The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1918-04-05

| pline. His weight was 93 fighting
pounds, and he could thrash, in short
order any dog in the team.
The snow was wet and soft. 1t chung
to everything it touched. The dogs
carried pounds of it in the tufts Of
hair that rose from their backs. An
icy pyramid had to be knocked from
the sled every half-hour. The snow
shoes were heavy with white slush.
Densely laden spruce boughs brushed
| the faces of the men and shOwered
them with unexpected little ava
lanches.
They took turns in going ahead of
the team and breaking trail. 1t was
heavy, grinding work. Before
noon they were both utterly fatigued.
They dragged forward through the
slush, lifting their laden feet sluggish
ly. They must keep going, and they
did, but it 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 it took rapid
drop. They were passing through tim
her, anc en- a little slope they built
with a good deal of difficulty fire.
BY careful nursing they soon had a
great bonfire going in front of which
they put their wet socks, mukluks,
scarfs and parkas to dry. The toes of
the dogs had become packed with little
ice balls. Gordon and Holt had to go
carefully over the feet of each animal
to dig these out.
The Old-tiner thawed out a slab of
dried salmon till the fat began to
friZzle and fed each husky a pound of
the fish and lump of tallow. He and
Gordon made pot of tea and 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 was easier
"Mushing at fifty below zero is al
right when it is all right" explained
Holt in the words of the old prospec
tor. "But when it isn't all right its
HI"
at is not fifty below yet, is it,"
"Nope. But she's on the way. WheI
your breath makes kinder cracking
noise she's fifty"
There soon was crust on the snow
that held up the dogs and the sled 81
that trail breaking was not necessary
The little party pounded steadily owe
the barren hills. There was no sigl
Of life except what they brought will
them into the greater silence beyond
Each Of the men wrapped Ion,
scarf around his mouth and nose 70
.. protection, and as the part in front o
, his face became a sheet of ice shifte,
, the muller to another place.
Night fell in the middle of the aft
ernoon, but they kept travelling. No
till they were well up toward the sum
NIT of the divide did they decide t
camp. They drove into little draw
and embarrassed the weary dogs. ]
was bitterly cold, but they were force
to set up the tent and stove to kee
from freezing. Their numbed finger
made slow job Of the camp prepare
lions. At last the stove was going
the dogs fed, and they themselve
thawed out. They fell asleep shortl
to the sound of the mournful howlin
of the dogs outside.
Long before daybreak they wer
!, afoot again. Holt went out to cho
some wood for the stove while Gordo
made breakfast preparations. Tn
; little miner brought in an armful O
!, wood and went out to get secon
!. supply. A few moments later Ellio
heard cry.
:. He stepped out of the tent and "a
to the spot where Holt was lying unde
a mass Of ice and snow. The youn