The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1913-12-26
A RACE FOR FOOD
II Was Slow and Painful and Over
Arctic Ice Fields.
PLIGHT OF TWO EXPLORERS.
Their Fight Against Death by Starva-
tion and the Visions That Were Con.
jured UP by the Torture Of the Mad
denins Pangs OF Hunger.

dening Pangs OF Hunger.
The terrible phantom that haunts
every traveller In the desert Is the pos
slbility that he will not find water.
The arctic explorer rarely suffers from
thirst. but another danger. equally
terrible and menacing, is always on his
ail--starvation.
In Lost In the Arctic" Captain
Ejnar Mikkelsen. the explorer who,
after ha wing been given up for dead
for over two years. was picked up In
east Greenland by n sailing vessel.
gives a 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 10 reach IL 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 stIifened mus.
cles into working order again. Our
feet especially are very painful; the
ankles are swollen and horribly tender.
'"The pangs OF hunger increase 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
a Ioh m niC M
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. engerly on the
lookout for sandwiches. Suddenly |
Spy what am seeking. little white
object lying To the right of me turn
to pick II up. but as ! stop my foot
strikes against n stone The shock
brings me back TO stern renlity.
take I'm my belt and stagger on again.
"lversen IN In no better case ! notice
that he frequently stops and peers
through the neldglnss at something on
ahead; then he lets the glass fall again,
with n shake OF the head Once or
twice ask what he Is looking at. but
the answer IL always the same-he
thought he had discovered a case or
provisions, but II turned out to be
rock.
According TO our reckoning, we
ought 10 reach II Kilometer Naesset
by about q I'm the evening We keep
sharp lookout for the point and sight
something about o'clock that looks
like Il. Once more. however, we are
doomed to disappointment Ii Is not
the point.
ave pass many old camping places,
relics OF the Denmark expedition: but
although we search long and carefully
among the old tins for any remains or
food. we find nothing In the gather
Ing darkness every point we approach
seems TO us the one we seek. Encour
nged by the thought OF food, we re-
double our efforts. But when we get
close enough To see that II Is not the
point our fllckering fame of energy
dies down. and we stagger sullenly
along with bowed heads
1--WE have no longer any idea OF our
whereabouts. and II Is indescrihably
nncanny to see time after time the
same headland with the two small hill.
locks nt It's foot, the ghost Of II kilo-
meter Naesset About 10 o'clock. half
mad with hunger and exhaustion. we
give Il up and. creeping as close to
gether as possible. try TO sleep. But
the pain In lversen's leg Is so great
that he cannot sleep, and he IL half out
Of his mind. He wakes me at mid
night and begs me to go on
1T IL bitterly cold. and the wind has
shifted so that II Is blowing In our
faces. Staggering unsteadily and feel
Ing our way with our sticks OFT Vo go
into the darkness
"Finally. after another long march,
we sight point that resembles II
Kilometer Naessct and this time u IL
no trick OF the Imagination. The race
In won, for at the point we find fuel
aud tins OF soup and peas"