SUFFERINGS OF ARCTIC EXPLORERS. Rescue of the Greely Party.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 68, 20 September 1884, Page 5

SUFFERINGS OF ARCTIC EXPLORERS. Rescue of the Greely Party.

Washington, July 17.— The Acting Secretary of the Navy received a telegram from St. John's, N.F., this morning, stating that the Greely relief expedition had found the survivors of the Greely party. The survivors numbered seven men in all, their names being Lieutenant Greely, Sergeant Brainard, Sergeant Fredericks, Sergeant Long, Sergeant Elison, Hospital Steward Biederbick, and Private Connell. They were found by the relief ships Thetis and Bear five miles off Cape Sabine, in Smith's Sound. Sergeant Elison was very badly frost-bitten, and died at Godhaven July 6th, after undergoing a surgical operation. The relief ships Thetis and Bear, with the survivors, are now at St. John's, N\F.

STORY OF THEIR HARDSHIPS AND FINAL RESCUE. St. John's (N.F.), July 17.— 0n arrival at anchorage of the relief squadron to-day, an Associated Press correspondent interviewed Lieut. Greely and the other sur vivors of the Arctic colony, and the following facts were disclosed : — After passing two winters at Fort Conger in scientific research, Lieut. Greely, with his whole party intact, broke up their encampment and commenced the southward descent. This was accomplished amid great perils from gales of wind, ice nips, and other casualties. Cape Sabine having been reached, a temporary home was erected, built of stones and covered bv boat sails brought along by the party. On September 29, winter quarters were established at Cape Sabine. The commissariat had become very meagre, and the cache of provisions left by the Proteus last year but poorly supplemented it. The steam launch had become fast in the ice a few weeks previous, and had been abandoned during the whole winter.

THE FIKST DEATH. The first havoc in the ranks was early in January, when one of the men dropped off with scurvy. On the 9th of April Lieutenant Lockwood and Rice, the photographer, succumbed, after a heroic attempt to secure for their starving comrades about 200 pounds of meat supposed to be cached at a place named Bad Creek, distant about fifteen miles from the encampment. Israel, the astronomer, perished on May 27th. Lieutenant Kislingbury died June Ist. Dr. Pavy, the naturalist, slept into death on June 26th. Not one of the victims realised that death was near. They all died tranquil, painless deaths. Two Eskimaux also perished, one of starvation and the other by drowning, his kayak being pierced by some newly formed ice on April 17th, thus cutting off all hope of getting any supply of seal meat for the starving explorers. The Eskimaux were the most faithful and devoted followers and helpers of Lieutenant Grcely. Elison was rescued and safely brought on board the steamship Bear, where he died a few days subsequently. This is an extraordinary instance of human endurance. While away some time ten miles from his hut last winter, the temperature suddenly fell to 48 degrees below zero. His hands and feet were frozen to the very bone, and he was dragged by his comrades in an almost sinking condition to his hut. Hi? feet and hands were literally amputated by the frost, and in this terrible state he lived through the dismal months that intervened between that time and the rescue. The bodies of twelve of the victims have been brought up by the steamers Bear and Thetis, and embalmed in tanks filled with alcohol. The survivors are all doing well and rapidly gaining flesh and strength. Lieutenant Greely, who was in an exceedingly critical condition when transferred to the Thetis, is now able to move about. This morning he drove out for an hour's ride, to get the country air, and came back quite refreshed.

THE RESCUE. The rescue took place on June 22nd, under circumstances of great difficulty. The Thetis and Bear lay off from shore about 300 yards. There was a teriffic gale blowing from the south-west. A heavy sea was running and a formidable ice-nip was apparently inevitable. Lieutenant Greely and the other six survivors had to be transferred from their camp to the steam launch and a whaleboat in their sleeping bags, and while steaming from the land to the ships | the destruction of the whole party seemed ! certain. The sea swept furiously over them and the fury of the wind threatened to capsize them, but at length they were safely placed on board the rescuing squadron, where every possible preparation had been made to ensure their recovery and comfort. The Greely party reached the highest latitude ever reached by polar explorers, namely. 83deg. 25min. 30sec. The coast of Greenland was carried up to 83deg. 35min. by observations and named Cape Lincoln. The steamship Alert parted company with the squadron yesterday off Tunk Islands and has not yet reached port.

Everyone said that the dramatic author, 0. J. Byron, was a rich man. There was some evidence during his life of that being the case, but now we learn his will had been proved under £4,000, and in order to realise that and pay that grasping demand for legacy duty (one which is made in the name of the nation, but assuredly against its senti« ments of justice and kindness) the property of the poor widovi' has to be sold by auction, She is left so badly off that a subscription has been set on foot already. Where has the money gone ? or did the brilliant author, who has enriched so many, ever get a fair share himself ? He was not an extravagant man ; it is true he had the whim of keeping his carriage, but he enabled a dozen others to keep theirs. They (the authors) do these things better in France. There is, perhaps, an exaggeration in the roports of the suras that dramatic writers receive.