THE JEANETTE AND HER SURVIVORS. 45 



that they had to travel 700 miles over the ice from the ship to the mouth of the 

 Lena. They landed in shoal water and were compelled to wade two miles to 

 land. They were forced to travel 100 miles further before they reached shelter, 

 and he says he was up five days and four nights without sleep or rest. He also 

 gives the following points of scientific interest : 



"The result of the drift for the first five months was forty miles. There was 

 a cycloidal movement of the ice. The drift lor the last six months was very 

 rapid, and soundings pretty even. There were eighteen fathoms near Wrangell 

 Land, which was often visible seventy-five miles distant. The greatest depth 

 found was eighty fathoms, and the average thirty-five; the bottom, blue mud. 

 Shrimps and plenty of algological specimens were brought from the bottom. The 

 surface of the water had a temperature of 20° above zero. The extremes of tem- 

 perature of air were: greatest cold, 58° below zero, and greatest heat 44° above 

 zero. The first winter mean temperature was 33° below zero; the second winter 

 39° below zero. The first summer the mean temperature was 40° above zero. 

 The heaviest gale showed a velocity about fifty miles an hour ; such gales were 

 not frequent. Barometric and thermometric fluctuations not great. There were 

 disturbances of the needle coincident with auroras. Winter growth of ice eight 

 feet; heaviest ice seen, twenty-three feet. Engineer Schock's heavy truss saved 

 the ship on November 21st from being crushed. Telephone wires were broken 

 by a movement of the ice. The photographic collection was lost with the ship. 

 Lieut. Chipp's 2,000 auroral observations were also lost. The naturalist's notes 

 were saved. Jeannette Island was discovered May i6th, in latitude 76° 47' 

 north, and longitude 158° 56' east. It was small and rocky, and we did not 

 visit it. Henrietta Island was discovered and visited May 24th, latitude 77° 8' 

 north, longitude 157° 32' east. It is an extensive island. Animals scarce; 

 glaciers plenty. Bennett Island lies in latitude 76° 37' north, longitude 148° 20' 

 east. It is very large. On it we found many birds, old horns, driftwood and 

 coal, but no seal or walrus A great tidal action was observed. The coast is 

 bold and rocky. The cape on south coast was named Cape Emma. Nothing 

 has been heard from Lieut. Chipp's party. Jt is more than probable that they 

 are all lost." 



As soon as Engineer Melville learned of the landing of Lieut. DeLong he 

 organized a search for the party, turning back to Belun and subsequently to the 

 mouth of the River Lena at the coast. Various records and articles of personal 

 and goveryment property were found. The latest written bulletin by DeLong 

 was delivered to Melville by a Yokut hunter, and was dated October i, 1881, 

 annoucing his intention to cross to the west side of the Lena and proceed south 

 to the settlements. The party had suffered terribly and had but two days provi- 

 sions left. 



After waiting a day or two for the Lena, upon which they were to pass, to 

 freeze over sufficiently to bear their weight, they crossed it to proceed up the 

 west bank of the stream toward Yakutsk. They hoped to find game for food. 

 The latest information indicates that they entered a wilderness destitute of habita- 



