USS Jeannette (1879–1881)

Friday, 3 June 1881

Beset and drifting in the pack ice about 560 miles N.W. of Herald Island, Arctic Ocean


Entry Index: 709
Position: 77.21, 158.2
Date by Position: 4 June 1881
Logbook Volume: 4 of 4
Logbook Metadata: Volume 4

Events & Observations

This entry contains remarks related to the following subject: Sea Ice
Latitude by observation at Noon N. 77° 12' 55"
Longitude by chronometer from afternoon observations E. 158° 11' 45"

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: 255 lbs
Coal remaining on hand at noon: 15 tons 1213 lbs 

Max. temperature = 14°
Min. temperature = 12°

The pumping forward is done by hand at the spar deck bilge pump. During the afternoon the quarter 
deck bilge pumps are rigged for an hour and all the water which filtered through and under and bulkhead 
into the fire room is pumped out by them.
It is computed that the amount of leak is 4874 gallons per day or about 203 gallons per hour.
The steam cutter's boiler is used for distilling.
Sounded in 38 1/2 fathoms. Muddy bottom. No perceptible drift.
Weather continues dull and gloomy. Light N.N.W. breezes, steady barometer and even temperature.
From the domed and cracked appearance of the ice around the stern it would seem that the ship is 
endeavoring to rise from her ice deck. To facilitate her rising, and to relieve the strain upon the keel 
under the propeller, the men are engaged forenoon and afternoon in digging away the ice under the 
counters and in the neighborhood of the propeller-well. The said ice is of a flinty hardness and clings so 
closely to the ship as to show the grain of the wood, and to tear out the oakum visible where the ship's 
rising has left open spaces.
Carpenters engaged in repairing steam cutter's rail.
Bearings of the island toward which the travelling party was sent: 
South end = S. 52° W. (true)
North end = S. 61° W. (true)

Moon 4° N. 
New moon

Related Materials

Published Journals of George W. DeLong

See full digitized page provided by the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Excerpt:

We discovered this morning that the ice under the stern was domed up and cracked, and we 
came to the conclusion that the ship was trying to rise in her bed. To facilitate this operation, and to 
prevent too much strain being brought on her keel which prolongs under the rudder, the men were set to 
work digging away the ice. It was a tough job, for it is as hard as flint, and clings like an old and tried 
friend. Here and there the mark of the fibre of the wood shows in the attached ice, and in several places 
the oakum has been torn out of the seams when the ship has been raised a little.

Jeannette Ship's Journal

See digitized manuscript page provided by NOAA PMEL.

Weather Observations

Hour
Wind
Pressure
Att'd
Dry
Wet
Sea
Code
6 nnw 30.2 53.0 12.5 oc
9 nnw 30.2 55.0 12.5 oc
12 nnw 30.2 53.0 13.5 oc
15 nnw 30.2 55.0 13.5 ocs
18 nnw 30.2 53.0 13.5 ocs
21 n 30.2 57.0 13.5 ocs
24 n 30.2 60.0 13.0 oc