Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-10
LITERARY NOTES.
IN THE LENA DvLTA A NARRATIVE OF TIM
SEABcs ron LIEUT. CoMMASDER DELo>e AND Ffss
SoArANIoss 70 lowell by ~ Accoqa. OF &c
Srettg Relief Ex;si.ioG AID proIos,G NJ thoi OF
Reaching the North pllr By GEoxGE W, sEL~
MILE Shief In ginv,r L. - y. asteJ By hels lie

I.
Sree,y nellie. E.s'ti:ioa asd prelos, j N :hei q
MILE Chief En .inrsr L. 5. \. i.t'5 By Mel lie
Houghton. MINI 1 Co Wsshi slon: ioeer; BeslL
The story Of Arctic exploration and adventure
| Is an old one. and. though those who keep ed
ding to its pages have little to tell that is abso-
iuteiy new. it is ever fresh. and fascinating as
romance. This Is notably true OF the narrative
before us. Mr.. Melville gives few facts not
already known in relation to the mournfu De-
Long tragedy. but he invests the record with
remarkable interest so far aS the recital OF de-
tais is concerned. while in literary style it would
90 credit TO person of much experience and
iohE training as writer. Nor does the author
CONNIE himself to mere dry details He proves
himself TO have been close observer of scenes
ana incidents. and he shows excellent descrip-
tive powers. with a due sense of humor. as we'll
as power to arouse the sympathy OF his
readers. as the melancholy features of the expe-
dltion are portrayed.
In addition TO the history Of the Inflated Jean
nette expedition, Mr.. Melville deyotes q couple
OF chapters To the Rescue Of the Greedy party
ana the story of that eXpedition-in which il
will be remembered. he bore q consnteuous
parts also told in concise and graphic st,le.
NOTWITHSTANDING the unfortunate results of
the previous Efforts with which hp has been CON
nected. Mr.. Melville is by no means content To
rest satisfied without another attempt TO reach
the north pole. This. IN the Closing chaufer of
his book, he expresses his determination to
make; and he points out the manner in which
as he thinks. the effort may be successfully car
| ried out. His theory seems to be- plausible. ~
least, aud though we have little faith in the
chances OF success. or that any results attained
would be worth any where near their cost there
is yet little ground for doubt that the mears
and men necessary for another undertaking VII
he Forthcoming before the horrors ofthe last ere
entirely forgotten. All further efTarts in tlat
direction are in oar opinion TO be deprecated;
but we recognize the fact, nevertheless that
the spirit of adventure and discovery are too
strong in the present age to iistea TO the voice
OF reason or to take heed from the dreadful ex-
perences OF the past. We add a single extract
from the book. describing the loss OF the can
nette. which at once illustrates the am hor's
style and affords vivid picture of one al the
most thrilling incidents OF the expedition:
Ihankfni We're we to make our beds OF snow
instead of beneath the sea. where honest Jack
so often finds his endless rest. Homes jack
Proverbial for his growing when the dav Is far
and life Is rosy; for his cheerfulness IN times of
danger and distress. We had slent but few
hours when loud report. like that OF a cannon.
aw0ke u.s. The foe had split in every @ rccrion
one crack making directly into our camp
through the center OF De Longs tent: and had
1t not been for the weight OF the sl,epers on
either end of the rubber blanket tn lse in the
middle must inevitably have dropped into the
sea. As it was. they were rescued with great
difficulty; and in an instant the camu wn- alive
again. Althoughthe boats. sIeds ana provisions
had been placed close to the tents to avoid sepa-
ration by just such happening as tits we now
found ourselves drifting slowly rom them
Boards were at once thrown across the crack
nimble feet sped back and forth. the sleds and
boats were successfully jumped ever. and when
the gap had widened beyond the length of the
pianks. a way was discovered around IT, TIE
provisions recovered. our tents we're quickly
shifted farther back from the edge of TIN, fIor.
and We were soon doing again ia our sleeping
bags.
During the early hours of the morning
Kuhae. the watch. had attentivey observed the
snip. as she swayed to ard fra. creaking and
grooming with the movements of te ice Toward
four O'Clock. the hour for him 10 summon re-
lief. he suddenly announced. In addition to his
| stage whisper to Bartlett. Turn out If YOU
want to see the last of the Jeanette There
she gOes There she goes,' Most of US had
barely time to arise and look out when, amid
the rafting and banging Of her timbers and
iron-work. the ship righted and stood almost
upright; the foes that had come in upd crushed
her slowly backed off: and as she sank. with
slightly accelerated velocity. the yard-arms
We're stripped and broken upward parallel to
the masts; aud SO. like a grs Al. gaunt skeleton
clapping its hand above ms head She plunged
out Of sight. Those of Us VINO saw her 90 down
did SO with mingled feelings oil sadness and
relief. We were now utterly isolated, beyond
any rational hope Of all; with our proper
means of escape, to whicl so many pleasant
associations attached, destroyed before our
eyes; and hence il was 40 wonder we felt
lonely. and in a sense thai few can appreciate
But we We're satisfied. since we knew tull well
that the ships usefulness had long ago PASSED
away. and We could now start at once-the
sooner the better-on our long march to the
SOUTH
IN THE TRADES. THE TEoPICS AND THE ROAR
ING fOkI1ES By LADY BRAssEY With %. IL
ington: Robert Beaii.
The title chosen By Lady Brassey for her
Lott h-o IL
felicitous enc, yet it ia rly indicates the famous
'Sunbeam's" route of the four month voyage it
describes. which was rom England to Madeira.
thence to the West Indies. with touch on the
coast of South America a visit to the Ber-
mudas. and home b. the way of the Azores.
The author always travels under the most pleas
ant auspices. SO thai she is generally able to
take rose-cOlOred view of the people scenes
and incidents falling under her observation and
She has the faculty of telling ner story in a
straightforward. viyaciOus and entertaining
manner. She devotes a little too much space
perhaps to things that. enjoyable enough in
themselves "a experiences in travel. are hardly
worth putting into print; but, visiting unfamiliar
regions and having the gift of seeing what is
Characteristic. she does not become tiresome
and, equally to her credit. she rarely scolds or
complains most interesting portion of the
book the chapter devoted to Venezuela a coun-
try OF which American travellers and readers
attract and entertain. not the least among the
striking features being the railway from the
principal seaport to Caracas. the capital. which
is one of the must remarkable examples of engi-
neering in the world. To illustrate the charac-
ter OF the line che tact is cited that the track is
sometimes carried along mere ledge of rock
over three Thousand feet high, and where bis
cult dropped from the train would fall dis
lance of eighteen hundred feet before touching
the ground. Readers of Mrs. Brassey's two
previous voyages in her yacht will be pretty
sure TO want this handsome volume. which, in
addition to being beautifully printed, is pro-
fusely illustrated with unusually wel-executed
wood cuts and contains a number of useful
maps.
Messrs. James p. Osgooi & Co. have In press
new book by General Hazen entitled "A Mar
rative of Military Service" 1t is intended to
be complete history Of what his command did,
from the beginning to the end of the late war
accompanied by his own observations and refiec-
lions; and. as it is to be illustrated by engrav-
ings and maps it will doubtless prove to be a
valuable and interesting contribution to the
general history of the war.
THE TOBACCO CURE.
The Experience Which Has Made Sen.
atOr Lapham Have Faith i'm the