Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-08-23
SIBERIAN EXPERIENCES.
Official Report from Lieut. HarSer
DELAYS AND DIFFICULTIES OF HIS TRIP TO TIL
ARCTIC REGIONS IN SEARCH OF JEANETTE SUR
vIyORS


June II, 1882, as folIows:-"on Thursday, April
18th, l signed the contract pertaining to the
steamer General Slnilnikon, a copy Of which was
translated and sent to you the same day. Imme-
diatey after started mort h, accompanied by Mr..
Thornam, interpreter, and F. Z. Manson, (seaman.)
AS anticipated would be the case, we had great
difficulty in getting horses without being exorbi-
family cheated, and had it not been for the
governor generals strong order which / car
ried, and the interpreter, l would have been
greatly delayed. The snow had gone from the
ground and the rivers were breaking up, SO the
roads were nearly impossible. However, we
encing every variety OF conveyance and all kinds
OF weather $50 vcrstS were made in poSt-wagons,
oTer SEQ yersts In sleds. nearly the Whole of the
latter being through mud and water, except when
crossing mountains of considerable elevation,
where We got snow, and nearly 80 verSts were
made on horseback
SIBERIAN TIDAL WAVE.
Once only did we experience any danger, and
that occurred just as we had crossed a river
by swimming our horses, while our bag
gage was taken In small boat When the
opposite bank was reached wonderful
The natives to hasten up the river bank with
horses and parcels and at once the water rose
some six feet perpendicular heghO in three min
utes, and the river Itself was filled with immense
masses OF ice, in which no boat could live We
escaped being caught in this By ten fifteen min
utes- When l arrived at Viteem l found Mr..
ScheutZe and the men who came with him all well.
Mr. Scheutze, In accordance with Instructions
harbor. He had seen the steamer had chartered
subject to my inspection He gave an unfavorabIe
account The same day came to Viska, settle
ment consisting. OF the workshops, houses and
people employed by BaZlnoff & Co., and from the
acting dIreItor learned tnat it would be nearly
11O versS distant 1t was through
COUNTRY IN WHICH NO PERSON LIVED.
The only route ever used, the river, would no
longer be safe, and to so by land would necessiate
going through unbroken forests over a continuous
series OF mountains, and there were a number of
streams to cross. which could crossed on the
Ice, nor were boats to be obtained. was told
furthermore that the steamer was being placed In
running order, and would be ready as soon as the
therefore, by attempting to go to VorOuzOfsky, l
concluded to wait here until the river broke up,
also found boat fifty feet long and nearly ten feet
BEAM which could readily be made into Il schooner
sufficiently large and strong to do work along the
coast, outside OF the delta. l accordingly pur-
chased 1t and commenced repairing it so as to put
Not until the 25th of May was able to go up to
VorouZOfsky.
THE STEAMER GENERAL SINILNIKoFF
had gone up the river the day started from viSka
and did net. get back until the night Of the 26th.
Mr.. Scheutze and went on board OF her and re-
turned to Viska- During the trip down the river
inspected the huh and engines and measured the
amount Of WOOD she burned. The result was we
found her quite unit for our purpose, and in ac-
cordance with article of the contract l declined
70 accept her. TO the director here gave the
following reasons: 1. Considering the length OF
steamer and the large surface OF hull exposed to
Ine acton or waves we do not think the steamer
Stnlikon has longitudinal or vertical strength
TO encounter with safety such weather as would
undoubtedly be experienced even within the delta
OF the Lena. 3 The amount OF fuel burned Der
day {about 10 to 1S sachn) is great that very
little steaming would be done in the delta without
returning to Belun frequently, thus losing much
time. Besides, to supply fuel on the return trip
would require SO much time that we would he
compelled to start on the return early. We
Of mol
alone we would be oblige1 to commence
our return at an earlier date than would enable us
70 complete the work we anticipate Further par
ticulars are recorded in my journal. l at once
sent dispatch informing you of my decision, and
also a.; stating that we would start, with our boats.
In ten days. thought, indeed, had made suf1i-
c1ent allowance for the extraordinary slowness
with which these people work, but it seems had
not Now. however, all is ready, and we leave at
once. still hope to reach the delta by July 1st.
The news that De Long and party have been
found, dead, and that the Rodgers has been burnt,
mas been sent to US from IrkUtSk, but full particu-
lars are yet wanting The exact nature OF our
work will be determined when l meet Melville l
Jana should 1T seem advisable. The money sent
for charter Is In the Bank OF Siberia, subject to my
order. We have received every attention from the
AGENTS OF the steamship company. They have
placed us all in clean airy rooms which are gratis
and the charge for board is very small
tSiSned) GILES b. HARDER,
Lieut.. L. S. N"
official Report of Lieut.. Kerry, Of the
Rodgers.
SINGULAR MANNER IN WHICH MASTER C. F. PUTNAM
WAS L0sT-AN ARCTIC CRUISER MANNED BY DEAD
MEN-ANoTHER DRIFTING SHIP
communication was also received from Com
mander r. NJ. Berry, commanding the burned
search steamer Rodgers, dated Nshue, Calymsk
Siberia, April 4, 1882 in which he reports the prob
able sad loss OF Master c. F. Putnam, whom he
considered an excellent officer and courteous gen.
tleman. He had gone down to ST. Lawrence bay
WITH provisions and clothing for the officers and
crew. and, having performed this duty, was re-
turning to Eeleetlan, near Serage Kamen, when
the party was Overtaken by one OF the driving
snow storms common in those regions. After re-
naming out all night they found it impossible to
proceed, and started to return TO the village of
Nutass1m0n1, on the south side Of st. Lawrence
bay. but Mr.. Putnam'S Sled became separated from
the others, containing Passed Assistant Engineer
Zane; Ensign II. I. Hunt, DIR. j. D. Castillo and
three natives, who reached the village I'm
i village E. ana ran out SS upon s0's the " ies ice
the force of the wind, and was swept out into
the straits: carving him with it. Two days later
ward OF and near the mouth OF the bay, without
his sled. but surrounded by his dogs. An attempt
was made to reach him by the natives in a canoe,
through the young Ice which lay between him and
the shore, nor could they pass over it. westerly
wind afterwards drove the Ice stilI farther from
shore, and he had not been since heard from up to
January 25 Com. Berry was at Eeleetlan at the
time OF the occurrence, but Messrs: Hunt and
search was being made along the coast, and that
Mr.. Waring had gone to the southwark to look for
him.
A DRIFTING SHIP WITH DEAD BODIES ON BOARD.
Com. Berry left Eeleetlan Feb. 9Th, In company
with Ensign Hunt and native guide, poorly pro-
vided with dogs and with but one sled for the two
AMI for provisions At the village near Cape Wau.
karen he learned from the natives that some OF
them had visited a ship which came down with
the Ice in August or September. 1880, and took
some articles from her; also, that the Thos. Cor
win had visited that place in the summer OF 1881.
and taken some OF the articles away. They de.
scrioed the wrecked vessel as dismasted, broken
and nlied with ice, having dead bodies on board
ana with deer horns on the flying jib-boom.
ANOTHER DRIFTING SHIP.
AT the village OF Dtrouck, about 20 miles east OF
Jakon, second vessel was visited by the natives
about the same time, and articles were brought
from her on shore. He saw, among others, cop
perss PEI e., lances, skylights, and an oar. None had
marks Dy which the vessel could be recognized
They described the vessel as painted black outside
ana Whlte inside, dismasted, 1lled with ice, and
the Ice nearly covering her. There werc no deer
horns on the flying Jib-bocm, nor dead bodies on
board In both cases the vessels were visited only
once. and drifted on to the northward and west
ward with the wind. He arrived at NiShue Co.
VnSK March "a, and learned OF the