The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-02-19
THE GREEDY ExpEDIrIoN
Thrilling Extracts From the piary Of
Lieut. Klsl.nkbury.
The d1aru ~ Tsan&

sAtlo. u cnapter n Inc history of the
Greedy expedition. Entries In short.
hand were made In small notebook.
ana the writer evidently put down has
impressions fearlessIy from day 10 day.
The criticism OF Greedy is scathlnP. As
transcribed. the notes fill $50 pages m
foolscap. August 8, 1883, after the aban-
donment OF Fort Conger, is the opening
On August 1, 1sS, Lieut.. KslIngbufy
writes:
al hear Lieut.. Lieut. 6reely has used
up all the coal but about $500 pounds.
He lost twenty miles of steam;ng power
by wading In the ice Yesterday. If he
would only let the - have q CHANGE TO
get out of Smith sound we might gel a
big run; bur no, he will NOT tolerate adj
vice. Besides, should have remarked
before that ] occupy the same status I
have since August 20, 1881, when re-
lieVed from duty as a member of the
expedition. Try to help now all 1 can
and wherever can. He has assigned
me no particular post or duty"
''1f he would take the advice and heed
the reasoning of those Who understand,
there would be some encouragement.
Theirs Is serious dissatisfaction among
the men. Poor fellows, they cannot be
blamed-theY behave mantuily, patient
and sensible through all, but 1t is all
dreadfully trying to the good, sensible
fellows"
August "a. the fifteenth day, he says:
"As the ice came pressing IN, the men
acted as when before IN q scrape some
thing like this, noorIng their boats TO
safe places Greedy gave no orders, and
acted like man who knew not what to
do. ] write things just as they occur,
and do not allow my personal feelings
to govern me IN the slightest. but / do
not mention half the weak, pusiIlani-
nous, nonsensical, and scores OF things,
but the right ones. the man has done
since we left Conger. In fact, he does
nothing right, and our reaching this
place Is due only to good fortune, the
hard work and good management of the
men,"
Saturday, September Is: "But record
here that am possessed with a comfort
ing assurance that we will get out of
this scrape. can not believe that twen-
ty-two such good men as compose the
strength of this party can be utterly lost
after their hard work and all they have
submitted to so patiently at the hands OF
the mar IN command of the expedition.
The other man (LockwOod) do not in
clude in this reflection, because his
conduct has been such as MT
TO deserve the slightest thought. from
myself at least, if not from the
others of the party. Both of their do
ings will be produced, I trust, to the
world some day, which l believe will
justify the opinion. AS for myself, In
responsible for all my conduct since 1
left my country. / have always tried to
do my duty and my best to help my iel
lowmen. and through all | have held TO
h0f I 10 he oh m
conduct towards the thing which com
mands this expedition, say now that I
would take the same course If / had il
to Go over again. l have tried not To
surrender my rights. and would never
agree to wrong to please him." We'd
nesday. SEPTEMBER 10: Lieut.. Lock
wood and Sergeant Rice were directed
to go out after breakfast and select the
most favorable route. The plan is simp-
ly nonsense, but cannot go into reasons
1t Is too dark to see to write. He gave
as reason tor his taking this course
that he had heard the men lately criti-
cising him some of the talk was mutt
nous, but that he was powerless to take
any action or to stop the talking. The
man is insane. Why does he listen or
pay any attention to the talk of the men
God knows. there Is not a man here who
commander, and there Is not one who
has not promptly responded to his or
derS and wishes, and for the sake OF
peace and harmony humOTed him be.
yond human endurance in responding
cheerfully every one of his many silly
demands. Great God, does he call il do.
ing his duty to attempt his ridiculous
plan of abandoning half our supplies
and moving over floating ice because he
has heard the men talking about him
BAH / haven't patience to write any
more. / must not forget that he had
not seen the condition of the foe, having
been in his sleeping bag"
The next day he writes: Lieut. G =
conduct lately in threatening to shoot
Cross without the slightest reason the
other day, and swearing at the men on
other occasions without reason, his silly
actions lately IN controlling the launch
when there are better men who can dc
it, his carrying a pistol, small, self
cooking arrangement, Is too ridiculous
These men are so easily controlled and
have behaved, without exception, so un-
exceptionally throughout the whole ex-
petition, that there IS not the slightest
excuse for such intimidation. COntOund
the man, why can't he be sensible and
| do things right. Putting Dr. Pavy, the
most sensible ana hardest working man
we have along, in arrest, Is another OF
his silly acts. The man is not in SER
vice, and on this extraordinary duty is
in close arrest, and the whole thing was
put-up job, as will be proven as soon
as this miserable farce can be investi
gated"
Saturday, August 10, 1888, tenth day
Called to breakfast In q nasty, wet
heavy snOwstorm. Everything was wtt
| and disagreeable. The sleeping bags
| were covered with snow and there were
| no tents Lieut.. G. IS on the launch
alongside the boiler. covered by canvas
| and comfortable; but we have rugged
coverings over our boats by using tents
and poles; yet how much better if We
were on shore. But why complain We
are jolly and good-natured in spite oil
| all"
He continues to note the daily unec.
| essary use of coal and labor, instead ol
waiting for more favorable winds.
On August 81 he writes:
September 81, 43d day: "The com.
manding officer was complaining sgair
last night about the growing OF the meI
and order Sergeant Raiston to make
notes (spy in facO on one of the meu
| (ConneD. This sort of thing is trying
and very discouragIng to the men, aD0
| all of Us in fact"
THE LOSS OF THE PRoTEUs.
! October 8: After learning of the wreck
| of the Proteus and of the intention o
| Lieut.. Darlington TO catch the naval
vessel at Littleton Island, he writes:
81 hope and pray the poor fellows goI
across ali right. 1t Is my belief tina
| Darlington will have gotten the naval
| ship to leave all supplies possible al
| LIttsseton Island, provided she got there
and that she Is there himself, ard will
there remain until he can cross, which
think will be at the earliest date the ice
| will permit him t. cross. The crew Of
| the Proteus probably returned to tho
| United States in the naval ship. d
| course we are greatly encouraged by this
news, and thankful for the efforts made
by our government for our relief
God bless my friend Darlington fol-
his efforts, as also our govern
ment. was struck favOrablY wher
| reading GarlIngton's last record telling
US of the wreck In closing he showed
such indifference for their own critical
condition and misfortunes, and said that
| he would do everything that man could
| de- for us. 1 was affected nearly to tears
| and my voice nearly failed me when
| reading aloud. Poor feliowi His sui
fering by anguish must have been great
indeed. and feel for him the disappoint
meDt know he must feel at his failure
| through the loss of his ship. But
firmly believe he is now at Littleton Is
land I"
Lieut.. Kislingbury frequently refers
| to rice in his diary, more SO than 10 any
one else, and says he Is the toughest and
best man in the party, the only trouble
being that he works too hard. The
events of the dreadful winter which fol-
lowed are familiar tn the public from
the writings ofthe others OF the party,
AID Lieut., Kislingbury's does not diff
from them.
On April 0. 1894. he gives an account
of his restoration to duty bv Lieut.
GreeIv, and the approval of his conducI
by that officer, with the understanding
that be (K is next Ia rank, TO take
command.
May 10: "Lie1t. Greedy astonished me
to-day by offering his hand and sayiag.
.uiah aax- IN ron ehae