National Republican., 1882-12-08
NINDEMANN'S RESCUE.
The Intensely Interesting Story Of Arctic Suf-
ferings Continued.
How Noros and Nindemann Were Found
Nearly Starved to Death.
Wonderful Hospitality Exhibited in the Frozen
Regions.
The Telegram 20 So. Petersburg-The Un-
expected Meeting With Melville.

interesting narrative before the Jeanette
board of investigation at the Navy Depart
ment yesterday. He took up the thread of
the story at the point where he and Noros
were found in a hut by native at noon on
the pod of October, 1881. When witness saw
that it was Il native he threw the rifle into u
corner and begged him to come in At first
he was n little shy, but came in after while.
They offered him something to cat, but he
shook his head, as much as to say, it was no
good They then went out and looked at his
sleigh to see what he had. There was moth
ing to cat We picked up his coat took it
into the hut took off his flannel shirt and
offered it for the coat, but the native shook
his head. He went to his sleigh, however,
and brought pair of deerskn boots. They
tried to make him understand they were in
search of assistance, but could mako him un-
dcrstand but little. They then made signs
that they wanted to go and had to have his
coat. He then brought in dccrskin, and
held up three or four fingers, as much as to
say he would return in three or four hours or
days.
HE TOOK THE SHIRT OF WITNESS
and started in deer slcighs to the westward
dong the river. Witness and Noros consulted
md witness expressed sorrow that they had
ct the man go, fearing he had been fright
ancd by the rifle and would not return.
Eoros, however thought he would come back
and they concluded to wait four days, and if
he had not returned they would start again.
About o'clock they heard something outside
and before they could get to the door it
opened and the same native appeared fol-
lowed by two others. They tried to tell the
natives where they came from and what they
wanted. One then went out and brought in
some fish, which was given them. Before
they had finished eating the natives made
signs that it was time to start and
going out brought in some doer-sllin
roats and boots. They put both of
them on the sleighs and started to the south
west towards the ruts. They kept on until
about twelve that night over the mountains,
when a ravinc was reached, and there they
sawa couple oftents,which were soon reached.
The natives then took Noros into one hut and
witness into another, and offered them some
Thing to eat In the tent that witness was in
there were five men and two women, and in
NorOs tent two men and one woman. After
witness had been there little while
ONE OF THE WOMEN OFFERED WATER
20 wash. Witness washed his hands without
little improvement, and after he went to wash
his face his fingers bent so he couldn't. The
woman noticed it, took pity on him and
washed him. Witness tried to make them
understand that he was sent by the captain to
get assistance They wanted to know what
WlIntSS nHu III MS pOSScSolOll, anu tuoh IL Iuu-
BILE bill from witness pocket. Witness tried
to make them understand that they had plen-
ty of money in the ship but it all went down,
but that if they would give assistance they
should be well repaid. Whether they compre-
hended or not witness did not know. When
they were ready to retire they all stood up and
CROSSED THEMSELVES,
directing witness to do so too. At daylight
on the 23d, when witness woke he found
If, nd 6tt,i, fbn
he tried to talk to them again. After break
fast everybody went outside to catch the
deer. The man who appeared to be head man
sat down, and witness drew for him chart on
the snow, showing the land marks he had
seen. Sometimes it appeared as if he under
stood, and again as if he didn't get any idea.
After the deers were caught they were har-
messed to the sleighs, and witness counted
twenty-seven sleighs and over 100 reindeer.
The natives then broke camp and all started
over the ruts to the southwark About noon
halt was made to rest the deer. The head man
made signs to witness to come on the noun
tain sign. They walked 800 yards, when he
pointed out a permanent landmark in the
Lena, very high, which witness had noticed.
The man wanted to know if that was the
place where they had left their comrades
Witness tried to tell him that they were prob
ably twenty miles to the north of that place
The man shook his head, as much as to say he
started aagain. They halted at dark for the
night and theneXt day continued the Journey
halting every now and then to rest the
deer In going up the ruts everybody
Ial 10 walk, and the natives often
waited tor witness and Noros. About 4 p. IN
they reached small river running to the
southeast, and they kept along this for an
hour, when they again struck the main river.
They kept along the bank and in about an
hour sighted the huts to the SOUTH and they
soon got abreast of them and then they had
10 go up ravine to reach the hutS. There
were many people on the river bank watch
ing them coming. A fire was soon started in
a hut and the women
PREPARED SOMETHING TO EAT.
After they had eaten there were many people
in the hut who came to welcome the party
home Everybody stared at the two seamen,
talking about them, and probably were won
derinG where they came from. Witness tried
TO talk to them, but found he could not make
them understand, as there We're too many peo-
pie in the hut, doing nothing but feasting, and
they remained until midnight. On the next
morning after breakfast, witness again talked
by signs to the people 1t seemed as if one
had gotten some idea where they came from
and what they wanted. He spoke to
II boy, who went out and returned with a
model of a yawl-boat, They tried to
find if their ship was like it. Witness
showed them it had masts, and was a steamer
He then sent for some ice, and showed the
natives how their vessel was crushed in the
ice away to the north, and showed how many
boats belonged to the ship and how many
men were in each boat. The natives pointed
to dog III the hut inquiring If they had any
dogs. Witness counted forty ON his fingers
but explained that most of then
had been shot. Witness then made
chart of the coast, and explained thai
they experienced gale; that ont
of the boats went here another there, bu
didn't know what had become of them. II,
showed on the chart where they had landed
and that they had left tho boat short dis
tince from the thorc and waded in He ther
showed their course along tho river by mean
of pcnci aIrS, representing each man by
apencil u,aI.., and the huts they passed. IL,
showed ais, where Erickson died,
AND EVERYBODY SHOOK HIS HEAD,
as if expressing SORROW He then explained
that Il couple Of days afterward they had lcf
the captain, and by dropping his head ant
closing his eyes number of times explained
how many days they had been separated They
seemed affected, but did not seem willing to of
fer assistance. Sometimes witness thought the,
did not understand BY ~ o'clock they showed
no signs of being willing to give assistance
All day Of the 26th they endeavored to maxi
them understand, but in vain, On tn,
morning of the 27th witness was sitting on hi
bunk thinking when he broke down. 4
woman noticed il and spoke to one of tn,
men, who approached witness and commenced
talking about the commandant, who would bt
there in five or six hours, and told witness
that he would be taken to Belun the mex
day. That day witness rested all day. Abou
p. M they ate and after supper the woman
of the house gave witness a little tobacco h
smoke While smoking tall Russian (com