44 THE JEANNETTE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



which have since been identified as belonging to the missing 

 whaling-bark Vigilant, and others to Captain Nye, of the 

 Mount Wollaston, which would seem to indicate that both 

 crews had been on board the Vigilant. It is not unlikely 

 that, both vessels being caught, it was decided by their cap- 

 tains, who were both skillful sailors and men of great courage 

 and energy, to unite their forces on the best vessel, and that a 

 subsequent break-up of the ice released it, and enabled them 

 to reach some point near where the wreck was discovered 

 before again becoming embayed. 



SLEDGING ON THE SIBEKIAN COAST. 



" The statement made by the natives was, that they were 

 out sealing on the ice, when, seeing a dark object, they ap- 

 proached it, and it was found to be the hull of a vessel, with 

 masts, bulwarks, and boats gone, and the hold partly filled 

 with water. In the cabin were four corpses, three on the 

 floor and one in a berth. After taking what they could carry 

 home, night coming on, they left the wreck, with the inten- 

 tion of returning in the morning ; but during the night the 

 wind, which had been from the northward, changed to south- 

 west, and the wreck was not seen again, having drifted away 

 or sunk. 



" The sledge party had also met traveling parties of Chuk- 



