Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1882-07-04
MELviILE's SEARCH.
Ina letter which accompanied the
diary, Melville saws.

In II letter which accompanied the
diary, Melville says.
Tomorrow, myself and Nindcrman,
with two Interpreters and dog-slcds, will
| go TO Ustada and Sistranck to pick up
| belongs trail where | lost it, last De-
ccmber | feel very confident Of finding
DcChipp never reached the coast. His
| boat was very short, and the sea was
very high, and although he was II sea-
man on the Jcannette fear the weather
was to much for the boat, not for the
man. The weather has been the worst
| | have ever seen. Any number Of native
people have been lost aud frozen in the
last month. On our journey here from
Burkoff cape, where | went to get fish
and dogs, we came across two families
| who had taken refuge in an old hut.
| They had been exposed to the storm for
eight days. Food had given ont, and
two of their children aged . and 3 years
respectively, were frozen to death. We
| gave them fish and ten, and our teams on
| their return to BulkOil would carry them
| through. The Weather is now more set
! lied. | can get to work right away, but
| tJle snow is very deep. 1t covers every
thing. You can sledge right over houses
without knowing their whereabouts cX-
cept by the chimmcyS or smoke. The
snow does not leave the ground by melt
ing from the heat Of the sun except ON
very high ground. Water from the
south comes down the river in floods
long before the summer, sets in, and
covers nearly all the country where our
search lies. You may, therefore, ima-
gine some Of the difficulties we may have
in finding our missing comrades. When
got in BurkOtf, last September, not one
man was well in the boat Not more
than two were able to walk, and then
only for short distance. The ice in the
river was thick enough to stop amy boat
worked by strong, vigorous man, yet
not strong enough to walk upon. Dur
| ing October, the river freezes and breaks
up again half dozen times. Long be-
fore got to Bulun, to see Ninderman
and Noros, fear my comrades troubles
were over. | did all could, in my cir
cumstances to get my people up the
river and relief to De Long. | lost no
time by going to Yakutsk or in getting
my party there, us all my travel was
done in the dead of winter, when work
could not be done at the delta, and it was
necessary to get supplies for sping and
summer, all Of which came from Yak
utsk, Il week before the answer to my
telegram Of two months before was re-
crivcd. However, now that we are on
the ground, we will give cur best en-
dcavors TO complete Our work to general
satisfaction. am anxious to finish up
our work here, Our eyes are almost
blind from the smoke of our huts There
are no chimncys, only holes IN the roof,
and can barely see what have writ
ten. The Prcfect of Nerkhayadsk' who
accompanied us to this place, returns
home and will carry our mail, and rs
there are no means of getting letters
through to Yakntsk, except by special
courier, before the river breaks M, you
may not hear from me until fall. Mean
time, it anything of importance transplr-
cS, You may rest assured | will employ
Il special courier n far rs lrkulSk.
GEORGE W. MELVILLE, L. .. y.