Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-12-07

FLEEING BEFORE AN ARCTIC TIDAL WAVE.
10. We had continuous rain during all
this time. and it would rain harder after
each shock. About 9 a. m. on the 10th
we had a very severe shock, so violent
that one could hardly keep his feet, the
ground being very active in its move
ments, and the low alder brush shook and
bent like reeds in n gale of wind. This
shake lasted about one and half min
utes, but was followed by others not so
hard at intervals of every few minutes,
some of the boys counting 80 distinct
shocks between then and 1:30 p. NJ,
when we got the king bee of them all,
and the one that caused US so much trou-
BILE, loss and discomfort.
"We were sitting in our tent at the
time, and in our efforts to get outside S.
Cox was piled up in the corner, after be-
ing thrown headlong over the camp stove,
while Captain Smith and myself succeed
ed in getting hold of the tent pole and as
long as the shake up lasted we held on to
it to keep from being thrown to the
ground. This shock must have lasted two
and half to three. minutes, the ground
cutting some of the queerest capers i'm
aginable. In addition to the circular mo-
ton of the preceding heavy shock, it was
waving up and down like the swells of
the sea, only with considerable more en-
ergy..
'All this would net have excited our
fear for safety had we not heard terri
Bile roar in the direction of the bay, and
on looking that way we saw tidal wave
coming toward us which appeared to be
about 20 feet high and was preceded by
great geysers shooting into the air, some
of which were several feet across and 30
or 40 feet high. On seeing this we imme-
diately took to our heels for a place of
safety, at the same time keeping a look
out behind. Seeing this was dying out
and realizing that in case our provisions,
etc, were swept away by the next wave
we would be left in a helpless condition.
we started back to see if we could save
some of the provisions and blankets,
Captain Smith, being somewhat in
advance, reached the tents first and dart
ed inside to gather up what he could. He
had no more than reached the blankets
when we heard the roar of the second
and largest wave coming, which was
fully 20 to 80 feet high. Captain Smith
here had a very close call, for he got out
of the tent Just in time to see the wave
crash over the cooking tent, ID feet from
him and near the beach. You may rest
assured he lost no time in making
tracks and in one place just back of the
tent had to make a perpendicular jump of
five feet to get on level ground. This was
raused by the settling down of the mo-
raine.'
81 shall never forget the look on his
face as he came into view around
clump of alders. His first words were,
Don't waste any time, but run for your
lives and don't stop. short of the .hill.'
Which piece of advice we were not slow
to accept, though the ground was still
oscillating, and we had to jump a good
many cracks. When we reached the top
of the hill, which was no easy matter on
account of the heavy growth of alder and
two streams which we had to ford, we
built fire and made a shelter Of brush.
"After it had quieted little we went.
down to where our camp had been. The
first thing we came across was our little
10 foot boat, safely lodged up among the
alders and securely fastened by the ac-
tion Of the water wrapping the painter
about small alder. We then commenc-
ed to skirmish around for grub and final
~ OLA POuhuS OI tuIeG Or
four pounds Of -four, a small piece of ba-
con and few canned goods, all wet OF
course, but a good deal better than moth
ing. Our tent we also found with our
blankets inside. they having all rolled up
together by the rolling motion of the
waves. We made ! desperate effort to
find a full sack of flour and two slabs of
bacon which we had. but without success.
considering that we were fortunate in
having saved what we did and not caring |!
to take any chances, we packed every |
thing, including the boat, to the top of |
the hill and made camp for the night. ex-
pecting to start for Yahutat early next |
morning for relief. After supper of ba- |
con and corn dodgers we turned in be- |
tween water soaked blankets, but not to |
get any sleep. Imagine if you can ones |
feelings under such conditions, then add |
to that the continual reports of the ice |
breaking off the glacier, the roar Of great |
landslides down the sides of the noun
-.j-s s,'9-r ''-.l~ 7''ne .i.n ->'- 70 t',c |