Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-30

| Stdrudtton In q cabin IN the Bad Laads
leader Of the Inflated expedition: 'O' ''''
The thermometer shows SO degrees
Of frost three days after the last entry
IN Christians diary in yesterdays in
stallment. They continue to set traps
and cut into the frozen river for flsh.
The cold is daily becoming more in
tense and fierce winds sweep from the
north. with 90 degrees Of frost on De-
cember Is. (These are his own cal
culationS; possibly not quite Scientific).
Fishing becomes more difncult. for 1t
takes hours to cut through the ice;
! and once the adventures labor from
dawn to dark vainly battling with the
| frozen river. The water freezes as
fast as they cut into the ice. At the
approach Of Christmas, still struggling
| against the growing fear of starvation,
Christian and his companions md a
mutilated ptarmigan on the river. This
they cook with a caribou head which
| Is so frozen that It takes hours to thaw
| in front Of their log fire. How strongly
must the spirit of Christmas have been
implanted in the hearts Of these in
trepid wanderers when, despite the
diminishing chances Of getting out Of
Christian writes
December 24.-The shortest day and
Christmas eve. Everyone in England
here We are rustling grub. Tomorrow
we feast on hammock and tongue, and
also put in q net to catch hsh.
Frugal Meal Enjoyed.
And then on Christmas day:
December 2S.-It seems hardly cred
ible. I enjoyed the feast as much as
any. although we had nothing in sight
for tomorrow's breakfast. When we
awoke today we made up our minds to
enjoy ourselves as best as the circunn-
stances would permit. We enjoyed
our frugal meal of rich hammock as
much as turkey. hope every
one in England has enjoyed today and
at the same time hope to God we
rustic enough groub for month from
now and not wish that we had not
"Grub-rustling" during the following
week Is not as successful Is they had
hoped, and they eat with relish some
bad meat which had been previously
thrown away. A terrific snowstorm on
January 10 is followed by 50 degrees
Of frost. Some discarded bones are
pounded by Horribly so a. TO make them
physical need Of grease Is explained
beloY-in vet another boil. Even the
SinewS are eaten.
Cold, cold and colder. The chilling
blast Of the relentless Arctic. In one
of the most terrible Winters expert
enced by man. brings down the temper
azure to 81 degrees frost. T9-and even
So. Poor Adlard's nose was frozen. and
they spent days "denning up"
AdIard Shoots Caribou.
The first day Of February brings re-
newed hope, for Adlard shot q Carl
bou-food for six days. But they are
reduced to such straits by the eth
that a patch of frozen blood which
they mix with -four must serve for
meal. Two days later, the -four Is
nearly gone and they are "grovelling
round for rotten FISH" The store on
the 10th Is reduced to IL cups Of -four.
80 pounds of sugar, and q number Of
hides.
There Is occasionally the suggestion
that the terrible privation Is beginning
to AFFECT the nerves Of these three men
cut on from the world. Weaker spirits
one cannot wonder that sometimes
words slipped out that showed the
strain was beginning to tell. Thus:
February ga nice warm day, and
Harold, thinking 1t nice. declined to
cut wood, but suggested going for a
walk in the afternoon. Today stayed
in all the time. feeling rotten, and Jack
Is in the same condition.
sight Caribou.
February .23.-Harold took q wolf on
the barrens and saw q band Of 20
caribou but could not get near them.
In March, the weather becoming
milder. with sometimes only ~ degrees
of frost. the explorers set OF on a dis
appointing search for food, camping
away from the cabin. Hunger drives
ly q cause of death, see below and
there Is . note Of desperation in the
entry for the 14th, when there was
again so degrees frost:
March IA All feeling as
weak and feeble as anything. Intensely
cold. Pulling hard Cthey had taken
the sleigh) for long time in soft snow
knocked out. But we have to get back
home. as making open camp tonight
means too much work and We should
be "all in" the next day. At pm. we
had to dump the load and pack on
with bare necessities. On way home,
Jack fell and must have hurt himself
badly. On arrival could hardly do
u JdCk Was u IIldINGl-llkIIC0
fire, made tea and cut fire wood.
The experienced leader il obviously
doing his utmost to stir up the tagging
spirits Of his young companions. When
they are "denning" in the cabin, the
atmosphere grown fetid, with only q
dim candle burning, one can picture
him peering anxiouSly into their pale
faces as they listen to the bowling of
the bitter wind I'VE must not get de-
oh A1.fw t1~v ~ 1or~
with forced cheerfulness. II have had
! 1t all before; and without any one TO
bear me company. Like to hear some
thing from one Of my old diaries, Of q
trek farther north than this?" And,
as he fumbies through his pack the
younger men reflect grimly on the
never-voiced question. Shall we get
back?"
Diary Goes BraveIy On.
: OF that diary-it was read on March
i9-Christian wrote the following day:
1T makes one fully appreciate the
meaning Of 1t all, now that I am under
! similar but not severe conditions"
! What story had the old man told to
this mere boy that he could write mot
! severe?
So the diary goes braveIy on.
March 26.-I visited hare trap and
| found hare had been caught and got
out again. A great pity, as We are now
starting to eat fur chapeau and then
wolverine skins nothing COM
ing In. But time is surely passing, and.
although We may go down hungry we
can keep on till caribou come north,
and then what feastingl A
matter Of patience really, but very try
Ing mentally and physically, for we are
weak and easily tired on two meals Of