Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-17
MAD ARCTIC EXPLORERS.
Do the Horrors of the Polar Night
Weaken the Human Brain?


Weaken the Human Brain?
Some time ago. says the St.
James Gazette, ''the present Mr..
Pepys," writing in this journal, re-
marked upon the little known fact
that the darkness, the loneliness, the
starvation of cold which Arctic explorers
I'm Iergo, breed madness in an eXtraordi-
nary number of cases. We now learn
that the minds of Lieut.. Greely's compan-
ions we're found to be "all weak" and
that one became insane before he died.
Our Mr.. Pepys told dreadful story in
Illustration of his remark-a story that
may be worth repeating:
Can't. c. served as junior officer in
a certain North Pole expedition. Away
they went and soon were lost in solitude;
aud then a time with naught to do but to
watch a long procession of ghOstly days.
Rut in the commanders ship his Lieuten-
ant went mad; and presently food began
to fail; and then the commander, calling
his officers together, told them they had
come to the time Of half-ratiOns. But 1t
was also time that, at a certain place that
might be reached overland, relief ship
should arrive with stores; and now the
question was, who would volunteer to go
off to this ship. c. offered to lead the
party, and he did so, taking with hun
fair share of provisions and the mad Lieu
tenant. who, poor wretch, was bound
down in the boat he was drawn in. SO
thew iourneyed day after day; the mad
Lieutenant presently regaining his reason,
the well-hoarded provender still diminish
ing, till at length these poor seamen turn
ed in one night to rest with their last bis
cult in their bellies.
INIT n
again cheerily as might be, and there was
the ship visible almost as soon as they had
started Now, there was a surgeon on
board that ship; and after the surgeon had
dutifully eXamined.C-'s men, he took
| him aside and told him that nearly all
| of them might expect to go mad some day.
| AS for the Lieutenant, he relapsed; and
! there was an end of him. AS forC--, he
| only grew fretful. Like many another
| seaman.h he thought himself neglected and
| his sufferings and services shamefully for
! gotten. For years he grumbled, ever talking
| of his wrongs; as how many more do! and
| how pitiful it is to hear them. Now GER
| tain great nobleman, the Duke Of -,
/ had lately refurnished and reappolnted
| his ancient castle in the North; and when
| all was done he invited a great bevy of his
| friends to AN entertainment there. and
amongst them Capt. C, for whom he
had a kindness. The first evening there
was a grand ceremonious banquet, and
| thereat sat c., and as soon as soup was
! served grew warm about his wrongs and
the notorious accursed favOritism of adj
miralty officials. Nor would he cease,
though the Duke threw him many mean
ing glance; would have much plaes-
| ure in taking wine with Capt. C, and
so forth. Now at the table was lord OF
admiralty himself; and by that, and by the
Dukes friendship, we may understand
how 1t came about that just as dinner was
| over a great letter, with a grand official
seal, was handed by fOOtman to my
Captain. 1t had just arrived; it was Of
| immediate Importance; it was commits
sion of appointment to the command OF
noble ship ordered on instant service. A
! word of leave-taking, and that very night
! the happy seaman was hurrying on the
| southwark road.
In due time he came to the port where
his ship lay; and there she was in Sunday
trim to receive him, and his Lieutenant IN
full rig to welcome him aboard. Gladly
and proudly he stepped aboard; and
forthwith went raying mad on his quar-
ter deck.