The far North : explorations in the Arctic regions / by Elisha Kent Kane.

  • Elisha Kent Kane
Date:
1886
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The far North : explorations in the Arctic regions / by Elisha Kent Kane. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    By eight in tlie evening we emerged from the floes. The Bight of Pinnacly ]5erg revived us. Brandy, an invahiablo resource in eniorgcney, had ah'eady been served out in table-spoonful doses. We now took a longer rest, and a last but stouter dram, and reached the brig at 1 p.m., we believe without a halt. I say lue believe; and here perhaps is the most decided proof of our sufferings; we were quite delirious, and had ceased to entertain a sane apprehension of the circumstances about us. We moved on like men in a dream. Our foot- marks seen afterward showed that we had steered a straight line for the brig. It must have been by a sort of instinct, for it left no impress on the memory. Bonsall was sent staggering ahead, and reached the brig, God knows how, for he had fallen repeatedly at the track-lines; but he delivered with punctilious accuracy the messages I had sent by him to Dr Hayes. I thought myself the soundest of all, for I went through all the formula of sanity, and can recall the muttering delirium of my com- rades when we got back into the cabin of our brig. Yet I have been told since of some speeches and some orders too of mine, which I should have remembered for their ab- surdity, if my mind had retained its balance. Petersen and AVhipple came out to meet us about two miles from the brig. They brought my dog-team, with the restoratives I had sent for by Bonsall. I do not remember their coming. Dr Hayes entered with judicious energy upon the treatment our condition called for, ad- ministering morphine freely, after the usual frictions. He reported none of our brain-symptoms as serious, referring them properly to the class of those indications of exhausted power which yield to generous diet and rest. Mr Ohlsen suffered some time from strabismus and blindness; two
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