The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-07-25
Rescue of the Greeley Survivors.


Rescue of the Greeley Survivors.
The most important event of the week is
the news that the Greeley relief expedition has
found the survivors of Lieutenant Greeley's
Arctic expedition, eight men in all Their
names are: Lieutenant Greeley, Sergeant
Brainarl, Sergeant Fredericks, Sergeant
Long, Sergeant Ellison, Hospital Steward
Beiberback and Private Connel. They were
found by the relief ships Thetis and Bear
near the mouth of Smiths sound on the 22d
ofJune.
Sergeant Ellison was very much Frustrated
and badly frosibitten when found and died
at God Haven on the 9th of July after under
going surgical operation. The relief ships
Thetis and Bear with the survivors are now
at ST. John, N. F.
The story of their sutferings adds another
thrilling chapter to the record of Arctic ad.
venture, but it may well be doubted if the
discoveries made will compensate for the suf-
ferings endured by the gallant bnnd and the
loss by starvation of seventeen of The twenty
five who embarked on the expedition. Lieu
tenant Greelsys permanent camp was estab-
lished October 81, 1888, at the point where
he was found. During nine months his party
lived upon scanty allowance of food
brought with them from Fort Conger,
together with food left at Cape Isabella by
Sir George Mares, in 1876. and that cached
by Beebe at Cape Sabine in 1882, and a
small amount saved from the wreck of one
of their vessels, the Proteus.
When these provisions were consumed
the party was forced to live upon boiled
sealskin strips from their sealskin clothing,
lichens and shrimps preserved in good
weather when they were strong enough to
make any exertion AS 300 shrmps were
required to fill gallon measure, the labor
was too exhausting to depend upon them to
sustain life entirely. The channel between
Cape Sabine and Littleton island did not
close on account of violent gales all winter,
so that 240 rations at the latter point could
not be reached. All of Greeley records and
all the instruments brought by him from Fort
Conger are recovered.
The relief expedition, under the command
of Commander w. s. Schley. consisted of the
Thetis, the Bear and u coal transport, the
Loeb Garry. 1t was the most thoroughly
equipped expedition that ever undertook to
penetrate the icy barriers surrounding the
North Pole, Officers and men were animal.
ed by sublime heroism that defied all dan
ger and an nnfaltering trust in divine Provi-
dence
Commander Schley and Lieutenant Emory,
who commanded the Bear are Marylanders
Lieutenant Lockwood, Of the Greeley party,
is a son of DR.. Lockwood, of the navy, who
lived in Annapolis a number of years. The
of the sailors of Capt Schley's patty are
Marylanders,
The Greeley expedition sailed from st.
John, N. F., on July z, 1881, in the steamer
Proteus, for the purpose of establishing an
international polar station at Lady Franklin
bay, in latitude 81 40, longitude 643O, where
all future Arctic expeditions could operate
and make it a base of supplies After much
hardship and peril the point was reached and
stores sufficient Ia last the c0lonists two
years were landed A large house, being
house within house, was erected. The
Proteus left and arrived safely vt ST. John
Since August, 1881, nothing definite has been
heard of the party.
In June, 1882, Mr.. VIM. NJ Reebe took
command ola party and tried to take sup
plies to Lieut. Greeley, but was unsuccessful
A second attempt was made in the Proteus,
by Lieut.. Darlington, who sailed on the Goth
OF June, 1888 The Yautic accompanied the
Proteus as supply ship. The Proteus was
caught in the ice and sunk, the officers and
crew being rescued by whalers, after great
suffcrings The government offered $25 900
reward for the rescue of Greeley and his men,
aud large whaling fleet was also searching
for them when they were found
Blaine's etter Of Acceptance.