, 1923-02-22
s'Hold on"

held on and struggled through
the deep snow until late in the at
ternoon and went into camp. kill
ed a squirrel, roasted it and after q
few bites I became i'll and fell over
on the fire burning my hands and
face. made an effort to pull
myself together; the moon was shin
ming, the weather clear and cold.
Wolves had been following me all
day and through the flames of the
fire l could see a score of eyes
shining like great balls of fire that
scared my soul. l felt that my time
had arrived but philosophically 1
felt that l was going the same route
that many of my best pals had gone
before in the N%orthland.
I cut a small square of birch bark:
wrote on 1t with charcoal that | had
died at this spot. placed the money,
watch and some sentimental trinkets
In a pocket of a birchbark tree, pin
ned the piece of birch back with a
knife to the tree and returned to
the fire to indulge in the Great AID
venture" 1 sat awaiting the call in
almost an unconscious condition
when an apparition of my mother
passed backwards and forwards be-
fore my eyes. AS l remember it
everything seemed quite pleasant
and comforting, l was satisfied and
don't remember any pain. l was
startled, l opened my eyes and as
though coming from another world
l heard her say, Get up, not one
OF my sons ever gave up that easy"
l sat in a comatose condition when
suddenly like the crack of a rifle, 1
heard her voice again, quite dis
tinctly this time say, Get up and go
on you are near your destination"
raised myself, l tottered down a
slight incline and there 1 found a
small stream open. l went to my
knees and found the water warm. l
bather my face and felt recuperated
and refreshed. l had struck a warm
spring. l crossed it trying my multi
phcation but failed. I went on
through the timber. I felt that l had
lost something. Soon 1 realized that
l had left my gun the other side
Of the stream. And just to give an
idea how far l was gone, l took off
the stream, placed my stockings and
mocassins back on my feet, picked
up the gun and crossed the stream,
with wet stockings and mocassins.
I continued through the timber
and came out in an open place. 1
leaned against a tree and my hand
slipped into a blaze. I felt through
the snow and found that the late
snow had covered a ~well-beaten
trail. leaned against the tree I'M
til daylight. encouraged and strong
er than the day before. l knew
that I vas either eleven miles from
the village or one hundred and
twenty miles from Forty Mile. 1
asked myself the question, Gould
l make it," I was bleeding at the
mouth but the blood was coming
from the biting of my tongue and
lips, a habit I had formed when I
wanted to urge myself to greater en-
deavor. The unknown Guide direct
ed me In the timber again and there
! climbed a small knoll, / looked
down on the other side and saw a
white man hauling a bucket of water
from a we'll.
This sight seemed to put new
vigor in me On top of this knoll, l
kneeled and thanked God that he
had saved me.
The white man came toward me
and as soon as he got near enough
asked IL my name was Whitehead
and I said Eyes" He said. ''The
boys camped down the river have
been searching for you and have
given up Ms lost. Walter Fisher il
at Tanana Crossing now.
He took me inside the cabin. made
me sip some tea and told me that
I was twelve miles from a Mission.
He did not have any grub tit for a
starving man; he gave me what he
thought was good for me and after