Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-07-12
MATTERN CRAWLS
; DAYS TO LIVE
FLYER in Own Thrilling Story
| Tells of Rescue by
Eskimos.
Continued From First Page.)

I got that smashed ankle and a nice
collection of burns.
We'll, there was, the Lord knew how
far from anywhere. Lost, good ana
plenty. Bunged up, not any too cheer
full. But I was alive. had little
chocolate and a few biscuits. And the
Soviet flyers at KharbarovSk had given
me a rifle. I had fishing tackle. too.
Things looked pretty grim. but knew
I must get through some way.
I had come down in hilly spot
which knew couldn't be long way
from the Anadir River. was about 60
miles from the village OF Anadir as l
figured it. There wasn't any sign OF
human being or a human habitation.
And wasn't 1t cold! I knew that II
people ever did travel that way they
would have to use the river. That was
the best place for me to pitch camp II
I was to be seen and gotten out OF that
mess.
So, pretty painfully, dragged along
in the direction where I knew the river
lay. 1t was mighty tough country and
mighty tough going. Finally, after
plugging along for ever and ever
reached the river. After three days my
little supply of food had given out.
Pitched Camp on Island.
I built myself hut for protection
against the freezing cold. Then l
thought that if I could get out on an
island in the middle Of the river I
would be seen more easily by any boat
that happened along. if one ever did
happen along. So built myself raft,
somehow, and drifted out TO the island,
where I pitched camp. directly opposite
my first stamping ground.
On June % two rowboatS fuJ! OF
Eskimos came down the river, headed
for the Anadir market with Winter
furs. And they stopped at the very
place where I had made my first camp.
I was frantic to get their attention. l
set almost the whole darn island on flre
to make them see me. And at last
they did.
When they got to me, with my busted
ankle and my burns, must have been
a mean sight. I guess my ribs stuck
out. had been IA days with scarcely
any food to speak of. I had been lying
on the cold ground. had been wet for
two weeks I certainly was swell case
OF starvation and exposure.
Eskimos Good Guys.
These Eskimos were good guys. They
camp of theirs, a little tent camp. It
took two days to get there. They made
me a funny sort Of bed, comfortable
though. The bed was a dogsled with
caribou hide and bear skins for covers.
And they doctored me for week They
fed me dried fish until was strong
enough to be dumped aboard roWboat
for a tWo-day trip to Anadir.
Here got the best OF care and be-
gan to pick up. had slight attack
of grip, but nothing serious, and my
ankle began to round into shape.
OF course, the first thing thought
about when I was able to think at all
was how was to get into the air again.
I began to pull wires to have a plane
flown out from Alaska for me, 50 I
could take it and resume my flight. The
Soviet crowd are doing their utmost to
help me. Seaplanes are coming from
Petropavlovsk. If I could get a, sea-
plane up here from Nome could fulfill
my wish and complete my trip. This
region is impossible for safe landing
with a land plane.
My poor old Lockheed IS q wreck.
However, we've saved the motor. That
Eskimo rescue boat was the only one
to get near the scene Of my crash.
I'll be home some way, soon. And
I'm a fortunate fellow to be alive. It
seems as II all Russia Is as glad about
that as I am.
Copyright. 1888 By North American News
paper Alliance Inc. World rights reserved