
moment comes and then make dash.
It's thirty miles to the nearest sticA
of timber, and once you get into tne
pass you can't stop till you're through.
The next dawn showed the mountsin
penks umned like Glenn cut ivory
against the steel blue sky, and as they
crcpt up through the denies the air
was SO motionless that the smoke or
their pipes hung about their heads.
while the creak Of their soles upon
the dry surface Of the snow reused
echoes from the walls on either side.
At first their progress was rapid. but
In time the drifts grew deeper and
they came to bluffs where they were
forced to notch footholds, unpack their
load and relay it to the top. then free
the dogs and haul the sled up with n
rope hand over hand.
1t was early In the afternoon when
the Indian stopped and began test
ing the air.
Feels like wind" said Bait. with
shake of his head. The native began
to chatter excitedly. and as they
stood there chill draft famed their
cheeks. Little wisps Of snow vapor
began to dance upon the ridges, whisk'
ing out Of sight as suddenly as they
appeared They became conscious Of
sudden fall in the temperature and
they knew that the cold Of interstellar
space dwelt in that ghostly breath
which snote them. Before they were
well aware of the ominous sgnifi-
canoe of these signs the storm was
upon them. sweeping through the
chute wherein they stood with rapidly
increasing violence. The terrible un-
seen hand of the frozen north had un-
leashed its brood of furies. and the
uir rang with their hideous cries.
There was no question Of facing the
wind. for it was more cruel than the
fierce breath of an open furnace scar
ing the flesh like flame.
All the morning the air had hung
In perfect roise. but some change OF
temperature away out over one Of the
rival oceans had upset the aerostatic
balance. and the wind tore through
this gap like the torrent below a bro
ken reservoir.
Bait came close to Emerson and bel
lowed into his ear:
What shall we do? Roll up In the
bedding or run for IT."
How far Is it to timber?"
Twelve or fifteen miles"
Lets run for it! We're out of
grub. anyhow, and this may last for
days"
There was no use Of trying to secure
additional clothing from the supply IN
the sled. SO they abandoned their out.
ahead of the storm. trusting to the
natives sense Of direction and keeping
close together. The dogs were already
well drifted over and refused to stir.
Once they had gone n stones throw
from the sled there was no turning
back. and. although the wind was be
hind them. progress was difficult, fol
they came upon chasms which they
had to avoid; they crossed slippery
slopes where the storm had barred the
hard crust and which their feet re
fused to grip. In such places they
had to creep on hands and knees. call
Ing to one another for guidance. They
were numbed. blinded. choked b. tn,
rage of the blizzard: their faces grew
stiff and their lungs froze. At time
they fell and were skidded alont
uhead Of the blasts. This forced then
to crawl back again. for they daret
not lose their course.
Much has been written concernin!
the red mans physical powers Of en-
durance. hut as rule no Indian l
the equal of his white brother. due a
much perhaps to lack of mental fore
as to generations of insufficient cloth
ing and hamilton. so it was not SUI
prising that as the long afternoo
dragged to close the Aleut guide be
gan to weaken.
Darkness found them staggering oil
supporting him wherever possible. A
length he became unable 10 guide theI
farther. and Bait. who had once mad
the trip. took his place. while the otf
ers dragged the poor creature along Il
: the cost Vt their precious strength.
They had long since lost all track q
time and place. trusting blndly to
downward course. The hurrican
still harried them with undated fury
when all at once they came to anothe
bluff where the ground fell ava.
, abruptly. Without waiting to invest
!, gate whether the slope terminated i
drift or precipace. they fung then
selves over. Down they tlounderet
the two half sensible men tangled to
gether as If in a race for total oblivion
only to plunge through II thlcket O
willow tops that whipped and stun
them. On they went. now vastly heart
ened. over another ridge. down nj
other declivity. and then into n grow
Of spruce timber. where the air sue
denly stilled. and only the treetops tol
Of the rushing wind above.
1t was we'll nigh an hour before Bal
; ind Emerson succeeded In starting
lire. for 1t was desperate work grop!n
, for dry branches, ard they themselve
were on the verge Of collapse befor
the timid blaze finally showed th
two more unfortunate ones huddled tc
, gether.
Cherry had given Emerson fms
, of liquor before starting. and this h
now divided between Fraser and tn
dn I'm lao =