Rescue at the Top of the World: The True Story of the Most Daring Arctic Rescue in History
The command was simple: "Our orders are to make as far north as we can by sea, then land a rescue party to travel overland to the whalers. We're to collect reindeer on the way to sustain the men on our arrival." Silence followed this short speech, as the men of the Revenue Cutter Service-the predecessor of the United States Coast Guard- immediately recognized the rescue mission bordered on suicide. It was winter 1897, and they were being asked to make an unprecedented, 1,500-mile overland expedition through the Alaskan territory, in which temperatures would often dip as low as 50 degrees below zero. No matter, that plan would be the only way to save the 300 whalers trapped at Point Barrow, the northernmost tip of North America. Without more food, those men had little chance of surviving until summer, when their ships could again navigate the Arctic waters. The journey of the rescuers-Lieutenant David Jarvis, Second Lieutenant Ellsworth Bertholf and Dr. Samuel Call-as well as the Eskimos and missionaries that housed, fed and guided them along the way, is the focus of author Shallow's account. His research effort in piecing together these events from journals, ships' logs and reports is impressive. Unfortunately, his dramatization of the story lacks real narrative skill. The dialogue often fails to ring true, and the action becomes increasingly repetitive. Yet Shallow's account is nonetheless interesting; he has unearthed a fascinating, almost unbelievable story that should find an audience among those interested in maritime history, rescue tales and life in the Alaskan territory.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.