Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-10-21
TRAGIC RELICS
IN ARCTIC SEAS,
Mementos Of Greedy Expedition
Found by Peary Aid.
FOOD PERFECTLY PRESERVED.

FOOD PERFECTLY PRESERVED.
Professor Donald Mcmillan Ate Elk
plorer's Provisions and Wore His
Abandoned Coat-Racng Dope Sheet
and Hymn Book Among Remnants
of III Fated Expedition.
Professor Donald Mcmillan of
Worcester, Mass, topographer with
the Icary expedition. although he did
not go to the north pole, had. after
peary himself. the most interesting eX-
pnricnces of any of those in the party.
Remains of the expedition under
Greedy during his i'll fated attempt to
find he pole In 1881 to 1881 were dis
covered by the scientists at Fort Con-
ger. on Lady Franklin bay. In latitude
S1.44. Canned vegetables, including po-
tatoes, hominy and rhubarb; some penn
mican and tea and coffee We're discov-
cred in great quantities.
"They We're still good too" said Pro-
fcssor Mcmillan. Il know, for | ate
some Of them myself. Sergeant David
Il. Braincrd's trunk was found intact.
| used it as Il shelter in taking my OBJ
servations to protect me from storms"
In May, 1880, the Greedy party had
reached 1924 in north Greenland
They were on their return when the
winter set in. and they camped at Fort
Conger. Here the party became des-
pe11te and split. Seventeen Of the
twenty-five members, under Lieuten-
ant Kisingbury, started off alone in
an effort to reach civilization. Limited
to nine pounds of baggage and food
each. they were overcome by the eie
ments, and all persisted. The remain
der of the party who remained ut Fort
Conger were rescued by Admiral then
LieutenanD w. S. Schley, y. S. n. in
1884.
Boys Gift to Explorer Found.
Among the relics found at Fort Con
ger were many documents relating to
the expedition. including records In the
handwriting of Greedy, which had been
left behind on the arrival Of the res
cuing party. One Of the finds was n
text book. and another was temper
| ance hymn book. Both had belonged to
Lieutenant Kislingbury. The flyleaf of
the first bore Kislingbury's name and
was inscribed:
To my dear father, from his affection
ate son, Harry Kislingbury. May God be
with you and return you safely to us.
Lieutenant Kislingbury never return
f.h te,e t., To- I,
west. This book, which, with the
hymn book, was shown by Professor
Mcmillan, seemed to have been used
by students Of Assumption college,
Sandwich Ont. bearing the names Of
several, with the dates at which they
had used it. The words Harry Kis-
| lingbury, Fort Custer, Montana" were
also written on the f1yleaf. Lieuten-
ant Kislingbury was stationed at Fort
Custer when he received leave Of alb
sence to take part in the Greedy eXpe-
dltion.
The song book bore the dedication:
To Lieutenant Frederick Kislingbury,
from his old friend and wellwisher, the
author George w. Clarke, Detroit, Mich.
May Is, 1881.
Wore Coat Greedy Left.
1--WE found Greely's coat ON the
ground near the camp" said Professor
| Mcmillan. Here Is one of the but
| tons" And he produced gilt button
cut from the uniform worn by the ex-
! plorer 1.-The coat was in such a good
state of preservation, the professor
| went on. that l wore it. 1t served to
keep out the cold too. Between the
pages Of an old magazine bearing the
date 1880 l found, too, several photo
graphic plates which had been made
by George b. Rice, official photogra-
pher of the expedition. The plates, of
course, We're spoiled by their long ex-
posture to the elements
A bit of grim humor was contained
| in the discovery of Il batch of dope
sheets" of the trotting races held in
the United States in 1881. These were
decpherable. and one might still see
| the marks where the member Of the
| party whose interest in racing was
carried into the arctic had marked his
selections. Yet further insight into
the life of the party during the long
winter night was furnished by a note
book which contained the draft of a
| speech which was evidently delivered
at a banquet held during the long peri
! cd of inactivity The speech began:
chairman and gentlemen - thank
God there are no ladies'" and was fill
ed with semi-humorous illusions to va
] ri, # 0,,.,- I've:
pecularities ana hobbies. The speaker
| said he was sorry to see So few faces,
| but added that stress of weather had