William Briden
otherJohansen's companion of the Emma's company, one of only two men to regain the boat from the risen island; he looked back at the pursuing monstrosity, went mad, and died in the cabin of the Alert of no apparent cause.
William Briden was one of the Emma's men who went ashore with Johansen on the risen island. At the immense carved portal he pushed at the stone in several places without result; when the horror came, only he and Johansen reached the boat, pulling desperately for the Alert as the mountainous monstrosity flopped down the slimy stones and hesitated floundering at the edge of the water.
Briden looked back and went mad, laughing shrilly as he kept on laughing at intervals. He boarded the yacht with Johansen and was beaten about by the storm of April 2nd, and death found him one night in the cabin whilst Johansen was wandering deliriously — Johansen does not even recall when. His death revealed no apparent cause, and was probably due to excitement or exposure.
Fate — Went mad after looking back at the pursuing monstrosity; death found him one night in the cabin of the Alert, of no apparent cause, probably due to excitement or exposure.
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Sources
Every fact above traces back to the text.
“So only Briden and Johansen reached the boat, and pulled desperately for the Alert as the mountainous monstrosity flopped down the slimy stones and hesitated floundering at the edge of the water.”
The Call of Cthulhu (1928) — Chapter 3, The Madness from the Sea
“Briden looked back and went mad, laughing shrilly as he kept on laughing at intervals till death found him one night in the cabin whilst Johansen was wandering deliriously.”
The Call of Cthulhu (1928) — Chapter 3, The Madness from the Sea
“From that time till his rescue on the 12th, the man remembers little, and he does not even recall when William Briden, his companion, died. Briden's death reveals no apparent cause, and was probably due to excitement or exposure.”
The Call of Cthulhu (1928) — Chapter 3, The Madness from the Sea