The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-03-03
AN ARCTIC RESCUE
The Finding of the Survivors OF
the GreeIy Expedition.
STAYED THE HAND OF DEATH.

IN his bLOTy OF tHe TeSCue ol TIE IeLn-
nants of the iii fated Greely expedi.
ton at Cape Sabine In 1884 Frank B.
Copley In the American Magazine
gives a dramatic description Of the ac-
tual finding of the starving survivors.
On June Fl a furious gale blew down
the tent, which the despairfng 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, Biederick. 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. 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 soundl Each time 1t was
long. insistent screech.
At first II 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 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 itf"
"Yes. SIR"
what was TT"
81 think am pretty sure-that 1t
was the whistle Of a steamer"
There was something of 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.
Biederbick forced one down the throat
Of the dying Connell. IL they actually
were going to be rescued Connell
should have a chance TO live. The
other spoonful Of brandy Biederbick
offered to his commander. When Gree
ly declined 1t Biederbick sent 1t to fol
low the other spoonful down the throat
Of Connell.
Greedy now asked Brainard and Long
II they could get out from under their
canvas and report If anything was to
be seen. They said they felt able to
climb to the high, rocky point on the
ridge where Brainard had set signal
flag.
do your best" said Greedy.
Slowly and painfully Brainard and
Long crawled up the narrow path in
the snow to the point which command
ed a broad view of the sea. There
was much open water, but nothing
was TO be seen on II save the old
monotonous foes and bergs.
Long said they must have been mis-
taken In the nature Of the sound they
had heard Brainard agreed. After
few minutes Brainard, chilled through.
said he would go back and report to
Greedy. Long. who was more warmly
clad. said he would stay up there
while longer.
When Brainard, I'm reporting to Gree
ly, again expressed the opinion that
they had been deceived the opinion
seemed 10 be accepted by all the men
under the tent. Brainard crawled back
into his bag. fully believing that he
never would leave 1t again and fully
resigned TO the prospect.
Presently Biederbick 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 I'm believing that the
sounds they heard were those OF a
ships whistle. He suggested that the
ship might be In Payer harbor. which
could not be seen from their ridge.
Greely aroused himself sufficiently
TO say that he did not consider this
probable. Blederbick. however, went
on arguing in his persistent German
way that help was near. At length
Greely, whose nerves were wreck
and whose mind was fast giving way,
turned on Blederbick and cursed him
for making a disturbance.
"Shut up" he ordered, ''and let us
die In peacep'
So Once more there was quiet
Lying outside In his bag, Brainard
vaguely wondered If he ever again
would see Long.
Presently he heard footsteps.
Some one was coming.
IL could not be Long.
Whoever was coming was running.
God-he was runningl
Then came shout-the shout Of q
hale and hearty man.
"Greelvi Greelyi Are pe fherer
There was no mistaking the voice
with Its Scotch Irish accent The
voice was that OF James w. Norman.
Ice master on the Proteus when that
steamship transported the Greely ex.