Jay Cassell - Incredible Survival Stories: Tales of Death-Defying Treks across the Globe

Copyright 2017 by Skyhorse Publishing

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, New York 10018.

Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, New York 10018 or

Skyhorse and Sky horse Publishing are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing Inc., a Delaware Corporation

www.skyhorsepublishing.com 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Tom Lau
Cover photo credit: First Ascent of the Matterhorn by Gustave Dor

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-1377-2
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-1382-6

Printed in China

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD

W hen we are young, we often dream of undertaking great feats: To climb Mount Everest. To skydive. To travel to the Arctic. To trek across the deserts. To enter the heat of battle. To tame the savage beast. And while some of us will never journey much farther than our own backyards, others of us will venture to the farthest corners of the Earth in true tests of the body, mind, and soul.

A thirst for adventure seems to be an innate part of the human spirit. From scaling the planets highest peaks to descending to its greatest depths, from engaging with the most ferocious of creatures to entering into the deadliest frays of combat, men and women constantly, and consciously, place themselves directly in the path of peril. And although some lose their lives when facing risks, many more live to tell the tales of dangerous adventures and death-defying encounters. So while it is an indelible part of human nature to seek adventure, it is equally a part of our spirit to survive that peril. This book, Incredible Survival Stories , features twenty-one unforgettable tales, from across time and spanning the globe, of the unconquerable human spirit.

Organized into three distinct parts, this book is a spirited collection of daring, and in some cases unbelievable, tales of survival. The first grouping of storiesSurviving Adventuretells of nine encounters of danger, discovery, and defeats of the unknown. Episodes from the great explorer of the ancient Orient Marco Polo, the infamous medieval circumnavigator Sir Francis Drake, and the Scandinavian geographer Sven Hedin are all here, in the midst of scorching heat, raging waters, and unfathomable to dangers, all in the quest to push the boundaries of human ingenuity and endurance.

At times we also must test our capacity for survival against one another in the most deadly arenas of war. The second grouping of stories pays homage to the ferocity of armed combat. From disputes over territories, to civil wars, to global conflicts, these stories demonstrate that sometimes the utmost peril that we must survive comes from our fellow human beings.

And yet, on other occasions, our greatest obstacle to survival is the elements. The third section of this book features stories that take place in exotic locales, demonstrating the true depth of perilous possibilities that our Mother Earth has to throw at us. The savage beasts and deadly climate in Amazonia Extremis, the endless, breath-sucking sandstorms in The Sands of the Gobi, and the bitter cold of 88 Degrees South, as well as five other tales, show just a handful of the dangers that man has found a way to endure and conquer.

So while each of these tales is unique in its telling, they all prove that survival is truly of the fittest, be that physically or intellectually.

Veronica Alvarado

Fall 2016

SECTION ONE

SURVIVING ADVENTURES

CHAPTER 1

DRAKES CIRCUMNAVIGATION

By Richard Hakluyt

Sir Francis Drake at Bucklands Abbey by Marcus Gheerants, circa 1590.

Editor s Note: Traditional sixteenth century spelling, grammar, and punctuation have been retained.

T he famous voyage of Sir Francis Drake into the South sea, and therehence about the whole Globe of the earth, begun in the yeere of our Lord 1577.

THE 15 day of November, in the yeere of our Lord 1577. M. Francis Drake, with a fleete of five ships and barkers, and to the number of 164 men, gentlemen and sailers, departed from Plimmouth, giving out his pretended voyage for Alexandria: but the wind falling contrary, hee was forced the next morning to put into Falmouth haven in Cornewall, where such and so terrible a tempest tooke us, as few men have seene the like, and was in deed so vehement, that all our ships were like to have gone to wracke: but it pleased God to preserve us from that extermitie, and to afflict us onely for that present with these two particulars: The mast of our Admirall which was the Pellican, was cut over boord for the safegard of the ship, and the Marigold was driven ashore, and somewhat bruised for the repairing of which damages wee returned agains in Plimmouth, and having recovered those harmes, and brought the ships againe to good state, we set forth the second time from Plimmouth, and set saile the 13 day of December following.

Drakes vessel, the Golden Hind.

The 25 day of the same moneth we fell with the Cape Cantin, upon the coast of Barbarie, and coasting along, the 27 day we found an Island called Mogador, lying one mile distant from the maine, betweene which Island and the maine, we found a very good and safe harbour for our ships to the in, as also very good entrance, and voyde of any danger.

On this Island our Generall erected a pinnesse, whereof he brought out of England with him foure already framed, while these things were in doing, there came to the waters side some of the inhabitants of the countrey, shewing foorth their flags of truce, which being seene of our Generall, hee sent his ships boate to the shore, to know what they would: they being willing to come aboord, our men left there one man of our company for a pledge, and brought two of theirs aboord our ship, which by signes shewed our General, that the next day they would bring some provision, as sheepe, capons and hennes, and such like: whereupon our Generall bestowed amongst them some linnen cloth and shooes, and a javeling, which they very joyfully received, and departed for that time.

The next morning they failed not to come againe to the waters side, and our Generall againe setting out our boate, one of our men leaping over rashly ashore, and offering friendly to imbrace them, they set violent hands on him, offering a dagger to his throte if hee had made any resistance, and so laying him on a horse, caried him away: so that a man cannot be too circumspect and warie of himselfe among such miscreants.

Our pinnesse being finished, wee departed from this place the 31 and last day of December, and coasting along the shore, wee did descrie, not contrary to our expectation, certaine Canters which were Spanish fishermen, to whom we gave chase and tooke three of them, and proceeding further we met with 3 Caravels and tooke them also.