. THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

CLAYTON L. KING

,... I

•

.. -.

"-'IIIIIIIII II IUIIIIIIlllllllllliUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllDIIIIIIIIIIIlliiJIIJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIUillllliiiiiiUIIIllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll~ ~ 5

i The i 1 Viking's Last Cruise i

CB!f CLAYTON L. KING Wireless Operator S.S. Viking

i I ·----------~~'~ I N:fld.

..... J

~30

C64 9 36

5 CLAYTON L. KING I

Authentic. Story of Hardship, Ext:osure and i Disaster in the North Atlantic Ice ... Fields I

~ = Price : 50 cents i

~ ; g ~ ~IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!IIIIIIIIII I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIJJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll~

/

This bool~ is a gift to the library of the

Memorial Universi-ty of Newfoundland

From

t1f< w~ tJ~ f· 0 ·8~ '' s;-~~)~

7 g--(;,- b '2. L/ "1- ~ 1'//7!:"

The Viking's Last Cruise Bv

CLAYTON L. KING &lreliiiNI Studiea Wireless Operator · ·

S. S. Viking FEB 14 975

CLAYTON L. KING

Authentic Story of Hardship, Exposure and Disaster in the North Atlantic

Ice .. Fields

Price: 50 cents

COPYRIGHT By C1ayton L. King·, March 30th, 1936

........

,;..;;-

-...:.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Clayton L. King, wireless operator .................................... Frontispiece

Dr. L. E. Keegan, C.B.E., M.D., T.C.D .................... .

The Viking in the ice floes .... ... . . ...

Varick Frissell and his friend, Jack Cook

Mate Kean in dory .... .... ... . . ...

13

. ... Page 19

21

24

Two Officers of Sagona with baby seal and its mother 28

Capt. Kean being transferred from Horse Islands to S.S. Sagona 30

Otis Bartlett, wireless operator Horse Islands .... .... .... .... .... .... 31

First and exclusive picture Sagona sighting us on the raft 34

Literally on the brink of death .. . . . . . . . .. . . ... 35

Transferring us to the rescue ship Sagona ... . .... . ... .... 36

Captain Wm. Kennedy, Navigator .... .... .... .... .... .... 38

Sargent, Doctors and Nurses on Sagona .... .... .... .... 39

Bringing D. Adams (fireman) from Horse Islands to S.S. Sagona 40

Doctors, Nurses, Captain and Officers of the S.S. Sagona 41

On the road to recovery ... . .... .. .. .... .... .... .... .... .... . . . . . . . . 43

---- ---- -=-

-~

-- --..;;. -:::::

::...--..:.

~

--

/

CROSLEY Electric Refrigerators

Now everyone can enjoy all the advantages, con­veniences and economy of electric refrigeration. With the greatly increased usable capacity made possible by Shelvador, this model is. amply large for the needs of the average family. And it is so low in price that it is within reach of every pocketbook. Yet the quality is especially fine-in keeping with the high standards for which Crosley refrigerators are noted.

Marshall Motors, Ltd. Sudbury Bldg. Water St. St. J'ohn"s

- . . -: ----~~~ORwOOD----." LUM:BE:R CIQ.

Limited . ; St. John's, Nft.d.

,Makers of

< < < < ) < ~) < <

·'Horwood's' : ' l • ..

> . ( .

> } > >

( > ): >~ >~

GOOD ~OOD GOODS

~

> "Everything from Sill ~ 5< to Saddle'' ~

. ~5 ...... -- ... -

Barriste·r, Solicitor and

Notary Public RENOUF BLDG.

St. John's, Newfoundland

Agent for

North River Insurance Company

CHALKER'S CH.OICE

t j, "''

~ : ·. .. .

N~fld's.,

Favourite Sliced Bacon

When in Need of

EYE GLASSES CLOCKS WATCHES JEWE:LLERY PLAYING CARDS NOVELTIES, Etc.

Go to

R. H. Trapnell LIMITED

Jewellers and Opticians

197 Water Street St .• Jol1n's

Wyatt Coal and Salt Company, Ltd.

St. John's, Nftd.

Dealers in

North Sydney Coal Welsh and American

Anthracite

Best Fishery Salts S•hips! Bunkering a

Specialty

' ..., ..., '> ' :~For

Fire Insurance Life Insurance Auto Insurance

) )

)

) > ) >

~ ) < )

<

ACADIA M·a.rine

& Stationary Engines

Acadia Gas Engines Limited

ST. JOHN'S, NFLD.

..., ..., ..., ..., ~~

Marine \) < )

Agencies ·~ )

Marine Insurance >

Coal

Limited ) <

·: Steamship Owners · ~ <

<

>

> > )

Provisions Hardware Rope Sail Duck Ford Motor Cars <

Oil-Clothes < )

CALL US ~> 4

4

A. E. HICKMAN CO. 4

Limited ~ )

) ) and Operators

Operating regular steamers to

Mediterranean, Portugal, West Indies and Brazil. : Cable Address "Marine" <

Water Street East, St. John's, Nftd.

> )

Protection with Safety

A P~Iicy with the

~uu 1£tfr nf orauullu

Provides:-

For Family Protection in event of Death

F'or Old Age

For Cash in cases of Emergency

For Independence at all times

For Life Insurance, Service· and Advice

consult a

SUN LIFE REPRESENTATIVE

F.R:CLARK Manager for Newfoundland

The Sign

of Quality

Buy NetVfoundland,s Best Biscuits Hard Bread Confectionery Icing Sugar and Soft Drinks

They Are Manufaetured By

Browning-Harvey, Ltd.

JAMES BAIRD, Lirnit~d St . .John's Most Popular Shopping Centre"

Replete with the "New Things" for

SPRINGTIME A Generously Stocked SHOWROOM with everything

new in Ladies' and Children's Wear. OUR MEN'S and BOYS' SECTION

never more beautifully stocked BOO'l"S, SHOES, HOSIERY,

EVERYTHING IN DRY GOODS SMALLWARES HOUSE FURNISHINGS

OUR BOOK STORE Meets Your Every Need In Stationery

Latest Fiction, Magazines and Papers, Etc. The Most Satisfactory Mail Order House

BAIRD BUILDINGS, WATER ST., ST. JOHN'S

SHOP AT

AYRE & SONS LIMITED

THE ,GREAT MAIL ORDER HOUSE and PREMIER DEPARTMENT HOUSE

DRY GOODS HARDWARE

GROCERY PROVISIONS

FIRE INSURANCE-

JEWELLERY STATIONERY

MUSIC RADIO, Etc.

Agents for Law Union and Rock Insurance Co. Ltd. I .. ondon and Lancashire Insurance Co. Ltd.

FOREWORD Well hast thou s ailed ; now die,

To die is not to sleep. -Still your true course you keep.

0 Sailor soul, s till sailing· for the s ky ; And fifty fathom deep

Your c olours still shall :tly.

Were a true and complete history of the tragedies and hardships of Newfoundland's great fisheries ever written, it would show that within her rugged coast is bred a wonderful race of men. Fearless, they face the ice floes, amidst the storms of March,-surrounded on all sides by dangers, where comforts are unknown, and where death from drowning, hard­ship and exposure is often their only reward. That men knowing all thes·e things, should answer the distant call of the ice, every spring, can only be explained by their natural love of adventure and fearlessness. They might be described as an "Alloy" race, bred from the mixing of English, Scotch and Irish blood, tempered by the hot sun of glorious summers, hardened by the chilling blasts from the Arctic floes. A race of men audacious, chivalrous, and yet God fearing, calm and resigned when facing death.

Few can speak on this with more feeling and sincerity than myself, as I was in constant touch with the sick and frozen survivors, of many Arctic tragedies, during my life here as a medical man.

I can recall as a horrible dream the "Greenland Disaster" when in addition to many sick and frost burned survivors, the ship steamed into the harbour with forty frozen bodies of her valiant crew. I can remember the wards of the General filled with survivors from the S.S. Newfoundland, when ampu­tations of frozen limbs were called for daily; but in all these disasters the memory I can recall best of all is the remem­brance of the men themselves, of their endurance and patience,

their gratitude for any little comfort we could give them, in their times of suffering, their resignation, and their faith in God.

One of the saddest and most recent tragerlies of the ice floes is vividly described in· Mr. Clayton King's book, "The Viking's Last Cruise." Mr. King asked me to write a foreword and I regret that he did not select a writer more capable of doing justice to this interesting book on the· one hand and to himself as a hero on the other.

I received him at the General Hospital many days after the disaster, days during which he suffered terrible agony from wounds, thirst, exposure and cold. That he ever reached St. John's alive is due to the nursing and medical aid he re­ceived on board the rescue ship Sagona. On admission to Hospital he was suffering from multiple wounds, fractures and gas gangrene in both frozen legs, necessitating immediate amputation, and the miracle of his leaving the operating theatre alive and eventually recovering can only be attributed to the will of God and his own heroism.

Mr. King was wireless operator on the ill fated Viking, and his description of the disaster is both thrilling and pathetic and should be read with tragic interest and hold a place in the records of deeds of daring and heroism.

There's a wonderous Golden Harbour , far beyond the setting sun, Where a gallant ship may anchor when her fighting days are done, Free from tempest, rock and battle, toil and tumult safely o'er, \Vhere the breezes murmur softly and there's peace for evermore.

L. E. KEEGAN, M.D., T.C .. D.

DR. L. E. KEEGAN, C.B.E., M.D., T.C.D.

I

THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE By CLAYTON L. KING

MANY are the storie8 of hardship and danger that

have been told of man's struggle on the snow-capped ice-floes off the Newfound­land coasts ; many the real­life incidents that have been enacted there and preserved as historical drama. And now, as a modest memorial to those brave unfortunates who on that fateful voyage five years ago held that dread rendezvous with Death, I write the story of "The Viking's Last Cruise" - a story burned deeply into my memory by actual physical flame.

The Viking! Old adventurer of the sea ! I can picture her yet, even as she lay. moored on the south side of the har­bour of St . .John's, ready for her last fatal trip. Built in the year 1881 at Arendal, Norway-relic of the days of wooden ships and iron men­she had engaged continually in the seal-fishery, and her "taunch hull -had weathered

many of the sleet-laden storms of the Atlantic. She had no fear for the treachery and fury of the North Atlantic gales, and was surging on her mooring lines, anxious to fare forth and face anything that "the ole debbel sea" might have in store for her.

On board the S.S. Viking Messrs. Varick Frissell, A. E. Penrod, H. Sargent and their assistants, checked over their equipment. For these men this was more than a mere "trip to the ice," ~or they were sound-moving picture men from the U. S. A., and for them this voyage would be the grand finale to their al­ready partly completed pic­ture- "Northern Knight"­later called "White Thunder." In the spring of 1930 Mr. FrisseH, Mr. Sweeny and thirty other Americans had sailed for the ice-fields aboard the S.S. Ungava, Captain Wm. Winsor. Later in the same spring the S.S. Viking was charte·red after she had re-

16 THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

turned from her first trip, and in command of Captain Bob Bartlett of Arctic fame returned to the ice-fields. How­ever, although the movie-men had spent five vveeks in get­ting pictures, it was found on their return to New York that shots of icebergs, field-ice, seals and heavy weather scenes were n.ecessary to suc­cessfully complete the picture, and they were hoping that fortune would be kinder to them than it had been the past spring. Kinder! God only knows!

At 4.00 p.m. on the ninth of March, 1931, the Viking, last of the northern fleet to leave port, swung her head for the channel. Happy, adventurous, heroic fellows, as much at home upon the heaving ice as on the deck of the ship, the men were looking forward to the great seal hunt. Here and there in the crowd, a staid, solemn faced, serious minded individual might be seen-an Old Timer, to whom the ad­venture had become more or less a business. But for the large part, the ship was crowded with Young Bloods . ' ready In the confidence of their wonderful physique and powers of endurance for their

hazardous battle amid the crashing bergs and crystal masses of the great white solitudes.

The skies were overcast and swirling grey mists obscured the hill-tops on the south side of the harbour, as the Viking headed her way out the chan­nel. Puffs of smoke were coming from buildings, wharf sheds and from ships secured in the harbour. Sirens and whistles resounded in a signal of farewell.

Slipping quietly through the J:~arro'\vs, past these dangers to navigation-Prosser, Pan­cake, Vestal, and Seal rocks, she steamed out into the north east gale. The land faded quickly astern in the blinding snow and the last heard, above the roar of the gale, was the "V~)ice of the Narrows.,'' Fort Amherst Fog Signal,-boom­ing out her warning to mar­iners. It seemed to say: "Welcome to ye who enter here. But-sail carefully, for once in the grip of the rocks below me and your ship is forever lost-to the sea."

Steaming north and east the ship was making heavy weather of this gale. With eaeh succeeding hour the wind

THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE 17

increased in velocity. Swirl­ing snow reduced the visibility to practically zero, and that ever present menace, icebergs -"The Monarchs of the North Atlantic"-made it ne­cessary to use the utmos·u caution. As I left the radh· shack to go to the cabin, I noticed two figures huddled in the lee of the shack. I knew immediately that they were stowaways - the con­stant worry of all ships'· mas­ters and mates. Slipping aboard just prior to sailing time they ofen caused a re­turn trip to port. I went up to them.

"Where did you fellO'NS come from?" I asked.

"Out of the stoke-hold," on~ of them replied.

"Well, come along with me and we'll see what the Skippe-r has to say about this," I told them. "If we have to retu:rn to port with you kids, he'll make you wish you'd never heard of the Viking."

They were shivering with the cold and were half sea­sick, but they followed me to the bridge.

"What in hell have you got there, Operator?" asked Cap­tain Kean.

"Stowaways, Cap'n," I an­swered.

"Stowaways! As sure as I live and breathe! Well, we won't put hack for you two young scamps. You'll bunk in the forecastle urutil we re­tur-n. Then the police will take care of you."

By the expression on their faces I knew that the stow­aways were perfectly satis­fied, regardless of the threat of the Skipper. They followed me from the bridge and I turned them o-ver to the bos'n.

Tuesday, the lOth of March, brought no change for the better in the weather. Into the gale, farther and farther north, the Viking steamed, throwing the cold-briny spray over her bows, even over the bridge deck, where it froze to the standing rigging, giving her the appearance· of a phan­tom ship in her glistening white mantle of ice.

''Get bearings from Belle Isle radio station," the order came down from the Captain.

I tried to get in touch with the station at Belle Isle, but without success. Finally I was advised by the operator of another ship that bearings from that station were not possible as the station had not

18 THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

rigged its summer aerial, and would be unable to do so un­til weather conditions per­mitted.

Wednesday and Thursday brought no change. The strain was starting to tell on the Viking, staunch as she was. Heavy seas were board­ing her, sweeping the length of the decks. The hands were busy at the pumps. The en­gineers down below were watching their gauges with anxious eyes. Slipping on the oily deck pia tes, they nurs ed the powerful engines like a mother caring for an only child, for the loss of that vital f;; ctor, the means of propul­sion, would cause her to lie in the trough and soon become a beaten a nd battered hulk~ fit only for a last trip into the depths.

So it was that the engineers watched their power . plant anxiously. The bridge, they knew, was the brain centre, but the engine room was the heart and very soul of the ship.

In other parts of the ship the same· watchfulness and activity prevailed, for if they were to win this fight with the Atlantic all hands must stand shoulder to shoulder. Mr.

Varick Frissell, A. E. Penrod and H. Sargent proved to be sailors of the finest quality. Especially Mr. Frissell. Work­ing night and day, he never ceased his untiring efforts. By alternating crews on the pumps., the water was pre-. vented from gaining in the boiler rooms and reaching the fires. To cook meals was im­possible after an exceptionally heavy sea boarded us, sweep­ing the galley house before it like an egg box. The galley equipment scattered to the deck and was swept over the s ide

Came Friday and a lull in ·~he weather. Captain Kean decided that an anchorage in Bonavista Bay would afford 3. chance to make necessary r epairs, clear ship and send ashore for more equipment, so as to be able to continue the trip. And so it was that later in the day the Viking sailed into Bonavista Bay and anr­chored in the lee of Poole's Island, Lat. 49-15-E, Long. 53-25-W. Certain members of the crew were sent ashore to purchase a new cooking boiler and other necessary galley equipment to replace those articles which were lost over­board. The balance of the

THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE . 19

crew "turned to" and squared away the ship.

Saturday, March 14, the Viking sailed out of Bonavista Bay in search of seals. The weather had moderated con­siderably and all that was left of the storm of the last few days was a heavy easter­ly swell. The crew were in

He fixed it to the galley and sho"\1\red the movie pictures he had made the previous spring. Everybody seemed to be en­joying it.

During these days of storm and excitement I had man­aged· to contact our shore station. Messrs. Bowring Brothers,. Ltd., owners of the

THE VIKING IN THE ICEFLOES ON HER LAST CRUISE

high spirits as they made ready their gaffs, hauling ropes, knives and gear.

.All that day the ship steamed in clear wate:r and no seals were sighted. At 8.00 p.m. Varick FrisseU went down in the cabin and secured a white table-cloth from the steward for a movie screen.

ship, had been advised of the ship's positions, the stow­aways on board, the weather conditions and. all other im­portant incidents of the week then past.

Sunday, March 15, 1931, the Viking steamed off the east and north coasts of New­foundland. At 7.00 p.m. when

20 THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

off White Bay, heavy ice was encountered and the Captain decided to stand into the ice for a short distance and burn down for the night. Buttin\g her way, as she had many times before in her advent­urous history, the Viking crashed her way into the heavy pans of field, ice.

"Slow ahead," ordered the Captain.

This would hold her against the ice-jam but make no head­way.

His ship apparently secure for the night, the Captain was ready for a well ea.rned rest. He left word to be called in the morning, or be­fore if n·ecessary, should there be any need of his presence on the bridge. Entering the saloon he hailed Mr. Fris.sell :

"Well, Varick. Here we are and here we are to stay. That is until to-morrow. Per­haps we'll have a bit more luck then. We're rolling a bit with this swell running under the ice, but it will do no harm to this good old hull."

The Captain entered his ,cabin.

Mean!while, up in the Mar­coni room of the Viking, I worked on my set. Press news from Fogo Island and

various reports from other sealing ships. were coming in. I felt a draught of cold air strike my back as the door of the shack opened. I turned. Kennedy the navigator and Carter the boatswain were entering the shack.

"Howd'y Clayton? What's new on that set of yours?'' they asked.

"Nothing of interest," I told them. "How are things on deck?"

"Just the same, We're burned down the night."

ole boy. here for

"The Skipper says we'll be able to continue in the morn­ing," Kennedy explained.

"Well, mates," I said, "you can stay here if you want to, but I've got to take these mes­sag-es to the Skipper."

I threw in the switch to charge the batteries, and then the three of us left the shack and made our way aft along the ice-encrusted decks to the saloon.

The mess table ran thwart­ship, along the after side of the saloon. Carter the bos'n seated himself on the · after­side-starboard end. Varick Frissell was on the starboard side-forward end. I seated myself on his right, with H.

THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE 21

Sargent next. Doctor Roach, ship's surgeon, was standing in the doorway of his state­room, which was located on the port side of the saloon, opposite the mess table. The navigator, Capt. Kennedy, was standing by the stove, for-

Varick Frissell, Director of the film "White Thunder" taken on board S.S. Imogene at the icefields in 1930, with his friend, Jack Cook (shorter)

ward, and was filling his pipe for a smoke before turning in. The pride of the ship, "Cabot," a great Newfound­land dog, owned by Mr. Frissell, curled himself up at our feet. Whenever Varick

spoke Cabot would thump his tail on the deck in answer to his master. In his stateroom at this time Captain Kean was preparing to "turn in" for the night.

I noticed that Mr. Frissell was working on a piece of cardboard.

"Wen, Varrick," I asked, "What are you doing ?"

"Writing out notices, Clay­ton-warning notices."

"Why?" "Going to post them about

the ship regarding the ex­plosives aboard."

I glanced over his shoulder and read the words "NOTICE, DANGER!" and the unfinish­ed word "POWD ... "

"What's the idea ?" I asked. "Well," Varrick replied, "If

we are not careful, the boys coming down the companion­way, carrying lighted cigar­ettes, might cause an ex­plosion. You know we have plenty of explosives aboard."

As he finished speaking, Varick, as if struck by an after-thought, turned towards Carter:

"While I think of it, Carter, where are those old flares stored?"

"In the Skipper's stateroom

22 THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

-i'n a locker under his bunk," Carter replied.

"Better bring them out im­mediately," said Varick. "They are a serious menace if kept there."

Carter entered Captain Kean's room and. returned shortly with the flares in question. Varick inspected theiU and placed ~hem on the saloon table.

''Say, Sargent,-give me a Lucky will you?" asked Car­ter. Sargent passed the cig­arette, but Cart~·r did not light it.

"Carter," said Mr. Frissell, "Those flares are damaged and are not safe to keep ~board. Better take them out and throw them over the side·."

"I'll keep them an1d make some experiments on the ice to-morrow,'' sai!d . Carter.

"Don't you dare ! Throw them overboard I tell you. If you fool with them we'll all be blown to Hades before day­light."

Carter picked up the flares and left the saloon, going to­wards his. room, which was on the after starboard side of the saloon. The magazine and the toilet were located in a

small corridor directly oppos­ite Carter's room. Dynamite and gun-powder were stored in both of these places.

A few seconds after Carter's departure, the ship gave a terrific lurch and listed over to an angle of about forty degrees. All was in an in­stant, chaos. All hands were thrown clear of the mess table. The stove capsized.

The ship righted herself almost immediately. Captain Kean came running out of his stateroom and headed for the deck, to detennine the cause of the racket. Getting to our feet we started to clean up the saloon. Almost immediately there followed a terrific blast from the after end of the saloon. For me there fol­lowed-OBLIVION.

* * * * * Down~ in the forecastle, if

one had looked in before the explosion, the gle·am from the· electric lights. would have shown tier after tier of bunks. In these bunks the sealers were sleeping. Tired out afte·r their days of storm and hardship, t h e y slept pea.cefully, unknowing of the danger that threatened.

Down in the engineroom, Murphy, chief engineer, who

THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE 28

was on watch, was going about his work--checking the aux­iliaries, oiling and watching the slow turning of the shaft.

Atop the grating over the engine-room, Ted Carnell, 2nd engineer, sat, reading an ad­yenture story, completely ab­sorbed in his magazine, little knowing that in a few seconds he would be headed for that "greatest of all adventures."

Suddenly the old Viking shuddered and rolled over on her side. Men were catapulted from their bunks. Slowly the ship righted herself and lay quiet. The air was vibrant with the knowledge of dan­ger, as the startled, half­awake men waited expect­antly. Then! A terrific, roar­ing, booming blast! "Hell broke loose."

"The boiler!" hollered some­one. Then the cry-"Fire! Fire!"

Another explosion, greater than the first, racked the ship. This one turned the forecastle into a red ·inferno. A band of turbulent, dis­ordered, fighting men sought to reach the ladder that led to the deck. Another ex­plosion, bringing the decks down on their heads!

Men were dying below. Men

had to die in that inferno! Showers of sparks, sheets of flame were now raging through the entire hull. Deck planking came tumbling down, pinning men to the forecastle deck. Men were blown out through the planking. The roaring, crackling flames beat on the ear drums. Above it all might be heard the an­guished cries for help from those who had thus far escaped with their lives.

Pat Breen, one of the fire­men, was literally blown across the forecastle. When able to think clearly he real­ised that there were men in the engine-room, and that he must get to their assistance. Crawling painfully over the deck, disregarding the deep gash in his side, he managed to climb through a hole in the over-head. Working his way to a position over the engine­room, he suddenly heard a cry:

"Help! Help! Is there any one up there? I'm trapped below! My God-is there any one up there?"

Pat heard these pitiful cries for help from below in that hell of an engine-room. Try as he might he could not get

24 THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

those heavy timbers clear. Finally forced out by the white-hot flames, he had to abandon all thought of rescue and fight his own way out to safety.

As for me, on~ regaining

realised that it was either get out or be burned to death. Turn)ing over with great dif­ficulty I pushed a piece of heavy timber from my legs. I saw someone run aft-"a liv-ing torch of flame." God ! I

lVIa te K ean (i njur ed offic e r) being brought off Hors e Islands in a dory to the rescue ship Sagona.

consciousness, I found myself on the deck of the saloon. I wondered what had happened and if everyone but myself had been killed. Face to the deck and with burning wreck­age all around me, I tried to get up, but could not make a go of it at first. Finally when my mind cleared a little I

had to get out! I made an effort to stand .but fell back helplessly. My legs were ter­ribly broken up. I thought I heard running water. But it was not water. It was blood -running down the side of my head and across my ear. My own blood, its red,ness in­tensified by the white, glare of

THE IKING'·- LAST CRUI E

the flames which were all around me.

"God help me to get out of this," I prayed. "I don't want to go down with the ship. Help me! Help!"

I thought of my mother and father. 0 God! Those flames were at me now. My clothing was afire. My hair was burning. I made another effort to stand, but fell back choking and gasping for breath. I again called on God for help-and he answered. He g a v e me strength­strength in my arms to pull myself along the deck of the saloon, out of the inferno! I pulled out my hair by hand­fuls. I beat at my clothing and finally succeeded in put­ting out the flames. "The will to live is great. Life is sweet, even at its worst."

Explosion after explosion racked the ship. Films, dyna­mite, shells, kegs of powder! I pulled myself along and reached the stern of the ship. I threw my legs over the bulwarks. The strength of a dozen men seemed in my hands and arms now, and re­gardless of anything I was not going to burn. The bitter cold winds of the North Atlantic were like balm to my burned

and bleeding body as I hung there breathing that frosty a1r.

Looking around me I saw nothing but wreckage. The ship had been blown almost to the water's edge in the stern section. The ice was aglow from the flames. Voices -moans--cries for help were everywhere. On one of the ice-pans I saw a man, stand­ing in a crimson pool of blood -a deep gash in his head.

"Who are you?" I cried. "Kennedy,'' he answered.

"Come out and get me." "Can't make it," I cried.

"My legs are smashed up." "They can't be or you

wouldn't be where you are," he cried.

Another explosion shattered the hull and a body came hurtling from the wreckage, twisting and turning in the air. It landed finally on an ice-pan close to the ship. The man's head was split open to the neck. The body was still for a moment, .then with a few convulsive movements it slid off the pan and into the sea.

I put up my hands and felt the cords in my neck drawn taut with the heat. Get clear I must. I either fell or threw myself clear-I do not remem-

26 THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

.ber--which-and landed in the water. I could not get a grip on the ice-pans. Slippery and hard as steel, they afforded not_hing to hold to. Sargent, who must have· been near, came to my rescue and pulled me out on an ice-pan.

"Let me stay here," I cried. "I can't stand any more."

"No," said Sargent," Hwe are too close to the ship. We'll be pulled down by the suction. She can't last very long."

Sargent left me for a few moments and managed to get Kennedy. After heroic work on those slippery pans of ice he was able to move both of us to a position out of danger from the doomed s.hip.

Sargent and Kennedy found an overcoat and wind-breaker somewhere and put them on. The ice in the vicinity was littered with wreckage~abin fittings, canned goods, timber, pers-onal belongings of the crew, ship's gear of all descrip­tion. As the fire -reached, deeper into the hull there were more explosions, and with each one additional wreckage went soaring into the air.

Black clouds of smoke were belching from the Viking's decks. Long, yellow and blood-

red flames ran up the remain­ing st~nding rigging. Showers of sparks were racing into the blackness of the night. Fig­ures, grotesque in the ever shifting light of the flames, were falling over _ the side. Others were- jumping. It seemed as if the whole world must know of this night-mare, with the blaze _ of light, screaming cries for help, fall­ing tim hers and the roar of the explosions from the stric.k­en Viking.

We drifted slowly away from the wreck and, out of the heat of the flames, _and as we drifted we realised that it was a cold w:lnter's night, and re­gardless of all the fire just gone through, it was now necessary to build a small one in order to live. "The irony of life." Running from one fire to save our lives and now ha vin,g to build one for the same reason!

In the flare of light I saw one of the ship's dories. I pulled myself over the ice to it and after a struggle rolled in . . Here at least I thought I was safe from the possibility of being pulled down by the suction of the ship, and the dory also afforded protection from the wind.

.-· ... -·

THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE 27

Suddenly I found some­thing tugging on the dory just back of me. Looking around I saw to my horror that it was a cable leading from the dory back to the Viking. On closer inspection I saw that the cable was hope­lessly fouled in the smashed end of the dory. "Lord ! I

·was worse off here than out on the ice!"

' "Sargent! Sargent!" I call­ed. "Help me out of this dory. It's broken up."

Sargent yelled that I was alright. My whole body was numb from the cold. Hauling my body out of the dory I caught the flesh of my smash­ed leg in a jagged bolt, tear­ing a rent in the thigh. I wondered if I would be able to stand any more. I saw Sargent trying to render as­sistance to someone on the ice. Finally he got both Kennedy and myself in a safe position on a piece of wreckage of the Viking's stern section. This, supported by an ice-pan, was the safest possible place for a while at least.

Sargent and Kennedy talk­ed of what was to be done and vvondered why more of the crew had not shown up. Fin­ally, they realised that they

must have struc;k ou~ - .for the shore. The knowledge brought home to them even more viv­idly the dangers of their position. Undoubtedly, but for the impossibility of moving me, in my crippled condition, they would have attempted to get to land. They would have saved themselves untold suf­fering, and Kennedy possibly his life. "No greater love hath any man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend."

As the night wore on Sar­gent and Kennedy replenished the fire with pieces of wreck­age. The wind at_ times came howling down out of the North across that waste of water between Greenland and Labrador, reaching an eerie screaming pitch that seemed trying to burst our ear­drums.

"There she goes!" cried Sargent suddenly.

Sure enough, the old Viking, wreathed in a purple halo, was finishing her last cruise, down beneath the ice-covered surface of the sea.

The hours went by. The dawn came. The sun began to shine brightly. The blue­white glare of the ice was like hot sand thrown in -the eyes. Sargent and Kennedy were

2·8 THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

constantly scanning the hori- and the realisation that this zon, searching for a ship. was the end, nearly drove me

"We are . drifting faster . out of my mind. The next I now," said Sargent. knew Sargent was moving me

closer to the centre of the And drift we did. For

1 pan.

twenty-two mi es from where -the Viking had gone down we · drifted on the desolate At­lantic. Each of us had our own thoughts. Kennedy per­haps was wondering if he would ever take another ship out of St. John's. Sargent perhaps wondering where his friends were, and whether . they would ever be all together again. As for me, I was ask­ing myself what the future could have for me, even if rescue came. My legs, per­haps, would never carry me again·. . Did I really want to be rescued?

Hif it rains to-night," said Kennedy, as evening came on, "we are finished .. "

The hopelessness of it all was beginning to take its toll on our nervous systems. Sev­eral times during the day Sargent claimed to have sight­ed steamers. .They were, how­ever, nothing but low clouds on the horizon.

Monday I was conscious at intermittent periods. My phys­ical condition, misery of mind

"Get me a drin,k of water,

Two officers of the rescue ship Sagqna with a mother seal and

a baby hood.

will you, Sargent?" I asked. "Wait a minute and I'll .melt

some ice in this tin I picked up," said Sargent.

When I tried to drink the water I felt my face. It was burned like a piece of y.

THE VIKING~s LAST CRUISE 29

cooked meat. I remember distinctly sipping the water and thin.king it the sweetest thing I had ever tasted.

Tuesday, I heard Sargent raving: "God! What am I go­ing to do ? Kennedy is dying and King is dead."

I awoke again with Sargent shaking me and asking about a radio station on Horse Island-if the people of St. John's knew of it and if a rescue ship could get to us before nightfall, claiming that he could not survive another night himself. Later I heard him say:

"King, I thought you were gone for sure. How do you feel?"

I was too weak to answer him.

Later I heard Kennedy breathing heavily and guessed that he was contracting pneu­monia.

l\1y next conscious period I heard Sargent yell:

"There is a steamer! I see her smoke!"

This seemed too good to be true, and I had heard it too many times already. But soon I heard Sargent shouting again.

"Hurrah! Hurrah! It is a

steamer! I can see her hull now!''

God ! Was he going insane ? No ! There was an earnest ring to his voice that I could not fail to recognize. I began to feel stronger. The very thought of rescue was exhilar­ating. Could it be possible? Yes! Thank God! It was. There was a ship drawing closer. My sight was not so bad that I could not see her now. Thank the Lord it was good enough for - that. I wouldn't wish to have missed it.

* * * * * Meanwhile, what had trans­

. d? p1re . As we drifted farther and

farther from the ship, we had -vvondered what had become of the others. They, un­doubtedly, had been on the other side of the ship and out of sight.

Pat Breen, for instance, af­ter fighting his way clear of the wreckage over the engine­room managed to gain the main deck. With the, assist­ance of others he struggled with a nest of dories. They finally managed to get the least damaged of the lot clear and out on the ice. Pat re­turned again to the ship and

30 THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

helped other members of the crew. Later he found Captain Kean lying on an ice-pan and in bad shape.

"Captain, where does the land lay from he.re. ~" a.E;ke.d Pat.

The Skipper looked around

Captain Kean. Pushing the dory ahead of them, they started their long dangerous walk over the ice, falling through the ice-pans into the bitt~~ ~()\d -wa;\,e-r, only to haul one another out and carry on. One of their party after fall-

Ca.ptain Kean, .Jr., being transferred in a dory fron.1. the Horse Islands to the Sagona. ·

for a moment and pointed in the general direction of the coast.

The men placed the Skipper in the dory and thinking the-re were no more survivors, start­'Cd ~~y \,b~ BhQTe. A snort distance away Dick Adams was picked up. In serious cqndition and unable to walk, he was placed in the dory with

ing through the, ice collapsed a short distance from the shore.

"Go ahead, boys, I can't last any longer."

With this, Jack Breaker, from Brigus, a true New­foundland hero, joined those who had gone before.

On the shore at Horse Island the natives of the place

"£H~ VIKING'S LA.ST CRUISE 31

were watching the men as they worked their way to­wards land. On the night of the disaster the church ser­vices had come to a close in tbe \itt\e vi\\age. Groups oi two's and three's were making

OTIS BARTLETT

the wireless operator of Horse Islands.

their way to their respective hOTneS ·wnen SUUfien\-y a\\ stopped in their tracks. Was th~t an earthquake that was. causing this little island to quiver and pulsate under their feet 1 Could that be thunder

-rumbling in the distance off their coast ?

Excitedly some one shouted.

"Look ! Out there ! Way out ()U. tb.~ \.c~ t l.~n.'t tl\.at a ~ni\)

in flames?"

God! It was a ship! And that is the way the world first learned of "The Viking's Last Cruise."

With the realisation that it was no earthquake that had shaken their island, and that the flames off shore was not Jjg.bt.n5ng, but a s.bjp in dis­tress, the people immediately notified the wireless opera tor ot the Horse Island Station.

As soon as. the land offices opened, the following message was flashed into the ether:

Horse Island, March 16, 1931.

To Minister Marine and Fisheries.

At_ 9.00 o'clock last night heard terrible explosion. Early this morning the burning wreckage of a steamer was si16hted about eight miles east of here. Also saw men travelling on ice towards Island. No particulars as yet.

(Sgd.) OTIS BARTLETT, Opr. Horse Island.

32 THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

As soon as the first message reached St. John's the entire city awakened to the fact that one of their sealing ship must be the vessel reported in distress off Horse Island. The entire sealing fleet was ordered to the scene by the Minister of Marine and Fish­eries. The ocean going tug "Foundation Franklin" and the S.S. Sagona were im­mediately prepared for the trip. The former ship left port on March 16 at 2.45 p.m., with Captain Burgess as the pilot, taking with him Dr. Blackler and several nurses. People in every walk of life from all over Newfoundland volunteered their services. Nothing was left undone in order to speed up the rescue work. Newspaper headlines told the dreaded news-"Dis-­aster Feared to Sealing Steam­er. Explosion heard off Horse Island last night-believed to be the Viking. News will be published as it comes in."

Horse Island. Radio Dispatch

Minister Marine & Fisheries, St. John's, Nfld.

Ice in bad condition. Heavy sea. Wind blowing off shore. Men sighted coming over ice

toward land. First crowd may reach land-others have little chance. Making slow progress. People have only sufficient for selves. Also no medical as­sistance here. No chance of getting to mainland.

(Sgd.) OTIS BARTLETT, Opr. Horse Island.

St. John's, Nfld ..

Radio Dispatch Opr. Horse Island.

Please report as soon as possible to direct questions. How many people have land­ed? What steamer is it? How did explosion occur? Can more men be seen on ice, if so, how many? What are the weather conditions - wind direction? Can men give names of those injured or dead ?

(Sgd .. ) H. B. C. LAKE.

Horse Island.

Minister Marine & Fisheries, St. John's, Nfld.,

March 16, 1931.

Acknowledged·. Impossible to .~ive particulars as yet. At approx. 9.00 o'clock las·t night Viking exploded. Men report about twenty or more dead. All survivors not yet landed ..

(Sgd.) OTIS BARTLETT, Opr. Horse Island.

THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE 33

Radio Dispatch Minister Marine & Fisheries,

St. John's, Nfld. Ice in bad condition. Heavy

sea. Wind blowing off-shore. First crowd of men may reach island. Others have little chance. Making very slow progress. Operator Clayton King reported missing.

(Sgd.) OTIS BARTLETT, Opr. Horse Island~

Radio Dispatch St. John's, Nfld.

Captain badly injured. Men report - wireless operator, cook, steward, navigator and doctor missing. Impossible to give particulars. Men very exhausted. Will advise later.

(Sgd.) OPR. HORSE ISLD.

Radio Dispatch St. John's, Nfld.

Fifty or more men lan-ded. Others making slow progress toward land. Explosion as yet unaccounted for. Two crowds landed and another sighted. Later-Crowds bring­ing in disabled men. Ice con­ditions ver~y rough and un­even. Men can~ot account for dead as yet. Very hard to get information from men.

(Sgd.) OPR. HORSE ISLD.

Radio Dispatch St. John's, Nfld.

Many men still .on ice sev­erely injured. Nearly all men in cabin believed dead. Stern

taken right from ship; All ships advised to proceed to Viking area.

(Sgd.) OPR. HORSE ISLD.

Radio Dispatch St. John's, Nfld.

118 men landed here. Many suffering from severe In­juries. Men leaving here to search for Clayton King and other missing persons.

(Sgd.) OPR. HORSE ISLD.

These and many more mes­sages continued to arrive in St. John's. Otis Bartlett, the operator at Horse Island, kept the country advised as closely as possible of the conditions in the Viking area, and at 6.00 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, 1931, the S.S. Sagona left port. On board were Dr. Paterson, Dr. Moores and Dr. Martin ; Nurses Paton and Rose Berri­gan. Aboard were large sup­plies of food stuffs, medical equipment, clothes and every­thing needed for the sur­vivors. Captain J"acob Kean headed his ship~ at full speed for the Viking's position1.

"Keep a sharp lookout for wreckage, boys. Report any­thing you see, no matter how small," ordered Captain Kean as the Sagona steaming at

34 THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

full speed, approached the scene of the disaster.

Shortly afterwards a hail came from the lookout in the mast head.

"Something on. the port bow, sir," cried the lookout.

"Come left four poinlts," he ord€'red the helmsman ..

"There are two men on that ice-pan," shouted the lookout. ''No! There are three men. One is lying prone on the ice."

The men on the· deck of the

First and exclusive. picture taken from the deck of the rescue ship Sagona. It shows one of the three survivors rescued from a small icefioe two days after the explosion. The three of us had been iloating during this time in a sea of pancake ice, likely at any moment to slip into the water. They were Henry G. Sargent, explorer, Wm. Kennedy, navigator, and myself, wireless operator.

"Where away?" asked the Skipper.

"Broad on," came back the answer.

"What is it?"

"There's a flag of some sort flying from a stick on that ice pan, sir."

The Skipper took a look through the glasses.

Sagona watched eagerly as the ship approached. On the ice-pan the thought of rescue drove us almost insane with joy. Sick as I was I could feel a great thrill of relief as the rescue ship drew near enough for me to realise that it was the good old s .hip Sagona.

"There's too big a swell to

THE VIKING~S LAS-T CRUIS-E

take ~ the -ship alongside, and the ice- is in no condition for travellin·g," Captain Kean re­marked. "Put a boat over, boys." - As the rescue boat drew near I heard one of the crew

torn and bu-rned-,.and the bone of my leg exposed, with --the frost shining through ~the lacerated flesh.

I -felt the men of the Sagona lift me from the piece of wreckage that had been our

Literally on the brink of death, clinging to our little ice:floe with part of the wrecked stern of the Viking, just before we were rescued by

the Sagona.

exclaim: ''Boys! Smell that dynamite ! "

Later as the men reached the ice pan I he·ard another remark: "Look at King's legs!"

l looked at them. ro.-yse1f. My right one twisted up alongside my body, pants leg

salvation for the last two days and nights. I have a -hazy remembrance of half sitfing up in the dory and holding on to the gunwales. Then of. the boat being hoisted from the water to the deck of the Sagona. I remember giving thanks that the hoist did not

36 THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

give out while the dory was being hoisted aboard.. So much had happened that I did not know what to expect next. Then with the· rescue crew, doctors and nurses around me I drifted off into a coma.

should do with my clothes .. ' 'Take the watch out of my

pocket and throw the clothes overboard. I don't want to see them again." Then Dr. Paterson gave me a shot in the arm.

Taking the three of us from our little iceftoe to which we had clung· in part of the wrecked stern of the Viking which was our only shelter , and transferring to the rescue ship Sagona in an exhausted condition.

When I awoke again I was on the table in the saloon. Someone patted me on the shoulder, saying: "King, you are alright now. You're going to get better. Don't worry about anything." This was Dr. Paterson of St. John's.

Then a nurse came in and wanted to know what she

In the meantime operators on the rescue ships had kept the country informed of their activities.

Radio Dispatch Minister Marine & Fisheries,

St. John's, Nfld. Picked up three men adrift

on ice-pan and part of ship's

THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE 87

stern, fifteen miles east-south­east of Cape John, Gull Island. Men are-Clayton King, Navi­gator Kennedy and an' Ameri­can na·med Sargent.

(Sgd.) Master S.S. Sagona.

Later another message was sent, reading:

Patients on Sagona pro­gressing favourably except King; gangrene both legs. Kennedy as well as can be expected for pneumonia pa­tient.

Radio Dispatch Minister Marine & Fisheries,

St. John's, Nfld. S.S. Eagle and S.S. Nep-­

tune reached ·actual spot where explosion took place in ice-field. Now drifted twelve m.iles south-east Gull Island. Wreckage practically all ship's fittings, timber and personal belongings. Picked up one body, paper in pocket marked P. Bartlett. Still searching. Ice conditions terrible.

(Sgd.) Master S.S. Eagle.

Messages of this type con.­tinued to arrive in St. John's, for . the _masters of the rescue vessels were doing their best to keep the people informed. Later the Sagona took aboard survivors from the rescue ships in the vicinity and left for_ St. John's . ...

_. Qf- th-e voyage hom-e I do

not remember much. I was unconscious most of the time. I recall the rolling of the ship which caused intense pain in my fractured legs. I remem­ber the nurses dressing my wounds. What I suffered during the eight days and nights on the Sagona is be­yond my powers to describe. I remember being carried down the companionway to a stateroom-asking for a drink of water. I heard someone say that Kennedy was dyin-g and that there were twenty­eight men undoubtedly lost, as there had been no reports of their rescue from ship or shore.

Intuitively I seemed to sense the ship's passing Cape Spear. To those on deck the three white flas.hes sweeping the sea every fifteen seconds seemed to beckon to the Sagona to make haste in her passage along the north shore to the entrance of the har­bour. The occulating white light of Fort Amherst wel­come~ her as she swung into the "Narrow's". The harbour lights-aloE.g the battery, on the South Side, on ships an­chored in the stream, appear­ed as. if trying to light the way for the rescue ship, to

THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

enable her to make the dock quickly and safely.

"Silence reigned supreme" as the ship crept quietly in and towards her pier. The usual shrill orders about her decks were somehow missing, for

CAPT. WM. KENNEDY Navigator S.S. Viking

the ship was now a ship of Death, Ken,nedy, the naviga­tor, having passed into the great beyond at 6.00 p.m. as we arrived the following 2.00 a.m.

Quietly the ship was warp­ed into her berth. No rush was made to board~ her. The silent crowd on the dock seemed to hesitate, as if they feared that conditions aboard might be even worse than

they had expected. The doc­tors and nurses were cool and calm regardless of the terrific strain that they had been un­der during the passage of eight days.

Those present at the early hour, 2.00 a.m., stood in a silence that spoke their sympathy more eloquently than words. Arrangements made by the authorities for the disembarkation of the injured survivors of the Vik­ing's crew, and the removal of the body of Captain Kennedy, were carried out quickly and efficiently. Before the arrival of the ship the Hon. Sir Richard A. Squires, Prime Minister, the Minister of Ma­rine and Fisheries, Mr. H. B. C. Lake, who directed mat­ters, Hons. Drs. Campbell and Mosdell, with several other members of the Government, had assembled on Harvey & Co.'s pier. Ambulances were parked in the sheds ; a body of stretcher bearers under the direction of Dr. Cluny Mac­pherson was in readiness. In­spector General Hutchings had a strong force of police closing off all roads leading from the premises, with an­other force drawn -up along· the pier. Nurses Berrigan

THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE 89

and Paton saw to the comfort of the patients. Of the twelve men landed, eight were urgent hospital cases. Among those were Capt. Abram Kean, Jr., Alfred Kean, mate, Frederick Best, movie assistant, Jerry Quinlan, Charles Spracklin, A. Fifield, Patrick Whelan and myself. Among the sick were

suffered during those long days and nights of worry. My father trying bravely to hold back the tears that were glistening in his eyes! My mother un,able to control the tears that were streaming down her cheeks.

"My boy! My boy!" was all that she was able to say.

'l'aken on board the rescue ship Sagona. Reading from left to right: Nurse Paton, Dr. Paters on, Henry G . Sargent and Nurse Berrigan.

Alfonso Doyle, Lewis Breelli and Richard Adams.

As the stretcher bearers bore me down the gangway I asked for my mother and father. They were there, waiting for me. The look of anguish in their eyes and their haggard -expressions told only too well how they must have

The stretcher bearers placed me in an ambulance, and at my request my mother and father were allowed to accom­pany me to the General Hospital. With them near me I felt almost at home again.

The sole survivor of the American party that had left St. John's such a short time

40 THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

before, H. Sargent, walked. as.hore, l am told, unassisted. Haggard, deathly pale and grief-stricken over the loss of his friends, he seemed in a daze. As. he stepped ashore from the gangway he was embraced. by his sister, who had arrived from the States the day before, aboard the

seconds befor~ the disaster, H. Sargent and mys~elf were the only- ones to survive. Carter, after starting· for his room, was never seen again. Dr. Roach likewise. The pup Cabot went out with the rest.

From the airport in East Boston, Mass., a giant "Sikor­sky'' plane was sent out to

Dick Adams , firen1an, being transferred in a dory fron'l the Horse Islands to the Sagona.

S.S. Silvia. To the American hero, Sargent, and the New­foundland hero, Kenned.y, I owe my life. But for their protection and self-sacrifice my name -would have been included in the death-list, which was now twenty-eight.

- Of those who were in the saloon of the Viking a few

the scene of the disaster by Dr. Frissell, father of Varick Frissell. After a hard and dangerous trip from Boston, Burns, the pilot, and his as­sistants, landed the ship at Corner Brook, Nfld. Resting for a short while and refuel­ing the ship, they headed for the scene-~-Of the disaster.

THE .. VIKING-'S LAST;'· C'RUISE 41

North- south- east and west, close in shore along the beach-.-back and forth across the · icefields, all without _ suc­cess. Mr. Varick Fris.sell­graduate of Yale~ class of '26 -. -interested in Grenfell work -explorer of the Grand Falls of ·the Hamilton River in the

knew .. him-.. · was · never · seen again. Locked in the frozen vastness . of the ice-fields is the secret of his exit.

Of my struggle back to health, the report from the General Hospital · tells the story.

Doctor s~ Nurs e s , Captain and Offi c ers of the I es c ue ship Sagona

summer of '25,-discoverer of the Yale Falls on the "Un­known River" which he named "Grenfell," - who made his first trip to the ice in the S. S. Beothic in the Spring of '27, and later trips i~ the Ungava and Viking '30 and '31,-dear to the hearts of all Ne~~6!Jndland sealers who

,.

GENERAL HOSPITAL OF . -

ST. JOHN'S, NFLD.

Report of the case of Clayton King By Dr. L. E. Keegan

Clayton King was admitted to Hospital o-n the 24th March, 1931. His injuries were the result of an explosion on board the steamship Viking, when

~- . - ...

THE . VIKING'S LAST CRUISE

Clayton was thrown on the ice, where he remained for about sixty-five hours.

On admission he was found to be suffering from gas gangrene of both legs, extend­ing to the middle of the thighs. In the left there was a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula. In addition· to this he had a severe injury to the left eye, due to the im­paction of some foreign body. He also had severe contusions and abrasions of his shoulders. He was in a very critical con­dition and had to be revived with intravenous injections of glucose and other stimulants, also the administration of anti-gas gangrene serum.

On March 25th he was operated on and, assisted by Drs. Moores and Knight, I performed an amputation of both legs, the· right being amputated· above the knee joint, the left about three inches below the knee join1t.

In spite of the severity of the operation and his serious condition, he rallied in the most marvellous way and after a fe·w days his chances of re­covery were good·.

Some time afterwards, owing to a severe pain in the head, the orbit was examined and a

s.mall foreign body found to be embedded there was re­moved. This injury of the orbit caused a serious impair­ment of vision, which only slightly improved.

Apparently, the amputation saved his life as the gas gan­grene did not extend.. The wounds at the time were left open, a guillotine operation having been performed on both limbs. It was I think due to this precaution that he sur­vived the great shock and toxic symptoms.

From the middle of April his recovery was uninterrupt­ed and he was discharged from the hospital on the ninth of July, 1931.

(Sgd.) L. E. KEEGAN, M.D., T.C.D.,

Chief Surgeon & Suptd. General Hospital, St. John's.

Words cannot express the thanks and gratitude that I feel for thes.e splendid Doctors and Nurses of the , General Hospital, especially to Dr. Keegan, the Superintendent of the Hospital, to whom I owe my life, for his skill, attention and gentle care.

And now, in closing, may I say that these hours adrift in

THE VIKING'S LAST CRUISE 43

the dread Atlantic had for me experiences stranger and more vivid than fiction. Much that happened I have been unable to describe adequately. Some will never be told. But for

me, even yet, although five years have gone by, these ex­periences are as real and com­pelling as they were in those fatal hours of "The Viking's Last Cruise."

On the road to recovery. Taken at my home in Brigus, in my n1otor tricycle, three n1onths after

my discharge from hospital.

44 THE -VIKING~S ~LAST CRUISE

CLIPPING FROM THE EVENING TELEGRAM-(By an Unknown Author)

'ro the Men1ory of the Late Captain Kennedy

Slowly to-day we wended our way To a grave in Belvedere,

Behind the corpse of a hero bold, By all his name held dear.

He died that others might live, No greater love hath man

Than he lay down his life for a friend,

This seaman of our clan.

For many a year he knew no fear, On shipboard he took delight,

And with his hardy shipmates Spent many a weary night,

Yet Providence protected hitn And brought him safely to shore;

But .alas! his life is ended And he'll strike his course no

more.

On board the S.S. Viking To the sealfishery he set sail,

As navigating officer His profession did entail.

This hero son of Newfoundland, This Captain of the sea,

Was never known to shirk his post, As shown so recently.

The scene of that distaster On that dark and dreary night,

In fancy I can see it, I c.an ne'er shut out the sig·ht­

The lurch, the shock, the explosion, The cry of "ship on fire,"

The frantic cries of his wounded mates

In that distress was dire.

·Those cries were not unheeded By the hero -of this song, ·

Though badly bruised and bleeding He fought his way along

To where his shipmate, Clayton King,

A hero true and brave, And by a superhuman effort

Saved him from a watery grave.

\Ve can see another suffer, Sargent,-American by birth,

A passenger on the Viking, Who also proved his worth;

This hardy son of Uncle Sam. A hero staunch and brave,

By kind Providence p_rotected From a North Atlantic grave.

For forty-eight long hours They fought desperately for life,

Clinging to that piece of wreckage In the midst of de:ath and strife,

But spurred on by the courage Of this brave man of the sea,

Young Clayton King was rescued, His friends once more to see.

This is just a brief synopsis Of pluck, daring and of grit

In such an awful circumstance Of a man who did his bit.

lVIay his family all be comforted By his noble work well done,

For in n1aking the supreme sacrifice

He has reached that heavenly throne.

Compliments of - -­T. McMurdo & Co., Ltd.

DEPENDABLE DRUGGISTS SINCE 1823

WATER STREET ST. JOHN'S

Be Protected

InsureNowwith Lloyd's UTMOST PROTECTION

- ·- - · --- LOWEST COST

r _ LLOYDS IS A SYNONYM OF SECURITY

Phone, call or write

STEERS LIMITED Insurance Department

FIRE INSURANCE The Anierican Alliance

Insurance Co. NEW YORK

- -

w-estern Assurance Co. TORONTO

CASHIN & CO., Ltd. AGENTS

~m. Dawe & Sons Ltd~ ·· .- ~

Corner Springdale and Water Streets

IMPORTERS OF Mouldjngs.,. B. C. F:ir Ceil-_ . ing and Paneling, Maple and Oak Floorings, Cedar Shingles and Clapboard, Everseal Roof Coating, Cromar & ·Chartered Oak Flooring.

MANUFACTURERS OF Clapboard, Lumber of all sizes, Matched Board, Ceiling Mouldings., Turn­ings, Doors, Sashes, Bar-

. rels, . - Pails and Boxes, Birch Veneers and Ply­woo&. -·- --·

BUCKETS RED LABEL BLUE LABEL

U.N. F. PRODUCTS LOOK FOR THE HORSE-SHOE TRADE MARK

'U.N.F. PRODUCTS' IS YOUR GUARANTEE OF QUALITY

United. Nail8 Foundry Co. LIMITED

WHOLESALE GROCERS Importers of

HAY, FEEDS, Etc.

CONSIGNMENTS OF LIVE STOCK SOLICITED

GEORGE NEAL~ Ltd. EST. 1894 SAINT JOHN'S INC. 1920

COMPLIMENTS OF

HARVEY &·CO., Ltd. (Estab. 1767)

ST. JOHN'S

~-----N-e_w_fo-un-dl-an_d ______ l

Cofnpliments of

London, . New York & Paris Association of Fashion

Ltd.

.. - . ' '·

ELECTRIC SHOP 341 Duckworth St. HEADQUARTERS FOR

EVERTYHING ELECTRICAL At Money-Saving Prices that will surprise you

Our Mail Order Department is at your service

US A TRIAL

Better Garments at L ·ower Prices "FIT-WELL"

Makers of SlTITS, OVERCOATS, WINDBREAKERS, LA DIES' and GENTS' LEATHER COATS

. ALSO Manufacturers of CAPS and FLEECE LINED UNDERWEAR

R 0 S E N B E R G AND CO., LTD • . 343 WATER ST.

MAKERS OF "FIT-WELL" CLOTHES P. 0. Box 494

Emerson Radio Electric and Battery Sets

Prices fron~, $50.00 anll up 6, 8, and 11 Tube, Long and Short Wave

Incorporating the new Metal Tubes Ask for Particulars

Cochius, Ltd. 332 ~~~;p';.::t: 9~t;eet

MARK EVERY PLOT BETTER QUALITY MEMORIALS

Carved and Lettered by SKINNER SCULPTORS

Ensure Everlasting Memory of Your Dear Ones.

Write to-day for a Beautiful Selection of Original Photos

Price List and Mail Order Forn1

The Master Craftsmen SKINNERS, MONUMENTAL

WORKS 369 Duckworth Street~ St. John's, Nfld.

Estab. 1874

WINTER Never Stops a Battery that•s

FIT ! If your batter-y is just barely able to turn your motor these chilly morn­

ings it's ten to one· it needs attention-badly! Bring it to us for an inspection. We specialize in recharging and repairing run-down batteries-and we put them back on the job, too! Why not drive in to see us today?

Automobile Insurance

~ ~tttfounb!a:nb }\ttfotnnhile & ®~nerctl jfnsurance <Unmpatt!!, Y![t:b.

E. S. HOLDEN, Manager MITCHELL BLDG., ST. JOHN~s

Cables: JOB, St. John's All Standard Codes Used

JOB BROTHERS & CO., LTD. ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND

Established 1780

S~teamship Owners~ General Merchants, Agents and Importers

EXPORTERS OF SALT CODFISH AND ALL FISHERY PRODUCTS

Fresh Frozen Fish a Specialty Producers of the well-known Brands

HUBA Y and LABDOR Brine Frozen Salmon Agents for: Royal Insurance Co., Ltd., Liverpool; National Fire

Insurance Co,., of Hartford; Union Marine & General Insur­ance Co.., Ltda, Liverpool.

English Correspondents: JOB BROTHERS, LTD., LIVERPOOL

SUN GLO The Ideal Shortening

For all Cooking Purposes

Cakes, Pastry, Pies, Etc.

. Also

FOr Frying Fish

PACKED IN 12 LB. AND 28 LB. BOXES

AND 20 LB. TUBS

A Trial Will Convince You

Better than the Best! Cheaper than the Rest!

TREAT YOUR PIPE RIGHTI

\ ~ \ \

I ·- --------­-----~--·--~·--

Fill the bowl with fragrant Big· Ben Roll Cut and you will be treated by your pipe to ·a cooler, richer, more satisfying smoke - - Yes, it's a~ paying proposition to_...­sm.oke a tobacco that is ALL QUALITY!

Cut Smoking Tobacco

·-------·------------~-------·--·-~---~~~-·

.. -~-- . ----------~-------· -~ ·- --

, . ,-' "

Compliments of

Terra -Nova Motors, Ltd.

NASH, LaFAYETTE DISTRIBUTORS

-::) . :~--..-1'. - .· . :·~ . ;-_i _· __ ,,.__ . ~- :- . .-~-~--~- _"·~:-~JJ~ - ··.

At the Sigllof ·the BO~Ok /' J . • .)'- \

: : / ! ' -

~ r • • • • • • •

DICK·rrs·.- ~: c.~ --- ~-C- ····-0: · , - LTD - . ;.:_-; -: ~ . ~ ~- -' ~ ::.· - - -~ .. ·_. -. . : . . .

· --· St. John's·.- _.-- · · ·

J :.. . -":---.. :. \

./:..=:--., ':. /.

. j'· ' - -... - -..:

:iJ

USE

LIO·N'S ~cANNE.D

PROiDU·CTS~ Obtainable From

ALL THE BEST GROCERS

Manufactured By

Bowring Brothers, Ltd.

When Needing-

Biscuits, Candies, .Jams, Marmalade, Waters, Fruit Syrups, Vinega_r__.

BE SURE ·TO ASK FOR

''PURITY'' The Hall Mark of Quality

Aerated ,-

To make your Cak~ pleasing to sight and taste Use SNOW FLAKE Icing Sugar

A good tip-see that the "Orange Crush" you drink has the

"PURITY" Bottle Cap

Purity Factories, Ltd.

. ' i

·/;."::· ... ;...., . .,.. . . )t~

>>

,,,{;:..

,.,..

'

/

.·. Did yo-u.. ; .. ~Z"tJ 'CJ <:»-<3-::E T ''

your boots ·; this m~rning?

J. B. --MITCHELL & SON, LTD. !'-----~~SELLING AGENTS

• • that's why it burns longer and banks long_er.

R-EADING ANTHRACITE

A. HARVEY & CO., Limited HEAT HEADQUARTERS

)

Cable Address: ''Crosmore," St. John's

Codes used: A.B. C. 5th Edition

CrOsbie & Company Limited

CHESL~Y CROSBIE, Manager --:.-;:.~ . ·-

BUYERS AND EXPORTERS OF

Codfish, Oil and all other

Newfoundland Pro­

ducts of the Sea . (

AGENTS FOR

Fire and Marine Insurance

} -

Fire Insuran·c~e

at

"ta·ndard Rates

Yor·kshire Insurance ~Co. McGrath & Furlong

Agents

315 Duckworth St.

St. John's

MUIR'S ~M·arble Works

Ltd. Established 1842

Monuments an,d

Hea.dstones

Designs and Prices on application.

198 Water St., St •. John's

Martin-Royal Stores

H8rdware Co. Ltd.

-Importers of­

Sporting Goods Crockeryware

and General Hardware

St. John's Phones 591 and 1769

P.O.B. 696

Flashlight Batteries

N9102

SUPER-SERVICE

MONOCELL BOND ELECTRIC CORPORATION s "ERSEY CITY, N.J. 60 ~- F'RANC:ISC:O CHtCA

They Start Stronger They Last Longer

Harris & Hiscock, Ltd. St. J ohn's9 Agents

J. M.BROWN Family Grocer

Cross Roads

We Specialize In All Products of the

Fisheries Phones 1040 & 2792

Connecticut Fire Insurance

Company BARRON & LEWIS

General Agents Daily News Office Bldg.

St. John's, Nfld.

SPAR TON RADIO

19.36 ~'Radio's Richest Voice"

C. B. BLACKIE 175 Water St., St. John's

For Fire · lnsuran·ce

. ;

- see Hu~t, Emerson,

Stirling & Higgins i Agents­

Employers Liability and North West.

-·.

Kindly Remember I ;

l .

W. :,R. GOOBIE ,:· The Golden Rule Variety

Store

Just Opposite t:he: "Posl -- Office

First in Service, Savings and Quality

-

Mail and Phone Orders re­c eive prompt and personal attention.

170-2-4 Duckworth - St~ St. John's

The Store for Value in Stoves, Ranges, i ·

Cabinet Heaters, Fire Places, Grates & Tiles

A full line of_ Cooking Gear always in · stock, at·

1 . low~st --~~i~e~j ___ . ---·--·------·· · ·-- --·----·-- ·--~---~r---- --------- • ----

The Use of Electricity for Household Duties

is not a Luxury The cost is low, compared to the energy used in Washing Clothes, House Clean­ing or any other service that Electricity can simplify.

Call and let us give you more valuable information on this timely subject. You owe it to yourself.

Nfld. Light & Power Co., td. 'PHONE 239

SUPERIOR BRAND CLOTHING

FOR MEN AND YOUNG MEN

The first choice of those who desire to be really well dressed at moderate cost.

N e"W"foundland Clothing Com.pany, Ltd .

....:.. - --------

~

~ ~

~ ~

~

~ ~ ~ J

~

~ J ~

~ ~ • ~

/

/

/

#' ..... -·......_..,., _/

........ ,, · ...... '

;. -

!S!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllfllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllflllllllllllllllllllllllllllllillllllllllllllllllllltlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!::;

BABY GRAND 620 B ALL-WAVE

I .

. ' -

... .

•i

.. ~· , ·

•

.ARTIST'S CONCEPTION OF THE SINKING OF THE S.S. VIKING

JDRtNTEO BY THE EVENING TELEGRAM. LTC