The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-02-18
The Jeanette.
DESPATCH FROM ST. PETEasBrEo.
.Tsmpk B0r.

washington, january lZth.-f TelInghuysen
Secretary Of State. has just received the follow
ing telegram from our Charge d'Aftires at ST.
Petersburg respecting the fate Of the Jeanette
and her new Damenhauer and five Of the
crew Of the whale-boat arrived at Yakoutsk De-
cember 18th They are comfortably lodged and
all their wants are supplied. Melville and six
other men are expected coon. Captain De Long
and the crew Of the fret cutter were not found
on November 10th. The last date received from
Bolvenga reported that the Jeanette was caught
IN an ice pack on October lst. 1879. and drifted
with the winds and currents till June last. and
was then abandoned ~(Signed) HOFFMAN.
FACTS N EXPLANATION OF THE TELEGRAM.
On the 18th Of December, 1881, the first news
was telegruphed from Irkutsk, the capital Of
Eastern Siberia. announcing that a native meg
senger Ind reached that city with the news that
the American exploring steamer Jeanette bad
been abandoned IN the ice on the lIth Of June.
1881 (uew style), IN latitude T7.55 north,
longitude l57- east, and that the crew then pro-
eeeded partly over the ice. dragging their bonts
on sledges, and finally embarked in three parties,
in the first aud second cutter and whale-boat,
heading Tor the mouth Of the River Lena, on the
northern shore Oi Siberia, where a native settle
ment was known to exist. When about fifty
miles from their destination. a gale arose, during
which the three boats, which had previously
smiled in company, got parted during a dark and
boisterous night. 80 miles northwest Of the Lena.
The following day was iOggy, and neither boat
saw either OF the others again. but each con-
tinued as best they could, endeavorinz 10 reach
the settlement at the mouth Of the Lena. IL il
not 10 be wondered at. that when once separated,
their courses made. must have varied consider
ably, even II winds, sea and ice enabled them all
20 shape just such a course ~ they desired. Thus
they must naturally have landed at different
points on The coast, which probability is con,
hrmed by the report that Chief Engineer Melville,
IN the whale boat, entered the east mouth
Of the deltu OF the River Lena, ON the 18th
Of September, 1881, having eleven persons,
all told, including himself, who had been ninety
eight days making the trip from the Jeanette TO
the date OF their landing on the shore of Russian
Siberia. They found a native village and were
kindly cared for by native TschOuktehees, who
shared with them their houses aud food. The
trip from this settlement at the mouth Of the Lena
to 1akoutsk, requires from q month to SIX weeks
time, on ordinary occasions, and u Government
courier with NAL matter generally makes the trip
at intervals OF about one month IN Winter, when
the river - frozen Daring the Summer the trip
cannot well be made on OccOunt Of the softness Of
the ground All travellers wait for the river TO
freeze over solid. and then travel in sIedges over
this smooth. level and natural highway. When
Melville and has party landed there was a fringing
barrier OF zee around the shore, around the mouth
OF the river, over which pack they were forced to-
climb, but the river lena, whose course is from
Yakoutsk n%Orthward 10 the Arctic, was not yet
frozen over. and quite a sine eIap-ed before any
messenger could pJz-ibly be dispatched with the
news. They remained with the natives at the
east mouth Of the delta of the Lena, and AZ days
after their arrival there, Wm. NindeTman, the
carpenter, and Louis PHILIPPE Neros, a seaman.
who were IN Lieutenant De Longs boat, the first
cutter. reached BOlvengh, the native village, haV-
been sent forward n messengers to ask assistance
fOr their boat load, including De Long, DR. Am5-
ler, and IL others, who had landed at the north
mouth Of the Lena, quitea long distance of. and
where they were cut of from all cOmmunIca-
ton with Bglvenga by foot until the river
bad frozen over sIlic enough for them to venture
across its many mouths. These messengers re-
ported that the party were ali badly frozen and in
danger Of starving, unless relief was cent at once.
A relief party o. natives was immediately organ
ized and sent Out 20 rescue them, taking the short
est route for the locality Indicated.
This - tbs latest and only news yet received
from De Long and hIs companions IN the fret cut
ter. The foregoing telegram now announces that
Lieut.. Danenbower and FIVE Of the crew of the
whalebJat had reached YakOutsk December 18th
and were there comfortably lodged aud all wants
supplied Also, that Chief Engineer Melville and
SIX men we're expected soon 70 arrive at YakOutsk.
Lieut.. Danenhuwer and party left the village OF
BOlvenga, south Of the east mouth OF the Lena,
on November 10th, and were 81 days IN reaching
the City o. Yakuutsk over the frozen river. a DIS
lance Of over 700 miles. When they left BJlven-
IN, the party sent out TO the relief Of DE Longs
party had been absent only Is days, and could
no. possibly have returned in that time. although
well equipped Tor travelling. IL took Ninderman
and Noros - days 10 make that same distance on
foot, only Coming oue Way. F.. 4HG
LATEST NEWS.
New York. Feb. 3-The Herald furnishes the
following cable special from Pau-. Feb. 2nd -