92 NEW LAND. 



which augmented their scanty supply of food. They eked it out 

 as long as they could by boiling a thin jelly from strips of skin 

 which they cut from their clothes and boots. 



The official death-list tells a terrible tale. Fourteen of the 

 men died of starvation ; two of these suffered, in addition, from 

 scurvy and inflammation of the bowels. One died of scurvy ; 

 another, Sergeant Elison, of frost-bite, after seven months of 

 indescribable suffering from frost-bitten hands, feet, and nose ; and 

 in order to be able to carry his spoon to his mouth, he was 

 obliged at last to have it tied to the stump of his arm. One 

 died of frost-bite and exhaustion on a sledge-journey; one was 

 drowned when out trying to capture food; and one, Private 

 Henry, was shot by Greely's command, because he stole his 

 comrades' rations, and was therefore considered a source of danger 

 to the existence of the others. As Henry was the giant among 

 them, and as also, on account of his better food, he was as strong 

 as at least two of the others, the three sergeants who received 

 orders to shoot him were told to be careful that nobody else 

 should be harmed. 



But in the midst of this black night of hunger and sickness 

 shine stars of self-sacrifice, of kindness, of duty. The tears must 

 come into one's eyes when one reads about it. Lieutenant Lock- 

 wood, for instance, died of starvation on April 9, but up to April 

 7 he kept his shorthand diary, noting with great accuracy the 

 readings of the barometer and thermometer for every single day, 

 almost without an exception. In order to fetch a small provision 

 of meat left by Nares at Cape Isabella, in 1875, four of the starving 

 men started off on a voluntary excursion. They are successful in 

 finding the precious treasure, but the November storms sweep 

 mercilessly across the plains, whirling up great masses of snow, 

 and frost strikes down the unfortunate Elison. The precious meat 

 must be sacrificed in order to save their friend's life. The 

 strongest of them, the brave Sergeant Eice, goes to fetch help, 

 while the two others get into the sleeping-bag with their almost 

 dying comrade between them, to try to keep him warm. The 

 bag froze stiff, and when help came they had all lain motionless 

 in the same position for eighteen hours. 



