Farthest North.

Manawatu Herald, 31 July 1897, Page 3

Farthest North.

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" I sprang into the water, bat the wind was off the ice, and the light kayaks, with their high rigging, gave it a good hold. They were already well oat, and were drifting rapidly. The water was ioy cold ; it was hard work swimming with clothes on, and the kayaks drifted farther and farther, often quicker than I could swim. It seemed more than doubtful whether I could manage it. But all oar hope was drifting there j all we possessed was on board , we had not even a knife with us ; and whether I got cramp and sank here, or turned back without the kayaks, it would come to pretty much the same thing ; so I exerted myself to ' the utmost. When I got tired I turned over and swam on my back, and then I could see Johansen walking restlessly up and down on the ioe. Poor lad 1 He could not stand still, and thought it dreadful not to be able to do anything. He had not much hope tnat I could do it, but it would. not improve matters in the least if he threw himself into the water too. He said afterwards that these were the worst moments he had ever lived through. But ; . when I turned over again, and saw that I was nearer the kayaks, my oonrage rose, and I redoubled my exertions. I felt, however, that my limbs were gradually stiffening and losing all feeling, and I knew that in a short time I should not be able to move them. But there was not fir to go now ; if I could only hold out a little longer, we should be lived— and I went on. The strokes baoame more and more feeble, but the distance became shorter and shorter, and I began to think I should reach the kayaks. At last I was able to stretch out my hand to the snowshoe, which lay across the sterns ; I grasped it, pulled myßelf in to the edge of the kayak— and we ware saved. I tried to pull myself op, bat the whole of my body was so ■ iff with cold, that this was an Impossibility. For a moment I thought that after all it was too lite ; I was to get so far, but not be able to get in. After a little, how•rer, I managed to swing one leg np on to the edge of the sledge whioh lay on the deck, and in this way managed to tumble up. Thera I ■at, bat so stiff with cold, that I had difficulty in paddling. Nor was it easy to paddle in the double vessel, where I first had to take .one or two strokes on one side, and then step. into the other kayak to take a few ■ -rokes on the other side. If I had bsen able to separate them, and row li one while I towed the other it j would have been easy enough; but ! I could not undertake that piece of i work, for I should have been stiff before it was done ; the thing to be done was to keep warm by rowing as hard as 1 could. The cold had robbed my whole body of feeling, but when the gusts of wind came they seemed to go right through me as I stood there in my thin, wet woollen shirt. I shivered, my teeth chattered, and I was numb almost all over ; but I could still use the paddle, and I should get warm when I got back on the ice again. Two auks were lying close to the bow, and the thought of having auk for ■upper was too tempting ; we were in want of food now. I got hold of my gun and shot them with one discharge. Johansen said afterwards that he started at the report, thinking some accident had happened, ftod could not understand what I was about out there, but when he ■»w me paddle and pick up two birds he thought I had gone out of my mind. At last I managed to reach ■he edge of the ice, but the current had driven me a long way from our lwding place. Johansen came along the edge of the ice, jumped into the kayak beside me, and we soon got back to our place. I was undeniably a good deal exhausted, and oould barely manage to crawl on lind. I could scarcely stand, and while I shook and trembled all over, Johansen had to pull off the wet things I had on, pat on the few dry ones I still had in reserve, and

spread the sleeping-bag out upon the ice. I packed myself well into it, and he covered mo with the sail and everything he could fine to keep out the cold air. There I lay shivering for a long time, but gradually the warmth returned to my body. For some time longer, however, my feet had no more feeling in them than iciclea, for they had been partly naked in the water. While Johanaen put np the tent and prepared supper, consisting of my two autca, I asleep. He let me sleep quietly, and when I awoke, supper had been ready for some time, and. stood simmering over the fire. Auk and hot soup soon effaced the last traces of my swim. During the night my clothes were hung out to dry, and the next day were nearly all dry again." (To be continued).