Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-15
The Jeannette's Missing Roass, Crew.


h'he Jeannette's Missing Roa:s' Crew.
ENGINEER MELVILLE TELLS WHAT WAS DONE TO
INSURE THEIR SAFETY.
AT the opening OF tO-day's session OF the Jear-
hettee board OF inquiry there WAS a short secret
session to determine the order OF the eXanin ition
When the doors were reopened and the examina-
ton resumed, the Judge advocate propounue1 the
following inquiry: State IN detail what efforts
were made by yourself or the officers and men of
crews
Witness prepared kilograms for the American
minister at ST Petersburg, for the Secretary OF the
Navy, and for the Russian authorities setting
forth who they were and the condition they were.
visited the head man OF the village, and urged
upon him the Importance OF having these docu-
ments delivered. The styorski Tor head many said
IL would be impossible to leave the island OF jana
valoch Ior l5 days, until the ice had formed in the
Day suf1iciently strong. This was on the 18th OF
nepuaio Der returning to the hut where the
were why
INA BAD WAY,
ana not yet out OF the woods The supplies were
very low-nothing but fish and decayed goose. Wit
ness told the men to be as cheerful as possible
burn plenty Of wood and keep warm. There was
greac Danger OF the whole party dying OF scurvy,
particularly II they had to stay there all winter
H Mloness was In very bad way, physically, and
Ing OF wood and policing about the huts. He
lwltness) did not however, at this tme nor at any
time, turn over to him the command The people
at this Time were cheerful, although In bad way
from the bursting or the blisters caused by frost
Dites. In few days nearly all OF them were able
qudrtered with them, making twelve In their
party in the hut This exile readily understood
who they were. and made it known to the people
NEWS FROM NoRos AND NINDRRNANN
Witness continued his narrative up 10 the time
OF the r"turn October 2sth) OF Kousrnas, native
heretofore narrated by others He was gone thir-
Teen days He brought letter from a KoSsack
sergeant at Bulun, one from young priest there
ana pencil note Which he said he had received
from two Americans near Kumak. Surka The
note was written by Ninderman and signed by
himself and N0rOS. stating that they were two OF
party OF fourteen Americans, W % were starving
TO death to the northeast and in need OF imme-
date assistance. The original note was then
Identified by the witness and put in evidence
Witness said: "When l read the note by Ninder-
man and NoroS. 1t was the first intimation l had
landed. 1t was generally believed by our party
that both the other boats had toundered ana we
were astonished to learn OF the safety OF these
two men,"
HAPPY MEETING.
There was no other means OF finding out the
situation of De Longs party but to see Ninderman
and Noros so witness told Kousiia he must have
MS dog team and start at once to meet Them as
they were on their way to Bulun Witness then
found Ninderman and NorOS Quartered in hut
with some natives. On entering the hut saw Mn
german reclining on cot and Noros standing up
ne was not recognized On Soeaking to NorOS the
latter exclaimed: "My God, Mr.. Melville,
we thought the whale boats were all dead" The
men both complained OF their condition. the insuf-
nclency OF their food and clothing. Nin1erman
was SO weak as hardly TO be able to stand. Wit
ness found no special provision had been made for
these men, so he at once set about TO provide for
them At this point witness was shown by the
Judge advocate the private journal OF Capt De
Long and identified it. The records OF this journal
began July Sth, 1873, and ended June 9th, 1851.
THE SEARCH FOR DE- LONG.
Witness said he wrote down everything which |
NOrOS and Nfnuerman could tell him In regard tn |
their trip and where they left belong. to be used
as his (witneSSo Instructions in pursuing the 1
search: Witness found the men too sick to take |
with him on such winter trip; therefore taking
down as carefully as possible all they told him he
resumed his journey In search or belong. On the /
Sd OF November Bartlett had arrived at Bulun
bringing communication from Mr.. Eisenhower
who enclosed a letter from the commandant in
the headman at Blum to furnish wit
lOch on the evening of November 4th where he
met the whale boat people on their way to Bulun.
He gave Mr. Danenhower instructions to go as far
as akOutSk and take all the people with him ex-
cept Bartlett Next day witness started, and on
the second day arrived at Bulcour where the hut
was where Ntnderman and NOrOs were found by
Surka.
Next day it stormed so severely the natives re-
fused TO proceed, saying all would perish. On the
IOlowlng DAY they started again, keeping up the
west bank to the northward, following Ninder.
dermans track. Witness thought If De Long fol-
lowed Nnderman and Noros, as he had told them
ne would. he (witness) would In this way come
upon him Witness was on the lookout for q
hut which Ninderman had described as
after leaving belong. This was found an: and
readily identified, but no signs OF Belongs party
were noted. Nlnderman had described the shoals
around rocky island, and witness Serched for
the island. The natives said the only shelter I'm
their vicinity was a hut, at place they called
NAVAL and about dark tnis nut was reacned ana
Court adjourned until 10 a m. tomorrow.