The Red Cloud chief., 1882-06-29

The New York Hrdid prints n letter
giving Lieutenant Dancnhowcr's ac-
count offhe adventures Of the ~Jeannette
until after the vessel sank. OF the last
hours Of the vessel h. saws:
b three p. III. Maehinist Lee
reported the ice coming through the
bunkers, and the Captain Immediately
ordered. Lower awayi men having
been previously stationed n; the boat,
falls and ON provisions put on the ice.
Melville Immediately contradicted the
report, and the Captain DELAYED the or
der. Thus the ship lay for two hours
and n half. the pressure of the ice relay
ing at times and the ship almost right
ing. Then again she would be- hove over
tn tweniy-three degrees. and we felt sure
there wa no longer any hope for her. for
she would not lift. There was nothing
in the world To be done toassist her AZ that
time. We had To- depend upon her
shape. have forgotten to tell on tina.
she. of course. floatcd much higher than
when we entered the pack. and that led
us to hope that she would liz, easier in
the nip. for the pressure If the ice
would be below the point her sides
commenced 10 tumble home. On the
siarboard side. while she was h~eeliny.
the nip vas felt on her timber heads.
which were the weakest parts Of the
frame. but on the port side she was
pressed below the turn Of the bilge.
Her fate was practically Decided the mo-
mcnt we found she would net lift. and n
large amount If provisions and clothing
was then placed on the ice in readiness
for the catastrophe.
when the order was given To aban.
don the ship her hold was full Of water:
and as she was heeling tw~enty-three de-
grees To starboard nj the time that the
water was on the lower side Of the spar
deck. | hope that our friend. the London
Standard, will not now think that we
deserted her and left her adrift in the
Arctic. n WIS stated in one Of the is
sues Of that paper. We had a large
quantity OF provisions on the ice about
n hundred yards from the ship, but Mr..
Dunbar. who was alive to the occasion.
advised the shifting Of these to an adis-
cent and more favorable foe piece. i,
tool Us till eleven p IN. 10 effect the ~
moyal. We also had three boa;s-name-
~. the first cutter. second cutter and the
whaleboat- As soon ~ DIR. Amber had
looked for Chip be relieved me At
my post, and I went % work with No. 2
sled party. which l had been detailed
previously 10 command. The order WAS
given TO camp and get coffee. so we
pitched our tent abreas: Of the whale
boat. and | set about fitting out for the
retreat.
"Abou; four o'clock I was awakened
BY Seaman Kuehne calling his relief.
Fireman Bartlett. who was in "a tent.
knehnc called tn Bartlett that the ship
was sinking. and the latter jumped To
the tent door and saw the spsrz of the
after the hull was below the
surface We heari the crash. but those
were the only two men who saw the
vessel disappear. II was said that the
ice first closed upon her. then reaxing.
allowed the wreck to sink; the wards
across the ice and broke OF. bat
being held by the lifts and braces were
dowu-dep;h. thirtyeight faith
as I remember. The nexf morning
the Captain and others visited the spo;
and found only one cabin chair md .
few pieces Of wool-ail that remained
Of our old and good friend the Jean
nette. which for many months had en-
iured the embrace Of the Arctic mon
SER. The Jeanette sank about foar
on the morning Of Mondsy.
June Is" |
" 4