North-Pole Voyages: Embracing Sketches of the Important Facts and Incidents in the Latest American Efforts to Reach the North Pole, from the Second Grinnell Expedition to That of the PolarisMudge, Zachariah Atwell
History
North-Pole Voyages: Embracing Sketches of the Important Facts and Incidents in the Latest American Efforts to Reach the North Pole, from the Second Grinnell Expedition to That of the Polaris
Mudge, Zachariah Atwell
Arctic regions; Arctic regions -- Discovery and exploration -- American; Discoveries in geography -- American
Not willing to do them unnecessary harm, Dr. Hayes proposed to give them
a dose of opium; then to take the dogs and sledge and push forward to
Northumberland Island, leaving them to come along at their leisure when
they awoke. We could, we thought, push forward fast enough to be out of
the reach of any alarm that might reach Netlik.
To this proposal all agreed. To carry it into execution we became
specially sociable, and free with our presents. To crown the freeness of
our hospitality we set before them the stew just prepared, into which
Dr. Hayes had turned slyly when it was over the fire a small vial of
laudanum. To prevent any one getting an over dose it had been turned out
into three vessels, an equal portion for each. It was, of course, very
bitter.
They at first swallowed it very greedily, but tasting the bitter
ingredient only ate half of it.
The next few moments were those of intense anxiety. Would it stupefy
them? Soon, however, their eyes looked heavy, and their heads drooped.
They begged to lie down, and we tucked them up this time in our
blankets.
We were in our traveling suits ready for a start, dog-whips at hand. As
a last act Godfrey reached up to a shelf for a cup, and down came its
entire contents with a startling noise. Dr. Hayes put out the light with
his mitten, and cuddled down instantly by the side of Kalutunah. The
chief awoke, as was feared, grunted, and asked what was the matter. The
"doctee" patted him and whispered, "Singikok," (sleep.) He laughed,
muttered something, and was soon snoring.
Fearing from this incident that we could not trust the soundness nor
length of time of their sleep, we carried off their boots, coats, and
mittens, that they might be detained in the tent until relief came.
Stephenson was, most fortunately, better than he had been for some time,
being able to carry a gun and walk. All the firearms being secured, Dr.
Hayes stood at one side of the door outside with a double-barrelled
shot-gun, and Stephenson on the other with a rifle. The purpose was if
they awoke to compel them, at the mouth of the guns, to drive us north.
Sontag and the others brought up the most of the meat which was buried
in the snow, and put it in the passage way. This would last five or six
days, and keep the prisoners from starving until help came. The dogs
being harnessed, we mounted the sledges and once more turned our backs
on Fort Desolation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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