THE LOSS OF THE PROTEUS. 371 
therefore work their way for several hundred miles over almost impassable jagged 
ice, or they must go into winter quarters again when traveling becomes altogether 
impossible. In either event there is grave danger that their supplies will fail, and 
that their experience will repeat the sad history of Sir John Franklin and Lieut. 
Commander DeLong." 
The officers of the Signal Service freely admit that the present situation of 
affairs is a serious one, but they do not regard it as in any sense hopeless. 
In the first place, they say, Lieut. Greely's party had originally a supply o{ 
provisions which was calculated to last three years, or until the summer of 1884. 
This supply, they think, must have been very considerably augmented by the 
fish and game procured in the immediate vicinity of the Lady Franklin Bay 
station, so that if the party remains there it will not be in danger of starvation 
before next summer. ' 
Gen. Hazen's orders to Lieut. Garlington, it is true, stated that the food 
supply of Lieut. Greely's party would all be exhausted during the present fall, 
but it is said at the Signal Office that this was an extreme statement based upon 
the most unfavorable supposition as to the amount of consumption, waste, loss, 
etc., and did not allow for any care or economy in the use of food or any increase 
of the available supply by means of hunting and fishing. It was a statement of 
the worst possible aspect of the case, intending to emphasize the necessity of re- 
lieving Lieut. Greely's party at once. It is positively asserted, therefore, by the 
acting Signal Officer that notwithstanding the contrary statement in Gen. Hazen's 
orders to Lieut. Garlington, Lieut. Greely has provisions enough at the Lady 
Franklin Bay station to last him until the summer of 1884, if he remains there 
until that time. If, however, as seems more probable to the authorities here, he 
should have abandoned his station on the ist of September and retreated down 
the coast of Grinnell Land to the mouth of Smith's Land, expecting to find there 
a relief party or a depot of stores, his situation may shortly become critical. 
How large a quantity of provisions he would find at Cape Sabine and Little- 
ton Islands is not known, but it is feared that the supplies left there last year, 
and the small quantity saved from the wreck of the Proteus would not maintain 
Lieut. Greely and his men at the mouth of Smith's Sound through the coming 
winter, even if the party had shelter and fuel. Some help might be obtained from 
the Esquimaux of the Greenland coast could Lieut. Greely find and open com- 
munication with them, but this is admitted to be an uncertain reliance. 
Persons who are not connected with the war or navy department, but who 
have long been interested in Arctic research and are familiar with the history of 
exploration in Smith's Sound, express grave doubts as to the ability of Lieut. 
Greely's party to retreat down to the coast of Grinnell Land on sledges after 
September ist. Autumn sledge travel along that coast was found by the officers 
of the British Arctic expedition of 1875 to be practically impossible. 
Nothing, it is thought, can be done to rescue the unfortunate men this fall. 
Their lives are now in their own hands, and their future depends almost entirely 
upon their own skill and judgment, and upon the chances of wind and ice. 
