458	JEANNETTE INQUIRY.
it would have been 300 miles, open sea voyage, in which we might pick up a gale of wind and might be destroyed, as Chipp was in this short reach of only 70 miles after we left the ice.
Q. Now, without dwelling upon the details of the matters, after you reached the delta, state how rapidly you moved under the circumstances in which you were placed and what you did.—A. During the time of the council in the ten-day camp by observing the chart we noticed that the north coast ran nearly due east and west and the east coast north and south. If there was any question about navigation at all when we got to Cape Barkin in striking the north oast, by observing the coast going east and west, I would know I was on the northward. If I struck the other line I would know I was on the east coast. My instruction was to go to Barkin and get a pilot. From the information we had we knew that there were numerous natives winter and summerat Cape Barkin. My instructions were to go to Cape Barkin, get a pilot, and enter any mouth of the river, it did not matter much which, and to proceed up the river until I came to a Russian settlement; before paying any attention to anybody, to secure the safety of myself and my own boat's crew. I first stood to the eastward, then to the southward and eastward, and then to the southwest, hoping to make one of the eastern entrances to the, river, because I found that I could not get into Cape Barkin owing to the shoals; that when the boat grounded in about two feet of water there was no land in sight. Upon approaching the east coast of the delta we raised the land to the southward—saw the mountains, the high land to the southward. Mr. Danenhower wanted me to run down to the southward and make the laud at the mountains. I said "No," I want to make one of the eastern entrances to the river and get into the river at once; we have been at sea long enough." We were nearly five days then at sea, and in a pretty distressed condition. On the morning of the 17th of September, I think—the 16th or 17th—we raised two low headlands or sand spits and made straight for the center water betw een the two headlands. After we got inside of the headlands we tried to make land on one of the shores. We saw some drift wood ; it nearly capsized the boat. The men were so crippled that they could not handle the oars of tie boat well.
Q. Crippled from what I—A. From frost. They were frozen stiff in the legs. We had been five days in the boat all cramped up, with our knees drawn up under our chins. Some of our feet and limbs were pretty badly frozen, and most of the men's hands were sore and the fingers swollen. So I did not attempt to make another lauding until we had proceeded pretty well up the river. Of course, I was anxious to obey my orders to go to Barkin. Danenhower thought we would not have any great difficulty in getting to Barkin. I would listen to what he had to say. There were a good many of the people in the boat talking, and I would listen to what all had to say. I had told Danenhower if we could not make a landing by 12 o'clock I would put the boat about and go up to Barkin. He was carrying my watch iu his pocket. At 12 o'clock he said, " It is 12 o'clock, what do you sayl Shall we go about?" I was a little loath to go about, but I said, "Yes, down sail, we will put the boat about and go out." Bartlett was sitting in the boat pulling one of the stroke oars. He heard the conversation. He,said, "There is plenty of water here; this river is as big as the Mississippi at New Orleans, and if we continue on we can get up the river" I only wanted a half an excuse to turn me the other way, so the boat was headed up the stream the second time, and continued on up the river. That night we got ashore, made a landing