GREELY'S EXPEDITION (1883) 197 



On the 1st October, Rice and Jens started for Cape 

 Sabine, taking with them a record to deposit in the cache. 

 They returned on the 9th October, and brought momentous 

 news. Three caches were found at the cape, and in one of 

 them a record brought back by Rice explained that the relief 

 steamer had been wrecked and sunk on the 23rd July 1 883 ; 

 that a depot of some of the provisions had been made at 

 Cape Sabine, and that a second steamer was on her way 

 to Littleton Island. Lieutenant Garlington, who wrote 

 this record, also stated that he was leaving for the 

 eastern shore, and that everything within the power of 

 man would be done to rescue Greely's party. 



On the strength of this record, Greely decided to pro- 

 ceed to Cape Sabine and await the promised help. The 

 whale-boat abandoned on the ice was found by Rice at 

 Payer Harbour safe and whole. On the 11th October, Rice 

 started for Cape Isabella to ascertain whether the second 

 relief ship had left supplies there. Cross, on this day, 

 again managed to get under the influence of liquor. 

 Next day the whole party left their temporary shelter to 

 proceed to Cape Sabine, so as to avoid having to bring 

 the supplies from that point. The cache left by the 

 wrecked party was reached on the 15th, and Greely 

 decided to take up quarters near it. On the cache being 

 examined, it was found that instead of 500 rations (as 

 mentioned in Garlington's record) there were scarcely 100. 

 In this record the statement was also made that a boat 

 had been left at Cape Isabella. On the 15th, Rice 

 returned and stated that no boat could be found, and 

 that only 144 lb. English meat was cached there. On 

 the 17th the temperature was 6° below zero, and the 

 party had practically no shelter. It was decided to build 

 a stone house 25 feet by 18. Owing to the scarcity of 

 rocks, the walls were made only 3 feet high, and a boat 

 was placed on the top to form a roof. When sitting in 



