The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-09-20
ANOTHER ARCTIC FAILURE.

| ARRIVAL or the Steamship 1antic from the
Arctic Regions at St. Johns, n. F., with
The Officers and Crew of the Proteus,
which was Crushed in an Ice Field and
Lost, with All the Supplies Intended for
the Greeley Party-No Authentic News of
| the Latter.
ST. JOHNS, n. F., Sept. IL.
! The United States Greeley relief steam
ship Yantic has just anchored here, and
her tidings are lamentable. No word has
been received from Greeley or any of his
party.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. 13.
The signal officer has received the follow
ing from Lieut.. Darlington, commanding
the Greeley relief expedition:
| ST. JOHNS, n. F., Sept. Is.
1t is my painful duty to report the total
failure of the expedition. The Proteus was
crushed in a pack-latitude IS degrees %
minutes, longitude "A degrees % minutes
and sunk on the afternoon of the 23d of
July. My party and the crew of the ship
are all saved. l made my way across
Smiths Sound and along the eastern shore
to Cape York, thence across Melleville Bay
! to the Upernavik, arriving there August
"a. The Yantic reached the Upernavik
/ September ,, and left the same day, bring
ing the entire party here to-day. All are
well. e. A. GARTINGToN.
The first officer of the Proteus briefly
summarizes the trip of the ill-fated Proteus
as follows: The Yantic and Proteus left st.
Johns at four p. H., June 20. The PrOteus
| arrived at God Haven Bay, Disco Island,
July &. The Yantic arrived at the same
place July II. When the necessary prepa-
| ratlOnS were made the PrOteuS sailed for
Cory Island, arriving there OIL the 10th. 1t
left on the 2lst, and two days afterward
was crushed, sinking at seven p. M, July
%. Twenty-Five days were spent in the
| boats, several storms were encountered,
from which the boats took refuge under lee
of the icebergs, and Lieutenant COlwell and
six of the crew parted company with the
others at Cape York. They found the Yam
tic July 81. Itreported Captain Pike and
the remainder of the crew moving south
ward. The Yantic reached Cory Island
August .. The same night she proceeded to
Pandora harbor, where records from Pike
and Darlington were found. She next pro-
ceeded south along the Greenland coast,
sending boats all around the islands in
! search of the missing crew. a storm and
heavy pack of ice, August 9, forced YanLic
to anchor to leeward or the Northumberland
Island. The next day she bore away for
UperEavik, arriving there August -. On
! the 9th she started for the Waigate
coal mines, and returned to Uper-
navik September ,. Captain Pike
and crew were found and taken on board
the Yantic. 1t seems that at the first init
nation of the Proteus disaster, which was
found August at LittletOn Island by the
Yantic, Lieutenant Darlington lett arecord
there that he was coming south, describing
the shipwreck and indicating the general
movement of Captain Pike and the ships
company. On the 4th search was instituted
o1,Nrrr %bxaf ,l,,,1
ander to Cape Roberts, on every point
likely to bring up with the retreating party.
They searched until September ,, when
Upernavik was reached, and the whole Pro-
teus party was found in good health and
tolerable spirits. They were exposed dur
ing thirty-one days and nights in their
boats, making some stoppageS at interme-
diate harbors. The Proteus was crushed in
the foe of ice at three o'clock in the even
ing of the 23d of July and sank within five
hours. Fortunately sufficient time was
given to save clothing, provisions, compass
and other neceSSarieS to meet what might
prove prOtracted voyage. On the 18th,
the boats being equipped, provisioned and
manned, start was made. The scene of
the disaster was eight miles nOrth-north-
west of Cape Sabine, latitude 20 deg, 81
min. north. Over 600 miles of ice and frigid
sea were passed before Upernavik was
reached. The worst feature in the un-
eXpeQlUlCn is InaC no
provisions were landed or caches made,
and all stores intended for the Arcti;;
COlOny's relief went down in the steamer.
While at anchor in Danish HarbOr,
August II, Governor Elbury came on board
5he Yantic and reported that the Danish
steamer Sophia had arrived there from the
larbor thirty miles north of Cape York,
and the captain stated that native Eski-
no told him that two natives with the
Ireeley expedition arrived on sledges last
winter and reported the party all well
except DR.. Parry, who had died. These
natives went back to Lady Franklin Bay.
Another Eskimo arrived from the Greeley
lamp and reported that all the officers had
been murdered by the men. Neither of
ihese reports is reliable, as the fondness
)f the Eskimo for lying and sensational
SIN places them in the category of fiction.
Capt. Pinke says that as far north as Cape
Sabine there was no trace of Greeley on
1is party. and his failure to come south to
Littleton Island to meet the relief steamer
his summer leaves grave apprehensions
Is to their probable fate.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. 13.
The following report from the comman-
Ter of the United States steamer Yantic,
With regard to the failure of the Greeley
,ellet expedition, was received tonight by
ihe Acting Secretary of the Navy:
ST. JOINS. Sept I3.
Hon. 'Fm. f. Chandler, Secretary Of the NdrU
UdshingtOn, ID. c.:
The United States steamer Yantic has
arrived, bringing Capt. Pike and crew of
the PrOteus. Lieut.. Darlington and the
Greeley relief party are all well. The
steamer Proteus was crushed in the ice six
miles north of Cape Sabine, July 23. The
crew and relief party, after depositing
records at Ettleton Island and Pandora
Harbor, retreated south in six boats to
Uppernavik, suffering much hardship in
Melville Bay. The Yantic reached Little !
ton Island August 8 without much diff
Guilty, found the records, and Immediately
proceeded southwark. Searched the coasts |
and islands thoroughly down to Saunders !
Island. The ice pack then closed in, aud /
they could neither get around nor through, !
and it was found necessary to retreat under |
the lee of Northumberland, Island.
August 8: A southwark gale having
loosened the pack, the steamer was able to /
get through, and continued the search. The /
coast about Cape York was filled with ice |
packed close. 1t could not get within twen-
ty miles of the land.
August 10: Having ice in all directions |
but the southeast, it proceeded to Cape |
Navik and sent fifteen days rations TO |
Tessuissak and whale boat to Cape |
August %: Sailed for the coal mine.
thanpo tO Cod Hauan