New-York tribune., 1921-01-12
correspondent
Tells of Perils
Along Abitibii
p,.aks Through Treacherous
Jce on the River and
Has q Difficult Time
10 Keep From Freezing
lame Dog Is Cut Loose
M.rcury So Low Loss of
Hands Was Feared;
Tent Pitched oa the Snow

cnCHRANE, Ont, Jan. ~. There
-. two trails that lead to civilization
t~.m Moose Factory-one being the
,,.il sIong the Abitibi River via Clute
IA Cochrans and the other A'nil
,o,loving the treacherous Missinabi
p;r.r. Those who guessed that the
ri,,ine balloonists would return by
nv Of the Missinabi trail had the
right intuition.
/. 50 happened that The Tribune's
correspondent picked the Abitibi trail,
IN. an account Of his experiences may
..rs to throw some sidelights on the
bsrdships that the balloonists had to
.ses In going back to civilization by
nv of any trail whatsoever, for there
|, small choice in the ways that lead
mt of the land of the Far North.
left Cochrane in q sleigh for Clute,
,ourteen miles distant. Three motion
nieture men accompanied me and
sok three hours to reach Clute. which
lus between civilization and Moose
Factory. The factor. a man named
Colding, advised against the Abitibi
,rail on account of the treacherous
npids, but agreed to furnish Indians,
iess and supplies. At daybreak l
rsrted with two Indians, five dogs,
ljeht tent and weeks rations.
Trail Grows Heavy
Once on the ice of the river the trail
began to become heavy. Mushing with
snowshoes in heavy going, when one is
not accustomed to that means of travel,
is to accumulate new and unpleasant
sensations, but we plodded on and had
covered five miles at noon. Then we
took - the march again, the dogs
straining at the harness, and at night
We ware fourteen miles from Clute.
We pitched camp on the west side
Of the Abitibi, and below US rose a
nht which l learned was from the
lsttle Rapids. The tent was pitched
M the snow and a bed of balsam
bqughs was made by the Indians. A
small folding stove put up weak fight
against the clutching cold. The fried
bacon which we had for supper froze
before we could eat it. The stuff the
Indians called porridge was atrocious
and the tea undrinkable. In the night
he tent caught fire from a spark and
) big hole was burned in the canvas.
An Indian calmly stuffed his shirt in
ne hole in the tent and went back to
bed
AT daybreak we mushed on up the
zrr. A slush became noticeable be-
Meath the snow. Several times I had
% take an ak and knock the ice from
ny snowshoes. Once my foot, snow
shoe and all, went into hole in the
!n. "Mush fast!" the Indians said as
hsy looked at my dripping leg, and I
obsyed their command to keep from
tseezing. Huge cracks appeared in the
ies and open water became frequent.
At nightfall we were thirty miles down
this treacherous Northern trail.
Northern Lights Appear
knew that if l went further along
tie trail and met the balloonists they
would beat me back TO Clute by three
days, as my feet were bleeding and
sore: On Sunday l stayed on the river
" day, and to keep warm established
81 line Of poles across the ice. On one
d the poles | had hung sign scrawled
~ leao pencil:
THE New York Tribune"
That night there were Northern
Lights. In a sky above the great
North woods watched the colors
tome and go, and my eyes travelled
1om the awesome sight to the white
nbbon that marked the Abitibi River.
asd my hands been out of my moose
I'm gloves for five minutes that night
never could have used them again, so
ar had the mercury dropped.
On the trail we had met five Indians
sho lived on the river. One of these
I'D sent back along the trail with mes
sasss to be carried by sleigh from Clute
. . Cochrane and sent from there to
New York.
On Monday afternoon decided to
r's It up. One Of the Indians had
ssns back and one Of the dogs had
s0ne 30 lame that she had to be cut
,oose. When we reached Clute, the
'lek tail being easier to travel, it was
~ midnight and / fell into q bunk
n,a =, my clothing on. Shortly after 3
ssoek q messenger came with tho
a. that the balloonists had been
.sn.ed twenty miles from Mattice. /
s:as back to Mattice with the sleigh
1ssi' who had delivered the message.