The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-10-31
4 FRIGID STORY.


Of the Greedy party, was submitted to the
Secretary of the Navy yesterday. 1t cites
the orders under which the expedition was
| organized aud then enters upon graphic
| narrative OF the events of the voyage, but
by far the most interesting portion of the
report Is that describing the discovery and
rescue of Greedy and his men. Schley re-
lates as follows the impressive scene inside
the Greedy tent: Lieutenant Greedy was
found in his sleeping bag, his body inclined
forward. and his head resting on his left
hand, the book of common prayer open and
held in his right hand. He appeared to be
reading prayers to Private COnnelL whose
condition was most desperate and critical.
He was cold to the waist, all sensation of
hunger gone, and was speechless and almost
breathless. His eyes were fixed and CLASSY,
and indeed his weakness was such that it
was with difficulty he swallowed the stimu-
liant given him by Drs. Green and Ames:
His jaws had dropped, his heart was barely
pulsating and his body temperature very low.
This tender scene of the helpless, almost
famished officer consoling his dying COM
panion was in itself one that brought tears
to the eyes of the strongest and stoutest of
those who stood about them on the merci
ful errand of relief. Sergeants Brainerd
and Fredericks and Hospital Steward Brie-
derback were extremely weak and hardly
able to stand. They were no longer able to
venture away from their camp to seek food,
nor to prepare their simple diet of boiled
sealskin, nor to collect lichens nor to catcf
the shrimps upon which they had to depend
to great extent to sustain life Theft
faces, hands and limbs were swollen to
such an extent that they could not be recoy
niZed. This indicated that the entire party
had but short lease Of life, probably not
more than forty-eight hours at the most
This fact was recognized by them all ana
had come to them from their experience dur
ing that long and desolate winter in watch
ing their dying companions, as one aftef
another passed away from amongst them
forever. Poor Sergeant Ellison was found
In his sleeping bag, where he had
lain helpless and hopeless for months, with
his hands and feet frozen off. Strapped tc
one of the stumps was found a spoon which
some companions had put there to ,en
able him to feed himself. His physical
condition otherwise appeared to be the best
of any Of the survivors, and this may be at
tributed to the fact that each of his compan
ions had d0led out to him from out THEN
small allowance something to help him. On
account of his complete helplessness to add
rocks for lichens OF catching shrimp he suf-
ferred no waste of strength by the exertion
incident thereto This care of Ellison was
such as only brave and generous men, suf.
fering with each other, under the most des-
perate circumstances, could think Of.
Sergeant Long was very much reduced,
though in somewhat better condition than
some of the others. His office of hunter for
the starving party had made it neces-
Sary to increase his pttance of
food to maintain his strength thai
he might continue to battle for food and
life to the helpless. In this case, however,
the effect of this continued effort had told
its story on his wasted form. Shorter and
shorter journeys were made in good
weather, while in the frequent bad weather
in that region his strength was so much inn
paired that when the joyful signal whistle
was heard he had only enough left to stag.
ger out to the rocks overlooking the water
to see if the signal heard had proceeded
from ships i'm sight. His first visit was
A BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT,
as he saw nothing. A second visit
fifteen minutes later brought him
within fifty yards of the Bears steam
cutter. and in view of the relief ships COM
ing around Cape Sabine. When the steam
seen he rolled down the ice covered cliff ard
was taken into the cutter. He informed
Lieutenant Caldwell that the location of the
camp was Just over the cliff. In the case
of Sergeant Ellison, the medical officer:
were fearful from the first time that his
chances of life were very small. As soon
as healthful food was available and the
digestive AUCTIONS should be re-established
fully, healthful blood circulation would
begin its distribution of new life
to the injured parts and infamma-
ton would naturally occur. If Ellison's
strength should increase more rapidly than
the Inflammation, amputatiOn of the injured
parts would perhaps save his life. Several
days after his rescue-June 2S-Dr. Green
reported that Ellison was threatened with
of the brain. The SYMPTOMS in
creased rapidly until the poor fellow lost
his reason. At GOdhaven his condition was
so critical that the surgeon of the expedi
lion after consultation determined to ampu-
tate both feet above the ankle. as the only
chance of life. The disease however
Iriumphed and amid the bleak scenes that
had surrounded him for three years in this
heroic sacrifice, and within the desolate
solitude of that region of everlasting ice
and snow, surrounded by his sorrOwine
Greedy was physically the weakest but men
ally the most vigorous of the party. He
had lain in his sleeping bag for weeks Cd
account OF his gradually failing strength.
He was unable to stand alone for any length
IF time, and was almost helpless except in
! sitting posture. All pangs of hunger had
leased. His appearance was wild. his hair
was long and unkempt, his face and hands
covered with soOty black dirt his body
,cantily covered with WORKOUT clothes, his
'orn was wasted, his joints swollen, and
his eyes sunken. His first inquiry was il
hef were not Englishmen, but when he
vas told we were his own countrymen he
paused for a moment as if rejecting, then
'aid: II am glad to see YOU"
The condition of his camp was in keep
ng with the scene inside the tent. Desper-
tie and desolate the bleak barrenness of the
pot over which the wild Arctic bird would
lot fly, the row of graves on the little ridge
me hundred feet away with the protruding
reads and feet of those lately buried, q sad
,ut silent witness to the daily Increasing
weakness of the little band of survivors, The
deserted winter quarters in the hollow be-
Ow with its broken wall invaded by water
rom the melting snow and ice above it, the
lead bodies of two companions stretched ON
he ice, the food that remained, the wretched
pology for cooking utensils improyised by
hem in their sore distress. hardly deserving
he name: the scattered and worn out
lothes and sleeping bags of the dead; the
bsence of all food, save few etipfuls of
oiled sealskin scraps; the wild and weird
Gene Of snow, ice and glaciers overlooking
nd overhanging the desolate camp. COM
eied picture as startling as it was i'm
ressive. l hope never again in my life to
box upon such wreteheslness and such des-
tuition The picture was more startling