PERILS OF THE ICE.

Shannon News, 29 October 1924, Page 4

PERILS OF THE ICE.

TRADERS FACE STARVATION. A RACE WITH WINTER. OTTAWA, October 1. Forty Canadian fur traders and Government otticials living on Hersenei isiand, at the mouth of the ivracKenzie irtiver, may starve before me spring because of the loss of the Hudson's Bay steamer Lady Kindersiey, wmen was dramatically crushed in the ice beyond Cape Borrow. Aboard that ship were a year’s supplies, and the Herschel station knows notmng of the disaster yet beyond a suspicion that ail is not right because of the non-appearance of the stores vessel.

When the vessel was lost the Government lost no time in despatching relief overland from Edmonton in the hope of getting a river steamer down the Mackenzie before that stream freezes below Fort Smith. If the river lias frozen already the little community at Herschei is facing a serious time, because eleven months will elapse before any other succour can reach them. They may get short rations from seal and caribou meat, but the outlook will be serious if the river vessel fails. The motor-ship Lady Kindersley, a tlifeemasted auxiliary schooner of 7‘27 tons, owned by the Hudson’s Bay Company, left Vancouver in June for the mouth of the Mackenzie River, via Behring Sea and Point Barrow, on her third annual fur-trading trip. After her arrival at Point Barrow the vessel was caught in an icefield, and became a total loss. The crew started out over the ice for the shore, but found that they had drifted more than 50 miles to seaward. They returned to the Lady Kindersley and sent out wireless messages for help. The Canadian naval vessel, H.M.S. Patrician prepared to dash to the scene, with an aeroplane aboard, when news came by -wireless that the American Government steamer Boxer had forced her way through the ice to a point where she could see the Lady Kindersley across the. icefield and would rescue the crew..