BENNETT ISLAND. 689 



Bennett Island, Cape Emma. 

 Lat. N. 76° 38', Long. E. 



August 4, 1881. 



This island was discovered on the 11th of Jnly and landed 

 upon, taken possession of and named on the 29th of July by 

 the officers and men of the U. S. Arctic Steamer Jeannette, 

 which vessel was sunk by the ice on the 13th of June, 1881, 

 in latitude N. 77° 15' and longitude E. 155° 0'. 



It is my intention to proceed from here at the first oppor- 

 tunity toward the New Siberian Islands, and thence toward 

 the settlements on the Lena River. We have three boats, 

 thirty days' provisions, twenty-three dogs, and sufficient cloth- 

 ing, and are moreover in excellent health. We drifted in the 

 pack ice from the 5th September, 1879, to the date at which 

 our vessel was crushed and sunk by the ice, and during that 

 time discovered two islands, Jeannette Island and Henrietta 

 Island, upon the latter of which a party landed. Jeannette 

 Island, discovered May 21, 1881, is in latitude N. 76° 47', 

 longitude E. 158° 5Q', and Henrietta Island, discovered May 

 25, 1881, is in latitude N. 77° 8' and longitude E. 157° 45'. 

 Excepting these islands we saw no land since losing sight of 

 Herald Island in March, 1880. Having rested here a few 

 days, we are now detained by a westerly gale, fog, sleet, and 

 snow, and though at times we see much open water to the 

 southwest we cannot yet say whether or not we can take to 

 our boats to resume our journey, or shall be forced to resort 

 again to dragging everything over the ice. The ice travel has 

 been very hard, and two miles a day made good has been our 

 usual distance, though many trips back and forth have been 

 necessary on account of our weights. The ice in this sea is 

 similar to the ancient ice encountered by the British Ex- 

 pedition of 1875, north of Cape Joseph Henry. We have lost 

 none of our original number, eight officers and twenty-five 

 men, and have not had scurvy. 



George W. De Long, Lieutenant U. S. N. 



Commanding U. S. Arctic Expedition. 



I do not remember ever to have passed a more dis- 

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