The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-12-03
AMID ARCTIC SNOW AND ICE
SJNDERNiN'S STORY or TIE MARCH
ACHOSS THE FROZEN TUNDRA.


Ons Little Tent-rheir Great Suffering.
WASHINGTON, Dec. .. IS nman Niudcrmanot
tie Jcannct,e resumed his narrat We before the
Jeaincttc Board IL Inquiry to-day. and gave
fuller details Of the last march Of the Captains
party than HAY" got been printed. The entire
day after the Captains boat had approached
within three miles Of land was passed in trying
10 md deep water All hands we're IN the wiz
tc' ut times pushing the boat along and they
Suffered greatly from col wat. and fatigue
That night. the party being dragged out the
boat WAS laid alongside tho icc. No one could
sleep for the sleeping bags wore too wet to be
used. and all Suffered terribly from the cold.
Next morning the Captain tried to work to the
westward without success. and 50 worked away
from the land and eastward. The boat kopt
grounding in the mud. and. "a the shoal water
was very choppy the waves broke frequently
into tho boat. Keeping everybody drenched.
The boat was ut length worked away from
tho young Ice about mile and half.
Two days had been passed in the at
tempt to reach land. and during that
time the only water to be had was from melting
the young ice. The Captain then said he could
do nothing else. SO had concluded to make u
landing BY wadinG. Nindcrman made n raft
out OF the boat sled upon which to place some
OF the boats load. for the purpose of tighten
ing her The Captain gave orders to shove tho
boat in toward the shore. The boat again
grounded. and the Captain seeing no other
resource. gave orders for all hands to strip and
get overheard. Capt. De Long DR.. Amber
Erickson. and Boyd alone remained in the
boat. The men took hold OF the painter to
drug the hont. and fifty yards were made in
this way when the boat again grounded The
Captain then ordered every man to take n back
load and wade ashore. Each took what he
could carry. and al! started to wade. Some
times the water was only knee deep. and then
1t was up to their waists. Frequently some
one would ini into mud hole. from which lie
would be dragged with dinicuity. mil. from
the beach young ice was "ncountered. through
S hsh thy erkI L9s WAY ON T1nehng the
built. and then all but Collins and the cook
started back to the boat. Witness asked why thsy
DID no; =" back and Collins said he was played
out. When the men reached the boat (where
the Captan had r'mninedN the Captain asked
why Coiiins and the cook nadnot returned. and
witness replied that they said they We're Played
out. The boat was made fast. and all hands
and dragged the bout 10 within II mile and II
hat OF tie oea 1 Il Mas imlossiPie 70 sat the
i was not possible to carry them. Nindermqn
ana another seaman made hnal "trip 10 the
boat TO Sc # anything had b en- left and when
could not see the beach, So had to feel their
way back. On ieachinI shore large fire was
gong and The men were sitting around. trying
70 dry their cnnins. Tho CAPTAIN had re-
Ganed th sn M1e Of Ill., land ana fsHt When for
After supper = hands sat around the fire
I'LL 10 O'clock. trying To- dry their clothing The
CAPITA n then gave. orders TO pitch the tents.
Most OF the party turned in but some remained
sitting 10y the lire. The neat morning It was
al got around them to dry their clothes and
Sleeping bugs. This was on the 18th OF Sep
get together for cnrriu4:n the log and ships
papers. The remmIean, the RE, and ammu-
the sick Isl. All we're moe or less frozen and
in Dad condition. hut these three We're tile worst
allowed to cary IT the cas- est way he could.
Tie NEXT morn nG orders to start we're
Giyasn ENr IT s2 some seGpnG ; HaT
CROSSING the d!tcEe., the ice would often give
way. and they would sink n ,hG mad to their
every half hour or SO ami wait Tor Lrick-en and
An sam to come rp. Erickson was continually
derman made pair Of crutches for Etickssen.
a. the Doctor 'h9ushtp ,ne} might enable him
pr. After supper he told Nnderman TO take
what help he wanted and carry the log books.
which had been made on the beach, Nin!er-
man did so. rrturnn.: 10 camp that night: Next
morning the march was resumed. Just before
noon Ereksen said lie c"u not go much fur
ther. Witness urged him to Keep up his cour-
At this point in his narrative Ninderman was
so ovrrc"m%, with emotion hat he could not
and hastily lett the ropn af hours recess
WI taken. and then >Sinl ,rman resnm@d:
howfir yong l can't 60 any laIthnr.' caught
mp with tie others. and i"Id the Captain what
lIickscn had said. He ordered IN" To 20 ahead
with the rest OF the party unit we reached y
place where there was som, drlltwood, and
and Or, Amber went back t" hep Erick~"n.
ON reaching n suitable place We hnlt-d. Soc
al started on the trail. "" saw some deer
Tut b. ns unabI,, to get within range we re-
When Il e D1ctor drees ed Ercksen's feet that
day mortiicat On had uprar.nt set IN. trIcH-
s6d i of the =. bandaset Jaw s"methns sonah
OF iron my feet" Tu- march WIS continued
III night. when the tents were pitched near
There was but ono ten; left ut hi, time. and
It was cut in two ard used us II blanket. Two
beds We're mad. near the fire. and wood was
collected 70, the night The rsrty turned in.
man u 4 /" time kslt watch (? keep the fire 60 60,
march was resumed. with frequent stops MIN
dcrman was with AieNy some Il stance in adj
the bank Of II large river. baitcd with duck
wing. When the Captain came up witnsss
tapn n .a .G ' y is % is WnMt var wan
II. told witness to .onk nlons the bank and see
Ninderman then said: Il desire to state
that on ,ne 2oth. when Erickson said that he
gould 90 no luriher. Co!ipS and Boyd ,;;nid
could obtain AID we could &c III" ba, X for them
Late that afternoon Nnderman and Aleyy
Captain told them to 10 to the nuts and wait
for III" rest. On entering one ri the huts MIN
derman foundashes indicating that il had been
occupied not more Than Ten days before. When
the party came up Il IRE was started IN each
hut. and seven men wet" ns7iGh"d to each nut.
Nlndurmln exp Orcd the river bank about four
miles and found FOX trap with II sea gull as
bait. which lie took back TO camp and gave
the cook. A!eNy was out hunting and when he
came in he had quarter oi reindeer meat. and
euih he had SHOT TWO deer som" distance south
OF the huts. Each man had about on" pound II
re- ne"r meat for upurf, and all hands went 10
bed IN good spirits nui happy. TIE neat day
all who we're not sick. started out I" ,brin. the
deer back 10 camp. Young Ice had formed ON
the river. over Which they had 10 feel their way
carefully. When Nl"Ny crossed the uight be-
fore. he had wud"l waist deep through the
swift current, bearing ON his back l. : rIle and
deer meat. Some luis which tn" DO tor had
noticed thu ni,:ht before were found 10 be seven
in number, d"scrtc,! ana badly diHpilalcd. On
returning to camp vain the deer, Nud"rman.
VINO wi.s cprryin- his load ON his back, broke
through the ice and was wet 10 his waist.
Camp WAS reached about O'Clock and another
good upper WIS had. Which greatly raised the
spirits vi the party.
Letter to Commander DE Long Found