New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-11
THE RETREAT OVER THE i'm
WHAT THE JEANNETTEs CREW srFrppv,
ENGINEER MELvILLEs STORY coNTryurn--,,.D''
DANENHowER WAS GIVEN THE TIILRR IN r

ENGINEER MELvILEs STORY coNTryrrn- ~"
DANENHowER WAS GIVEN THE TIILRR IN .n
WHALE BOAT. hs
WASHINGTON Nov. 10.-Up0n the asso.-
bling Of the Jeanette Board Of Inquiry this n,o.
Mr. Melville was asked TO give q narrative aecon,. =.
the retreat after the sinking OF the Jeannette VI
1.-THE retreat began on June IS, the men work,n. :
| night TO avoid the glare much as possible ana "
for the reason that they could sleep warmer dur,n. -
day Captain DO Long directed the witness 20 ,'s 40
charge Of the working party, and to carry the Are
fer as far as the iarhest dag. About twenty NJ th
assisted in the workonc OF great difficulty owing ~
| condition Of the snow which was deep aud soft r.
returning to the first camp for another boat II wa. 49,
that the ice had opened and Captain De Long ana 49,
men with him we're trying to get the boats ana 49,
| across the lead OF open water The leo WA no,,-'
rapidly. and il was necessary 10 work quickly a.
hands took hold and got the sleds and boas ovs, -
quickly possible. In doing this some Of the run,.
turned under Ghe lashings being Of ravhide S.s
stretchedl.
During the arst day all the boats and aeds ser. =.
yanced TO the place where the provisions had ~,
taken. 1t was then found necessary reash the sd
! and IN the meantime people were sent back 70 a.
| original camp to bring up lot OF wood FOR ,u.,
and some loose provisions canned goods. Before sa,
ing the first camp Captain DE Long had prepared ca,
in which he placed lot Of papers giving an account !,
ngton It marked on the outside for the aRder, -
look within lot Of arms and Old clothing wero N.
behind the first camp. On the second day The nsr
succeeded IN moving al the boats and effects up 10 III
first cutter Ihe ice very much broken with n.
quent leads and great difficulty was experienced q
keeping everything together II necessary ms,,A
thirteen miles for each mile they advanced the sck
people being advanced FIRST During all tbs time N.
men were constantly wet up 10 their knees and NJ,
f1r, fot hafr
necessarily being limited and few opportunities occur
ring to make a change. great suffering ensIed.
During the rst few days the party subsised entirely
on the loose provisions, consisting OF canned
chicken, pigs feet mutton broth and other
canned goods. It understood az the start TIA,
there were sixty days raons Of bread half pound
day for each man. AS the summer advanced and Tia
became stronger, the melted and raa Of TIA
fec making it easier to draw the 10 IDS and dma
ishing the number Of trips. 1t impossible to marA
in any direction in straight line. Tho ice Gags ysr
set up by compass by the commanding officer and yr
Barton and then the best roads through the hummOck,
were picked out In drawing the boats the hum
mOcks they would frequently lose control Of them whea
less damage would be inflicted, particularly 70
the ends OF the long whale boat During this march 4
berian Islands which, before the loss OF the Jeanette
were thought TO be the nearest land TO the ship
After the march had continued about ten
days Captain Do Long got an observation
OF the sum- and told tho witness that he very much
surprised TO find that they had drfted 30 FAR to the
northwest. Mr. Chpp at this time barely able stag
ger along The captain told the witness not 10 repeat
what lie had said To him tne wness as he did not want
to discourage The people. Dr. Amber present ct
the time All hands at this time were bright and cheer
ful. the men singing they handled the slcds Whea
the shedding got better two sleds-generay hghtes
were started out alead 10 break the way for the heav
Ter onee The wh9lebOat was the hardest to nau After
q while they were'able to two boats at once. Al
times when the water leads were too wide TO bridge
across recourse was had TO Iarye piece Of ice winch
A.
pie ana baggage across The dingy would be Launched
ana used to set lines across by which the floating piece
of ice would be drawn At times when this could
not be done the boats would have TO be launched and
rOwcd across.
After some days Captain De Long directed Mr. Collins
not 10 do any more work Owing 20 conversation De-
tween captain De Long and Mr. Collins in regard 70
CtsObedleDce OF orders on the part OF Mr. Collins tie
captain relieved him from dlty, but dld not put him
under arrest lie free TO come and go as he pleased
simply getting permission from the captain or executive
officer The witness did NOT know the reason ny Collins
Greeted at this time noJ 20 do any duly Nj Collins
he hdd been directed not to perform any further duty
The captain mad previously spoken to the witness about
the matter and rad charged hi,u not TO permit Mr. CO
Inns 20 90 any more duty. Up 70 this time Mr. COuilI
lad been workln- with the road party.
Al his tine MI Chipp completely broke down and the
captain ordered him 10 get sled and be carried
1.-THE poor follow" SAID TIE witness, burned over on
his face and cried out 1t Is all over. You had better
leave me behinG.P
De Long aaid mo man shall be left behind vHls
another man lives TO haul him" soon after this VT.
Cnpp began to get better rapidly and again took chars'
OF tue WORKING party,
Captain De Long said 10 the witness "It Is nearly 70
our course. will Kill two BIRDS with stone. Iwl
land On the island ana repair Uur boats After great
deai OF labor landing vas effected on the hiand IN me
latter part Of JAY exploring parties sent out.
Records OF The td1 were kept CAPTAIN he Long formally
look pCsscselOOn INC evening OI INC .thuhS ~ tle
uame Of the United states and named Il Bennett Isatd
Tue people permitted 20 OYortbc Is and Many
ga DlIds were kleh "Ld evenly 'uatr'pGteN as ne1i
food. There much open water III the vicinity Of
the island that tie Captain decided 10 kh ali he dogs
save seven, which were retained for any possible
emergency thaJ might require Scd1ng' 49,
About August inc party left Tie island with tas
boats Previous 20 starting, captain De Long called i-s
witness and tod HIN 10 takO C.argc o. the whab0at
ana gave MIN written orders 10 rha effect The original
order Captain De Long was put IN evidence and teai
Captain De Long had designated who Should ~ IN eaei
buet As they tmb +rkel the open water tue wtrel
mad rhe uler in the whalcboat Mr. DauouhOweFbad
tho sheet aAd tlr NeUcOnb worked lhe sal seeing
that the ngst cutter beating tAcm N WorG.as 70
wndwarl, the witness tod Ar Daneun0w er 10 lake tie
tI!cr, Mr. NcwcOnD the sheet, while ne Uhc vines9
worked the SAIL Being stronger he could go So qaekaf
tlan Mr. New,omb Under this arrang cement ne wha.-
boat soon Doit the cutter.
The witness llcu tcsJifed l should perhaps at tls
point say that before leaving Tue island some coate
Ec Sconb ana the latter was suspended from dutl "
the captain. "a were about tmharhng, seeing thAs
br NewcOmb WAS detailed 10 70 IN Iny boat asAsd ~.
C.tldiA "IIt va. u, Nc I'm 30, I'm
He "a under suspension; but tat VIII not peVch I'm
uu!rc al workIa; the boat" WHOM landed Oh nc .s
10 camp Tor Tie nlsI Captain DE Long isae4 Ae u pr
DlueuuOTer had ASSUMED 70 take command ytNyt
had peIm ted hlin 20 lake i'e ter. tol ia S
sou, ina did not want 10 DO beaten b toe .s yu. s
and lad luIue the acran 1lcut he Bta NOtcL lVt -
reason lie soid AL right; b1t you must ie.lewSs
that DO not TaaG MT. Eisenhower 10 dc any duy w.
lie Is on tie Sex iisL' l tOii MI D@nchuO"c a oVJ
II. He sad he was @D'e ana desired 70 uu uIJ .<a
Those axe The captains orders, aId Il you 40 IOs
the arrangement VII ak the captain 10 ailoS ~,
70 IN another boat lie said no; mat ne MA a. ~
be in my beat th5c any Other. lrrpHed: hVI@iHS ~
ways Oten good friend, ana trust ne Aways sa1l "a
snail be very Car0u not 10 say or 10 any ll1s Ia
could wound the feelings OF u commissioned omteH Nv
expressed himself satisfied ...,r
he Court adjourned at l:45 till 10 a. n tolro"o'