Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-24
Mushers' Life
A Watchful and
A Vigilant One

Nenana, Alaska, April 1 CA. r. by
MaiD The "musher" in the Arctic
Circle, where winter prevails about
eight months out of the year, must
never relax his vigilance if he would
survive the perlls peculiar to the
region.
To the explorer. prospector, scien-
fist, trapper or hauler of mail and
supplies who must go north of the
Yukon river basin. one of the great
est winter hazards is the lack of
timber for tirewood. In some To-
Calities the only timber is aspen,
commonly called poplar, scrub
spruce and stunted brush. When a
man faces so degrees below zero in
sleeping bag and canvas tent, he re-
quires a big log fire and abundant
fuel to keep it going. When the
Arctic blizzard sweeps down. man
and beast are compelled to seek
shelter.
In the bitterest cold few lungs can
withstand the "scorching" atmos-
phere that appears to scar them like
flame while the blood is turning to
ice. Frozen lungs are not I'M
common, but there are certain pre-
cautions that minimize the danger.
The equipment includes three
pairs of heavy wooden socks on each
foot; underwear and shirt of wool,
but of medium weight; mittens
augmented by buckskin slipovers
and drill parka, its hood faced
with wolverine fur, which does not
gather frost and freeze where the
breath strikes it, The muskrat or
beaver. cap has flaps to pull down
over the ears and under the chin.
The shoes frequently are moose
hook mukluks.
AT no time must any portion of
the flesh save the eyes be exposed
to the frost. and even the eyes must
be protected when facing a bliz-
zard. Travellers usually augment
TINS light equipment with a COM
plete suit of reindeer furs.
Submission to the cold of the
arctic has It different effect than
might be imagined. Instead of a
shlferlng and a gradual agonizing
process of freezing, the frost over
comes one suddenly and almost
palniessly. There is a numbness in
the more exposed portions, like the
feet legs and hands. Later the
Jaw becomes stiff, nearly immobile.
\ minutes exposure of partly
cold hand to low Temperature
causes the fingers TO become stiff
ana without feeling. 1t is as If they
had gone to sleep. The man in
Danger of death from freezing is
otertaken by rather pleasant
lethargy.
n danger is found in becoming
oyerheated and then tarrying to cool
on. Even when the temperature is
% below. ones body perspires IL all
orlnces of the clothing are closed.
IL tnere are any holes in the eouip-
ment, the cold penetrates like the
name from blowpipe, boring in
rather than spreading. One NAV
rave spot the size of a dime
frozen on a finger where there is a
hoIe In glove or mitten, and the rest
OF the hand then becomes numb. In
stopping for rest. the initiated often
AIRY 100 long, and on arising
Mohoer why the limbs refuse to
junction with their wonted supple
ness. After several such, haIts
lurther progress becomes a struc gle
ana unless fire is available i'm
medlateiy the chances of freezing
are great.
FROZEN hands or toes are treated
IN the time-honored way of rubhine
them with snow. until the circula fio9
is restored. ''oh
horses used to carry outfits into
tue interior of Alaska are protected
from lung freezing by a coyerine
me nosebag. through which the
ar Is inferred OF its biting frost be-
lure II Is oreathed. Nature further