CHAPTER XX. 



THE FORTUNES OF THE WHALEBOAT PAETY. 



12 September — 2 November, 1881. 



The Separation in the Gale. — Heaving to. — The Storm. — Standing 

 in toward the Coast. — The Mouth of a Broad River. — A Landing. 

 — Up the River. — Discovery of Natives. — Cape Borkhia. — Pi- 

 loted by the Starosti. — Arrhu. — Geeomovialocke. — Attempts to 

 reach Bulun. — Condition of the Men. — Dispatches. — Kusmali. — 

 Kusmah sets out for Bulun. — Lieutenant Danenhower attempts 

 to reach Barkin. — Anxiety at Kusmah's Delay. — Return of 

 Kusmah. — Intelligence of Nindemann and Noros. — Mr. Melville 

 sets out for Bulun. 



When the three boats separated in the gale of Sep- 

 tember 12th off the Siberian coast, Lieutenant Chipp 

 was in command of the second cutter, and the three 

 boats were under close-reefed sail, driving before a 

 northeast gale. Chief -Engineer Melville was in com- 

 mand of the whaleboat. Lieutenant Danenhower, on 

 the sick list, was with him, and R. L. Newcomb, the 

 naturalist. The seamen Cole, Leach, Wilson, the fire- 

 men Bartlett and Lauterbach, the Chinese steward and 

 the Indian Aneguin completed the number. 



At seven in the evening the whaleboat was a little 

 ahead of, and on the weather bow of the first cutter, 

 about five hundred yards distant, when Captain De 

 Long made a signal to Mr. Melville. In order to bring 

 the whaleboat nearer Mr. Melville partially lowered his 

 sail and gathered in the foot of it, hoping to drift 

 toward the first cutter, but in slackening the speed the 



