New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-12
ARCTIC SURGERY.
Esquimaus Haze a Wonderful Fac
aIty of Recovery.

'Hnce 1855 it has been my fortune to live among
fesp sea fishermen" says DR.. Wilfred Grenfell.
writing in Lesie's Monthly about his life in Lab
rador. THE constant perils and great hardshps OF
their lives and the lives Of the sherfok along the
coast are brought home TO US every year by new
tales Of suffering and bravery. The experience OF
one fisherman we knew is typical Of what hap
pens only too frequently in that country. This man.
wishing 70 so south for the winter. started In MS
small fishing boat with his wife, four children
servant girl and his fishing partner. Scarcely had
they left when furious gale of wind sprang up.
The unaInsai and lib with the mast, were al blown
over the side, and the boat was driven before the
wind Three days and three nights they drove on
into the Atlantic On the third day the wind Veereo,
and they were able to put up small foresaii they
had saved and drag m the direction Of the land
Two more terrible days. and last when the boat
was quite unmanageable. they found the land close
under their lee. Their condition was seen just be-
fore they drove ashore and rescue attempted,
but too late their boat All their lives. how
ever were saved by the indomitable perseverance
Of The half dozen settlers Instead of being south
Of where they left. they were hundred and fifty
miles north, and, indeed. were in Labrador. There
was chance 10 leave so late in the season. and
there they had 10 stay till the following summer.
FED by the kindness of their poor neighbors and
dead to ali their friends for at least six months
"a similar accident TO OF our English fishing
vessels left the OF ten men the south coast
Of Iceland all one winter When they came back
not only had the Insurance all their lives been
paid and mostly spent, but mans wife had mar
RED again
Gales in these regions in winter often terribly
severe The little new church built here where am
w1ntering now was a few years ago blown clean
away. Even the pews, the pulpit and the communion
table were all blown into the
Few fishermen swim. You see. we has
enough o. the water without goin to bother wi ii
when We are ashore said to me only the
other dag. Yet this very man had fallen overheard
in the open sea less than four times and had
bssn saved on one occasion only by catching the
Iire thrown him IN his teeth and holding on TIL ne
vas he1,led aboard. His hands were too nunbed TO
he OF any use Still this fact does not deter them
from facing the water.
In an open bay in Labrador lives solitary
settler In the spring of the year. when the ice
WIS lust breaking up, the mans two lads were
ont On the bay ice after seals. when all or sud
den IL gave way and the lads fell through. The
father seeing il from the shore did not hesitate
but seizing fishing line, hastily fastened one end
round his body and giving the other END TO his
daughter hold he out to the hole through
which they had fallen. He jumped into the water.
actually went down and fetched up the bodies too
late elias. however, to restore life to them after
that cold water.
ssF-arly In the fall the arm OF the sea Just north
little hospital was frozen over enough 10
dow dog trains to travel over It In the early
lorntng started off to cross It on g koIna
six cut freWood the far side. AS they rounded
the ice, where eddying tide had kept 1t open.
The koma1ik followed into the water, carrying
the men with it. One disappeared under the ice
and drowned. The other got free and held on