Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-05-04
A Polar Pack.
now THE JEANNETTE's CREW PASSED THE
TIVE rAST IN THE ICE.

IlhI IAhI IN lhb ICE.
The New York HeraM gives a page to
an interview with Lieutenant Dane.
hover, from which the following ex
tracts are taken. Speaking of the terri.
ble ice pressure 10 which the Jeanette
was subjected, he says "She would
groan from stem TO stern, the cabin
doors were often iammed 30 that we
could not get out in case OF emergency,
and the heavy truss was imbedied
three.quarters Of an inch into the cell
ing. The safety of the ship at that
time was due entirely to the truss
which had been put in at San Francisco.
The deck planking would start from
the beams, showing the unpainted wood
for more than half an inch. This, to.
gether with the sharp cracking of the
ships iastenings, like the report of
discharge of rifles, would wake us at
night. Each man kept his knapsack
by him, ready for an instant move, aud
preparations were made for leaving the
ship with sleds and boats, if necessary.
"Ghe daily routine during the hrrt
winter was as follows: At Z. call all
hands and start fire in the galleys at
., break fast from II TO |, guns given
to all hands to hunt and for exercise
on the ice at 3 p. m, dinner then
galley fires put out TO save coal be.
tween and 3, tea, made from the Bax.
ter boiler, which was used constantly to
condense water, we having found that
the foe ice was too salt for use and the
doctor insisted on using condensed
water. Twenty five pounds OF coal per
day was allowed for heating the cabin.
twenty five pounds for the iorecastle,
and ninety pounds for ships galleys for
cooking purposes. We lived on canned
goods, with bear and seal twice week.
pork and beans aud salt beef once "A
week, no rum or spirits except on fcs.
tive occasious--two or three times n
year. The discipline Of the ship was
excellent, and during the whole twenty
one months in the pack there was but
one punishment given, and that was
for profanity. The crew were all quar-
tered in berths and were comparative
ly happy had navigation classes and
theatricals. The health Of all was ex.
cellent. and there was n special medical
examination the first Of every month.
During the first year we got sutii.
cient game for table use, and sealskins
for clothing for the men but this ne.
cessitated a great deal OF hunting, and
there was great scarcity Of game.
The seal most frequently obtained was
the species called the foe rat, and
averages about sixty pounds in weight,
aud thirty TO forty pounds when dress
ed. The men generally made up the
skins into boots and trousers. The
meat was not pleasant to the taste, and
| 1t required the strongest philosophy to
enable one to eat II at all. Walrus was
scarce, the depth OF water being to great
| for them. We got six, however, which
| furnished excellent food for the dogs
\ Bear chascs were frequent and exciting,
and about fifteen animals were obtained
| the frat year. During the first winter
a tremendous bear approached the ship
about midnight, drove the dogs IN, and
attempted to board us. The alarm was
given. Dunbar was on deck instantly.
/ Sith rifle IN hand, aud shot the bear
| through the heart at ten PAGES. II was
/ the biggest and most ferOci0Gs bear Sc
cured on the cruise, and be had been
attracted 10y the quarters oi his oomrade
that were triCrd up IN the fore rigging
! 4 few foxes were seen, and their tracks
were quite frequently observed.
| After this one year OF experience in
the ice we concluded that the general
motion OF the &c was due principally TO
the Wind and that the resultant Of the
winds was from the southeast. We felt
assured that if the ship could remain
intact long enough she would eyentu.
ally drift out between Spilzbereen and
Bear island 10 Atlantic waters. 4 very
high latitude would doubtless be attain.
ed, and would depend in q great meas.
ure on the influence Of Franz Josefs
land upon the motion of the pack. II
ia my opinion that had we entered the
pack two hundred miles to the east.
ward OF where we did, We could have
worked up near Prince Patrick land.
Our smallest depth Of the FIRST years
drift was seventeen fathoms, aud the
greatest depth not over sixty, the aver.
age being generally thirty and the
ocean bottom nearly uniiom. -