The Siege and Conquest of the North PoleBryce, George
History
The Siege and Conquest of the North Pole
Bryce, George
Arctic regions; North Pole; Scientific expeditions
Salor died on 4th June. On this date, Greely, against the doctor’s
advice, decided to try to eat tripe de Roche. As Henry had been found
stealing again, he was cautioned by Greely that he would come to grief
if he did not stop it. Greely also gave written orders to Brainard,
Frederick, and Long that if Henry was again caught stealing he was to be
shot. Next day Frederick detected Henry stealing shrimps, and Greely
found that he had been stealing seal-skin thongs contrary to positive
orders. He was ordered to be shot, Greely giving the order in writing.
It was carried out the same day.
On the 6th June, Dr. Pavy drank about 3 oz. of extract of ergot, having
evidently mistaken it for a preparation of iron. He died the same day at
6 p.m., and Bender fifteen minutes before him. Greely states that Dr.
Pavy was a man of fine education, polished manners, and great Arctic
ambition. His medical skill was great, and contributed much to the
general welfare of the party during the last winter. He thought,
however, that his previous Bohemian life unfitted him for duty where his
actions were subject to restriction or limitation from others.
For breakfast on the 7th all the shrimps were eaten, and everybody began
collecting reindeer-moss, tripe de Roche, and saxifrage. On the 11th
June the party obtained a guillemot, and a second went to the hunters.
Next day the nets for catching shrimps were lost through the floes
breaking up. Gardiner appeared to be dead at 11 a.m. of this day, and
was carried from the tent in which the party had been living for some
time; but later he showed signs of life, and did not die until 5 p.m.
On 13th June, Greely issued to the party his seal-skin jumper for
dinner. He also divided between them the dirty, oil-tanned covering of
his sleeping-bag. Schneider died on 18th June.
Near midnight of the 22nd the whistle of a ship was heard. At first the
party could hardly believe their ears. Brainard went to the brow of the
hill, but no ship was to be seen. The party had resigned themselves to
despair, when suddenly strange voices were heard, and they realised that
they were saved. During the forty-two hours prior to their rescue a few
square inches of soaked seal-skin was all the nutriment they received.
No relief or expeditionary vessels ever before ventured at so early a
date the dangers of Melville Bay. Congress had offered a reward of 25000
dollars for the first information regarding the expedition, and this had
an important bearing on the rescue. The Scotch whalers set forth on
their voyage many days earlier than was customary, and there was a
friendly rivalry in the search between them and the American vessels in
charge of Captain Schley, who, profiting by their experience and advice,
won in the race for Cape Sabine.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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