The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-07-26


n Brainard, Sergeant Frederick, Sergear
Long, Hospital Steward Beibenbeck, PR
), vate Cornell and Sergeant Ellison, the onl
L survivors of the Franklin Bay expedition
It Sergeant Ellison had lost both hands by fros
4 bite, and died July 6, at Godhaven, thre
:. days after the amuputation, which had be
come imperative Seventeen of the twenty
five composing the expedition persisted b
= starvation at the point where found. On
was drowned while seeking to procure food
Twelve bodies of the dead were rescued ant
= are now on board the Thetis and Bear. On
q Eskimo, Turnedike, was buried at Disco
, in accordance with the desire of the inspec
tor OF Western Greenland. Five bodies
buried in the ice near the camp, were sweep
away to sea by the winds and currents be
fore my arrival and could not be recovered
The names of the dead recovered, with datt
of death are as follows:
Sergeant Cross, January 1, 1884.
Wederick Eskimo, April 5.
Lieutenant Lockwood, April 8.
Sergeant Jewell, April II.
Private Ellis, May 49,.
Sergeant Ralston, May %.
Private Henry, June 6.
Private Schneider, June 49,.
The names of the dead and buried in the
ice fort with the date of death, whose bodies
were not recovered, are as follows:
Sergeant Rice, April 8, 1884.
Corporal Salem, June 8.
Private Berdon, June 6.
Assistant Sergeant Pavy, June 6.
Sergeant Gardner, June II.
Jens. Edwards, Esquimaux, was drowned
April oath, by breaking. through newly
formed ice while sealing.
1 would urgently request that the bodies
now on board be placed In metallic cases
here for safer and better transportation.
This appears to be imperative. Greedy
reached Baird Inlet SEPTEMBER 29following,
with bis entire party well. His permanent
camp was established October 21, 1888, at a
point where he was found. During the
nine months his party had to live upon
scant allowance of food brought from Fort
Conger; that cached at Payer harbor and
Cape Isabella by Sir George Nolte in 1875,
but found much damage by the lapse Of
time, and that cached by Beebe at Cape
Sabine in 1888. and a small amount saved
from the wreck of the Proteus in 1888 and
landed by Lieuts. Darlington and Colwell
on the beach near where Greely's party was
found. When these provisions were con-
sumed the party was forced to live upon
boiled sealkin stripped from the sealskin
clothing and lichens and shrimps caught in
good weather, when they were strong
enough to make the exertions. AS it took
l, 800 shrimps to fill gallon measure, the
labor was too exhausting to depend upon
them to sustain life entirely.
The channel between Cape Sabine and
Litttleton Island did not close on account
Of violent gales all winter, so that the 240
rations at the latter point could not be
struments brought by him Fl ON Fort Con-
ger are recovered and are on board. From
Hare Island to Smiths Sound had furi-
GUS struggle with ice in impossible foes.
Solid barriers were overcome by watchful-
ness and patience. No opportunity to adj
vance mile escaped me and for several |
hundred miles the ships were forced to run |
their way from lead to lead through ice |
varying In thickness from three to six feet |
and when RATED much greater. The Thetis |
and Bear reached Cape York June 10, after |
a. passage Of twenty-one days on Mel
dee whaling fleet and continued to
Cape Sabine, returning seven days
later. We fell in with seven others OF
that fleet of Westenholm Island. and an
nounced Greely's rescue to them, that they
might not be delayed from their fishing
grounds, nor be tempted into the dangers
Of Smiths Sound, in view of the reward of
$25, 900 offered by congress. Returning
across Melville bay, we fell in with the
Alert and Lock Garry of DEVILS Thumb,
Coffin did admirably to get along with the
transport so early In the season, before the
opening had occurred. Lieutenant Emery,
with the Bear, has supported me through
out with great skillfulness and unfiinching
readiness in accomplishing the great duty of
|
very much improved since the rescue, but
were critical in the extreme when found,
and for several days after. Forty eight
hours delay in reaching them would have
been fatal to all now living. The season
north is late and the closest for years.
Smiths sound was not open when | left
Cape Sabine. The winter about Melville
bay was the most severe for twenty years.
This great result is entirely due to the
efforts of yourself and the secre-
l. ~. A. Il.
the work 1t has had the honor to accomplish.
[Signedl W. B. SCLEY, Commander.
DISPATCH FROM GREEDY.
ST. JOHNS, July II.
Chief Signal Officer, Washington:
Brainerd, Dierderbick, Cornell, Freder-
icks, Long and myself, the sole survivors,
arrived to-day, having been rescued at the
point Of death from starvation, by the relief
ships Thetis and Bear, on June 22d, at !
are now in good health, but weak. Ser
yeant Ellison was rescued, but died. Cross s
lied last January; Christensen, Linn, Rice,
Lockwood, Jewell and Edwards in April;
Whistler and Israel in May; Kislingbirny,
SAILOR, Henry, Bender, Payy, Gardner and
in June. We abandoned Fort t
conger August 8. Frozen in pack off Vic v
oria Head August 30. We abandoned 7
team launch September IL, eleven miles
northeast of Cooked Hat Island. When on v
he point OF landing we were three times t
lriven by southwest storms into Kane's sea. +
We finally landed on September 80 in Baird :,
Met, learning by scouting parties Of the I
'roteus disaster and that no provisions &
lad been left for us. From Cape Isa- h
'ela to Sabine we moved and estab- :
ished winter quarters at Camp Clay, half >
way between Sabine and Cooked Hat. An n
inventory showed that by daily ration of h
our and one-third ounces of meat. seven I.
unces of bread and dog biscuits and four !
unces of miscellaneous food the party "
Tould have ten days full rations left for 81
rossing Smiths sound to Lift eton island. Is
Smiths sound remained
pen the entire winter, rendering crossing
nprscticable. Game failed, despite daily n
uniting from early in February. Before y
lie sun returned only 500 pounds Of meat n.
snnained This vear shrinns .oouro.I | ri