New-York tribune., 1921-01-06
Third Pigeon Made Ready
to Eat When Sign of
Habitation Caused Trio
to Take Landing Chance
Clothing Is Ripped
From Mems Backs
Throng Awaits Coming of
vovagers and Banquet
Is Prepared for Them
- sn.c,nI co,.rcsnondent

roCNR.ANE, Ont, Jan. 5.-The shrill
~sil Of moose deg caught in trap
,t shipsands. near the mouth of the
Moose River, brought to safety the
three American airmen who were blown
500 miles in balloon from Rockaway
by gale which swept across the cont1
nent on the night of December l3 last.
The three officers in the balloon,
ignorant of where they were, sought
esinly for signs of habitation in the
wilderness about the shores Of James
Bay Then their ears caught the wall
o! the dog. Jumping Immediately to
the conclusion that the sound rarked
the presence of some dwelling, they
pulled the rip cord Of their balloon
and. descended at Shipsands. where the
Hudson's Bay Company first estab-
lished a post in the wild lands about
the bay.
IN Thick of Forest
The landing place is upon Shil's
Island, little TO the northwest of the
mouth Of the Moose River, which emp
ties into James Bay. The balloon de-
scended into elump Of trees ten miles
south OF Shipsands before the officers
realized they were in the very thick Of
the forest.
Practically they were helpless, but
fortunately the mildest weather in the
history c + the old post was prevailing,
with the thermometer registering 10
degrees below zero. They extricateo
them mselyes quickly from cntang,inc
rores that fell about them as ~
balloon struck the trees, and then
clambered to the ground.
The three men quickly released the
deg. Such IS the outline Of the story
CLEANED from George ". Mcleod, the
veteran Indian mali carrier, who came
down The rran or the Al.ssanapi RIVER
mt Mattlce with tne news that the
tnree alrmen were safe and sound al
Vi t. Feet ~ psf
From Mcleod it was learned thu.
Lieutenant Stephen A. Farrell. the
eie officer Of the three. had suffered
50 ''vha. from ;rostbite and shock,
Dut ~as recovering quickly at the time
he lit ,he ..1il to bring the news to
clvi ization. The three men lost much
o. their clothing when their balloon
struck the .rees
In an Eighty-Mile Gale
10 Mcleod, Lieutenant Walter Hin
lo7 70 the story Of the struggle the
oai!oonists had during the first eight
hours o. daylight on the morning Of
December II, whrn they found them
se.ves over the bleak northern wilder
ness At that time the three men
were in tae grip Of violent gale of
an estimated velocity OF eighty miles
an hour
For eight hours they jockeyed help
'ess IN the grin OF this storm, first
casing out ballast and then releasing
gas from the balloon. They were on
,ac verge Of starvation Two Of the
carrier pigeons wsich they had carried
tor me purpose Of releasing with mes
eaten.
A. noon or December IA they had
p,.ucked the third pigeon and were
about to eat it, when they heard the
ao~!lng OF the moose dog, and decided
fa.e a chance upon landing. At this
VINE they we're Grenched to the skin
and covered with icicles.
Immediately after the three men
had expressed their thanks at landing
sz'eiy upon tne ground, they held a
consultation As 10 the best direction
" 'ske in their attempt TO reach some
Ssi.iemen-. II rton was for striking
Aoi}nwaro, but Farrell, an officer
WIN years Of experience at sea. urged
..ees follow the old slogan Of "Foilow
me s'sr IN tae eastern sky" At the
.aggeston Of Lieutenant A. L. Kloor
'ae 'aree men finally began to trudgc in
genera. souther : direction through
ne snow ercrustef urde.brusn.
Smoke 3 Discovered
Suddenly, through rift in the for
ss.' me three uen saw smoke from 2
caamney. l. was like beacon on a
strange shore 10 the mariner who has
.es' nis course. Eagerly they plunged
onEsrd, arrayed IN raotley assortment
4 ti-e rrina~nts u ta.ir uylug
! was soon afterward that they
yA'ed Tom Jarlsn, an aged Indian,
<a' nok to MS heels in superstitioua
.s&F' Iaen began h desperate footrac.
g. wi the
l..se 2Tcers pursginz the aged Cree.
-a'sf Inc lndiaA told thcna that it was
~ % Fagcn superstition as fear that
~! mere .yc~rrnent officers after
IN 'or selling whisky.
"s toc1 tacm ;. his hut and careI
'css' s.ss Or e-ss ssDn)