Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-11-25
THE JEANNErrE EXPEDITION.

Sad Story of ti.e Last -irtic Disaster To!s
6y One OF the Swrrtcors.
Mr.. Raymond Lee Newcomo, the natu
ralist of the Jeanette expedition, deliv
cred lecture last evening at the Academ!
of Music. in which he recited the story o.
the i'll fatea expedi ton from its beginning
to its close. A large audience was in at
tendance and the interesting narrative was
listened to with the closest attention. The
story as told by Mr.. Newcomb did not diff
fer in any material particular from other:
already related, bat the fact that it was de-
tailed by one who participated in it an6
survived after long and varied perils, ex
cited the interest of the audience. Mr.
Newcomb first described the fitting out OF
the Jeanette and her departure from San
Francisco on July s, 1879. On the 2Sth OF
August following they sens their last mes
sages. and after that did not set feet on
land for q period of twenty -three months
Eerald island was sighted IN September
When the Jeanette was stuck in the ice.
1t is wonderful how the small ice will cut
into a vessel. In two days steaming it had
cut through almost half the heavy plank
ing. They amused themselves by playing
foot ball and skating or the ice, the average
thickness of which was eight feet. Soon
after the Jeannette became frozen in, a
party started fer Herald island, but did
not succeed in landing. October, 1S79.was
full of interest to all. Scarcely any sense
OF danger was experienced and Lieuten-
ant De Long was full OF nope for e success
full cruise. The interest of all On board
was excited in one way or another. They
kept warm aud CHEEKY and every thing being
overhauled, set up their winter quarters on
the ice. They had certain daily routine
which was strictly observed. They were
up at $50 o'clock, breakfast at 8. then the
hole through the ice was visited. The sound
lngS and temperature taken, the vessel in
spected; TWO hours we're then spent in ex-
ercise on tie ice. from which no one was
excused except by the doctor; dinner was
served at O'Clock. supper at s, and at 10
lights were out. Watch was kept on deck
all the time and hourly reports of the tenn
perature were maze. Our amusements
were music, smoking and playing cards.
There was not Il man On board who could
not read and write the English language
and half dozen nationalities were repre-
scented. The arctic night lasted seT-
enty-two days. Most OF the time it was
dark, but not continuously so. The moon
and stars gave much light and tbs aurora
was frequently very beautiful. Lights were
required throughout the twenty-four hours.
After the sunlig lit left them the movements
OF the ice then bega:. and cracks were found.
There were great pieces of ice broken OFF
both ahead and astern Of the vessel. One
night in November the ship CARED and
was in q peculiar position. The ice tipped
the Jeanne.te over like an egg smell. The
sun was gone. no land was visible and there
was no water to navigate. The Christmas
was passed pleasantly. The opening OF
1880 made an increase in the cold, the tenn
perature on New Years day being thirty
five degrees below zero. and get the new
year was ushered in with
SINGING, DANCING AND GENERAL GREETINGS.
while in addition to the usual bill Of fare.
nuts, wines and cigars were added. On the
18th Of January the brief period of calm
ness was broken. the ice broke and the yes
sci sprang aleak and the men had to be
kept at the pumps night and day. The
Siberian coast was 200 miles south, and had
they been wrecked on that night,not a man
would have been left TO tell the story. From
the date Of the accident TO the wrecking
of the Jeanette. period Of eighteen
months, the temperature was forty degrees
below zero; but by keeping their clothes
in good repair, they always had sense of
comfort With the opening of spring they
had hopes that the Jeanette would be re-
leased. BY the last Of August lanes of
water were formed, and also surface ponds,
and padding around IN a canoe was quite
enjoyable. In this summer they secured
bear, seat and walrus. Their appetites and
sleep were not so good the second winter.
On Christmas eve an entertainment was
given IN the engine house. About the mid
die of May the island of Jeanette was
sighted. and on the 4th of June Henrietta
island was taken possession of. The lee
turer gave most interesting description of
this island and what was seen there. He
also gave a vivid and thrilling description
of the wreck of the Jeanette on the 18TH
OF June. how her bruised and battered
sides were crushed in. The vessel was de-
serted and all the stores removed. By
midnight the camp on the ice was pitched,
and at this time the ship was half under
water. In the morning she had disap-
peared, and the party presented the APP
pearance of family who had broken up
house. The next week was spent IN get
ting ready to retreat. The story of the
landing in The boat at BENEFITS island, the
manner in which it was taken possession
of, and the climbing of the mountains
after birds was full of interest. On the
30th of August Thadeus island was reached,
and On the 4th OF September Caltoney is
land. The party soon left there in three
open boats. Mr.. Newcomb then detailed
the circumstances attending the separation
of the boats, the landing of the whale
boat, in which he was, on the Siberian
coast, their Journey up the Lena river
through the wilds Of Siberia. and their sub
sequent arrival in Russia, all which details
of the expedition are familiar to the pub
lie. At the close Of the lecture stereoscopic
views illustrative of the specially interest
ing features of the expedition we're exhib-
tied, as we'll as portraits of the principal
actors. Seamen Norris. one Of the surviv-
Ors. was present, and on being called to
the platform was loudly applauded.
Increase of Taxation.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 24.-In accordance
with a resolution adopted at Harrisburg
Yesterday by the state board of revenue