On 2nd November, Rice, Frederick, Elison, and Lynn left for Cape Isabella to obtain the English meat cached there. The Arctic night had commenced a week before this date, and the moon had chiefly to be depended on for light. Cape Isabella was reached on the 7th November. The first march of fourteen hours on the return journey was a very exhausting one, and had to be done on a cup of tea and no food. During this march Elison froze both his hands and feet. Frederick and Rice lay on either side of Elison, and tried in many ways to impart heat to his frosted limbs. Next day Frederick had to support and half carry Elison. On the 9th, in order to save Elison, it became necessary to abandon the meat. On the 10th, Rice started for the camp at Cape Sabine to obtain assistance. He had to travel 25 miles almost in total darkness, and he accomplished the distance in sixteen hours.
During this time, and until assistance arrived, Frederick and Lynn tried to keep Elison warm, but in a few hours the sleeping-bag became frozen so hard that they could not turn over, and had to lie in one position eighteen hours.
Elison’s feet and hands were frozen solid, and his face was little better, yet he arrived at Cape Sabine alive, although in a very critical condition. The rescue party, enfeebled through want of food, made a journey of nearly 40 miles in forty-four hours, over very rough and heavy ice, exposed to temperatures ranging from 19° to 34° below zero, and almost in darkness. Sad to relate, this party of rescuers and rescued, with the exception of two, all afterwards perished.
On the 4th November it was found that some one had been tampering with the stores. On the 9th, Lockwood discovered an opened but full can of milk hidden away. About the middle of November, Greely began to give lectures, so as to interest the men and kill time. On 4th December, Greely states that he heard Dr. Pavy taking bread from Elison’s bread-can, but did not charge him with it. A considerable number of foxes were killed during December, and allowed a slightly increased ration. For Christmas an attempt had been made to save some provisions, although the whole party were starving. Breakfast on that day consisted of a thin pea-soup, with seal-blubber and a small quantity of preserved potatoes. The dinner was a more elaborate affair, and included seal-stew, potatoes, bread, pickled onions, and a kind of rice pudding. At night everybody was required to sing a song or tell a story, and the proceedings continued till midnight. The only extra rations for New Year’s Day were cloudberries and a quarter of a lemon and gill of rum to each man.
On the 2nd January 1884, Elison’s right foot separated from the ankle when the doctor severed a fragment of skin. The patient was quite unconscious of the fact. Later he lost the other foot and both hands in the same manner, and for long afterwards he still believed he possessed them.
On the 4th January it was found that a hole had been cut through the canvas roof of the storehouse and a piece of bacon fished out. On the 7th some one made a hole with an axe in one of the barrels of bread and stole several pounds.
Up till the 12th January water had been obtained from a lake near the house, but after that date ice had to be melted. This meant a heavy drain on their fuel, and the quantity of tea had to be reduced one-half. On the 16th January, Lockwood was so weak that he could not rise without assistance. Cross was unable to walk, and several others of the party were becoming very weak.
Cross died on the 18th January; his habits had no doubt undermined his constitution, and he was therefore the first to succumb. He was buried 15 inches deep on the summit of a hill near the camp. Next day was his birthday, and it was found that he had saved up a considerable quantity of bread and butter to celebrate it.
On the 19th January it was found that the bread was overrunning the estimate, and the ration was increased a half-ounce. This partly dispelled the gloom caused by the first funeral. On the 21st January it was discovered that at some time twelve cans of milk had been stolen. On the 26th, Rice and Jens received an extra allowance of food, so as to strengthen them for a proposed trip to Littleton Island. At this time old leather boots were being burned to augment the fuel. The general ration was again slightly increased on the 28th. A still further increase was made on 1st February. On the 2nd, Rice and Jens started for Littleton Island, accompanied by Brainard and Christiansen for a short distance. They carried six days’ rations. They returned on the 6th February, having found open water. Rice believed that he reached within 10 miles of Littleton Island. The trip exhausted Jens very much.
On 27th February the last of the onions, dog-biscuits, and coffee was reached. On 2nd March the last general issue of lemons took place, and the last can of milk was opened for Elison. On 3rd March, Frederick was promoted by Greely to be sergeant in place of Cross, who had died. This and similar promotions were afterwards disapproved of on the ground that there was “no precedent for them”! Red tape in its most vivid colours can evidently flourish in the land of “liberty.”