The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-03-21
LATEST TELEGRAMS
TIE "JEANNETTE."
Report of Engineer meIville.

Washington, 2O.-The report of Lieu
tenant Melville ito the secretary of tn
navy Is at hand, dated Yakouts. Siberia
January 6. Lieutenant Melville saws
We made landing at the mouth Of III
Leaa River September Is, four DAYS az
ter the dispersion of the Jeannette
Three boats reached a settlement calico
Buckoff September 26. Ice was maxim
In the river on The next day. made an
effort to get up the river with three ma.
tive pilots, but after grounding very of
ten, the pilots INSISTED upon returning
and The condition did not warrant me In
advancing, for most Of US we're very
much exhausted, suffering from frozen
feet and legs and lack of food, majority
being unable to walk. The natives gave
US quarters and q limited ousntitv of
fish and dried geese. On October 10th q
Russian exile named Koosmah Gugmsy-
Ell discovered US accidentally. He gave
US salt and all the food his scsnty supply
allowed, and agreed to go TO PeIun to in
form the commander Of that place of ,our
presence, and obtain food and transports
tlrn. He started October Is and was to
have returned in Eve days, but he did
not return until October 29lh, when be
brought small supply Of food, and re-
ported that the commsndant would be at
| Bukoft. November LIST, with deer and
sleds to carry the whole party 10 Belun.
On his way back. Oct. %, Koosmah met
two Of the first cutters crew at Kumouk
Snake, and they gave ahim a brief note
Immediately Istarted with the dog sleds
for Belun, hoping to anticipate tha com.
| msndant on the way, but he had REIN
deer, and travelled by different route.
Mr.. John w. Danenhower, having re-
covered the use of bis eyes, was placed in
charge OF my party, with orders to follow
me to Belun as som as transportation
could be obtained. l arrived at Belun
November End, and found the two men
In very exhausted condition. From
them l learned the following particulars
OF what trsnspired subsequent to
October LIST, the date of the
latest of Lieut.. De Longs records.
The psrty crossed the Lena to the west
bank, October 1st at the summer hunt
ing lodge called Usterda. The toes of
seaman Erickson having been smputated
he was placed upon an improvised sled,
which was hauled by his comrades. sew
ersl Of whom were hardly able TO stand,
owing to their frozen feet and legs. They
proceeded south slowly for Two days, and
crossed several branches of the Lena
which they had to wade. On October
9 they stopped at q small hut, where
Erickson died the next day, and was
buried in the Lena. By this time they
we're in deplorable condition, having
eaten their last dog meat, and being on
an allowance of three ounces of alcohol
per man per day. They proceeded south
until the Oh, when De Long decided to
send two NJ n ahead to seek relief. The
feet of Ninderman and Noros were bet
ter than those Of the hers, and to
were supplied with their blankets and
Remington rifles, and with forty rouads
Of ammunition and six ounce.
Of alcohol, which was the pc
capita division of the whole st, *
They were ordered to proceed south
the west bank of the Lena and to send
relief If found, being told the OF
would follow their footsteps. When "A
two men started the party was at a h,
on the north bank Of the Larze, west
ern branch Of the Lena. rhe two men
assembled that branch about five mile, |.
make crossing and then travelled south
east to hut known by the name of the
Two Crosses and situated on the Len
bank. After fourteen days ~
tense suffering and SLOW pro
gress they reached Bulcour, and were
found by three natives who suppl-,l
them with food and transported them to
Belun on deer sleds, arriving at that |
place September q. The commandment
Of Belun took good care of them. de
gave them material, and they wrote n
long dispatch addressed to the Americ4M
minister at st. Petersburg, which tn
,ommandAnt took to Berkoff.
Oanenhower Immediately sent it u
ne by special courier, together
vi b orders from the commsndant to a
ubOrdinate at Belun to f1rnish me with
N outfit and appointing Bspsulk as
endezVOus. at which place | met him
nd the remainder Of my party Novem
Ter 5tn. l had consu Ia.ion with the
ommandant and ordered Danenhower
proceed sojth with sll the party, ex-
ept j. b. Bartlett, frst-class fireman, ..
Tho was to remain a! Belun to commui-
ate with me, and started
orth on that evening to the re-
eff of belong, having with me 1.-TWO |
atlves and two dog trains, with provi. Q
ons for ten days. November 9th, 8
cached Bulcour, and found two deserted :
ouses and traces Of the two men Mind I
man and Noros. I examined q small !
ut where the two men had slept, and !
here number Of sleds were slowed. /
ept IN snow bank that night and Wis Il
ed the hu's at the Two Crossest reaching e
otvsi after midnight the next morning :
found waist belt that had bsep made q
board the JeGnnette and these were q
BOD indications that one or two of De q
ong's party had slept in the hut. On o
oven Der 10th, provisions running short, q
decided to go to Upper BeIun to renew
EN-. reached Upper BeIun on the
tn, having stopped st deserted hunt
g station OF Colhcots, and also having
sited eight huts on the route. Consid- "
able stale fish and deer meat were found 81
Calhcota, bat no signs of huts having lie
en GVisised by De- Longs party. W
my arrival at Upper Belun the ci
'tlVes brought me De Longs record. 81
.ted october 1st, and | learned that l:
ners had been fund. l sent to q 81
ige boring village for them and next 70
ornlng the records dated Septem Der b,
and 26, and Winchester rifles were b,
ought me. The only provisions to be
tanned were deer meat and fish, there OF
ing q scarcity Of the latter, natives ST
wing TO send $50 versts for their own
pply. On November Is 1 obtained ID
IT days supply of fish, and With fresh IL
9 teams and natives / 81 ,rts1 FOR Bal N
Nna hut, In which the r.eDri No. 2 ag
the Winchester rife were uud. | "a
pt there that night and FUND both all