Ice-pack and Tundra, etc

Front matter

THE .TEANNETTE SEARCH PARTIES AT YAK0UT8K. (FtWtl Cl pkotogrCl\, Captain Berry Greenbek. Sergt. Kolinkin. W. H Gilder. Kindermann. Bartlett. Ensign Hunt. Gen. Tchernaieff. J. P. Jackson. BobookofE. Larsen. Chief Eug. Melville Ice-Pack and Tundra AN ACCOUNT OP THE SEARCH FOE THE JEANNETTE AND A SLEDGE JOURNEY THROUGH SIBERIA BY WILLIAM H. GILDER CORRESPONDENT OF "THE NEW YORK HERALD'* WITH THE RODGERS SEARCH expedition; author or "schwatka's search'1 WITH MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS NEW YORK CHAELES SCEIBNER'S SONS 1883 « COPYRIGHT, 1883, BT CHARLES SCRIBNERS SONS. MESS OF I. J. LITTLE 1 CO., NOS. 10 70 SO ASTOH PLACE, NEW VORK. CONTENTS. CHAPTEE I. PAGE At Sea 1 CHAPTEE H. Off Kajitchatka 13 CHAPTEE III. Petropaulovski 23 CHAPTEE IV. St. Michael's 45 CHAPTEE V. In St. Lawrence Bay 60 CHAPTEE VI.

Wrangel Island 67 CHAPTEE VII. Bound the Island 83 CHAPTEE VIII. In the Ice Fields 95 CHAPTEE IX. Eeteetlan 102 v CONTENTS. VI CHAPTEE X. PAGE Loss of the Eodgers • 115 CHAPTEE XL Prospects of Belief • • 129 CHAPTEE XII. The Fate of Putnam 137 CHAPTEE XIII. Across Siberia 148 CHAPTEE XIV. On the Eoad 161 CHAPTEE XV. Middle Kolymsk 172 CHAPTEE XVI. Approaching the Lena 186 CHAPTEE XVII. The Diary of De Long 198 CHAPTEE XVIII. How the Bodies were Found 217 CHAPTEE XIX. The Voyage of the Jeannette 227 CHAPTEE XX. The Eetreat CONTENTS. VII CHAPTEE XXI. PAGE Bennett Island 259 CHAPTEE XXII. Nindermann and Noros 275 CHAPTEE XXIII. Among the Yakouts 299 CHAPTEE XXIV. Caught by the Floods 319 CHAPTEE XXV. End of the Journey LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Tkr.il The Jeannette Search Parties in Yakoutsk. .Frontispiece From a photograph.

St. Michael's 43 From an Esquimaux drawing. Hunting Scene 53 From an Esquimaux drawing. . The Trapper 57 From an Esquimaux drawing. Parrot-bill Gulls 59 From an Esquimaux drawing. Tchouktchi Youth 63 From a pencil sketch by the author. Tchouktchi Girl 70 From a pencil sketch by the author. Herald Island 74 From a sketch by the author. Placing Eecords on Herald Island 77 From a sketch by the author. Camp at Eeteetlan 102 From a sketch by the author. The Burning of the Eodgers 121 From a sketch by Ensign Hunt. " One-eyed Eiley " 126 From a sketch by the author. Tchouktchi Children 155 From a pencil sketch by the author. Siberian Landscape 173 From a photograph. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. X PAGE Cossack Fort 177 From a sketch by a political exile. Yakout Fishermen 178 From a pencil sketch by the author.

Chapter I. At Sea

On Board U. S. S. Rodgers.. June 27th, 1881. After numerous delays from various unexpected causes, the United States Jeannette Relief Expedition at last finds itself upon the broad Pacific Ocean, about 1,000 miles from San Francisco, and were it not for a half gale that is blowing most of the time, and kicking up a very rough sea, its individual members would have time for serious reflection. But for some reason or other the Rodgers, though a staunch and seaworthy craft, has a habit of pitching and rolling most mercilessly, and the component parts of the relief expedition are anxiously awaiting a change of weather to bathe their aching limbs and bruised bodies. As I write, the sun is shining, but the sea is running very high, and now and then an unu sually big wave sweeps the main deck, and would carry away the deck - load of lumber were it not securely lashed, or, perhaps, rising aloft, douses the officer on the quarter-deck in an ocean of spray.

This sea, however, is moderate in comparison with what we encountered almost immediately after leaving the headlands at the entrance of the Golden Gate. The very first night out found us tempest-tossed on the heav ing breast of the so-called Pacific Ocean. More than one of those accustomed to life upon the billowy deep were seeking the retirement of their state-rooms, not to sleep, but to hide their feelings from public gaze. No one need expect sympathy in sea-sickness. It seems to be the usual thing for the strong to laugh at the weaker stomachs. No tender hand is there to smooth the aching brow, or to bathe the throbbing temples of the sick one, and yet, perhaps, no sickness is more agonizing to the sufferer. My room-mate, a handsome young Cuban, who though aware of the fact that he is sick almost all the time he is at sea, has pluckily chosen the profession of a sur geon in the navy, was most terribly handled by the re lentless sea.

But there was no sympathy for him in the ward-room. All the encouragement he would get would be the cheery laugh and raillery of his comrades as they called upon him to " brace up " and "have some style" ; and wThen three days had passed, during which he was unable even to think of food, they came to him with rusty hard bread, and advised him to eat it with plenty of mucilage to make it stick. Despite his agony he smiled good-naturedly, and expressed his disgust at his weakness. Said he, " Just look at me, a big strong man, and yet so weak that I can't walk or eat. It is simply disgusting. And yet I tell you I feel so utterly nerveless that if I were to fall overboard, I don' t believe I would try to swim." But where is Dominick all this time \ Dominick Boocker is the steward, who came way from Louisville Ky., to gain the glory of being the first colored man at the north pole.

He is a faithful fellow, but, oh ! so slow. AT SEA 3 Perfectly satisfied with his prospective distinction, he acts as though that were all he had to do in this world. At Mare Island and in San Francisco he was supremely happy. A cabin full of "gemmen" to wait upon, an Italian cook to prepare the meals that he ordered, and all dependent upon him — what else was there in life to be desired ? But launched upon the heaving breast of the broad ocean in one of her angriest moods, and called upon to cast up his accounts, a change came over him. From the grinning good nature that had previously dis tinguished him, he became thoughtful and morose ; and finally a look of such utterly helpless misery settled upon his face, that it was absolutely touching. The first-class Italian cook, imported from New York at the expense of the officers' mess, had also succumbed to the weather, and the ship's cook, with the assistance of the black smith, had to do all the work for both ends of the vessel.

There was not much that could be done, though, for the vessel rolled and pitched so that it was next to impossible to cook any thing. Perhaps a little coffee, that generally came to grief somewhere between the galley and the ward-room, or a boiled potato and some hard bread, com prised the meal which had to be eaten while grasping some convenient projection along the wall of the cabin, or with one leg wound around the leg of the table and the other braced against a handy bulkhead. In the meantime nearly all the crockery was broken, and the mess kit was in a very dilapidated condition when viewed after the storm subsided. The night of Sunday, the 19th, and the three following days,' were most delightful. The sea was perfectly smooth and the wind so light that steam was ordered, and we moved by the propeller until Thursday morning, when the wind freshened sufficiently to dispense with steam.

Since then a strong wind has prevailed which necessitated shortening sail. We have been somewhat disappointed in the sailing qualities of the vessel, or rather in the speed she has been able to develop. But she is deeply laden, carrying about one hundred tons more than was anticipated, and is heavily sparred. This causes her to roll considerably, and assists in deadening her headway. Dragging her screw propeller through the water also has a tendency to check her speed, and the sheathing to protect her from the ice has a similar effect. Upon the whole, however, her officers are thoroughly satisfied with her, and consider her one of the finest vessels, if not indeed the best, that ever entered the Arctic. She showed more speed under steam than was expected, having reached five and a half knots, without any assistance from the sails, on Wednes day the 22d. This was a knot better than had been anticipated ; and the chief engineer has since said that he hopes to improve upon that record before reaching Petro paulovski.

We have a splendid crew of men, selected chiefly from volunteers from the regular navy. Young men accus tomed to discipline, well trained in their duties, and full of animal spirits. It is a pleasure to see them at work about the ship, singing the tarry songs of the briny deep as they heave upon the ropes. Their songs are of various kinds, but may be divided into the two general classes of working and loafing choruses. There are those in quick measure, when they haul rapidly hand over hand, in time to the music, and others with a long, dismal, monotonous solo, with a chorus at rare intervals of ' ' Haul, boys, haul away," when they put the strain on the ropes. This is the loafing song. AT SEA. 5 Some of the men are so full of life that it is impossible to restrain them. They despise the ratlings, but go aloft, hand over hand, by any convenient rope.

The other night, while taking in sail during a squall, one of the men had occasion to go from the upper top-sail to the lower yard, and, instead of going by the ratlings, let him self down by a rope, and after completing his task would not even return in the regular way, but went up, hand over hand, by the same rope. The rolling of the vessel swung him clear out over the angry waves, but he paid no attention to the apparent peril of his position. Not so, however, the officer of the deck. It was too good an opportunity to do some swearing, and he cursed the dar ing fellow's recklessness roundly. The men do not ap pear to do such things in a spirit of bravado, but sim ply with implicit reliance upon their powers. It is the unanimous opinion that there never was a finer crew as sembled upon any vessel.

Strong, young, skilful, good natured and under thorough discipline, they possess all the qualities to make for themselves a noble record when their skill and daring are called upon in the approaching conflict with the ioe floes and storms of the polar sea. Several of them have seen service in the north before this trip. Payer considers enlisted men with Arctic experience rather a detriment than an advantage to the force of an Arctic cruiser, as they are apt to consider such experience as an offset to the skill, judgment and intelligence of their officers. With us, however, are several officers who have had more or less experience in that country, so that the men cannot and do not claim any superiority on that score. It is a pleasure to see the alacrity with which the orders of the officers are obeyed, and it is also gratifying to see the judgment and skill displayed by these youthful officers, as has already been evinced more than once during the exceedingly severe weather already experienced.

It had been remarked in San Francisco before we left that if there was any weakness in the equipment of the Rodgers, it was the extreme youthfulness of her officers. But it has already been demonstrated that the careful training of intelligent minds in a course such as is pursued at the United States Naval Academy develops competent officers more rapidly than the mere school of experience can possibly accomplish. With such a vessel as the Rodgers, officered and manned as she is, it is not surpris ing that friends at home expect great results from this voyage. This feeling was liberally displayed in the escort tendered us on the day of our departure from San Fran cisco, the 16th of June. Many ladies and gentlemen wTent down the bay on our vessel, and a large steamboat and several tugs accompanied us as far as it was safe or con venient for the ladies, who attended in great numbers.

As we passed the forts in the harbor, the army tug came out to meet us, and steamed for some time alongside, the fine military band of the Fourth Artillery playing several appropriate and inspiriting selections. On one tug that kept close beside the Rodgers in her progress down the bay, were Paymaster A. S. Kenney, purchasing officer of the expedition, and Pay-Director Caspar Schenck, of San Francisco, with numerous invited guests, who drank to our safe and successful return, waving their glasses and the festive demijohn toward us in the most tantalizing manner, considering that they were enjoying a privilege denied to us, though such deprivation is a self-imposed obligation, to be broken only on high days and holidays, or the finding of any of the Jeannette' ' s party. Several of the yachts of the San Francisco squadron joined the AT SEA 7 escort, and, in the stiff breeze that comes in through the Golden Gate every afternoon, sailed merrily around us, the ladies waving their handkerchiefs and the gentlemen their hats, and shouting words of encouragement when ever they came near us.

It was a scene of intense excite ment, and it is perhaps unnecessary to say that not a man or officer on board our vessel but felt his bosom swell with pride and satisf auction at the genuine hearti ness of the God speed tendered us. There was manifest in every individual on board the Rodgers the conscious ness that he had started upon a perilous expedition with a humane object in view — a rescue ; and his determination to do something worthy of the cause was strengthened by the very evident appreciation of friends and strangers. Finally the hour arrived when the guests on board the Rodgers must leave, for there was already quite a heavy sea, and delay would make the disembarking more and more difficult of accomplishment. The little revenue cutter, General Irwin, drew alongside, and though both vessels kept bobbing up and down on the waves, the large party of ladies and gentlemen was safely trans ferred, and crowded the upper deck of the cutter, much to the dismay of their friends upon the Rodgers.

Again and again cheers and the last parting words were ex changed, and hearts were close to the mouths of many on board both vessels. The last good-bye came from the signal station on Telegraph Hill, where in the dim distance we could see the Stars and Stripes dipping from the flag-staff. This signal was answered, and we steamed slowly and silently past the headlands of the Golden Gate, and were out upon the boundless deep. The pilot left us at half past seven that evening, and carried back a few hastily written words of parting to distant friends ; and as the white-haired old mariner stepped over the rail into his tiny boat, that was to take him to his pretty craft close by, his eyes were dimmed by emotion we scarcely expected in one whose interest in us we had believed to be only mercenary.

Soon an ugly swell made the Rodgers roll heavily, and the wind springing up, we began to miss one and another of the ship' s company who had retired to the privacy of their state-rooms or the friendly support of the hand rail. Mark Twain has said that nothing makes a man so conceited as to have his stomach behave itself when others are experiencing the pangs of sea-sickness. I remembered this, and tried to appear modest ; in fact I was not certain how long I might enjoy immunity from this dread ill, as the sea was getting rougher continually. But though during this and the succeeding two days I experienced the worst weather I ever encountered, I had no cause to complain of that useful member of my physi cal economy. I tried to pity my poor room-mate, and offered my services to do anything for him, but he was beyond the reach of human aid for relief, and just then I caught sight of Dominick, and if there ever was a picture of repentance he was the model.

"What river is this ? " said he, after we had been out of sight of land about three days. " This is the ocean, Dominick." " Well, whars de land ?" "It will be many days before you see land again, old fellow." There was no reply to this. Poor old Dominick retired to the forecastle, and was not seen for several days, when during a storm which kept the vessel wet from stem to stern by the seas she constantly shipped and leaked AT SEA 9 through the seams above the water-line, one of the offi cers asked a sailor if he knew what had become of Dominick. " I guess he's drowned, sir," was the reply. "I saw a box washed out from under a bunk in the forecastle this morning and Dominick came floating out behind it, and he looked as if he were dead then, or wished he was." But a few days of pleasant weather brought all the sick ones to their feet, and Dominick was again on duty.

He never was a racehorse, and the rough handling he had encountered while at sea had not increased his activity. There was an uncertainty in his every motion that was particularly annoying. It was not surprising perhaps that he should be confused with half a dozen officers calling him in different directions at the same time, and upon entirely different errands ; but such is the daily experi ence of a ward-room steward, and it requires a habitude that he had not acquired to get along under such circum stances. Among the officers is a jovial youth from South Carolina, who takes especial delight in confusing poor Dominick. He keeps calling him constantly, and insists that he shall " come a running," something he probably never did in his life. A few days ago he rebuked him in sailor terms for his lack of energy, and Dominick apolo gized by saying he did not feel well, and, when he was sick that way, he was "dull and stupid."

" Well," said Stoney, "if that's the case, I guess you've been at the point of death ever since I knew you." I have an im pression that Dominick would give at least a month' s pay if he had never seen this "river." Our young South Carolinian has taken a most decided fancy to the colored steward, and his affection is recipro cated. The one is reminded of home by having a genuine Southern darkey to bull-doze with good-natured rail lery, and the other is similarly reminded of home in being bull-dozed. "Dominick, you've got to come and live with me after this cruise," said the ensign, the other morning. " You'll never have to do another stroke of work as long as you live. All you'll have to do will be to hold my children on your knee, and lie to them about this trip." " Have you got any children, sir % You look like you was too young a man," said Dominick.

"No, not yet," was the reply; "but if some one remains of the same opinion when I return as when I left, I hope to have one of these days. ' ' There are no married men among the officers. All are young, hopeful, and ambitious. Most, and perhaps all, have some one at home for whose sake they hope to win a name, and the thought that fervent prayers are daily offered for the absent, and that loving eyes are eagerly looking for news of them, nerves every arm, and will inspire men with greater courage in the hour of danger. The lonely night watch gives plenty of time for such reflections, unless foul weather occupies the entire attention of the officer of the deck. The routine on board the Rodgers is conducted with all the regularity of a man-of-war, and cheerfulness pre dominates under the most trying circumstances.

The evenings in the cabin are passed pleasantly in games of cards, chess, back gammon, and the like, and in reading works of scientific interest or lighter literature. Dumb bells and Indian clubs engage attention on the quarter deck during pleasant weather, and the men forward take turns in pummelling each other with a set of boxing gloves. AT SEA 11 A pair of black pigs enjoy the freedom of the deck be low the top-gallant forecastle, and are named respectively Michael Angelo and Raphael. Three kittens and a puppy, of parentage so involved as to puzzle a committee from any kennel club in the country, are the pets of the sailors, and sustain names that would make them proud if they only understood their significance. The kittens are Phryne, Aphrodite and Proserpine ; while the dog re sponds to the name of Billee Stuart.

It is becoming a sad reflection that either Michael Angelo or Raphael will have to die to provide us with a fitting thanksgiving dinner. The ship is so well provisioned that one might imagine there would be no necessity for such a sacrifice, but nothing can withstand the keen edge of a salt air appetite. Where are now those dainty palates that refused the delicacies of the San Francisco restaurants, the Occidental Hotel, the California House," Marchand's, and the "Poodle Dog"? Where are those appetites that had to be stimulated with a cock-tail before breakfast and absinthe before dinner ? I wouldn' t even trust Billee Stuart to run at large were other food lacking. Unless we should have the misfortune to lose our vessel it will be a long time before we are reduced to any strait for food. Beside the regular navy rations for two years and a half, we have on board about two years' full rations of specially selected food, purchased with the Congressional appropriation.

In other words, there is food for four or five years at least upon the Rodgers. This is perhaps much more than we will require for our own use, but not too much should we have to reprovision the Jeannette and the missing whalers. We may not meet any of them, but that is the object of our expedition, and it is proper to be prepared for such an event. All of the food on board is ot superior quality, except perhaps the canned meats, which had to be purchased very hurriedly to re place the provisions of that class prepared at the Bre voort House in New York, and supposed to be of the very best put up, but which spoiled in transit from that city to San Francisco on the overland freight trains. It was a great disappointment to lose these goods, for their excel lence seemed to be admitted wherever known.

The Naval Board in Washington, to whom specimens had been sent, approved of the purchase after testing them in their fam ilies. The fame of the chef of the Brevoort House is world-wide, and to dine in the arctic upon such soups and meats would simply be taking all the romance of arctic life out of the trip. There you expect wTalrus meat and blubber, and to get turtle soup and tete de veau en tortue instead, is altogether wrrong, for it admits of no excuse for dirty hands and blue shirts. It is fortunate, though, that the condition of these meats wras developed before they reached the hold of the vessel, so that they could be re placed with others, though not of so good quality as these were supposed to be. It has been already discovered that some of the canned meats bought in California are some what tainted, but the probability is that most of them will be found in good condition when required for use.

We had the pleasure of exchanging signals with an English bark, apparently bound for San Francisco, last Thursday morning. The weather was thick and a high sea running, so that there was no effort made to visit, or "gam," as it is familiarly called. Sunday, the 26th instant, the wind was very fresh and squally. The weaves were running high, but we carried sail until the lee rail was under water, and though butting into a heavy swell we made nine knots an hour. Quite satisfactory speed under the circumstances.

Chapter II. Off Kamtchatka

Peteopatilovski, Kamtchatka, July 23(7, 1881. The Rodgers reached this port on the afternoon of the 19th instant in one of the heavy fogs that distinguish this portion of the world. The evening before our arrival we were only about sixty miles from the shore, and, as the weather was very thick, Lieutenant Berry deemed it advisable to heave-to until daylight, as this is a disagreeable coast to approach in unpropitious weather. Shortly after three o' clock in the morning we started again slowly toward the land, the commanding officer constantly on deck to personally guide and direct the movements of his vessel, as is his custom when danger threatens. About half-past eight, though the land was about forty miles distant, and still concealed by the fog, we could distinctly smell the grass and moss of the Kamtchadal mountains.

We at last "picked up" the land, as the sailors term it, about half -past ten o'clock, and after taking the bearings of several headlands, established our position as about twenty miles south of the entrance of Avatcha Bay. We therefore steamed up the coast against a head wind, catching occasional glimpses of the land, and toward evening could make out the little light-house on one of the bluffs, and had no further difficulty in making our way into the snug little harbor of Petropaulovski, the closer landmarks being easily recognized as we passed. When nearer the town we could see by the aid of our glasses that there were two large steamers in ahead of us, and a small boat brought Mr. Green, first officer of the Alaska Commercial Company's steamer Alexander to us, under whose guidance we secured a fine anchorage outside the sand spit, and about half a mile from the town.

He told us that we were expected, and that the other steamer was the Russian steam corvette, the Strelock, Commander De Livron, which had come to anchor that morning. The Alexander had arrived the previous day from Behring Island, and was discharging her cargo preparatory to continuing her trading voyage, or rather her sealing operations on the Commander Islands. Soon a cutter from the Russian man-of-war brought one of her officers, with the compliments of his command ing officer, saying that he would take an early oppor tunity to call, and that he would gladly furnish us any assistance in his power to further the object of our expedition. About the same time another boat arrived with Captain Sandman, of the Alexander, together with Cap tian Hunter and Mr. Mulawansky, residents of the village, who also tendered their services to the extent of their ability.

Captains Sandman and Hunter, though person ally strangers, were familiar to most of us through the books of Kennan and Bush, of the Russo- American Tele graph Company, who had met them here while engaged in their Arctic work in the interest of that enterprise. Captain Sandman was the commander of the brig Olga that brought the American party from San Francisco, and Captain Hunter, then as now, a resident of this place, had materially aided them with wise counsel derived OFF KA M TCJIA TEA . 15 from his experience in the country. After a short but pleasant visit our guests departed, promising to devote themselves to the task of securing for us such articles of Arctic outfit as could be procured here, and wiiich had been the object of our visit to this town of one yearly mail. The following morning, with our newly-found friend, Captain Hunter, as interpreter, Lieutenant Berry and your correspondent paid a visit to Commander De Liv ron, of the Strelock, and learned from him that he had been directed by his government to aid us to the extent of his ability, and to make a summer cruise in Behring Sea and the Arctic in aid of the search for the Jeannette.

He further said that he would like to know our route from here, and the points where we would stop in pros ecuting our search, so that he could go to other localities, thereby making the search as extended as possible. He also told Lieutenant Berry that there wras a deposit of 500 tons of coal in Plover Bay, placed there by the Rus sian government, and that he was at liberty to use as much of it as he desired. He begged Lieutenant Berry to command his services at any time, and subsequently furnished him with his intended route after leaving this port to Cape Serdze Kamen, from which place he would bring whatever mail matter we had, and transmit a despatch from the nearest point of telegraphic communi cation in Asia, where he expected to arrive in the latter part of September. The following day the officers of the Rodgers were entertained at breakfast by the officers of the Strelock, and during our entire stay here they have extended the most cordial hospitality toward us.