Labyrinth of Ice Quotes

“Ultimately, with ice pressing in on them from all sides, Greely had made the decision to commit the boats and men to the mercies of the floes, with the forlorn hope that tides and winds would propel them south to Cape Sabine. If that failed, they would abandon everything not essential and attempt to cross ice bridges from floe to floe until they reached land. Some of Greely’s men disagreed with him, muttering that his decisions were madness and amounted to suicide. One of the men said he feared “another Franklin disaster.” The expedition doctor scribbled furiously in his journal: “It is terrible to float in this manner, in the snow, fog, and dark. This seems to me like a nightmare in one of Edgar Allan Poe’s stories.” And in many ways, it was.”
― Buddy Levy, Labyrinth of Ice: The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition

“Just before noon on February 28, 1882, the thin outline of a glowing orb pierced the southern skyline and hung there, like a wafer pasted in the air. Though faint, the sight was glorious: It was the first time they had seen the sun in 137 days.”
― Buddy Levy, Labyrinth of Ice: The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition

“He held many of them in his arms as they whispered their final words and breathed their last breaths. The pages of his book and journals reveal a profound sense of caring and humanity, a deep responsibility for those he was destined to lead. The dedication he wrote at the beginning of his book offers insight into the man, and it seems fitting to close this book with that same dedication, to serve as a reminder of what grace looks like: To the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition These volumes are dedicated: To its dead who suffered much— To its living who suffered more. Their energy accomplished Farthest North Their fidelity wrought out success; Their courage faced death undauntedly; Their loyalty and discipline in all the dark days Ensured that this record Of their services should be given to the world.”
― Buddy Levy, Labyrinth of Ice: The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition

“Throughout his 720-page book Three Years of Arctic Service, Greely’s”
― Buddy Levy, Labyrinth of Ice: The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition

“Greely had managed to lead this unlikely unit in one of the epic expeditions in the history of Arctic exploration and scientific discovery. It was remarkable.”
― Buddy Levy, Labyrinth of Ice: The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition

“Mock-turtle soup, salmon, fricasseed guillemot, spiced musk-ox tongue, crab-salad, roast beef, eider-ducks, tenderloin of musk-ox, potatoes, asparagus, green corn, green peas, cocoanut-pie, jelly-cake, plum-pudding with wine-sauce, several kinds of ice-cream, grapes, cherries, pineapples, dates, figs, nuts, candies, coffee, chocolate.”
― Buddy Levy, Labyrinth of Ice: The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition