The San Francisco call., 1897-09-27

miles south of Cape Sabine. Upon es-
Gaping from the ice the party was con-
fruned with worse conditions than before,
as the land was a dreary waste covered
with ice and devoid of vegetation, except
the hardy lichens which grew out OF the
heart OF the granite rocks. 1t was a
prospect TO make the bravest hear
quail. yet these true soldiers OF the
republic never gave up hope and at once
began preparations to build snow huts,
which they realiz d would be their last
resting place unless a rescue party reached
them, as ihey had no prov sions of any
kind, except few seals that could be shot
and captured III the rapidly freezing pools
in the ice. Two men were sent north to
Cape Sabine, to see if any record of a re-
lief expedition could be found there.
After four days they got back to camp
weary, exhausted and almost succumb bed
to starvation. Thev brought news of a
relief expedition shat was wrecked near
Cape Sabine in the previous June. The
su vivors had retreated to the south and
the supplies sunk with the ship, except
enough to last the Greedy party fociv
days. These were deposited among the
determined that the entire party should
move north to Cape Sabine TO live upon
the ra;ions found, as long as they should
last. in the hope of rescue. They arrived
at Cape Sabine about November l. The
sun had left, and continued darkness had
set IN, the temperature then being far be-
low zero and all avenues of escape by
water closed.
A house was made of snow and loose
rocks. The boat was used TO partially
cover the hut and the mast and oars were
cut and used as rafters 10 support the sail
and boat as roof. The hut was about
sixteen feet long and eight feet wide and
the floor was the frozen lake. On this
floor were lad what men call sleeping
bags" made out of buffalo robes with the
hair sewed inside and large enough to
hold two men. There was but one thick
ness OF the buffalo robe between the bodies
of the men and the ice and the same over
them. The only fire lighted was for a
few minutes to thaw ice into water when
their scant meals were prepared. In the
sleeping bags it was necessary for man
to keep hitting his feet together to keep
up the circulation, and when sleep would
follow WEAKNESS from this exercise dreams
of food in plenty haunted the minds of
the poor starving mortals.
Many time Mr.. Council awoke with a
start, dreaming that he was putting a
piece OF cake TO his mouth, and the in
tense disappoin tment nearly drove him
frantic. Sleeping on the ice among the
filth of the hut, the continual exertion to
keep warm both in and out of the sleep
ing. bag, the frantic cravings OF hunger
and the mental agony at The apparent
hopelessness of rescue made the living
envy those who had died leaving mes.
sages for those at home in case of rescue.
The agony and suffering of Mr.. Connell
and his comrades is best told in his own
language. When asked as to the occur
rences at Cape Sa abine he said:
mo language of mine can adequately
portray the horrors of those eight months
from November 1. 1888, to June % 1854
while graphing with grim death at Cape
Sabine. The provisions. which were
hardly sufficient to last forty days, were
limited so as TO last sixty days, and were
then again extended 20 last till March l.
From April II to the time of the res
cue, June %, not morsel OF civilized food
had entered my mouth. Dnring that time
my bill of fare consisted OF the few lickens
could scrape from the rocks and the cin-
ders made from sealskin clothes OF both