Cheyenne transporter. [volume] (Darlington, Indian Terr.) 1879-1886, 1884-09-15
LOVES THRILLING STORY.
Statement from the Man Who Found tbe
Greely Sufferers.

| W " i"ou ~ lIoln week STAY in
New York during which time he was
SO fortunate as to be one of party
who visited that now famous vessel.
the Bear, and who, through acuuain-
tance with its chief engineer. Capt.
Lowe, were enabled to hear from that
officers own lips detailed account of
the rescue of the Greedy party, and the
thrilling scenes incidental TO il. He
brings back with him one of the small
plces OF boot leather which, when the
relief arrived, had already been cut
up preparatory 60 boiling for SOUP.
The leather is part of the upper of 4
strong boot which had been considera-
bly, worn, and the piece is about an
men square, that being the size to
which the boots were usually reduced
before boiling. Capt. Lowe, it will be
remembered, was in command of the
little steam-launch which located the
sufferers. The launch was steaminp
along the ice-bound coast late in the
afternoon of the day of rescue. and
keeping n sharp lookout for any SIGN
of life on the sterile shore, when an
object that looked something like a
man was seen on the top of Il cliif that
lowered high above the water, the out
lines being clear against the sky beyond
The published pictures of this sentinel
or lookout represent him rs vigorous
y and ioyously waving a handkerchief.
Capt. Lowe says that this gives no
correct conception of the fact. The
mans body was motionless, but he
held one arm out at almost full length,
n n IL al 4
which he held in his hand. The in
stant that they made sure that it was
q human Icing they blew the whistle
of the launch, and the poor fellow, see
ing that he was discovered, fell appar-
emily senseless into a heap upon the
barren rock, part of his body
hanging over the edge. The launch
made for the nearest landing point,
and, sending Il couple of men to
climb the cliff and rescue the lookout,
the balance of the party ran to where
the tumble-down tent sheltered tho
balance of the survivors. The Senti-
mel or lookout was on duty in accord
ance with a system which had been
adopted ut the outset, but he had only
clambOred to his great height by aid
of the other starving men, who re-
turned to their tent after seeing him
up on the rock. When the sailors
found him he lay unable to move, with
barely sign of consciousness, and a
movement of a few more inches would
have precipitated him into the sea.
The main party on reaching the tent
found one end of it blocked with ice.
Going around to the other side. they
raised the flap and saw the sufferers
all lying down in their sacks, with their
feet close together, and their bodies
radiating something like the spokes of
a wheel. As the intruders entered
Greely, who was nearest TO them, lifted
himself to sitting posture. Seeing
Capt. Loves uniform, he grOwled:
"What are you doing hereP Why
don't you 90 away? Don't you know
| am in command of this expedition"
The poor fellow was evidently par
TALLY delirious. He was fed very
sparingly, and this angered him all the
more, he fiercely demanded to know
whether he and his men had not suffer
ed enough already without being
starved still further.
The thermometer indicated only 10
degrees below zero, SO the cold was
not very intense, and the work of re-
moving the survivors was not attend
ed with much suffering. Capt. Lowe
denied most positively the report that
any of the men exclaimed: Don't
shoot Us, and eat us like they did poor
Henry" Nothing of the kind was
ever said. AS to the cannibalism, how
ever, he said there was no room to
doubt that. All of the bodies, he said
bore evidences of it, if their testimony
was necessary to establish it. The
skin had been very neatly cut