S46 



THE JEANNETTE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



On December 30th, Mr. Melville surprised us by putting 

 in an appearance. On the next day the remainder of the 

 whale-boat party arrived, with Noros and Nindermann, and 

 the thirteen survivors of the expedition were united again. 



On New Year's day our party kept open house, American 

 fashion, and all hands seemed to enjoy themselves. On the 

 Russian Christmas, which occurs twelve days later than our 

 own, I attended services at two of the churches of which 

 there are some ten or twelve in the city. Christmas with 



the Russians is a day of much 

 rejoicing. All the churches 

 were illuminated, outside and 

 in, with candles ; and the music 

 of the bells (which, hung several 

 together, are rung by means of 

 lines fastened to the clappers,) 

 kept the air filled with discord, 

 I should probably say. The 

 religion is that of the Greek 

 Catholic Church. Numerous 

 priests, in robes covered with 

 tinsel, read, chant, and exhort 

 the people, who are gathered 

 U before the altar or some one of 

 the numerous devotional shrines, 

 some standing, others kneeling, 

 and all frequently bowing and 

 RUSSIAN PEIEST. crossing themselves. Great im- 



portance attaches itself to rank. The governor, in full 

 uniform, stands nearest the altar, and alone; then other 

 military officers and prominent citizens. The soldiers stand 

 in a body together. The poorer classes, some of them arrayed 

 in fashions long since departed, make up the balance of the 

 congregation, and stand mostly in the rear. 



Soon after this our party, consisting of Lieutenant Danen- 

 hovver, eight seamen, and myself, left Yakutsk for Irkutsk. 

 Mr. Melville with Bartlett and Nindermann remained to 



