Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-03-07
TIE SCARCE FOE DE LONG.

The fact that no intelligence has yet
been received concerning Lieutenant De
Long and that portion Of the Jeanette
crew which was with him, justiies the
apprehension that he may be found too late
to save him and his party from a dreadful
and melancholy fate The last authentic
news of him reported him as having left
his encampment on the bank of the Lena,
and started cut, with very insufficient
supply of provisions. and probably with
insufficient clothing and equipments gene
rally, into most inhospitable wilderness,
of great extent. and through which only
tbs most expert native guides can find
their way. Many weeks have elapsed
since that news was received, and not
another line has come to hand. And it is
evident that Lieutenant Danenhower, who
is in position to comprehend the full dan
ger of his commanders situation, fears the
worst. In fact, the sole source of hope re-
naming appears to lie in the chance that
De Long may have been enabled to
reach some hunters camp, and to do
this he must have passed through an al
most impenetrable region, which,
m oreover, is said to be quite destitute of
game or any other means of subsistence.
1t is, indeed, possible that some of the
parties of natives which were sent in quest
of him when the news first reached the
Russian authorities, may have found him
but in that event it is difficult to explain
the continued absence of all news, for
these parties have been away so long now
as to have had time to reach the banks of
the Lena aud to return to Irkutsk, or near
enough to forward dispatches. 1t would
be lamentable end of this Inflated expe-
dition if after having escaped the dangers
OF the Arctic seas, after having safely
passed the perils of the long boat journey,
this gallant and devoted band should have
persisted at last on land, and almost within
reach OF the relief sent to them. Yet that
appears to be the conclusion suggested by
s"S fASSVhS sAsuAstOLi anu uHASSS ihhSbA-
gence of the rescue shall come soon it will
be difficult to escape the conviction that the
worst has happened. The gallantry
and privation and unselishness of
Daneuhower in this connection
have been above praise. Though
losing one of his eyes, ard having suffered
so greatly that for come days his mind
was affected, yet on regaining partial
state of health he refused to leave his CON-
rades as long as it seemed possible that he
could do anything to forward their rescue,
and his latest dispatches breathe the same
enthusiasm and energy as though he was
just entering upon the expedition, instead
OF leaving it with little more than life
When the history of the Jeanette search
comes to be written, however. it will be
seen that misfortune followed it from the
very outset, and that in fact the expedi-
ton was so environed with difficulties as
to paralyze energy, skill, endurance and
resources, and to render its failure un-
avoidable. In Arctic research experience
proves that no amount of preparation or
knowledge viii avert disaster. These
undertakings are necessarily dependent
almost absolutely upon temperature and
weather, and those who succeed in them
Go SO mainly because they are favored VITA
exceptional and open winters.