The Omaha morning bee., 1924-05-16
BY MAJ. FREDERICK l.. MARTIN.
Commander American Round -fhe-Morld
FHrht, as Related 10 George w Ghinn
for International News SerNice.l


Copyright. 1s24.l
Port Moller. Alaska, May 14.-CDe-
iayed. AFTER our arrival at chignik
the a5th of April. storms, high winds
for Unalaska until the morning of the
10th. Seas breaking over the planes
pontoons the night of the 9th left
deposit of 400 pounds of ice.
The morning of the 30th was calm
and overcast. The radio reported ia
vorable conditions to Unalaslla. We
left at II Il. m.. ever so happy to join
the other members of the flight.
Plane Enters Fog;
Strikes Mountain.
a fog and. trapped In it, at 1890 crash
ed against a mountain. Both Sergeant
Harvey and myself miraculously es-
capped injury. The ship was demol-
ished except the fuselage. The strik-
ing OF the pontoons of the plane
against n gentle slope, surfaced with
snow. and the sturdy construction of
the ship. saved us.
In that twisted mass Of wreekage
lies all my hopes and ambitions and
the greatest opportunities OF any man
in recent years forever lost
No information as to our position
was obtainahle on account of the in
accuracy of the photographic charts
ard the fog.
We nacl.ed oI,r havarsaclse aud IT.
CT eating the lunch provided by Mrs.
Osmund at chignil we left at p.
N. to go directly south to the Pacific
coast line. Fog blinded us completely
and In the snow we could proceed on
| ly with difficulty. 1t was difficult to
maintain our balance and being un-
able to walk straight changed our
course every hundred feet-invaria-
bly, en- error
Plane Broken Up
To Build Fire.
We knew We were climbing con
stantly but not a steep grade. We
realized the hopelessness OF contin-
Ging on account OF the danger of
walking over cliff We followed our
tracks back TO the wrecked airship
and made a fire of the broken parts
of the ship. We put the metal cowl-
ling of the plane under the fire to pre-
vent melting hole in the glacier
formation.
We dragged the wings OF the plane
together on the left side of the fuse
lage to break the wind. chinked the
cracks with cakes of ice dug from
pit around the fire, had tablespoon
of liquid concentrated food and wear
ing our few flying clothes retired in
the baggage compartment Of the fuse
lage.
1t was awfully crowded and cold
two six-foot men crowded into space
intended for one. The fog continued
until May /. We remained with
the ship and made ourselves more
comfortable.
On May ! We left at a. m. fol
lowing the compass due south. the
fog continuing and the going as dlf-
ficult as on the 30th.
Reach Edge OF Creek
After Three Hours.
We came to full realiza ton Of
the seriousness OF our predicament.
We finally struck down grade to a
small creek after three hours hiking
and crossed the creek. Climbing a
mountain on the other side. of the
creek we narrowly averted walking
over the declivity OF the top.
a
ciGed TO follow it to the northwest.
a. 1t must eventually lead to the sea.
although causing longer hike but
easier to travel and below the fog.
At p. m. we passed through a
gorge in the mountain with level
marshy expanse ahead. Visibility
was possible for about four miles. We
made camp in an alder thicket by the
creek on brush laid on the snow. We
gathered bed of alders for fire
through the night. We had little rest
and no sleep, az we were shivering
with cold. being clad only in an ordi-
nary uniform with tmlonals over it,
f; had difficulty in drying my feet and
was afraid to continue to the north
west on account OF no fuel and no
information of inhabitants in the To-
caiity.
We left early on the morning OF
the Sd to return to the ship for the
night and then made efforts TO reach
the Pacific coast line ON the south.
We could NOT camp except at the ship
on account of no fuel.
Eat Liquid Food:
Suffer Snow Blindness.
Our only food was three teaspoons
full OF liquid condensed food per
meal Sergeant Harvey was suffering