The Days of the Great Cold

The Days of the Great Cold The Secondary Glacial Period and the Migration of the Tribe By HENRY F. KIRKHAM I STOOD, one winter day, near an old tower, to the north of the imperial city. The snow lay deep upon the ground and many of the people coasting down the hillside were enjoying, to the utmost, the pleasures of that brief festival. To better observe the sport I mounted the ancient steps of the tower and stood, as I thought, alone at the summit. A sigh, as soft as the passing of a summer zephyr, reminded me of my error. At my side stood the gentle spirit. Said she, "These be joyful times, but, ah me, I well remem- ber when such snows brought only sorrow to the tribes. In all the land, in those days, were green hills ; and bright sunshine prevailed the year around. Yes, indeed, the days of the great cold were sad times for those simple folks of the long ago." COMETHING was certainly ^ wrong with the usual climate. Frost in the mid-summer, zero weather in the early fall, ice and bitter cold the balance of the year — these were (conditions terrible to face and something, moreover, that the tribes who dwelt by the great lake had never experienced before. If the piercing cold wa]s all they had to contend against, the tribesmen might have managed to endure. They lived in a splendid cave city that sheltered them from the most inclement weather, and plenty of fuel, in the shape of immense forests, lay ready to gather. But this was not the gravest problem. Three successive years of appalling cold had driven away the fowl, the deer and, in fact, all of the smaller game that they had come to depend on for their daily supply of animal food. Even the usually abundant denizens of the great lake had deserted their former haunts and sought the '■■■■0:' The Days of the Great Cold. Winter in the Wasatch. warmer and deeper portions of the inland sea, now frozen over the best part of the year. Only the larger and most fero- cious beasts remained, and these, rendered desperate by reason of ex- cessive hunger, did not hesitate to invade the very settlements in search of food, thus disputing with the tribesmen even this meager foot- hold. The grains planted hopefully, would not mature. The very cattle perished for lack of fodder and by inroads of the great beasts. The provisions stored by the tribe for the "rainy day" dwindled to al- most nothing. And, in short, these simple souls were, in a very real sense, at the end of "their string. TN vain the Wise Men sacrificed A before the altar of the high gods. O-Te was obdurate. In vain they sought more natural methods of solution. One cannot change material facts by mere words nor alter the events of prov- idence by simple debate. And the facts were these: snow and utmost cold prevailed where, heretofore, only warmth and summer sun- shine abode. Debate only served to bring out an ancient story of the influence of a thunder moun- tain where gods of fire and smoke sometimes grew angry and covered the world with a veil of mist that shut out the light of the sun. But these tales were vague and helped them not at all in the present ca- lamity. Something radical must of a certainty be done, however, for death stared the entire tribe in the face. So, finally, they resolved on the Great Council — a method used only in the gravest emergency and not resorted to in a genera- tion before. It consisted in calling a sort of convention of all the Wise Men of all the known tribes — tribes that were not always friendly. Now, of course, common misfortune would serve to draw them together for the common good. So the summons went forth by means of swift runners bearing tokens of the call. Many of these messengers never returned, for the great beasts and the storm-swejk ways lay between. But, after sev- eral months, the delegation from the distant tribes arrived and the Great Council was called to order. A MORE picturesque gathering it would be difficult to visu- alize. Old men, mostly, wise with the acquired wisdom of the years, seated around the sacred fire, grave- ly debating issues on which the very fate of the nations depended. While young men and' women stood respectfully on the outskirts and hung silently upon their words. For several days they thus de- liberated and from their wisdom finally came this plan: It was agreed that a picked band of the most vigorous men were to venture southward (the point of the com- pass towards which the feather

626 The Improvement Era for July, 1930 life annually sped) and seek there for some place of temporary asy- lum to which the balance of the people might go for refuge. 'T'HE dangers of this adventure for the pioneers was great, in- deed. No one knew what new terrors lurked in that vast track- less wilderness outside the scope of their own little world. No one could guess at the perils that lay between their own land and that far-off country that was labeled unknown. For, be it remembered, these simple folks were filled with a thousand ingrained superstitions and saw omens and signs where none existed — not to mention the very real difficulties to be met. Of volunteers for the expedition there were plenty, notwithstanding the dangers. Young men then, as now, were filled with a spirit of romance. Nor did they count the costs. To head this group the choice fell upon our old friend Na-Ki of the "red feather," Na-Ki, beloved of the gods by reason of his excellence in the art of the song and dance, and by the people because of his exploit in the matter of the savages — a deed now long gone but not forgotten. Na-Ki joyfully accepted the commission, for was he not strong, active, beautiful to look upon and withal somewhat ambitious. In- deed, the only drawback appear- ing to his youthful fancy lay in the enforced separation from his beloved Le-Me, the lily. How- ever, to balance this was the glory to be won and perhaps because of it the very hand of the fair Le- Me herself. So he began, in high zest, the preparations for the ad- venture. HTHE chosen band, one hundred ■• strong, were carefully selected from among the various tribes, armed, provisioned with such sup- plies the tribes could spare from their meager stores, and, blessed by the prayers of the people, were ready to start on the momentous quest. The day for the venture was set for a certain time in the early spring — or should we say, in win- ter, for this spring was no regular spring at all. It was as cold and bleak as an arctic winter. But nothing daunted the band set forth to the accompaniment of much wailing and tears of those left be- hind. Even Le-Me shed real tears as she gazed upon her handsome lover — perhaps for the last time. Into her tender heart had come true sorrow for the first time in her youthful career. And so the pioneers went forth with high and noble bearing, as they marched, "As the deer comes to her mate, As the flower turns to the sun; So go we to the land of plenty, To the home of the gods!" 'THE order of advance was this: -• First came the main body head- ed by Na-Ki and his aides; next a small rear guard with flankers thrown on the sides, a very mar- tial arrangement, but in no sense superfluous, as many unknown perils lurked within the shadows. At night they formed a stockade, built huge fires, and set a careful watch. Thus, for some days, they pro- ceeded mostly through familiar ter- ritory, sometimes skirting the shores of the frozen lake, some- times penetrating the leafless forest. Soon, however, they arrived at the boundary of the known. Before them lay the trackless wilderness, peopled by unknown terrors and filled with gloomy forebodings. Resolutely, though, they pushed ahead. Soon they left the region of the great lake and came into a vast, waterless and treeless expanse of prairie. It stretched towards the west, some dim tradition had it, even to the mother of waters. But as their course pointed south- ward they moved only along the edge of this vast desert. Heretofore they had met with no unendurable hardships. Inured to outdoor life, they suffered little from the cold, and their very num- bers acted as a restraint upon the great beasts that infested the lone- ly trail. Excepting for the loss of one member by reason of a treacherous pitfall, they still re- mained the same resolute, merry company that first went forth. "M'OW, however, they came to -^ some rough, sloping ground that eventually grew into a high table-land. Here the going was bad, intensified by the deadly, in- creasing cold. For many days they pushed through this desolate region, the path growing more rugged and the cold more severe as they advanced. Even upon their splendid constitutions, the strain began to tell. They no longer sang as they marched. Some of the weakest gave out and were left behind to shift as best they could. In this extreme case, ne- cessity knew no pity. The country grew wilder and more formidable, as they proceeded. The sloping tableland terminated in a towering mountain range that lifted its frozen summits to the very sky and seemed to be, in truth, an insurmountable barrier to further progress. At the base of this range they encamped, the while they vainly sought some feasible pass by which they might continue their advance. None could be found. Weary and disheartened, they took council on the problem and many were in favor of giving up the project and retracing their steps to the city of refuge. But to this suggestion Na-Ki would not con- sent. Said he, "We will not re- turn to be the laughing stock of all the people. No, let us rather die as warriors in the attempt!" Perhaps he had a vision of the scorn in the eyes of the fair Le-Me. Many a man, in all ages, has died for the smile of a woman. Or, perhaps, he was inspired of the gods. Who can tell? AT any rate Na-Ki's veto put "**• an end to the thought of turn- ing back and they resumed their search, meeting at last with a measure of success. A scouting party returned one day with the glad news of a providential dis- covery. One of the party, having accidentally fallen into a brush- concealed crevice, found that it led to a narrow pass that broadened as he proceeded until he felt sure it must eventually penetrate the very heart of the mountains. Who knows whether or not the gods had a hand in this seeming ac- cident? Many queer endings have as simple a beginning as had this one. And now began as severe a test of human endurance as ever was recorded in all history. Poorly clad, hungry, half frozen, this heroic band struggled up the ter- rible ascent. Bitter cold, blinding snows, cuts and bruises, were their daily portion. Indeed, the trail seemed to have no ending, steadily mounting upward, steadily becom- ing more beset with pitfalls and delays.

The Improvement Era for July, 1930 627 HTHEIR remaining strength ebbed -^ day by day. Many a gallant youth perished by the wayside or met his end in some snow-covered abyss that fell a thousand feet. Once even a score lost their lives before a mighty avalanche of snow and rocks. And yet did the bal- ance persevere, for to turn back now was fully as dangerous as to push forward. In the face of all these hard- ships, Na-Ki was a host in him- self. His faith never wavered, his matchless endurance never gave out. He heartened his companions with constant example of courage and fortitude and cheered them to the task by song and jest. It seemed as if the very gods inspired him — as indeed they did. Do not all great efforts have some divine source? So at last they reached the ut- most summit. Downward pointed the trail. Everything depended on the place to which it led. If to con- tinued cold and hunger, death was the lot of every one of them, for food they now had none. They could endure no more. They huddled that night in the meager shelter of an overhanging rock. Na-Ki could not sleep, but arose and slowly paced before the shelter. Distorted visions of boun- tiful feasts, warm sunshine, and the lovely Le-Me floated before his benumbed eyes. To be sure it was light enough, for a brilliant moon, such as the high mountains alone know, threw a cold, clear illumination over the vast expanse of sparkling snow and outlined the nearby peaks in a ghostly mantle of pure white. Suddenly across the field of his disordered vision came marching, one behind the ■other, a great line of antlered elk. Was it but a dream? No game •of any sort had been sighted for weeks and the band had been forced to subsist upon their scant rations until even these were en- tirely gone. Na-Ki closed his eyes a moment to collect his faculties but when he opened them again, the herd was still there — one, in- deed, so close that he could almost touch it with his hand — so still and lonesome was this vast soli- tude of snow. TJ[7ITH a prayer of gratitude in ** his heart Na-Ki promptly hurled the short spear he carried full at the beast. So much depended upon the sureness of his aim that he almost fainted with the effort of mind and body. Praise be the gods! His cast was true and this great elk fell dead at his very feet, while the balance of the animals vanished as strangely as they had appeared. What chance had led these deer to this particular spot at this opportune moment none could surmise. Perhaps O-Te could have answered the question, but, of course, high gods do not reveal their secrets to any mere mortals. At any rate, here was a fine feast for the exhausted and famished tribesmen, and you may be sure they fell to the task with a joyful promptness, nor cared overmuch the reason for its coming. On the following morning, greatly refreshed, they began the downward trail, at first almost as difficult and perilous as the former trail they had just surmounted. Gradually, however, the way be- came easier, the air warmer, and some signs of life more evident. The second day of the descent they halted upon the sharp edge of a great bluff because of the hazards of a thick fog that hung like a blanket over the entire landscape. About noon the curtain of mist lifted. What a vision of loveliness met their enraptured gaze! A fair, green valley, stretching for miles away. Warm and pleasant it appeared from where they stood. Here, be- yond question, was the land they had come to seek, the place of promise they had struggled with (Pioneer Woman B, 'ENEATH these alien stars In darkness I have stood alone, Barriers more than mountains Between me and my home. And I have seen the shadows fall, Grim patterned on the floor, As onward passed the faces Beyond the cabin door. The desert wind has waved my hair; Desert sands have etched my face, And the courage of the mountains Has bound me to this place. And something of its peace I've won, Triumphant now my day is done; Oh, I have stood with only God Between me and the sun! — Vesta Pierce Crawford. such steadfast courage to discover. With a glad shout they fairly ran down the winding trail into the shelter and the sunshine of this earthly paradise. At the head of a beautiful river they set up their camp and rested for a while from the terrible toil they had endured.. Game teemed within the valley and there was plenty of wild fruit and grains for the gathering, much of which was of varieties unknown to them. CO, for a few days, they em- ^ ployed themselves. Then the serious business of their quest be- gan. A picked band of the few who had survived, were dispatched on the back trail, well -provisioned and with a better knowledge of the road to be traveled. The mis- sion of this band was to return to the city of refuge and announce the glad tidings of success to those who waited so anxiously there. Those remaining in the valley were to occupy themselves in the building of a more secure habita- tion than the open field. They did not, as yet, know the extent of their new domains nor what enemies might abide therein. They also went about the matter of caching a goodly supply of pro- visions at spots on the back trail so that the future immigrants would not fare so badly. Na-Ki chose to remain behind. He was more than pleased with the results of his mission and wanted to be the first to welcome the pilgrims to this favored spot. "Vf ANY weeks thus passed quick- L x ly and pleasantly. But at last the vanguard of the tribesmen arrived. What a joyful re-union it all was! No word can properly describe it. How pleased the Wise Men were, would be mere super- fluity to add. Suffice it to say that after all the suffering and after all the suspense of those trying years, the turn of the road had come. Two, at least, found that happi- ness that passes all understanding. Le-Me had given her love to Na- Ki — at last! "So you see, oh mortal," said the gentle spirit," happiness and sorrow are mixed blessings. In the days of the great cold, many found sorrow, but two of these, the supreme happiness of all the ages — Love.