Song Search

Marten Hartwell Story

by Stompin' Tom Connors

on To It And At It (1973)

LOST!...Up in no-man's land of the Northwest Territories
They were lost up in no-man's land The Marten Hartwell Story
The Marten Hartwell Story

On November the 8th of '72 north of the Arctic circle
A plane took off from Cambridge Bay and the pilots name was Hartwell
He had to make it to Yellowknife even though the night was stormin'
To save the lives of an Eskimo boy and a pregnant Eskimo woman
Oh Mr. Hartwell said the nurse I pray that you will guide us
To save this woman with her child and the boy with appendicitis
But the wind it blew and the storm it grew and the signal of Contwoyto
They missed by miles and flying wild they crashed beside Lake Hottah

Lost up in no-man's land of the Northwest Territories
They were lost up in no-man's land The Marten Hartwell Story
The Martin Hartwell Story

Now Judy Hill the federal nurse she never lived to waken
And the life of the mother and her child were soon after taken
But the pilot woke to find himself and the Eskimo boy were livin'
Left in pain beside the plane they searched the skies of heaven
Day by Day the pilot laid with both his ankels broken
And it took the lad everything he had to keep the fire stokin'
While in the sky to far away the rescue team were seekin'
A signal wave that might be traced to Hartwell's radio beacon

Lost up in no-man's land of the Northwest Territories
They were lost up in no-man's land The Marten Hartwell Story
The Martin Hartwell Story

After nineteen days the aireal search was said to be completed
Until someone cried they're still alive and the search must be repeated
And the day the beep was finally heard is a day we'll all remember
A man was found safe and sound on the 9th day of December
Hartwell said he should have died at 35 below zero
And the reason the Hartwell did survive
The Boy had died a hero
He brought me food when I couldn't move while he himself grew feeble

Yes Davey Kootook died a saint and a credit to his people
Davey Kootook died a saint and a credit to his people

Lost up in no-man's land of the Northwest Territories
They were lost up in no-man's land The Martin Hartwell Story
The Marten Hartwell Story

The Marten Hartwell Story