The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-02-02
is HERE TO TRAW
c. |. Helm Arrives Unexpectedly
From KlOldikG.
A WALK OF 700 MILES
Over ChIicott Pass "A Serious
Ducking In the Yukon-En-
durance Required.

c. I. Helm. of Dawson City, y. W. L.
arrived in Honolulu by the MaripoSa
Yesterday morning for two weeks
visit. when he will return to the frozen
North. Urgent business necessitated
a trip back to civilization and after SIN
days in the States Mr.. Helm concIudeo
TO make call on relatives in this city
and incidentally TO thaw out.
Seven hundred miles on foot over
snow and ice, 5000 miles principally by
teamship. all in forty-three days actual
travel. is not 4 bad record. This he
did.
Leaving Dawson City December 10.
Mr.. Helm went up the Yukon river,
crossed the Chilcoot pass and from
there travelled down TO Skaguay or
foot. It was cold, bitter cold-6O be
low zero at the least. Walking, one
wouId freeze. so that it was necessary
10 run all day.
Forty miles day was the average
run. Sixty-siX miles were made one
| dav Four were in the party coming
ont. one of whom was woman, anu
| she was a plucky little woman VOo'
from way back East.
| One dav, while the party was trot-
tting along single file up the YUKON, IhG
lice gave way under Mr.. helm anu
| down into the water he went. The cur
rent of the river was so strong that II
| was a hard battle, requiring se1-con-
| troll and all the power Of his arms TO
hang on to the ice about him and Keep
from being drawn under. One OF Inc
men rushed to his rescue, soon had hlm
Idrawn from the water and standing on
| the great ice field with drenChed CLOTH
ling and freezing body.
| Mr.. Helm grabbed an AK and ran 70
| the banks of the stream, where there
was heavy pine timber. Whlie the resi-
| of the party were building up Dig
fire, unpacling. and getting out drE
clothing Mr.. Helm chopped into trees
with all the energy he possessed 10
keep from freezing. Inside OF two min
Iutes his heavy fur clothing was frozen
stiff. He could barely move. The men
carried him to the fire and began the
| thawing out process. Then the wo-
man. the wife of the man who came
| TO Mr. Helms rescue, exhibited her
wonanly sense. She had taken from
the pack a heavy, coarse towel and as
the wet and frozen garments were re-
moved she rubbed his body with all
the strength of her small arms. One
shoulder, one hip, both feet and both
lhands were frozen. All of the frosted
parts were thawed out with snow eX-
| cent the feet. which were neglected un-
til it was found that the fire had
drawn the frost from them. They be-
came swollen, bursted in places and
were extremely painful. Trotung
lalong the ice Mr.. Helm would frequent
ly stumble over some block of frozen
isnow until his feet became running
sores from the bruises. The distance
was finally traversed, however, in a
time so short that it seems barely
lcreditable.
Mr.. Helm says that no one should go
into the Hlondike who is not in the
best physical condition. The slightest
l1efect will come out. Mr.. Helm had
his foot cut when a boy. Since then
he has never thought OF it. In Alaska
his foot became very sore and on eX-
Iamination he found that the Old scar
had become very much inflamed and
lc0ntinued sore during the time that he
was in the North. Hundreds are dying
there because of some minor physical
defect that had not been recognized in
a warmer climate.
Mr.. Helm has a stock OF comic stories
land exciting adventures. but though
life in Alaska is interesting he IS glad
10 be again in Honolulu. IN about two
weeks he will return to the States and
as soon as he can arrange his business
Will leave for Dawson City. Mr.. Helm
Is we'll pleased with the prospects fOI
gaining wealth in the Hlondike.