THE VOYAGE OF THE _JEANNETTE_ (1879−81)
The _Jeannette_ was the new name given to Sir Allen Young’s _Pandora_
after it was purchased by James Gordon Bennett, who had decided to equip
a North Polar expedition.
The commander of the expedition, Lieutenant George W. De Long, had taken
an active and distinguished part in the search for the _Polaris_. In
making an attempt to reach the Pole, he favoured the route by Behring
Strait, and he was supported by Bennett himself, who had been influenced
by the views of Dr. Petermann, the German geographer. One of the chief
reasons for choosing the Behring Strait route was the supposed existence
of a Japan current, which, it was hoped, would open a way towards the
Pole. Another reason was the view held as to the extent of Wrangel Land.
Petermann actually believed that it extended right across the Pole and
was the continuation of Greenland. It was afterwards proved to be only a
small island.
Lieutenant Chipp, the second in command, acted with De Long in the
search for the _Polaris_. George W. Melville, chief engineer, had been a
comrade of De Long’s in the navy. The ice-pilot was William Dunbar, who
had been master of whale-ships in and north of Behring Strait.
Nindemann, the ice-quartermaster, was one of the crew of the _Polaris_
who underwent the terrible winter-drift on the ice-floe.
The _Jeannette_ left San Francisco on the 8th July 1879. A schooner,
laden with 100 tons coal and such provisions as the _Jeannette_ could
not conveniently carry, followed on the same date.
Ounalaska Island was reached on the 2nd August, and left on the 6th.
Here, coal, dog-food, and furs were obtained. De Long mentions that
there was not a white woman in the place. The native women evidently do
not expect a long courtship. A number of men had been brought from St.
Paul’s Island on the Thursday; they made their selections on the Friday
and Saturday, and were married on the Sunday.
St. Michael’s was reached on 12th August, but the schooner did not
arrive until the 18th. Here, forty dogs, five sledges, snow-shoes,
boots, and a large quantity of skin-garments were obtained. Two natives,
named Alexey and Aneguin, were hired as interpreters and dog-drivers.
The total number of persons on board the _Jeannette_ was now
thirty-three.
De Long had been instructed to make inquiries concerning Professor
Nordenskjöld, who had nearly reached Behring Strait in making his famous
north-east passage during the previous year. For this purpose he left
St. Michael’s on 21st August, and made for St. Lawrence Bay, Siberia,
which he reached on the 25th, after a stormy passage. Here he
ascertained that a ship which had been frozen in during the previous
winter in Koliutchin Bay, had left St. Lawrence Bay some time before. De
Long believed that this must have been Nordenskjöld’s ship, but to make
certain he decided to make inquiries near where the Professor wintered.
He visited Koliutchin Bay, and found satisfactory proof that
Nordenskjöld had wintered there, and had left in safety. It was now the
31st August, and De Long was free to continue his voyage to the north,
but unfortunately the navigation season was drawing to a close. The
lateness of the date when the _Jeannette_ left San Francisco, her want
of speed, and the delay caused by her search for Nordenskjöld placed De
Long at a great disadvantage.
Pack-ice was met as early as the 2nd September. Herald Island was
sighted on the 4th, and on the same date land was seen away to the
south-west.
On the 6th September the _Jeannette_ was beset, within a week after
leaving the Siberian coast, and was never afterwards released. On the
9th September the position by observation was found to be 71° 35′ N.,
175° 5′ 48″ W.
On the 13th September, De Long sent four men with a sledge to make an
attempt to reach Herald Island. They returned next day and reported that
they had been forced to return when about 5 miles from the island. Broad
leads and rotten ice had been met, and it was evidently impossible to
sledge to the island.
By this time it was observed that the _Jeannette_ was being slowly
drifted in the ice towards the north-west. On the 15th September the
position was 71° 46′ N., 175° 36′ W., or about 15 miles to the
north-west of the position on the 9th. All hope of getting out of the
ice before next summer was now almost given up, and the best that could
be expected was that the _Jeannette_ might drift to Wrangel Land before
spring. However, after drifting some distance to the north-west, the
_Jeannette_ was drifted to the east, and then to the south-west, thus
forming a triangle, and after a month’s drift she reached a point near
where she began.
On the 21st October the thermometer fell to zero for the first time.
Preparations were made for the winter, and De Long took great
precautions to see that everything possible was done to insure the
health of the party. Special attention was paid to the proper
ventilation of the ship and the avoidance of damp. The surgeon, Dr.
Ambler, frequently tested the amount of carbonic acid gas in the air;
and a thorough examination of the whole party was made monthly.
During October the land to the south-west of Herald Island was
frequently seen, and De Long came to the conclusion that it was Wrangel
Land, and must either be an island or an archipelago.
Before the sun disappeared on the 16th November a considerable number of
seals, several bears, and some walruses had been shot, and served as an
important addition to the stock of food for both men and dogs.
During November ice pressures became severe. On the 24th, the floe in
which the _Jeannette_ had been fixed was split, and the ship was once
more afloat, but in a most dangerous position. On the 25th, it was
driven by the ice about a mile from its previous position, until it held
fast in some young ice.
At this time considerable difficulty was experienced in obtaining water
of proper purity. There was little snow on the ice, and what there was
contained a large quantity of salt, due to the wind drifting it and
mixing it with the salt on the surface of the ice. It was therefore
necessary to commence distilling.
The ice pressure was much less severe during December. From the 2nd to
the 18th the change of position was only 8 miles towards the west.
Christmas was passed merrily. About the end of December, Danenhower, the
navigator of the ship, began to suffer from an inflammatory trouble in
one of his eyes, from which he did not recover during the remainder of
the cruise.
The year 1880 was ushered in by a minstrel entertainment given by the
crew. On the 19th January the disagreeable discovery was made that the
ship was leaking seriously. The ice pressure had evidently caused
serious injury. On examination it was found that the water already stood
3 ft. in the forehold.
The deck-pumps were at once manned, and fortunately were able to keep
the water in check until steam could be raised to work the steam-pump.
This was a serious drain on the small supply of coal, but Melville was
equal to every emergency. He ultimately succeeded in pumping by means of
a windmill. Every effort was made to stop the leak, and although partly
successful, pumping had to be resorted to more or less continuously
throughout the remainder of the cruise. Nindemann and Sweetman took
turns about in standing in the water in the forepeak building a bulkhead
across it. For this work they received high commendation from De Long.
On the 26th January they had the pleasure of welcoming the reappearance
of the sun. On the 1st of February a bear was killed, and as no fresh
meat had been available for some time, this was a welcome addition to
the stock of food. Another bear was killed on the 2nd, and when the
stomach was examined it was found to contain only a few small stones.
On 6th March 1880 the position of the ship was 72° 12′ N., 175° 30′ W.,
which was only 26′ north and 6′ east of the position on the 15th
September 1879. This proves the absence of a definite current. The depth
of water varied from 30 to 40 fathoms, and the bottom usually consisted
of blue mud. On the 20th March, De Long stated that he was now convinced
that the drifting during the winter had been entirely caused by the
winds, and not by any current. During March the north side of Wrangel
Land was frequently visible.
On the 1st of May the sun could be seen at midnight. On the 5th May the
position was found to be 73° 11′ 24″ N., 179° 37′ 30″ E., indicating a
considerable drift since the beginning of March. It also showed that the
180th meridian had been crossed. On the 20th May the stock of coal
amounted to only 60 tons, and De Long became impatient to get out of the
ice. The total drift towards the north-west during the month of May was
very good, amounting to 82 miles.
The drift during June was nearly the reverse of what it was during May,
the _Jeannette_ at the end of the month being 50 miles south of where
she was at the beginning of it. There was still no sign of release from
the ice, and the consequent disappointment was very great.
During July the temperature was usually near freezing-point, and yet De
Long felt the cold much more than when the temperature was 30° below
zero. The latter was what he described as a hard, dry cold, whereas the
former was a soft, wet cold that penetrated at once. At the end of the
month they were back again to the 180th meridian; the summer had nearly
gone, and still there were no signs of a change. The monotony of waiting
for “something to turn up” was found extremely trying.
On the 1st of August one of the dogs died, and on a post-mortem being
made it was discovered that the dog’s death was caused by his swallowing
a sharp bone, which cut through his intestines. Several other dogs were
lost from the same cause.
Throughout the cruise, De Long took the strictest precautions to see
that the water used for drinking and cooking was as free as possible
from salt. After very thorough investigation, he arrived at the
conclusion that sea-water ice, under whatever circumstances it may be
found, is a treacherous and unsafe element to use.
The drift during August amounted to about 50 miles towards the
north-east. The navigable season was now nearly at an end, and another
monotonous winter in the pack awaited them. At the end of twelve months
the _Jeannette_ was only 150 miles from the point where she was first
beset.
Preparations for winter had again to be made: a deck-house was erected,
a porch was built around the cook-house, snow was banked against the
ship’s side, and various alterations were made for the greater comfort
of the crew. On the 29th September, when fresh meat was nearly gone, a
bear weighing 943½ lb. before skinning was killed, and another was
obtained next day.
The sun disappeared on the 6th November, and on this day the temperature
was 30° below zero at noon. Severe ice pressures were again experienced,
but did not excite so much alarm as did those of the first winter. On
the 30th November the 74th degree of latitude had been reached for the
second time.
A bear weighing 800 lb. was killed on the 2nd December. On the 11th
December the temperature was 39° below zero, and the ice gave loud
reports like the discharges of heavy guns. De Long believed that the
noise was due to the splitting of the ice under contraction caused by
the intense cold. At midnight on the 15th December the temperature was
−48°. On the 21st a post-mortem was made on another dog, and the cause
of death was ascertained to be the presence in the intestines of several
mutton-bones, two pieces of a tin can, a piece of cloth, and the fag end
of a rope. Christmas Eve was spent in the enjoyment of a minstrel
entertainment, and Christmas had a more than usually elaborate dinner,
consisting of soup, roast seal, apple jelly, tongue, macaroni, tomatoes,
mince pies, plum pudding, figs, raisins, dates, nuts, candy, chocolate,
and coffee.
The year 1881 was welcomed by another entertainment by the “Jeannette
Minstrels.” The ship was now 220 miles north-west of where it was first
beset, and the whole party, with the exception of Danenhower, were in
good health. No serious case of frost-bite had occurred, although both
officers and men were frequently out on the ice when the temperature was
more than 40° below zero. On the 27th January the latitude was 74° 20′
56″, the highest yet attained.
The sun was again seen on 5th February, so that their night had been 91
days, against 71 of the previous year. On the 14th the 75th parallel was
reached, and soundings gave 44 fathoms. Next day great astonishment was
caused when the lead-line gave 57 fathoms. A bear was killed on the
18th.
During March, as the latitude increased, so did the depth of water. On
the 17th it was 67 fathoms, and on the 19th, 71 fathoms; latitude, 75°
15′. On 8th April, in latitude 75° 46′, the depth was 75½ fathoms; and
in 75° 53′ 30″, on the 16th, it was 84 fathoms.
The 76th parallel of latitude was reached on the 21st April, and during
the next four days the drift towards the west was no less than 47 miles.
On the 16th May great excitement was caused by the discovery of land.
The latitude on this date was 76° 43′ 20″ N., and longitude 161° 53′ 45″
E. The land was only a small island, Jeannette Island, but its discovery
caused great rejoicing among the party, who had looked at nothing but
ice and sky during fourteen months. Another island, Henrietta Island,
was discovered on the 24th May. The latitude on this date was 77° 16′.
On 31st May a party of six in charge of Melville started for Henrietta
Island. They took a light boat, a sledge and fifteen dogs, and seven
days’ provisions. De Long wished to know whether there was any bay in
which he could place the ship, and whether there was animal or bird life
with which he could replenish his waning stock of provisions.
On the 1st of June the doctor made the startling announcement that
several of the party on board were suffering from lead-poisoning. An
examination was made, and traces of lead were found in the water, and in
still larger quantity in the tomatoes. It was supposed that the juice of
the tomato had acted on the solder used in the tins.
The Henrietta party returned on the 5th June. They landed on the island
on 2nd June, and left a record in a cairn. The island was found to be
desolate rock, surmounted by a snow-cap. The cliffs were inaccessible;
and dovekies nesting in the face of the rock were the only signs of
life.
On the 10th of June the ice suddenly opened alongside the ship, which
settled down nearly to her proper bearings. There was now a small canal
on the port side, and into this De Long had a heavy floe hauled so as to
receive the pressure in the event of the ice closing. This was at first
successful, but later the ice closed in with great force, jamming the
ship hard against the ice on the starboard side, and causing her to heel
16° to starboard. Orders were at once given to lower the starboard boats
and haul them to a safe position. Melville, while below in the
engine-room, saw a break across the ship in the wake of the boilers and
engines, and it was evident that the ship was breaking in two. Orders
were now given to remove sledges and certain provisions which had long
been kept in readiness in case the ship might have to be abandoned. At
4.30 p.m. there was a lull in the pressure, and De Long began to hope
that the worst was over, but at 5 p.m. the pressure was renewed with
tremendous force. Everything needful for a retreat over the ice was now
hurriedly removed to a place of safety. At 6 p.m. it was found that the
_Jeannette_ was beginning to fill, and at 8 p.m. everybody was ordered
to leave the ship. At 4 a.m. of the 12th the _Jeannette_ disappeared
beneath the water, in latitude 77° 14′ 57″ N., longitude 154° 58′ 45″ E.
Preparations were at once begun for the retreat to the Siberian coast.
The first and second cutter and the whale-boat had to be mounted on
their travelling-sledges; bags had to be made to hold bread, tea,
coffee, and sugar; and sledges had to be overhauled and relashed. To get
their weights as exactly as possible, they had to start with an ounce
weight and the doctor’s scales, and work up by a number of Remington
cartridges to a pound. Two empty meat-tins tied to the end of a stick
suspended by its centre formed the scale.
During this time they lived on plenty of food, as they had saved more
than they could take with them. The clothing allowance for each officer
and man was limited to what he was actually wearing and the contents of
a packed knapsack.
All arrangements having been made, the start to the southward began on
the evening of the 18th June. The party had three boats, seven sledges,
and twenty-three dogs. Dunbar was sent ahead to select a route and plant
flags for the party’s guidance. Danenhower, Chipp, Alexey, and Kuehne
were on the sick list, but could walk. The five McClintock sledges
carried 1659 lb., 1318 lb., 1252 lb., 1342 lb., and 1325 lb.
respectively. During the first day these loads were found to be too
heavy, and De Long saw that instead of being able to advance the boats
and provisions in three separate hauls as he had hoped, he must be
satisfied if he could do it in six. It was therefore necessary to repack
the sledges. Even with the lighter loads, the runners of the sledges
were frequently doubling under during the first few days. On the 20th
June it rained steadily for eight hours, and instead of starting as
usual at 6 p.m., the party did not get off till 2.30 a.m. of the 21st.
Openings in the ice were already met, and caused great delay. Small
ice-floes had to be dragged into position to form a bridge over which
the sledges were dragged.
On the 25th June, after a severe week’s work, De Long obtained his first
opportunity of ascertaining his latitude. His feelings may be imagined
when he found that he was 28 miles farther north than where he started
from a week before! He wisely kept this discouraging fact from the
knowledge of the general party. He now altered his course from south to
south-west. On this date Chipp was so weak that he had to be carried on
a sledge.
On the 26th June five bridges had to be built over leads: the heaviest
sledge fell into the water, but was dragged out; and Melville went in up
to his waist. On the 27th eleven hours’ hard work carried them only 1¼
mile. One lead 40 feet wide, and another 60 feet wide, had to be
crossed. Yet under all these difficulties everybody was bright and
cheerful. It was no uncommon thing to have four leads to bridge in half
a mile, and sometimes as soon as one was bridged another opened in the
rear. Over this rough and ever-changing path six, and sometimes seven
trips had to be made. It is not to be wondered at that the work was
terribly laborious, and progress slow.
On the 3rd of July the latitude was found to be 15 miles farther south
than on the 25th June, so that the drift had not been against them. The
6th July was a wet and stormy day, and the party remained in their tents
until 6 p.m. of the 7th. On the 9th they were well satisfied with an
advance of 3 miles. On the 10th July some excitement was caused by the
appearance of land to the south-west. De Long was doubtful whether it
was really land, but next day from the top of a hummock he saw
unmistakable land, and also water.
Cocoa and chocolate were now exhausted, and the tea was reduced to half
an ounce per man. The ice became comparatively loose, and boats and
sledges had to be continually ferried across large openings on small
floes. On the 13th July the first serious breach of discipline among the
crew took place. E. Starr, one of the seamen, found a pair of wet soles
on his sleeping-bag. He flung them some distance on the ice, in a
temper, and refused to pick them up when ordered to do so by Melville.
For some time he also paid no attention to De Long, who at once put him
off duty.
On the 15th July a seal was shot, and proved useful both for food and
grease for leaking boots. Another seal was obtained on the 16th, but on
the other hand 270 lb. of pemmican was lost through the capsizing of a
dog-sledge. On this day also De Long was unfortunate enough to break
through the ice when jumping across an opening, and went up to his neck
in the water.
On the 20th July a walrus was shot and secured. The choice pieces were
used by the party, and the rest went to the dogs. The skin was cut into
pieces and divided for boot-soles. They had now to contend with a
moving, rotting pack, and they were greatly hindered by fog. Leads were
continually opening and closing, and large blocks of ice were being
swirled around, and carried first west and then east. On the 24th they
had the good fortune to kill a bear. On the 25th land seemed quite close
at hand, but after working 24 hours they had again to camp on the ice.
Fog delayed the next start till the evening of the 27th, when they again
hoped to reach land, but within half a mile of it they were stopped by
broken ice, and had again to camp. On the 28th, after great
difficulties, the land was at last reached. De Long took possession of
it in the name of the President of the United States, and named it
“Bennett Island.” After crossing the 180th degree of longitude, De Long
should have advanced his date one day, but he did not do so, as the
_Jeannette_ was sometimes drifted east and sometimes west of this line.
At Bennett Island he corrected the date, so that possession of it was
taken really on the 29th July.
Preparations were now made to take tidal observations, make sketches,
collect natural history specimens, and hunt for game, etc. Large
quantities of driftwood were scattered about the shore, and Melville
found a vein of bituminous coal. The face of the cliffs was alive with
dovekies, of which they obtained a fair number.
Bennett Island was left on 6th August, after a record had been deposited
in a cairn. Ten of the poorest dogs were shot, leaving twelve. On the
7th the party were able to take to their boats, and the men were
distributed as follows:—In first cutter, De Long, Ambler, Collins,
Nindemann, Ericksen, Kaack, Boyd, Alexey, Lee, Noros, Dressler, Görtz,
Iversen. In second cutter, Chipp, Dunbar, Sweetman, Sharvell, Kuehne,
Starr, Manson, Warren, Johnson, Ah Sam. In whale-boat, Melville,
Danenhower, Newcomb, Cole, Bartlett, Aneguin, Wilson, Lauterbach, Tong
Sing, Leach.
Soon after the boats started, four of the dogs jumped out and were lost.
Two St. Michael’s sledges and four McClintock sledges had been left
behind. On the 8th August other four dogs jumped from the boats, and two
dogs were shot, leaving only two.
A good deal of ice was still met with, and the boats had frequently to
be hauled on the ice and dragged across until open water was again
found. A seal was shot and secured on the 11th August. On this date they
calculated that they had advanced about 20 miles. Another seal was
obtained on the 15th, and as provisions were now running low, it was
very acceptable. The last ration of bread was served out on the 18th. On
the 19th the ice closed on the second cutter and stove a hole in the
bow. Chipp repaired it with a piece of Liebig box. On the 20th August
land was seen to the south-west. Preparations were now made for sea.
Snow was melted for water, and the boats overhauled, etc. On the 21st,
however, before they could start, the ice had closed around them, and it
was not until the 29th that they were able to take to the water.
On the 30th August they reached and landed on Faddejew Island. The
“Faddejew Hut” marked on the Russian chart was found tumbling to decay.
The island was left on the 31st August. On the 1st September the second
cutter was separated from the other two boats, and did not rejoin them
till the afternoon of the 3rd. In order to let Chipp have a better
chance of keeping up with the other two boats, De Long ordered one man,
Ah Sam, to his party, and another, Manson, to go in Melville’s boat.
This resulted in the saving of Manson’s life.
On the 4th September they landed on a low beach running out from the
island of Kotelnoi. Some of the party, next day, came across several
ruined huts, and in one of them was found an elephant tusk, a wooden
cup, a spoon, and a fork.
Kotelnoi Island was left on the 6th September. Semenooski Island was
reached on the 10th, and on this day the last of Liebig’s Extract was
used. It had been much liked by the party. On this small island they
were fortunate in killing a deer. They rested here till the 12th, and on
leaving deposited a record. They had still seven days’ provisions, and
De Long hoped to reach the Lena without difficulty.
A breeze sprang up on the afternoon of the 12th, and at 9 p.m. De Long
lost sight of the whale-boat ahead, and at 10 p.m. he lost sight of the
second cutter astern. The wind had now freshened to a gale. On the 13th
there was a tremendous sea, and the boat shipped a good deal of water.
An attempt was made to ride out the gale under the lee of a sail, but
after doing well for an hour, the sheet parted, and sail and yard were
lost. Nothing more was seen by De Long of the other two boats.
Land was sighted on the 16th September, but when more than a mile from
the shore the water was not deep enough to float the boat. They passed a
miserable night attached to some thin ice, and next morning several
attempts were made to reach land in the boat, but it always grounded. A
raft was then made, and on this were placed tents, cooking-stoves, and
boat-box. All the party had to wade knee-deep 1½ mile to the shore.
After a second load was landed, the boat was dragged to within half a
mile of the land. The remainder of the load had then to be carried. This
was completed at 10.20 p.m. in a snowstorm.
They rested over Sunday, 18th September, and set out on the 19th to walk
to a settlement believed to be 95 miles distant, on the Lena River. They
had about 3½ days rations. Everything not absolutely necessary was
cached, and a record left in the instrument-box. Even then it was found
soon after starting that the loads were too heavy, and log-books, stove,
some alcohol, a tent, and binoculars were sent back to the cache. The
road was bad, several of the men were lame, and occasionally they were
wading up to the knees.
On the 20th September another tent was left behind, as they found they
could not carry it. The day’s march took them over ponds with thin ice,
and mossy swamps. Ericksen had frost-bitten feet, and kept the rest of
the party back. At the end of the fourth mile De Long was compelled to
halt and open the last tin of pemmican. On starting out again, they
struck deer-tracks, and this gave great encouragement. They accordingly
pushed ahead, but soon afterwards De Long was informed that Ericksen had
lain down and desired to be left. De Long and the doctor went back and
got Ericksen on his feet again, but he was in a serious condition, and
it was evident that the progress of the party would be slow if they were
all to keep together. Nindemann and Alexey were sent ahead to trace the
deer, but they were unsuccessful, although they saw a herd of seven or
eight. They were again sent off, accompanied by Collins, and the
remainder of the party camped. De Long decided that if game were not
obtained he would send a small party forward to bring relief. Next day,
however, he pushed on again, although no game had yet been obtained. On
this march they came to two huts, and De Long decided to halt here. It
was his intention to send the doctor and Nindemann on next day for
relief. Alexey, however, who had been sent to examine some hut-like
objects, found deer-tracks, and as they seemed fresh, he followed them,
and was successful in killing two deer. He cut off a hind-quarter of
meat and set off for the hut. When he arrived, the remainder of the
party had retired for the night, but when the announcement was made that
deer had been obtained sleep was forgotten. Cooking soon began in both
huts, and the whole of the meat was consumed, with the exception of two
tongues, before they felt satisfied.
De Long now decided to remain at the huts and rest another day and live
on the deer. It was not, however, till two days had passed that a fresh
start was made. A record of the movements of the party was left in one
of the huts. De Long also left his Winchester rifle.
On the 24th September they passed a wretched night. Beds were made of a
few logs, and wrapped in their blankets the party tried to sleep, but
could not, and in the morning they were all cold and stiff. On the 25th
the remainder of the deer-meat was eaten for dinner. At night two other
huts were reached, and here they halted. Next day they had only food for
three more meals. They had also one dog.
On the 27th September another deer was shot, and the danger of
starvation was again averted. The hungry men at once commenced eating
fried deer-meat, and took about 3 lb. each. The party then went on
again, but Ericksen’s foot was very bad, and progress was slow.
On the 28th September they came to a point where they had no alternative
but to cross a river a quarter of a mile wide. No wood could be obtained
to build a raft large enough for the purpose, and they were forced to
stay here in an old hut until 1st October, when the river had frozen
over sufficiently to allow them to cross.
A large gull was shot on the 29th, and with this they made soup. Fires
were made when it was dark at night, in the hope of drawing attention.
On the 30th the doctor removed several of Ericksen’s toes.
On the 1st October a record was left in the hut, and the party then
crossed the river with Ericksen on a sledge. De Long now saw that the
chart in his possession was practically useless. He had been hoping to
reach a place marked on the chart as “Sagastyr,” but he now looked upon
this as a myth.
On the 2nd and 3rd they struggled on, and had to camp in the open at
night. On the 3rd October the last of the pemmican was eaten, and
nothing now remained but the dog, which was killed for supper. De Long
and other two men broke through the ice during the day’s march and got
thoroughly wet. At night they tried to dry themselves before a fire of
driftwood. Ericksen groaned and rambled in his talk, and the whole party
spent a most miserable night. On the morning of the 4th they moved to a
hut which had been discovered by Alexey the previous night. From his
chart De Long now arrived at the conclusion that he was on Tit Ary
Island, and about 25 miles from Ku Mark Surka, which he took to be a
settlement. It may here be mentioned, as indicating the worthless
character of De Long’s chart, that instead of being at Tit Ary Island as
he supposed, he was about 120 miles from it, and Ku Mark Surka lay 33
miles beyond that.
Ericksen died on the 6th, in the hut. He was buried in the river, and a
board with his name was stuck in the river-bank abreast of his grave. A
Winchester rifle, some ammunition, and a record were left in the hut,
and the party again moved on. The last of the dog-meat and the last of
the tea were used for breakfast. Some old tea-leaves and 2 quarts
alcohol were all that remained. Towards night, Alexey obtained a
ptarmigan, and with this soup was made. Breakfast on the 8th consisted
of 1 oz. alcohol in a pint of hot water. Dinner and supper were the
same.
On the 9th October, Nindemann and Noros were sent ahead for relief. They
carried their blankets, one rifle, 40 rounds ammunition, and 2 oz.
alcohol. The remainder of the party followed an hour afterwards. During
the march they all broke through the ice, and were wet up to the knees.
They stopped and built fires, and tried to dry their clothes. Alexey
shot three ptarmigans, with which they made soup. For supper they had
only half an ounce of alcohol.
On the 10th October the last of the alcohol was taken for breakfast, and
they began to eat deer-skin scraps of clothing. Lee showed signs of
collapsing, and wished to be left. For supper they had a spoonful of
glycerine. “All hands weak and feeble, but cheerful.”
On the 11th there was a gale of wind with snow, and they were unable to
move. On the 12th the last of the glycerine was taken for breakfast. For
dinner they tried two handfuls of Arctic willow infused in water. On the
13th willow-tea was again taken. On the 14th, Alexey shot a ptarmigan,
and soup was made. On the 15th the willow-tea was again repeated, and
two old boots were eaten.
All this time they were hoping to hear from Nindemann and Noros. On the
16th October, Alexey broke down, and died on the 17th. After this, no
food was obtained. Lee and Kaack died on the 21st, Iversen on the 28th,
Dressler on the 29th, Görtz on the 30th October. On the latter date
Collins was dying. Here the record of De Long ceases. The doctor and Ah
Sam must still have been alive.
It will now be convenient to follow the fortunes of Nindemann and Noros,
who were sent for relief. During their first march, on the 9th October,
Nindemann shot a ptarmigan, which served for their dinner. At night they
made a fire, drank willow-tea, and tried to obtain a little nourishment
from a burned boot-sole; then wrapping themselves in their blankets,
they lay down near the fire. For breakfast next morning they had a
little willow-tea and another boot-sole. Their course along the main
stream was a confused morass, and they were hindered by a high wind and
drifting snow. At night they made a hole in a snow-drift, in which they
camped. The wind was so high that although there was driftwood, a fire
could not be lighted. At noon on the 11th they stopped and kindled a
fire, meaning to heat a little of the alcohol which they carried; but
Noros, who had it in his pocket, found the bottle broken and the alcohol
lost. They had therefore to fall back on willow-tea and boot-sole. At
night they reached a hut in which they found some deer-bones. A fire was
kindled and the bones charred, and an effort was made to eat them. Next
morning a gale was blowing, and nothing could be seen but drifting snow.
They had therefore to remain in the hut. The journey was resumed on the
13th. A hut was seen on the opposite bank of the river, and an attempt
was made to cross the thin ice. They repeatedly went through up to their
waists, but finally succeeded in gaining the bank. Noros while searching
for firewood found a box containing two fish. Nindemann was fortunate
enough to seize a lemming, and on this and the fish they made their
supper. The fish were almost rotten, but they were soon devoured. Next
day they made a start, but were driven back by drifting snow to the hut,
where they stayed another twenty-four hours.
On the morning of the 15th October another start was made along the
river-bank. The night was passed in a kind of cave at the side of the
river. Their supper consisted of a piece of seal-skin pantaloons, which
was soaked in water and then burned to a crust. They passed a wretched
night. Next day they made for some hills they saw in the distance. No
willow could be found, and a piece of seal-skin was their only food.
They passed the night in a ravine, where they dug a hole in the snow.
On the 17th they struggled over streams and sand-spits, and had again to
pass the night in a hole in the snow. The wind was too high to allow a
fire, and it was too cold to allow sleep. On the 18th they reached a
ruined hut almost filled with snow. They cleared out sufficient to give
them sleeping-room, and after taking some willow-tea and a piece of
seal-skin, they lay down for the night. On the 19th they were so weak
that they had to rest about every five minutes. In the afternoon they
reached three huts, and in one of them was a kayak containing something
like sawdust. It was blue-moulded and tasteless, but it was believed to
be fish. As they found nothing more, they ate it, and soon after they
had an attack of dysentery. They stayed in the hut all day, and on the
21st found themselves too weak to move farther.
On the 22nd October they heard a noise outside, and Nindemann, when he
looked through a crack in the door, saw something move, and thought it
was a reindeer. He took down the rifle and was moving to the door when
it opened, and at the entrance stood a man. Seeing Nindemann with the
rifle, he expected to be shot, and immediately fell on his knees and
began to supplicate. Nindemann threw the rifle down and beckoned eagerly
to the man to come in. After some hesitation, the stranger entered, and
the two men, anxious to be friendly, offered him some of the fish. He
shook his head, and made signs that it was not fit to eat. Nindemann and
Noros went out, and found that the man had come in a sleigh with
reindeer; but there was nothing to eat. He gave Nindemann a pair of
deer-skin boots and a deer-skin, and in return Nindemann gave him a
shirt. The man made signs that he would require to go, and held up three
or four fingers to indicate that he would return. Whether he meant in
three or four hours, or three or four days, they could not tell.
About 6 p.m. the man returned with two others, and brought a frozen fish
which he skinned and sliced. They also brought some deer-skin coats and
boots for them, and then made signs that Nindemann and Noros were to go
with them. The latter made various attempts to make the natives
understand the critical condition of De Long and party, but utterly
failed. Putting Nindemann and Noros into the sleighs, they drove off
with them along the river to the westwards. They kept on their drive for
about 15 miles, when they came to a couple of deer-skin tents. Here
Nindemann and his companion received boiled venison. The natives
numbered seven men and three women. One of the women gave Nindemann
water in order that he might wash, but as he found himself unable to use
it, she took pity on him and washed his face. Again attempts were made
to make the natives understand about the party, but it was impossible to
say how far they were understood. Next day over one hundred head of deer
were harnessed to twenty-seven sleighs loaded with reindeer meat, skins,
and fish, and driven over the mountains to the southward. About the end
of the second day they came to a collection of huts, Ku Mark Surka,
where there was a great crowd of people feasting. On the following day,
the 25th October, Nindemann made another desperate attempt to make
himself understood. A model of a boat was produced, and using sticks,
Nindemann showed that the ship had masts and yards, and that it was a
steamer. He then made models of the ship’s boats. Obtaining two pieces
of ice, he showed how the ship had been crushed. He next put in each
little boat so many sticks to represent the men in each boat. He then
showed a chart of the ocean and coast-line, and tried to explain how the
boats were separated in a gale. He showed the way they had walked along
the river, and by putting his head down and closing his eyes he tried to
explain how many days the rest of the party had been left. Sometimes
they seemed to be able to follow him, but no assistance was offered.
Next day an incessant but fruitless attempt to make themselves
understood was made. On the 27th October, Nindemann could contain
himself no longer, and broke into sobs and groans. A woman in the hut
took pity on him, and began talking earnestly to one of the men, who
came to Nindemann and said something about a commandant. Late in the
evening, a tall Russian, whom Nindemann took to be the commandant,
arrived, but he understood neither English nor German. He evidently,
however, knew something of affairs, for he uttered two words,
“Jeannette,” “Americansk.” Noros, meanwhile, was in the hut writing out
an explanatory note which Nindemann and he had composed, and the Russian
picked this up and put it in his pocket, and refused to return it.
On the morning of the 28th they were taken charge of by a man who was to
take them to Bulun, where they arrived on the 29th October. Here they
saw the commandant, who turned out to be a different individual from the
one previously seen. He seemed to understand Nindemann’s signs and
pantomimes, and spoke of telegraphing. Nindemann made signs for pen,
ink, and paper, and dictated to Noros a dispatch to the American
Minister at St. Petersburg. This was taken by the commandant, who said
he would leave with it next morning.
A hut was assigned to them, and on the 2nd November, three days after
the commandant had gone off with their dispatch, they were electrified
by the arrival of Melville.
We must now leave Nindemann and Noros, and return to Melville’s party in
the whale-boat. It consisted of Melville, Danenhower, Newcomb, Cole,
Leach, Wilson, Bartlett, Lauterbach, Tong Sing, Aneguin, and Manson.
On the night of the 12th September, Melville lost sight of the other two
boats, and contrived to ride out the gale. He then ran all night of the
13th, to the west and south-west. On the morning of the 14th the boat
grounded in 2 feet of water, and there was no land in sight. By running
some distance to the east, deeper water was obtained, but it was not
until the morning of the 16th that land was sighted, consisting of two
low headlands forming the mouth of a large river. They ascended the
river and tried to effect a landing, but the shoals constantly prevented
it. Towards night a hut was seen, and they succeeded in making a landing
near it. The boat was hauled up, and a fire was kindled. The men were
scarcely able to walk. During four days of their rough passage they had
no water to drink, and their legs were terribly cramped. After working
up the river two more days, they came to a collection of huts where they
met three natives, and feasted on venison, goose, and fish. They
endeavoured to get the natives to pilot them to Bulun, but failed. Next
day they pushed on, but were forced to return to the huts. The head-man
of the village had, in the meantime, arrived, and Melville induced him
to agree to pilot the party to Bulun. They started on the 22nd
September, and on the 26th reached a village where he was informed that
it was a journey of sixteen days to Bulun. Melville insisted on being
taken there, and an attempt was made; but after struggling with the ice
and against the wind, they had to return to the village. They were given
a hut and an allowance of provisions. Melville prepared a telegram to
the Secretary of the Navy and to the American Minister at St.
Petersburg, and letters were written in several languages. The head-man
of the village undertook to send these forward.
About the 10th October there came to the village a Russian exile, who
seemed more intelligent than the others. This was the man who later fell
in with Nindemann and Noros, and who was first mistaken for the
commandant. He arranged with Melville to go to Bulun and bring reindeer
teams for the transportation of the party, as well as food and clothing.
He returned on the 29th October, when Melville had almost given him up,
and he brought the note from Nindemann and Noros. As soon as Melville
heard that De Long and his party were in need of assistance, he started
by dog-team for Bulun, which he reached on the 2nd November, as already
related.
Melville now arranged for Danenhower to take charge of the party while
he started north in search of De Long. He was absent twenty-three days,
and during that time he travelled 663 miles, but although he recovered
the log-books and other articles cached, and found several of the
records left in the huts, he failed to find the bodies. Winter had now
set in severely, and the search had to be given up.
No news had yet been heard of Chipp’s party, and it may here be
mentioned that no trace of them was ever found. It is probable that the
boat went down in the gale.
Early in the year of 1882, Melville began preparations to renew the
search in the spring. He received instructions from the American
Government to spare no expense. Food and clothing were transported from
Yakutsk to the Lena Delta, a distance of over 1500 miles. Melville had
Nindemann and Bartlett to assist him when he started for his second
search on the 16th March. On the 23rd March the bodies were found. De
Long, Dr. Ambler, and Ah Sam, the three who lived longest, were found
lying together.
Melville ascertained that the whole of this district, at certain seasons
of the year, was under water, and he therefore had the bodies removed
some distance to the south, where he had them buried on a rock about 300
or 400 feet high.
A long search was now made for Chipp and his party, but, as already
mentioned, no trace of them was found.
During 1883 the American Government appropriated the sum of 25000
dollars for the purpose of having the bodies conveyed from the Lena
Delta to America and for a further search to be made for the missing
boat. This was carried out by Lieutenant Harber, of the U.S.N.
The fate of this expedition was one of the saddest in the history of
Arctic exploration. It achieved little in the way of discovery, but yet,
as will be hereafter explained, the loss of the _Jeannette_ had an
important bearing on a future expedition which was destined to add
greatly to our knowledge of the Arctic regions.
[Illustration: CHART OF GREENLAND AND ELLESMERE ISLAND.]