348 MELVILLE FINDS REMAINS OF DELONG PARTY 



the hut at seven o'clock. . . . At 10 P. M. made a rough bed 

 of a few logs! wrapped our blankets around us and sought a sleep 

 that did not come; 27th, made tea at daylight, and at 5.05 had our 

 breakfast four-fourteenths of a pound of pemmican. ... At 

 9.45 five men arrived in camp, bringing a fine buck. Saved again ! ! 

 September 3Oth, one hundred and tenth day from leaving the ship, 

 Erickson is no better, and it is a foregone conclusion that he must 

 lose four of the toes of his right foot, and one of his left. The 

 doctor commenced slicing away the flesh after breakfast, fortu- 

 nately without pain to the patient, for the forward part of the foot 

 is dead : but it was a heart-rending sight to me, the cutting away of 

 bones and flesh of a man whom I hoped to return sound and whole 

 to his friends. October 1st, the doctor resumed the cutting of poor 

 Erickson's toes this morning, only one toe left now. And where are 

 we ? I think at the beginning of the Lena River at last. My chart 

 is simply useless. Left a record in the hut that we are proceeding 

 to cross to the west side to reach some settlement on the Lena River. 

 "October 3d, nothing remains but the dog. I therefore ordered 

 him killed and dressed by Iverson, and soon after a kind of stew 

 made of such parts as could not be carried, of which everybody,, 

 except the doctor and myself, eagerly partook, to us it was a nauseat- 

 ing mess. . . . Erickson soon became delirious, and his talking 

 was a horrible accompaniment to the wretchedness of our surround- 

 ings. During the night got his gloves off; his hands were frozen. 

 At 8 A. M. got Erickson (quite unconscious) and lashed on the sled 

 under the cover of a hut, made a fire and got warm. . . . Half 

 a pound of dog was fried for each one, and a cup of tea given, and 

 that constituted our day's food. At 8.45 A. M V our messmate, Erick- 

 son, departed this life. October 6th, as to burying him, I cannot 

 dig a grave, the ground is frozen, and I have nothing to dig with. 

 There is nothing to do but to bury him in the river. Sewed him up 

 in the flaps of the tent, and covered him with my flag. Got tea 

 ready, and with one-half ounce alcohol, we will try to make out to 



