Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-08-18
LIFE NEAR THE NORTH POLE,
Greely's Story Of His Expedition.

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Greely's Story OF His Expedition.
THE HAPPY DAYS AT FORT coNaER, THE RETREAT
ovER TIE ICE, AND TIE LAST SAD SCENES At CAPE
SABINE.
Lieut. Greely has related to an Associated Press
reporter brief history OF the late arctic expedi
tlQn and Its record OF discovery and suffering.
Lieut. Greely stated that the object Of the Lady
FRANKLIN bay expedition was to establish at Lady
Franklin bay polar station, one OF the thirteen
suggested by Lieut.. Weyprecht, OF Austria, who
discovered Franz josef Land. The Proteus with
the party on board left ST. Johns. n. F.. July 9TH,
1881, and landed them In Discovery harbor on the
Site occupied by the English expedition In 1878
The erection OF house at once begun. and the
station was named Fort Conger, In honor OF Sena-
tor Conger.
TWO HAPPY YEARS AT FORT CoSGER.
During the flrst month the cold affected the men
more than at any subsequent time at Fort Conger.
Later on In Decembe the temperature sank to from
80 to 65 degrees below Zero and so remained for
days at time but even in that weather the cooks
armed, and with slippered feet on the top Of
snoW-drlft. During the day the men dressed in or
binary outside clothing but their annels were very
neaVy. Five OF the men were generally for part
OF the day engaged in scientific work under Lieut.
Greely's direction, and in the duties Of the camp.
The rest OF the men were employed generally about
one hour day, and devoted the remainder or the
time to amusement All slept in hunks The
averaee bea Mere ey large coal stove oRe
zero. Playing Checkers cards and chess and read
Ing were the amusements OF the evening. The
! lonely one. and many Of the men said they had
never passed two happier years than those spent at
The thermometer registered on June so, 1882 the
nlghest temperature at Lady Franklin bay known
during the stay 1t was So degrees above zero. The
lowest Was In February. 1888, and was 66 degrees
below zero. The highest barometer was slightly
ABOVE II inches, and the lowest slightly below %
inches, m showing great range The electrometer,
electricity was Set up, but to the astonishnent OF
! tanned
AcURIoUs FACT
IN the course OF the tidal observations made
very interesting fact was discovered viz: that the
tides at Lady Franklin bay come from the north,
while those at Melville bay and Cape Sabine come
! from the south. The temperature OF this north
tde Is TWO degrees warmer than that OF the south
tide at Cape Sabine. Why this was Lieut. Greely
would not venture to state.
LoCkwooDs TRIPS TO THE NORTH
In 1882 and 1883 were productive of the most valu
able results Standing on the 18th OF May In each
year where DIR. Hayes had formerly stood at about
the same day, Lockwood from an elevation OF 1900
1est. using his strongest glass HaIiS basin and
RObeSOnS channel, could discern nothing but Ice
pack. Here ii was DR.. Hays claimed to have seen
MS open Polar sea On tine trip OF 1882 Lockwood
reached the highest latitude ever attained. SO 25
north. This was about BOD miles directly north OF
Lady Franklin bay. Lockwood sounded the sea
both years between Cape Bryant and Cape Britain
MIA, but could not touch bottom with l35 fathOmS
| OF line. Lockwood found at his farthest north
about the same vegetation as at Lady Franklin
bay, but no signs OF a Polar current or open Polar
sea In 1883 he was stopped near Cape Bryant, 125
miles from Lady Franklin bay, by an open channel
extending west to the coast OF GHnneu Land. The
width OF this channel varied from 200 yards five
miles, but on the north the ice packs extended as
far as could be seen with glass. With his supply
OF provisions, the failure OF which had caused his
return the year before, Lockwood Was coniidear
that he could have reached IS degrees north this
open channel had not barred his Way.
All through the two years at Lady Franklin bay
the magnetic needle was never quiet except during
storms.
sUFFERINGs ON TIE RETREAT.
On August 18th, 1883, the men embarked in the
steam launch tor the journey south. The floating
ice made navigation difficult, and the trip was one
OF great hardship. The party was Caught in the
ice and frozen In ten miles south OF Cape Hawkes..
miles on the foes, suffering horribly from the cold
SO they drfted to within eleven miles OF Cape Sa-
on September TO- they were tossed about in the
Ice foe until september 29th, when they gained
land at EsQuimaux point, near Baird's inlet. Here
Cape Isabella and Cape Sabine. In few days
they returned. Their report sent
A THRILL OF HORROR
to every heart. At Cape Isabella and Cape Sabine
were found only !, 800 rations, and from CARING
toms records they learned the fate OF the Proteus
Every one knew that death must come to nearly
all OF the party long before the ship OF could
force its way into Melville bay. Efforts were made
@ to sustain the spirits OF the men by lectures and
Cape Sabine On January 1S Cross died OF scurvy.
In April the rations issued daily had dwindled to
after man died. and all hope had ned, when, on that
stormy day, the blast OF the Thetis whistle reused
death.
THR OPEN POI AR sFA
Lieut. Greely, when asked as to his ideas upon
the probable results Of arctic explorations said 81
do not think the north pole can be reached unless
every circumstance hitherto found to be unfavora-
to reach the pole If it is to ' be done done at ali Il viii
be done by way OF Franz Josef Land 1t could never
have been reached by the Jeannette's route. That
This is proved by the Ice drifting out OF Mussel bay
ana Spitzoergen IN midwinter, and the northern
DRIFT OF the polar pack experienced by Pavy and
LOCKWOOD In u degrees and 50 minutes"
Lieut.. Greely's Mental Anguish.
THE STORIES OF cAHNIBALIsM NEWS TO HIM.
In another interview at Portsmouth Saturday
Lieut. Greey sald to the reports of divisions in
the expedition, that they were entirely without
foundation, and no Ill feeling existed between him.
self and Lieut.. KisliDgbury. In regard to the con-
dition OF Lieut. kislingbury.s body he said that it
closures and dreadful Charges, he says, came upon
him with awful suddenness and nave caused him
NOIt luau al Ine experiences
which he suffered in the north. The lieutenant
says thathe can but report that II there was any
cannibalism, and he admits that there now seems
to be no doubt about 1t, the man-eatlng was done
in secrecy, without his knowledge and contrary 10
his discipline. "Since my return from Newbury-
port, ne continued ~every one OF my men has
called upon me. They came In a body and assured
Inc emphatically that they knew nothing about the
condition OF the bodies OF their fallen comrades
and each S0le.nnly swore that he was innocent"
The Struggle for Existence.
The New York Times Of yesterday says that as
the situation at Cape Sabine became more desper-
ate the starving men began to act each one for
himself and the stronger had the advantage 1t |
says that the first reports OF the condition OF the
rescued men when first found were greatly exag- |
gerated, and that Sergeants Long, Brainerd and |
Fredericks walked to the steam launch unassisted
In gale that tried the sailors Of the relief ships to
keep their feet. Besides the duck which Long was
eating, two more which had been shot by him were
found behind rocks near the winter camp. When |
bralnerd reached the ThetiS sailor handed him a |
piece OF hard tack. He did not eat it. but handed
1t back with the remark that he knew he should |
not eat, although he would like to. Brainerd was
the weakest OF the three, but Long and Fredericks
banded together, would have lived, ii Is thought
good while. They were not in the reduced condi-
ton that has been reported.
The BOdies OF the Dead.
Mrs. Linn, the mother Of Sergeant David Linn. |
wants to have the body OF her son exhumed to
ascertain II he was shot, because she saw him In q
dream with bleeding wound In his back Her