The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-04-01
TRACING LIEUT.. DE LONG.
The Records that the Lost Commander
of the Jeanette Left in Huts ON the
Frozen Shores Of the River Lena.

.-.-
WAsn1NGroN, March 20.-The Seq
retary Of the Navy received this morn
ing an official report from Engineer
Melville of the Jeanette, dated Va
kutsk, January 6, and containing a
narrative of his adventures and his
search for Lieut.. De Long since the dis
persion of the Jeannette's boats on tile
night of September IL, 1881. At that
time the three boats containing the
crew of the abandoned ship were only
fifty miles northeast of Bonkiu, their
destination. "A gale arose, blowing
from the northeast, and the boats were
separated. The story Of Melviile's
landing on September 19, and his search
for De Long and his party, has been
told at different times in the newspa-
pers, and so the report does not contain
a great deal that is new. He transmits
various records left by Lieut.. De Long
in huts at places where he and his party
stopped in their search for settlement.
From these records he Is able to trace
the course of Lieut.. De Long up to Oc-
tober 9. A letter was found in hut
near the mouth of the Lena, where
Lieut.. De Long landed ON September
l9. Various articles left by the missing
party were found in the hut, including
cast clothing, two broken rifles, a
box of specimens from Bennett Island,
two cook stoves, four log books, and
other things. The letter is signed by
Lieut.. De Long and the thirteen other
members OF the party, and is copied in
six languages, with a request that the
finder will forward it to the Secretary
of the Navy at Washington. After
speaking of the separation of the boats
ON the night of September II, Lieut..
De Long says:
"N1y boat made the land ON the morn
ing of the 10th instant, and suppose
we are at the Lena delta. I have had
no chance to get sight for position since
I left Simonatki Island. After trying
for two days to get in shore without
grounding, or to reach one Of the river
mouths, I abandoned my boat and
waded II miles, carrying our provisions
aud outfit with US. We must now try,
with Gods help, to walk to a SETTLE
ment, which believe to be 90 miles
distant. We are all we'll; have four
days provisions, arms and ammuni-
ton, and are carrying with us only
ships book and papers, and blankets,
tents, and some medicines; therefore,
our chance of getting through seems
good"
! A second letter was, found in a hut
on the Lena delta, twelve miles from
the head of the delta, by a Yakut hun
ter. 1t was dated September &c, and
recorded the arrival of Lieut.. De Long
and his party there and their departure
for the southwark. Another record left
by Lieut.. De Long was subsequently
found by a Yakut hunter in a hut ON the
Lena delta, and dated September %
A request, copied in six languages, that
it be forwarded to Washington, was
found with it. In this letter Lieut.. DE
Long says:
ssMy boat, having weathered the gale
made the land on sthe morning of the
10th instant, and after trying to get in
shore for two days, and being prevented
by shoal water, weabandoned the boat
and waded to the beach, carrying oul
arms, provisions, and records, at poin
about twelve miles to- the north ant
, east of this place. We had all suffered
! somewhat from cold, wet, and expo
sure, and three OF our men were badly
lamed but having only: four days
provisions left, reduced rations, wcr,
forced to proceed to the southwark. OF
Monday, September 10, we left pill
OF our effects near the beach, erecting
long pole where will be found every
thing valuable, chronometer, ships 10.
books for two years, tent, &c, which
we were absolutely unable to carry.
took us forty-eight hours to make thes
twelve miles, owing to our disabled
: men, and these two huts seemed to m
, a good place to stop while pushe
forward with the surgeon and Nindel
, man to get relief for us. But last nigh