USS Jeannette (1879–1881)

Friday, 21 January 1881

Beset and drifting in the pack ice about 260 miles N.W. of Herald Island, Arctic Ocean


Entry Index: 576
Position: No position
Date by Position: 22 January 1881
Logbook Volume: 3 of 4
Logbook Metadata: Volume 3

Events & Observations

This entry contains remarks related to the following subjects: Aurora Sea Ice
No observations 

Water expended during the preceding 24 hours: 35 gallons
Water distilled during the preceding 24 hours: 35 gallons
Coal consumed during the preceding 24 hours: 325 lbs
Coal remaining on hand at noon: 34 tons 1653 lbs 

Max. temperature = -35.5°
Min. temperature = -43.5°

The pumping forward is done by hand at the spar deck bilge pump, and such water as filters aft through 
and under the bulkhead into the fire room is pumped out by hand at the bilge pump attached to the main 
engine.
The steam cutter's boiler is used for distilling.
Sounded in 30 1/2 fathoms. Muddy bottom. No drift being indicated by the lead line.
Light S.W. airs with steady rising barometer and low temperature.
At 6am faint streaks of aurora in E. and W. direction from zenith to 10° above southern horizon; at 6pm, 
a bank of auroral light extended from E. to W. through south, parallel to and 10° above horizon from 
which pencils of light shot upward; at 9pm patches and pencils of auroral light with broken curtain 
fringes from N.W. around by north to S.S.E.; and at midnight a spiral curtain arch of pea-green light 
passing through zenith extended from E.N.E. to W.S.W. and a curved bank south from S.E. to S.W. and 
10° in altitude showed a dark segment beneath extending to the horizon. Numerous detached pencils or 
sprays of auroral light were scattered over the sky. 

Moon 13° S. 
Full moon

Related Materials

There are no additional materials associated with this entry.

Weather Observations

Hour
Wind
Pressure
Att'd
Dry
Wet
Sea
Code
3 wxs 30.03 48.0 -38.5 ocz
6 wsw 30.02 42.0 -35.5 bcz
9 wsw 30.07 48.0 -35.5 bcz
12 sw 30.1 38.0 -38.5 bc
15 sw 30.14 47.0 -36.2 bc
18 sw 30.2 52.0 -37.0 bc
21 sw 30.27 56.0 -38.0 bz
24 sw 30.3 52.0 -41.0 bz