Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-05-24
The First Year Of the "Jeannette."

months later, to a day, so much of the sto-
ry as relates to the first year out from San
Francisco was published. The lieutenant
was an eyewitness of the events described
in this installment of the narrative, but
about tho time to which it brings us he
was attacked by disease of the left eye.
from which he has suffered confinement
ever since, though his acute and reten-
tive memory and his remarkably clear
mind enabled him to still give, the reporter
saws, most valuable and complete account
of what passed about him, and which was
faithfully reported to him, The Jeanette,
" thoroughly put in order and perfectly
left San Francisco on the Sth
of July, 1870, with officers and crew num-
bering thirty-three men. At Oonalaska
two American Indians were taken on.
On the 2Sth of August the steamer passed
through Behring Strait On the 31st she
was headed northwest toward the south
east cape Of Wrangell Land, the lieutenant
feeling that then their "arctic cruise had
actually commenced" The steamer worked
her way painfully but steadily through
much floating ice. On the 9th Of Septem-
Der "Herald Island loomed up in the
Clouds" and Judging that he had reached
the "lead" between the Siberian and
North American packs" the captain
took charge from the "crow's nest " and
the ship entered the pack, ,ramming its way
through the young ice, that shook the ship
badly but did not damage her. But by
Z. NJ, on that day, she could 60 no fur
ther. Fires were banked; ice anchors
we're put out; the ship was frozen in to the
north and east of Herald Island, twenty
one miles distant. On the 18th an attempt
was made to reach the island across the
ice by sledges, but, within six miles of the
beach, open water was found. The ship
was drifting with the ice, and the captain
would not send other persons to tho island
with boats"
Preparations were made for long stay.
The ship heelcd to the starboard. and had
to be stayed with mast head tackles
hooked to heavy icc-anchors. The ice
drifted, though slowly, having a "cycloidal
motion with the wind, and the resultant
was in northwest direction" "Our po-
sition, "says Lieutenant Danenhower, Twas
not an enviable one. At any moment the
vessel was liable to be crushed like an
egg-shell among this enormous mass of
ice, the general thickness of which was
from five to six feet, though some was over
twenty, where the foe pieces had overrun
and cemonted together, and turned topsy-
turvy. Pressures wore constantly felt. We
heard distant laundering of the heavy
masses, which threw up high ridges Of
young ice that looked like immense pieces
of crushed sugar"
On the 23d Of November the ice split,
leaving the vessel lying in "half-cradlc." J."
the corresponding impress Of its side
floating away some thousand yards. A
curious demonstration of general and COM
mon motion of the ice was afforded by the
fact that an out-house left on tho ice was
found, sixteen imonths later, only three
miles distant from the ship to the southeast.
The vessel drifted some eleven hours, and
then was again frozen in. The long night
had begun on the 10th of November, and
was to last unbrokcn until the 2jth OF
January. Life, in spite of the presence of
great danger, was "quiet," and even
" monotonous." Tho discipline of the
ships company was admirable and FOR
the twcnty-onc months in the pack but one
punishment was given, and that for pro-
ianity." Fires for heating md cooking
we're kept up only from z A. NJ. to o3 r. NJ.
to save coal, one hundred and forty pounds
u day being allowed for all purposes.
Breakfast was at Q A. NJ, from II A. NJ, to
Z. NJ. hunting and exercise on the ice,
dinner at z. NJ, and about tea. The
food consisted of canned goods, with bear
and seal meat twice a week, pork and
beans and salt beef once a week, and "no
rum or spirits except on festive occasions
two or three times year" Tho mems
health was excellent, and their carriage
and spirits were unfaltcring. In January
1880, tho vessel sprang a bad leak in the
bows. With the temperature forty-twc
degrees below zero (tho freezing point Of
mercury tho mcn were ordered to the
pumps, working with their feet and leg.
in ice-watcr, and everything frozen anG
freezing solid" The ship was pumped
by hand, by steam, and by windmill
pump, for eighteen months--a fight fol-
the frail hold the crew had on even 8
chance of life.
About the middle of February it wa!
found that the vessel was within fifty mile.
from where she entered. though in thu
five months that had elapsed since tha
event she hsd "driftcd over an immense
area, approaching and rcceding from tn,
1S0th meridian" but not crossing it
During May she took up rapid anc
uniform drift to the northwest" but re-
turned over the same course during June
Although the coolest weather was in Feb
ruary-fifty-eight degrees below zero
yet July and August were moro trying
being" misty and raw" with "a daml
and fog and cold that struck chill to thu
bones" The snow disappeared about thu
middle of June and thaw-water an
peared on the surface of the foe; but th,
Jcannette remained imbedded in the ict
so firmly that whole cargo of explosive.
would have been useless to release her
The many cracks near tho ship never lee
in any definite direction. Game wa
scarce. There were good many seals
but "the meat was not pleasant to th,
taste. and it required the strongest philo
isophy to enable one to cat it at ALL" TIL,
seal most frequently found was the "fioe
rat" of which species the fossil remain
are found in the hills of Scotland. Boa
hunts were the most exciting pastime
though they did not yield moro than fiftee,
animals the first year.
The narrative ofIicutenant Danenhowe
contains many scientific data, of whicl
only brief mention can re made here. Th
conclusion was reached that the "genera
motion of the ice was due principally l.
the wind, and that the resultant of th
winds was from tho southeast" Their
was much talk among the officers and oh
servers "about the polar region bein,
covered with an immense ice cap, whici
seemed to havo slow general movemen
in the direction of the hands of n watch, tn
direction of the drift being, of course, di
fcrent in the different segments." Their
was little evidence Of a current. Th
water, when soundings could be made
was from seventeen fathoms to sixty, th
average being thirty, and the ocean bo,
tom, usually uniform, covered with blu
mud and shale.
Lieutenant Danenhower arrived at Oren
burg on the 25th Of April, and set out t
St. Petersburg the next day.--Larper'
Weekly.