Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-10-23
CoMMANDER scHLEY's REPORT
On the Greely Relief Expedition-Con.
dition of the Survivors When
Rescued.
WASHINGTON. Oct. y

WASHINGTON, Oct -.
Commander Schley has submitted to the
secretary of the navy his report upon the
Greely relief expedition. Much OF the in
formation contained therein has already been
published. but MANY interesting details are
giTen Schlev graphically describes the
voyage of the vessels comprising the expedi-
tion and the circumstances attending the
finding of the surviving members of the
Greely party Lieut. Greely was found in
his sleeping bag, his body inclined forward
and his head resting on his hand. A book of
common prayer was open and held in his
right hand He appeared to be reading
prayers to Private Connell. whose condition
was the most desperate and critical He was
cold to the waist. all sensation of hunger
having gone. He was speechless and almost
breathless. His eyes were fixed and CLASSY.
Indeed, the commodore SAYS, his weakness
was such that it was with difficulty that he
swallowed the stimulants given him by Drs
Greene ana Ames. His jaws had dropped,
his heart was barely pulsating and his body
temperature very low. This tender scene
of the almost helpless officer consoling his
dying companion was in itself one which
brought tears to the eyes of the strongest and
stoutest of those who stood about them on
the merciful errand' of relief. Sergeants
Brainard and Fredericks and Hospital Stew
ard Bierderbeck were extremely weak and
hardly able TO stand.
Poor Serg't Ellison was found in a sleeping
bag where he had lain helpless and hopeless for
months. His hands and feet were frozen off.
and strapped to one OF the stumps, was found
spoon which some companion had secured
there to enable him TO feed himself His
physical condition, otherwise, appeared TO be
the best of any of the survivors, and this
may be attributed to the fact that each of his
companions dealt out TO him from their small
allowance, something TO help him, on account
of his complete helplessnes. 1t. Greely was
physically the weakest. but mentally the most
vigorous of the party. He had lain in his sleep
ing bag for weeks, on account of gradually
failing in strength. He was unable to stand
any length OF time and almost helpless, except
in a sitting posture All pangs of hunger
had ceased. His appearance was wild and
his hair long His face and hands was COW
cred with sooty, black dirt His body was
scantily covered with worn out clothes. His
form was wasted, his joints swollen and eyes
sunken. His first inquiry il they were
not Englishmen, but when he was told that
they were his own countrymen. he paused
moment as if rejecting then said, And am
glad to see you"
The condition of bis camp was in keeping
with the scene in his tent-desperate and
desolate. The bleak baroness of the spot,
over which the wild Arctic birds would not
tlv the row of graves on the little ridge, 100
feet away, with the procluding heads and
feet of those lately buried; the sad but silent
witness of the increasing weakness of the
band of survivors; the deserted winter
quarters in the hallow below with broken
wall invaded by water by melting snow and
ice above it: the dead bodies of the two
companions stretched on the ice; the foot
that remained: the scattered and worn out
/ clothes and the sleeping bags of the dead (;
the absence of all food, save a few cupsful
of boiled sealskn scraps, the wild and wierd
scene of snow and ice and the GLACIERS over
looking and the hungry desolate camp COM
pleted picture as startling as impressive.
The report describes the exhuming of the
bodies of the dead and the method of identifi-
cation and the preparation for transportation
TO St Johns. While preparing the bodies it
was found that of them, Lieut.. Kislingbury,
sergts. Jewell and Rolston, privates Whistler.
/ Henry and Ellis, had been cut and feshy
parts removed, to a greater or less extent.
All the other bodies were found intact. When
the bodies of the dead were exposed in pre-
pairing them the Identification was found to
be complete
Some of them, the commodore says, could
be recognized by aid of picture taken from
home. Others, whose features were decayed.
were identified by other characteristics.
am satisfied that no mistake was made in this
important matter .ich so impressed us from
the first.
Commodore Schley speaks highly of the
Dundee whalers, to whom he was indebted
for much valuable information. The officers
and crew of the expedition are greatly
praised, Lieut.. Emory, commander of the
Bear, being specially mentioned.
The success of the expedition, he says in
conclusion, was made possible BY the muni-
fence of Congress and the uncessing energy
of the secretaries of the war and navy. The
total cost of the expedition was $500