Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-01-15
CHAPTER NSNl
Hard Mushinq.


wanted 10 make speed. II Was not
cold for Alaska. They packed their
fur coats on the sled and wore water
proof parkas. Du their hands were
,nI,rcns Of morSchid with dunei
Inning. On their feet InuklukS above
",;.r,nau" socks. Holt had been
:. Sour-dOugh miner too long 10 let
his PARTNER perspire from orermuch
clothing. He knew the danger OF
pncumonia from a sudden cooling OF
the heat of the body.
Dld Gideon took seven of his dogs.
driving them two abreast. six were
huskIcs. rangy. muscular ahinais
with thick, dense coats. They were
m the best Of spirits and carried
their tails erect like their Maiemute
leader. Butch. though Maiemute'
had a strong strain of collie in him.
II gave him Il sense of responsibility
His business was to see that the team
kent strung out on the trail. anu
Iu,ch was "A past master in the mat
ter OF discipline. His weight WAS
ninc,y-threc fighting pounds, anu ne
could thrash in short order any dog
III the team.
The. snow was wet and soft. III
,Iuuu to everything IL touched. The
dogs carried pounds Of 1t in the tultS
Of hair that rose from their backs.
An icy pyramid had 10 hc Knocked
from the sled every half-hour. The
snowshues were heavy with white
slush. Dcnscly laden spruce bouIhS
brushed the faces of the men ana
shuwcr"d them with unexpected httic
aValanChcs.
They took turns in going ahead oi
the team and breaking trail. II was
heavy, muscle grinding work. Bcfor"
noon they were both utterly fatiGu-
ed They dragged forward through
the sush. lifting their laden feet
sluggshly. They must keep SoinG'
and they did, but II seemed to them
that every step must be the last.
shortly after noon the storm wore
itself out. The temperature had been
steadily falling and now II took n
rapid drop. They were passing
through timber. and on little slope
they built with good deal OF diifi-
Guilty fire. BY careful nursing they
,Asaaa had great bonfre going. In
front OF which they put their wet
socks. mukluks. scarfs. and parkas
to dry. The toes of the dogs had be-
come packed with little ice balls
Gordon and Holt had to go carefully
over the feet of each animal to dig
these out.
The old-timcr thawcd out slai
Of dried salmon till the fat began Ia
friZZle and fed each husky pound
of the fish and II lump of tallow. He
and Gordon made Il pot OF tea ana
ate some meat sandwiches they had
brought with them to save cookinG
until night.
When they took the trail again IL
WAS IN moccasins instead of mukluks
The weather was growing steadily
colder and with each degree of fall
in the thermometer the trail became
easier.
"Mushing ut fifty below zero is all
right when 1t is all right" explained
Holt In the words of the old pros
pector. But when it isn't right it's
hell"
1T is not fifty below yet, is IT."
Nope. But she's on the way
When your breath makes kinder
poisn she's fifty"
Travel was much easier now
There was a crust on the snow that
held up the dogs and the sled so that
trail-breaking was not necessary. The
little party pounded steadily
over the barren hills There was no
sign of life except what they brought
with them out Of the Artic silence
and carried with them into the great
or silence beyoud 4 little cloud oi
steam enveloped them as they moV-
cd, the moisture from the breath oi
nine moving creatures in waste OF
emptiness.
Each OF the men wrapped Ions
scarf around his mouth and nose Tor
protection. and as the part In front
Of his face became sheet or ice
shifted the muller to another place.
Night fell in the middle OF the
afternoon. but they kept travelling.
Not TIL they were we'll up toward the
summit Of the divide did they decide
to camp. They drove into a little
draw and embarrassed the weary
dogs. II was bitterly cold, but they
were forced to set up the tent and
stove to keep from freezing. Their
numbcd fingers made slow job OF
the camp preparations. At last the
stove was going. the dogs fed. and
they themselves thawed out. They
fell asleep shortly to the sound OF
the mournful bowling Of the dogs
outside.
Long before daybreak they were
afoot again. Holt went out to chop
some wood for the stove while Cor
don made breakfast preparations
The little miner brought in an arm
full Of wood and went out to get n
second supply. \ few moments later
Elliot heard q cry.
He stepped out Of the tent and
ran to the spot where Holt was lyins
under mass of ice and snow. The
young man threw aside the broken
blocks that had plunged down from
ledge above.
BADLY hurt. Gid?" he asked.
Il done bust my laig, son." the old
man answered with twisted grin.
You mean that II is broken?
Tell you that In a minute"
He felt his leg carefully and with
Eliot's help tried to get up. Groan-
ing. he slid back to the snow.
Yep. She's busted" he announc-
ed.
Gordon carried him to the tent and
laid him down carefully. The old