The Kusko times., 1928-08-25
NARROWING EXPERIENCES OF POINT BARROW PARTY.
 RELATED BY RELIEF PILOT
Continued. from. Page a.

czbin and the latter started out with his dog team to search, for Robertson and Clak. As soon as Wien came in, Hart stated out three more dog teams in the direction of <. Smith bay in search for Merrill.
 "We worked 1Wien's plane to get it ready again, and .at Il o'clock that night we both took off for recon noissan ceof Smith bay. The fog had lifted somewhat. and at that hour the sun was shining high in the horizon. We flew over. Smith bay. and encoun- .tped heavy fog, but we went above it and continued to circle around, hoping that Merrill .Wohld hear, our motors and know that we were searching. After four hours, of flying we re- turned to Barrow. at 8 a. m.
 "June the weather again turned rotten and continued so until the 4th. That morning. although the fog was still heavy, we decided to make a search anyway, as Merrill must be near the coast. At II o'clock the fog cleared and ewere warming up Wien's motor to make the flight in his plane when .Hegness came in with Merrill.
 ''Hegness had found Merrill while he was following the trail of Robert son and Clark, for whom he was searching.
 Merrill was wrapped up in a blanket on the sled, and the few min ,utes between the time the sled came in sight and ..the time that Hegness yignaled thatc ne was all right were about the most narrowing any of us had ever gone through.
 "Hegness had found Merrill sleep ing on a sandspit about. 35 or 40 ,; miles from Point Barrow, snowblind and unable to travel. Merrill had been closer to the coast, but had seen :. a cache during his gruelling attempt <. to reach the coast and had turned . back to get some food. He had sub- sisted entirely on Jennings, small rodent plentiful in that section, which he killed with his 22 pistol.
 ''As soon as the doctor had report ed that Merrill was not in serious :. condition I decided to return to Kot- .zebue to let those who were anxiously awaiting for news from all of us know the facts. Wien and Hart were opposed to my making the attempt, ] but after talking to Merrill and tell ing him my plan he approved, and l made eady to start immediately.
 4'The flight back to Kotzebue did prove difficult, as Wien had predicted, and was forced to travel many extra miles and double back several times to make sure I had not lost the coast line. I landed at Kotzebue that night at 9:15 o'clock and after preparing some messages had a nights rest.
 Tuesday afternoon at 1:30 I took off for Ruby. I wanted to continue on into Anchorage, if possible, but de- cided to get the weather report before crossing the range and get some rest. That night slept soundly for twelve straight hours, and when I awoke Wednesday morning it was to find a downpour of sain, and there was no possibility of making the flight be- cause of the IDIOT visibility. This morning (Thpssday) the atmosphere cleared and ] lost no time in making ready. The course from Ruby was almost in straight line, passing to the right of Mount Dall at an alti- tude of 1000 feet. The little plane, one of the best l have ever piloted, made the flight of something over 32O miles in three hours and five minutes.
 "My chief reason for wanting to leave Barrow immediately after all the missing men had been found was be- cause of the failure of our radio to send out the good news. Heyser