Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-12-25
A RACE FOR FOOD
1t Was Slow and Painful and Over
Arctic Ice Fields.
PLIGHT OF TWO EXPLORERS.

Ihcr right Against Death by Starva
tion and the Visions That We're Con
jured Up by the Torture of the Mad
denins Panss Of Hunger.
The terrible phantom that haunts
every traveller In the desert is the pos
slbility that he will not lind water
The arctic explorer rarely suffers from
thirst. but another danger, equally
terrible and menacing Is always on his
trail--starvation.
In Lost In the Arctic" Captain
E1nar Mikkelsen the explorer who,
after having been given mp for dead
for over two years. was lacked up In
east Greenland by sailing vessel,
gives graphic account of his race
against hunger. Their sledge dogs
dead, their outfits abandoned, every
morsel Of food long since devoured,
the only hope of Mlkkelsen and his
companion was TO reach II Kilometer
Naesset, where, on the fall trip. they
had left few tins Of food
Every two hours we make a short
halt. but the rest is spoiled by the
thought Of the uncomfortable quarter
Of an hour that awaits us when we
start and try to get our stlffened mus
cles into working order again. Our
feet especially are very painful; the
ankles are swollen and horribly tender
THE pangs Of hunger lncredse every
minute. For my own part, can
think Of nothing but food. At first my
thoughts dwell upon all sorts of dishes,
but gradually they concentrate them
selves upon sandwlches-D sand
wiches In particular my fancy turns
upon the food that have seen given
away TO beggars, and grow furious
at the thought of the contempt with
which these gentry often regard such
gifts.
Gradually the thought takes posses
sion OF me that am walking In the
streets OF Copenhagen eagerly on the
lookout for sandwiches. Suddenly |
spy what am seeking, a little white
object lying to the right of me. turn
TO pick It up, but as | stop my foot
strikes against stone The shock
brings me back to stern reality.
take In my belt and stagger on again
''lversen is IN no better case notice |
that be frequently stops and peers
through the 6eldgIass Mt something on
ahead; then he lets the glass fall again,
with a shake Of the head Once or
twice ask what he Is looking at. but
the answer is always the same-he
thought he had discovered n case OF
provisions, but II turned out to be a
rock.
According to our reckoning, we
ought to reach II Kilometer Naesset
by about In the evening. We keep
sharp lookout for the point and sight
something about 4pO'clock that looks
like 1t, Once more, however, we are
doomed to disappointment II is not
the point
we pass many old camping places.
relics Of the Denmark expedition; but,
although we search long and carefully
among the old tins for any remains Of
food we find nothing In the gather
ing darkness every point we approach
'eems to ns the one we seek Encour.
lged by the thought OF food we re-
iouble our efforts But when we get {
lose enough 10 zee that II In not the
,oint our nIckering flame OF energy d
lies down, and we stagger sullenly $
Hong with bowed heads =
I'VE have no longer any idea OF our 4
and II In lndescrlbably @
lncanny to zee time after time the d
nme hendland with the two small hll. n
Ocks at Its foot, the ghost OF II Kilo. \
meter Naesset, About 10 o'clock. half ii
mad with hunger and exhaustion, we v
ive II up and, creeping as close to- "
ether as possible, try to sleep But o
he pain In lversen's leg Is so great y
nat he cannot sleep, and he N half out
Z his mind, He wakes me NJ mid, II
light and begs me to 40 on. nj
III Is bitterly cold, and the wind has G,
nl'leu 10 that II IN hlowing In our Il
Ilres Staggering unsteadlly and feel
lg our way with our sticks, on we 60
ITO the darkness.
FINALLY, after another long march, q
Y sight point that resembles II q
'nolneter Naesset and thls time II Ia y,
o trick OF the Imagination, The race III
won, for at the point we nnd fuel bI
nd tins OF suup and peas" g,