1 68 THE SIEGE OF THE NORTH POLE 



where they met three natives, and feasted on venison, 

 goose, and fish. They endeavoured to get the natives to 

 pilot them to Bulun, but failed. Next day they pushed 

 on, but were forced to return to the huts. The head- 

 man of the village had, in the meantime, arrived, and 

 Melville induced him to agree to pilot the party to 

 Bulun. They started on the 22nd September, and on 

 the 26th reached a village where he was informed that 

 it was a journey of sixteen days to Bulun. Melville 

 insisted on being taken there, and an attempt was made ; 

 but after struggling with the ice and against the wind, 

 they had to return to the village. They were given a 

 hut and an allowance of provisions. Melville prepared 

 a telegram to the Secretary of the Navy and to the 

 American Minister at St. Petersburg, and letters were 

 written in several languages. The head-man of the 

 village undertook to send these forward. 



About the 10th October there came to the village a 

 Russian exile, who seemed more intelligent than the 

 others. This was the man who later fell in with 

 Nindemann and Noros, and who was first mistaken for 

 the commandant. He arranged with Melville to go to 

 Bulun and bring reindeer teams for the transportation of 

 the party, as well as food and clothing. He returned on 

 the 29th October, when Melville had almost given him up, 

 and he brought the note from Nindemann and Noros. 

 As soon as Melville heard that De Long and his party 

 were in need of assistance, he started by dog-team for 

 Bulun, which he reached on the 2nd November, as already 

 related. 



Melville now arranged for Danenhower to take charge 

 of the party while he started north in search of De Long. 

 He was absent twenty-three days, and during that time 

 he travelled 663 miles, but although he recovered the 

 log-books and other articles cached, and found several of 



