The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-09-15

Below we supplement yesterdays brio
tolegraphic report of the loss of the Pro
teus-the vessel sent 10 relieve the Greedy
Arctic observation partv-with the detail'
of the disaster. as given by the Herald cor
respondent who accompanied the relief cX
petition:
The Greedy relief ship Proteus, which
sailed from this place tSt. Johns on juno
2Sth, reached Godhaven, Greenland. on
July 9Th, after a generally pleasant passage
She remained till July 10th completing
preparations for her Arctic cruise. The
United States steamer Yanlic arrived on
the 18th. having sailed all the way. The
Swedish vessel Sophia came in on the
I4th. bound for Cape York on scientific
WORK. ON the morning OF the 10th The
Proteus steamed up the coast. Good
bye" and good luck" were signalled
from the lantic as we passed ont Of sight.
The morning was foggy. and the vessel ran
aground near Disco Fiord. but got OF
again. We reached Pandora llarbor on
the morning Of the 22d and found cairn
DESTROYED. We steamed on TO Littlet0n
Island. smiths Sound seemed clear OF ice,
so we headed for Cape Sabine 4 solid
ice-pack was soon sighted reaching from
Cape IngloGeld acrass Smiths Sound TO
Cape Sabine. After searching carefully for
lead. and finding none, we anchored at
Cape Sabine 10 await developments. The
cache established last year at this point was
found to be in good condition, bat the boat
had been destroyed by bears.
AFALSE LEAD.
A lead was discovered in the ice reach
ing from Cape Sabine to Cape Albert, and
at 7P. NJ. IL was entered. But when near
the open water of that coast the lead closed
without damage. The Proteus continued
her northward course till the 18th, when a
loose ice-pack was entered. On account oil
the ioggy weather and the unrcliability OF
the compass i'm these high ATTITUDES the cap
tain got oil his course, and the ship was
stopped on the afternoon OF the 10Th by the
land lee in the neighbOrhood OF Leaer and
Balgie islands. at the head of Melville bay, a
locality of which but little is known. From
this position retreat was begun by way OF
the most favorable leads IN the ice, and Cary
Islands were reached at , O'Clock L. VI OF
the DIST. An English cache was found in
a damaged condition. There was little ice
TO be seen, and an effort was made 10 force
a passage. After many fruitlesS attempts
il was abandoned. and another was enter
ed which promised to reach the open water
ahead. but when within few miles OF the
latitude of Cape Albert, and very near to
the open water, it also closed, and the con-
tinuOus rammings OF the PrOteus were I'M
able to effect passage.
MORE PERILs.
The ice continued TO close. and ut . A.
VI. Of the 23d the vessel was stopped, but
the SpOney character OF the ice enabled her
10 endure the pressure. which continued
for two hours. The lead again opened and
we steamed forward only to find that the
water that we labored so hard for had dis
appeared so the ship was headed back for
Cape Sabine. and had nearly reached the
open water leading TO that point when the
heavy ice-pack began 10 close. A nip in
such ice meant destruction. and every effort
was made TO saw a passage through, but ali
i'm vain.
NIPPED.
At quarter before 3 u. VI. the vessel
was again nippcd. The matches We're
opened, and Lieutenant Darlington, with
several men. got the most necessary arti-
cleS on deck. They were thrown upon
the ice and another party transferred them
10 a safe place. There was something Tor
every one 10 do, and the men labored as
men can only do ir such a desperate eX-
tremity. Heavy boxes OF provisions
were thrown overheard TO be carried
10 safe quarters. Extreme cXertions
were often needed 10 save them.
The ice was breaking through the star
board bulwarks and crushing in that
side. The vessel pressed over to port.
The engine boiler was expected TO explode
every moment. The hold was fast filling
with water before the repeated cries Of
"Come off," - She is sinking " from
those on the ice were needed by the work
ers on board. The port whaleboat was
still on the gallOws-frame, and Lieutenant
Colwell, with several men, again went
aboard to save her. but the boat was so
heavy and so well secured with ropes and
guys that it was with the utmost difficulty
and danger that they were finally success
full. Corporal Elwill and Private MOritz
again went into the hold and saved many
valuable articles which had been over
looked.
FOUNDERING.
At6P. NJ. the ice Stacked and the vessel
sank rapidly. Her maSts were stripped OF
her wards as she sank through the ice.
Dogs and pigs were soon scrambling among
the general debris, and the whole presented
most horrible wreck scene 10 the eX-
hausted, sheterless men upon the ice. Nc
time was TO be lost. The ice foe on the
port side was drifting rapidly down the
sound and threatened TO carry away The
party and everything upon il. Several
boat-loads were hauled to the foe will
lines. and the remaining things were aban
doned. The ice at this time was slewine
and packing between us and the shore
and loaded boats could not be risked il
the water. The expedition effects were pile(
together rs soon az possible TO guar'
against the plunderng mania OF some mel
who could not be honest even IN thel
perlous situation. The morning OF IN
2lth was spent by boat parties in transfer
ring supplies from the ice to the shore
This was attended by the continual DANCE
Of being nipped by the Slowing ice Noe
and there were several narrow escapes 1roi
such a fate. The drifting foe was aban
doned by the WORKOUT party about L. NJ
and all reached Cape Sabine in safety.
TUE RETREAT.
To assist Lieutenant Greedy was nov
impossible, 80 preparations for success
full retreat were at once begun. such pro
visions and clothing as could be spare'
were left with records stating the sad II
suit Of the expedition, and all starte
across Smiths Sound for Pandora harbo
i'm the boats. on the afternoon Of the 2jt
the expedition started in two whaleboat
loaded with the most necessary articles
The boats were separated in fog, and al
did not reach Pandora until the Afternoon
Of the 10Th. The Yantic had not arrived
On the 2Sth we started for Cape York
where we arrived August 10Th, ate
numerous DELAYS from severe exposure I
fog. rain, and snow. We expected to NEE
fhc sNedish vossel Snnhin al this place, Dl