New-York tribune., 1886-01-17
A DINNER TO LIEUT.. GREELY.
THE ARCTIC HERO AT THE LOTOs CLUB.

the clubhouse were filed with long tables, back and
forth which the members pelted another with
joke and story and wlttcsm while the toothsome viands
came up course by from the lower regions and
as regularly disappeared
General Horace Porter, vice president of the club,
sided At his right the guest OF evening, Lieu
tenant Greely, showing traces OF the terrible suffer
ings and privatons OF those summers aud winters
passed IN tho far North while the Government
was attempting to relieve him. He wore eye
glasses but his luxuriant beard and hair, only
slightly tlnged with gray, showed that his stock
of vitality In wise exhausted
by those harsh experiences At the left OF General Por
ter sat the venerable exJudge Charles p DAILY. The
other guests OF the club Commander Schley and
Chief Engineer Melville. whose names are linked with
Lieutenant Greey's in the history Of Arctic explora
tions; George NJ Pullman, OF palace fame, and L. H.
Rogers. Among the 100 members OF the club present
were: John Elderkin. Colonel Thomas W. Knox, Gen
eral E. T. Wnsow. Richard o OGOrmsn Richard Lathers
John ii. Johnston, III. W. Cannon, 3. g. Packard A. +
TAFT, S. II. Parsons, T. B. Whitney and E. F. Hoyt
When the last course had followed its predecessors
raped order and rising in his place.
welcomed Major Greedy. Here some OF the things
he said
s-Ths Lotos Club cosmopol ar, impartial and
unsectional that 1t is always glad entertain dlsn-
gushed gentlemen either from the South the North,
aud having at times entertained gentlemen from the
extreme South. are ofsetting II tonight by
point fartnes North IApplSusei We hope that the
warmth In our hearts tonight may offset something OF
that chill which rom the frozen regions OF the
Pole. When our distinguished guest was on his way
n0% IN this s'0 Club Which, whatever the sacrifice we
Intended to make equal TO any meal he had ever eaten
IN e Gls ad Ga o ooW the advice Of his nsous
This Greedy did not advise his followers to 90 West but
surprise expressed that lie went so far from US and
mained away so long was not at all amazed at IT, i
boots and starts ont either by land or
going or when he will bring up in camp cavalry
no doubt that II we were subject Major Greedy to
medical examination tonight we would IND him web
Major Greeiy can no doubt enghten us on many In
terestiDg topics III regard TO the Pole and its Vicinity
breathed against Sir John Franklin when It was said
that he stood out with his vessel Que autumn rather
after him. he struck further and frozen In
forever. have doubt that our guest can give some
who have great curiosity TO know how axis revolving
at a maximum rate of speed through so many years
without lubrcauon. can keep so cool. lLaughterl
Earnestly a. feel upon this subject realize that
cannot express in words the full measure of tie gra-
felt by this club tonight In having at this board
an officer who after having followed the flag of his
seized that ag and planted nearer to the coveted Pole
than National banner had ever been placed there be
s moi necessary for me to recall TO you the crcu
stances of that expedition whose annals contain more
ancient fable and they never be cnaced from
tered uon that death grappe with the relentless lee
arpd Of the Nortn Of That marvellous trip through
whi.h would have appalled, any hearts less stout
than theirs they accomplished 200 miles In the short
new trias with bafod efforts, with blasted hopes bow
they we're driven back into their last camps how the
eoosG cosed down upon Them; how they were
tortured moro than Tantalus OF old ana how they
lost everything except that DdOmltablc evcrpresent,
uncomfortable American pluck which saved them iAp-
plause Rise to your feet ana drink noy % ana hearty
leader of the most successiu ROAR ehpodtsn whIch
When the chairman had closed his remarks end the
hur,t OF bravos handclappngs aud laughter had
aided Lieutenant Greedy ross 20 reply This was the
signal for tide of applause that hal ebbed away to
the further OF the rooms to roll back again with
increasing volume while the modest soldier who had
fought death and all his errOrs OF cold and starvation
in his icy fastncsses stood bowling aud blushing.
a Lieutenant Greey made modest acknowledgment OF
the compliment paid him. and then sketchcd some OF
the achievements OF the expedition paying eloquent
tributes TO the courage loyalty and devotion OF his
"a something OF which all Americans should be proud.
In regard TO the responsibility for the disaster at
Sabine" he said, "it Is not my IurpOse to comment.
The public were very much dissatisfied with the way
matters we're managed and fec. that what should say
now would have little force In the account which
have written have given but two ages to the question
OF the responsibility Of the men connected with 1t.
have casgated everybody connected with the cXpcdl
ton from myself to the Secretary Of War; and began
with myself believe that the responsibility for that
| disaster was divided While dll land my
uroIused to two years before blame my self that did
not 20 further-Ihat did not take into my hands the
question OF safety but going there as lieutenant Of the
ARMY e as 10 how he safety Of the expedition should be
conserved promised only that would got to Sabine
and at Sabine was found applause ia regard to uie
life that spent that barren rOck-a life which
eked out God ouly knows days povs jns
scany subsistence could draw from tho surrounding
rOcks-it vas hell mon earth during oil the five months
OF utter darkness IN tue wIeched nut when nhhy tue
rays the did penetrate turDed To one OF the
men VINO slept n the bag next me aud SAID Good God!
How is 1t that we have lived hroneh TINS hell on earth
without losing our reasoni We ald lve mont In that
was so dark that for week at me although lay In
bag with two so closely packed that when one man
able to the Of the man TO the right or the loft
The only light had WIetched ras dipped In
taIlow Oil We occupied a hut about the size OF
this room; the walls 50 low that whom sat In my
sleeping bag my head touched the rOof The bags ozo
to The gould. They were that way for 1'e months
N vacated for minutes they froze stih Inside For
ten months we never knew what 1t TO have our ap
neites satisfied. For ten months lad that wretched
rnnwng feeling which only Hose who have experienced
Can understand. Yet all that tine with few exceptions
the men displayed such remarkable loyalty, such cheer
fitness and such law abiding spirit that think better
of mankind for having lived with those men through ha'
For two three months at time we never knew
what 1t to have drink o water except such as We
could get by putting and lee In rubber bag aud
thawing 1t with the heat OF our bodies. IN taat way
thing showed remarkable resolution and courage the
mt OF these men, We had been short ratlOns before
the extremely short allowance OF fourteen ounces day
was adopted All the mbn were consulted abOnt IL ana
all agreed 10 IL. AllnOSl NItHOuV cAcopllOH
said TO me: Whatever you say will We do. '"
Lieutenant Grcey related many other Incidents OF the
heroic courage displayed By his little band speaking
always modestly Of his own participation therein. lie
said he not enthusiast as regards Arctic ex
plOraOns that he had urged them strongly. but
that benOOved the United States GOvcrnmsnt To do ITS
part In such scondc work, and tn. officers who were
selected the hazardous work had simply to do the
duties assigned TO them TO the best Of their ability
Lieutenant Greelys remarks listened to with the
closest tte rpples of applause breaking In
on the respectful silence OF the cnbnen as the deeds OF
| .fn1A IL au1
free appreciation OF them By Engishmcn rccited. The
applause that followed the clOse OF his addresswas loud
and prolonged The members and sang, For He's
Jolly Good Fellow"
The chairman then introduced ex-Judge DAILY with
few words TO the judges long and honorable
services the bench aud Of playful ausOn 10 hls
exalted functions president Of the Geographical so
I,,.te In III