230 



THE JEANNETTE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



boat had been nearly swamped, and in a sinking condition 

 he had reached a piece of ice and managed to haul up. Star 

 was the only man with his boat at that time who could walk, 

 the others requiring ten or fifteen minutes to get up circula- 

 tion in their benumbed limbs. The captain had previously 

 given written orders that in case of separation each boat 

 should make the best of its way to Lena River, but he had 

 recommended touching at Kotelnoi Island. Chipp had for- 

 tunately decided to follow these instructions, because he had 

 not his allowance of food. We ourselves had been on half 

 rations for some time. He had remained on the ice about 



STOLBOVOI ISLAND. 



twenty-four hours, and then got a chance to get under way. 

 He told us that by making a portage of about two miles wo 

 could launch our boats and fetch the land. He sent his men 

 to assist us, and after six or eight hours of terrible work we 

 succeeded in getting our boat to the second cutter. That 

 night we reached the southeast corner of Kotelnoi Island 

 and camped on a low cape extending well out from the 

 mountain and forming a beautiful bay. 



