CHAPTER XVII. 



LIEUTENANT DANENHOWER'S NARRATIVE, 



(CONTINUED.) 



Jeannette sank about four o'clock on the morning of 

 - Monday, June 13th, 1881. Daylight found us encamped 

 on the ice about four hundred yards from where the ship 

 went down. We had slept late after the exhausting work 

 of the previous night. The day was spent by us in arrang- 

 ing our effects, and in gaining rest, which was much needed. 

 Many of us, indeed quite a quarter of the number, were 

 incapacitated for active work by reason of severe cramps 

 caused by tin-poisoning from tomato cans. Among the sick 

 were Chipp, Kuehne, the Indian Alexai, Lauderback, and the 

 cabin steward. 



The doctor recommended delay until the sick party should 

 have recovered ; but the time was not wasted, and the rest 

 of the crew began the work of dividing the clothing and 

 stowing the sleds and boats. We had as provisions about 

 3,500 pounds of pemmicnn in tinned canisters of 45 pounds 

 weight each, about 1,500 pounds of hard bread, and more tea 

 than we needed. We had also some canned turkey and 

 canned chicken, but these we disposed of in the first camp. 

 We had a large quantity of Liebig's extract, a most, 

 important element in our diet. We had a large quantity of 

 alcohol, which was intended to serve as fuel for cooking 

 during our retreat. We had plenty of ammunition, and a 

 good equipment of rifles. The provisions were stowed on 

 five sleds, each having a tier of alcohol cans in the middle, 

 and on either side a tier of pemmican canisters. Another 

 sled was loaded with bread and a limited quantity of sugar 

 13 (207) 



