Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-07-17
TWO CENTS.

ENTERING SMITH SOUND.
On the following day Cape Alexander, the key 10
Smith sound, was sighted. Passing the crystal
Palace cliffs and glazier and the crimson snow OF
Sir John Ross. Port Foulke. Dr. Hayes head
quarters, was reached The ProteuS then anchored
at Littleton island. Landing In lie boat Cove a
dem alished cairn discovered also the debris OT
the camp OF the Polaris party. The Froteus lett
Littleton island the same night and next day got
as far as Cape hanks ana Washington Irving
island Another cache OF stores found AZ
Cape Hanks and also a boat. which was taken on
board, according 10 The instructions or thr British
commander. The voyage up Smith sound had
been so Tar most successful and encouraging.
After stopping short time In coal River bay,
where they landed some stores TO be used fn case
OF retreat. they resumed the VOYAGE. They
passed Cape Constitution, kanrs highest point,
and there they met with the first obstruction. Cn
the 4th they steamed up 10 the solid n:.in pack.
extending right across the channel and appearing 10
oe at least twenty feet thick. The Pr:Ieus had
then reached the southwest part of Lady Frank
lin bay and was within ten miles OF her destina-
ton. For seven days the vessel was molred TO the
ice, and Lieutenant Greey aliEost dtSpairei OF
attaining his object. But the ice moved 10 the
eastward and the ship was forced at full speed
until Discovery Harbor was reached, and there
Lieutenant Greely determined TO locate Lls camp
ESTABLISHING TIE STATION.
The anchor was dropped and the work Of unload
ing the stores began. The carpenters set TO work
at building the house. and all progressed merrliv
on the day they arrived fourtc n musk oxen were
killed. and they averaged when dressed cu!ly three
hundred pounds each. Stores Of provisions SUii-
cient, II was calculated. 10 last the parts for fully
Two years We're landed. The house erected had
double frames, and measured Slxty-cne iret by
twentyon feet In addition 10 the stores aud sup
plies about one hundred and forty tons Ol coal We're
landed at the station. which was chri>tnncd Fort
Conger, In honor of senator Conger. or Michigan,
who had been Instrumental in passing the tii
through Congress which authorized the expedition.
The Proteus lett tie party on August Is and ar
rived safely at ST Johns. y. T., alter voyage IN
which no disturbing Incident occurred
pIsouIETING RUMoRs.
Since August 1881, until to-day nothing definite
had been heard from the Greely party. Rumors
have come from various sources, but as they have
all been traced to the ESqumauX little or no relt-
ance was placed on them 4 few moaths ago
Baron Nordensktod. In a dispatch from 1hurso.
stated that Dr. Nathorst's party had heard from
some Esquimaux near Cape York that two mein-
bers Of the expedition TO Lady Franklin bay had
died. while the Others had returned To Ilttleton
on the authority OF its Upernavik correspondent,
that Lieut.. Greey had been murdered by his mutt
nous crew. This statement was made on the au-
thority or Hans Hendrix, the Esquimau who
companied Dr. Nathorst TO Cape York ami WHO. it
IS said, got IL from some EsQuiInau whom ne met in
that locality.
Attempts to Reach GreeIy.
THE FAILURE OF THE NEPTUNE AND THE PRoTEUs
In June. 1882, Mr. W. NJ Beebe took command of
party which sailed from st. Johns, \. F., on July
Sth, 1882, to take supplies to Lieut.. Greely The
Neptune. the vessel which took the party met with
heavy gales and rough sea After a most perflOIs
Ing 19 deg. ~ min, II was found impracticable to
continue the journey northward. so caches were
established at Cape Sabine and On Littleton Island
AT Cape Sabine the stores and whalebpau were
placed In sheltered spot, well secured and covered
with tarpaulIn. A tripod, made OF scantllag, with
an oar attached, TO which pieces OF canvas were
well nailed, was placed upon prominent point,
showing well from the northward. and securely
anchored with rocks In cairn beneath was
placed record giving the bearings OF the
cache. The cache on Littleton Islard was
similarly constructed. Copies OF the record with
minute directions for finding the Stores placed
as directed by Lieut.. Greely's letter OF the pre-
cedlng year-two In the coal at the southern end
OF the island, and one in Capt. Mares cairn on the
summit OF the southwest part OF the island. The
remaining whaleboat was placed on Cape Isabella
The Neptune returned to ST. Johns on the cath or
september, having left the stores. dogs dog-rood
and lumber Intended for Lieut. Gieey at Gudhayen
so TO be in readiness for the expedition OF the
following year. The Neptun did not come nearer
Lady Franklin bay than 100 miles which Is a seri-
Gus distance In arctic regions. In communication
dated August l5 1881. Lieut.. Greey stated that In
his opinion retreat southwark from Lady Frank
lin bay to Cape Sabine would be perfectly practica
BILE In case no vessel could reach them Ia 1852 or
1854
THE PRoTECs' FAILURE.
Lieut. E. A. Darlington, OF the eth cavalry, was
selected to command the second party TO 20 TO the
reilef OF the Greedy expedition He sailed from St
Johns, \. F on the 29th OF June. 1888, on the
ProteuS, the same vessel that carried
Greely and his men to Lady Franklin Bay. The
United States steamship Yantic accompanied the
Proteus as a supply ship and base The story OF
the expedition. which was So recently the subject
OF an inquiry 10y the Navy department is stil fresh
In the minds OF neas aspaper readers. When within
six miles Of Cape Albert. on the 231 OF ,J;;ly The
vessel was crushed by the Ice and ioundered The
party made their retreat in the ships boats saving
some OF their stores. Lieut. Darlington lerr SUP
ply OF clothing for the Greely party i'll cache in
The rocks in Payer Harbor, and in cove about
three miles west or Cape Sabine lert a slIpnly OF
besides depoSiting definite description
OF the locality OF the caches in Conspicuous cairn
On the top II Brevoort island.
The Final Expedition.
DEPARTURE OF THE THETIs, THE BEAR AND TIE
ALERT.
When the news OF the destruction OF the I,roteus
was received here the public mind was filled with
apprehension for the fate of Greely and his party
1t was hoped that he had been enabled
TO obtain the supplies cached by the Neptune
which IL was thought would sustain his party until
this summer. when another expedition mis- hL be
able TO penetrate TO his station. The geographprs
and arctic explorers all over the world recognized
the peril Of his position. The government a. once
took steps to organize an expedition TO sail as early
as practicable thiS year. Several distinguished
British officers made valuable suggestions as 10
the best course TO be pursued Sir G. S.
Mares, Major II. ". Feilden, and Captain Al
bert II. Markham, well-known arctic authorities,
that the two main relief ships should
arrive at Upernay1k about the first week n July
and in the event OF no tidingS OF Greelys safety
being forthcoming at the DANISH settlements they
Should proceed nOrthward in company IL 10
tidingS or traces OF the missing party are forth
coming at the entrance TO Smith sound, further
piiliS SnOutU De organized 10 prosecute the search
through Kennedy channel, even, tI necessary, TO
Discovery bay. The British government presented
our government with the ship Alert, To be used In
the expedition. The three ships selected for the
expedition were the Bear. the Thetls and the Alert
Tie Bear sailed from New York April 2.In last:
the Ihetis followed on May LIST, and the Aier: May
10th.
THE THETrs.
The Thetis Is the nag Ship OF the expedition She
was, until purchased by the government, Dundee
steam whaer She Is OF great strength, an excel
lent sea boat, and capitay adapted Tor the pT,snt
voyage. She is OF about GOO tons burden Isl feet
long, 20 feet beam. and her depth OF hold IS 2i feet
Her engines are or IS nominal horse power and, |
under favorable circumstances can steam from six
to eight knots an hour. She was built two wears
ago, and the price paid for her by government
was $4,000. The 1hetlS was admitted TO b.. the
and most serviceable vessel In the Dun
dee whaling fleet Before her departure from New
York she was thoroughly overhauied at the Brook
lyn navy yard New decks We're put In and extra /
diagonal and athwart ship braces fitted. Tie Of !
dcerS OF the Thesis are c:-Commander w. :. Scaley
Lieut.. Uriel Sebree, executive: Lieut.
c. H. Harlow, Passed Assistant surgeon E. H. Green
and CHIEF Engineer Geo. w. Melville.
The steamer Bear was q steam SeaIer hail,nr 1
from Dundee. where she was built some nine years
ago. She is OF 64s tons burden, heavily timbered
and strongly b0lted. year ago she was fitted. at
Greenock with new steel boiler, and her engines
1f 40 horse power are In good condition. She has
three masts, is bark rlsged and can steam about |
was thoroughly overhauled and refitted before |
starting on the expedition. Her officers are: Lieut.
W. II. Emory, commander; Lieut.. j. Ii. Crosby ex- /
ecutive; Lieut.. john K Colwell. navigator Lieut.
n. X. Usher, Ensign L. h. Reynolds, Passed Assist
ant Surgeon II. L Ames and Chief Engineer John |
lowe.