Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-03-16
The Chief Engineer Of the Ieauaette Writes
That the Lieutenant and HIS Compan-
ioas Perished at the Mouth of
the River Lena.
INTERVIEW WITH MRS. MELVILLE


Melville, of the U. s. navy, who went out as
chief engineer of the exploring party and
the Survivors. T6icn Ihhavha5h captli9iae
ern coast of Siberia September -. In this
brief letter the hero of the latest and. as
all the accounts have shown. the most per-
ilous attempt 10 explore the unknown
Polar seas speaks OF De Long and the others
with him as persisted" and indicates that
when Chief Engineer Melville set out on
the search in which he is now engaged in.
regions OF eternal ice and snow II was with
out hope OF finding his comrades alive. but
simply to perform the melancholy duty OF
discovering, if possible, their dead bodies
and whatever traces OF their hardships and
adventures they left behind them.
Daneuhower's Communications.
In all the accounts that have been receiv-
ed from Lieutenant John Danenho ger,
who was one of those saved with Melville.
there has been hopeful tone concerning
the possibility OF De Longs safety. but in
such kilograms rs contained facts alone
there is not much room for encourage
ment. In the last most important conf
muniCatiOn from Danenhower received at
Paris February , from lrkutsk, he gives
entire the latest record Of DE Long, found
by Melville at one OF those polar mile
stones such as all Arctic explorers have
erected along their way. In this
De Long wrote: Fourteen OF the officers
and men of the Jeanette reached this hut
on Wednesday, September %, and, having
been forced to wait for the river to freeze
over, are proceeding to cross to the west
side this morning on their journey to reach
some settlement on the Lena river. have
two days provisions, but. having been for
tunatc thus lar 10 get game in our pressing
needs We had no fear for the future. Our
party are all we'll, except Hans Eriksen,
whose toes have been amputated in conSe-
quenCc of frost-bite. Other records will he
found in several huts on the east side OF the
river, along which We have come from the
north"
After quoting this Danenhower says
three other records were found" but he
gives nothing of their contents further
than TO say: "Erikscn died October l. The
party was in great distress for want of food.
Noros and Nindeman two Of De Longs
companions) we're sent ahead for relief on
October 9. They marched south for fifteen
days and were found, in a starving condi
ton. on October 81 by three natives, who
took them to settlement"
All the Facts Not Told.
Evidently there was some reason for not
giving the other records entire. Nine
days after the party of fourteen had but
two days provisions and after Eriksen's
toes had been amputated, they were 'in
great distress for want of food, and then
Eriksen died, and two men-probably the
ahead and reached a settlement in stary
ing condition. Exactly five months have
passed since De Long and twelve men-the
thirteenth having just died-were ''in great
distress for want of food, and no tidings
Z Al. -, a Of hn hox
ceived. In that condition they were about
five thousand miles from st. Petersburg in
a region where there is scarcely any game,
and Just at the beginning OF most rigor-
ous winter, when every one, even the har-
diest natives. flee hundreds OF miles in
land, and do not return until March or
April Under such circumstances Mel
ville's letter to his wife is consistent with
all the known facts.
MeIyiIIe's Family and Home.
Since he was chosen by the authorities at
Washington out OF all the competent men
in the navy to accompany the Jeanette
expedition, Just four years ago, and set sail
from San Francisco in July, 1873, q few
months after receiving his order Melville
has had no opportunity TO communicate
with his family. For four years the anx-
ious mother and the three little girls have
been awaiting "A letter from papa. In
their secluded little cottage at Sharon Hill,
in Delaware county, the fond mother and
childish trio have looked out daily from
the window adorned with an anchor, as
an emblem of hope of the fathers safe
return, and wondered again and again,
with the smoke and whistle OF every
mail train. if their long-looked-for message
was coming at last. When three years had
passed little Meta-who was babe just
born when he went away one dark. stormy
night, and having kissed her and the moth
er 5 lips, said Wife, it's possible ! will
never know these days again n-was able u
talk. and expressed the thoughts OF all
four when one day she said Mamma,
think papa must be dead. but they never
took down from the nail the hat which he
hung up when he changed il for his naval
cap and his favorite cup and saucer were
never stirred from their places in the cup
board.
There was Joy in the household when
some friend sent the newspaper containing
the telegram signed with her husbands
name. giving the first news OF the safe
arrival Of himself and crew. and the JOY
was not lessened by reading after the name
lin command" Every telegram since
signed Melville" has been meat and drink
TO the news .famshed little household and
dren continually that 1t was his duty. and
duty to God and country must al ways 60
ahead OF duty 10 family the little folks
could not understand why papa did not
send some message home.
ALetter AT Last.
Yesterday morning Maud, beautiful
child, about fifteen years OF age, went, as
she has thousands OF times in over three
wears, to the postOffice TO know il there was
a letter. Mrs. Melville was seated at home.
sewing listlessly and the other two little
girls were playing with their dolls. Sud
denly one of the little ones said: Why,
mamma. something the matter with Maud; /;
/ actually believe there's letter from pa
pa" Mauds feet did not appear 70 touch
the ground. She broke through the gate
like one pursued. With tears OF Joy
/ streamsng down her face and choking with
sobs she threw herself at her mother ieet'
dropping the letter and crying ont: "Oh,
mamma, at last. at last. 1t is from papa:
oh. il is from papa The mother tore it
| omen, read il at glance AID then re-read
| IL several times over. All the afternoon
| and ND to going to bed last night the chill
| dren were doing nothing else but reading
| over papa's letter.
With the intelligence that it contained
| OF the fate of others and the knowledge that
| lust now he himself, with the search party,
| is facing similar dangers, there vas little IN
the letter to give hope OF the return OF the
| husband and father. Written on single
sheet of tough, heavy note PaPes' the let
| ter read as follows:
| IRXu1sK, Russian Siberia, Jan. !, lo8s.
DEAR HETTg: After many trials and
many tribulations l arrived here yestei
day. We can muster but thirteen people
ali told out of our original thirty.three per
sons. | am pretty well and will be homi
This summer or next winter, according a
may be instructed by the Navy Depart
ment. | have telegraphed asking % re
main and search for De Long and the other
who perished at the mouth Of :he Len
river. Love to the children. Yours faith
fully, tEoR"k iiLS