The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-07-24

Haven, three days after amputation
which had become imperative. Sew
enteen out of twenty-five per
sons composing the expedition
Persisted BY STARVATION.
At the point where they were
| found, one was drowned while sealing
to procure food. Twelve bodies of the
dead were rescued, and are now or
board the Thetis and Bear. One Els
quimaux, Turnevik, was buried al
OF the inspector Of western Greenland
and seven, as follows:
Sergeant Cross, January 1, 1884.
Wedenck, an E;quimaux, April 5
1884.
Sergeant Linn, April 6, 1884.
Lieutenant Lockwood, April 8, 1884
Sergeant Jewell, April IL. 1884.
Private Ellis, May 10, 1884.
Sergeant Ralston, May %. 1884.
The bodies of the following were
buried in an ice fort near the camp,
where they were swept away to sea
by the winds and currents before my
arrival, and could not be recovered,
with date of death):
Private Henry, June +.
Private SCHNEIDER, June Is.
Names Of the dead
BURIED IN THE ICE FORT,
with date of deaths. whose bodies
were not recovered, are as follows:
Sergeant Rice, April 9, 1884.
Corporal Salem, June 8.
Private Bender, J une 16.
Assistant Surgeon Parry. June 6.
Sergeant Gardner, June II; drown
ed by breaking through newly formed
ice, while sealing.
JenS Edwards, Esquimaux, April
"a.
Iwould urgently suggest the bod
les now on board be placed in metallic
cases here for safer and better trans
portation. This appears to me to be
imperative.
Lieut.. Greedy abandoned Fort Con-
ger August 8, 1883. and reached Baird
inlet, September 80.
Followed by the entire party, he
abandoned all his boats, and was adrift
thirty days on an ice foe in Smith
sound. His permanent camp was es-
tablished October FL, 1883, at the point
where he was found. During nine
months his party had to live upon the
scant allowance of food brought from
Fort Conger; that cached Concealed
in a hole) at Payer Harbor and
Cape Isabella. by Sir George Nor
ris, in 1875, but ,. found much
damaged by the lapse of time; that
cached by Beeb, at cape Bine, in
1882, and small amount saved from
the wreck OF the Proteus in 1883, and
landed by Lit. Darlington and Col
well, on the beach near where Gree
ley's party was found.
When these provisions were con-
sumed, the party was forced to live
upon boiled hops and beer; boiled seal
skin stripped from the seal for cloth
ing, and ichens and shrimps caught
in good weather when they were
strong enough to make eXertions.
The labor was too exhausting to de-
pend 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 the 240 rations at the latter point
could not ne reached.
ALL OF GREELEY'S RECORDS
and all the instruments brought by
him from Fort Conger, are recovered
ard are on board. From Hare Island
to Smiths Sound, l had constant
and furious struggle with ice in
impossible foes. The solid barri-
and patience. No opportunity to adj
vance a mile escaped me. For several
hundred miles the ships were forced
to ram their way from lead to lead
through ice varying in thickness from
three to six feet, and, when rifted
much
THE THETIS AND BEAR,
reached Cape York, June 18th, after q
passage of twenty-oned days in Melville
Bay. with two advance ships of the
Dundee whaling fleet and continued
to Cape Sabine, returning in seven
DAYS. The laettr fell in with seven
Others of this feet off Woostenholm
Island. and announced the rescue te
them that they might not be delayed
from their fishing grounds, nor bt
tempted into the dangers of Smith
sound in view of the reward of $4,000
offered by congress.
Returning across Melville bay, they
fell in with the Alert and Lackgary
off Devils Thumb, struggling through
heavy ice. Commander Coffin did ad
mirably to get along so far with {
transport so early in the season
before an opening had occurred.
PARTICULARS OF THE RESCUE.
The narrative proceeds: Lieut.
Emery with "the bear" has supporte'
me throughout with great skillfulnes
and unfinching readiness in the &C
complishment of the great duty of re
lieying Greedy. The Greedy party ar
yery much improved since the rescue
| but were critical in the extreme whel
found, and for several days after
Forty-eight hours delay ID reaching
them would have been fatal to allnoy
living. The season north is late
and the closest for years
Smiths Sound was not open when
left Cape Sabine. The winter abou
Melville bay was the most severe TO
several years. This great result j
entirely due to the unwearied energy o
yourself and the secretary of war, i
fitting out this expedition for the wor
it has the honor to have accomplished
i {SigneO w. s. SCHELY, Com'r.
PERSONNEL OF THE EXPEDITION.
Greely's expedition was composed {
the following persons:
AdoIphess w. Greedy, first ieuteI
ant. fifth cavalry, acting sign;
officer. and assistant; married; wife
present residence, San Diego, Califo
MA
Frank Kissliubury, second leutel
ii ant. eleventh infantry, acting sign
! officer: widoWer: has two children.
james B. Lockwood, first heutenal
I&t