If you visit here, you like to read. So do I, although it’s been awhile since I’ve found something other than The Bible to hold my attention. I finally have a wonderful suggestion you might enjoy. “O Rugged Land of Gold”, by Martha Martin is a true story written during an Alaskan winter in the early 1900’s. According to her Great-Granddaughter, this intriguing woman wrote under a pen name. Her real name was Helen Bolyan. All names in the book were changed, even the location of the mine.
In the early 1900’s, Martha was a wife and the mother of her boy, Lloyd. With Lloyd away at school, Martha and her beloved husband, Don, were prospecting partners on Cobol Island in deserted Alaska. Martin was the self sufficient woman I would love to be. She was MacGyver x Mike Holmes of the women’s world. This woman was a proven survivor.
As the story begins, an injured Martha decides to write her story as she heals. The main reason for writing is to stay connected in some way. Similar to this blogger, except all she had was her journal and a heavenly host of angels to read her works. After the first two page-turning chapters of this book, I couldn’t put it down. Her accounts of loneliness, despair, talks with God, and worries about her unborn child are riveting and heart wrenching.
Details about two cabins in the wilderness and the instincts and knowledge needed to survive were amazing. When her beloved husband left on a short errand just before I storm blew in, she had few worries. Her decision to retrace some steps to retrieve an item proved disastrous in more ways than one.
In a snow storm, I have my groceries delivered. I drive a car anywhere I need to go. At night, a thermostat keeps my heater at a constant temperature. A refrigerator/freezer keeps my food from spoiling. All the comforts of home unless your home is off the grid in Alaska.
For 32 years, VST was always there to help in times of trouble. He took the risks when hard errands or chores had to be accomplished. He navigated the taxes and our business affairs. Being smart, he had the last say on many of our most important decisions, always after sharing his reasoning. He was a comfort when I was ill, never letting things get too bad before shuffling me off to the doctor. He was my lifeboat. Until he wasn’t. Martha’s husband Don, business partner Sam, and son Llloyd were all there for her until they weren’t.
In some of her darkest moments after her husband went on his distant errand, Martha heard his voice giving her needed direction and support. She was sure of it. Except that he wasn’t there. When a bear woke her as she slept, it was his voice that calmed her and helped her play dead. One of his old gloves found in a pile of leaves gave her the message she needed. Even though she had no way of knowing for sure, her heart found comfort that her Don would return to her side.
This story has everything. Risks people take because of greed and money. The excitement of adventure. Creating something from nothing. Trust. Faith. Hopelessness. Renewed faith. Strength in the dark. Drama. Beauty. All told in very plain language in a scared and pregnant mother’s journal while sitting all alone during an Alaskan winter.
Could you imagine being seven months pregnant without any supplies? Not a chance of a stray diaper or baby bottle just showing up? No support from friends and family? Just the observations made through the eyes of a deer or crow?
In reading the book, Martha spells out well planned provisions. At the mountain cabin, they had nuts, raisins, and other dried fruits. They had plenty of flour, sugar, and tea. While gardening, they raised carrots and potatoes, although the sizes were small due to the short growing season. As survivalists go, Martha and Don did a pretty good job, except that both cabins weren’t stocked equally.. Unfortunately, she depended on both for different reasons.
Her troubles continued when she finally decided to escape on the boat for a 31 hour trip to civilization. She had hesitated to try this, as she was 7 months pregnant. She was also certain her Don was on his way. Her biggest problem was a lack of needed strength to start the engine. Although never mentioned, I assumed she needed to pull a starter rope to turn the flywheel. At any rate, with the engine finally started, disaster struck in the worst way. For days, back at the beach cabin, she heard the boat engine running, until it finally stopped.
So, if you are sitting around with nothing to read, find a copy of “O Rugged Land of Gold”. Think of Martha and Don, and the faith it took for them to dream their adventure and then go for it. Enjoy.
More tomorrow.