Morris tribune., 1882-03-30
ANNALS FROM ICE FIELDS
Engineer Melville of the Jeanette Ex-
pIoring Party Makes His Report to
the Secretary Of the Navy.
A Thrilling Recital of the Incidents At
tending the Long and Patient
Search for Capt DeLong.

WASHINGTON, March 2O.-Ths report of
Lieut.. Melville to the secretary of the navy Ia
at hand, dated at Yakutsk, Siberia January g.
Lieut. Melville says:
We made land at the mouth Of the Lena river
September 16, four days after the dispersion
of the Jeannette's three boats. and reached
settlement called Bukofr September 20. The
ice was making in the river on the next day.
l made an effort to get mp the river with three
native pilots, but after grounding very often
the pilots insisted on returning, and our condi
ton did not warrant me in advancing, for mos.
of us were very much eIhausted-suffering
from frozen feet ana iegs ana slack OF food,
and ma ajoritv being unable to walk. The
natives gave us quarters, and in time quite
a quantity of fish and dried grease. On
October 10 Russian exile named koos-
nah Guymayeff discovered us accidentally.
He gave us salt and all the food his scanty sup
ply allowed, and agreed to go to Belun to in
form the commandant at that place of onr
presence, and ask for food and transportation
He started October s and was to have re-
turned in five days, but did not return until
October 20, when he brought small supply of
food and reported that the commandant would
be at Bukoff November II, with deer and sedt
to carry the whole party to Belun. On his way
back, October 2G, Koosmah met two of the
first cutters crew at kumouk Snaka, and they
gave him brief note. | mmediat tely started
with dog seds for Belun, hoping to intercept
the commandment on the way, but he had rein
deer and Travelled by different route. Mr..
John W. Danenhower. having recovered the
use of his eyes, was placed in charge Of my
party, with orders to follow me to Beiun
soon as transportation could be obtained. |
ARRIVED AT EELDN
November g and found the two men III very
exhausted condition. From them l learned
the following particulars Of what transpired
subsequent to October ], the date of Lieut. De
Longs records: The party crossed the Lena
to the west bank October ]. At summer
hunting lodge called Usterda, the toes Of the
seaman, Erickson, having been amputated, he
was placed upon an improvised sled, which
was hauled by his comrades, several of whom
were hardly able to stand, owing to frozen feet
and legs. They proceeded south slowly for
two days and crossed small branch Of the
Lena, which they had to wade. On October 3
they stopped at small hut, where Erickson
died the next day and was bnried in the Lena
By this time they were in a deplorable condi-
ton, having eaten their last dog meat and be-
ing on an allowance of three ounces of alcohol
per man per day They then proceeded sonth
until October 9, when De Long decided TO send
two men ahead to seek relief TIE feet of Mn
derman and Noros we're better than those of
the others, and they were supplied with three
blankets and Remington rifles, with forty
rounds of ammunition and sixty-siy ounces of
| alcohol, which was per capita division of the
whole stock of the latter. They were ordered
| to proceed south on the west bank of the Lena
and to
| SEND RELIEF IF FOUND
| being told the others would follow their foot
steps When the men started the party WIS at
| a halt on the north bank of large western
| branch of the Lena. The two men ascended
| that branch about five miles to make cross
| ing and then travelled southeast to 9 hnt known
| as Two Crosses and arrived on the Lena bank
| After fourteen days of intense suffering and
| slow progress they reach Bulour and were
| found by three natives. who supplied them
| with food and transported them to Belun with
| deer sleds Arriving at that place September
| 27 the commandant of Belun took good care
| of them but was unable to understand them
| He gave them the material and they wrote
| long disptch addressed to the American minis
| ter at St Petersburg, which the commandant
| took with him to Bakoff Danerhower Imme-
! diately sent it to me by special courier, TO-
gether with orders from the commandant to
| subordinate at Belun to furnish me with al
outfit. appointing Bansulk as rendezvous. at
| which place met him and the remainder of
| the party November T. Had q consultation
| with the commandant and ordered Danenhower
| to proceed south with all the party except J. H.
| Bartlett, first-class fireman, who was 10 remain
! at Belun to communicate with me, and started
| north OH that evening to the relief of De Long,
| having with me two natives and two dog trains,
| with provisions for ten days. November g We
reached Bulcares and found two deserted
houses and traces of the two men, Ninderman
| and Noros, Examined small hut
| WHERE THE TWO MEN HAD SLEPT
| and where number of sleds were slowed
| Slept IN a snow bank that night Visited the
| huts at Two Crosses shoal, at Astoleria, reach
| ing Motera after midnight The next morning
| I found in hut q waist-belt that had been
made on board the Jeannette, and there were
| good indications that one or two of De Longs
| party had slept in the hut. On November 10,
| the provisions running short, l decided to go
| to Upper Belun in order to renew them
Reached Upper Belun tn 11th, having stopped
| at the deserted hunting station of Cathconta,
and having also visited eight huts on the
| route Considerable stale fish and deer meat
| were found at the Cathconta hut, but there
were no signs Of the hut's having been visited
| by De Longs party On my arrival at Upper
dated October l, and learned that others had
been found. Isent to = neighboring village
for them next morning. The records were
dated September % and 26, and Winchester
rife was brought to me. The only provisions
| were deer meat and fish, there being scarcity
of the latter, the natives having to send 250
| versts for their own supplies. November IL
obtained q four days supply of fish, and
with fresh dog teams and natives started for
| the Balloka hut in which record No. 9 and the
Winchester rife had been found left there
that night Found both huts filled with snow
On November II followed the east bank Of
the Lena to the coast, and followed the coast
about three miles to the east and found q cache
that had been made by De Long September 10.
| IMApE THOROUGH SEARCH
q. hnsr,
heavily laden to carry It, searched for the
boat both east aud west OF the cache for dis
tance of five miles each way and distance of
one and-a-half off shore, and saw no signs of
It. The ice was very much broken anc was
showed up in masses to within twenty-five feet
OF the cache. / returned about midnight to
Upper Beluu. Next day, November 8, there
was driving storm, and was Obliged to wait
there two days to rest and feed the dogs.
During this time overhaued everything OBJ
tanned in the cache. found box containing
refuse medical stores one box of small articles,
mess gear, one box for navigation books and
sextant, one box chronometer, two tin casee
containing fonr log books. two cook stoves
seven old sleeping bags fcondemnedl one 10;
of old clothing (worn outh one Winchester
rifle, and other articles. There was no list OF
articles found in the cache, but a record was
| found in the navigation book. On November
II, ! left Upper Belun with fish for ten days
food, and with natives visited the place q
which
II DE LONGS PARTY
! crossed the Lena and traced the party to six
teraneck from which place wished to search
for the hut in which Erickson died. but ther,
was storm raging and the natives insisted OF
returning to either. Belun or Upper Belun. be
cause there was q lack OF food and the dogs re-
, fused to work. We had only raw frozen fish
to eat 30 determined to return to Belan. ant
arrived there November "a, In nearly ex
! hausted condition, with feet legs and fac,
: badly frost-bitten, having been ten days in
: continuous storm and remaining two night
D and one day In one hole In o snowbank. with
out shelter Of any kind. From my knowledg
Of the country and the evidence Of Noros ant
! Nlnderman, I am confident that lie Long AM
| party are somewhere to the westward Of tn,
Lena and between sixteraneck and Bulehor
: which are separated by an extent of about 15t
9 versts of barren and desolate region, deyo
| of subsistence. To search that section o larg
force will be required, with proper authorit
a | from Russian oficiala therefore come :
: this place to communicate with the unite,
States and Immediately, with the aid of the an
!; thorities. to organize searching parties In tn
d - - - -