Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-05-13
The Arctic Explorers Found Dead.


Chicago nter-0cean.
WASHINGTON, May 5.-Secretary Chan
dler received tonight the following tel
egram from Engineer Melville:
"1RKUTSK, May 5.-TO the Secretary of
the Navy, Washington, d. c., U. S. A
Lena Delta, March "a, 1882.-Found De
Long and party dead. Found all the pa
pers and books. Will continue the search
for Chipp. MELVILLE"
LIFE AND SERVICES.
Lieutenant George w. De Long, United
States Navy, was connected with the
POlaris search expedition in 1873 as nav
igatOr of the United States steamer Ju-
niata, commanded by Captain ID. l..
Braine. Lieutenant DE Long on that
cruise accomplished most perilOus un-
dertaking. At Upernavic, Greenland, he
superintended the fitting out of the
steam launch Little Juniata, boat
about thirty feet long, and with a pick
ed crew clad in sealskin, and with pro-
visions and coal started further north
in search of the missing vessel POlaris
and Captain BuddingtOn's party. He at
tempted to cross Melville Bay as far as
Cape York by hugging the coast, but
finding himself Obstructed by ice, he
was obliged to put back several times.
He finally struck "due lead' "a chan
mel way through the ice), and laid his
course for Cape York. The fifth day out
from the vessel terrific gale sprung up
while the boat was under sail, which
had been resOrted to the day previous to
save fuel. For thirty hours they battled
with this Arctic gale, more terrible than
anything in the lower lattitudes, and
were threatened with destruction by the
hundreds Of
TOPPING AND CRASHING ICEBERGS.
around them. When the gale subsided
they found themselves in sight of Cape
York, which was only eight miles dis
in further search, but as it was impOssi-
BILE to get over the ice to the land, and
having imperative orders from Captain
Braine to return when the fuel was half
consumed, there was no alternative, and
he reluctantly returned. The day be-
fore his arrival back at Upernavic the
Tigress was sighted. and Lieutenant De
Long begged that his party might be
taken on board, but Captain Greer would
not accede to proposition which might
mean division of any resultant glory.
The Tigress, which. as merchantmen,
had rescued TysOn's party after
ITS MIRACULOUS JOURNEY.
on the ice foes, and was now proceed
ing north as government vessel, found
the camp of BuddingtOns party at Lit
tleton Island, and the Polaris sunk with
two icebergs stranded over her near by.
De Long wanted to fit out the launch for
a second attempt, but the supply of coal
being short it was not deemed advisable.
Lieutenant De Long was the first to vol
unteer for an Arctic cruise after the re-
turn of the vessel.
Lieutenant George Washington was
born in New York in 1874, and was ap-
pointed acting midshipman in 1865. He
was promoted to ensign, Dec. l, 1866;
master, March IL. 1868; lieutenant, March
26, 1869; and has seen nine years and
three months sea service. He was ex-
ecutive officer of the nautical schOolship
St. Mary's from 1875 to 1878, and earned
the good will of all the merchants in the
city. He was handsome man, of strong
physique, and bore reputation for nau-
tical skill, firmness in command, and
that strength of determination which
argued fayorably for his success in
whatever he undertook.