Connecticut western news., 1882-10-11
THE LAND OF ICEBERGS.
Lieut.. DanenhoWer's Story of the Jeannette Exploring Expedition.

Jeannette Exploring Expedition. Lieut.. Danenhower, in his lecture on the Polar regions, begins by describing the christening of the Jeannette and the Governments connection with the expedition. Tbe first people that the crew saw in the land of snow and ice were of the Indian type, and, singularly enough, fond of spirits and dancing. It was at St. Michael's that the dogs and sledges were procured. They paid high tribute to the two dog-drivers. The crew was told that the drivers would do well until they encountered danger, when they would desert the explorers, but they proved brave and true men. In the storm on Behring's Sea the~Jean- nette proved good sea craft. This ex- planation was made in view of the dis cussions on her behavior in the storm. When Wrangel Land was sighted on Sept. 6, 1879, the dangers commenced. There was ice on all sides. The great fields of ice were driven to and fro by the wind, and Lieut.. Danenhower asked what in the world could withstand the power of hundreds of square miles of ice when in motion. When the ship was tipped up at an angle of fifteen degrees, the fate of the craft seemed sealed to every one. The sun was lost on Sept. 9, and there was beautiful moon all day during October. Wrangel Land was in sight when it was clear, and when misty it could be seen in the clouds. After the craft broke away and drifted into new ice, only to be frozen in again, the long winter nights began. Incon- gruous though it might seem, strict discipline was necessary to keep up the spirits of the men. They busted them- selves making skin clothing, and became very handy in this work. The arctic nights, the speaker said, were very dark in the morning from eight to ten o'clock, but at other times were clear, except in a storm. The auroras were not so bright as the Lieutenant had seen them in Chi cago and elsewhere. Among the dis plays were auroral curtains and arches. When the ship was found to be leak ing, Jan. 19, 1880, the men worked knee deep in the ice water. The Jeannette 1 drifted during the winter, and hunting was the principal diversion. A singular thing about seals was observed. They were very inquisitive. They would come up to see the hunter and then go da Inv Ill rSo %1< second time to gratify their curiosity, and then was found the time to shoot them. Wafrus was shot to secure meat for the dogs. Bear hunting was more exciting. The animals would venture near the ship out of pure curiosity. At first the dogs were afraid to give chase to them, but they soon recovered from their fear when they learned that cap- ture meant meat for them. One plucky dog seized bear by the tail as it was retreating. The bear plunged into the water and the dog was lowed across the open space. He held on until the hunt CTS came up, and the bear was killed. The meat of the bears and seal was coarse, and the men hailed with joy the coming of Wednesday, when pork and beans were served. The succeeding summer proved really less comfortable than the winter. It was foggy and cold, and as rigid enconomy in fuel was prac- ticed the ship was damp and comfort less.
 The manner in which the Jeannette went down and how the ice cracked with the Captains tent while waiting for her to go to her fate were wildly described. Tin poisoning lent new ter | TOTS to life on the ice. The lecturer had been confined in dark room on account of his eyes, and every one thought that he would die. The midnight sun shone in all it's solar glory, and it was resolved to push on night and day. The retreat was commenced on the anniversary of the battle of Bunker Hill, June IT. Af- ter Bennett Island was sighted the party were fifteen days going the twenty five miles to reach it. When the island was reached men were sent up the cliff and knocked down birds by the hundred. The last seen of the second cutter was when Capt. De Long waved his hand in the increasing darkness of September | 12, and the motion was taken as the sig nal to separate. The chart said that there were nine arms to the Lena Delta, when there are actually 120. The first natives seen on the Lena were tempted to come forward by holding out pemmi- can, which is prepared beef. With the deer-sleds the party travelled fifteen miles day. At Verchoinska, the most northern post of Siberia, Lieut.. Danen- hover saw many political exiles, whom he thought might have put their time to better use than making cigarettes, smoking and cursing their fate. They were, however, intelligent.
 Under the Sound.
 French enterprise is steadily persever- ing in the work of redeeming the desert of Sahara by means of artesisn wells. A large number of wells have been sunk along the northern border, more than 15O in the Province of Constantine alone, and the work is advancing into the in- terior. One of the curious phenomena which the digging of these wells has brought to notice is the existence oi fish and crabs at great depths. The learned engineer M. Jus, who for twenty years has directed the work.