The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-18
marked BY CI|RPgS
Terrible Trail of Death IN Arc
tic Alaska.
BRAVE WOMAN SURVIVES
Untold Horrors to Which
Twelve Men SuCcumb.

| probably the most tragic experience o
any woman who has ever been to tn
arctic gold fields.
A year ago she started with her hus
band, Captain Bens. and a party Of golt
seekers on the schooner Elk, from Puge
Sound for some new gold 'digg1ngs' o
| supposed fabulous richness on the Mac
kenzie river beyond the Kiondike.
But famine. scurvy, Arctic cold ant
darkness overlook them. One by one thu
| strong men fell victims to disease and
hardship and died. Ms. Bens. frail and
weak with wonderful strength of mind
nursed each In turn until her husband
Captain Bens, was the one man left. Fin
ally ne died Of the slow poison OF sclirvy
and Mrs. Bens was left alone in a Wild
erness Of darkness and snow anc cold.
How she was rescued, what her anguish
Of mind and body was and how she has
come back to civilization to begin life
again after dying a hundred deaths, aS
she says, is told in her own words, which
were written a week ago for the Sunday
Journal.
Mrs. Harmon W. Bens writes:
My husband believed that gold could
be found on the Mackenzie river or on
some Of the islands in the Arctic ocean.
He planned an extensive prospecting
voyage, and without trouble interested q
number of strong young men whom he
met at Port Townsend.
He had maps of the district he intended
to visit, and had received information Of
several rich Mackenzie river bars from
an old Hudson bay trapper.
Captain Bens commenced work on the
steam schooner Elk No. at Port Town
send early fin 'ss. having come from Bay
City. Mich, en- route for St. Michael. He
superintended the work of construction
and soon a staunch craft was launched.
A small engine and propelling machin-
cry were put in and schooner rig fitted
up. The Elk was peculiar looking craft
and attracted much attention on the Sc
attic water front, where the vessel was
tied up for some time. She was just large
enough to carry two years provisions for
a party of seventeen. Late in May the
schooner sailed away.
Calling at st. Michael. we heard that
rich discoveries had been made on the
various rivers running into KotZebue
Sound. A rush to that unknown country
was under way at that time, and we de-
cfded to abandon our expedition to the
Arctic and try our luck on the Kotzebue.
Anchoring In the Sound, four Of the
crew were picked by lot to stay with the
~ 'coner. The .emaining thirteen, under
visited several alleged digglngs. but, like
every one else lured to the district, found
nothing but colorrs, We spent several
months prospecting over the Kotzebue
country.
Owing to inexeprience we had not chos-
en- the roght provisions, and as no fresh
meat or vegetables could be, secured
scurvy finally made its appearance. DR..
Vetter did his best to check the disease,
but as he was compelled to work without
medicine his task was hard one. Sever
al Of the party died Of the dread disease
and were buried near the camp on the
Selfwick.
Captain Bens had about made UP his
mind to return to the schooner and fin
Ish the winter on board. when the news
came across the divide from the head
quarters of the Koyulxuk that gold had
been found there.
We should have realized that we were
in no condition to make the difficult trip
of 800 miles, but the desire Of gold over
rode judgment. and not zone wanted to
turn back Those sick with scurvy were
willing to go on. in the hope OF getting
relief in the new diggings.
No one dreamed of the fate that was
H.
were about otake would be the last for
all but one-and the one a woman.
We had been assured that game was
abundant all the way, so did not fear
starvation; and, although we had no dogs
We believed that we could pull sleds over
the soft snow with sufficient supplies for
the trip. All unnecessary camp luggage
was abandoned and the start up the Sell
wick river commenced.
TIE men were weaker than they
thought and made but poor progress up
the stream. Several graves were left be-
hind before the Tegragawick river was
reached. Scurvy was rapidly thinning our
ranks.
The unfortunates might have recovered
had they remained In camp and taken
care of themselves, but on the trail this
was impossible. did what Il could to
nurse them. but 1t was little enough that
/ could do.
The ascent OF thte Tegragawick river
was even more difficult. The trail was
one of graves-rude Arctic graves barely
under the surface OF the snow.
A few stone and a log or two would be
A.
devouring the dead. A smooth slab of
wood with the name pencilled on was the
only gravestone possible.
AS the men in the party became fewer
the bodies were barely put under the
snow, for IL was necessary to husband
strength and gravedlgging was hard
work.
When the head OF the Tegragawick was
reached 1t became necessary to cross
from the watershed to the KotEebue to
that Of the Koykuk. To do this Il was
necessary TO pass over two low divides.
While on this divide an Arctic blizzard
swocped down upon us end cofpleted the
work of death that scurvy. starvation
and exposure had begun.
The remaining five men were frozen in
camp on the trail. ana when 1.-THE last
divide was crossed only my husband and
myself were alive
Ny poor husband was = very sick man
by this time. He had done his best to
bring his party through. and had worked
early and late
l made a camp on the sonw-csvered
banks Of the Hussknakaina river and
tried to fix things as comfortably a. pos
sible for him He was badly frozen. and
evidences Of scurvy were plain.