JOURNEY TO YAKUTSK. 259 



long consultation with him, and he told me that there was no 

 possible hope for the captain's party, but that he and the two 

 natives were going to the spot where Noros and Nindermann 

 had left him, and also to the Arctic Ocean to look for relics. 

 He t old me, further, that he had left written orders at Buhm for 

 me to proceed to Yakutsk with the whole party. 1 will here 

 state that his orders to me were given by virtue of a written 

 order from Lieutenant DeLong which placed him in com- 

 mand of my boat, and all persons embarked in the boat were 

 made subject to Melville's orders and directions. Thisl knew 

 to be unlawful ; but, as the captain was the highest naval 

 authority at the time, I had nothing to do but to obey. And 

 so I had accepted duty under Melville from the time of the 

 separation, because I considered that it was my duty, under 

 the circumstances, to do so. 



We arrived at Bulun on Sunday, and the commandant in- 

 formed me that we must remain until the following Satur- 

 day. I found written orders from Melville telling me to pro- 

 ceed to Yakutsk with the whole party as soon as possible, 

 and there await his arrival ; but he told me verbally at Ivu- 

 mak Surka Serai to leave Bartlett at Bulun. 



As transportation further south could be provided for only 

 six of the party, I took the five weakest men and started for 

 Verkhoyansk, leaving the other six to follow when Melville 

 should return. I left written orders with Bartlett to start a 

 search party out for Melville in case he did not return by 

 November 20th. The resources of Bulun were very limited, 

 it being only a village of about twenty houses ; and our pre- 

 sence there made fearful inroads on their winter stock. We 

 traveled by deer sled to Verkhoyansk, a distance of 900 versts. 

 Thence to Yakutsk by means of deer, oxen, and horses, a 

 distance of 960 versts, reaching the latter place December 

 17th, 1881, where we were well taken care of by General 

 Tchernieff, the governor. About December 30th, Melville 

 arrived at Yakutsk, and soon afterward the other six men 

 came on. On New Year's day the thirteen survivors of the 

 Jeaimette were all present at Yakutsk. The most of us 



