Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-02-12
NORTH POLE FEAST
Starving Men of Kane's Arctic
Expedition Dined on Seal.
Members Of Party Trembling with
Anxiety When True Aim OF Rlfie-
man Ended the Crisis.

Some one has estimated that In the
century-long effort to reach the North
pole 400 lives and 200 ships were lost.
One of the earlier expeditions wss
the one led by Doctor Kane in 1850,
consisting Of 10 men. The account OF
their hardships as told In "The Siege
and Conquest Of the North Pole" by
George Bryce, is almost incredible, re-
lates the Youths Companion. Scurvy
and the bitter cold made the sunless
arctic winter of 140 days continuous
and horrible nightmare.
Their brig, Advance, was frozen into
the great Ice pack, which even the re-
turning sun of summer could not loos-
en-. With scanty supplies they
were compelled to spend a second
dreary winter in the arctic, during
which several Of the party succumbed
to sickness and exposure. In June,
when their provisions were virtually
gone, a narrow channel opened, and
the survivors, manning two small
boats, fought their way southwark.
Starvation quickly weakened their ef-
forts, but at that desperate crisis they
sighted food-a seal. Doctor Kane thus
describes the incident:
ut was an ursuk, and so large that
I. at first mistook 1t for q walru5.
Trembling with anxiety, we prepared
to crawl down upon 1t. We stationed
Peterson, with the large English rife,
in the bow, and drew stockings over
the oars as muff1ers. AS we neared
the animal, our excitement became SO
intense that the men could hardly keep
stroke. I had set Of signals Tor
such occasions that spared US the use
of the voice; ard when we were about
300 yards off, the oars were taken IN,
and we moved in deep silence with q
single scull astern.
"The seal was asleep, for 1t reared
its head when we were almost With
in rifle shot, and to this day ] can
remember the hard, careworn, almost
despairing expression of the mems
thin faces as they saw 1t move; their
lives depended on Its capture.
st depressed my hand nervously as
q signal for Peterson to fire. The boat.
noiselessly sagging ahead, seemed to
me within certain range. Looking at
Peterson, saw that the poor fellow
was paralyzed by his anxiety; he was
trying vainly to obtain q rest for MS
gun against the cutwater Of the boat.
The seal rose on its fore fippers. gaz-
Ing at us for q moment with fright
ened curiosity, and coiled itself for q
plunge. At that instant, simultane-
ously with the crack Of the rifle II re-
laxed its length on the ice, and at
the very brink Of the water fell help
less to one side.
"With wild yell the men urged both
boats upon the foes. A crowd OF
hands seized the seal and bore 1t up
to safer Ice. The men seemed half
crazy. I had not realized how much
we were reduced by absolute famine.
They ran over the foe crying and
laughing and brandishing their knives.
It was not FIVE minutes before every
man was sucking his bloody fingers
or mouthing long strips OF raw bluo-
Der.
mot an unce Of the seal was lost
The intestines found their way Into
the soup kettles; the cartlaginous
parts Of the fore fippers were cut OH
and passed around to be chewed upon |;
and even the liver, warm and raw AZ
II was, bade fair to be eaten before IL
had seen the pot. That night. on the
large halting-Hoe. to which. In con-
tempt of the dangers Of drifting. We
happy men had hauled our boats two
entire planks were devoted to q srand
cooking nre. and we enjoyed . Tars
and saypgs feast"