The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-07-05

Practically speaking, all OF the last.
catch Of whalebone came from the Arc
tic. and il is on the luck Of the Arctic
whalemen that the price Of the COM
modify depends. While the whaling in-
dustry has fallen into decay as COM
pared with the time when over 700
vessels were engaged IN II. II remains
the most romantic and the most per-
il0us calling which men now pursue.
That 2 business so dangerous should
have produced heroes whose names
would be famous the world over had
they been Arctic explorers II but nat
uTal- Perhaps the most conspicuous ex-
ample Is George Fred Tilt0u, captain OF
steam WbaIer BelvpdeTe II was Ia 1893
that Tilton performed a feat which the
more famous explorers would not have
dreamed Of attempting under similar cir
cumstances- The whaling feet OF eight
vessels became caught 10 the ice OF
Point Barrow, which is about as far east
the whalerS ever go Various plans
were tried for getting the ships TO open
water but they all failed, Two Of the
ships were crushed to pulp 10 the night,
their crews having barely time 10 IS
cape to the remaining vessels. Commuui-
cation with Point Barrow established the
fact that there were practically no sup
plies there. while the vessels themselves
had scanty provisions for their aug
meHLed crews SLaFF8LOu ana NehtH
stared the WhaIemen IN the face unless
word cogId be sent 10 civilization for re-
lief
Then George Fred Tflton volunteered
TO make the attempt 70 summon aid
The fleet captains houted the IDEA as
being impossible Very likely II Is,
said TUton but we have a chance II
I 90, and none II I remain. and II any
body can get through 7 can" This was
conceded. and the wbalemen gave their
reluctant consent to the trip
With his pockets full Of biscuit, with
two Indian runners and sled drawn by
eight young dogs. and with the Arctic
night closing IN around him, TiltOn
started on his 2ODO-mile walk to civiiZa-
ton. The crews Of the feet cheered him
as he departed. and watched him until
his outfit faded away IN the distance
Not one Of them expected TO see him
alive again Space does not permit tell
ing the awful story Of that tup-how
storms and Billiards and bitter cold
weather were endured, how Tiltf1's feet
were frozen how the shelter tent which
Afforded their only protection from the
storm was lost: bow. on the fifteenth
day. the provisions gave out and II be-
came necessary 10 XII the dogs one By
one In order TO subsist; how, after days
Of starvation, a village 60 miles from
the starting point was reached and a
small quantity OF food discovered: how
for many Gays single frozen fish vas
ali there was to eat, and how. at last,
al St Sficbaels. TiIton encountered the
government expedition under Jarvis
headed north, and furnished It with In
formation as 20 how 10 reach the impris-
1ned ybaIemen. Then more days of suf-
ferfug and hunger until, on March %, the
kodiak Islands were reached, Ave months
from the time that he left Point Barrow.
month later TfltC1 arrived at San
Francisco. Ebert Hubbard has immor-
allied the man who carried The Mes
,age to Garcia the story Is yet to be
written OF the infinitely greater bravery
u George Fred Tilton. intrepid hunter
# wbaIebone. finest type OF the race Of
men whose slogan was "a dead whale
II a stove boat"