The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-11-07
IAN AND DEMOCRAT, BLOOMsBURG COLUMBIA COUNTY PA


its story in his wasted form. Shorter
and shorter journeys were made in
good weather. while in the frequent
bad weather of that region his strength
was so much impaired that, when the
joyful signal was heard, he had only
strength enough 20 stagger out to tho
rocks overlooking the water TO see if
the signal heard had proceeded from
ships in sight.
JOYFUL SIGHT.
Ills first visit was bitter disap.
pointmenl, as he saw nothing. His
second visit, fifteen minutes later,
brought him within fit, yards of the
Bears steam-cuttcr and in view Of the
relief ships coming around Cape Sa-
bine. When the steam.cntter ran into
the beach, where Long was seen, he
rolled down the ice.covered cliff and
was taken into the cutter. He inform
ed Lieutenant Colwell that the loca
tion of the camp was just over the cliff.
In the case Of Sergeant Ellison he
medical officers were fearful from the
first that his chances Of life we're very
small. As soon as healthful food was
available and the digestive functions
should be re-established July, the
healthful round of blood circulation
would begin its distribution Of new
life to the injured parts and inhamma.
ton would naturally occur. If Eli
sons strength should increase more
rapidly than the inflammation the am.
putation of the injured parts would,
perhaps, save his life Several DAYS
after his rescue, June 29, DR.. Groen re.
ported that Ellison was threatened
with congestion of the brain The
symptoms increased rapidly until the
poor fellow lost his reason. AT God
haven his condition was so critical that
the surgeon of the expedition, after
consultation, determined to amputa.e
beth feet, above the ankle, as the only
chance of life left the sufferer. Disease,
however, triumphed and amid the
bleak scenes that had surrounded him
Tor three years in his heroic sacrifice
and within the desolate solitude of that
solitude of that region of everlasting
ice and snow, surrounded by his sor-
rowing comrades, he passed away
about 3 a. m of July Z, three davs af-
ter the amputation.
LIEUTENANT GREELY's CONDITION.
Lieutenant Greedy was physically
the weakest, but mentally the most
vigorous Of his party. He had lain in
his sleeping bag for weeks on account
of his gradually falling strength. He
was unable to stand alone for any
length of time and was almost helpless,
except in sitting posture; all pangs
of hunger had ceased; his appearance
was wild, his hair was long and un.
kempt, his face ard hands were cover
ed with sooty, black dirt, his body was
scantily covered with worn-out clothes,
his form was wasted, his joints were
swollen and his eyes were sunken.
His first inquiry was if they were
not Englshmen, but when he was told
that we were his own countrymen he
paused for moment as if rejecting,
then said: "And I am glad to see
you"
The condition of his camp was in
keeping with the scenes inside the
tent--desperate and desolate. The
bleak barrenness of the spot, over
which the wild Arctic bird would not
fly; the row of graves, on a little
ridge one hundred feet away, with the
protruding heads and feet of those
lately buried, a sad but silent witness
to the half-lncreasing weakness of the
little band of survivors the deserted
winter quarters in the hollow below,
with its broken wall. invaded by the
water from the melting snow and ice
above it; the dead bodies of two COM
panions stretched on the ice foot that
remained; the wretched apology for
cooking utensils improvised by them
in their sore distress, hardly deserving
the man; the scattered and worn out
clothes and sleeping bags of the dead
the absence of all food, save few
cups full of boiled sealskin scraps the
wild and weird scene of snow, ice,
and glaciers overlooking and
and overhanging this desolate
camp, complete "A picture rs startling
as it was impressive. l hope never
again in my life to look upon such
wrctohedness and such destitu,ion.
The return voyage Schley describes
as be'et with the gravest peris. He
speaks IN the highest terms of the
other officers concerned in the expedi
tion aud Of the treatment accorded the
party by the natives, He is especially
cordial in his commpndation of Lieu
tenant Emory, the commander of the
Bear, and in his expressions of graft
tude for the liberal appropriation by
the government and for the activity of
the War and Navy Departments in
aiding the expedition. The cost was
S75O,OOO, which Commodore Schlcy
says will be greatly reduced by the
money realized from the sale of the re-
lief ships purchased for this expedi-
ton.