The Alaska citizen., 1911-04-24
DEATH OVERTAKES N.W.M.P. PATROL
FOUR MEMBERS OF ARCTIC DE. PARCHMENT PERlSHED FROM
 STARVATION.

DAWSON. April r. After one of the most heroic struggles in the chronicles of Arctic expeditions, every man comprising the Royal Northwest Mounted Police detach- Uent which. early in the winter, started or the annual pilgrimage to Fort MaCPherson, perished on the bleak and lonely banks of the Mac kenzie river, within a few miles of the little settlement near the shores of the Arctic ocean, from which point, few weeks earlier, they had started on their return U Dawson.
 Such is the narrowing tale brought to Dawson by the relief party under Corporal Demster, which has just returned, and which was sent from here on February 2S in search of the missing men, who should have reached Dawson, Jan uary II. The bodies of the four dead policemen-Sergeant Fitzger- aid and Constables Carter, Kinney and Taylor-were found at intervals along the trail, where they had fall en, exhausted through hunger and exposure, never to rise again.
 The bodies of Kinney and Tay- Tor were discovered first, at a point about 30 miles from MacPherson. They were almost buried in the snow and might have been passed unnoticed had they not lain on the rail, blocking the way. The gaunt faces were covered with handker- chiefs and the bodies were other wise left in such a manner that 1t was clear to the rescuers ether of the party had su 'vived them, and ,n the hope of being in time to save Fitzgerald and Carter, they hurried down the trail, only to find the remainder of the party short distance beyond.
 Carter, like the first two found, lay stretched out on the trail, a handkerchief covering his face, and his hands crossed in his last sleep. The spot was also marked with notes, which told the story of their sufferings, and recorded the inten- ton of the last survivor to make a final effort, alone, to reach the fort. He was found, where he fell, few rods beyond. That Le had realized the nearness Of death was evidenced in the short note which he had scrawled apparently after he had fallen, directing that his effects be given to his mother, who lives in Ireland.
 The relief party hurried on to Fort Macrherson, whore assistance was secured, and the bodies of the four policemen given a decent burial in the shelter of the little whaling station.
 From what could be gathered from the crude notes found beside the dead men, and the report Of those at the fort, the little party had left the Arctic station Decem' Der 22. with three dog teams and an ample supply of provisions. All had gone well until they had reach ed the head of Peel river, where they encountered a binding storm and were unable to find the pass through the Rockies. They wander ed about the mountains until Jan uary before they gave up the effort 10 cross the divide. They then had left but ten pounds o1
 flour, eight pounds of rice and a
 little dried fish, and they were 25O
 miles from the fort The storm
 which was still raging, combined
 with the drifted trail, made prog ress slow. and they were soCn en-
 tirely out of provisions, and com
 pelled to begin eating their dogs,
 and feeding them also to the re
 mainder of the teams.
 In this manner all of the fifteen
 dogs were sacrificed, and in their 1 struggle for existence the starv- ing men had consumed the hide thongs on the sleds and most of the 1 harnesses of the dogs
 When the party failed to put in an appearance here at the time they were expected, some uneasi
 ness was felt, and this increased as the time elapsed. The relief par 1 ty, however, was not sent out until some Indians had reported having seen the detachment on New Years day, and it was certain they had started on the return, and evidently had become lost.
 The rescue party was made up Of Corporal Demster, Ccnstables Fyfe and Turner and Indian Charley Stewart. Their round trip to Mac Pherson was made in record time, the entire distance being covered
 in 49 days. The best previous time was 53 days.
 The party recovered the Herschel and MacPherson mail and brought the news of the death at Herschel of Sergeant Selig, in charge of the police at that point.