The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-03-11

| cred was It with cones ana sharp. lorty
| peaks.
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
but the noise of cracking ice and fall
ing avalanches.
The travellers had to be very careful
In avoiding hills, and even in speaking
aloud, for the slightest agitation ~
the air might have caused a catastro-
pie IN deed. the suddenness is the Pc.
culfar feature In arctic avalanches, dis
t;nguishinx them from those Of swift
zerland and Norway
Often the dislodgement Of a block OF
ice Is instantaneous, and not even q
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 it
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-
it's of wine and fastened on the end of
a stick, and these served somewhat to
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 of
eight miles day.
Determined to make up for lost
time, they rose next morning very ear
ly and started of, Bell and Altamont
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 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 big
stones"
you are right. Mr.. Clawbonny II
the hurricane swept away our tent, I
don't know where we should find it
again."
The tent held fast, but sleep was Inn
possible. for the tempest was led loose
and ragged with tremendous violence
1T seems to me-" said the doctor,
during a brief lull in the deafening
roar. las If I could hear the sound Of
collisions between icebegs and ice
fields. If we were near the sea, I
could really believe there was a gen.
eral break up in the ice."
Il can't explain the noises any other
way" said Johnson.
Can we have reached the coast?" I
wonder?" asked Hatteras.
1T is not impossible" replied Claw
bonny. Listen! Do you hear that
crash? That is certainly the sound of
icebergs falling. We cannot be very
far from the ocean"
We'll, If it turns out to be 50, 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 I can
say is, if any poor fellows are wander
ing about in a night like this I pity
them"
Ito be continuedl