Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1882-07-01
STARVED TO DEATH.
~ Finding of De Long and his
p.rty-ErOzen in the SNOW

ssnondent late Win the ie"aS0iS'
IpoSnt,ins additional particulars concern
co. the finding of the bodies oil Comnland-
nr de Longs party by Engineer Mel',tae,
CT hn1;es were i'm two places 800 and 1000
III from the wreck OF the scow. They
!" fonnd the wreck, and following Il
NJ the bank they came upon ritie-bar-
wi 1nno upon four sticks. Digging down
~ " cane upon two bodies buried under
wv, ,it feet of snow. Melville then saw Il
S,'n- Kettle and TIE remains of Il fire a.
hont 900 yards away, and approaching
,earlv stumbled upon De Longs hand
s,icking ont Of the snow, about thirty
foat from the bank. Here under about Il
foot of snow they found the bodies OF DE
I oncanI Amber about three feet apart,
and Ali San lying at their feet, all par
6slly covered by pieces of tent anc few
nicces of blanket. All the others except
Alexis they found at the place where the
tent was pitched. Two boxes OF records,
with the medicine chest and nag OH
staff, were beside the tent.
The hands of all were more or less
burned, and it looked as II wheh uyiilS
they had crawled into the lre; boyd ~
;ug over the fire and his clothing being
Lnrne5 through to the skin, which was
,nt harmed. Collins's face was covered
with cloth.
of a hill 800 feet high, about 40 versts to
the southwest from where they were
touud. and there inferred in mauSoleum
constructed of wood from the scow, built
in the form of Il pyramid % feet long and
seven high, surmounted by cross % feet
high and foot square, hewn out of drift
wood. and conspicuous 1T Il distance OF ~
yersts. The mauSoleum was covered with
stones. and is TO be sOdded in the spring.
che cross is inscribed with the record and
names of the dead cut in 10y the search
party.
After completing the tomb, the party
s.narated TO search the Delta for traces OF
Chippa people. Melville went to the
northwest part of tie Delta and west rs
far us the Olenk river. Ninderman took
the centre and Bartlett the northeast.
Nindeaman and Bartlett found nothing.
Melville has not yet returned.
belongs DIARY,
The TERRIBLE STORY OF THE STRUGGLE
FOR LIFE WHICH Ir TELLS.
The Navy Department is in receipt of
alvices from Engineer Melville, dated
Lena Delta, March %, in which he gives
a detailed account OF his operations up to
that date aud full particulars of the find
in" of the remains of De Long and his
comrades. This story has already been
told. But Engineer Melvill also forwards
i copy of Il notebook found by DS Longs
body, which tells the story of the struggle
for life which the men had. The notes
were begun OIL October |, 1881, and were
continued to October 80. Towards the
last the notes were very brief. The first
entry tells of the amputatiOn Of Erickson's
toes. On the 3d of October nothing was
left TO eat but their dog, which was killed
and dressed and Il stew made al such parts
as could not be cured. All partook OF the
stew sxcept De Long and the Doctor.
They sat around fire all that night, but
had it not been for AleXy'S Sealskin, DE
Long writes that he thinks he should have
died from the cold.
The next morning Erickson WAS uncon-
sciouS aud had TO he dashed to Il sled. At
eight o'clock the party reached hut large
enough to hold them all, and for the first
time since Saturday they managed to get
warm. Erickson was very low ana pray
ers were read for him before the others
sought rest. At ten all except AicNy lay
down To sleep. AlcXy went off to hunt,
into the river. At SIN they rOuSedup aud
had a pound of dog meat for each person
and 4 cup OF tea, the DAYS allowance, but
they were 80 grateful that they were not
exposed To the terrible gale which was
raging at the time that they did not mind
short rationS. The next day, Wednesday,
Tea and dog meat were eaten and on
Thursday AlrXv was sent out to hunt and
Erickson died while he was gone. AlcXy
returned empty-handcd. The notes at this
point say: ''What, in Gods name, is 90
ing 10 become of us: Fourteen pounds of
dog meat left and twenty-five miles to Il
possible settlement"
Under date of OctC Der the notes say:
"ll7th day-BreakflSt consisted of the
last half-pound of GoS-meat and tea. The
last grain of tea was put in the Kettle, ami
We are now about tC undertake journey
of twenty-five miles with some old tea
leaves and two Quarts of alcohol. How
ever, trust in God, and believe that lie
who has fed us thus far will lot suffer us
to lie of want now" They got under
way at $50 Il. m. and proceeded until
IL 20 by which time they had made about
three miles and were all pretty well done
up. They had half an ounce of alcohol IN
4 pot OF tea for dinner. Went ahead and
soon struck what seemed to be the main
river again. Here four of the party broke
through the ice in trying 10 cross, ana
fearing froSt-bite Il fire was built. AleXy
shot one ptarmigan and there was soup
for supper. On Sunday, the 9th, NorOS
and Ninderman were sent ahead. The
party crossed a creek, broke through the
Ice aud got wet. Dinner consisted of hall
IN ounce of alcohol, but three ptarmigan
afforded sup for supper. They found Il
canoe and found partial shelter for the
night.
The entry for Monday, October 10, is
thus Last half-Ounce alcohol ut 5.39. ut
$50 sent AleXy oil to look for ptarmigan.
Eat deer skin scraps yesterday morn
ing ate my deer skin footsteps. Under
way ut S. In crossing creek three got
wet. Built fire and dried out. Ahead a.
gain till IL. Used up. Built fire ana
made Il drink out Of the tea leaves and
from the alcohol bottle. On again at noon.
Very hard going. Ptarmigan tracks
plentiful. At halted. Used UP. Crawled
into hole in the bank. AleXy in quest
of game. Nothing for supper except
spoonful Of glycerine. All hands weak
and feeble, but cheerful. God help u.s."
Tuesday, lis. w. gale, with snow.
full of glycerine and hot water for food.
No more wood in our vicinity"
"Wednesday, 12th.-Breakfast, last
spoonful of glycerine and hot water. For
dinner a couple of handsful of Arctic
willow in pot of water and drank the in
fusion. Everybody getting weaker and
weaker. Hardly able to get tircwood. ,.
w. gale, with snow"
Thursday, l3th.-Willow tea. NonewS
from Ninderman. We are in the hands
of God, and unless He relents we are lost
We cannot move against the wind, and
staying here means starvation. Afternoon
went a head for mile. After crossing
another river, or the bend of the big riv-