STARVATION, 69 



and glassy ; indeed his weakness was such, that it was with 

 difficulty that he swallowed the stimulants given him by 

 Drs. Green and Ames. 



*' This tender scene, of a helpless, almost famished 

 officer consoling a dying companion, was, in itself, one 

 that brought tears to the eyes of the strongest of 

 those who stood about them on the merciful errand of relief. 

 To look upon such wretchedness and destitution, eyes that 

 had not wept for years were moistened with tears, in the 

 solemnity of that heroic hour in the lives of that little heroic 

 band of sufferers, until that moment so hopeless and helpless. 

 At length they were safely placed on board the rescuing 

 squadron, where every preparation had been made to insure 

 their recovery." 



The next day was spent in collecting the belongings of the 

 camp, and in exhuming the bodies of the dead to be carried 

 home with the survivors. This was carefully done, and in a 

 manner that no mistake could be made in regard to the iden- 

 tity of the bodies, which was of the more importance, as it was 

 afterwards found, in preparing the bodies for burial, that six 

 of them had been mutilated by the knife and the flesh 

 removed. 



Through a sensational press, it has since become generally 

 known that the men, in the last stages of starvation, did act- 

 ually eat the flesh of their dead comrades. At first, great 

 indignation and disgust was expressed at this inhuman act, 

 but, in calm after-thought, society has been lead to look upon 

 the deed in a charitable light, and perhaps to even wonder if, 

 had they themselves been placed in so trying a position, 

 whether they, too, might not have done the same in fulfilling 

 the first law of nature — self-preservation. 



The survivors, though out of danger, were still in a very 

 weak condition upon their arrival at St. Johns, July ITth. 

 Here they were received with the greatest enthusiasm and 

 excitement. A dispatch was immediately sent to the Secre- 



