News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-05-04
THE "JEANNETTE.O
Engineer Melville's Graphic Account
of the Vessels Fate

A letter has been received at the New
York Herald Office from Chief Engineer
Melville. in which he gives an excellent
account of the Jeannette's drift in the ice
and the line of retreat of her crew. At
ter describing the arrival at and depart
ure from Kolintschin Bay, Mr.. Melville
continues
"On September Sd came up with the
ice and on the 4th sighted Herald Is
land Continued to work through the
ice until the 9th of September, when we
became finally fixed in the ice. On
September 13 an attempt was made to
land on Herald Island, but it was IN
successful and the travelling party re-
turned to the ship on the 14th. We
continued to drift with the ice toward
the northwest, and on October 21st
sighted Wrangell Land, bearing south.
"We continued fast in close packed ice
until November 25, when after several
days severe crushing of the ice and nip
ping of the ship, she was forced into
open water and drifted northwest with
out control until the evening of the
same day, when we brought up against
solid foe piece and made fast, where
we again froze in and remained until
the vessel was evidently destroyed"
Then follows an account of the con-
dition of the Jeanette, the discovery
Of Jeanette Island and Henrietta Is
land, and the release of the vessel from
the ice. In regard to the latter En-
gineer Melville writes
"The ship and ice continued to drift
to the west and northwest. and the
whole ice field being broken up in all
directions. On the night of June 10
several severe shocks were felt, and the
ship was found to have raised several
inches in her bed. There was evidence
of an approaching breakup of our
friendly foe piece. At 1910 a. M, June
II, the ice suddenly opened alongside
the ship, completely freeing her, and
she foated on an even keel for the first
time il many months. The ice con-
tinued in motion, but no serious injury
occurred to the ship until the morning
of the 18th, when the ice commenced to
pack together, bringing a tremendous
strain on the ship keeling her over to
starboard, and forcing the deck seams
open. This continued during the day
at intervals until evening, when it was
evident the ship could not much longer
hold together. The boats were lowered
on the ice, and provisions, arms, tents,
alcohol, sledges and all necessary equip
ment for a retreat securely placed on
the foe. By 6 p. m. the ship had en-
tirely filled with water and lay over at a
angle of % degrees, being kept from
sinking by the opposing edges of the
foe. On the morning of the 18th OF
June, about 4 o'clock, the ice opened
and the ship went down with colors fly
ing at the masthead.
"We remained six days on the ice, or
ganizing our system and line of march
south, during which time we had re-
sumed rapid drift to the northwest.
On June "a, having marched south one
week and obtained observation for po-
sition, we found we had drifted to lati.
tude " deg. 40 min. north-a loss OF
twenty-four miles northwest"
Here occur description of the visit
to Bennett Island, the passage along
the New Siberian islands, the separa.
ton of the boats, and the safety of the
| Melville party,