Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-03-24
THE LOST JEANETTE.
WANDERINGS OF THE CREW
AFTER THE WRECK.
Interesting Official Report From
Engineer MelVilIe-1ntense Suffer-
fn&s-The Search for Lieutenant
De LOB2's Detaehmens-RecO of
Their Experiences.

The following has been received at the
Navy Department from Engineer George
Melville, of the Jeanette Arctic Expedi-
tion:
YAKUTz, SIBERIA. January 6. 1882.
The Honorable the Secretary Of the Nday,
Washington, D. C.:
SIR have the honor to report nv ar
rival at this place on the 30fh of December,
1881. aud would respectfully submit the
following report of events subsequent to
the dispersion of the three boats of the
Jeanette, on the night Of September 10,
1881, during heavy northeast gale and
when only fifty miles northeast of BOukfn.
our destination. The events prior to that
date are mentioned in the record of Lieu
tenant De Long, United States Navy, copies
| of which are herewith enclosed and marked
l, 2, 3 and 4 In acc "rdance with the orders
of Lieutenant De Long, under date of
August 5, 1881 "a copy enclosed-No. 81,
proceeded tn the Lena river, made land on
September I6. found there three natives on
September 10. and reached a settlement
called BukoH on September 20 The
ice was making on the river, and the
natives informed me chat we could not pro-
ceed south until the shedding season COM
menced, which would be in about fifteen
days. On the next day 1 made an effort to
get up the river with three native pilots, but
after grounding very often the pilots insist
ed on returning, and the condition Of the
party did not warrant me In advancing, for
most Of us were very much exhausted, were
suffering from frozen feet and legs and lack
of food, the majority being unable to walk.
The natives gave us quarters and limited
quantity of fish and decaVed geese. On
October s a Russian exile named Koosmah
Guymayef discovered us accidentally. He
gave us salt and all the food bis scantV sup
ply allowed, and agreed to go to Belun to
inform the cOmmandant of that place of
our presence and obtain food and trans
portation. He started on October *,
and was to have returned in five
days, hut he did not return until Oc-
tober %. when he brought small supply
of food, and reported that the commandant
would be at Bukoff on November l with
deer and sleds to carry the whole party 70
Belun. On his way back, on October 26,
KoOsmah met two of the first cutters crew
at Kumoak Suaka, and they gave him the
brief note, copy of which is herewith en-
closed (marked No. g.. ! immediately
started with dog sleds for Beluu, hoping to
intercept the commandant on the wav, but
he had reindeer and travelled bv a different
route. Master John W. Danenhower,
having recovered the use OF his eyes, was
placed in charge OF my party with orders to
could be obtained. I arrived at Belun at
p. m. November 2, and found the two men
in a very exhausted condition. From them
l learned the following particulars OF what
transpired subsequent to October l, the date
of the latest of Lieutenant De Longs
records (see enclosure No. 4). The party
crossed the Lena to the west bank
on October / at a summer hunt
ing lodge called Usterda. The toes of
Seaman Erickson having been amputated
he was placed upon an improvised sled,
which was hauled by his comrades, several
of whom were hardly able to walk owing to
frozen feet and legs. They proceeded south
slowly for two days, and crossed a small
branch of the Lena, which they had to wade.
On October they stopped at a small hut,
where Erickson died the next day, and was
buried 10 the Lena. By this time they were
in a deplorable condition, having eaten
their last dog meat and being put on an
allowance Of three ounces of alcohol per
man per day. Thew proceeded south until
October 9, when Lieutenant DeL9ng de-
cided to send two men ahead to seek relief.
The feet of Ninderman and Noros were
better than those of the others, and they
were supplied with their blankets and
Remington rifles (forty rounds of ammunf-
tion) and six ounces OF alcohol, which was
per capita division Of the whole stock of
the latter. They were ordered to proceed
south on the west bank of the Lena, and to
send relief If found, being told that
the others would follow their footsteps.
When the two men started the party was at
a halt on the north bank of large western
branch of the Lena. The two men ascended
that branch about five miles to make
crossing, and then travelled south to a hut
known as the Two Crosses, and situated on
the Lena bank. After fourteen days of in
tense suffering aud slow progress, they
reached Balcour, and were found by three
natives, who supplied them with fool and
transported them to Belun by our sleds,
arriving at that place September q. The
commandant of Belun took good care of
them, but was unable to understand them.
He gave them material, and they wrote a
long dispatch, addressed to the American
Minister at St. Petersburg, which the COM
mandant took with him to Bukoff Mr.
Danenhower Immediately sent it to me by
special courier, together with an order from
the commandant to a subordinate at Belun
to furnish me with an outfit, and appointing
Banoulok as rendezvous, at which place
l met him and the remainder Of nv
party on November 5. Had consultation
with the commandaut and ordered Mr..
Danenhower to proceed south with all the
party, except James H. Bartlett, first-class
fireman, who was to remain at Belun to
communicate with me, and [ started north
Ou buC ENCBiuR VI NONtmUST 10 JQH I6ll6I
Of Lieutenant De Long, having with me two
natives end two dog trains with provisions
for ten days; stopped at Kumoak Suaka,
November 5; Travelled fifty versts November
6 and reached Bulcour; found two deserted
houses and traces of the two men. Ninder-
mann and Noros; weather bound November
z; travelled sixty five versts on November
6; examined small hut where the two men
had slept and where a number of sleds were
q IN hon hat N,frenf
November 9 travelled eighty-fVe versts,
visiting the huts at the Two Crosses, the
sboal at Astoliria, and reaching Motral after
midnight. The next morning | found in
the hut a waist-belt that had been
made on board the Jeanette, and oSsre
were good indications that one or
two of Lieutenant De Longs party tad
slept in the hut. On November 10, our
provisions running short, decided to 90 to
Upper Belun, distance of 120 versts to the
northwest, In order to renew them. Reached
Upper Belun about midnight on the 11th,
having stopped at the deserted hunting sta
tion of Cath Qonta on the Ilth, and also
having visited eight huts on the route.
Considerable stale fish and deer meat were
found at Cath Conta, but no signs of it or
the huts having been visited by DeLong's |
party. On my arrival at Upper Beun the
natives brought me Lieutenant De Longs |
record dated October see enclosure No. |
A., and / learned that others had been |
found. l sent to a neighboring village for |
them, and the next morning records dated |
September % and 26, with a Winchester |
rifle, were brought to me. On November 10 |
were weather bound. The only provisions |
to be obtained were deer meat and fish, |
there being scarcity of the latter, the |
natives having to send $50 versts for their
own supply. On November 13 l obtained /
four days supply of fish, and with fresh |
dog teams and natives started for Balock. a |
hut in which record No. 2 and the Win |
chester rifle were found. Slept there
that night; found both huts filed /
with snow. On November IA. !
followed the east bank of the Lena to the |
coast. followed the coast about three miles |
to the east, and found the cache that had |
been made by Lieutenant De Long on Sep
tember 19, 1881. l made thorough search
and gathered up everything. The sleighs
being too heavily laden to carry it, search
ed for the boat both east and west Of the
cache for distance of FIVE miles each Way.
and to distance of one and a half miles OF
shore, and saw no signs of it. The
Ice was very much broken and was
showed up in masses to within twenty-five
feet OF the cache. returned about mid
night to Balock and to Upper Belun the next
day. November Is, during a heavy storm.
was obliged to wait there two days to rest
and feed the dogs. During this time over
hauled everything obtained in the cache, and
the following is correct list, viz: One box
containing refuse medical stores, one box
Of small articles (mess gear, one box for
navigation books and sextant, one box
chronometer, two tin cases containing four
log books, two cook stoves, two pieces
Of rope, seven old slseping bags ICON
1emnedl one lot old clOthfn0 (worn