Lieutenant Danenhower's Lecture

The very interesting story of the tiatflc late of the Jeanette and a part of lier brave little crew was tolü us Frlüay night, in the simple narrative style by Lieutenant Dauenhower. He had a large map of the Arctic regiems spread out, which had the course of the ship marked on it. By this he described how they set out with a crew of tuirty-three men representing thirteea nationalities. Sallingfrom San Francisco they passed up through Behring Straits and were-soon pickingan uncertain course among the ice Hoes in their vain endeavor to get to the North Po!e. They suceeeded in getting far enough to be able to discover that Wrangle Land was only a small island instead of exteuding northward for an unknown dlstance aa hitherto had been supposed. Wlieu at last they were hemmed in by the ice, they banked up the ship and passed the long dreary mnnths in studying, readingand sleeping. The thermometer outside was ofted 00 below zero, while ita average was 30'. They had occasion to notice that at 50 below, the ice would suddenly contract, thereby nearly crushing in the sides of the ship. The tiinbers would creak and groan ; the iron bolts would shoot off, and the crew often would rush on deck expecting the boat was on the point of being crushed. On one of these occasions tbe joints forward were so started as to allowthe water to rush in. This could not be repaired and for the last eighteen months of the stay on board they had to pump out the water every half hour. Frequently they witnessed beautitul celestial displays. The aurora borealis was seen iu arenes; it was unaccompanied by sound, but while the phenomena was taking place the needie would diverge soine 30, showing it was a great electric disturbance. The only animal life there was the seals, walrus, and polar bears. These were occasionally shot and eat. After being ice-bound for many months, by the grinding and shiftiug of the ice floes lt becume evident that tlie Jeunette must soon be crushed and sunk. So they abandoned her and while awaitingthe catastrophe, for a hundred niguts they slept in tents erected 011 the ice. Finally, when she did go down in her watery grave, the little band began its retreat towards the main land. Their provisions, which were placed on four sleds, were limited and each man was restricted to thirty-one ounces of ratious per day. Uuring all their liardships no grog was served to the men, and the speaker was sure they endured the cold aud worked niuch better without it. As it was better for their eyes that they should travel ly night they would get up ut 4:30, p. m., breakfast at G; have d.nner at niiiliiight ; sup at 6 a. m., and go to bed about 9. In this way they worked and travelled for a week, when they discovered that, by reasou of the drifting of th immense ice-field they were on, they were 27 miles farther away from home than when they started. This was very disheartening afler all their toil and fatigue, but they still pushed on at the rate of fifteen or twenty miles a day. In crossing a wide strip of water opposite the niainland they were iu three small boats, and onestormy night they become separated from each other. The boat Lieut. Danenhower commanded made for the delta of the Lena river, and after being 108 hours in the boats they landed, but for a long time could discover no human beintt or habitation. Many of the men were sick ana úname to walK Because oi rroz.cu itci. After wandering about lor a time they found three natives with whom they were uuable to converse, however, they pointed out the way to them, and they moved on. After reaching one of the northermost buts they received the news that Capt.DeLong's party had landed further north and were making their way south in a crippled and weak condition. Aid was sent to them but it only found their frozen bodies. In the mean time by dog teams the Lieutenant, with the sick men in charge, preceeded on his way throughSiberia, across the Ural mountains to St. Petersburg where be was received by the Czar, and thence forwarded home. Before closing, Mr. Danenhower spoke of the futility of any further attempts to reach the North Pole, as he deemed it would be without practical value. He told his story in a quiet unassuming way, and it was of great interest to the large atidience which heard him. This was evinced by the close attention he always received. It was a sad and thiillinotale.