66 THE VOYAGE OF THE JEAXNETTE. 



The ice-pilot was William Dunbar, of New London, 

 Connecticut, who had been master of whaleships in 

 and north of Behring Strait. The meteorologist was 

 Jerome J. Collins, from the staff of the ^' New York 

 Herald," a gentleman who at once commended himself 

 to Captain De Long by his intelligent zeal, and his de- 

 termination both to secure all proper equipment and 

 to qualify himself for his special duties. In a letter 



JEROME J. COLLINS. 



written March 25, 1879, to Mr. Bennett, Captain De 

 Long gave hearty testimony to the worth of his asso- 

 ciate : — 



" I am very much pleased with liim. He has a large fund 

 of general information, and will make a name for himself in 

 the Arctic, I am sure. He has seemingly mastered photog- 

 raphy already. I propose now to have him go to Washington, 

 and I shall ask Professor Baird to give him the same faciUties 

 at the Smithsonian as were tendered to the medical officer 

 when he should be selected. I shall make the same request 

 of Admiral John Rodgers at the Observatory, and of Captain 



