Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1882-09-18

of champagne. Engineer Melville
stepped out of the pilot house and en-
conntered Capt. Watten, the aged and
grief stricken father,in,lnw of the late
Lieut.. DeLong. Capt. Watten grasped
the engineers hand, and after saying
something in an nndertone. wept like q
child. Melville steadled himself against
the pilot house. and covering his face
with his brawny hands, seemed thorough
ly overcome with emotion. Tears filled
the eyes Of all who witnessed the scene,
and among tho spectators were many of
the Parthia's passengers. When they
had dried their eyes. come one on the
steamship proposed three cheers for Mel
vile, and the response was enthusiastic
and emphatic. Ninderman and Noros,
the seamen who we're with Melville,
seemed anxious to escape observation
from a New York Times reporter. When
Ninderman stepped into the pilot house
he met his bethrothed for the first
time alter his long and terrible
absence. The meeting was very affect
ing. They sat in the corner, and as they
wept whispered to each other. Lieut..
jacques had requested the naval officers
and other persons not re.atives of either
Engineer Melville or Nlnderman not to
disturb the quiet of the pilot-house at
this time, and the lieutenant's request
was most cheerfully acceded to. The
passengers on the Parthia continued to
shout: ave want Melville" When the
engineer appeared they repeatedly cheer
ed him. Bottles of champaign were
opened on the decks of the Parthia and
his health drank in many bumpers. Mel.
vile and his friends were then trans.
fcrred to q steam yacht, on which were
many naval officers, and where well
come luncheon was spread and the hos
pitalities of the city rendered by Alder
man McClove. Tears trickled down the
face of the engineer as he listen
ed to the alderman's words, and when
he ATTEMPTED to reply he stammered and
hesitated, then he seemed to recover
courage and said that he was New
York boy, one who had been brought up
in the public schools of this city. He
felt that he had right to say that he
and his companions had done their duty.
He had been in the government service
twenty-five years and bad stood many
kicks and hard knocks. He then paused
and SAID with much feeling: 'And I
would have stood by my friends if they
had stood by me. He suddenly checked
himself at this point and Col. Church on
behalf of the citizens committee well
coined him and his companions to the
city and invited them to a banquet in
their honor at Delmonicos. MIR. Hall
said to Melville: "Come, let us take a
drink" Melville laughed as he replied:
"Gentlemen, am something of mis-
sionary. Every time I
whisky l feel that am helping to pay
the national debt" Some one said to
Melville: "How well you look" "Yes,"
phasis on the word, "there is nothing
the matter with my eye" Melville was
introduced to the reporters, and when
, asked whether he desired to communi.
cate with the public upon any point Of
special interest SAID: "No, not at this
time. The whole matter OF the condi-
/ tion of the Jeannette's trip and the re.
suits are to be investigated by naval
court of inquiry, and /, am not allowed
to say anything until examined by the
court. Then everything will be made
plain and"-here naval officer inter.
rupted him with: "You know. of course
that congress has appointed special
committee to investigate the natter
yes" answered Melville, and at this
point several members of the company
began to spout: Here, Melville, come
here. Don't you say anything. Yor
. have said.quite enough" and one of the
committee seized him by the coat.collal
and hastily Withdrew him from the re
porters. A naval officer stated that Mel
vile has the Jeanette log and private
log, Lieutenant Belongs last writer
instructions to him, and, in fact, is pre-
pared at the proper time to repeat De
Longs last words to him. A file of ma
rines saluted Melville as he landed OF
the dock. and escorted the Arctic voyag
ers to the hotel.