474 THE JEANNETTE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



were to drink his health; and Paymaster Skelding passed some of 

 the beverage up to those on the Parthia, where it was hastily made 

 way with, and the bottles were smashed upon the deck of the tug 

 by way of a parting favor. 



'Engineer Mellville,' s*id Lieutenant Jacques, as he stepped 

 into the pilot-house, 'I have the honor to extend you a hearty wel- 

 come on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy, and the commander 

 and officers of this station.' 



The returned explorer bowed his thanks, and added that such 

 a reception was more than he had looked for. 



A scene of a different kind was soon to follow. Poor Captain 

 Watton stood on the deck outside the pilot-house, and he and 

 Melville met again. The captain asked him something about De 

 Long. 



' My God ! ' cried Melville, bursting into tears and grasping 

 Captain "Watton's hand, ' you have lost a son and I a friend. They 

 may say what they like, but I assure you for Melville that he has 

 lost a friend.' 



The Catalpa had cut loose from the Parthia, whose passengers 

 gave a parting yell for Melville that might have been heard in 

 Coney Island, opposite to which these scenes transpired, and the 

 Ocean Gem ran alongside the tug. Melville first and many others 

 afterward, including some of the relatives of the honored guests, 

 were transferred to the yacht. On her decks the scenes of glad 

 greeting were repeated. As the yacht started for the city, Alder- 

 man McClane made a speech of welcome to Melville on behalf of 

 the city authorities, tendering him the Governor's Room for the 

 purpose of a public reception; and Colonel Church followed with 

 a speech of welcome on behalf of the citizens of New York and 

 of the country. A handsome lunch was spread in the cabin of 

 the yacht, to which Melville and his companions were invited ; but 

 they were too much elated to remember their stomachs, and after 

 a show of eating and some real drinking, a happy speech by 

 Alderman Roosevelt, and a complimentary resolution to Mr. Wil- 

 liam P. Clyde for his courtesy and assistance, the party went on 

 deck. 



Here, on the after-deck, an extraordinary contrast was at one 

 time presented; one of those rain-in-the-sunlight scenes which 

 form so strange a phase of our human life. On two camp-stools, 



