Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-11-30

LFVW Utc tUHtas
Phlia. Record.
Past Assistant Engineer A. V
Zane, of the Navy, who has just ar
rived IN this city from his eventful
voyage in the ill-fated Artic search
expedition in the Rodgers, is young
man with broad shoulders and frank,
hearty manners. Mr.. Zane, who oc-
cupied the same position on the Rod
gers as the gallant Melville did on the
Jeanette, who was the only Philidel-
phian in the expedition, is visiting his
mother at No. 2043 North Eleventh
street, awaiting orders from the De
partment at Washington. He thinks
that, barring accidents, Melville will
probably reach home some time in
October, as he must have already COM
pleted the greater part of the journey
TO st. Petersburg. He chatted pleas
antly last night with Record repor-
ter, relating the unfortunate circum-
stances connected with the burning Of
the Rodgers, and pathetically told the
sad story of the lass of Master Put.
nam. 1--WE know now" said he, that
the Jeanette went down some time
before we set sail from San Francisco
to hunt for her aud rescue her crew.
"How we cruised around Wrangel
Island and our subsequent voyage
along the northern coast of Siberia is
an old, old story. We had left Mas
ter Putnam, Doctor Jones, Colonel
Glider and three of the crew on Cor
win Island-100 miles west.northwest
of East Cape-with provisions for a
year, and with instructions to sledge
along the coast as soon as the snow
was in condition to travel on. They
had comfortable wood house to live
in and were we'll provided with sledges
and dogs. We then set sail and, after
some vicissitudes, anchored for the
winter about one mile north of Sutki's
Island and half mile from the maip
land. Our preparations we're all made
and we had settled down for the win
ter.
THE FIRST CRY OF FIRE"
"On the 30th of November, at 0
o'clock in the morning, we were star
tied by the dreadful cry of fire.
Smoke was found to be pouring from
the fore hold, seeming to come from
under the donkey-boiler room. In less
than three minutes | had stream of
water directed on the fire. All efforts
to put out the flames were, however,
futile, and the powder was removed
from the magazine and the oil from
the sail room by cutting holes in the
deck. Before night it became appa-
rent that the ship was doomed; but we
worked for hours after that, every APP
pliance at hand being made to serve
us in pouring water into the hold. Fl
nally the heat became so intense as to
melt the hose, and we began to make
preparations to save the men and some
stores, if possible. This was no easy
task. The ice was not strong enough
te bear mans weight, and boat
could not be forced through it. To add
to our misfortures gas had collected
below decks to such an extent that
the men could not get at the provisions.
DIR. Castillo had bis hands full in re.
suscitating the men who tainted from
Over.exertion and the effects of the
heat. An unsuccessful attempt was
then made to beach the vessel, and
afterward to sink her and thus save
the provisions. We then tried to run
. line ashore, but we could not force
the boats thirty feet. At last, when
hope seemed deserting us two men, af.
ter hard work and great deal of
danger, succeeded in getting ashore
with lead line in a native skin boat
which We had brought from st. Mich
ael's.
with this small line we got haw.
ser to the beach. We then put in the
ships boats what few things We could
get together, which did not amount to
much. The crew got in, and after a
long battle with the thickening ice,
rocking the boats from side to side to
clear track, we got q little distance
from the ship. Finally, We could not
move the two rear boats. The crews
were trans ferred TO the other boats and
We finally landed, q forlorn party in
deed, with no provisions to speak of,
and not knowing but that we might
be attacked and killed by the natives,
from whom alone we could hope for
such assistance as might enable us to
reach home.
1--WE had deserted the ship at mid.
night and did not reach the shore un.
Ill 2 o'clock on December 1. BY this
time the vessel was in full blaze, the
FIRE completely enveloPing her, light.
ing up the dreary landscape for miles
shout. II was sublime If sad spec
tacle, and our last hope of saving any.
thing from the wreck died with US a.