Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-11

ENGINEER MELvILLR CONTINUES HIS STORY OF THE
RETREAT FROM THE JEANNETTR

ENGINEER MELvILLE CONTINUES HIS STORY OF THE
RETREAT FROM THE JEANNETTR.
Mr.. Melville resumed this morning, before the
Jeanette board of inquiry, his narrative OF the
retreat after the loss OF the Jeanette. He said:
The weather soon grew colder and young ice be-
gan to form In the open leads. When the Ice was
quarter OF an inch thick 1t was Impossible to
pull through it. Two men were kept constantly
in the bow OF the boat breaking the Ice with their
feet and hands. Up to this time the men had been
able to sleep comparatively warm in their sleeping
bags. AT the start each person was told to carry
three pairs OF moccastns. In cold or dry weather
this would have suffired. but owing to the condi-
ton OF the ice over which the party had passed
their feet gear was soon in bad condition and
little mats of rope had to be made to protect the
heels and balls Of the feet. These mats were
made soles for their shoes, using the leather from
the oars or knapsacks, some also using canvas or
wood
SUFFERING FROM THE COLD.
After embarking In the boats ION leaving Ben
nett 1Sland) the labor was not so great but the
suffering from the cold was very great, sitting
Still so much in the boat AS the boats worked
through the leads the first cutter leading would
frequently impart sufficient motion to the pack to
cause the opening to close up SO that the bo,tS
following would be nipped, ami sometimes COM
PEELED to take circuitous route through the leads
to come up. AS the season advanced the winds
became stronger and the ice In the Vicinity of the
New Siberian Islands was more broken and there
was more open water, so that the boats got on
being carried on top of the boats and the provts-
ions inside The provisions had not been evenly
divided, the greater part Of the pemmican being
In the first cutter When the boats were sailing
in open water witness was ordered to keen ALWAYS
In hail OF the captain, Mr.. Chipp'S boat being in
the rear. When the men Were assigned to the
boats Jack Cole was assigned to witness boat
and Capt belong told witness he was
THE BEST FORE AND AFT SAILOR OUT OF NEW YORK
Cole acted as coXsWain OF the whale boat during
most of lifetime. On thedayit was expected to reach
| c;
the boats were moving very rapidly About noon
Capt De Long ordered witness to issue the proper
amount Of pemmican to each man and make tea In
the boat, ut had previously been the practice to
land on the foe for dinner and the second cutter
Was astern, to pass the word to MI. Chipp The
being close up passed through after It, The Sec
ond cutter having in the meantime fallen some
behind the other boats. After sailing about an
hour, the second cutter not coming up the first
cutter and Whaleboat laid to and waited for her.
About three hours were lost before the second cut
ter (Which, as Mr.. Chfpp afterward explained had
Deen n1pped by the Ice. and required to have
patch put onl came up The three boats then
UNDER WAY AGAIN.
The sea was very heavy, and the boats being
overloaded made heavy weather and took in
water. The second cutter behaved badly, and
Lieut. Ch1pp said he must lay to or throw over
board his SledS, or he would be Swamped All
three boats endeavored to weather a point of ice
a movement, owing to the heavy sea- which was
both difficult and dangerous The Ice pack soon
after seemed to close in, and little water was seen
The new Siberian Islands were at this time in
sight to the south OF us. That night the entire
party
CAMPED ON THE ICE
and were ordered to cut up their sled5 for fuel
The next morning land was seen, apparently ten
miles distant. Capt. De Long said it was the
Island OF FadeOOSkt. At this time the men were
light in flesh but strong and vigorous. The cap
tain gave them an extra allowance of pemmican
fearing they were getting too thin. The ice
Wedged in so cOmpacty about the island that a
uelay OF Ten days was neceSStated, during which
the three boats crews camped upon The ice Very
little game was obtained on the march-one bear
one WalruS and some sealS-very little, consider
ing that it was the summer season. Mr. Collins
was The chief hunter, carrying his Winchester re-
peatlng rifle all the time.
CONSULTATION.
While encamped here Captain belong sent for
Lieut. Chlpp and witness, and asked the former II
he thought the boats could be taken across the
pack to the land. He replied that the ice was so
much broken up and so constantly in motion he
did not believe it would be possible. Witness vas
then asked his opinion. and if he thought the pack
was any worse than at Henrietta Island, where he
Witness) had landed. Witness replied he thought
IL might be possible to get the boats ashore, but
they would probably be useless On getting there
While there would be great danger OF losing the
provisions. The captain then sent for seaman
Starr, who spoke German The captain had one OF
feteflnanS publications, which contained all the
Information we had In regard to the island.
Starr read and translated, while Cnipp and wit
ness looked at the charts The captain made q
transcript as Starr read. and then laid out the
course and selected q rendezvous il the boats
should get separated. His idea In reaching the
main coast OF Siberia was to pick his way from
Island to island, avoiding as far as possible any
very long stretch of open sea- There was no dif-
ference OF opinion in regard to the course to be
taken to the Lena river, Cape Barkin being ad-
Judged the best point to reach
h9f we O End
natives there during the winter season. On the
charts were marked winter huts. which led TO the
Deilef that natives were always there.
Witness continued: | suggested we had better
make an entrance to the river through one OF its
eastern branches as there were several eastern
entrances and only two to the northward. Chipp
SAID we would have no difficulty in getting In
with small boats Capt De Long added that there
would be no difficulty In navigating should the
boats become separated, and working along the
coast to Barkin, where a native pilot could be
found l, to pilot us into the main river: However.
you keep in sight or and il viii be all right"
During the ten days passed in this camp the boats
were repaired as well as II was possible to do so
under the circumstances.
on LAND.
After remaining at this camp about ten DAYS.
the ice commenced to open and drive down be-
tween New Siberia and FadeovsKi Islands, and
the boats were launched as soon as open water
could be seen. Capt. De Long told witness that
his chron0meter, although it had tumbled upside
down several times, was running as straight as
-,, IT, ioSo' ihtto hc was pieaSeu
with his naVigati0n,and was coming out just as he
had calculated; about 6 D. m. a landing was made
on Fadeovsh Island, and the three boats were
hauled up on the beach. This really the first
time they had camped on land The men were
allowed 10 explore the island, and deer tracks
were found, also signs of ivory hunters having
been there. The next day. soon after embarking
the weather became rough, and the captain was
anxious TO land and avoid abad night on the shoals
put 1t was found Impossible, and all night the
boats stood off and On the Shoal
The witness then gave detailed description Of
the memorable journey from the Jeanette to the
Island OF koetnol, and at that point Of the story
the board adjourned to Monday
BADLY Heated SchOOi-IHOuses.
WHERE THE BLAME LIES Fob THE TROUBLE AT THE
GALES AND WEBSTER BUILDINGS