Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1884-12-06

rlers. Alter Watching for an opening
through; the .solidsice of Smiths sound
and Kane's sea untilthe navigable, sea.
son in that latitude had nearly CLOSED
and discovering none, the expedition
made caches of supplies at. the most
northerly points of land that it attained
and then returned TO St. Johns.
The steam sealer Proteus, ofSt. Johns,
was chartered. by me as the relief ship
for 1883. The vessel had borne Lieu
tenant Greedy to his station in 1881, and
he had afterwards highly commended
her and her captain as in all respects
we'll qualified for that duty. The plan
of this relief expedition was submitted
by me to the secretary of war for his
approval as early as November l, 1882.
In the first paragraph of my letter en-
closing the same I wrote as follows: II
have the honor to enclose herewith
copy, Of plan for relief expedition Of
next year for the Arctic party at Lady
Franklin bay, which plan Lieutenant
Greedy wished followed in the event Of
a failure to.reach himsthiss year. This
seems to leave us only to follow his
plans" That plan was returned to me
without any dissent as to its essential
features, but with the suggestion Chat
I y
it9would be much desirable to endeavor
to procure from the navy the persons
who are needed for this relief party:H'
My views as to such suggestion were re-
quested, and as they were furnished 1
presumed that they were satisfactory,
as it was not insisted on. Asa measure
of precaution the secretary of4war, on
my special application, requested the
navy department to detail q suitable
vessel of the navy to accompany the re-
lief ship as for north as Littleton island.
The steamship Yantic. Commander
Frank Wildes, o. s. Navy, was accord
ingly assigned, to that duty. She was
placed in dock and heavily sheathed
with oak planking, and her battery and
ordnance stores landed, and it was be.
lieved. that she was in all respects thor.
oughly equipped for that special ser,
vice. In view Of the possible destruction
Of the Proteus, Commander Wildes was
ordered to proceed as far north as prac-
ticable, in order to afford succor to her
officers and crew in the event of such
an accident, and he was directed to
proceed northward through Davis
straits, in company with the Proteus if
practicable, but not to enter the ice
pack or proceed beyond Littleton
island.
Lieut.. E. A. Darlington, 7th Cavalry,
U. s. Army, vas assigned to the com.
mand of the relief party by ordero of the
secretary of war, he having volun.
teered, and being recommended as a
suitable officer for that service by the
general commanding the department Of
Dakota, where he had been stationed
for several years. Lieutenant CARING.
toms instructions embodied the plan OF
Lie utenant Greedy, and he was ordered
to follow it closely. He was informed
that he would be accompanied bya ship
of the United States navy, the Yantic
as far as Littleton island, to render him
such aid as might become necessary snd
us might be determined by the captain
of that ship and himself when On the
spot. .
The relief expedition, consisting O
those vessels, sailed from St. Johns ir
company on June 20 and voluntarily
separated on the same day, the ProteuI
on her arrival at Godhavn being fv,
days in advance of the Yantic. The,
were again in company at the las
named point on July IL, and remained
together there until July l6, when tn
Proteus again proceeded northwart
alone, and seven days later was crushed
in the ice pack of Smiths sound ane
sunk with nearly all her stores. At tn.
time of the sinking of the Proteus Of
Cape Sabine, on July %, the Yantic
that was: ordered to be at Llttleto,
island, if practicable, to meet just .sucl
an emergency, the designated reserv'
ship of the expedition, was distant from
Littleton island more than 1000 miles
Lieutenant Darlington, on the da,
succeeding the wreck, proceeded will
the relief party to Life Boat cove, nea
Littleton island, and without hating II
await the arrival of his reserve ship, Sc
out at once southwark in small boats
carrying off with him full rations 70
thirty-seven men, for forty days at least
being three-fourths sof the provisions
saved from the wreck, leaving less tina,
one-fourth cached for Greedy and hi
party of twenty-five at Cape Sabine.
Lieutenant Darlington and part,
boarded the Yantic at Upernavik o,
September 2. She had arrived at Lit
Teton island on August 3, only fv,
days after the relief party had left tina
vicinity, and started southwark on tn
same day, without leaving one ratio,
out of her superabundant stores 70
Lieutenant Greedy and his party. TIL
Yantic returned to St. Johns on Sep
TENDER ID.