New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-15
BEHRIyG SEA CROSSED on Az ICE FLoE

From The Alaska NeNs
From gentleman who recently arrived IN Jun 1,
from the far North We learn an almost hGIe'.nie
tae OF suffering and endurance experiences by Two
orr relator had been TO Siberia on the revenue cut
ter Bear and had returned to Alaska WIN Tarso
Of rendeer They deposited at the IeIer
reindeer station where ne also went ashore mere
a sle1ge and team Of dogs were hired and a Jour
ney overland 10 Point Barrow was begun. AZ lhe
latter point the ice found 10 be glare and per-
fectly solid he continued his Journey across u =
Pebring straits as far as the Big Diomed Island:
Thjs stand is the home of quite large tribe OF
Indians whose subsistence Is derived almost en-
fren1ently travel many miles from home on their
sealing expeditions, bu. never except wnsn ue
detection the ice Is quite liable to break up In huge
fnac 70 be carried here and there by every cur
rent 1t strikes until It's final dsiniegrauon IS COM
In the time that Was spent Diomei Island two
young Indians went on; seaing anu ten o,Ies
from their home In the mean time the ice' W"leH
had been in rotten condition Tor sever" gay
came a realization OF their POSITION they W. W. Z
drifting out into Behring seas broad expanse c wl,
second and third days nothing occurred TO vary the
nonotony. Their little snack OF grub nad ulSs a.
peared and starvation seemed 10 stare them IN me
face on the morning Of the fourth day waius
climbed upon end Of the foe several nun ire re-
night Seeing the huge clumsy brute pull Himself
ON The ice for a sleep. they watched him with an
that il meant life death to them Their suffer
ings from thirst had already swollen their tonsics
having surveyed the field to hs satisfaction me
wa,rus lay down and was soon sound.y sleeping
Win stealthy steps the Indians now approached
and the wind being In their favor. they succeeded
I'm killing the animal before he could awaken ana
scramble off the ice. They first gorsed thensriVes
with blood. 1t being the first article OF drink they
had had In nearly four days. During all the time
they were on the foe they subs.sted entirely upon
this walrus. , , 49,.
aDproaching closer to II II proved 10 he NuniVaR
Island 800 miles south OF where they started from
They dr.flei 10 within n few miles or shore am
were certain of rescue when they came In the patti
OF other winds and their direction was changed tc
a westerly one. Slowly the land passed out OF
SIGH, and when next Il seen they had drftcc
ana been blown entirely across Behrlng Sea and
we're nearing the coast OF Siberia. To this shore
line they approached within about the same dis
lance as they ala at Nun!vak Island but agar
contrary winds encountered, and they starteC
exhausted and tney had for days suffered inde
scr.Dably from thirst. -
They never knew how many DAYS 1t took In cross
Ing Eehring Sea the second time, as before they
were rescued they had become delicious. and doali
would have been welcome. friendly breeze hnahy
blew their ice cake. now greatly reduced In size
ashore at the mouth OF the Kuskoquim landing i
- gently on the sand bars that the huge mass
taken ashore By a halfbreed trader. who has stor
in that vicinity and were cared for until restored
70 health and then were sent back TO their homes
They foa.el about on the Ice exactly three weeks
during which time they travelled nearly 1000 miles