The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-02-01
ON AN ICE FLoE.
Two Young Indians Drift Twice across
Boring Sea.
(From the Alaska News. }

rived In juneau from the far north we
learn an almost Incredible tale of suffer-
Ing ana endurance experienced by two
Indian boys several years ago while out
sealing. Our relator had been TO Siberia
on the revenue cutter Bear and had re-
turned to Alaska with a cargo of rein
deer They were deposited at the Teller
reindeer station, where he also went
ashore. Hers sledge and team of dogs
were hired and a journey overland to
Point Barrow was begun. At the latter
point the ice was found TO be glare and
perfectly solid, SO he continued his jour
ney across Boring straights as far as the
Big Doomed Island. This island is the
home OF quite large tribe of Indians,
whose Subsistence is derived almost en-
tireiy from the sea- During the winter
season they frequently travel many miles
from home in their sealing expeditions,
but never except when the wind is from
the north. Should the wind shift its d.
ieotion the ice is quite liza ole to break MP
in huge foes. to be carried here and
there by every current it strikes until its
final disintegration is complete.
In the time that was spent on Diomed
Island two young Indians went out seal
ing, and before any seals were seen they
had travelled over ten miles from their
home In the meantime the ice, which
had been in rotten condition for several
days. broke into several huge fields, and
when the Indians came to realization
of their position they were drifting out
into Boring seas broad expanse with the
land slowly fading from view.
On the first, second and third days
no tn ing occurred to vary the monotony.
Their little smack of grub had disap-
peared and starvation seemed to stare
them in the face. In the morning of the
fourth day walrus climbed upon an end
of tho Zoe several hundred feet distant
from where the boys had spent the night.
Seeing thu huge, clumsy brute pull him
self on the ice for sleep, they watched
with an eagerness made all the more
keen from the fact that it, meant life or
death to them. Their sufferings from
thirst had already swollen their tongues
so greatly as to render speech difficult.
After having surveyed the field to his
satisfaction the waIrus lay down and
was soon soundly sleeping. With
Htealthy steps the Indians now ap-
preached, and, the wind being in their
favor. they succeeded in killing the ami
nal before he could awaken and scram-
BILE off the ice. They first gorged them
selves with the blood, it being the first
article of drink they had had in nearly
four days. During all the time they
were on the foe they subsisted entirely
upon this walrIs.
On the fifth day they saw land again,
and upon approaching closer to it it
proved to be ,Nuniyak Island, 500 miles
south of where they started from. They
drifted to within few miles of shore
and were certain of rescue when they
came in the path of other winds and
their direction was changed to westerly
one. Slowly the land passed out of sight
and when next it was seen they had drift
ed and been blown entirely across Ber-
ing sea and were nearing the coast of ST.
IBERIA. 10 this shore line they approached
within about the same distance as they
did at Nunlvak Island, but again con-
trary winds were encountered and they
started east again. Their meat by this
time was almost exhausted and they had
for days suffered indescribably from
thirst.
They never knew how many days it
took in crossing Boring sea the second
time, as before they were rescued they
had become delirious. and death would
have been welcome A friendly breeze
finally blew their Joe cake, now greatly
reduced in size, ashore at the mouth of
the kuskobuim, landing it 90 gently on
the sand bars that the huge nass new er
broke. When the tide passed out they
were taken ashore by half breed trader
who has store in that vicinity and were
cared for until restored to health, and
then were sent back to their homes.
They f1oated about on the Ice exactly
three weeks, during which time they
travelled nearly 1000 miles.
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