Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-03-22
HADANFU[ EXPERIENCE
Alaska Fisherman Tells Of Ter
rible Exposure Last April
at Eagle Harbor
DRIVEN TO CLIFF BY STORM
Frederick Martin Was Compelled to
Torture Himself to Keep From
Freezing and When Hardly in His
RIGHT Mind From Exposure, Climbs
Sheer Glacier 800 Feet High.


Riaht Mind From Exposure, Climbs
Sheer Glacier 800 Feet High
San Francisco, Cal, March "a
Frederick Martin, the Alaska fisher
man who spent three days on the storm
bound coast near Eagle Harbor, tor
tured himself to keep from freezing,
and finally escaped by scaling a sheer
glacier 500 feet high, told more of his
experiences yesterday and gave out the
diary of his sutferings. Martin was
brought here Monday, still suffering
from his exposure last April.
~ did not worry at first after landing
on the narrow beach at the base of the
icy cliffs" he said, because l thought
the wind soon would go down. Before
the day had passed those Cliffs had
terrible meaning for me. At high
water the waves reached their base.
Several times 1 was tempted to kill
myself. 1t was 9 degrees below zero
and l suffered torture from cold The
cold and starvation almost drove me
insane. The fish bait l ate was the lit
tie relief.
.Finally, / saw a narrow pinnacle OF
rock jutting out from the side OF the
cliff. l thought if / could lasso that
ledge would find a foothold that would
enable me to climb the cliff. Again
and again threw a moose, and at last
was successful. dragged myself up to
the ledge and then in my bare feet zig
Jagged my way to the top. My feet
were frozen and torn and bleeding, but
l kept on, knowing my only safety lay
in reaching the fishing camp. How |
got there do not know. / feel luck In
that / lost only my toes as the result
Of my experience"
Driven to Cliff by Storm.
The diary which Martin kept was
written on bits of wood which he chip
ped from his little dory. Here Is the
full record of courage and endurance
in face of almost certain death.
april acknowledgement out early
with light northeast wind, but sky was
suspicious looking. Got to fishing
grounds off Falmouth Head. Soon
wind started increasing. Hove up an
Choir and made for beach. Reached
there without trouble. Landed, hoping
wind would moderate. 1t kept in
creasing all the time. 1t is now 10
o'clock and strong gale is blowing.
Binding snow storm. 1t is awfully
cold. Impossible to reach home, four
miles away.
"Afternoon-Weath horrible. Not
feeling uneasiness set about to take
dory up to high water mark against
steep cliff that is length of beach here.
Just small blight with no way to get
away overland Turned dory over and
have prepared to pass the night under
it, with sail for only shelter. l am in
my shirt sleeves with light cap on my
head.
1T is light now and have made best
Of situation. Put sail around dory and
went under it for shelter, which was
hard and horrible to think of. But ]
know it is only way Expect in morn
ing to launch dory and go to Falmouth
and walk home over mountain.
Awakes Under Six Feet of Snow.
april 13.-At daybreak found was
six feet under snow; wind northwest
gale. Terribly heavy breakers right
up to dory. Came out from under dory
stiff and cold. Started running along
little beach to get my legs warm, but
found it impossible. At low water
walked whole length of beach, which
was half mile long, hoping to find way
fni
high and steep down below. 1t is i'm
possible. Begin to understand horri-
BILE situation. Big high pinnacle of ice
and heavy breakers around me, and no
way to escape. ALI / have with me is
my watch, which shows it is noon.
II have BEEN away from home day
and a half Beginning to get hungry;
nothing to eat. Walked along water
mark hoping to find mussel.
zone o'clock-Sun has come over
mountain. Sat down in little cove
where wind was not blowing so hard
and took boots off and dried them.
Gale increasing; breakers high. Not
worried much yet. Thing that bothers
me is I have nothing to eat. Will
have to pass another night under dory.
Getting colder and freezing hard.
Beats Feet to Escape Freezing.
cat z p. m.-under dory for night,
but do not dare to go to sleep. If do
that will be last of my life. With gait
hook handle 1 keep beating my feet to
keep them from getting frozen. :
april 14-At S o'clock daylight be-
gins. Terribly hungry; two days with
out food. Still feel no effects of star
walton. Gale the same; no sign of a
change.
"Eleven o'clock-Begin to realize sit
nation. / know now chance to save my
life is poor but while there is life there
ia hope. Cannot last much longer in
such awful weather. Third day of aW-
full suffering.
Five p. m-Found at high water
mark two sculpin that l used for bait
and threw away the first day. Ate
piece of one. Terrible to think OF
This, the third night, make my meal
on raw sculpin and mouthful OF snow
Have nc matches.
"can S.cak No More;" Voice Gone.
Might coming: no sign of change.
Weather getting still colder. 1t is
night. Suffering something terrible.
System beginning to break down
Voice has left me. Can speak no
m