New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-20
LIFE IN THE LAND OF ICE.
THE STORY OF THE GREELY COLONY.
PERSONAL ACCOUNT BY SERGEANT BRAINARD-A
TALE or HERoIsM, HIGH ACHIEVEMENT AND
PITIFUL DEATH.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRmUSEl

lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRmUSEl
ST JOINS, y. f.. July 19.-From the lips Of Ser.
geaut Brainard, who has now sufficiently recovered
TO realize fully and describe the pregnant events of
the Greely Arctic expedition, the following brief
and graphic narrative of life and DEATH victory
and disaster has been drawn
"On August IS 1851, the Proteus babe US fare
well. and we began to complete our Arctic habita-
tious. The sunless winter was spent in making
tidal meteorological. magnetic aud astronomical
observations. The health Of the party continued
good cleanliness and sanitary conditions beng
fautlessly attended TO- Winter pastimes, reading.
thestricals concerts and school classes begned
the weary hours. New-Years Day arrived and a
sumptuous dinner. garnished with the plum pud-
ding of Mrs. Greey and the confectionery Of The
ladies of Ncw-York, marked the joyous occasioc-
About this time one of our Esquimaux ran away tor
some iuscrutable reason. We pursued aud captured
him on January 16.
A hurricane travelling seventy-eight miles per
hour accompanied by binding snow-drifts, swept
fercely over our eDcampment on March l. bat
Lieutenant Lockwood. with Sergeant Sewell ard
myself left Fort Conger 70 visit the stores in Thank
Cod Harbor OF Halls Rest. They were found N
good condition. On our return home terrbs
storm, with the thermometer reading 90 degrees
below zero was encountered. We were conf
PEELED to sleep il K awaited snow banks in onr
sleepiug-baCs II vas impossible 70 support human
life IN tents. On March 3 with seven men and
boat started for Poaus Promontory and estab-
,hed there a depot of provisions for future sledg-
ing parties. This occupied seven days, during
winch intense suffering was experienced. ths
mercury several tunes descending 70 niuety-ons
degrees below the fIesh-vaer freezing point. ssEa
ApRIFT OF THE POLAR sEA.
"On March -. Dr. Pavy Sergeant Rice and Driver
JAMS left the camp with a team Of nruc dogs 10 pnr-
sue Markhams route over the great frozen seA
Through storm af er storm and terrific frost The
north of Cape Joseph Henry was reached, and ths
exploring party were faily launched on the palaO-
crvstIc' Polar Ocean when sudden Southerly sale
arose the foe Ice broke and separated from the lee
foot of the shore and waited the party in a north
erly direction on this gigantic ice raft. For two
days they continued to drift hOpeessly about, ds-
tachcd from the land by vast lane Of water hhy
yards wide friendly north wind at length arose
and waited them back to the shore. They wefs
compelled to abandon everything but their team of
dogs and provisions and retreat southwark 70 Fort
Couker.
THE STARS AND STRIPES NEAREST THE POLE.
"On April 3, Lieutenant Lockwood with party
Of eight Men and some dogs started 10 extend he
previous British explorations up the north coast ot
Greenland During twenty-five days they re~'-
lutey advanced on Cape Britannia, and soon III
furled tie American flag the wIds Of uneE-
plored land storm and snowdriits seriously rs-
taricd their course, but on May 13 the weary " m
party had reached point a. lar north as prudence
and their commIs ssariaJ would Justify. he Ameri'
can flag was planted beyond the standard OF SAINT
George four miles IN closer proximity TO the POLE
and in latitude 50 % north longitude lOo ~
west from Greenwich. Animal and vegetable
life of Arctic varieties was still noted
f4, a ftft- in an u
foothold. Traces Of ptarmisan even we're
found. The hare, the lemming the rabbit and
tJx were abundant. The footprints ot musk-oIen
were, visible some hare and ptanniean wfrs
killed. The land from the highest point OF obey
yatl1u rrelLed away m nortAeaster.y drecu Il
From lG elevation ~ two thousand et IA u0fth-
westerly direction no land was Gcs'ried. Cape
Robert Lincoln, situated IN latitude 'iZhty-th-ee
degrees. IN five nlnutes north WIS the eXtrens
northern limit Of land discovered. All along the
line of exploration cairns were erected ana rcco.h
carefully deposited. Numerous IIlet-. Islau1A
tord- glaciers, moUntalns and rdvlucs were ~.
covered, named and added 20 the domain Of
geographical knowledge On june ! the worn
9Ld weary explorers returned To- resi- at tTt
Conger
EXPLORING GRNNFLL L>>D.
During t.e year lo,2 Lieutenant Grcey With
al exploring larty made two important anI eztea-
sive advance. ON Grjunell Land and made some IN
por,ant discoveries Near Mount Arthlr on tls
picturesque shore, of Lake Hazen, numerous traces
of ancient E-quimaux were found During ths
summer of 1--2 several excurIions and valuable
explorations were effected IN the steam launch LAZY
Greedy
." In the first week IN September all hopes wers
abandoned o seeing the relief steamer. and prepsr-
ations made Tor renewal OF winter quarters. "a
October 70 Dc. PLvy alI myself started With
team Of dogs down 10 Cape Ritter Bay fo enteavar
o. ascertain some tidlns' OF the di~app' ing r.
lief ship. We returned on November Tithon.
any result aud a second winter without gieam 4
sunshine WIS passed. reproducing m work and pas
times 1he main features f the previous winter.
ON THE GREENLAND COAST.
non March 70. 1888. Lieutenant Lockwood and .
party made a final start from Fort Conger with ths
project Of travelling along the northeast coast OF
Greenland a. far as practicable. In this advent
ure they were doomed to disappointment. Altar
SIX days of dangerous and exhaustive travel they
arrived at Black Horn Cliffs Here lane Of water
averaging IN breadth about two hundred feet was
encoun tered. The party encanped here. During
the nj ght the Thermometer sank 70 hfty-RIne de-
grees below zero The artificial creek froze over,
and the ice-crlst had sufficient strength to enable
the party and taer sleds and baggage 70 pass ovsE
While tho loaded sledges were passing over the hos
began 10 move and widen out, separating from ths
young ice and leaving the party in perllous post-
tiOn. Lieutenant Sswel nrst appreheuded ms
imminent danger and cried out: hurry DacS, "
Won are al losfn Lieutenant Lock kwOod first sprang
across the fast-wtdeulug rent, and the remalIder
succeeded IN crossing by degrees, When tne pOiAs
of the Hoe and ieId tce most nearly approached
MANY subsequent explorations aud dlscovers
were made. the chief among them being the vast
ice cap Of Griunell Land with its vertical face.
towering two hundred feet high and extending over
q hundred miles.
THE HOMEwARD JOURNEY
Early in August the ice began 10 disntegrate and
flow apart On August 3, a water lane developed
across Archer Fiord and the southern descent Of
party was begun Ia the little Arctic houla. The
baby steamer. Lady Greedy, towcl the boats Wal
rus, Narwha and Beaumont, laden with the residue
of the Lady Franklin Bay comnIssariat Fifteen
miles north OF Cape Laurence the party i'm
In the ice for ive days. On August 20 ClDe