THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 621 



of that precious hour in the lives of that heroic littlo band of 

 sufferers, until this moment so hopeless and helpless." 



PREPARING THE DEAD FOR TRANSPORTATION. 



A PORTION of the report is devoted to a detailed descrij>;ion of 

 the exhuming of the dead and the preparation of the bodies for 

 transportation. In reference to the condition of the bodies 

 Commander Schley says : 



"In preparing the bodies of the dead for transportation in 

 alcohol to St. John's, it was found that six of them Lieutenant 

 Kislingbury, Sergeants Jewell and Kalston, Privates Whistler, 

 Henry and Ellis had been cut, and the fleshy parts removed to 

 a greater or less extent. All other bodies were found intact. 

 When the bodies of the dead were exposed in preparing them 

 the identification was found to be complete. Some of them could 

 be recognized by aid of a picture taken with us from home ; 

 others, whose features had decayed, were identified by other 

 characteristics. I am therefofl satisfied that no mistake was 



^ 



made in this important matter, %hich so impressed us from the 

 beginning." 



Maurice Council was so exhauste)S^by starvation that when 

 found he was delirious and remainecwfcholly unconscious for 

 several days after his rescue. When ;fi^tised by the rescuers 

 he wildlv exclaimed : "For God's sake lot me die in peace." A 

 transfer of the survivors to the TJietis and Bear, which lay off 

 shore about 300 yards, was attended with great difficulty. 

 There was a terrific gale blowing from the southwest. A heavy 

 sea was running and a formidable ice nip was apparently inevita- 

 ble. Lieut. Greely and the other six survivors had to be 

 transferred from their camp to a steam launch and whaleboat in 

 their sleeping bags, and while steaming from land to the ships 

 the destruction of the whole party at one time seemed certain. 

 The sea swept furiously over them. At length they were safely 

 placed on board the rescuing squadron, where every possible 

 preparation had been made to insure their recovery. 



