New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-06
THE RETREAT FROM TIE LOST SHIP.


sary TO insure the safety OF brother officers
THE RETREAT FROM THE LOST SHIP.
The Jeanette sailed from san Francisco at 3
D. IN. on July s. 1879 and entered the ice near
! Herald Island in September. From that time until
June II, 1881 when she was crushed, she Omitted
helplessly. At the end of the first five months the
ship was only fifty miles from the place where she
had entered the ice. During this time
the Jeanette had drifted over an immense
area. approaching and recedng from the 1ooth
meridian. The ship continued to drift in this way
until June IL, 1851, the general movement being to
the northwest. On that date the ship was in lati-
tude 10 10 10 north and longitude 1872 46 80
east
At 1910 a. IN. Of June - the ice suddenly opened
alongside the ship. but some hours Later the Ice
again closed upon and crushed ner. The ship vas
then abandoned aud about o'clock on June l3 she
sank to the bottom. -Four days Later the
crew began the retreat on five sleds.
The party travelled slowly. and at the end oil the
first week il was found that the drift to the north
west had been twenty-seven miles IN excess OF the
march southwark. On June - the party reached
Bennett Island and remained there until August h.
spending the time in making explorations. Kolteno
Island was reached on September and on Septem-
Der 1 o the party landed on SimontH Island. Two
DAYS later the three boats stood to the southwark,
but when within about fifty miles OF the main land
they were separated during gale.
DE Longs boat landed az the mouth OF the north
western branch OF thu Lena, near Upper Blum,
September Il, and the same day Melyi!les party
entered the East branch of the Lena. Chipps boat
has never been heard from. Melville met three ma
tives September 10, and seven days later he
reached Bukot. His party was very much ex,
hausted. On October - he heard that Noras and
NIndernan. of DE Longs party, hal been
found and on November he saw them at Blum;
From them he learned that DE Long and
l l. had
teranek There the men were IN an exhausted CON
ditiOn on October 9, and were without food. Mel
vile Immediately started nOrthward again win
two natives ana explored the Lena della ~ seaIS4
of De Long He returned 10 Bulun November -
without having found any trace OF DE Long; eXcePl
"a few records written before Nlnderinan ana Noras
were sent forward for relief Ills Journey
would have been continued had not his PROVISIONS
given out. HIS second expedition 10 the Lena
Della began on January p. 1ss2. when he LETT
lakutsk fully prepared for an extended search lie
took with HIM Bartlett and Nlnderman, OF the
jeanette crew. while Lieutenant Danenhower traV-
elled slowly southwark with nine other survivors.
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER GEO. W DE LONG
George w De Long, the commander Of the Jean
nette Expedition held the rank of lieutenant IN the
Navy when he sailed for the Arctic regions, but on
the first OF November, 1879. four months after he
left san Francisco, he was promoted 10 the rank
of Geutenant-Comma He was born in this
city in 1914 ana on October l. 1sGl, he entered the
]
-Four years later he was graduated, and
from 1865 to 1869 he served on
the Cananlaigua. then attached to the European
Squadron lie was promoted to the rank OF ensign
| December l. 1866 To the rank OF master March -
lsGs. and TO the rank Of Lieutenant March 20, 1863
After his return from the European station he re-
| NAMED on waiting orders for "A few months, and
was then lin 1870 ordered to the Lancaster, the
flagship of the south Atlantic fleet. In tue
following year he placed Oh SICK leave. and'yaS
nermitted to 90 TO Europe In January, 1878, he
was ordered as navigating officer 10 the Juha'''
| then engaged in taking ocean soundinss. In June
of the same year the Juniata ordered to the
| Arctic Ocean in search Of the POlaris.
| The Polaris had been caught in the ice
! after starting homeward i'll August 1872, and
drifted helpessly for two months On the night of
! Octob i some Of the crew were carried away
! from the ship while engaged IN landing provisions
upon the ice. The nineteen castawars drlited for
1876 days on the ice from near northumberland
Island TO the coast Of Labrador, where they were
picked up by the rIgress.
When Captain Tyson and his comrades were
brought home by the Iigre-s the Navy Department
ordered the Juuata to 20 in search OF the Polaris,
CAPTAIN Buddlngton, and the remainder Of the crew
Lieutenant De Long volunteered to accom-
pany the Juniata and superintended the
work of fitting up the steam-larnch
Little Junata, which was TO continue the search
after the Juniata had reached Upemayik When
the ship arrived at Disco Lieutenant De Long was
selected by Captain d. l.. Bralne, the conf
mander Of the Junilta to take charge OF the
Little Juniata expedition. There he purchased
dogs. sealssn clothing, etc, and upon the
arrival of the ship at Upenavik he selected Lieuten-
ant (flares W. Chip one of the watch officers,
Ensign Nav. Pilot Dodge and others OF the crew to
| accompany him. Following the explicit orders OF
| Capt1ip Brane. Lieutenant De Long returned 10
Tpernavik after reaching Cape York, across Mel
! Vile Bay The search was unsuccessful During
the return Journey the little boat encountered gales
that larger vessel would hardly have withstood.
DE Long was still anxious to continue his search
but was refused permission to accompany the
Tigress. which had been purchased BY the Govern
ment to assist the Junlata. The llgress' com
manded bv CAPTAIN James A. Greer pushed
on TO Littleton Island, where the Polans
was found wrecked, After collecting
the records instruments etc. left by Captain Bud
dinpton in hut on the island, the Tigress returned
tn New-York The Juniata in the III eantme, went
10 Disco where a search made for coal. Fuel
was discovered, and after securing a supply By
blasting. the Juniata made a short cruise 10 tn
northward in search Of the Tgress and then started
bomeward Captain Buddington's party was picked
ND by wbaler and landed at Dundee in
October. When the Juniata returned Lieutenant
he Long and other officers Of the ship volunteered
for any future Arctic expedition. Lieutenant DE
Long remained with the Juniata after her return,
and took part in the naval expedition to Cuba after
the Vrgnus affair
After being detached from the North Atlantic
souadron. Lieutenant De Long was ordered TO the
scholarship ST Mary's, on board of which he served
from 1878 to 1873.
Like so many other Arctic explorers, Lieutenant