The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-10-30

Itself, one that brought tears to the
eyes of the strongest and stoutest of
those who stood about them on this
merciful errand of relief.
Sergts. Brainard and Fredericks All d
hospital steward Brieder-back were
extremely weak and hardly able to
stand: they were no longer able to
venture away from their camp to seek
food, nor prepare their simple diet of
boiled seal skin, nor to collect lichens,
nor catch the shrimps upon which
they had to depend, to a great extent,
to sustain life. Their faces, hands and
limbs were swollen to such
an extent they could not be recog-
niZed.
This indicated that the entire party
had but short lease of life; probably
not more than 48 hours at most. This
Tact was recognized by them all. and
had come to them from their expert
ence during that long and desolate
winter, In watching their dying COM
pan1ons as one after another passed
away from among them forever. Poor
Sergeant Ellison was found in his
been helpless and hopeless for
A&NAShH, "1OA LILO ududO anu
feet frozen off. Strapped to
one of the stumps was found aIspoon
which one of his companions had
strapped there to enable him to feed
himself. His physical condition other
wise appeared to be the best of any of
the survivors and this may be attri-
buted to the fact that each one of his
| companions had doled out to him,
from their small allowance of food,
something to help him on account of
his complete helplessness to add any
thing to his own by hunting about
the rocks for lichens, or catching
shrimps. He suffered no waste of
strength. by eXertion thereto. This
care Of Ellison was such aS only brave
and generous men, suffering with each
other under the most desperate cir
cumstances, could think of.
Sergeant Long was very much re-
duced, though in somewhat better
condition than others. His office of
hunter for the starving party had
made 1t necessary to increase slightly
his pittance of food to maintain
his strength, that he might con-
tinue to battle for life and
food, to help the others. In
his case, however, the effects of this
continued effort had told their story
on his wasted form. Shorter and
shorter journeys were made in good
weather, while in the frequent bad
weather Of that region bis strength
was so much impaired that when the
joyful signal of the whistle was heard
ne had only enough life left to stagger
out to the rocks overlooking thewater,
to see if the signal heard had proceed
ed from ship in sight. His first visit
was 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 ships COM
ing around cape Sabine. When the
cutter ran in to the beach, where Long
was seen, he rolled down the ice COW
cred cliff, and was taken into the cut
ter. He informed 1t. Coiweil that the
location Of the camp was just over the
cliff.
In the case of sergeant Ellison, the
medical officers were fearful, from the
first, that his chaucts of life were very
small. AS soon as healthful food was
available and digestive functions
should be fully reestablished
healthful sound blood circulating
would tegin lis distribution of new
life 10 the injured parts and inflam-
nation would naturally occur. If Ell
llson's strength should increase more
rapidly than the Inflammation, ampu-
tation of the injured parts would per-
hapS save lis life. Several days after
his rescue, June %, DR.. Gre II report
ed that Ellison was threatened with
congestion of the brain. The symp-
toms increased rapidly, until he lost
his reason. At God Haven his con-
dition was SO critical that the sur
geons, after consultation, determined
to amputate both of his feet at the
ankle as the only chance to save his
life. Disease, however triumphed,
and amid the bJeaksscenes that had sur
rounded him for three years, in his
heroic sacrifice, and within the desc
late solitude Of that region of ever
lasting ice and snow, surrounded by
his surviving comrades, he passed
away.
Lieut.. Greely was physically the
weakest, but mentally the most vigor-
Gus of the party. He had lain in his
sleeping bag for weeks on account of
his gradually failing strength. He
was unable to stand alone for any
length of time and almost helpless, eX-
cept in sitting posture. All pangs
had ceased. His appearance was
wild; his hair long and unkept: his
face and hands covered with sooty
black dirt; his body scantily covered
with wornout clothes. His form was
wasted; his joints swollen, and his
eyes sunken. His inquiry was if they
were not Englishmen: bnt when
he was told we were his own country
men, he paused for a moment, as if
rejecting and then said, "and am glad
to see you"
The condition of his camp was in
keeping with the scene inside the tent,
desperate and desolate. The bleak bare
ness of the spot over which the wild
Arctic bird would not fly; the row of
graves on the ridge 100 feet away,
with the protruding heads and feet of
those lately buried, were sad but silent
witnesses of the little band of sur
vivors.