, 1884-12-25
AN ARCTIC CHRISTMAS.
Lieut.. LOCKWOOD Account of
A Celebrated Dinner.
Some Extracts Published From
His Shorthand Diary.
Starving for Days That They
Might Feast.


1kRbhAbCA IL
National Republican will print tomorrow
extracts from the diary of Lieutenant
Lockwood of the Greedy Arctic Colony,
describing the manner in which the starv-
ing party spent their last Christmas at
Cape Sabine, in the Arctic region. Lieu
tenant Lockwood kept a diary in short
hand which has been transcribed by a
member of his family and he appears to
have made a full record Of everything Of
Importance which happened in the daily
life of the party. The extracts which the
Republican will print relate how, as
Christmas drew near, the officers and men
joined in a talk of home and planned
grand feasts for the time when they should
reach the civilized world, and how they
made preparations for the feast on the
approaching Christmas by setting apart a
small portion of their daily %rations.
On December 81, Lockwood writes:
by a great effort / was able to save one
ounce Of my bread and about two ounces
of butter for Christmas. | shall make a
vigorous effort to abstain from eating it
before then" He adds that he put it in
charge of Binderbeck as an additional
safe guard. On December %. he writes:
I'VE look forward for tomorrow and
Christmas, and, II offered to give my
one a roast turkey on reaching home for
a single dog biscuit now but found no
takers" He says: 81 saved nearly all
my hard bread for Christmas though |
need it sorely'' and hat to make Christ
mas dinner grander he made a tremendous
effort and went without his rum in order to
have it for Christmas to add to the punch.
On Christmas evening he added to his
scanty savings for the next days feast,
halfhis bread and his piece of lemon, and
he wrote in his book; Tonight is Christ
mas We, and my thoughts are turned
toward home. God preserve me to see
this day next year and enjoy it at home
with those | love. Tomorrow it is to be
pretty much a repetition of Thanksgiving.
| have saved up my rum and bread. |
think Of the children at home, the Christ
mas tree tonight, the toys, etc, but my
fingers are too cold TO write more. l pic
ture to myselfmy dear father and mother,
sisters, Harry, my neice and brothers-in-
law all sitting around the table to-mor-
row. Turkeys and mince pies are strewn
on the table. Many thoughts are turned
toward me and where 1 am at this mo-
ment.
The entry for Christmas day is as fol-
lows: December 25.-Barometer, %. 80,
thermometer 27.5. Christmas. We have
all been talking and waiting anxiously for
the hour and now it is here, and now Is
p. m. nearly gone. Breakfast consisted
of a thin soup of peas and carrots with a
little blubber and some ~spoonfuls of pota-
toes; this we had at 6 o'clock. Cloud
berries were served out in two cans to
each mess lat l p. M Dinner consisted
of a fine rich stew OF all seal meat with
onions, a little blubber, potatoes and
bread crumbs. After this we had in the
MS Of an hour or SO, a fine nice stew
with raisins and a little blubber and milk.
These were pretty much the same as
Thanksgiving, but the cooks made a great
deal on hat day, and the meals seem
better. The cooks are now preparing some
fine chocolate, and that will be followed
by a punch of one gill ofrum to each man.
The party have been in fine spirits to-day.
Cheers were given after breakfast for
Lieutenant Greedy, Corporal Ellison, Rice
and the two cooks. 1t was agreed that we
should give each of the two Esquimaux
fifty cents from each member of the expe-
dition to be kept for next Christmas.
X islingbury was kind enough to make
for each of the party a cigarette. Many
of US are now out of tobacco entirely.
On the day after Christmas he writes
as follows: Yesterday has passed, but l
find my notes ofyesterday very imperfect
The day was a great success. We all had
enough or nearly enough. | had eight
ounces extra which | had saved up, one
ounce of butter besides and the rum Of
the Sunday before. 1t was agreed early
in the morning that nothing should be
said to mar the pleasure of the day.
ny kindly thoughts were exressed for
those at home, and often we spoke Of
what was going on at u several homes.
After dinner we had songs in all languages
including French, German, Danish and
Esquimo. The punch was extremely fine.
Chocolate was served about Z o'clock and
by this time most Of us were too full fol
utterance and conversation gradually
slackened off and with songs the day
ended. To-day we have all been feeling
extremely well; all day nice and warm anC
comfortable in the extreme. Some
of us ate too much yesterday, bu|
only so much as to feel a little uncomfort
able at times, but all slept well. Our tall
this morning was Of our homes and fam
lies. / have extended a general invita-
ton 10 all members of the expedition Il
visit my fathers house. | spoke thi
morning of the reunions of my family
and how enjoyable they are. My remark
about my father brought tears, the frs
time / have shed tears since | have bee
in this country"