New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-07
DE LONGS JOURNALS.
THE VOYAGE OF THE JEANETTE.

Portraits, Maps aud Illustrations I've volumes.
Octave, PIP OIL. Boston; HCughtoh' MIMI 20
Thisis devoted woman's memorial to her heroic
husband Though dead, he yet speakcth IN these
yolumes which are made up ID large part from
the Sims log his letters aud the journals kept by
hin, during the Inflated voyage and the pcrilous
and arduous retreat across the lee Two or three
hooks on this Arctic expedition have already been
printed and the press has furnished the pnoNc
with minute details Of the voyage the retreat ana
the search; but It is meet that De Long himself
should be allowed to tell in his own manly and I'M
affected way this marvellous story OF noble asplra
ton patient endurance heartrendng suffering ana
unshaken faith. Ills wife has not attempted To re-
write or enlbelllsh the simple records which DO
made from day to day on ship on the ice ana our
ing the last agonizing march on shore The lour-
mails remain as they wero when they left bis hand
an animated and intelligent recital of hopeless
and frutless quest disastrous adventure. The
Government intends to issue q separate volume
containing the natuTalists notes and neieoIoogl-
cal electrical aud auTOral observations; but these
Journals form the permanent record OF one oil the
most thrilling episodes of Arctic exploration, and
may be assigned place on the same shelf with DIR.
Kanes VIVID narrative and the thrilling story OF
the Austrian expedition to Franz-Josef Land.
The work opens wIh simple bat Interesting ac-
count of De Longs ME- He was born in New-York
=,
was the only child and his mother was almost NOR
bidly solcitous for his health. The man who was
TO 10 Imprisoned for twenty-one months on an Ice
foe ana to die of starvation and cold after conduct
ing the longest and most ACCOUNTING retreat
IN the history of Arctic adventure was not allowed
in his childhood TO engage in the ordinary sports
of swimming boating and skating. Maelna! love-
apparently endow with clairvoyant lntutionS
respectipg tho awful perils TO which he would be
1,F, iaol nraly Oppf act
the trivial dangers of bOyhoOd Yet even whllo
reading by the fireSido at home he acquired
stropp taste for q life Of adventure. When be was
n schoo-boy of thirteen he entTeated his parents to
allow him TO accept an appointment TO the Naval
Academy, and was bitterly disappointed wher they
decided that lie should enter the Free Academy and
prepare himself for rrofessiOn-ether medicine,
theology. or the law. At the outbreak OF the war
he was Mt the age of seventeen, reading voracous-
" all the books OF travel he could find IN the AeT-
camille Library dislnclIned to enter upon profess
sjoual studies and impelled by the cravings OF
strong nature to lead life of free activity on the
sea HIS parents were still unwilling to have him
follow his impulses but finally acquesced when he
went 10 Washington and, after pleading his Own
cause before Secretary Wess, obtained an appoint
ment TO the Naval Academy, where be was gradu-
ated Just as the war came to close,
The heroic period had ended. Tho forts on the
lower Mississippi lad UetN pahstil' tNt CIouue VI
battlc-smoke bad cleared away from Mobile Bay,
the Albelnarle had been blown up the Alabama
sunk. and the blockading sqEadTOns dispersed.
dull level OF routine duty al0at and ashore
stretched before the eyes of this new recruit so
eager fur change OF distinguishing himself or Of
attempting some daring exploit During egh'
wears he was forced to CONTEXT himself With cruises
in the Mediterranean or the South Atlantic, and
with long intervals Of shore duty. In 1873, he was
a lieutenant of the Junlata, when the news OF tho
Foloris disaster was received. That vessel was dis
matched 10 Greenland, and he acquired his first eX-
perience in the Arctic basin. 1t was he VINO com
Inandec the steam launch known as the Little
Juniata in the perlous attempt to search the coast
north of Upernavik Cor tho Polarls survivors, and
Lieutenant Chip, who was TO share with him tue
perils of the Jeannette VOYAGE was one Of his com
panlons 1t was terrible experience, but 1t did
not cure him of his passion for adventure. On the
contrary. 1T aggravated the disease.
De Long returned to New-York to do routine
work Oh the scholarship, but the potent spell OF the
mystic King of the North was upon him. lie had
on Unsuitable desire TO head a new expedition to
the Pole In his enthusiasm for Arctic exploration
he resemhled the Old-tmo naYlgators who were
1mpelled by reckless spirit Of adventure. At the
same time hc could calculate the chances Of success
cooly enough and arrange all the details OF the ex-
peditiou with practical intelligence. Mrs DE Long
Isricht in claiming for him singular qualifications
for the Ork which he undertook. She well says:
For wears his mind had been turning 10 this point.
His native enthusiasm and spirit had urged him,
aud his sense of great York to be done had drawn
him forward. The experience when DC Iaa An"mn
when in command of the Little Junata had gwen
Him practical knowledge OF some OF the dltlcutles
attendant upon Arctic exploration and had assured
him that he wanting in the qualities OF an
Uxporer. The moro he pODdeTed upon the problem
OF the North Pole the greater became his desire to
HELM in its solution, and If possible to give that
answer which alone would satisfy the world. lie
was KEYED to the temper OF his great enterprise ~
~ yaIGrIHrions purpGse or rash Self-cOnfdenCc He
never disguised from himself tie seriousness OF the
task he had essayed nor imagined that lie was TO
win hIgh reputation by some happy tuIn OF ICrt-
une He belonged to the men who have cared lor
great things not to bring themselves honor. but be-
cause dong great things could alone SATISFY ther
natures and ne entered upon the work beIore HIM
with a singe-mlrded earnestuess. ana brave trust
in God.
The public is so familiar with the details of this
disastrous expedition that it is not necessary even
TO outline the story 1t is told IN the words OF lie
Long The journals do not add materially to what
is known in regard 70 the voyage or the rereat 1u'
mainly serve to deepen the impressions that have
been formed respecting the difficulties and hardships
of the march aud the heplcssness OF the ship from
The day she entered the ice to the moment long fore
seen when she crushed between the Hoes These
upstudie notes, made from day to day with pans
taxing care were never intended for publication
II De Long bad lived to revise them with view TO
giving the world spirited account OF his eventful
yovape he would have added tone and color to his
descriptions of the ice-ystas which constantly
stretched before his eyes. and humOr as well as
action to tie general narrative Of life on board the
ship. He would have regarded tie journals as raw
material to be worked up with artistic finish for q
public that would have 10 be entertained as well az
well as instructed. But even as they stand without
that Transforming touch which leisure would nave
enabled him TO add to Them they contain abundant
avidance of keen power of diseeTnment decided