Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-10-31
time, and was, indeed, worthy of some

ed, and the surgeon, DR.. Pavy, for o
whom the secretary of war sent con- n
tract papers. DR.. Pavy was surgeon h
and naturalist, acting constantly i'll v
both capacities, according to the testi- t
mony of the survivors at the present t.
time. Ho was, as has been seen, the i
only experienced Arctic explorer and Il
Arctic Scientist in the party; the only C
one, also, who could use the Eskimo
tongue and become Interpreter. His '
services were invaluable, and hence en- c
gagged by the secretary of war in I
Washington while DR.. Pavy was in c
Greenland, and not known to be living /
until the "PrOteus" reached him i'll {
Godhavn, Disco Island. The after sue t
cesses of the brave, heroic band, their
life and struggles, their matchless bat
tie with death, in which some became .
eternal victOrs, and others earthly
heroes, is known to the world The
more detailed and accurate story of the
life at Fort Conger,of two years dura-
ton, is yet to be told by the journals OF
the party.
Following are extracts from authen.
tic and official sources, which will
show the facts of some of the results
clearly and concisely. A few pages, ,as
merely detached extracts from the
journal of DR.. Pavy, we shall
print in a future issue. they
let some light into the mystery
and the undivulged story of the life at
Fort Conger. More will follow at a
future day, from the pen OF the accom-
plished and estimable widow of DIR.
PAW, and IN a more permanent form:
In reference to the Greely expedition
and the special services of the surgeon,
it may be said DR.. Pavy served the
party as surgeon, naturalist, experience
/ ed explorer, interpreter of the ESkimOs
| (knowing their language) ,and in gem
eral capacity as a skillful scientist, and
as lecturer upon varied subjects OF
interest.
Sergt. Brainard says:-'!Regarding
the lectures given by DR.. Pavy at Fort
Conger and Camp Clay, will say that
they were very interesting, eagerly lis
tened to aud earnestly solicited by all.
Those subjects which occur to me now
are. History of France from its Earliest
Period; DR.. Pavy's Travels i'm Africa;
The Life of Napoleon; Hygiene; Pois-
ons and their Antidotes, and many
other subjects not at present recalled"
f Upon Arctic History, the sciences in
J volved, and discoveries made and like
J lv to be made. DR.. Pavy lectured at
I Fort Conger and Cape Sabine. Upon
asking Mrs. Pavy what was her hus-
bands chief success, she said:-"l
shall always regard his medical record
r as q proud one, and as compared to
t other expeditions of the past it is with
out precedent. No party ever winter
l ed SO high north; none ever endured
/ such severe seasons of cold; no party
II ever was so long in such latitude
t aud yet no party ever was so free
s from ILL., health and scurvy. DIR. Paws
It journals for three years give evidence
upon every page, of his daily and hour
Il ly solicitude and watchtul care for thu
It health of the entire command. Ill
II was never free from efforts for thei
o well-being The results speak mos
n grandy for his skill and success"
Lieut.. Greely said:-''Leaving TO
Of the retreat from Fort Conger to Cap
t. Sabine, 1888. Party are all well an
ID in good spirits. The party have passe
ID two years at Fort Conger without an
es serious case of disease" There wer
ne accidents and surgical cases during th
he life at Fort Conger.
at Sergt Brainard said:-sRules fo
H. health and exercise were prescribe
nd and strictly enforced. They were III
We doubtedly of great benefit to us, espe
he tally the regulation insuring dryness
no hunks and personal cleanliness, al
er the daily taking of lime juice. \
d. scurvy or any other serious disease o.
ed Cured during the two years. residen
at Fort Conger, 81 deg, A min."
wv The testimony of the party write
ch and signed by them, May 10, 1884. OH
he few days previous to the death
d. several members, reads as. follows:
of TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
no "We, the undersigned, members
no the Lady Franklin Bay Polar Exped
ton, desire to take this means of e
sh pressing our acknowledgment of t
of devoted zeal and professional skill di
ty' played by DR.. Octave Pavy in the di
eW charge of his medical duty during
les, full length of the expedition. During t
GO. past winter, 1883-'84, his medical SIX
on has contributed in preserving the liN
Id, of the party to the present day"
seu This is quite all the testimony nee
1of ed to show that DR.. Pavy was held
ahu noble and affectionate esteem by
vas party whom he served as a stall offic
ino Mr.. George Kennan, of Washil
.cn, ton, said:-"No other Arctic eXpe'
my ton has ever spent two cOnsecut
[er- winters and part of third i'll 81
high latitudes and achieved such
III suits without a single case of serit
avy illness. If Lieut.. Greely had found
10 the mouth of Smith Sound the shel
r., and food which he had a right to {
he pect there, he would probably hi
Itny brought his entire party back to
anu United States III perfect health, a
ani- s three winters-(four winters in Arr
'on- lands to DR.. Pavy), In the higl
oe- northern latitudes that have ever b
Ill reached, and after series of sledg
campaigns, which for boldness
III skillful execution have rarely, if c,
O|i. been surpassed"
,,;sb Said an experienced explorer
pre- iatituue Wnefe ohe Seaeo, sunny. ~
Ian. crews with scurvy, Greely's little b
passed two years with health and vi
the that were impaired neither by Al
ra ,, nights one hundred and forty {
ana long, nor by the terrible tolls of
NrS spring and sum mer travelling"
for The Encyclopedia Britannica ST
June "Every precaution that medical scit
can suggest must be taken aga
July scurvy."
st OF This gives emphasis TO the ski
far DR.. Pavy, as a single surgeon bait
sight against scurvy in the face OF he
that odds. Not case occurred, III co
eral, quence of his wisdom and skill. LIZ
IONS ing back for nearly three hunt
II all years into the history OF exploratl
his there never was u party i'll the a
were regions kept SO free from disease
nstl- death by their surgeon as the Gr
oun- party-a record made by the skill
col zeal of DIR. Pavy and he alone, a
tlon. was the only surgeon, and as his II
nder- cal jurisprudence included the {
'ovcd tions of fuel, clothing, exercise
hases time of travelling as related to he
isist- the food and many other matter
nd II vital Importance. And the official
clally nal of DIR. Pavy shows that the
Die i'll latitude, the severe cold, the leng
Dogs, time absent without news to cheer
gs he aid to invigorate, and the very
supplies of the party, were fearful
acted against him in making such rec
the Ii is certainly unprecedented in res
atural and hence it is deemed to have bee
ntlous chief success. If saving twenty
VS. by men through three struggling yea
lg the the highest latitude ever lived
been a party is nobler and more glo
team than for three men, travelling W
TTnon Sledoe tO 90 tOur miles beyOn,