Evening star., 1924-12-07
Declares Feat Is Real Task
for Man of 81
Years.
FINDS ESKIMO HUTS
LUXURIOUS ABODES
First Rem0ues SnoICs
Packed Tight to Roots
of Homes.
Bv CAPT. RoALD AMnNDsEN.


In my race back to civilization.
which I described in the article last
week, 1 found that in order to make
the stations I would have to run
about 45 miles a day. This for a man
of 81 was good deal Of a job. My
calculations were that If l could keep
up rate of As miles a day we could
reach Cape Katzebue on the last day
of the month and complete our 500
miles. I found Ned the driver and his
wonderful dogs determined to get on
every hour of the day. Ned wore
perpetual smile, and, as ! was run
ming beside the sled he turned to me
and shouted, BY Joe. we are going
to make fine trip"
Nearly the whole coast from VAIN
right down into the valley. where the
land makes a bend running out to
cape Lisburn, is lagoon travelling
The ice here is very smooth and Of
feTs the best ground for sledginG
Overflow is the only hindrance Of any
consideration. but If you meet with q
serious overflow you may have to
stop and wait until it freezes over
again. Fortunately We never met
with any real big overflow. although
we in places had to wade through
autle-deep water. II is under thesa
conditions people with no experience
are apt to make fatal mistakes and
lose their feet by freezing. Late in
the afternoon the third day. we reach
"a an old, abandoned Eskimo hut
Such a place represents the most
deSolate aspect. The window. which
Is always in the roof and made OF
precious bladder skin, is removed by
the people leaving il. and the snow
will in less than no tirle nack tho
little hut chockfuTl. So the first thing
You have to do is to start digeing.
and that is rather trying after q run
Of As miles. But by being persistent
one gets through this job as all
others and life looks bright again.
Enter Hut From Top.
After we had tied up the dogs and
fed them we started to take care Of
through the window opening and the
other hands down the odds and ends
First the sleeping bags, made Of carl
hou skin, after thev have been well
cleaned Of snow: then cooking case.
provisions, etc. The last to enter
closes the window with whatever he
can ind and the prepare tiou for the
evening meal starts The Swedish
Primus stove is still. II my opinion.
the surest. safest and most efficient
stove for use in the Arctic ] have
tried any number of different ma keSs
hut always returned to the Primus
We had been careful in removing the
snow from the hut to leave a good
stock in one corner and that would
be our fresh water supply.
II does not take long 20 melt the snow
over the powerful fame of the Prilnus
and bring it to the boiling point. 4
handful of tea and our supper is ready.
1t is dangerous to move around in q
little place like this, and q little sidestep
may spell disaster to the precious water
And it really means a double disaster
In that you not only lose the water but
you cover the little floor space with a
layer of ice. The Temperature outside
IS 40 below zero. Inside certainly was
no more than 80. 1t only takes the boil
ing water a very short time to change
into ice
The supper, tea. pilot bread. and a
slice of bacon, does not take long to
finish, and then we can crawl into the
sleeping bag. But that does not mean
that we are going to sleep RIGHT away
First the diary must be looked after
end then the watches wound up and
compared. Before We can extinguish
our little candle and turn in for the
night. Early to bed and early to rise
fou remember those wise words? That
IS what we practiCed.
At 3 o'clock precisely the stove was at
work again and at 5 o'clock we bid our
dear little shelter farewell.
Dogs Feel Bitter Cold.
Poor, faithful dogs, With q very
scanty supper they had curled up on
the snow and spent a misera bic night
! don't think that a dog ever gets so
used TO the cold that it does not feel it.
] have observed them so often and al
ways seen these significant movements
indicating shivers. The morning is
beautiful, even if the temperature is
low. The stars seem brighter than ever
end the crisp air invigoratiug. IT is
dead calm. We follow the sea ice close
10 shore I-nnNen as II Is We ~ lLL---.-