Evening star., 1924-09-14

dangerous war gas as you and I de-
vote to disagreeable fog?
Is he some veteran sea dog or naval
commander who has dared every dan
ger of the seven seas, a man who is
cool enough to play chess or cribbage
to destroy his ship, and every hazard
of Davy Jones locker threatens his
safety?
Is he, perchance, some modest, un-
assuming civilian whose entire life
time has been one constant round Of
risks?
LatterIy, the writer went out on a
still hunt to find, if possible, Wash
ingtonian who would qualify as a
simon-pure brave man, the type of
citizen whose prestige would not suf-
fer even when the most daring tales
of Texas Rangers and the most thrill
ing anecdotes of CALIFORNIA; earliest
gold seekers were reviewed.
Strange to tell, in my search for
Washington's heroes I found that the
most difficult part of my assignment
rested not so much in locating the
men as in getting them to talk and
tell about their experiences. Most
Of them were extremely modest. Com
pared with their converse tional re-
sponses, when l broached the object
veritable monologue artist.
Briefly, / soon ascertained that, as
personal historians, these men of
courage were as mute as the flowers
Of the field. The common answer
was. Il have nothing to say on that
Subject; 1 haven't done anything
worth mentioning. 1t is all a part of
fmy days work"
My next point of attack featured
x-i-i t1 r-;o
hired men who refused to talk about
themselves. Better results were OBJ
tanned. l will relate what friends of
America's greatest naturalist and one
OF WaShinSton'S braveSt citiZenS-Dr.
Edward ". NelSon-told me about the
modest and courageous chief of the
United States Biological Survey.
:; !: j: ::
IF Edward Nelson, years ago, had
not elected to become a national
naturalist, there is no telling to what
rank and fortune he might have
climbed. Apparently he is a man
armored against defeat and discour-
agement. He does not know what
fear means. He has experienced all
the perils and privations which the
United States, Mexico, Qua temala and
Alaska have to offer. His diary-if
there be such document-would be
better reading than the most popular
fiction of the current year.
Lord Nelson, the famous British ad-
miral who defeated the French and
Spanish fleets. who routed the hosts
Of France, who put the Danes to
fieht. lived no more hazardous life
than has this noted American natur-
ali,t of similar family name.
Feared on a New Hampshire farm,
the son OF Civil War soldier, Ed
ward Nelson carly showed a great in
tcrest in wIld life. He spent much of
his time studying the birds and ami
mails of his neighborhood. He was
close observer. and accurate in
reproducing his discoveries on paper.
Experts OF the Smithsonian Insti-
ution finally learned about this
Youth who wished to become a nat
Iralist. They took him in hand and
fnally secured for him a minor posi-
ion in Alaska Ostensibly, Nelson
vent TO Alaska to gather meteoro-
ogical data, but he had much idle
me on his hands which he devoted
his hobby of studying and identi-
Eing new forms OF wild life.
The young scientist made long
rips by dog sled TO the icebound
Interior and penetrated to points
over before visited by white man.
He lived among the Eskimos, and
Earned all there was to know about
hcse hardy little men of the North
Ind. On many of his trips, Nelson
ould pay one OF the Eskimo boys
sleep in his clothes at night in
rder to thaw out the ice SO that the
aturalist could use the garments the
blowing day.
One night, the scientist had to sleep
an igloo with a large family of
ice h,f "a RI n
f ventilation. The air became SO
oul that it almost suffocated Nell
on. Finally he requested the Oldest
Eskimo to pull aside the door a bit.
fhe native refused. DR.. Nelson stood
as long as he could. Suddenly. he
rabbed up his rifle and shot several
oles through the door. These ex-
raordinary venti1ators proved eff
lent.
This act was typical of the man.
10 matter what the emergency, he
ras always able to meet it.
In search of the eggs Of a very rare
ird, DIR. Nelson one day yentured far
rom shore in a tiny kaiak. Ultima tely,
e came to a rocky spur more than a
nile out at sea, where the bird he sought
eSted. In some way or other, in at
empting to reach the nests. DR.. Nelson
verturned his diminutive craft and was
lunged into the icy water. The kaiak
egan to drift farther out to sea. The
aturalist, after supreme struggles,
aimed the rocky reef. 1t was leap of
dozen feet to the Eskimo canoe. If
D missed the craft the jump spelled
ertain death. The scientist never hesi-
ted. He made a record jump and
lighted in the fragile boat. He re-
llned to shore and thought nothing
ore of the perilous adventure.
x i: x !:
Jour years Of exposure and tireless
dog shedding in Alaska undermined
naturalist's health. He was over
pme by a sudden attack Of pneumonia.
or two days he fought his way in de-
rum through the snowdrifts, finally
irving at primitive hospital more
ead than alive Careful nursing ulti-
ately restored him, but the sickness
aakened Nelson so that, subsequently,
rbercle bacilli found a homing ground
his system.
After returning to Washington and
riting the best book about the Eskimoe
yer published, DR.. Nelson was forced
move to New Mexico and later to
rizona. In that arid climate, for six
sars. he stubbornly battled against
sease-and, in time, recovered suf-
tientIy again to take an active part in
ncle Sans campaign to identify all
e bird and mammal life OF North
merica-
The Government sent DR.. Nelson, with
assistant. to Mexico. where the pair
manned for IA years and collected the
nest assemblage Of bird and mammal
(ecimens ever gathered in that coun-
y. Hundreds Of previously unknown
rcls, mammals and plants were found
nd have been described from this col
cfion.
Those were the days whom Mexico
as overrun with bloodthirsty bandits
ayelere were not even safe on the
ain highways unless they composed a
rye party and were heavily armed. DR..
10 IN