The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-11-01

A Talk With Chief Engineer Melville Of
the Jeanette Arctic Expedition.
INTERESTING POINTS ABOUT THE YOyUTs.

of the famous Jeanette Arctic explor-
Ing expedition, in a talk with reporter
a few days ago, gave an account of the
landing of his party upon the Lena
Delta and of the natives found there.
He said:
':As soon as the whaleboat parted
company with the first and second cut
ter it became evident that it would be
necessary to heave to and set about
making drag or sea-anchor, the phi
losophy Of which is that if the boat is
brought around with the head to the
sea and the drag made SO that it will
remain immersed, it will keep the head
Of the boat to the sea to receive the
seas head on, the boat and drag grad
ually driving to the leeward, the drag
having sufficient hold OH the water to
keep the boats head to the sea but
should the sea-anChor come home or
the line part and the boat breach to it
would roll over like log. The drag,
in this case, was made of the tent-poles
lashed together and a piece of ham
mock-cloth. We rounded to about 9
o clock that evening September I2th)
and rode with the sea anchor until the
next evening at 5 O'Clock, during which
time the people were kept busy bailing
10 keep the boat free Of water, and the
drag was assisted by means Of steer
ln9-oar III keeping the head to the sea.
Up to this time Jack Cole had acted as
coNswaln Of the whaleboat, having the
reputation of being one of the best fore
and aft sailors out of New YORK, and
having been one of the watch officers
on Benefits yacht during the famous
sea race Of the Dauntless, but he COM
menced to show signs Of weakness
during the heavy weather Of the pre-
ceding two weeks. At this time | had
to divide the watches in steering the
boat between the three seamen Leach.
Manson and Wilson
"Aiter leaving NasslIll Island, SAID
Chief tn8lneer Melville, continuing his
narrative, the hrst sea that broke over
the boat destroyed all the snow we had
from which to make our drinking water,
and from the time we lett SelmonoliSkl
Island until we got to the mouth OF the
Lena, five days, we were without drink
ing water. After the gale had abated
on the evening OF the 18th, the boat
was put about, ana our course iald 10
the southwest to Cape BarAln, the
point to which was ordered to con-
duct the boat II case OF separation.
On the morning OF the 18th the boat
grounded IN shoal water of the Lena
Delta, but SO far from land that 1t was
invisible. We thought there were
traces OF the loom OF land to the south
ward. The young ice was making
along the shore a quarter of an inch in
thickness, impeding the progress OF the
boat. From our information of the
Delta We were confident that we would
fiad natives at the northeastern point.
My instructions were that if | struck
the north coast, | was to proceed to
the east OF Barkin, and there get a pilot
to conduct me into branch Of the
river and to the nearest Russian settle
ment; and my Instructions were also
TO pay no attention to the others, N
case Of a separation, until got to
place of safety, after which | was to
pay attention to the rescue of the 9th
ers. l worked to the east along the
shore, every attempt to so south being
tOlled by tile shoals, until toward even
ing, when 1t looked like another gale.
put the boat under easy sail and stood
to the east intending to go IN that oil
rectioh Tor twelve hours, ana then to
the south and west twelve hours, know
ing that the east coast OF the Delta ran
hof'h ana soN'h' ana that the norm
coast al IaPe Dafhin ran east and west
also knew that three mouths dis
charged to The north, thirteen dlschars-
ed to the east, and that, tailln9 to get
to baTkIn, the chances OF my reaching
a settlement were better on the east
coast than TO ma one on the north
without pilot. Many persons have
SAID l was lucky to get in on the east
coast, but 1t was on the score OF Judg-
ment, not luck, and / selected the
course did Tor the reasons | have
gwen.
AT THE DELTA OF THE LENA.
"At 6 O'Clock on the morning of the
10th, we put about and stood to the