THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 611 



to almost a mutiny. The orders issued from Washington appear 

 to have been also misunderstood, so that there could have been 

 no other result than failure anticipated. 



THE THIRD RELIEF EXPEDITION. 



THE ill results of the Neptune and Proteus expeditions did not 

 wholly stifle public interest in the relief of Greely, though it did 

 give rise to a pretty general impression that any further attempts 

 would be an unjustifiable waste of public money. It may be 

 safely asserted that not one person in a thousand believed Greely 

 or any of his men had survived the winter of 1883-84, since it 

 was known, from the instructions given him before sailing, that 

 he must be traveling toward Cape Sabine destitute of provisions, 

 and therefore must have perished. Nevertheless, the few who 

 still believed or hoped that the party might yet be relieved, had 

 sufficient influence to induce the Government to make another 

 effort to reach the explorers. 



Congress made an ample appropriation for the purpose, and 

 the preparations for a third relief expedition were made with the 

 utmost care. The English Government, which had taken very 

 great interest in Greely, made an unconditional tender to the 

 United States of the good steamer Alert, to assist in the search, 

 a gift that evidenced the warm sympathy felt in England for the 

 lost explorers. This steamer was the advance ship of Sir George 

 Nares' expedition in 1875, and was specially fitted for voyaging 

 amid ice-floes and ice-bergs. The United States purchased two 

 other vessels, the Thetis and Bear, both of which, however, 

 were much smaller than the Alert, but were strongly built and 

 well suited for such service as they were now to be used for. 

 These ships were brought to America and specially fitted for their 

 voyage, being strengthened by every appliance and means known 

 to modern engineering, while the comfort of the crews was 

 equally provided for. 



The command of the expedition was given to Commander W. 

 S. Schley, who was placed in immediate charge of the Thetis, 

 while Lieut. Emory was given command of the Bear, and Com- 

 mander Coffin assigned to the Alert. Enlistment of volunteers 



