The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-20

pieces of old newspaper in it frozen in chunks
of ice. We put these chunks to our breasts
and melted them away to get the
fragment of paper. Those were carefully IN
this way we found that Mr.. Arthur was Presi-
dent, and that. therefore, Garfield must be dead.
In the paper was letter from Henry Clay, OF
Louisville. urging that relief be sent to Greelys
party or they would perish like belong and his
men, and that was our first news of the sad fate
of that expedition Except from these papers
we hadn't heard from the United States for
three years. We had an old army record,
and spent much time over it. Lieutenant Greedy
had a book of psalms, and on Sundays he would
read psalm. He also delivered lectures on his
observations in the western part of the United
States Others who had been to the tropics lect-
ured on what they had seen there. DR.. Pavey
delivered medical lectures The men would tell
of their adventures-somet real, sometimes
imaginary, Every device was adopted 80 keep
the minds of the men off their dreadful situation
anc to keep them from thinking of home Those
whose minds couldnot be so easily diverted were
the ones who sunk most rapidly and died first
Early in 1884, that being presidential year, we
nominated candidates and held an election. MIR.
Blaine was nominated by the Republicans, and
ex-senator Thurman, of Ohio, by the Democrats
The Republicans composed two-thirds of the
party, and Blaine was elected.
Poor Cross died on the 18th of January. He
was the first to 60. Lieutenant Greedy read a
psalm, and we buried the body in the sand and
gravel up on the hill Several said, I wish /
were in his place. Death was rather welcome
of Brainerd, lasted little longer than was an
ticipated, 30 that that noble-hearted fellow must
have taken less than his share.
EARLY in the spring the sun rose again, and
Rice and l went after some meat that had been
left the year before about twenty-five miles
away. We failed to find it. and think it must
have drifted away on an ice foe during the win
ter On the return Rice began to grow weaker.
We stopped at the foot of an iceberg, and tried
to revive him. but he died in my arms, after ask
ing me to return his effects to the New York
Herald. The moment sat there in that desert
of ice in a furious snow-storm, with the dead
body of my comrade in my arms, and realized
that was alone. was the most soemn in my
life. slept all night and next day secured
some articles from the sledge and buried Rices
body got back to camp. and told them of my
failure to find the meat, and of Rice's death In
the meantime two more of the party had dice.
A bear mad been killed, however, and hope had
revived Other food was about gone. The men
continued to die, and we buried them the best
we could by pulling little sand over them. All
They had grown weaker and weak
or, and were petulant and childish.
They lay in their sleeping bags from day to day,
scarcely able to get out. was one of the three
men detailed to shoot poor Henry, who had been
stealing the food. One of US had blank cart
ridge in his gun, and there is room for each to
hope that it was not he who killed On May ~
our last civilized food, eight ounces of pure
pork, was divided among u.s. Then we began to
eat the sealskin sacks and boots. We would
scrape the hair off, and soak the skin in water
1t relieved the gnawing of the stomach. Poor
Ellison, whose feet and hands had been frozen,
fed himself by means of spoon tied to the
stump of his arm. In May, we abandoned the
hut, went up on the bill, further away from the
shore, and put up tent This was where we
were found We were dirty, greasy and filthy
beyond realization. had put on suit OF I'M
derclothing on the 9Th of August. 1883. and did
not wash or change clothing till June ~. 1884
Yet we had no vermin which do not thrive IN
arctic regions My shirts were as greasy as
wagon-hubs
''The day. or rather night, though the sun
was shining when we were rescued, we were IT,
ing In the tent, while a terrific storm ragged out
side. The wind blew seventy miles an hour,
and had blown the tent over on US. We were
nell was dying. We hardly realized what was
passing Lieutenant Greedy. from his sleeping
bag. said family that he thought he heard a
whistle. The others did not hear it. Brainerd
and Long went out to see Presently Brainerd
came back and said no ship was there. Then
we thought it must have been the wind blowing
in can or in a rife. After some time we heard
voice outside the tent crying Greely, are
you thereP Greedy recognized the voice of Nor
ton, an ice pilot on the ship that had taken
us north. He answered Morton cut through
the side of the tent, and felt that at last the
long hoped for help had come. AS to the charge
Of cannibalsm against US. if anything of the
kind occurred did not know it."
Sergeant Frederick's usual weight is us
pounds. When he was rescued he weighed 108
pounds. He came to this city to take position
in the Signal Service Office, but year ago in
May was discharged on account of physical disa-
bity, the result Of his terrible experience in the
arctic regions. He receives no pension, and the
government in fact owes him and Brainerd
each $173 He has asked Mr.. Bynum to intro
duce bill to grant him pension, but the bill,
if introduced, has never been considered.
Lieutenant Greedy, the commander of the ex-
petition has written history of it, and he gives
no member of the party higher praise in the line
of his duty than ne accords to Sergeant Fred
ericks. In point Of fact, the survivors of the
Greedy command owe their lives to the endur-
ance and faithfulness of Sergeant Fredericks.
Story of One of the Rescuers.
One of the men who went to the relief of
Greedy and his men is also living in this city.
His name is George Won Spreckelson and he is