Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-02-23
THE JEANETTE STORY.
sketch of Tho struggles ana Loss of In,
Men OF the Jeannctto

wen OF the Jeannctto.
WAsniNGEoS, Feb. 1S.-The report of the
court OF inquiry appointed to investigate the
circumstances of the loss Of the Jeanette
says that, although the weight Of the eyi.
uencc shows she was not especially adapted
In strength or model for that kind Of naviga.
Ton, the fact that experienced Arctic cx
plorers voluntarily made two cruises in her
TO the Arctic sustains the judgment and care
SHOWN IN ler selection. The condition of
the Jehnnctte on her departure was good and
satisfactory to the officers and crew cxcept
that she was unavoidably deeply loaded a
defect which corrected itself by the con.
sumption Of coal, provisions and stores. Tho
latcncss OF the season when the Jcanncttcsailed
her want of speed and the delay ucclsoncd by
thc search along the Siberian coast under Of
dcis OF the navy department for the explor-
ing steamer Vega, placed the commander al
great disadvantage on meeting pack ice early
IN September in the vicinity Of Herald Island.
Elther he had to return to some port south.
ward anu pass the winter in idenpss or else
ne must enueavur TO force the vessel through
10 Wrangel Land, then enormously supp jscd
To be large continent, to winter there and
prosecute his explorations by sedges. The
chances OF accomplishing the latter aetna-
i've were sufficiently cool at the time to JUS
NY nun IN choosing it. This attempt unior-
tunatcly resulted in tue vessels becoming be
set in an ice pack in less than two
months after her departure from
San Francisco, from which she was
was not released until her destruction .
months afterwards. Her destruction was
Imminent January 10Th. 1880, WHEN she
sprung leak from Ice pressure and Tor
months after she was Kept aioat only by skill. |
ful devices and arduous labor The evidence
SHOWS that In the management Of the Jean. |
nette up to the time of her destruction. |
belong by his foresight and prudence, pro-
vdeI measures to meet emergencies and en-. |
forced wise regulations to maintain Iii ciplin, |
preserve health and encourage chcerfuluc.s
among those under him.
he fact OF the ships passing the s,cond
Winter IN The ice without the aupraraucc of |
scurvy, sufficiently attests the excellence of |
Tie sanitary arrangements adopted, and re- |
meets great credit upon her medical officer |
James NJ Amber. Any other vessel in the
same position as the Jeanncttc would have
been annlLllated. She vas abandoned in
cooi, orderly manner, and the court attaches
no blame to any officer or man for her los.
Everything was foresccn and prepared to
meet Ler loss. The plans adopted for the
several boat crews upon leavin. the wreck
were Judlc;ous, asst is shown that in ninety
days alter the destruction of the Jeanette
her olllcers and men were in fair condition.
notwi'hs anding their terrible iou new
Inc retreat commenced June ls AID
during the ensuing three months the entire
slilp's company remained together under the
direction OF the commnnicr. struggling
AGAINST obstacles which rtqlird ludouli,abIc
pluck aud perseverance, 10 overcome Th re-
d |
which would tend to insure their safety
during This time as well as upon o'hcr DC
caslous. Tic conduct Of Ice Pilot Dunbar
Boalswan Gale and Fireman Bartlett elected
well dc .cved commcld ,tinrs.
Forced by the strong current out Of theit
designed course, they discovered Bennett
island and remained there eight DAYS resting.
me report goes on with description of
thtlr adventures till the whale cat with II
persons reached the native village Gcloma-
vlalocke on Lena Delta, September 2jth, and
the ii It cutter with IL men reached orc Of
the horti'rn outlets of Lena river, ignorant
mat large village was within 25 miles OF
then 10 westward, not down on the chartS
Chipps party in the second cutter had !, On
driven away in the yale oi September l2th.
They landed frost bitten and Exhausted
with only II few days Iruvisions which were
.kod cut by moagre supply Of came They
began their painful Journey sOu'hwurd ham.
ptrtd by those who wcr. disabled, but en-
conrasei from time to time by traces Of fe-
cent occupancy Of hu,s and 70 4 prints about
fox traps which they ncolnlcrcd They
Struggled on manfully, mis-, d by an impcr-
ltct map OF the country aud always ina gin.
ing themselves near place of refuge until
toward the end Of October when after eating
the remaining dog they persisted from hun
ger ana Coid-all but two, Ninltrmann ami
Nur S, whom the conn auder had previously
sent IN advance for assistance, AMI wh1 after
great hur,ishlps werc found ~ tie natives
In So mcn dii their utmost to make the ma
tivcs understand the condition OF the conf
mandei's party and induce them to 20 To its
rtllci, nut without success. Nor is II prob
able that if they had returned they would
have found any of De Longs party alive.
Meanwhile the whole boats party remain.
ed five weeks at Gcromavialocke. |, WAS
not until October 90. that Melville learned
thut the irst cutter survived the gilc, when
he at once started, and meeting aud consult
ing with Nindcrmann and Noros did all IN
his power to find and succ)r his missing
comra!e After nearly sacrificing his lite
from hunger and cold and fully assured that
that the remainder Of the fist cutters parry
hhu Undoubtedly perishel, he return. To
Bulun and Yakutsk. There he at once COM
menccd preparations for Il more extended
search.
The report details the subs equent st arches
Tor the DE Long party and in conclusion
states that the court finds NJ occasion to i'm.
pnte censure to any member of the party
Inc report recommends medals OF honor for
ne survivors, amt is signed by President
vii lam Il. Temple, Commodore L. :. n,
and SamC. Lemy, master L. ). n.