Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-21
The Final Search for DE Lon,


ENGINEER MELVILLE CONTINUES HIS STORY BEFoRn
THE BOARD OF INQUIRY
Chief Engineer Melville resumed his narrative
before the Jeanette board OF inquiry this morn.'
Ing OF the final expedition which resulted in Ant.
Ing the bodies OF De Long and his companions.
Before leaving Yakutsk witness had three charts
prepared, one for himself one for the use of Ntu.
derInan and one for Bartlett The dis,
ofIicial distances as established By the
Russian government Witness added: There
are, however, many rivers and islands on the,
delta which are not laid down on the charts So
that the charts were by means reliablen At!
Bulun it was necessary TO procure dog teamG
Reindeer teams never go beyond Kumak Surka, a.
beyond this point there are no stations for sup.
plies for the teams The dog teams could only be
secured OF is days to each team, with sunniy
teams to transport the provisions, each dog I
requiring one fish day OF from 4 TO s pounds
Tue Russian traders being aware OF the expedi.
tion, had bought up all the fish, and witness was
compelled TO cross the mountains TO Jamavaloch
with his Interpreter on February a5th Bartlets
and Nindermann were placed In charge OF The,
supply teams, and Bartlett was ordered to proceed
ness at Jamavaloch. Six thousand f1sh werd.'
secured. The day following his arrival witness
fitted out seven dog teams, and started BartleCei
with the supplies.
TERRIBLE SNOW STORM
came on, and nve days afterwards the dog dr1verei
returned badly frozen, and reported that several /,
dogs had died and others had escaped Az soon |
oS JIG WcdLutT CltdTcu up IteSn teams were
started from Jamavaloch, with instructions 70 /.
Bartlett to get through TO Kumak surka, ana. ifl
necessary, to kill his reindeer to feed the doQs ON
the way. The weather was extremely severe and
Ine natives were unwilling to proceed unless upon
a une Wnere Chey would have hutS each night foFs
shelter. Witness illustrated the severity OF the
weather and the din1culties OF the trip with an I
lncldent-the nndtng one evening OF family or 7
natives In hut where they were
SNOW BOUND AND STARVING TO DEATH,
three children having already frozen to death. /:
Witness supplied them with all the provisions: !:
that he could spare, and promised take them to-
Jamavaloch upon his return. Witness pursued hia
Journey, and on the 18th OF March arrived at Kas.
karta. Witness Immediately set to work 20 gee
together all the dogs and organize the search par
ties, and on the 10th OF March had secured two
good teams OF nfteen dogs each
On DB LONGS TRACK.
With Ninderman and the Interpreter witnew
followed the river up as FAR as Usterda whero
they arrived late Ia the evening. Nindeman &c
In OF which they passed the night and the nexS
morning crossed the river, as DeLong had said hos
should do: but Nnderman told witness that when
DeLong crossed the river he found, after following
the west bank short distance, that II trended e.
another ns BRANCH nG1n wheat sSas Ne sareS .s S
he the rive1 fSis was sSs ssssos
his first search. Witness was anxious 20 fnd the
hut In which Erickson had died, but after tW0
udyo VI lneuectuai Seafcn, was cOmpetleo oy e0oi
sI0rm, Wnlch had come up, TO return TO KaakarS.
When the4torm cleared up witness started Bart.A
lett with his party to Matval, with instructions -
work northward, while witness would WORK frOAl
the northward 20 the southwark. The two parsie1]
started out at the same time Witness and Nin@
0erman camped that night In TIE onow, yh1lol
Bartlett reached Hatvai and renamed over slehE]
The next day . severe storm overlook both DaDs}
tte& Witness pursued his journey
THROUGH TIE STORM
70 Matvia under tie aAyico of uonderman, Who
believed it would be hooter % vugx from thoi
70 the northward, an1 that -
could recognise the river along which he an1j
Noros had matched after leaving y LNnG