Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-12-30

Capturing bunch OF Indians
backtripping from Lake Linde
u man. be persuaded them to pul
their straps ON the outfit. They charg
ed 80 cents a pound 10 carry 1t TO tn,
broke him As IL was. some 4OI
pounds OF clothes bags and camp out
lit were not handled He remained be
hind 10 move it along. dispatching Xii
with the Indians. At the summit xii
was to remain. slowly moving his ton
until overtaken by the 400 pounds will
which his uncle guaranteed 10 catch
him
Kit plodded along the trail with his
Indian packers. Al the end OF quar-.
ter of mile he desired TO rest But
the Indians kept on. lie stayed with
them and kept his place in the line
At the half mile be was convinced that
be was incapable of another step. yet
be gritted his teeth kept his place and
at the end of the mile was amazed
that he was still alive.
Then. in some strange way. came
the thing called second wind. and the
next mile was almost easier than the
first The third mile nearly killed him.
but. though half delirious with pain
and fatigue. be never whimpered And
then when he felt he must surely faint
came the rest Instead of sitting in
the straps, as was the custom OF the
white packers. the Indians slipped out
OF the shoulder and head straps and
lay az ease. talking and smoking.
A full half hour passed before they
made another start. To Kits surprise
he found himself n fresh man. and
long hauls and long rests" became his
newest motto.
The pitch of Chilkoot was all he had
heard of 1t. and many were the occa
sions when he climbed with hands as
well as feet But when he reached
the crest OF the divide in the thick Of
a driving snow squat IL was in the
company Of his Indians. and his secret
pride was that be had come through
with them and never squealed and
never Jagged
When he had paid of the Indians
and seen them depart a stormy dark
ness was falling. and he was left alone.
a thousand feet above timber line. on
the backbone of mountain Wet 10
the waist, furnished aud exhausted. he
would have given years income for
a fire and a cupful OF coffee Instead
he ate half dozen cold tiapjacks and
crawled into the folds Of the partly un
rolled tent
In the morning. stiff from his labors
md numb with the frost he rolled out
Of the canvas. ate Il couple Of pounds
IF uncooked bacon. buckled the straps
On a hundred pounds and went down
he rocky way Several hundred yards
beneath the trail led across small
glacier and down TO Crater lake. 9th
IT men packed across the glacier. All
hat day he dropped his packs at the
glaciers upper edge. and by virtue of
he shortness Of the pack be put his
straps on 40 pounds each load His
establishment at being able to do It
lever abated
Unwashed. unwarmed. his clothing /
get with sweat. be slept another night |
D the canvas.
In the early morning be spread
on the ice. loaded it with |
hree- quarters OF a ton and started To /
ull Where the pitch of the glacier
celebrated. his load likewise accelerat-
d. overran him. scooped nim in on top |
nd ran away with him.
a hundred pcsers. bending under 1
heir loads. stopped TO watch him. He
elled frantic warnings. and those in
is path stumbled and staggered clear
Below. on the lower edge OF the gla.
Ter. was pitched small tent, which I
eemed leaping toward him. so rapidly
Id IL grow larger He left the beaten
rack where the packers trail swerved
0 the left and struck a pitch of fresh
now. This arose about him in frosty
moke. while II reduced his speed He
lw the tent the instant he struck it,
arrying away the corner guys. burst
a in the front flaps and fetching ~
aside. still on top Of the tarpaulin AMI
! the midst Of his grub sacks
The tent rocked drunkeDly and in
le frosty yapor he found himself fac,
, face with u startled young woman
Tho was sitting up IN her blankets
he very one who had called him ten
erfoot az Dyea.
did you see my smoker" he querieJ
heerfuly
She regarded him with disapproyai
II was a mercy you did not overture
ne stove" she said
fe followed hei glance and Saw Il
beet iron stove aud cOieeput. 40
'nded by young squaw lic sniiTca
le coffee ana looked back 10 he gir
I've shed my shooting irons Do
I'D
Then she recognized him. and hr
yes lighted n NEVER though; vnpr
Il this far. size informed hnn
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