The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-08-21
Lieut.. Jarvis Braves the Ter
rOrS of Alaska.
THE DEATH OF HIS MOTHER
just Married, He Consents to Go ON
the Point BARROW Expedition-A
Courageous Exploit - His Letters
Reach Home the Day After the
Death of His Mother
(FrOm the Philadelphia Times.)


It's glorious acts of herOism-With the
names Of Dewey, SchIey and h0cson,
coupled with praises on all sides-the dar-
ing relief expedition of Lieut. David H.
Jarvis and Lieut. Ellsworth 3 Berth
off in faI-away Alaska TO save the crews
of a fleet Of whaling vessels from starva-
ton. has been almost lost sight Of Yet
they offered to their native land. in the
name OF suffering humanity. all that
could be offered-their Hyes-with even
less likelihood of success than the heroes
OF Manila and Santiago.
Behind this noble self-sacrifice, this
voluntary Imprisonment amid the terrOrs
of an Arctic Winter. there is a domestic
drama fun Of sadness-a drama of love
and duty, whose touching climax is
another instance OF truth being stranger
than fiction.
When in the Spring of 1891 Lieut. Jar
Wis, after several years of Arctic revenue
service aboard the cutter Bear. was or
dered TO Boston. he anticipated mis- shore
service by being married Within a few
weeks he was ordered back 10 the Arctic
service, but was able 10 return 10 the
eastern coast last November on furIOugh
with the prospects Of shore service
ahead He went 10 New Bedford. Mass,
where his wife was, with the intention OF
spending several days in this city. where
mis- mother lay sick.
His furlOugn was broken short by Or
ders 10 go TO Washington He went and
was asked If he would volunteer to go up
on d relief expedition TO whalers Imprisou-
ed in the ice between Point Barrow and
Herschel Island, on the northern coast OF
Alaska He hesitaJed not on his own ac-
count. but by reason Of the probable ef-
feet upon both mis- wife and his mother.
But when il was found that his services
ind gaTI in r-so- Of
ence he could hesitate no longer
He had time then but for hurried leave
takings Of those who were 50 near and so
dear 10 him, whom il seemed that he
would never see again. The invalid
mother was Frustrated by the shock and
the wife, too. broke down when she real
lied the terrible nature OF the expedition
1t was with hope and eSpectatiO that
the brave lieutenant thus left home and
family for duty's call. For he rightly felt
that if anyone could succeed in that ter
rible climate he could, and. moreover. the
opportunity was here presented TO prove
his theory in regard 10 the usefulness Of
reindeer.
So he did all in his power 10 keep up
the courage OF those TWO woman 5oCnd
20 him by the closest ties OF love. united
one with the other in their moons OlaoIe
loss. With apparently light heart he
prophesied success and said he would
keep them posted when it was possible.
In the same cheering way he wrote just
before the Bear LEFT Seattle for the frozen
north November % II seemed 10 each
ike a message from ole going into the
very jaws OF death. from which there
was no possible means OF escape.
To both the months that followed were
filed with unspeakalble anguish But
while the wife bore up bravely under the
/ strain. hoping against hope. the invalid
mother continued to sink gradually. until
two weeks ago she was at deaths door.
/ Then came news OF the safe arrival Of the
relief expedition al Point Barrow. all too
brief for those to whom it was a matter
of the most heartfelt interes-. To those
two women il was message from heir
brave boy who had pa-seI miraculOusly
ont Of the jaws Of death and wa yet 50
many. many miles away
They waited eagerly for letters from
him Meanwhile. the mother was dying.
happy that her lad was alive. She passed
away peacefully last THURSDAY in her
home on Dickinson Street. Her last
words were of her boy. even vet a pris-
oner amid the icy wilds of Alaska Next
+ day came letters. all written 10 MS moth
er-written lovingly and with every de-
sire to lessen the periiS he had passed
+ through, and speaking Of the prospects Of
returning to her in the autumn. Happy
! in the feeling of duty we'll performed. The
I valiant lieutenant evidently little thought
/ that his mother would never look upon
/ those prizes.
The letters were written from various
! places along the perilous route and were
/ sent back by the Rev. Mr.. Lopp. a mis-
/ sionary, who was the third member OF
J the overland relief expedition and who re-
turned to the west coast after their mis-
sion was fulfilled. Lieut. Jarvis. Lieut..
| Bertholf and Mr.. LOpp left the Bear ar
ST. Michaels on December .. and by
January q had gone half the distance.
/ about SEQ miles, reaching Cape Prince OF
/ Wales. where the reindeer were secured
1t was a this place that several years
/ ago a reindeer farm was started by the
I Government, at the suggestion of Lieut.
/ Jarvis. and the best proof Of its value
| was now given. While 500 reindeer had
/ been put there. their number had in
creased threefold. Six hundred was the
number taken by those who hith-
| erto had had only the company OF
( sledges over the frozen ground.
OF the terrors of this journey Lieut.. Jar
Wis says nothing. mentioning casually
that they are in darkness all the time.
and that the Thermometer Is 10 degrees
below zero, but gives assurance that he
has never been in better health. and is
surprised that his nose showed no signs
of freezing.
There is no word of the terrible winds
that sweep over the icy wastes. often
knocking the sturdy reindeer off their
feet: or of the furious fighting Of the
dog-save casual mention-nor of the
fight for existence in converting the rein
der into food Nothing to tend to fright
en- the beloved mother. only enough TO
give suggestion of the horrors through
which he had passed. And thus the
letters go on with ever-growing prophe-
cy OF success. Once he enthusiastically
says: II feel that If this can be done
can do it''-not egotistically but as a
hero. strong in assurance of his ability.
Po5nt Barrow was reached March g.
three days before lieut. Jarvis prCDhe-
sled that they would reach there And
contrary to the, most hopeful expectation.
it was found that the majority OF the
whale1s were alive and wea and that
there was a gOod-siZe herd Of " Id rein
deer upon which they had seen feeding.
In consequence Of this their own supply Of
food was not exhausted as otherwise
would have been the case Two of the
vessels had been caught In the ice and
. lost viii most Of their crews about the
time the Bear left Seattle. but the otheI
|. ships had suffered but little damage
The temperature is so low there the heu-
tenant writes. that & is absolutely too
cold to freeze except near shore.
OyeTwcrIsed
CFrom the indianapolis IournaL)
Glow these farmers DO complain Of being over
. | worked"