Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1884-12-18
: - '-7''-'77s7-.-11-'z1
ARCTIC WORK.
IContinuei from last week i


lContinued from last week
The sinking Of the "Pro.eus." which
70 TINT time was complete and fsshkn,
was an accident f0s which thess asy of
may not have been hlamA Bue nAans
to substantially restore the losses 70 h.
cured had been provided and wss Il
hand. The "Proteus" was the bess ship
with the best captain for the purpose to
be had, both being the same employed
by Lieutenant Greedy in 1881, and she
was perfectly Supplied and we'll equipped.
She was sent at the exact season then be-
licved to the best for the fullest chances
Of success, and she was accustomed to
Arctic navigation But when she SINK
the full responsibility for whit followed
rested with those on the spot, and il bcs
comes necessary, in the fuller lights, 70
discuss it, that censure may not bo dis
placed. Besides the duty that necossa-
rily reposed in the commander present,
Lieutenant Garlington's orders read "a
ship Of the United States Navy, IT,
"Yantic,' will accompany you y far ~
Littlcton Island, rendering you such aid
as may become necessary and = may
be determined by tlstApeaih Of that ship
and yourself, when Oh the epot.' This
was all any commander, 80 situated, I'm
bued with just appreciation Of his du.
ties and responsibilities, could wish.
Lieutenant Darlington failed, whom a
Cape Sabine, July ", 70 replAoe The
spoiled parts Of tho cache Of fsod prcvi-
ously left at Cape Sabine, - no wss Or
dcred in his instructions to DO. Lieu.
tenant Greedy says Of this letter IL ! let
ter wittcn by him for the Chief Signal
Officer, April 30, suprosing himself at
the point Of death, "had Lieutenant
darlington carried out your orders and
replaced the 240 rations rum and 1870
alcohol in English cache here, and the
2'o pounds mouldy English bread,
spoiled English chocolate and potatoes.
melted sugar and the 2lO pounda rotten
dog biscuit, We would without doubt be
saved Lieutenant Darlington saved
from the wreck 2,lO0 rations, they being
but part Of those put upon the Ice and
could have been saved, which he landed
at Cape Sabine. These rations for Licu.
tenant Grocly's party were pnceleas, they
were worth many human lives. VI
these rations hc left for them about onc-
fourth part, and Of this but about 100
pounds Of meat, taking tho remainder
away in his boat for his own use seem
ing only to limit the quantity taken BY
the capacity Of his boats, when his men
were strong and well, in the summer sea
son, had suffered no hsrdships, were
abundantly supplied with guns and arn.
munition, in region full Of game and
walrus, in tho neighborhood Of the
friendly Esquimaux, and with their fSOal
set toward plenty. A proper appreda
ton of sacred duty and Of his sbligs
ton to his trust and 70 Lieutenant Gro
ly would have shown that two-thirds d
these stores ought to have been LETT, and
had this been done, Lieutenant GreeIy
says all his party "would have becf
saved" With one-third of the ratiorl
taken away and resources at hand, tn
rctrcating party would have been reason
ably safe. Besides, the food irnprcyi
dontly used and wasted, used for fuel
used to feed to repletion dog, and lef
to waste in his camps, would have sayct
human lives at Camp Clay.
| On reaching I.ittleton Island Il VA
found that its shores were literally hnct
with walrus, while there were in the par
ty fifteen guns and some four or fvs
thousand rounds of ammunition a bet.
ter supply than any expedition ever be-
fore had in these regions.
There is scarcely any room for doubt
that in few days the party could have
killed and packed in the snow, as is often
done with fresh meat in Dakota, walrus
meat enough with stores in caches in the
vicinity, and saved from the "Proteus,' :
to have supplied the combined party Of
Lieutenant Darlington and Lieutenan.
Greely wholesome and abundant ration
fer the year.
Lieutenant Ray says that at Point
Barrow, under like circumstances, his
party killed walrus enough in one day to
have supplied his party year.
Lieutenant darlington reports that he
left Littleton Island with his party for
tie south for the purpose Of Gndm ~
escort ship, and returned with i Aah|
iIConcluded on Fonrth Paer.l