Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-26
CHAPTER continued. !

The others had not obserced his
leave-taking, and now cried final
farewell; but the girl stood without
sound or gesture, bareheaded under
the wintry sky, startled, wondering
light in her eyes which did not fade
until the men were lost to view far up
the river trail. Then she breathed
deeply and turned into the house, OBJ
livious to Constantine and the young
squaw, who held the sick baby up for
her inspection.
The hazards of winter travel in the
north are manifold at best, but the
country which Emerson and his COM
panions had to traverse was particu-
larly perilous, owing to the fact that
this course led them over the back
bone of the great Alaskan Range, that
desolate, skyscraping rampant which
interposes itself between the hate of
the Arctic seas and the tossing VIII
derness of the North Pacific. This
range forms a giant, ice-armored tusk
thrust out to the westward and curved
like the horn of an African rhino. its
tip pointed eight hundred miles tow ard
the Asiatic coast, it's soaring peaks
yelled in perpetual mist and volcanic
fumes, It's slopes agleam with lonely
ice-f1elds. 1t is a saw-toothed ridge, for
the most part narrow, unbroken and
cruel, and the rival winter gales roar
over it in never-ceasing war. On the
north lies the forgotten Land, to the
south are the tempered reaches Of the
Pacific. In summer the stern sweep OF
rock and tundra is soaked with weep
ing rains, and given over to the herd
ing caribou or the great grass-eating
bear; but when from the polar regions
the white hand of winter stretches
forth, the grieving seas left them
selves, the rains turn to bitter, hail
burdened hurricanes that charge and
retreat in a death-dealing conflict,
sheathing the barrier anew, and con.
founding the hearts of men on land
and sea- The coast is unlighted and
badly mapped, hence the shore is a
graveyard for ships, while through the
CUTS, which at intervals penetrate the
range, the billiards. screech until trav-
elers burrow into drifts to avoid their
fury or lie out in stiff sleeping bags ex.
posed to their anger. 1t Is region OF
sudden storms, battle-ground Of the
elements, which have swept it naked
of cover in ages past, and it Is peopled
scanti'~ - l'andfuls of coughing ma.
tives 'gloos are hidden in hol.
lows cd to the ground with
cable. ips gear.
1t Vi; ither the travellers were
bound, headed toward Katamai Pass
which is no more than gap between
peaks, through which the hibernal
gales suck and swirl. This pass is
| H41 No.. s,,z. 10,
rens, for it forms funnel at each
end combining the winds and afford.
ing them freer course. Notwithstand.
ing the fact that it had an appalling
death list and was religiously shun.
ned, Emerson would hearken to no
argument for a safer route, insisting
that they could spare not time for de-
tours. Nothing dampened his spirits.
no hardship daunted him; he was tire
| less, ferocious in his haste
A week Of hard travel found them
camped in the last fringe Of cotton
wood that fronted the glacial slopes
their number augmented now by a
| native from Russian village with an
unpronounceable name, who, at the
price of an extortionate bride, had
agreed to pilot them through. For
three days they lay idle, the taut
walls of their ten drumming to an
incessant fusillade Of ice particles that
whirled down ahead of the blast, while
Emerson fumed to be gone.
The fourth morning broke still and
quiet; but, after careful scrutiny of
the peaks, the Indian shook his head
and spoke to Bait, who nodded in
agreement.
whats the natter" growled En-.
erson "Why don't we get under
way?" But the other replied:
"Not today. Them tips are smok
ing see!" He indicated certain
gauzy streamers that foated like va
por from the highest pinnacles
That's snow, dry snow, and it shows
that the wind is blowing up there. We
| dassent tackle it.
do you mean we must lie here
| waiting for an absolutely calm day."
Exactly"
"Why, it may be week!'
"It may be two Of them; then, again
it may be all right tomorrow"
"Nonsense! That breeze won't hurt
anybody"
.'Breeze!" Bait laughed. tits more
! like tornado up yonder. No, we've
j lust got to take it easy till the right
moment comes, and then make dash
It's thirty miles to the nearest stick
Of timber; and once you get into the
pass, you can't stop till you're
through"
| Still unconvinced, and surly at the
| delay, Emerson resigned himself
while Bait saw to their sled, tended
the dogs, and made final preparations
'Fingerless" Fraser lay fiat on his
back and nursed pair of swollen
| tendons that had been CALLED by his
snowshoe thongs, reviling at the
fortune that had cast him into such
inhospitable surroundings, heapins
anathemas upon the head of him who
had invented snowshoes, complaining
Of everything in general, from the in
digestible quality of baking powder
bread to the odor of the guide who
crouched stolidly besides the stove
| feeding it with green willows and
twisted withes.
The next dawn showed the noun
tain peaks limned like clean cut