The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-01-27

believe that the responsibility fol
that disaster was divided. While
did land my men where | promised
to two years before, | blame myself
that | did not go further-that
did not take into my hands the
question of safety bat going there
as lieutenant of the army, | felt
that it was not my place TO enter into
the question as TO how the safety OF
the expedition should be conserved.
| promised only that | would go to
Sabine, and at Sabine | was found
lApplausel. In regard to the life
that we spent on that barren rock
a life which was eked out God only
knows how-forty days provisions
being made to last for nine or ten
months, with what scanty subsIst-
ence We could draw from the sur
rounding rocks-it was hell upon
earth during all the five months Of
utter darkness in that wretched hut
When finally the rays of the sun did
penetrate it, turned to one of the
men who slept III the bag next to
me, and said: Good God How is
1t that We have lived through this
hell on earth without losing our rea-
son 2 We laid five months in that
hut without a ray of sunshine ever
entering it. The hut was so dark
that for week at 4 time, although I
lay IN bag with two men so closely
packed that when one man turned
over the other had TO turn over. |
was not aole to see the face of the
man to the right or the left. The
only light We had was a wretched
rag dipped in tallow oil. We occu-
pied a stone hut about the size OF
this room the walls were so low
that when | sat in my sIeepiug-bag
my head touched thereof The bag
froze to the ground. They were that
way for five months. III vacated for
ten minutes, thev froze stiff inside.
For ten months we never knew what
1t was TO have our aDpetites satisfied.
For ten months we had that wretch
ed gnawing feeling which only those
who have experienced it can under
stand. Yet all that time, with few
exceptions, the men displayed such
remarkable loyalty, such cheerful
ness, and such law-abiding spirit,
that think better of mankind for
having lived with those men through
that trouble,
For two or three months at time
we never knew what it was to have
a drink of water except what we
could get by putting snow and ice
in a rubber bag and thawing it with
the heat of our bodies. In that way
We could get eight or ten spoOnfuls
at time. Another thing showed
remarkable resolution and courage
on the part of these men. We had
been on short rations before the ex-
tremely short allowance of fourteen
ounces a day was adopted. All the
men were consulted about it and all
agreed to it. Almost without ex-
ception the men said to me: What
ever YOU say we will do. ,"
Lieutenant Greedy related many
other incidents of the heroic courage
displayed by his little band. speak
ing always modestly of his own par
ticipation therein. He said that he
was not an enthusiast as regards
Arctic explorations, that he had nev-
err urged them strongly, but 1t be-
bowed the United States Govern
ment to do its part in such scientific
work. and the officers who were Sc
lected for the hazardous work had
simply to do the duties assigned 20
them to the best of their ability.
Lieutenant Greely's remarks were
listened to with the closest attention;
little ripples of applause breaking
in upon the respectful silence of the
clubmen as the deeds of Americas
soldier explorers were told and the
frank and free appreciation of them
by Englishmen recited. The ap-
plause that followed the close Of his
address was loud and prolonged.
The members rose and sang, "For
He's Jolly Good Fellow"
The chairman then introduced ex-
Judge Daily with few words of ref
erence to the Judges long and hon
orable services on the bench, and of
playful illusions to his exalted
functions as president of the Geo
graphical Society Judge DAILY said:
You have referred to my eonnec-
ton with the Geographical Society 4
that Society honored Lieutenant
Greelv with the most enthusias-
tic reception it ever rendered to any
geographical hero. No expedition,
in my opinion, ever depended so
largely on the heroism and iltelli
gence Of its leader as the one with
which his name Is connected. i am
glad that by his own account his ex-
pedition is not to he confOunded
with other expeditions to discover
the Pole. 1t is my official opinion
as a geograpber that the only expe-
ditions that should be sent out are
those for physical observation at fix
ed points about the Arctic circle
For this reason Lieutenant Greely's
expedition should be separated from
all others His was a purely scien-
tific expedition, not one of wild dis
covery. The chairman spoke of the
journey to Grinnell Land. | may
he permitted to speak of the one to
North Greenland. When we think
of Lockwood and Brainerd's expe-
dition of two months, covering a
thousand miles, we may safely say
that no such sledge journey was ev-
er accomplished. One-fourth OF that
would have been a wonderful Z
achievement. Gentlemen, it is not
necessary that | should say a word |
on the return of Lieutenant Greely's |
party; of the heroism and grit they /
displayed. No words of mine or of
any one could surpass in effect the .
simple details to which you have
Just listened. / know Of nothing 4
comparable to the endurance dis /
played at Fort Sabine. Let me con-
clude with tribute to the hero Of the
rescue of that expedition. Before
the departure of Commodore Schley |
/ overlooked the preparations made