Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-03-21
WORDS OF WANDERERS,
A REPORT FROM THE SURVIVORS on
THE "JEANNErTE."

Lieut.. Melville Furnishes an Account of
Some Of the Hardships Endured by
Artic Explorers-C Cast Away In Siberia
Toes and Fingers Frosen-Aleohol for
Their sustenance-Noros. One Of tho
seamen. Writes to His Father.
WASHINGTON, March 2O.-The report of
Lieut.. Melville to the secretary OF tbs navy,
is at hand, dated Yakutsk, Siberia, January g..
Lieut.. Melville says:
We made land at the mouth of ;the Lena
river on September 10, four days after the dis
position of the Jeanette's three boats, and
reached settlement called Bukoff, on Septem-
Der 6. The ice was making In the river. On
the next day made an effort to get up the
river with three native pilots, but after
grounding very often the pilots insisted upon
returning, and our condition did not warrant
me in advancing, for most OF US were very
much exhausted, suffering from frozen feet
ana legs, and lack of food, the majority being
unable to walk. The natives gave US quar-
ters and also quite quantity fish and dried
grease.
On October 10 Russian exile named Koos-
nah Guymayeff, discovered us accidentally.
He gave us salt and all the food his scanty
supply allowed, and agreed to 60 to Belun to
inform the cOmmandant of that place OF our
presence and ask for food and transportation.
He started October Is, and was to have re-
turned in five days, but did not return until
October 81, when he brought q small supply
of food, and reported that the commandant
would be at Bukof on November Il, with deer
and sleds to carry the whole party to Belun.
On his way back, October 20, Koosmah met
two of the first cutters crew at Kumouk
Snaka, and they gave him brief note. Inn
mediately started with dog-sleds for Belun,
hoping to intercept the commandant on his
way, but he had reindeer and travelled By q
different route.
Mr.. John Eisenhower having recovered the
use of his eyes, was placed In charge OF my
party, with orders to follow me to Belun as
soon as transportation could be Obtained,
arrived at Belun November Q, and found the
two men in very exhausted condition. From
them learned the following particulars ,of
which TRANSFERRED subseqent to October l, the
date of Lieutenant De Longs records: The
party crossed the Lena to the west bank, o.
tober 1, at summer hurting lodge called
.Usterda. The toes of seaman Erickson having
been amputated, he was placed upon an i'm
provised sled which was hauled by his COM
rades, several Of whom were hardly able to
stand, owing to frozen feet and legs. They
proceeded south slowly for two days, and
crossed small branch OF the Lena,
over which they had to wade.
On October they stopped at small hut
where Erickson died next day., and was
buried in the Lena. By this time they were
in deplorable condition, having eaten their
last dog meat, and being on an allowance Of
three ounces of alcohol per man per day.
They then proceeded south until October 8,
when belong decided to send two men ahead
to seek relief. The feet of Underman and
Noros were better than these of the Others,
and they were supplied with three blankets
and Remington rifles with forty rounds OF
ammunition and sixty-six ounces of alcohol,
which was the per capita division of the whole
stock of the latter. They were ordered to
proceed south en- the west bank of the Lena
and to send relief, If found, being told that
the others would follow their footsteps.
When the two men started the party was at
a halt on the north bank of large western
branch of the Lena. The two men assembled
that branch about five miles to make cross
ing, then travelled southeast to hut known
by the name of Two Crosses, and arrived on
the bank of the Lena. After fourteen days of
intense suffering and. slow progress, they
reached Bulour aud were found by three ma.
tives, who supplied them with food and trans
por ted them to Belun by deer sleds, arriving
at that place September 81. The commandant
Of Belun took good care of them. but was
unable to undertand them. He gave them
writing materials, and they wrote long dis
St. Petersburg, which the commandant took
with him to Bukoff.
Daneuhower Immediately sent 1t to me by
special courier, together with orders from
the commandments subordinate at Belun to
furnish me with an outfit, appointing Ban
sulk as rendezvous, at which place met
him and the remainder of my party on No.
vember 5. Had consultation with the com.
maudant, and ordered Eisenhower to proceed
south with all the party except j. ID. Bartlett,
a first-class fireman, who was to remain at
Belun to communicate with me, and started
north on that evening to the relief OF DeLong,
having with me two natives and two dog
trans, with provisions for ten days. On No
vember reached Bulcarer and found two de-
serted houses and traces of two men, Nindeim
and Noros. Examined q small hut where two
men had slept and where number OF sleds
were slowed. Slept in snow bank that night.
Visited the huts at Two crosses Shoal, at As
tolevia, reaching MOteria hut, a waist belt
that had been made ION board the Jeanette and
there were good indications that one or two
Of Belongs party had slept in the hut. On
November 10th, provisions running short, /
decided to go to Upper Belun in order to re-
new them, Reached Upper Belun on the 18th
having stopped at the deserted hunting sta.
ton Of Cathconta, and also having visited
eight huts on the route. Considerable stale
fish and deer meat were found at Cathconta,
but no sign OF this hut having been. visited
by Belongs party. On my arrival at
Upper Belun the natives brought me
Belongs record dated October LIST, and I
learned that others had been found. sent to
a nelghboring village for them next morning.
The records were dated September 22d and
26th. Winchester rifles were brought to me.
The only provisions were deer meat and fish,
there being scarcely of the latter, the ma
tives having to send twenty five versts for
their own supplies. On November 18th l OBJ
tained four days's supply OF fish, and with
fresh dog teams and natives, started for
Balloka hut, in which record No.
and the Winchester rifle were found.
Slept there that night and found
both huts filled with snow. On November IA
I followed the east bank of the Lena to the
coast and followed the coast about three N lies
to the east and found a cache. that had been
made by DeLong, September 10, 1881. made
a thorough search and gathered everything,
the sleds being too heavily laden to carry it.
I searched for the boat both east and west of
the cache for distance of five miles each way
and distance of one and half off shore, and