The Wheeling Daily Intelligencer

ARCTIC SURVIVORS.

He Has Experienced for Three Years, and Expresses Himself Feeling Almost Well.

Preparations for the Demonstration To-day—New Points About the Trip.

NEW CASTLE, N. H., August 3—'I have not had so sound and refreshing a night's rest for over three years,' said Lieut. Greely to Lieut. Powell, of the Signal Service corps and Gen. Hazen's aid, as the latter greeted the explorer in front of Admiral Luce's residence this morning. 'It makes me feel so strong and hearty that I could almost forget my weakness.'

At about 10 o'clock this morning Lieut. Greely and Mrs. Greely and Admiral Wells drove through the Navy Yard and around by Kittery Point through the city of Portsmouth to look at the decorations which everywhere abounded. Greely was looking better than he has at any time since the rescue. The distinguished party was recognized by but few on the streets, and the carriage returned soon to the Navy Yard without stopping anywhere. One old fellow who stood on Kittery bridge, along which the carriage went over recognized Greely, and raising off his rough cap gave three hearty cheers, which no one heard except the distinguished party, and Greely in recognition politely lifted his hat. The day generally was spent very quietly here. A great many people visited the navy yard, and about everybody tried to get a glimpse of Greely, but no one got nearer than the picket railing which encloses the ground around the Admiral's residence. The enclosure, however, was constantly surrounded with people who seemed content with gaping at the Arctic hero as he sat on the lawn under the trees with his family and close friends around him.

CROWDS OF VISITORS.

Ever since early morning all sorts of water craft have plied between the city and the lower harbor laden with visitors to the war vessels. The interest of course centered in the Arctic fleet, and it is estimated that 8,000 or 9,000 persons inspected the Bear, Thetis and Alert. The other survivors walked about the navy yard in the cool of the morning and during the most of the day lounged idly about the deck of the old Constitution. The surgeons have decided to permit Greely and his little party to participate in to-morrow's demonstration. They will leave the Admiral's residence at 10 A. M. and be taken to Portsmouth under the conduct of L. O. Howell. At the Portsmouth wharf Gen. Hazen and the surgeons will meet them with a large tally-ho coach. They will then be driven to the large speakers' stand that has been erected in the public square, where they will remain seated during the parade. The surgeons will be constantly in attendance and if the faintest signs of weariness are observed among the survivors the party will be conducted at once back to the navy yard.

To-night the entire party are apparently well and in the best of spirits. The city is absolutely packed with strangers. The hotels have more applications for rooms than they can possibly fill. Nearly all the buildings are handsomely decorated, and it is expected to-morrow's display will be the most magnificent in the history of Portsmouth. All the relics of the expedition were exhibited on the deck of the Thetis to-day and viewed by hundreds of visitors. At the stern of the Thetis was a wooden pole the thickness of an oar, to which were nailed three pieces of cloth, one a colored handkerchief, another piece of calico and the other a remnant of a woolen shirt. This was the distress signal of the rescued men. Their sled was shown. It was composed of two rough pieces of plank shod with rough pieces of iron resembling hoop iron, joined by clumsy cross bars. Another object viewed with great interest was a bag of reindeer skins used by one of the party to sleep in. Greely was on deck for two hours this morning and was introduced to many visitors. He appeared weak and hesitated a little in his speech as if from weariness.

THE DEVOTED DEAD.

During the forenoon the forehatch of the Thetis was raised and the metal sarcophagi for the dead were revealed. On each about in the middle is a place for the name of the deceased and near the top a beautiful Arctic scene on a plate of burnished silver. In the tank of the Bear are the bodies of the dead heroes, but no one was allowed to view the remains. From one of the crew was learned a few details of the expedition yet unpublished. He said they encountered the first ice between Disco and Littleton Island, but that the thickest was found in Melville Bay, where its average was ten feet. At Melville Bay the first real difficulty was experienced; and here use was made of torpedoes and dynamite. Neither weapon found to work well, and a ramming ram produced the best effect. Backing the Thetis a good distance and putting on a full head of steam she would crash into ice, the shock shaking her from stem to stern and rocking her masts like tree boughs. Sometimes it seemed as if the masts would come out. When all other means failed huge ice paws eighteen feet long, with teeth three inches long were used, and it was rigged to work forward and was driven by steam, making three feet headway per hour. The ice at Melville Bay was mainly broken by ramming, after checking their advance for ten days. High at the main mast of each vessel is the 'crow's nest,' where the lookout was kept. Commander Schley probably occupied that on Thetis longer than any other man, whose meals were often served to him there. Nauman, the ice pilot, was also a frequent occupant. Two hours in the nest was a watch, and at the great altitude above the deck it was sometimes a terribly cold sentry-box. After entering regions where it was supposed Greely might be the heavy bass whistles were continually blown, and in the clear Arctic air the thunderous sound was very far reaching. On the night of the rescue a terrific gale swept the Arctic Ocean, and the Thetis though near land keeled over again and again before the tempest.