Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-07-03
A FLIGHT FOR LIFE
The Story of a Rescue Trip In the
Mountains of Alaska.
BRAVE MEN AND SPEEDY DOGS

An Act OF Heroism That Saved a No.
man and Her Sick Husband From
Death When Stranded on a Winter
Night Amid the Snow Clad Peaks.
The hardships to which people are
exposed in the far north give frequent
occasion for the display of heroism.
In the pages of Trailing and Camp
ing In Alaska" Mr.. Addison NJ. Powell
tells Of the rescue of a mn and her
husband who We're stranded on the
mountains in an Alaskan winter.
A dog team galloped up and stopped
in front Of the only pretense Of a hotel
in Valdez. The night was dark. as the
northern winter nights always are
when the moon is not shining. The
dogs Immediately lay down, almost ex-
hausted from their long trip, and the
two men were soon surrounded by in
curing friends. One of the two said:
"What do you think. fellows? We
passed a woman just this side Of Saw
mill Camp. She was pulling a sled. on
which was her sick husband. We re-
monstrated against her crossing the
glacier, but she replied that they
might as we'll die up there as any
where else. as it meant certain death
to stop. Our dogs could pull only our
outfit. and there wasn't grub enough
for all, so we We're compelled to leave
them. They will be at the last timber
tonight, and if somebody doesn't go to
their rescue they will be dead by this
time tomorrow"
A man stepped out from the crowd
and said:
'Tll so for one. Now. who else has
a good dog team to splice in with
mine?"
I'm your man" answered another.
1t was 8 O'Clock in the morning be-
fore they had made their selection Of
dogs and We're ready to start on that
hazardous trip.
We'll be on the first bench by day
light and have them here before mid
night said Il as he Strengthened out
the team for the sixty mile run.
Yea, boys! Stand in there, Leader!
Mush. mush on, mush!!" And with a
yelp the dogs galloped away as if
aware of the urgency of their mission.
"Haw, LEADER" we heard as they
turned the corner, and then they were
gone. There goes the best dog team
in Alaska and driven by two of the
best men OF earthr' exclaimed a man
as he re-entered the house.
The trail was easily followed, and
soon the nine miles of level bench
We're passed. The speed slackened
only when they We're ascending the
morning. and there it was seer that
the sharp peaks were curling fine snow
high in the air.
'They are beginning to smoker" ex-
claimed one Of the men.
Yes; we must get back before night
or it's all Off" replied the other.
Down. down, the steep descent they
plunged, and by l o'clock they were
off the glacier and skipping over Level
ground. In a short time they discov-
erel the unfortunate couple whom they
had started out to rescue, and when
they came up to them it was a pitiable
scene that presented itself.
The poor had become COM
pletely exhausted and had thrown her
self down beside her helpless husband.
She had evidently abandoned all hope
and was weeping bitterly when she
suddenly heard the yell of a driver
and the barking of dogs. In a mo-
u.s. o~..- @~o o--1s +N h0-o
AS the team galloped in a circle and
stopped beside her with the dogs
heads pointed back toward the glacier
she clapped her hands with JOY.
The dogs lay down and with their
lolling tongues Tapped the snow, while
the drivers ate some crackers and jok-
ingly encouraged the sick man and the
tired woman. They babe her seat her
self comfortably while they fastened
the two sleds together. Soon they
were bounding away again at the dogs
first speed.
When they recrossed the summit the
whole range was "smoking,' and the
wind was sending the fine snow along
the crust. 1t whipped their faces with
a warning of what was coming, but
the driver said:
Twenty miles to town, and it can
never catch us"
In Valdez every one was a%nxiously
watching the trail. Many exclaimed.
"They can't possibly be here before
midnight!' but they we're. AS they
rushed up to the crowd with a yell
and a chorus of barks from the noble
dogs they were met by eager, helping
hands. The dogs acted as if they had
understood why they were being pet
ted. and again the woman wept for
joy.