The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-06-05
SELECT READING.
HOW GREELY WAS FOUND.

L He sIOry Vi tnc TellcI expcullion
sent cut by the United States in search
of Lieutenant Greely and his party,
ice.immuied in the Arctic regions, is
full of interest. Particularly pathetic
is this account of how search party
from the relief vessels came auross the
seven survivors
AT last the boat arrived at the site
of the wreck cache, and the shore was
eagerly scanned, but nothing coull be
seen. Rounding the next point, the
cutter opened out the cove beyond.
There on the top of the little ridge, fl If
ty or sixty yards above the ice. foot,
was plainly outlined the figure of a
man. Instantly the coxswain caught
up the boat hook and waved his flag.
The man on the ridge had seen them.
for he stopped, picked up the signal
| flag from the rock, and waved it in re-
ply. Then he was seen coming slow.
ly and cautiously down the steep rocky
slope. Twice he fell down before he
reached the foot. AS he approached,
still walking feebly and with difficulty,
Colwell hailed him from the bow OF
the boat
"Who all are there left =
"Seven left"
AS the cutter struck the ice, Colwell
jumped off and went up to him. lie
was gbastly sight His cheeks were
hollow, his eyes wild, his hair and
beard long and matted. His army
blouse, covering several thicknesses Of
shirts and jackets, was ragged aud
dirty. He wore little fur cap and
rough mocas-ins of untanned leather
tied around the legs. AS be spoke
his utterance was thick and mumbline
and in his agitation his jaws worked
in convulsive twitches. As the two
met, the man, with sudden impulse
took off his glove and shook Colwell's
hand.
"Where are they ?" asked Colwel
briefly.
"In the tent" said the man, pointing
over his shoulder, "over the hill--thC
tent is down.
"Is Mr.. Greely alive?"
"Yes, Greelys alive
"Any other officers p
mo Then he repeated absently,
"The tent is down."
"Who are your
'Long.'
| Before this colioquy was over, Lowe
and Norman had started up the hill
Hastily filing his pockets with bread
and taking the two cans of pemmican,
Colwell told the coxswain to take Long
into the cutter, and started after the
others with Ash. Reaching the cres,
of the ridge, and look ing southwark
they saw spread out before them des
olate expanse Of rocky ground, slopng
gradually from ridge on the east to
the ice.covered shore, which at the
west made in and formed cove. Back
of the level space was range of hills
rising up 800 feet, with precipitous
face, broken in two by gorge, through
which the wind was blowing furious
ly. On little elevation directly in
front was the tent. Hurrying across
the intervening hollow, Colwell came
up with Lowe and Norman, Just as
they were greeting soldierly looking
man who had just come out from the
tent.
AS Colwell approached, Norman was
saying TO the man
"There is the lieutenant.
And he added to Colwell
"This is Sergeant Brainard.
Brainard Immediately drew himself
up to the position of soldier" and
was about to salute, when Colwell took
his hand.
AT this moment there was q confus-
ed murmur within the tent, and voice
said:
"Who's therea'
Norman answered at is Nor.
man-Norman who was in the Pro-
teus."
This was followed by cries of ''Oh
it's Norm M" an a s)und like fee
hle cheer.
Meanwhile one of the relief party,
who in his agitation and excitemen,
was crying like child, was down on
his hands and knees trying to roll away
the stones that held down the tapping
tent cloth. The tent was "tepik' or
wigwam tent, with flap attached, The
fly with IFS posts and dge-polc had
been wrecked by the gale which had
been blowing for thiry-six hours, and
the pole Of the tepik was topping over,
and only kept in place by the guy
.upes. There was no entrance except
under the flap opening which was held
down by stones. Colwel called for a
knife, cut slit in the tent cover and
looked in.
1t was sight of horror. On one
side close to the opening, with his head
toward the outside, lay what was APP
parently a dead man. His jaw had
dropped, his eyes were open, but fixed
and CLASSY, his limbs were motionless.
On the opposite side was poor fellow,
alive to be sure, but without hands or
feet,and with spoon tied to the stump
of his right arm. Two others seated
on the ground in the middle, had just
got down a rubber bottle that hung on
the tent pole, and were pouring from
it into tin can. Directly opposite, on
his hands and knees, was dark man
with long matted beard, in a dirty
and tattered dressing gown with lit
tie red skull cap on his head, and bril-
liant, staring eyes. As Colwell appear
ed, he raised himself little and put on
a pair of eyeglasses.
"Who are youi" asked Colwell.