The New York herald., 1879-09-30


Via SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 20, 1879.
.hichaels, Alaska All well. The natives re-
port that Professor N0rdenskjeld passsd
through the strait three months ago
bound SOUTH A Tchoutchi chief here
SAYS he saw and boarded steamer last winter
frozen in at Kolintchn Bay, on the Arctic coast
of Eastern Siberia, lie says also that the vessel
was Swiss probably Swedish); that her captain
was an old man with white beard, who could
not speak English; that two officers OH board
Horpsh (query, NordquishD spoke to him
in his native TsnJ.t,hi quite tluenty;
that the officers said they were going
home; that the ship Was not
a trader; that the officers and crew
numbered twenty-five, and had no fur
clothes, and that when they came on deck
in the winter they shiyered with the
cold; that the ship was steamer like
the Jeanette, but smaller; that three moons
and anchored for day off this Earbor,
and that he (the chief boarded her again
here, and is certain she is the same ship he saw
during the winter frozen in at Kolint-
chin bay; that after leaving here she
went back to the DioWede Islands,
in the narrows of the Straits for half day and
then passed southward along the Kamschatka
coast going, as the officers told him, home.
all this was told the Captain in my presence by
the Tchoutchi chief, who speaks English pretty
well and understands charts very thoroughly.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM THE TCHoUTCHI
l asked him how he went from st. Lawrence
Bay to where the ship was frozen in last winter
at Kolintchin Bay. He painted out route
On the chart almost along the coast line, and
showed four days travel by stage marked
by native villages. 1 asked him why
be did not mako straight line
from bay to bay, and he said, mo, too long,"
meaning that there were no intermediate
stopping places by that line. Captain Delong
questioned this chief closely and frequently to
discover some flaw in his story but it
was told without material change each time
1t is therefore highly probable that Professor
Nordenslsj6ld has got out as reported and
being short of coal, did not reach Japanese or
Russian port before the Jeanette left San Fran
cisco. He could telegraph from Yokohama or
Vladivostock, via China, Singapore and Alden.
OFF TO CAPE sERDEz KAMEN.
The Jeanette leaves here this evening for
the Arctic Sea, and will go direct to Cape
Serdez Kamen, 81 deg. north, 172
deg west, to find out from the natives more
particulars regarding Nordenskjold and the
ship that was frozen in at Kolintchin Bay.
If the story there learned corresponds
with that told here it will be fair to
assume that Nordenkj0ld is gone out If not
we go to Kolintschn Bay, and learn more about
the ship that lay there during last winter. If
released from the search after Nordcnskj6ld we
will probably go to Mangel Land direct.
FROM oUNALAsKA TO ST. LAWRENCE BAY.
The voyage from Ounalaska to this place was
made via ST. Michaels, Alaska. We reached
st. Michacls August II, after six
days We waited there for the
supply schooner, which arrived on the 18TH
with Goals and extra provisions. We
took on board dogs, furs and supplies, ex-
this place the 21st, ordering the
schooner to follow with the balance of the coal
and in order to take back the last news concern
ing Nordenslj6ld and the Jeanette. We ar
rived here after encountcring 4 gale and heavy
sea on the 25th. The schooner arrived here
yesterday. We took board u deckload of
surplus coal to-day and were ready to go North
Mt once.
We were very generously treated ut st.
Michaels by the agents of the Alaska Com
mercial Company and the Western Fur
and Trading Company, particularly the
first named Our officers and men arc
enjoying perfect health. The weather is very
fine and warm and there is no ice here except
the old land ice of last winter clinging to the
shore line.
PROSPECTS, OF AN OPEN WINTER.
There is every prospect of an open winter in
the Arctic regions The scientific work is pro-
crossing well, and includes geology, botany,
natural history, ethnology, regular hourly mete-
geological observations, soundings, dredgngs,
sketehing, photography, all highly interesting.
We hope to collect very satisfactory mass of
information regarding this little explored region.
Two natives from st. Michacls accompany us as
dog drivers