The sun., 1883-10-31


epce was partly varied with ditching in the ice
and routine work. The end Of June found the
ship retrograding so that II was further south
than ut the end OF May. The Fourth OF July was
grimly celebrated by dressing ship with ensigns
at mast heads and signals in rainbow
Through the autumn the growing depres-
sion becomes manifest in the gloomy rec
ords OF the journal which show how deeply
the failure to free tho ship during the
summer affected tho officers and crew. The
lst OF September. however. brought start
ling sensation for thcn the ship suddenly
righted aud moved astorn about two feet. But
the gain was brief and she was quickly frozen
in again. StilI. the comfort OF being OH an even
keel had been very great Moving about was
then no longer awkward and plates and cups
no longer threatened to spill their contents.
What constant irritation must have been that
OF livinga twevcmonth ON an inclined plane!
| The first Year In the ice ended on the 5th OF
September 1851 with the Jeannette only 100
| miles to the northwarI and westward of where
she entered it. MY pleasant hope TO add some
thing to the history of Arctic discovery and
exploration has been rs ruthlessly shattered
and as thoroughly killed as my greatest enemy
could desire. frequently think that. instead
of recording the Idle words that express our
progress from day to day. / might bettor
| keep these pages unwrttep. leaving blank
properly to reprcssnt the utter blank of this
Arctic expedition" The greater infrequency
and brevity of the entries In subsequent months
arc the best testimony to tho lack OF mcmora-
BILE incident The long winter night set In
again on the 9th of November. and the journal
goomily says that 1t is idle to spoak longer
OF the going and coming of wccks-it 10 record
| enough when mention the coming and going
ofmonths." The leading variation in the niean-
choly story is an occasional record Of tho splon-
did Arctic scenery. to which De Long was nj
ways alive. Christmas and New Years were
celebrated much like the year before.
Spring of 1881 brought ono memorable change
in ne discovery on the 10th Of May, OF u small
islnnd-"the first land that has greeted our
eyes since March 81. 1850, nearly fourteen
months ago And our voyage. thank God Is
not u perfect blank. for here we have liscov
crod something. however small 1t mny be.
Coopcd up US wo have been for over twenty
months. we shall enjoy getting our feet on
solid enrth or stone. as much as II it wero Gem
tr;.l Park. for it will bo change. This island
is to us our all iu all. We guzo at it. we crti
else 1t. We guess at its distance. we wish
for favorny gale to drive us toward 1t.
Fourteen months without anything to look at
but ice and sky and twenty months drifting In
the pack. will make IL little mass of volcanic
rock like our island rs pleasing to the eve rs an
oasis in the desert" Ii is pitiabie comment
on Arctic exploration that asccrtaining the en-
isteuce Of speck OF land more or less was
welcomed so gladly. In n few days another
island was seen. and to the former was given the
name .Jeannette. while tho laterw called Hen
rietta. Melville. with slrdce party consisting
OF Dunbar. Nindcmann Erickson. Bartlett and
Sharyell landed on Henrietta Island by heroic
eAertlons. and brought back some moss. grass.
and a handful Of rock as trophies. Nenr the
island the Ice WAS all alive and Melville left
his boat and supplies. and. carrying only 4
} days provisions and his Instruments. at the
risk %! his life. went through tho terrible mass
actually dragging the dogs. which for fear re-
fused To follow their human leaders. If this
persistence IN landing upon this island. in spite
. ofthe superhuman difficulties no encountered
is not reckoned a brave aud meritorious action
it will not he from any failure ON my part /,
make it known"
The sick had now for many weeks increase,
in numbers symptoms Of lead poisoning fron
the canned tomatoesbeinG observed. In June i
becune evident that the leo was breaking M
and on the 10th 1t suddenly opened alongside
so that the chip once more righted. Sho wa
then seized Us in Il wise. and 1t became eviden
5 that she was to perish. All things being mad
u ready and the provisions taken out for n re
treat to the Siberian coast the Jcannette. %
155'. slowly sank and disappeared. There
no evidence in De Longs journal that nnybod
q bcmoaned her fate or felt sense of being lei
in greater peril. Everybody Was bright an
u cheerful. with plenty to eat and plenty q
! clothes. Even music Is not forgotten. Lauter
. bach ssrenaded lis tonight with mouth har
u monica Chipn better. Danenhower liveiI
AleXey plenty good Divine service at 81 Pm.
On the 18th OF June the retreat began. Their
were three boats and five slcds. loaded with sixt
. days provisions. sleepin. bags. tents clothing
u arms. and ammunition. The twenty three dog
: dragged three slcds. and the men the other tw
u and the boats. Lieut.. Chip. Master Danen
!. hover. and Alexey. Tong Sing. and Kuehne q
u tho start were on the sick list The first day
= journey over the piled up hummocks was
e specimen of what was in store" such terrifl
i roads. such soft and deep SHOW. and such uGl
l. ice openings" The heavy sled loads were SO ex
y haustinC that they soon had to be light
y ened. for twenty eight men and twenty
" three dogs. laying back with all thei
u strength. could only start our LOO poun
y sled a few feet each time; and when slidn
II down hill. II would plunge into u snow bank
II was terrible work getting it out. Though III
J. temperature was between 20' and 2j'. we wer
II in our shirt sleeves. and perspiring on II ho
> summer day. see very cleurly that Wa mus
% run with lighter loads. and 20 over the sam
d ground oftener. / hoped TO bs nble to nd
J. vance our boats and provisions in thre
separate huuls. but must DO satisfied If W
% now do it in six" The travelling WAS done II
: night. and tho sleeping 10y day. When rain S.
n in tho misery was complete. When one da
IS the distance Of !! miles was made II was wei
n coined AS the first really good days work.
II Yet the ruo was 10 " haul nine hours. sleep q
d rost tell" and occupy the other nve in meal
Z and camp duties, Ono record of this epoch
II singular: find this morning my hand, wer
II 50 badly suuburned before our halt as to u
!. now swollen and painful another notes thn
! Il, has been blistering not since midnigh
: though the thermometer marked only 90 1
n the sun" Still another record is that ever,
y body is complaining of the heAt-at nine III
l. temperature WAS 30' in the shade II seem
Q curious enough to see men sorking q shad
;, spot in which to Sit and smoke while the ten
psratuie Is 60 low
t. soon the appalling fact becullo clsar to IL