Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-02-28

ms DUN JUL snare OF adDeHtuTe, tn
GLIDING service as Surveyor for the
Byrd Antarctic expedition of 1929.
BY JACK o'BRIEN.
BY Radio to The Star.
BAKER LAKE. Northwest Territory.
February % (N.A.N.AJ.- Huddled
miserably in a wretched snow house,
sick, weak and half mad with pain,
24-year- old Dave Irwin, formerly Of
Sarcoxie, Mo-, was found last week by
native hunters from Baker Lake post.
He was rushed by fast dog team to
the post, where hardened veterans Of
the frozen trails, marveling at the
young mans terrific journey, minis
tered to him with tender care. The
tale of Twins trip, his suffering and
hardships is one Of the most dramatic
stories to come out Of the North In
years. Authorities are amazed at the
stamina and nerve of Irwin and con-
slider his trip one Of the greatest on
/ record.
Signed for Reindeer Trek.
Two years ago. this daring young
l
Irwin, who now live in Grand Rapids,
Mich, signed up to accompany the
huge reindeer herd that has been
driven across North America into the
Eastern Arctic to form the basis Of
| food supplies for the Eskimos, who at
times face starvation when game Is
scarce. The slow, monotonous move
ment of the big beasts proved tireSome
to Irwin, and he decided to cut loose
and mush across alone, prospecting on
the way.
With a well-equipped dog sledge
! and good dogs. he began his hazard
GUS 2,000-mile journey. Down from
Aklavik, which borders the Polar Sea,
he swung, driving along across the
treacherous Barren Islands, at times
wading knee-deep in soft snow, again
splashing through slush ice on the
river courses or slogging into the
bitter winds and biting billiards
prevalent throughout the Arctic.
Traverses Desolate Area.
At times he met trappers. or come
! across a small snow house village,
where he stopped for a short time
with the Eskimos. But not for long.
as his goal was King William Island,
on the other SIDE OF the continent:
Across Great Bear Lake. then
straight on toward Coronation Gulf
ne went, traverslng the most oitter
and forsaken section Of North
| America.
To travel this section Of the North.
one must depend a great deal upon
the land for 1000. LOT IL Is Impossible
to pack any great load. Last year,
however, game was scarce, and. as
| Irwin plunged farther and farther
pangs OF hunger tortured him day
and night. His dogs began to stag.
ger. The dogs were being used as
PACK animals aiio ,W w III iea didn. ', nat
food soon.
sought " Trap FISH,
He came to a little tidewater stream
! and for hours he waded along shallow
noo,s carefullv herding fish close To
the shore where he had placed rocks
! in a corral-shaped trap. As the tide
went out some fish were at times left
in these pools. It was slow, dis
heartening work. and the dogs, howl
| ing their distress, made it more diff
| c,1lt nv smashing into the pools,
,,sua,,v at a time when Irvin,s labors
were about to be rewarded. After
hours of patient work, he would have
one or two fish. He would divide
them among the dogs. and slowly
ro,,ncb some NJ the raw flesh himself.
rsna,,,, Loot I,,Iv he orrived near
Tho nocnetic mole On Roothia PENN
s,,la He rested there and then began
the trey south tn civilization. He was
| dr;,,;rg +bo came doos nlus q plIpnv
mot pad heen horn IN the trail and
that he had nursed IN the sledpe.
~
real trouble beset every move. Dog
| feed became scarce again, and Irwin
| searched for DAYS for seal. At last,
half starved he came rpon a trading
schooner locked fast in the ice but
The grnh was ali gone Hunger was
Mating him desnerste and he Law for
ho,lr. ,aar 49, nrer water ue.tIv
tto.,. t;s 90. ~ ~ or The notive
n.ethnS 80 a 49, -. The .soi Thew
heIiave s, W a moving f,r.cIad Azure
is one of their own and come near.
I,uJ,, MOE I,cL,, sro,,oh IN k;ll sonoe
ond tore the raw hot meat out hv
hondf,,ls while his raveno,,s doos
rinned the carcasses +o ,,ieces
-e ~ ha u,en+ 1o,,rSer r thro,oh
onsn ieeds cIothss Sr;rn;no wst a.
times onlv IN he onicklv frosen so,,d
Tho doos, foot dr,nned hlood from the
-, ar 80. $500
ciuei, sa.alp ace' ., anu 1iwm laS,.e
Snnn h,,u5rs sie trnaS ,,i anu au.s p. .h,'4
49,. .trsansd 49,. 80 e.. 80
froze into q mask. The pain in his
eyes was at tunes Almost unoearaoie.