The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-05-18
The Search for De Long.

The brief dispatches as to finding the 70
mains of Captain De Long and his party givs
no intimation as to the particular locality
where the bodies were found. 1t is known
that when the boats of the Jeannette parted
company Melville's went to the east of Cape
Barkin, in the Lena delta, and Be Longs far
to the west. They both landed on the samo
day, September II, but at points near
ly two hundred miles apart. The Mel
vile party proceeded inland about fifty
miles, were rescued by natives and kept at a
fungus village until November 3. They then
went south toward Bulun, a point I'm COM
munication with Yakutsk. Before Melville
reached Bulun, he heard of the arrival Of
Noros and Ninderman, two of De Longs men,
at Bulcour, a hundred versts north of Bulun
He went to Kumark Surka, point midway be-
tween Bulcour and Bulun, to meet them, and,
after hearing their report, set out to search for
De Long. NOros and Ninderman had left the
De Long party in starving condition on the
9th of October, and did not reach BulcOur un-
til the 25th. On the 9th of October De Long
believed that he only about twelve miles
from Kumark Surka; but as the two sailors
were nearly three weeks in reaching that
point, and were much confused as to their
wanderings in a snowy desert, their story gave
little idea as to his whereabouts.
Melville followed the direction as marked
out by Ninderman and Noros, and, striking
belongs trail, followed it until thrown of by
the crossing OF the flNeF at slSbeFa0ek, near
where it fs supposed DeLong was on the 9th of
October. Melville had made this search with
two natives and two dog trains. Tho
natives refused to go further, and
Melville returned to Bulun, went from
there to Yal1utsk, and, after con-
sultation with the authorities, organized other
expeditions and continued the search. As this
search was to extend over a stretch of inhos-
pitable country 200 miles long by 100 miles
wide and as the date of Melville's dispatch
locates him only in the delta, it is not easy to
say where he found the remains of De Long
and his men.
There is a disposition to ceDsure Melville on
three points: /. For not proceeding at once to
Bulun where he landed in September. 2 For
going north of the main branch of the Lena in
stead of south of it in his first ex-
petition. 3. For abandoning the search and
returning to Bulun, and leaving It then
to natives while he went to Yakutsk.
Lieutenant Danenhower is mado In the
Herald letters to give countenance to these
complaints, but it fs doubtful If he did It is
easy work to torture the despondent re-
marks of a sick and worn-out man into cen
sure of a comrade and it looks very much as
though the correspondent had done this.
The bodies found with that of Captain
DeLong are those of jerome J. Collins,
meteorologist of the Jeanette; DIR. James
NJ NJ Amber Surgeon United States Navy;
Walter Lee, George W. Boyd, Henry II.
Knack Carl August Gortz. Adolf DressleF,
Nelse Iverson, Alexia, an Indian, and All Lorn,
a Chinaman- Hans Erikson, one Of the party,
died early in October. Lieutenant Chfpp and
his boats crew have not been heard Of since
the boats parted company September 16.-CbS-
cdgo Inter Ocean, Mny 8.