GREELY'S EXPEDITION (1884) 209 



Serious responsibility was incurred by Lieutenant 

 Garlington when he made the written statement that 

 everything in the power of man would be done to relieve 

 the expedition. All through the horrors of the winter 

 nearly the whole of Greely's party believed to the last 

 that a relieving party was at Littleton Island watching 

 the first favourable opportunity to cross the Sound. 



The whole arrangements for the relief ended in a 

 gigantic muddle, and while nothing was done to lend 

 assistance, Greely's party were induced by fair promises 

 to camp in a practically barren region. 



This expedition, and others which had preceded it, 

 gave little encouragement to Americans to continue 

 Arctic exploration, although the results achieved had 

 been important. Kane lost the Advance; his party 

 had to undergo great privations, and had ultimately to 

 retreat in boats. The Polaris was lost, and many of the 

 members of the expedition had to suffer greatly. De 

 Long lost the Jeannette, and a large number of his party 

 met a terrible fate ; and now Greely's expedition was the 

 climax of them all. 



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