The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-05-11
AN ARCTIC RESCl)|r:
The Finding Of the Survivors q
the Greedy Expedition.
STAYED THE HAND OF DEATH.

The Seven Starved and Half crazed
Dying Men Were Wearily Waiting
For tho End When Came the Shout
That Told Them Relief Was Nigh.
In his story Of the rescue Of the rem
nants Of the Ill fated Greely expedi-
ton at Cape Sabine in 1884 Frank B.
Copley In the American Magazine
gives dramatic description Of the ac-
tual finding of the starving survivors.
On June 2l furious gale blew down
the tent, which the despairing men
had not the strength to raise again.
On the 22d the gale continued. and the
men felt that the end Of their long
struggle had come.
In the evening all the men were In
their bags. waiting for death. Greely.
Frederick. Biederick. Ellison and Con
nell were under the fallen canvas OF
the tent Brainard and Long were
under the fallen canvas OF the ad1oin'
ing shelter 1t remained light. OF
course, the sun at this season being |
continuously above the horizon. Con-
nell passed into the unconscious state |
which was the prelude of death. The
other six men. supremely Indifferent
to everything. lay idly doing.
But the evening still was young
when. seemingly from distance. there.
came a sound that forced itself upon
their attention Once came the sound!
Twice came the sound! Three times
came the sound! Each time it was
long. insistent screech.
At first it was annoying. as any
sound is that gradually forces one to
leave ones pleasant dreams and awake.
But with the second repetition Of the
screecb Brainard and Long sat up and
looked at each other.
From under the canvas of the tent
came the complaining voice OF Greely.
"Brainard. did you hear ft?'
"Yes, sir"
What was it?''
II Think am pretty sure-that 1t
was the whistle of a steamer.
There was something Of a stir under
the fallen canvas of the tent. Bieder
bi,k had aroused himself and seized
the bag containing their last bit Of
brandy Two spoonfuls were left.
Biederbick forced one down the throat
, of the dying Connell. If they actually
) were going to be rescued Connell
, should have chance to live. The
} other spoonful of brandy Biederbick
: offered to his commander. When Gree
, " declined it Biederbick sent it to fol
. low the other spoonful down the throat
n Of Council.
Greely now asked Brainard and Long
r If they could get out from under then
h canvas and report II anything was tt
, be seen. They said they felt able K
f climb to the high. rocky point on thu
Il ridge where Brainard had set sigma
It flag.
do your best" said Greedy.
!, Slowly and painfully Brainard ant
n Long crawled up the narrow path II
!, the snow to the point which command
IN ed broad view of the sea. Their
), was much open water. but nothinI
:, was to be seen on II save the OIL
!, monotonous foes and bergs.
&c Long said they must have been mis-
taken in the nature of the sound the
10 had heard. Brainard agreed. After
70 few minutes Brainard. chilled through
!, said he would go back and report
os Greely Long. who was more warml
~ clad. said he would stay up there
tic while longer.
- When Brainard. in reporting to Gre
M ", again expressed the opinion tn;
! they had been deceived the opinit
- seemed to be accepted by all the me
h. under the tent Brainard crawied ba'
m into his bag. fully believing that
=. never would leave 1t again and fui
mr. resigned to the prospect.
m Presently Biederbick began to arg
&c, that the fact that no ship was to
.ha seen from the point above them
,tv not necessarily indicate that they q
~ been deceived in believing that I
sounds they heard were those OF
-. ships whistle. He suggested that
-, ship might he in Payer harbor. viii
~ could not be seen from their ridge
- Greedy aroused himself sufficient
to say that he did not consider Il
probable. Biederbick. however. we
Z on arguing in his persistent Germ
way that help was near. AT lens
II Greely. whose nerves were a wre
and whose mind was fast giving WI
turned on Biederbick and cursed
for making a disturbance.
"Shut up" he ordered. land let
die in peacer'
So once more there was quiet.
. Lying outside in his bag. Brains
vaguely wondered If he ever ag
would see Long.
In Presently he heard footsteps.
oun- Some one was coming.
It could not be Long.
With Whoever was coming was running
tier. God-he was running.
,hts. Then came ahont-the shout Q
Tor bale and hearty man.
60 "Greetyi Greelyi Are re fhereY'
tion There was no mistaking the
wing with its Scotch Irish accent
run voice was that Of James W. Morn
ems ice master on the Proteus when
n be- steamship transported the Gree!y
wen pedition to Lady Franklin bay 9
years before
,lene AS Norman shouted two big sblT
7ered the United States navy were anc
that ing Just at the foot of the ridge