River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-01-28

feeder OF SQuaw creek. Earlier in the
winter some moose hunter made a trail
up the canyon-that is. in going mp and
previous tracks. As q result. In the
midst of soft snow and yelled under
later snCwfalls was line OF Irregular
hummOcks. Ii ones foot missed
hummOck he plunged down through
unpacked snow and usually 10 a fall
Also. the moose hunter had been an
exceptionally iOng leggpd individual.
Joy, who was eager now thdt the Two
men should stake and fearing that they
were slackenlng their pace on account
Of ner evident wearineSs. Insisted On
taking her turn III he read The speed
and MANNER III which she negUtiated
the prrcarnns footing calied cut
Shorty unqualified approval
''l.noh III her he cried shes the
reai goods an the red meal l-ook AT
them noccasinS swing along. No high
heels there. She uses the legs God
gave her Shes the right squaw for
any bear hunter f"
Tuuking back as they came to the
bank Ot Squaw creek they could See
the stampede strung ont lrregnarly.
struggling along the descent OF the di
vide
they slipped DOWN the bank TO the
creek bed NJ recent feet had disturb
ed the snow that lay upon its ice. and
they knew they were above the Dis
y ~.
Sea Lion Stampeders
Look out for springs" Joy warned
as Smoke led the way down the creek.
"At 70 below gou'l lose your feet If
you break through
These springs. cUmmOn TO most klOn
dixie streams. never cease at the lowest
temperatures. A man stepping on dry
snow might break through half an inch
OF ice skin and find himself up to the
knees in water. In five minutes, IN
less able to remove the wet gear. the
loss Of ones feet was the penalty.
They watched for a blaZed tree on
eitter bank. which would show the
center stake Of the last claim located.
JOY impulsively eager, was the first to
/
crying:
Somebody's been there. See the
snow. Look for the blaze! There it
Is. See that spruce" She sank sud
denly to her waist in the snow. Now
I've done it" she sand Woefully Then
she cried: Don't come near me! I'll
wade out"
Step by step, each time breaking
through the thin skin OF ice cOnceaIed
under the dry snow. she forced her
way to solid footing Smoke did not
wait. but sprang TO the bank. where
dry and seasoned twigs and sticks.
lodged among the brush by spring
freshets. waited the match BY the
time she reached his side the first
flames and nickers OF an assured fire
were rising
''Sit down" he commanded
She Obediently sat down in the snow
lie slipped his pack from his back and
spread Il blanket for her feet
From above came the voices OF the
stampederS who followed them.
Let Shorty stake" she urged.
y
attacked her moccasins. already stiff
with ice pace off a thousand feet
and place the two center stakes. We
can fix the corner stakes afterward."
With his knife Smoke cut away the
iacings and leather OF the moccasins
SO stiff were they with ice that they
snapped and cracked under the hack
eli n
heavy wooden stockings were Sheaths
of ice 1t was as if her feet and calves
were incaSed in corrugated iron
How are your feet?" he asked as he
worked
pretty numb | can't move or feel
nv toes But it will be all right. The
fire is burning beautifully Watch out
you don't freeze your hands. They
must be numb now from the way
you're fumbling."
He slipped his mittens on and for
nearly a minute smashed the open
hands savagely against his sides When
be felt the blood prickle be pulled off
the mittens and ripped and tore and
sawed and hacked at the frozen gar
ments. The white skin of one foot ap-
peared, then that Of the other, to be
exposed to the bite of 10 below zero
Then came the rubbing with snow.
carried on with an intensity Of cruel
ferceness. till she squirmed and shrank
and moved her toes and jOyously com
planned of the hurt He half dragged
her and she half lifted herself nearer
to the fire He placed her feet on the
blanket close to the flesh saving flames
You'll have to take care of them for
awhile" be said
She could now safely remove her
mittens and work and manipulate her
own feet. with the wisdom of the ini-
tiated being watchful that the heat of
the fire was absorbed slowly. While
she did this he attacked his hands The
snow did not melt or mOiSten Its
tight crystals were like so much sand
Slowly the stings and pangs of circu-
ation came back into the chilled flesh