Mexico weekly ledger., 1884-09-11

launch. Behind them they left their
dogs, as they could not be taken.
Four barrels OF pork and some seal
oil we're left for the animals. Lady
Franklin bay was crossed to Cape
Baird, distance Of l3 miles, and
the western coast of Grinnel Land
was followed south as far as Cape
Hawkes. and large quantities Of heavy
ice were met and extreme was the
danger every moment that the little
launch would be crushed, and several
times all boats were nearly lost. The
suffering Of men was great. They
were now within fifty miles of Cape
Sabine. Striking from Cape Hawkes.
direct for Bakers Island, the party
was cauga. in an ice pack and frozen
in ten miles south Of Cape Hawkes..
In thirteen days they drifted south
twenty-five miles on the foes, suffer-
ing horribly from cold. So they
drifted to within eleven miles of Cape
Sabine and were obliged to abandon
the steam launch September 10. The
pack now remained motionless for
three days and several times the par
ty got to within two or three miles of
Cape Sabine, only to be drifted back
by southwest gales. Five seals were
killed and eaten while the party was
drifting about. Eventually the heavy
northwest gale drove them by Cape
Sabine within a mile of Brevoort
Island, but they could not land. Sep
tember % there arose
THE MOST TERRIFIC GALE
they had yet seen On the Arctic
ocean. Their ice foe was driven
hither and thither by the tempest and
the waves washed over them again
and again, the spray freezing to them
and causing them intense suffering.
Night came on, one of inky black
ness. The wind threw the heavy
foes together and crash after crash
of the ice breaking from their own
foe warned the men that death was
near to them. No man knew what
minute the foe might break up and
the water engulf them. The first
faint light of dawn showed them
what little remained of the foe on
which they were. The sea washed
another close to them. Close it came
and at last the men succeeded in get
ting upon it. The storm slowly SUBJ
sided and they gained land at Esqui-
maux Point, near Balrd's Inlet, Sep
tember 29. Here winter quarters
were built and scouts were sent to
Cape Isabella and Cape Sabine In
a few days they returned. Their re-
port sent thrill of horror to every
heart. At Cape Isabella and Cape
Sabine were found only 1900 rations,
and from Garlington's records they
learned the fate of the Proteus. Ev-
lery one knew death must come to
nearly all of the party long before
the ship of rescue could force its
way into Melville bay. Efforts were
made to sustain their spirits by lee
lures and light reading. October Is
the party removed to Cape Sabine,
January Is Cross died of scurvy. In
April the rations issued daily had
dwindled to four ounces of meat and
six ounces of bread. Man after man
died, and all hope had fed when on
that day the blast of whistle reused
the survives from the lethargy OF
approaching death.
/ Lieutenant Greely, when asked as
to his ideas upon the probable results
of the Arctic explorations, said: 81
do not think the north pole can be
reached unless every circumstance
hitherto found be unfavorable should
prove favorable to the party attempt.
ling to reach the pole. If it is to be
done at all it will be done by way Of
Franz Josef Land. 1t could not be
reached by the Jeanette route. That
there is open Polar seas 1 am vel
nigh certain. This is proved by the
ice drifting out of Mussel bay and
, lSpitzbergen in mid-winter and the
northern drift of the Polar pack. Ii
experiment by David and Lockwood
in 50 degrees and s3 minutes, mel
can stand two winters very well a
, Franklin bay, but physical strength
rapidly deteriorates. If We had had
, every supply and necessary stock o
food we could perhaps have lived eigh
, or ten years at Lady Franklin bay ,