The morning call., 1892-10-31
BARTLErT,s ARCTIC TRIP.
One of the Survivors of the Iil-fa ted
Vaa

One OF the Survivors of the Inflated
Jeanette.
James FL. Bartlett was one of the sur
vivOrs of the Inflated Jeanette Arctic ex-
petition. He shipped as seaman. Tie
eaDnette was crushed In the ice and went
down on June 13, 1881. The crew then
started on their march southwark over the
ice, drawing five Sleds packed with pro-
visions. They discarded their sleds soon
after leaving Bennett Island early In
August. and took TO three boats. The first
cutter contained Captain de Long, DR..
Amber, and twelve others. The second
cutter contained First Lieutenant Chip
and seven others. The whaleboat was
under command Of Engineer Melville. With
him was Lieutenant Danenhower, DR.. New
comb. Naturalist Leach, Mausen, Wilson,
Bartlett, Lauterbach, Steward, and the H.
dian ADeQuin.
Near the mouth of the Lena Delta a gale
drove tho boats apart. Lieutenant Chips
boat was lost and none of his party has
ever since been seen or heard from.
The whaleboat reached one of the eastern
mouths of the Lena Delta on Septem amber II,
sailed up the branch, and was succored by
three native fishermen. Lieutenant Danen-
hover Immediately made an Intellectual
search on the Lena Delta for the missing
boat crews A Russian convict, who was
sent to Bulun to notify the authorities in
regard to the condition of Meyile's party,
was absent thirteen days.
On his way back he fell in with Ninder-
man and Naros, two men sent forward by
Captain de Long TO seek succOr from the
natives. Melville fastened forward to see
these men and to find the captain and his
party. After short time he j1ined his own
party at Yakutsk, where he remained with
Ninderman aud Bartlett to make thor
ough search in the spring, while Danen-
hover, with the remainder OF the crew,
made his way homeward.
Melville in his first. search came to some
OF the huts where De Long had lived, and
certain OF the records were brought to him
by natives; but he lost the track and gave
up the search. 1t was. however, too late
TO succOr the captains PARTY After suffer-
ing horrible prlvations they had all persisted
from starvation. De Long kept journal
10 the list day of bis life. On October 80
he and DIR. Amber with the Chinaman
All Sam, were the only survivors, and on
:Dat day they also succumbed.
In the spring Melville explored the delta
thoroughly for traces OF De Longs and
Chips parties. AT the end of March the
remains of De Long and his eleven COM
panions were found, They had consumed
their boots and their skin clothing to stay
the pangs of hunger.
The Inflated Jeanette set sail from this
city July g. 1879, with the object of seeking
an entrance TO The supposed open Polar Sea
by northeast passage near Wrangel Land.
The expedition was equipped at the eX-
pense of James Gordon Bennett, proprietor
OF the New York Herald. 1t was pro-
yisioned for three years, and no serious ap-
prehensions for the safety of the expedition
were felt until the spring Of 1881.
No polar expedition since the loss of Sir
John Franklln's party caused so much
solicitude or resulted in so many efforts for
its rescue. During the season of 1881 meas
ures were taken 10 search every shore OF the
polar basin for the lost explorers. In that
year five expeditions were sent into the
polar regions bv the United States Govern
meDt, all Of which took Instructions to search
for the missing Arctic cruiser. one Of these
having for It's sole object the search for the
Jeanette and The lost whalers. Mount Wal
laston and Vigilant.
Bartlett was fond OF recOunting his eX-
perieDces in the Arctic regions during those
woful days. Many Of his stories, however,
lacked the yerscious element of consistency.
One story which he told n friend was that
when the remains of Captain de Long were
found he took three $50 pieces from the
body. which he kept until he returned to
the United States. These, he says. he
handed in person to De Longs widow.