The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-03-03
AN ARCTIC RESCUE
The Finding of the Survivors of
the Greedy Expedition.
STAYED THE HAND OF DEATH.

The Seven Starved and Halt Crazed
Dying Men Were YEARLY Waiting
For the 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 Greedy expedi-
ton at Cape Sabine In 1894 Frank B.
Copley In the American Magazine
gives a dramatic description of the ac-
tuai finding of the starving survivors.
On June 81 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. Greedy.
Frederick. frederick. Ellison and Con
nell were under the fallen canvas of
the tent. Brainard and Long were
under the fallen canvas of the adjoin.
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. supremacy indifferent
to everything. lay idly dozing.
But the evening still was young
when. seemingly from distance. there
came sound that forced itself upon
their attention Once came the sound!
Twice came the sound. Three times
came the sound. Each time 1t was a
long. insisteni screech
Al first 1t was annoying. as any
sound Is that gradually forces one to
leave ones pleasant dreams and awake.
But With the second repetition of the
screech Brainurd and Long sat up and
looked M eneh other.
From under the canvas OF the tent
came the complaining voice of Greedy,
"Bruinard. did you hear it?"
Yes. sir :"
what was III"
~ think am pretty sure-that 1t
was the whistle of IA steamer
There was something of Il stir under
the fallen canvas of the tent. Bieder-
bick had aroused himself and seized
the bag containing their last bit of
brandy Two spoonfuls were left.
Biedrrbick forced one down the throat
of the dying Council. II they actually
were going TO he rescued Council
should have chance to live. The
other spoonful of brandy Biederbick
offered to his commander. When Gree
~ declined II Biederbick sent II TO fol.
low the other spoonful down the throat
OF Council.
Greedy now asked Brainard and Long
II they could get out from under their
canvas and report II anything was to
be seen. They said they felt able to
climb TO the high. rocky point on the
ridge where Bralnurd had set signal
flag
DO your best" said Greedy.
Slowly ana painfully Brainard and
Long crnwled up the narrow path In
the snow 10 the point which command
ed broad view of the sea. There
was much open water. but nothing
was TO be seen on II save the old
monotonoua foes and bergs.
Long said they must have been mis-
taken In the nature of the sound they
had heard Brainard agreed. After n
Few minutes Brainnrd. chilled through.
said he would go back und report TO
Greedy Long. who was more warmly
clad. said be would stay up there a
while longer
When Rrainard, In reporting TO Gree
~. again expressed the opinion that
they Ind been deceived the opinion
seemed to he accepted by all the men
under the tent Brainurd crawied back
into his bag fully believing that he
never would leave II again and fully
resigned To the prospect.
Presently Biederhick began to argue
that the fact that no ship was TO be
seen from the point above them did
not necessarily Indicate that they had
been deceived IN believing TINT the
sounds they heard were those OF a
ships whistle lie suggested that the
ship might toe In Payer harbor. which
could not be seen from their ridge
Greedy aroused himself sufficiently
10 say that he did not consider this
probable Bederbick. however went
on arguing In his persistent German
way that help was nerr. At length
Greedy. whose nerves were wreck
and whose mind was fast giving way.
turned on Riederhick and cursed him
for making disturbance.
"Shut up" he ordered. "nnd let us
die In peacew
So once more there WAS uuIet
vaguely wondered II he ever again