The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-08-27
Under the Pole Stal.
Greely Tells the Story of the
Arctic Regions.
Valuable Results to Science.
Warm Tides Flowing South at Lady
Franklin eay-The Explorer Be-
lieves that thore Is an Open
Polar Sea-How to Reach u.

PoRrsuoUTH, n. a., August IL
For the purpose OF obtaining some
idea of the general nature and prob
able value of the scientific ebserva-
tions made by Lieutenant Greely at
Lady franklin Bay, a correspondent
visited the Lieutenant at his cottage
on Seaveys Island Saturday after
noon. he was very cordially recelv-
ed by Lieutenant Greely, and when
he stated the object OF his visit the
lieutenant at once consented to
give all information desired. Lieu
tenant Greely first stated the object
of the expedition, viz: TO establish
at Lady Franklin Bay polar sta
ton, one of the thirteen suggested
bv lieutenant Weyprecht, of Aus
tria.. who discovered Franz josef
Land. Simultaneous observations
of all physical phenomena were to
be taken. The complete programme
which was to be followed was arran-
ged by an international Polar Con-
gress. in which representatives OF
thirteen nations took part. The
observations in which the greatest
possible accuracy were to be bad,
were those of declination and de-
Walton Of the magnetic needle, tenn
perature of the air and sea, height
of barometer, and mean and maxi
mum rise and fall of tides.
All explorations were identical to
the main objects Of the expedition.
The expedition was fitted out under
authority of an act of Congress ap-
proved May /, 1880. The party was
composed of three officers of the
army. one acting assistant surgeon,
and nineteen enlisted men, selected
by recommendation from the ranks
of the army. Stores for twenty
seven months were put on the Pro-
teus for the party. The Proteus
steamed away from st. Johns, n. f.,
July Z, 1881, with the party on
board. She touched at Disco Island
and Upernavik to procure siedges,
dogs. skins and dog. food. Two Es-
qulmaux were added to the party at
Proven. Landing was made at Ca
rev Island, in the North Water,
and provisions cached by Mares in
1875 in the Alert were found in
good condition. At Littleton Island
Lieutenant Greely personally re-
covered the English Arctic mail left
by Sir Allan Young in the Pandora
in 1876. At Carl Ritter Bay, in
Kennedy Channel, a cache of pro-
vision FOR use on the retreat was
made.
ESTABLISHING THE STATION.
1t was the original intention to
establish the polar station at Water
Course Bay, but the heavy masses
ofic which were encountered rem
dered Water Course Bay an exceed.
ingly dangerous anchorage. Moving
to Discovery Harbor, the station
was there established on the site oc-
cupied by the English expedition
of 1875. The erection of a house
was at once commenced, and the
stores and equipments were landed
On the 2Sth of August came the
parting between the Greely party
and the men of the Proteus. The
little band gathered on the frozen
shore and watched the PHteus as
she steamed slowly down LADY
franklin Bay, leaving them to the
mercies OF the cruel North. On the
evening of the same day the temper.
ature sank below the freezing point.
and the icy Arctic Winter was on
them in earnest. Their house was
finished about a week after the Pro.
teus left. 1t was named, in honor OF
Senator Conger, Fort Conger.
During the first month the cold
affected the men more than any
subsequent time at Fort Conger
Later on. in December, the temper.
ature sank to from 80 to 65 degrees
below zero, and SO remained fol
days at a time, but even in that
weather the cooks favorite amuse.
ment was dancing bare-headed, bare
armed and with slippered feet on
the top of a snow drift. During the
day the men dressed in ordinary
outside clothing, but their hanneli
were very heavy. Five of the mer
were generally for a part of the da,
engaged in scientific work unde
Lieutenant Greely's direction and il
the duties of the camp. The rest o
the men were employed generaily
about one hour a day, and devoted
the remainder OF the time to amuse
ment All slept in hunks. Tn,
quarters were heated by large Goa
stove, the average heat maintained
being fifty degrees above zero. Play
ing checkers, cards and chess, an,
reading, We're the amusements o
the evening The life was said b,
Lieutenant Greely to be far from
lonely one, end many of the mel
said they had never passed tw
happier years than those spent a
Fort Conger.
THE ARCTIC NIGHT.
On the 10Th of October the SUI
left them for 135 days, and a twi
light varying from half an hour {
twenty-four hours succeeded. Fo
two months it was so dim the dis
of a watch could not be read by i
On April 11th the sun came abov
the horizon and remained there Is
days, giving the party great su
ficiency of midnight sun. Durin
three months the stars were visibl
constantly, the consultations of O,
ions Belt and the Great Bear bein
the brightest. The North Star look
ed down from almost overhead
Standing alone outside the fort O
one of these nights, the scene wa
weirdly grand. To the North fan
ed the aurora borealis, and the brigh
consultations were set like Jewel
around the glowing moon. Owe
everything was dead silence, so hol
ribly oppressive that man alon
was almost tempted to kill hImsel
so lonely does he feel. The astronc
mer of the party said that with tn
naked eve a star of one degree small
er magnitude than can be seen he,