A GRIM ENCOUNTER.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9067, 6 February 1908, Page 3

A GRIM ENCOUNTER.

One of the most awful stories of the Far North is that of the attempt to reach the Pole of A. W. Greely, the American, in 1882. Greely became ice-bound, and Commander Winfield Schley was sent to rescue him. Schley discovered a paper which told him where Greely was at the end of 1888. As it was then June 22nd, 1884, and they had only 40 days’ complete rations to live upon, Schley hurried off at once. Had he been two days later he would have been too late. There was a tent wrecked by the gale, with its pole toppling over and only kept in place by the guy ropes. Ripping it up with a knife a sight of horror was disclosed. On one side, close to the opening, with his head towards the outside, lay what was apparently a dead man. On the oposite side was a poor fellow, alive,' but without hands or feet, and with a spoon tied to the stump of bis right arm. Two others, seated on the ground, were pouring something out of a rubberlbottle into a tin can. Directly opposite, on his hands and knees, was a dark man with a long, matted beard, in a dirty, tattered dressing-gown, with a red skull cap on his head, and brilliant staring eyes. As Colwell appeared he raised himself a little and put on a pair of eye-glasses. “Who are you?” asked Colwell.^ The man made no answer, staring at him vacantly “Who are you?” again. One of them spoke up. “That’s the Major—Major Greely.” . Colwell crawled in and took him bv the hand, saying to him, “Greely, is'this you?” . “Yes,” said Greely, in a faint, broken ’ voice, hesitating with his words; “yes —seven of us left—here we are —dying—like men. Did what I came to dc—beat the best record. ’