The Evening critic., 1882-11-09
Damage to Her Hull was Certain to
Occur

ana carpenter that tne snip nau peeh 80 nrmiy
imbedded that
Damage TO Her Hull was Certain to
when the Ice broke up. There was ample
time for all hands to get on the ship. Some
difficulty was experienced In removing cer-
tain stores, among them a. barrel of lime Juice.
This was secured by Seaman Starr, who swan
for 1t at the risk Of his life. Tho witness re.
membered that Do Long spoke to him com.
mendably OF Starr's heroism. Did not believe
that himself, DO Long or the surgeon had any
supper that night. They wero too busily en-
gagged outside. Witness assisted In removing
the Captains and Chipp's effects.
The Water Was Rolling Over the
Ship.
The deck and iron work was very badly broken
when De Long gavo the order to desert the
ship. 1t must have beon about IL o'clock at
night when they left tho ship and took up
their camps on tho Ice. All hands had boon
paired or into messes. There were about
flve tents, the messes consisting OF about
They had to change their quarters before
midnight. About o'clock In tho morning
witness heard some of tho men cry out;
"There she goes. Take look at her. This Is
The Last Chance
you will ever have Of seeing the old Jeanette"
The ship then went down In about thirty-elght
fathoms of water AS long as the leo kept
together ~ the ship WAS was all right 1 Sat when II
out with Do Long and saw the remains OF the
wreck. De Long then prepared for tho re-
treat. inc men, IN Oruer snare all ullke,
were ordered by Dc Long to
Divide Up Their Clothing Equally.
This was compiled with. They took moth
ing with them that could be dispensed with,
not caring to increase their labors In travel
ing over the ice. Do Long was particular In
his orders as to Just what each man should
carry in his knapsack; that each man should
carry only the suit Of clothes In which he
stood in. The mon wero allowed, however, to
designate whether their clothes were to be
woolen or fur. Witness was assigned to hay
Ing this order obeyed, and 1t was complied
with, unless some person surreptitlously car
ried more than allowed. 1t took Ave or six
days to properly prepare for tho march to the
southwark. IL was at first supposed that each
tent party could haul their own sleds, but
The Snow Was so Deep It Became
Impossible.
The snow was soggy and would ball up. Had
the Ice been free from snow there would have
been no difficulty Tho witness was hero
questioned by the Judge.Advocate. In reply
he said the open space around tho ship whom
the Ice began to approach her, juno IL, 1881,
was varying. He Imagined that the greatest
width was about 500 yards. 1t extended fore
and aft of tho ships keel, and came especially
toward the starboard side.
Witness added that the ship froze In In still
water the Ice was about nino feet thick then,
nsss. on the day OF the breakup tho Ice In
some some places was forty feet thick. Nothing
were ordered to take from the ship and placed
on the ice was left behind.
Some things were left behind at De Longs
suggestion owing to their weight; for In
stance, in tho matter Of jack-kniyes, the men
who had more than ono threw away the
heaviest.
At this point recess was taken.
After Recess.
The witness said that nothing had been left
behind that was necessarily needed after
abandoning the ship. Tho witness and many
others offered to assist Chipp In removing his
effects, Captain Do Long being among them.
In reply to q question as to what he attributed
the loss of tho Jeannette, the witness said that
no doubt the ship was weakened by tho strain
of having been In tho Ice for two winters, but
Tho Crash of the Ice ON June IL De-
strOyed Her.
No ship could have withstood tho pressure.
1t did not come In tons, but there were square
miles Of ice crowding against her sides. Wit
il the @ ship had been liberated Before the crush
OF June IL, she could havo been capable of
continuing that cruise. He did not wish to be
understood as believing that any one would
put ship on an Arctic cruise after she had
been damaged as the Jeannette had been after
June ~.
Witness was asked II he had any further
statement to make as to the loss OF the ship.
He hesitated n moment and then said that he
had neglected to state that the books, charts
the Ice when the ship had been deserted, Dc
Long asked him II he had any private papers
he wished 10 carry. Witness said no, he had
not. All of his private papers contained IN a
Went Down with the Ship.
There were several officers who had ample
| time to secure their effects and papers. The
reason he left his papers and u part OF his
| clothing behind was because he had been care
| less. There was very little wind on the day
tho ship was abandoned. The pressure OF
| tho leo about the ship was not especially more
| severe than 1t had previously been, but for
some reason which he could not explain the
| ship appeared more strained from the bottom
Tho witness then named those who were
| treated when
| doned. During the retreat they had prismatlC
| compasses; but they did not work we'll during
| a gale. That was the only time when they
| had any trouble about tho compasses. Could
| not say who violated Do Longs order concern
| ing tho amount OF clothing to be carried during
| the retreat; but remember that after they
| started De Long ordered somebody TO throw
| away u coat. He believed that person wai
| Colltns The order was complied with, Mr.
| Chipp was allowed TO wear his heavy ulster