The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-03-15
THE FATE OF DE LONG.
MeIyiIle's Letter to his Wife.
The Chief Engineer of the Jeanette Writes
That the Lieutenant and his Companions
Perished Mt the Mouth of the River Lena.


greater number of the crew OF the il-fated
Jeannette who went with him hoping to
solve the vet unpenetrated mystery OF the
ice-sealed Polar circle, have shared the
tragic fate OF Franklin and so many other
brave investigating spirits who went De-
fore them. A letter was received yes
terday bv Mrs. Melville, residing at
Sharon Hill, a short distance outside Of
Philadelphia, from her husband, Lieuten-
ant George w. Melville, OF the United
States navy, who went ont rs chief ELI
eineer Of the exploring party, and was
in command of the boat containing the sur
yiyors. which landed on the northern coast
of Siberil September 29th. In this brief
letter the hero Of the latest and rs all the
accounts have shown, the most perlOus,
attempt to explore the unknown Polar
seas, speaks Of De Long and the Others
with him ne "perished," and indicates
that when Chiei-Engineer Melville set out
upon the search in which he Is now ell
gagged in regions OF eternal ice and snow.
il was without hope OF finding his COM
rades alive, hut simply to perform the
melancholy duty Of discovering, If possible,
their dead bodies and whatever traces OF
their hardships and adventures they left
behind them.
MELvILLE's FAMILY AfD HONE.
Since he was chosen by the authorities at
Washington out OF all the competent men
in the navy to accompany The Ieannette
expedition, lust four years ago, and set sail
from San Francisco in July, 1873, few
months after receiving his order, Melville
has had no opportunity to communicate
with his family. For four years the anX-
ious mother and the three little girls have
been awaiting "a letter from papa" In
their secluded little cottage ut Sharon
Hill, in Delaware county, the fond
mother ard childish trio have looked
out daily from the window adorned
with an anchor, as an emblem OF hope
OF the fathers safe return, and wondered
again and again, with the smoke and
whistle Of every mail train, il their long
looked-for message was coming at last.
When three years had passed. little Meta
who was a babe just born when he went
away one dark, stormy night, and having
kissed her and the mothers lips, said.
"Wife, it's possible | will never know
these jOys again was able 10 talk, and
expressed the thoughts of all four when
one day she said, Mamma, / think papa
must be dead" But they never took down
from the nail the hat which he hung up
when ne changed it for his naval cap, and
his favOritc cup and saucer were never
stirred from their places in the cupboard
There was JOY in The household when
some friend sent the newspaper containing
the telegram signed with her husbands
name giving the first news OF the safe ar
rival Of himself and crew. and the 10y was
not lesSencd by reading after the name "in
command" Every telegram since signed
"Mclyille" has been meat and drink to the
news-famished little household; and al-
though the mother kept telling the children
continually that sit was his duty, and duty
TO God and country must always 90 ahead
OF duty to family" the little folks could
no. understand "why papa did not send
some message home"
ALETTER AT LAST.
Yesterday morning Maud, beautiful
child, about fifteen years OF age, went, as
she has thousands of times in over three
wears. to the p0st-O1fice 10 know If there
was n letter. Mrs. Melville was seated al
home. sewing lstlessly, and the other two
little girls were playing with their dolls
Suddenly one OF the little ones said
"Why, mamma, something's the matter
with Maud; | actually believe there's alet
ter from papa" Maud's feet did mo-
lappear to touch the ground. Sh'
broke through the gate like one pur
sued. With tears Of JOY streaming
down her face and choking with sob
she threw herself at her mothers feet
dropping the letter and crying out: "Oh
mamma. at last at last 1t is from papa
oh. il is from papa." The mother tore i
omen. read it at Il glance, and then rereaC
II several times over. All the Afternoon
and up to going TO bed last night the chill
dren were doing nothing else but readln;
over papa's letter.
With the intelligence that it contained o
the fate OF others and the knowledge tina
lust now he himself, with the search party
il facing similar dangers, there was httl
In the letter to give hope OF the return
the husband aud father. Written on
single sheet OF tough, heavy note paper
the letter read as follows:
"IRKuTsK, RUSSIAN SIBERIA,
"January /, 1882. J
"Dear cttie,--After many trials AM
many trihulatiOns ! arrived here yestcr
day. We can muster but thirteen people
ALI told. out OF our original thirty-thre
persons. | am pretty well, and will b
home this summer or next winter, accord
- ing as l may be instructed by the Nay
Department. have telegraphed asking Z
; remain and search for De Long and tn
others who pcrished at the mouth OF til
Lena river. Love TO the children.
"Yours. faithfully,
"GEoRGE w. Melville"
The taken-for-grlnted way in which h
refers TO searching for the perishcd one
would indicate that he supposed Mrs. Mel
Vile must have heard all about 1t alread
> from other sources. II was said yesterda
that one effect OF the letter would un
A douh,edy he to arouse suspicion OF III
possibility that the kilograms from bot
Melville and Danenhower which haV
!. passed through the hands OF the Russia
authorities may have designedly been mad
to suppress. in the absence OF positive cv
denec, any reference TO De Longs fate.
: MELvILIE's GUARDED woRrs.
"My husband" said Mrs. Melville ye'
= terday, .sis man whe has great regar
for the significance and value OF words
ueis amam who Is very carefulwhat be say'
but particular above all other things win