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
The dogs objected decidedly to this whole proceeding; they especially
disliked their new masters, and were determined on mischief. John and
Godfrey were given by their team a ride a mile straight off the coast
instead of alongside of it, as they desired to go. Dr. Hayes was worse
used by his. They drew in different directions, went pell-mell, first
this way, then that, at one time carrying him back nearly to the hut.
Finally they became subdued apparently, and sped swiftly in the way they
were guided. The other sledges had in the mean time dropped into the
desired course. All seemed to be going well, when, just as the doctor's
dogs had shot by the other teams, they suddenly turned round, some to
the right and others to the left, turning the sledge over backward, and
rolling the men into a snow-drift. The doctor grasped firmly the
"up-stander" of the sledge, and was dragged several yards before he
recovered his feet. As the dogs at this moment were plunging through a
ridge of hummocks, the point of the runner caught a block of ice. The
traces of all the dogs excepting two snapped, and away went the freed
dogs to their imprisoned masters. They yelped a taunting defiance as
they disappeared in the distance.
The doctor and Mr. Stephenson, taking each a dog, went to the other
teams, and we were again on the fly, leaving the third sledge jammed in
the hummock. We reached in safety the southern point of Cape Parry,
found a sheltering cave, and camped.
CHAPTER XVII.
BACK AGAIN.
WE tarried in our camp full two hours. We obtained a pot of hot coffee
and rest. The whips had been used so freely that they required
repairing, for without their efficient help there could be no progress.
All being in readiness, we were about starting when three Esquimo came
in sight. They were those we had left asleep in our hut! Dr. Hayes and
Mr. Sontag seized their guns, and rushed down the ice-foot to meet them.
They stood firm until our men, coming within a few yards, leveled their
guns at them. They instantly turned round and threw their arms wildly
about, exclaiming in a frantic voice, "Na-mik! na-mik! na-mik!"--don't
shoot! don't shoot! don't shoot!
Dr. Hayes lowered his rifle and beckoned them to come on. This they did
cautiously, and with loud protestations of friendship. By this time
Whipple had come up. Each of our men seized a prisoner, and marched him
into the camp. Reaching the mouth of the cave, the doctor turned
Kalutunah round toward his sledge, pointed to it with his gun, and then
turning north, gave him to understand, mostly by signs, that if he took
the whip which lay at his feet, and drove us to the "Oomeaksoak" (ship)
he should have his dogs, sledge, coat, boots, and mittens; but if they
did not do so that he and his companions would be shot then and there;
and to give emphasis to his words, he pushed him away and leveled his
gun.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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