The Nome nugget., 1923-03-31
LOCAL NEWS
MUSHER HAS ROUGH TRIr
 FROM kOTZEBUE TO NOME.
 RARELY ESCAPES WITH LIFE


 a dog team and travelled to Deering. where he entered the employ of the Cordovado Company, placer miners in that section. At the close of the mining season he took the last mail boat for Kotzebue and remained there until March 9th, 1928. While at Kotzebue Greeves trapped. hunt ed. prospec.ed and gave the country the once over, hoping to locate some profitable proposition.
 Deciding that he had exhausted his resources and deeming 1t wiser to return to Nome he accordingly hitched up his team and left kotze- bue on March for the long trip to Nome.
 About half way between kotzebue and Keewalik Spit, travelling along the Sound ice. he encountered fis- sure and barely escaped with his life. The surface of the ice had be- come covered with soft snow and the Assure was invisible to the eye, but the lead dog either smelled the salt water or sensed the presence of danger and suddenly swung inland. barely avoiding the opening. One s6de of the sled went into the water. soaking part of the load while the driver went into the water up to his waiste. The only thing that saved Greeves' life was the fact that he was holding on to the handle bars of the sled and the team pulled him out of the water. which at this point was many fathoms deep. Had he been running or walking behind his sled he at this time would be in Davy Jones' locker.
 At the time of the accident strong South East snow storm had sprung up and the temperature was rapidly falling. Wet and half frog en the musher las5ed his team and travelled seven miles to land where he made camp between two huge snow banks. At this time he was many miles from the Shelter Cabin between Kotzebue and Keewalik and realized that he could not make that point, the only thing to do was to camp. Greeves had with him large canvas tarpaulin and taking this he stretches rude tent across his sled and he and his dogs crawled into the rude shelter and staid there for two days and three nights With no fire and only Eagle brand milk and a few ginger snaps to keep the bangs of hunger a way. Greeves and his dogs huddled together to keep from freezing. The warmth of the dogs bodies are the only thing that saved Greeves from freezing to death. as it was he frost ed his finger tips and toes on his right foot. After reaching his place and stretching his canvas for a shelter he was able to crawl into his sleeping bag and changed his wet and frozen clothes. Using his leader for a pillow the other dogs crawled close to their master and helped keep him warm. The snow storm increased in fury. but on the morning of the third day the storm had subsided suffic- entity to justify making the run to the Shelter Cabin, a distance of about 20 miles.
 Reaching the Cabin he found everything in first class condition. The cabin was reasonably large. contained good stove and plenty of fuel. Here he was able to unpack his sled and cook a good meal for himself and dogs. Greeves speaks highly of the Shelter Cabin, remark ing, however, that it is rather small to accomodate more than nine dogs and that an addition should be made He also expresses the opinion of himself and others in the far north ern country that the distance be- tween Kotzebue and Keewalik is to great for only one Shelter Cabin between. As the country is subject to sudden and severe storms the numerous travellers are many times unable to make the cabin and must do as he did, camp in the open, a dangerous and unpleasant condi- ton to meet. It is suggested that at least one more Cabin, and better still, two cabins more be built to meet the situation.
 Staying over one night in the Cabin Greeves went on to Keewalik Spit and came to Nome by the way