Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-21
Finding DeLong,s Body.

kNGTSEER MELvIILEs NARRATIVE CoSTrNrRp.
Before the naval board OF inquiry. investigating
the loss OF the Jeanette, Chief Engineer Mel
Vile continued his testimony after the report IN
the first edition closed, as follows:
Accompanied by Ninderman witness pursued
the search, crossing and recrossing and examinr
nized place where they had crossed a river ana
after searching IN the neighborhood witness dis
having been puilt there. Mind ,rman said they
nae never made so large a nre and the natives on
large hfes' witness then knew that
De LoNGs PARTY HAD BEEN THERE
Ninderman recognized point OF land ana said By
following up the bank Ericksen's hut would be
found. About 500 yards from this point wit
mes found some sticks stuck up IN the snow ana a
Remington rifle fastened 20 the sticks. Witness
supposed at first that belongs party, wearfed
with carrying their books and papers, had depos-
tied them there, placing the sticks over them 20
Indicate where they mad been left The natives
were set 10 work digging out the cache. Witness
started Co make survey in the vicinity, and soon
came upon tea kettle protrudtng from the snow
As he was about 20 call native 10 dig out the ket-
tle ne suddenly came upon the bodies OF three
men partially covered 10y the snow. one OF them
n4d MS arm extended high out OF the snow. Wiz
hess at once recognized
CAPTAIN DE LONGS BODY.
These three bodies proved TO be those OF Capt
belong, Dr. Amber, ana All sam, the cook. Tho
captain and doctor were lying with their head 20
the northward All sam was lying crossway OF
Nhe Sapialn anu uoctor, ana with his feet In the
place where the IRE had been. Just behind Can't
DeLong were two ice hooks as though ne had
tried 10 throw them far as possible upon
high ground. Ninderman, who had gone on some
distance, came back ANA assisted witness In pry-
Ing up the bodies, which were frozen into the
snow. Upon rolling the body OF DR.. Amber over
witness found under IL the pistol which
Capt belong had carried upon his person an
through the march. The pistol had apparently
been be, n held IN DR. Ambler'S rlght hand This led
witness 10 believe that belong had died before
Or Amber, and that the latter had taken the
pistol 10 protect the bodies from any stray fox or
Won or to shoot any animal that might offer a hope
Tor food. Witness ordered the natives 10
Just before night the ' head i"O" OF O1 one
man and the feet OF another were exposed.
Soon the men eng aged In digging threw out a boy
OF books some cooking utensils, etc, and after 4
while exposed the shoulders or a third man. W.T.
ness returned 10 the camp at Matvai which was
distant about - Nersts, leaving instructions Co
Nlnderman and Bartlett 10 be extremely particular
TO preserve every scrap OF paper relic OF any kind.
and 10 bring with them 10 the camp that evening
All The bodies they might succeed I'm digging out
When they returned 10 MatYal that evening Bart.
lett ana Nlnderman brought In the bodies OF De
Long, Dr. Amber, All sam GOrtz and two others
lhe bodies were covered with clothes and pro.
tected. Ninderman and Bartlett with everyone
else at Matv31, returned to the spot where the
bodies we're found, and that day succeeded In re.
covering two more bodies The next day some small
articles were recovered, but no more bodies The
following day witness accompanied the digging
party, ana after examining the place concluded
That after AleNy had been buried the Ice I'm the
river (Which Was early In the falD the ice had
fallen In and had iloated out, that IL would b
useless 10 search further for AleXy. That evening
when Ninderman and Bartlett returned to camp
they brought IN the other two bodies and the bal.
ance or the small articles. Witness then prepared
10 bury the bodies While detailing TO the court
the preparation made Tor the burial the hour q
adjournment arrived, and the court adjourned
until 10 30 a. m. tomorrow.