Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-10-18
THE GREEs.Y RELIEF EXPEDy
TE0N.
Report Of Lieut.. Darlington.
THE DISASTROUS VOYAGE OF THE PRoTEUS-Al
LEGED EAD CONDUCT OF THE CREW.


LEGGED BAD CONDUCT OF THE CREW,
Tie chief signal officer has submitted to the
Secretary OF War Lieut.. GaTlngtOns report Of the
Greely relief expedition. with some additional
marks Of his own Lieut. Darlington in his report
gives detailed account OF the voyage of the Pro
teus On the aad OF July the Proteus entered
Pandora harbor. The weather was waaAn, and nc
ice could be seen from the "crOws nest" ant
Lieut.. Darlington determined. il the conditions
malned the same. not TO leave record at Lttletor
Island, but to take advantage of open water and
press as far as north as Cape Prescott, where hi
would leave the first cache OF provisions and 9
Whae BOAT. Lfttlet0n Island was therefore passed
but at 1880 an unbroken front OF ice was encOnn
tered. and it was determined to go to Cape Sabine.
Payer HafbOr reached at $50. and while on
shore Lieut.. Darlington saw that the pack had
broken and open lanes OF water seen far as
cape Hawks. Cape Sabine was rounded, and Lieut..
harrington gives graphic description OF
THE ICE CLOSING IN UPON THEM,
notwithstanding their efforts to retreat and the ult
mate loss Of the vessel. On giving the account Of
the voyage Lieut. Darlington speaks Of the careless
manner in which the ship was nayigated When
there was no longer doubt OF the loss of the Pro
teus Lieut.. Darlington ordered the men to throw
overheard the stores. Many OF the boxes went un.
der the ship and about 30 per cent of the stores
Lieut.. Colwell for courage and presence OF mind in
securing the boats, and also Dr. Harrison for zeal In
saving provisions, &c. The men OF Lieut.. CARING
TONS detachment were cool and collected.
ALLEGED BAD CONDUCT OF THE CREW.
With the exception of the chief engineer of the
Proteus, Mr. Carmichael, and the boatswain, Nj.
Taylor. hone OF the crew lent any assistance In
saving property. At the first alarm those on duty
abandoned their posts and all rushed to look after
their own property and did nothing towards saving
provisions until after their bags had been packed
and safely put On the ice. AS soon as stores began
TO go overheard they broke open the boxes and ap-
propriated anything that suited their fancy. Lieut..
SolWeu lost all OF his clothing after it had been
thrown on the ice. He afterward recovered a
nj f1n Cfarf ,rrinn ~
the ship. The crew seemed bent on rObbing from
the start and appeared to think they had right to
however. that If their own officers had taken the
proper steps there would have been no difficulty in
preventing the stealing. He protested to Capt Pike,
but he said he was pOWerleSS, adding "they (the
crew. are the
WORST LOT OF scoUNDRELs EVER SAW"
They were shipped under the English law for an
English ship. and claimed that theirpay stopped
When the ship went down, their shipping articles
We're no longer In force. To assume control Of the
crew and enforce discipline would have required
more force than Lieut.. Darlington had at his COM
mand. He therefore determined to keep his men
and stores separate, and to avoid any unnecessary
coillSlon II was agreed that the crew should take
their three boats and the rest the two whale boats
About u pm. the chances looked favorable for
making land. 1t was decided that COlwell should
take the whale boat and make the attempt. AS
the Darlington men We're exhausted and the crew
llPsh apt PIKE was asked for crew for the whale
boat Dut only four Sgned their willingness to go.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE RETREAT
then follows. At Brevoort Island, on the 18th July,
record was left. The prime object of the expedi-
ton was defeated, and the best course to follow
looking to the relief OF Greely was the problem to
pe solved 1t was impossible to go north in small
DoatS Ii the lantlc should reach LittletOn island
or Pandora harbOr clothing Stores coal and canvas
could be secured and station established at Life
rest sent to St. johns Lieut. Darlington says that,
taking into consideration the condition Of
the ice, ,,-,, and the instructions Of Com
IN nnfar fbnua
was no chance of the Yantics getting there When
the Ice through which the Proteus had passed Off
July. he said he would not have put the Yantic In
1G II he had encountered it. While he thought the
Yantic would reach uttleton Island if consistent
Win the sa1eey OF the vessel he did not think she
would get through Melville Straits. But IL she
should reach Littleton Island she would find the
It was therefore decided to cross smh 1t a
The first favorable opportunity and proceed south.
At Cape Sabine large quantity of clothing was
surrendered it with bad grace, although it was
explained that 1t was necessary to leave every thing
possible for the Greely party.
THE DANGERS ENCOUNTERED,
and the narrow escapes made in the retreat are
recolnted in full until the Yantic found them on
the I'd of September.
REPORTED KILLING OF MEMBERS OF THE GREELY
PARTY NOT CREDITED.
The reports Of the killing OF one or two members
OF the Greely party, which have been published,
were examined and Lieut.. Darlington states that
no credence should be attached to them. The
and Lieut. Darlington is of tile opinion that Lieut..
Greely should reach Lttleton Island this season he
Will divide his people among the different Eskimo
settlements. and the stores he will find on his line of
retreat, supplemented by the game Of that region,
will be sufficient food for his party. Unless the
condition OF the ice permits him Lieut. Greely) to
leave Discovery harbOr in his boats, he does not
think he will attempt the journey to Littleton
island this season. as the experience of two winters
Will have shown Greedy the futility Of making an
effort to retreat to Lttleton island by sledges in
the fall
GREELys HARBoR OF REFuGE.
At Discovery Harbor he has good house, plenty
Of fuel and provisions, with what game the country
affords, to last till spring. He can then start south
as early as the state of the season permits. and
reach Cape Sabine without much comparative diff
Guilty In calling attention to the valuable services
determination, Lieut.. Darlington recommends that
his services be secured to command the relief vessel
ness @ and cheepuoess of M the en oT tine e
ment, and recommends that they he granted such
Indulgence as they may ask.
ABOUT THE SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTIONS.
Lieut.. Darlington concludes his report as follows:
81 desire to call your attention to the manifest in
ments Immediately after the news Of the disaster
reached here. These statements, purpOrtei
to have been authorized from the signal
been furnished sssnpplementary % % instructions ms"
prior to my departure from the United States which
instructions had positively disObeyed. The only
instructions ever received the original nstruc-
t1ons. published at the time. An unsigned written
paper was enclosed in the envelope with my in
structions This paper is simply an unauthenti-
Gated copy OF memor andum prepared
this memorandum was to have been furnished the
Secretary OF the Navy to form the basis OF fnstruc
tions to be given the commander Of the vessel Or
dered to accompany the Proteus When found it
among my Instructions l at once carried it
to you, and called your attention especially
to that clause relating to landing supplies
you did not know how that had gotten In there and
impressed upon the necessity OF carrying out as
far as possible the instructions / had re-
ceved. These instructions were based upon the
letter OF Lieut.. Greely, and you called my atten-
ton to the fact that Lieut. Greedy strongly urged
that the officer commanding the relief party
should have "nO latitude Of actiOnn
The paper was not addressed or signed; indeed,
bore no official marks whatever. did not then,
nor have at any time since, regarded II as an
order, and I was surprised to find the statement
published that this paper was the supplementary
Instructions"
am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,