Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-08-25
Lieut.. Greely's Story.

| Dlc tiluC VI Illc oCl0uGiHC OUoCl Ftloeoho
made by Lieut.. Greely at Lady
! Franklin bay, an Associated Press
agent visited the lieutenant at his
cottage on Seavey's island. He was
very cordially received by Lieut..
Greely, and when he stated the OBJ
iect of his visit the lieutenant at
once willingly consented to give all
desired information. s'First," said
the lieutenant, sslet me state the OBJ
ject of the Lady Franklin bay expe-
dition. 1t was proposed to establish
at Lady Franklin bay g polar station
-one of the 13 suggested by Lieut..
Weyprecht of Austria, who discover
ed Franz Josefand. Simultaneous
observations of all physical phenom-
ena were to be taken. The complete
programme which was to be followed
was arranged by an international
polar congress, in which representa-
tives of 13 nations took part. The
observations in which the greatest
possible accuracy was to be had were
those of declination and deviation of
the magnetic needle, temperature of
the air and sea, height of barometer
and mean and maximum rise and fall
of tide. All explorations were Incl
dental to the main objects of the ex-
pedition.
The expedition was fitted out under
authority of an act of congress ap-
proved May 1, 1880. The party was
composed of three officers of the
army, one acting assistant surgeon
and 10 enlisted men, selected by rec
ommendation from the ranks of the
army, barometers, hygrometers,
thermometers, electrometers and all
necessary instruments for taking
scientific data. Stores for ~ months
| were put on the Proteus for the party.
The Proteus steamed away from st.
Johns, n. F., July Z, 1881, with the
party on board. She touched at
Disco island and Upernavik to pro-
cure sledges, dogs, skins and dog
food. Two Esquimaux were added
to the party at Proven. Landing
was made at Cary island, in the
North Water, and the provisions
cached by Mares in the Alert in 1875
were found in good condition. At
Littleton island Lieut.. Greely person
ally recovered the English Arctic
mail left by Sir Allan Young in the
Pandora in 1876. At Carl Ritter
bay, In Kennedy's channel cache of
provisions for use on the retreat was
made. 1T was the original intention
to establish the polar station at Wat
ercourse bay but the heavy masses of
ancient ice which were encountered
rendered Watercourse bay an exceed
ly dangerous anchorage. Moving to
Discovery harbor the station was
there established on the site occupied
by the English expedition of 1875.
The erection of a house was at once
commended and the stores and equip
ments were landed. On the 2Sth of
August came the sad parting between
the Greely party and the men of the
Proteus. The little band gathered
on the frozen shore and tearfully
watched the Proteus as she steamed
slowly down Lady Franklin bay, leav-
ing them to the mercies of the cruel
north. On the evening of the same
day the temperature sank below freez-
ing point and the icy arctic winter
was on them in earnest. Their house
was finished about week after the
Proteus left. 1t was named in hon
or of Senator Conger, Fort Conger.
During the first month the cold affect
ed the men more than at any subse-
quent time at Fort Conger. Later on
in December the temperature sank to
from so to 65 degrees below zero and
so remained for days at a time, but
even in that weather the cooks fav-
orite amusement was dancing bare
headed, bare-armed and with slipper
ed feet ON the top of a snowdrift.
During the day they dressed in the
ordinary outside clothing which a
Boston gentleman wears during the
winter, but their fannels were very
heavy. Five of the men were gener-
ally, for part of the day, engaged
in scientific work under Lieut.. Gree
ly's directions, and in the duties of
the camp the rest of the men we've
employed, generally about one hour
day, and devoted the remainder of
the time to amusement. All slept in
hunks and the quarters were heated
by a large coal stove, the average
heat maintained being so degrees
above zero. Playing checkers, cards
aud chess, and reading were the
amusements of the evenings. The
life was said by Lieut.. Greely to be
far from lonely one, and many of
the men said they had never passed
two happier years than those at Fort
Conger. son Oct. Is, the sun left
us for 135 days, and twilight, vary
ing from one-half an hour to pa hours,
succeeded. For two months it was
so dim that watch could not be read
by it. On April IL, the sun came
above the horizon and remained
there 135 days, giving the party a
great sufficiency of the midnight sun.
During three months the stars were
! vicibla CONSTANTLY fbo oonotoIlofiouc