SIBERIAN 'l TiA VEL and EXPLORATION. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS , 1 t / \ X \ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/details/reindeerdogssnowOObush FIGHT BETWEEN REINDEER AND DOGS. (See page 226). REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES: A JOURNAL OF SIBERIAN TRAVEL AND EXPL ORA TIONS MADE IN THE YEARS 1865, 1866, and 1867. By RICHARD J. BUSH, LATE OF THE RUSSO - AMERICAN TELEGRAPH EXPEDITION. WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. NEW YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE. I87I. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by Harper & Brothers, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. TO THE MEMBERS OF THE RUSSO -AMERICAN TELEGRAPH AND EXPLORING EXPEDITIONS A * N j OF THE YEARS 1865, 1866, and 1867, Sin's .Journal ts most respectfully IBeTucateti BY THE AUTHOR. K i j £ rv PREFACE. About four years have elapsed since the completion of the travels and explorations recorded in the following pages, and even at this late day it is not without great re- luctance that the author ventures to lay before the public an account of them ; not that he had deemed such a rec- ord unlikely to attract, through dearth of interesting matter, but from a lack of confidence in his ability to portray such matter in a readable, comprehensible, and entertaining man- ner. Nevertheless, in response to the earnest solicitations of numerous friends, he now launches this volume forth into the sea of literature, that has been nearly deluging the senses and drowning the patience of the public of late years, there to sink or swim as the Fates may decree. The object of his travels, in connection with others, being merely to make preliminary surveys for the proposed route of the Russo- American telegraph line, he was unprovided with the necessary instruments and means of ascertaining accurately the locations of numerous points mentioned in the succeeding pages, expecting to fix them more definitely as the work progressed ; therefore due allowance must be made for many inaccuracies. By a perusal of this work, the reader will at once perceive that it is only intended to convey an idea of what the au- thor himself saw, heard, and endured during his sojourn of nearly three years in these cold, desolate, and unwritten, yet interesting regions, large portions of which had never before been visited by white men. It has not been his aim viii PREFACE. to produce a volume valuable in a scientific point of view ; but if, through this means, lie contributes any thing to the small budget of knowledge already secured concerning those countries visited by him, or if, after a perusal of this journal, the reader shall feel compensated for the time con- sumed in reading it, its object will have been fully attained. The illustrations may be relied upon for accuracy, hav- ing been mostly taken upon the spot by the author him- self. The portraits of the natives of different tribes are all from life. San Francisco , April, 1871. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. Object of the Expedition. — Route of Line. — Western Union Telegraphic Company. — Colonel Bulkley, Engineer -in -chief. — Arrival in San Fran- cisco, and Organization of Exploring Parties. — Major Abasa. — Our De- parture. — The Brig Olga. — Voyage across the Pacific. — Fogs. — Land-ho! — Volcanoes of Kamtchatka. — Preparations for going Ashore. — Kamt- chatkan Coast. — Agreeable Surprise. — Avatcha Bay. — Mr. Flenger. — News from the World. — Petropaulovski. — Beautiful Harbor. — Fight with the Allies. — Population. — Early History. — At Anchor. — Esquimaux Dogs. — Impressions. — Native Politeness. — Kamtchadale Cossacks. — Na- tive Costume. — Greek Church. — Bachelor Establishment. — Peachka. — Samovar. — Tea. — Captain Soutkovoi and the Ispravnik. — Behring’s Mon- ument. — Russian Hospitality. — Ladies Smoking. — Penates. — Prasniks. — Winter and Summer Amusements. — La Perouse’s Monument. — Wild Flow- ers and Berries. — Battle-ground. — Volcanic Eruption. — Earthquakes. — Soldiers’ Graves. — Magazine and Cossack Sentry. — Fishing Party. — Priests. — Dissipation. — Kamtchadal Boats. ^-Timidity. — American and English Residents. — Pleasures. — Life in Petropaulovski Page 25 CHAPTER II. Major Abasa’s Plans. — Country to be traversed. — Ho! for the Amoor. — A Pony-ride. — Kamtchadal Horses and Equipment. — The Start. — Posholl! Posholl! — In Misery. — An Experiment. — Kamtchatka of our Expecta- tions. — The Reality. — Fisheries. — Esquimaux Dogs and Crows. — Along the Bay. — Hay-making. — Siberian Cows. — Bears and Wolves. — My gen- tle Steed. — The Adjutant. — Avatcha Volcano and Village. — By — Thun- der ! — A Siberian Exile. — Distrust. — Way Station. — Cockroaches. — Rem- edy. — Primitive Steam Bath. — Bathing Process. — Ouga. — Return. — False Alarm. — Equine Gymnastics. — My usual Fate. — Houtre. — Making But- ter. — Home again. — Last Day in Petropaulovski. — Fur Clothing. — Kuk- lankers. — Torbassa. — Chazee. — Malachis and Archaniks. — Furs of Kamt- chatka. — “ Yassak.” — Severe Penalty. — Fur Traders. — Mistaken Impres- sion. — “ Yankeeism.” — High Rates. — Thunder-storm. — Parting Visits. — Letters. — Farewell 48 CHAPTER III. Good-by. — Departure. — Parting Glimpses of Avatcha Bay and Surroundings. — Fog. — Currents. — Difficult Navigation. — Dead Reckoning. — Breakers ahead! — Narrow Escape. — Renewed Danger. — Preparations for Land- ing. — A Puff. — At Sea again. — Ushishir and Ketoy Islands. — Simusir. — X CONTENTS. Boussole Channel. — Provost Mountain. — Chirnoi Group and Volcanoes. — The Okhotsk. — Beautiful Weather. — Whales. — Saghalin Island. — La Pe- rouse Straits. — Danger Rock. : — Gale. — Japanese Islands. — Jesso. — Sail ho! — Gulf of Tartary. — Manchuria. — Mare’s Tails and Mackerel Backs. — De Castries Bay. — Shipping Importance. — Contemplated Canal and Rail- way. — Alexandrofski. — Barracks. — Telegraphic Communication. — Cor- vettes. — Natural Bridge. — Hospitality. — Wire down. — Russian Officers. — Orders from St. Petersburg. — Inland Route. — Preparations for Journey. — Scarcity of Horses. — Queer Substitute. — Soldiers. — Mount Arbod. — Start. — Rain. — Bad Roads. — Beregovoi Hills. — Deck Passages, Shipwrecks, and Chop Sea. — Lake Kidzi. — Tederovsk. — Soldier Station-keepers. — Gilaks. — Appearance and Dress. — Interior of Hut. — Deference. — Hospitality. — Unappreciative Page G4 CHAPTER IV. At Tederovsk. — Gloomy Prospects. — Route to Yevetevo Station. — Our Con- veyance. — Arrival of the Soldiers. — Off again. — Dismal. — Dangerous Po- sition. — Terra firma. — A Night Tramp along the Shores of the Lake. — . Hard Traveling. — Darkness. — Exhaustion. — Wading the Lake. — Hope and Disappointment. — One more Effort. — The Signal. — The Boat. — Arrival at Yevetevo. — The Station. — Our Repast. — Cockroaches. — Appetites. — Dissatisfied Boatman. — Brick Tea. — Off for Vlademirsk. — The Scene. — Vlademirsk. — No Boat. — Russian Soldiers. — Obliging Officer. — The De- tail. — Barge. — Admirable Traits. — B oshniak. — Marinsk. — Gilak Lo tka. — The Commandant. — Contrast. — Mr. Rosenheim. — Disappointment. — A . Dilemma. — Extrication. — Poor Accommodations. — Russian Hospitality. — Indolent Males. — Brutality toward the Weaker Sex. — The Boat. — De- parture. — The Amoor. — Gilaks. — Habitations. — Subsistence. — Salmon. — Women Rowing. — Scenery of the Amoor 79 * CHAPTER V. Kada. — Irkoutsk. — Post-station. — Horses, Cows, etc. — Freshets. — Old Pole’s Misfortune. — Improvidence. — Neatness. — American Appetites. — A Passenger. — Primitive Plow, Anchors, etc. — Departure. — Perfection of Traveling. — Summer Eve on the Amoor. — Our Soldier Boatmen. — Music. — Reticent Soldier. — Mystery solved. — Storm. — Lightning and Gale. — Darkness. — Search for Land. — Unpleasant Prospects. — Shelter. — Fishing Camp. — Unwelcome Sight. — Spirits at Zero. — The Hut.— Russian Hospi- tality again. — A commendable Trait. — A Night’s Experience. — The Fat Captain. — Poor Mahood. — Indignation. — Off again. — Scenery. — Gilak Hats. — Mikhaelofski. — Highlands. — Gilaks Fishing. — Tartar Monuments, etc. — Gilak Settlement. — Camp-fire. — Gilak Endurance. — Clothing. — Su- perstitions. — Religion. — Shamans. — F uneral Rites. — Barbarity. — Murd el- and Punishment. — Weapons. — Habitations — Good Natures. — Curiosity. — Invoking the Gods. — Drifting. — Drowsy Crew. — On Shore. — Gilak Tab- leaux. — Storks. — Grampuses. — Steamer. — Shipping. — Nikolayefsk. — Seines and Traps ; . 92 CHAPTER VI. Nikolayefsk. — Origin. — Location. — Fortifications. — Appearance.— Gilak En- campments. — Church and Chancellerie. — Drays. — Mr. Chase. — American Assemblage. — Surprise. — Prasniks or Holidays. — His Excellency Admiral Kazakevitch. — Suspension of Labor. — Difficulties of Building. — Church CONTENTS. xi Services. — Intoxication. — Lafkas. — Population. — Foreign Merchants. — Guilds. — Starastas. — Houses. — Port Buildings. — Machinery. — Foundry. — Messrs. Barr, Woods, and Elliott. — Barracks. — Club-rooms. — Mails. — Newspaper. — Schools. — Park. — Band. — Amusing Manner of Organizing. — Trades. — Arrival of Admiral Furruhelm. — Reception. — Parades. — Ban- quet. — Toasts. — Tossing the Governor. — Distinguished Honor. — Ball. — Ladies Vanish. — Musketry. — Disconsolate Males. — Dearth of Information. — Captains Lindholm and Swartz. — OrellLake. — Solavaoff. — Tungusians. — Rewards. — Yakov. — Discouraging Assurances. — The Gonets. — Our So- journ. — Friends. — Valuable Assistance Page 106 CHAPTER VII. Departure from Nikolayefsk. — Farewell. — Prophecies of our Friends. — Scarcity of Reindeer. — Mr. Swartz. — Yakov. — Outfit and Provision. — Steamer Gonets. — Up the Amoor. — Margah. — Pilots. — First Ice. — Palvo. — Intricate Channels. — Cleaving through the Ice. — Consultation. — Ne- cessity of pushing ahead. — Snow. — Aground. — Lost in the Storm. — De- feat and Retreat. — Despondency. — Fishing Camp. — Weather moderating. — Rain. — Yakout Pilots. — Fresh Start. — Ice. — Frightened and rebellious Crew. — Open Water. — Orell Lake. — Strong Breeze. — At the Rendezvous. — Gilak Encampment. — No Deer. — Distant Shouts heard. — Mahood’s Cruise. — Leaky and smoky Tent. — Our Neighbors. — Shelter. — Cradle. — Industry. — Dogs. — Filthiness. — Sacred Grounds. — News of the Deer. — Party in Search. — Rain. — Game, Fish, and Ukale. — The Gilaks. — Alone. — First Reindeer. — Disappointment. — Their Appearance. — Deer-riding. — A queer Sight. — Experience of the Party. — Mikhaeloff and Constantine. — Tungusians. — Physiognomy. — Customs, Dress, etc. — Deer Feed and Feeding-grounds. — Departure of the Yakouts. — Parting Salutations. — Reverence. — Our Commissariat.— Preparations for the Journey. — Deer- packing and Saddles. — Weak Backs. — Cautiousness. — Remarkable Feat of Strength 116 CHAPTER VIII. Packing up. — Riding Deer. — A Tableau. — Impressive Ceremony. — Yakov in Danger. — Mounting the Deer. — Mishaps. — The Polka. — Russian Mode of Riding Deer. — Our Journey commenced. — Disgraceful Fall. — The Country. — Making Camp. — Tardy Start. — Lassoing Deer. — The Lariat. — Swamp Land. — Cranberries. — Wild Reindeer. — The Birpocoon. — Curious Mound. — Refractory Pack-deer. — Mikhaeloff’s Cure. — The Yasmall. — Rain. — Camp. — Hunting Grouse. — Success. — Constantine’s Shelter. — Tungusian Mode of Sleeping. — The Sabbath. — Diluted Alcohol. — Our Vis- itors. — Eating Hair-oil. — Still Raining. — Making Portraits. — Humanity in the Wilderness. — Sheared. — Natives. — The Stars. — More Rain. — Bridge-building. — Luna 133 CHAPTER IX. En Route. — Flooded Marshes. — Bad Traveling. — Poor Deer. — Labor of Riding. — A Race. — Impressions on Deer-riding. — Yakov’s Ingenuity. — A novel Boot-jack. — Maimed Deer. — Old Man’s Head. — Mikhaeloff’s bad Shooting. — The Mystery solved. — Mahood’s Mishap. — Deer-doctoring. — More Rain. — Snow. — Contrast. — Vanguard of Winter. — The Chimcha- galee. — The Male Grouse. — Tungusian Mode of Hunting. — Mikhaeloff’s Sickness. — The Remedy and Effect. — Our Camp. — Sable Grounds. — The xii CONTENTS . Divide. — First View of Usalghin Bay. — The Sololoucan. — Long Day’s Journey. — Broken Thermometer. — The Usalghin River. — Curious Mud Mounds. — Ptarmigan and Cranberries. — Departure of Guides after a Boat. — Desolation. — No Boat. — Shelters for Deer from Musquitoes. — A Feast at Night. — Luxury and the Price. — Bridging. — Sol’s Condescen- sion. — Rafting the River. — A pretty Sight. — Better Traveling. — First Frostbites. — Ten Degrees Fahrenheit below Zero. — Tracks of Wild Ani- mals. — Tungusian Trail. — Deserted Camp. — Death of the Deer. — Cache. — Native Honesty. — The Ulban. — On the Ice. — Frozen Lakes. — Crystal Carpets. — The Seran. — Jivarack. — Tugur Valley Page 143 CHAPTER X. Approaching Tugur. — History of Tugur. — Early Settlement. — Cossack Ad- venturers. — Tungusian Encampment. — Beauty and Indifference. — Cos- — tume. — Manner of Riding. — The Contine. — Tugur. — Disappointment. — Sable -hunting. — The sole Inhabitant. — Tugur River. — The Hut. — End of first Journey. — Yakout Settlement. — Hospitable Reception. — The Ya- kouts. — Yakoutsk. — Torbassa. — The Samovar. — A Lily in the Desert. — Tungusian Starasta. — Bargaining for Deer. — Vassilly and Eoff. — Pur- chasing Clothing and Bedding. — Fresh Beef. — Smoky Tent. — Departure of Mikhaeloff and Constantine. — A Love Mission. — A big Price. — Court- ship and Marriage among the Tungusians. — Our tipsy Friends. — Off again. — The Algocan. — Snow-storm. — Weak Eyes. — Our new Deer. — The Mal- — „ mazine. — Deep Snow and difficult Traveling. — Snow-shoes. — Yakov’s Con- fidence. — Curiosity. — Natives in Distress. — Amusing Scene. — Aria Hills. — Deep Snow. — Deer-trail. — Gradual Ascent. — Natural Amphitheatre. — Difficult and dangerous Climb. — Avalanches. — Our good Fortune. — A glo- rious View. — The Descent. — Difficulty in Mounting. — Provoking Experi- ence. — Open Camp. — Stampede of Deer. — Poor Eoff! — The Aria. ... 155 CHAPTER XI. ^Approaching Solavaoff’s. — Valley of the Aria. — Sougyol River. — Tungusian Fishermen and Fish-traps. — The Settlement. — Cattle-raising. — Distinc- tion. — Valuable Service and Reward. — Yakout Yourt. — Windows. — Chual. — Penates and Samovar. — Meeting old Friends. — Filth, Destitu- tion, and Industry. — The Belle of the Village. — A trying Ordeal. — Es- cape from the Dilemma. — Additional Annoyances. — Departure. — Torum River. — Tungusian Grave. — W olf-tracks. — N ecessary Precautions. — Sibe- rian Wolves. — Habits. — Mode of Capture. — The Wolf-pen. — Disagreeable Proximity of the Animals. — KOSELDSKAI THE KAJTTCHA TKAN COAST. 31 tine of daily amusement, when the welcome cry of “ Land ho !” from the forward part of the ship caused a spasmodic springing to feet. Ahead all was as dark as ever, and the utmost straining of our eyes could not detect the cause of this outcry, until at length, chancing to glance far above the point where we naturally expected land indications, several long light streaks, diverging as they approached the horizon, proclaimed the presence of some lofty peak, clad in perpetual snow. Soon another appeared farther to the north, and ap- parently higher than the first. We were allowed scarcely time to get bearings of the two before they were again hid- den from view; but this was sufficient, as we were enabled to fix upon our location. Their relative positions, when com- pared with the chart, proclaimed the first to be Mount Villen- chinski, upward of 7000 feet high, and the other Mount Avat- cha, 11,554 feet in height, according to our guide-books. This was the signal to commence preparations for going ashore. Trunks were overhauled to find clean white linen, to supplant the colored woolen shirts we had been wearing dur- ing the voyage, and boot-blacking — that most odious of petty duties — was sprung to with the greatest alacrity. Even the sailors, who were not an over-industrious set of men, caught the infection, and were ere long applying the scrubbing-brush with surprising vigor. Nothing was slighted in their zeal, not even the pigs, whose hideous squeals, reach- ing to our cabin, caused us to seek the deck to ascertain the cause of the uproar. This was soon explained ; the men had the two little fellows in a large tub of water, scrubbing and sousing them without mercy, though, rather than hurt one of them, they would have undergpne almost any punishment. “ Och ! ye spalpeen, stop yer squalin ; the gentlemen ’ll think yer bein murthered.” “ Will yees be asy, I tell yees ? its all for yer own good.” These, with various other characteristic speeches, caught at quiet intervals during the process, helped to make the scene all the more ludicrous, though it was a great relief to the ear when the operation was completed. In the afternoon we were favored for a few minutes with a clear horizon, during which time I succeeded in getting an outline of the elevated portions of the coast comprised within a stretch of about sixty miles ; but, with the approach of 33 REINDEER , DOQS, AND SNOW-SHOES. darkness, the fog settled again, and we were obliged, though reluctantly, to turn on our course and head seaward, to lay oft' and on during the night. The following morning it was still dark, but at 5 A.M. the ship’s prow w T as again turned to- ward shore, with the hope of finding clear sailing as the day advanced. In this, however, we were disappointed, for the farther we advanced the more dense the fog became; but about 1 1 o’clock we perceived that this effect was occasioned by the loom of the land, and shortly afterward the dim, black face of a cliff broke through the gloom about two miles dis- tant. This was followed by another and another, being sal- ient angles of the irregular coast-line, between which the retiring was lost in the mist. Overhead the fog was even more dense than near the water, obscuring all the prominent landmarks by which to judge of our location ; consequently, we were obliged to take our course blindly. Pretty soon a small, low island disclosed itself, which, by reference to the chart, we found to be “ Old Man’s Island.” We had struck the coast not more than four miles below the entrance to Avatcha Bay. Upon the north- ern shore of this bay Petropaulovski lies. Up to this time the appearance of the coast had fulfilled our expectations in relation to bleak, desolate Kamtchatka ; but even those ster- ile cliffs were a welcome sight, and we longed to put foot upon shore. Imagine our astonishment and delight after- ward, when suddenly the fog lifted, and, floating rapidly away, disclosed a scene of majestic wildness, and, in many re- spects, surpassingly beautiful. The long array of beetling cliffs was lighted up by a shower of most brilliant sunlight, contrasting in bold relief the ragged yellow and gray projec- tions with the darker hues of the shaded portions. These cliffs range from one hundred to four hundred feet in height, and are crowned with beautiful green slopes, dotted with clusters of foliage, in the midst of which small rivulets trickle down to the brink of the precipice, and then bound off in sil- very threads, ending in tassels of spray long before they reach the foaming surf below. At the water’s edge a succession of deep cavities have been worn by wave action, leaving ponderous masses of rock pro- jecting overhead, ready to fall crashing into the sea at al- AVATCHA BAY. 33 most any moment, while others are supported by massive arches or frail pillars, upon whose dimensions the dashing waves are gradually but surely encroaching. Many of these fragments have already fallen, and, being of every conceiv- able shape, their quaint, fantastic forms, jutting from the water, give the coast a very picturesque appearance. Some resemble castles, with massive wings and bastions attached, and jutting towers projecting over the water, while others are so tall, slight, and fragile in appearance as to create sur- prise at their not having long since been blown over. One, in particular, was so perfect a representation that, for some moments, all on board were deceived, thinking it was a ship under full sail approaching the bay. These rocky pinnacles are the favorite resorts of great quantities of sea-birds of many varieties, being at times al- most obscured by flocks of them circling about and alight- ing on their summits, while their bases were literally black with seals basking in the warm sunlight, now and then lazily tumbling over each other, or making awkward plunges from ragged projections into the sparkling surf below. The surface of the water was unbroken except by the flap- ping wings of myriads of sea-parrots and ducks, that rose as we approached, and sailed off screaming toward more quiet nooks and coves under the overhanging cliffs, the glassy waves mirroring the enchanting scene with surprising dis- tinctness. This unexpected display, enlivened by the flapping of ducks, the screaming of startled sea-birds, the hoarse, unme- lodious bellowings of seal, and the deep thunderings of the surf resounding from the black caverns under the cliffs, aroused in us all feelings of most exquisite delight, which, coupled with the knowledge that our voyage was about end- ed, fully repaid us for all the discomforts of the past forty- seven days. The entrance to Avatcha Bay, at the narrowest point, is about one and a half miles wide. Approaching the bay, the high cliffs on both sides gradually diminish in altitude, and are succeeded by fresh green slopes and small sheltered bays. Upon the brink of a high promontory on the northern side of the entrance stands a small wooden light-house and sig- C 34 REIXDEER , DOGS , JJVZ) /SyOTF-Sfi'Oi'S. nal-staff, lashed to the ground with stays to prevent being blown over, just beneath which three isolated chimneys of rock jut from the water, known as “ The Three Brothers.” “the three brothers.” Two or three miles farther, on the opposite shore, is “ Ba- bushka,” or “ Grandmother” rock, a peculiarly-shaped frag- ment. Just beyond this the Bay of Avatcha opens out into a fine large sheet about twenty miles in extent, bordered on the northern side by a range of hills, while on the south and west the country extends apparently level far inland. A careful scrutiny of the shore with our glasses failed to reveal any traces of the town, and we were at a loss to know in what direction to proceed, when a whale-boat was discov- ered approaching our vessel from a line of bluffs on the right. The dark skins, black hair, and coarse cloth garments of the rowers proclaimed them to be some of the semi-civilized natives of the country ; but the helmsman, from his manner and appearance, together with the easy grace with which he reclined back on a thick pallet of bear-skins, and leisurely puffed at a fragrant Manilla, we knew to be either a foreigner or some Russian gentleman. APPROACH TO PETR OP A XJL 0 VSKI. 35 We were at a loss to know how to address him, when the words “What ship is that?” in good round English, left us no longer in doubt. The gentleman proved to be Mr. Flenger, one of the foreign fur merchants of the place, who, seeing the brig, had come out to meet her. Under his guidance, we headed for a steep, hilly promontory visible to the north, be- hind which the settlement of Petropaulovski lies. His first inquiries were for news from the world, as it had been three years since a mail had arrived from St. Peters- burg via Siberia, and the only information they had received during that time was from one or two vessels that call an- nually at the harbor. It was formerly customary to send a mail through by land from Europe once every winter, but this custom, it seems, had been stopped, and the arrival of a vessel — their only resource for obtaining news now — was hailed with great interest by all, and recorded among the remarkable occurrences in the annals of Petropaulovski. As we approached shore we eagerly watched for the first indications of the town, but, though within rifle-shot of the rocks, no traces could be seen of the presence of any human habitation other than a few cows and dogs on the adjoining hill -sides. Presently the ship’s course was changed, and, rounding the end of the promontory, we found ourselves suddenly confronted by a beautiful, snug little harbor, shel- tered on three sides by the high, narrow promontory encir- cling it like an arm, and a range of lofty hills rising in an easy slope from the white beach to an elevation of about one thousand feet on the main shore. The already narrow en- trance was reduced to a mere gateway by a long, low sand- spit jutting from the main shore, completely sheltering the little bay, which is at all times as smooth and placid as a mountain lake. Upon the gradual slope bordering the bay on the north and west are grouped the low log-houses of Petropaulovski, sprinkled about without regard to regularity, in the midst of which stands most prominent a small, octagonal, red-roofed church, surmounted with a green turret. Most of the houses are covered with bark or thatched with straw, but a few — those occupied by the government officials and foreign mer- chants — are roofed with shingles painted red, which show in 36 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNO W- SHOES. glaring contrast against the fresh green hill-sides in the back- ground. Back of the town, just over a low rise, lies a small valley, between the promontory and shore ridge, through which other and more distant ranges reveal themselves, capped, on a clear day, with the grand, lofty cone of Avat- cha ; but this beautiful feature of the landscape was obscured on the day of our arrival. As we entered the harbor, upon either hand were the re- mains of several earth-works that had aided in the successful defense of the town against the allied fleet during the Cri- mean War; for, though on the very outskirts of civilization, and being a place the capture of which could not add one grain toward the ultimate success of the campaign, even this little Kamtchadal settlement had to be dragged into the con- test ; but she acquitted herself nobly, and forced the power- ful fleet of her adversaries to retire after a lively bombard- ment and very spirited land engagement on the end of the promontory adjoining the main land. For their victory the Russians were mainly indebted to the natural advantages of their position, which is approachable only through the nar- row entrance of the bay, and this was commanded not only by shore batteries, but by the guns of two men-of-war lying in the small harbor. Petropaulovski at present contains not more than three hun- dred inhabitants, natives and all, but then it was much larger, being the principal Russian settlement on the Pacific. At the time of the engagement her population was about one thou- sand souls ; but the following year, the port of Nikolayefsk being then founded, by orders from St. Petersburg the place was abandoned, and all the troops and stores, together with a large portion of the population, were removed to that place. This was effected only in time to escape another attack, as the allied squadron returned to try and retrieve their lost laurels. All the batteries were razed by them, and most of the buildings burned down, since which time the place has improved very little. The history of Petropaulovski dates back to the year 1740, when magazines were established here by one Felagin, whom Behring sent to explore Avatcha Bay, preparatory to his ex- plorations on the northwest coast of America. Its name is l’ETROPATJLOVSKI I PETROPA UL OVSKI. 39 derived from the two vessels St. Peter and St. Paul, built at the town of Okhotsk, on the Okhotsk Sea, in the year 1739, and used by Behring in his voyages. From that time it gradually increased in size and importance up to the break- ing out of hostilities already mentioned. When we- had obtained sufficient headway, the sails were clewed up, and, at a signal from the captain, down went the anchor, bringing up with a dull chug in the soft mud at the bottom of the bay. The rattling of the chain as it ran out awakened a thousand echoes among the surrounding hills, and called forth a prolonged howling and barking from hun- dreds of Esquimaux dogs, which sounded really melodious, softened by the echoes as they bounded and rebounded across the beautiful little bay. None but those who have for the first time found them- selve transported to foreign lands, where every glance reveals strange and novel sights, and the ear is awakened by unfa- miliar sounds and tongues, can realize the joy we experienced at this time. Every tree, shrub, and rock seemed clothed in a halo of peculiar interest, while the most commonplace ob- jects and incidents were regarded and dwelt upon with es- pecial relish. No time was lost in lowering the boats, that we might pay our first visit to the settlement. Mr. Flenger kindly escorted us, and afterward insisted upon our accompanying him to his bachelor residence. A row of wet, slippery steps answered the purpose of a landing, near which lay a miniature brig, mounting two guns, which, with seventeen Cossacks, compose the defense of the place. At the landing we were met by a troop of wild-look- ing little boys, each of whom, as we approached, raised his cap in the most polite manner to salute us. This was a feat- ure of Kamtchadal life wholly unexpected, and it was a pleas- ure to return their salutations; such a custom might with propriety be introduced into countries pretending to much greater civilization. A little farther we encountered groups of Kamtchadals and half-breeds with coarse black hair and small eyes, curiously watching our movements, and anxious to ascertain the object of this remarkable, unlooked-for ar- rival. Among them, I was told, were a number of Cossacks, 40 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. but they so resembled the others in looks and dress that it was wholly impossible to distinguish them. These natives have generally adopted cloth garments for summer wear, preferring them to their original skin clothing, but still cling to the use of seal-skin boots, which are not only cheaper for them, but are better suited to the life they lead — that of fishing along the shoal beach. In winter they, as well as all other residents of the countiy, make use of heavy fur outer garments. THE SAMOVAR AND PE ACHE A. 41 The quaint little church, upon closer inspection, proved to be in a very dilapidated condition, as in fact did most of the dwellings. The entrance is in the end of a low, long wing, near which, suspended under a small shed wholly detached from the main building, is a chime of seven or eight bells, at which several men were pulling vigorously as we approached. At length, by winding and twisting about among various one-storied log buildings, we reached the street — a thorough- fare that might justly be entitled to that appellation, upon one side of which stands Mr. Flenger’s house, a good-sized, well-built structure of not very inviting appearance external- ly, but the internal arrangement and appearance far surpassed our expectations. His, being a counterpart of the other bet- ter houses in the place, will bear a brief description. The rooms were all high and comfortable, well papered and car- peted, and furnished with a view to ease more than elegance. Books and papers were strewn about in the greatest profu- sion (though the latter were of rather old date), which, with sofas and easy-chairs, cigars, decanters, and many other minor essentials, proclaimed the place to be a model bachelor estab- lishment. The “ samovar,” or Russian tea-urn, stood upon a side-table, ready at a few moments’ notice to yield delicious draughts of Siberian nectar. The tea we drank in this country was, without doubt, unsurpassable. One sip was sufficient to re- move all previously acquired prejudice against the beverage, it being so different from the article usually obtained in America. It is the universal drink among all classes, and is always kept in readiness for the visitor, being generally pre- sented in large tumblers. One feature of the houses in Petropaulovski is the “ peach- ka,” or large brick oven used for heating the different apart- ments ; it is much like an ordinary bake-oven, but, before es- caping up the chimney, the heat and smoke are conducted through innumerable flues and pipes winding about through the mass of masonry in such a manner as to get the whole thoroughly heated. When the fire dies out the chimney is closed, and the greater part of the heat is retained below. The “ peachka” is usually built in the centre of the house, so as to present a surface to every apartment. One good fire 42 REINDEER, DO OS , 4 AT) SNOW-SHOES. in the morning will generally supply heat sufficient to last all day. Before returning to the vessel, we paid visits to Captain Soutkovoi, the captain of the port, and to the Ispravnik, or governor of the district of Kamtchatka. Captain Soutkovoi’ s residence is the largest and best in the place, being situated in a large yard, some distance back from the main street, and approached by an avenue of white poplars. The grounds are laid out in pleasant walks, and contain large numbers of cul- tivated flowers, among which we recognized several of our American favorites. A small brook is conducted through the place, and made to fall in artificial cascades. By the side pf this stands an iron monument, erected to the memory of Captain Behring. Our reception by the captain and his pleas- ant wife was in full keeping with Russian hospitality, already proverbial ; we were scarcely seated before the samovar was introduced, together with beverages of a stronger nature, and cigars ; the latter we had a little delicacy in accepting until the madam set us an example by lighting a “ papyrosa,” or Russian cigarette, and beginning to smoke with the greatest LIFE IN PETR OP A UL 0 VSKI. 43 composure. Afterward we found smoking to be an almost universal custom among Siberian ladies, and, though a little prejudiced against the practice at first, we soon became ac- customed to the sight. The inside arrangement of the house was much the same as the one already described, though the tasteful disposition of the different pieces of furniture, together with various lit- tle articles of female workmanship, proclaimed the presence of one of the fair sex. A corner of each room was devoted to the “ penates,” being decked out with images of various saints, to which the family address their morning and even- ing devotions. Before each of these images were suspended small lamps or candles, which are always lighted on “ pras- niks,” or church holidays — about half the days of the year. One of the apartments contained a piano, and, being the largest room in town, the madam informed us was the place of holding their winter-evening balls and card-parties. From all I could learn, these people, though very isolated, and whol- ly dependent upon their own resources for amusement, lead quite a gay life. All the gentlemen keep their fancy teams of dogs, with which they make frequent winter excursions to the adjoining settlements, taking the ladies along with them, and at night, upon their return, they wind up with “ vechour- kas” at the captain’s hall. During the short summer they find abundant amusement boating and fishing on the bay, gathering berries on the neighboring hill-sides, or taking horseback rides to the interior, besides occasional picnics at the many beautiful suburban resorts. This, our first visit ashore, was one of pleasurable excite- ment ; but, after returning once more to our snug little cabin on the Olga, to which we had become considerably attached during the long voyage, and where familiar objects once more greeted us, we experienced very great relief, even after so short an absence. Upon the promontory on our left, near the site of one of the demolished Russian batteries, stands a monument erected to the memory of La Perouse, which we decided to visit the following day. Though the grass was deep and wet from a heavy dew, we were at an early hour ascending the steep acclivity, and ere long reached the summit. This monu- 44 REINDEER , DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. ment, upon a closer inspection, did not realize our expecta- tions, and was hardly worthy to commemorate the fame of the great navigator. A more beautiful site could not have been chosen, however. The structure is of sheet-iron, perfo- rated with bullet-holes supposed to be relics of the fight, and consists of a low column erecfed upon a pyramidal succession of steps, the whole being surmounted with a 32-pound shell, in the cavity of which stands a small wooden cross. We were surprised at finding upon the hill-side quantities of wild flowers, most prominent among which were wild roses, tiger lilies, and “ Solomon’s Seal,” all of which seemed to thrive equally as well here as in our own country. Whor- tleberries and blackberries were also very abundant, and, upon inquiry, we learned that raspberries, gooseberries, and cranberries likewise grew in the greatest profusion in some localities. Thick groves of small white birch and a few firs clothe the eminence, and afford shelter to quantities of birds. Leaving the monument, we continued our jaunt westward along the ridge to the scene of the land engagement. From this point the view is sublime. On our left the ridge breaks off suddenly in a high ragged cliff, from the foot of which Avatcha Bay extends in a beautiful sheet for miles to the east, south, and west, bounded by the long, graceful curve of the distant shore. Beyond, the country is interspersed with groves of forest and winding streams, the latter sparkling in the sun, while the vision is limited by a line of blue hills. Directly in front of us, at the end of the ridge, lay a small oval-shaped lake, separated from the bay by a long, narrow sandspit, while at our right, nestled down in the valley and skirting the inner bay, was the town, and the adjoining slope dotted with garden-patches. The volcanoes, whose appearance we eagerly watched for, still refused to cast off their cloud mantles and reveal them- selves. On a clear day, three lofty peaks are distinctly visi- ble from this point. Avatcha, the highest of the three and the nearest, almost continually emits smoke. In the year 1861, the people of Petropaulovski were treated to a grand exhibition of an eruption from this peak. It continued for days without cessation, scattering ashes for miles over the surrounding country. These peaks are all of volcanic origin, EARTHQUAKES AND ECCLESIASTICS. 45 as their forms indicate, though at the present day, with one or two exceptions, they are dormant. In this section earthquakes are not unfrequent, though they are rarely severe. In February, 1861 , however, the whole of Southern Kamtchatka was badly skaken. Large fissures were opened throughout the country, and the quiet little town of Petropaulovski was threatened with demolishment. It re- sulted, however, in no more serious damage than shaking down most of the peachkas and chimneys, and the racking of door and window frames. Descending from the hill, we passed two mounds of earth, crowned with rude wooden crosses hearing Russian inscrip- tions, beneath which lie the remains of the combatants slain during the engagement ; and near by was another, having a low entrance, from which emerged, as we passed, a hermit- like creature, clad in filthy rags, and looking the very picture of destitution. The appearance of this man aroused our whole sympathy, while the appearance of his habitation completely puzzled us. We were much relieved, though, upon returning to town, to learn that the earth-mound was nothing more than a powder-magazine, and the individual a Cossack sen- try. A more unsoldierly- looking soldier could hardly be imagined. To return to town, we followed the beach at the foot of the cliffs outside of the promontory, upon which, rounding a point of rocks, we suddenly came upon a fishing-party seated around a large fire, singing and making merry over some sus- picious-looking bottles. This, in itself, would have hardly attracted attention had we not discovered in their midst one of the long-haired, long-robed priests of the settlement, in any state but that of the sobriety becoming his calling. He had accompanied them to bless the water and insure them a successful haul, but, not being in a very spiritual mood, had probably adopted this method of becoming so. Judging from the countenances of all those we saw, the members of the priesthood are by no means a temperate set, and are like- wise, according to rumor, greatly addicted to gaming. This, our first contact with them, produced feelings of perfect dis- gust. How their followers, humble and ignorant as they are, can repose any confidence in them whatever, is a mystery to 46 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. me. They make no show of concealing their dissipation, but, at almost any time of the day, may be seen reeling toward the little church to read prayers. We hoped that the extreme isolation of the place made it no criterion by which to judge of Russian church officials in general, but I am sorry to say that in no portion of Siberia visited by our parties afterward did they find a better state of affairs. I am told, however, that all sons of Church offi- cials are considered sons of the Church, and are required, whether or no, to devote their lives to its interests. If this be so, hypocrisy and carelessness are naturally to be expect- ed. But, in spite of all this, they wield great influence over the ignorant and superstitious natives. I never saw a peo- ple more strict in the observance of all religious forms, the compliance with which, they think, is all that is essential to make them thorough Christians. Near by the fishing-party, drawn up on the beach, were their canoes, like the “ dug-outs” or hollowed logs used by our American Indians for navigating lakes and rivers. These are the only water-crafts used by the Kamtchadals, who are not very expert boatmen ; and to insure safety when the water is rough, they lash two or more of them together, side by side, by binding light poles across the tops. Even thus secured, they rarely venture far from shore, but, rather than cross a small body of water, they will paddle three times the distance around the beach. This timidity is probably owing to their ignorance of the art of swimming, the water being too cold for them to learn. For bathing purposes they em- ploy the Russian steam bath. We were agreeably surprised at finding in Petropaulovski a number of our own countrymen engaged in the fur trade, together with two or three others, who spoke the English language, and were American in sentiment, if not by nation- ality. Two of these, Messrs. Peirce and Hunter, had resided in the country for a number of years, and had become so at- tached to it that they w T ere no longer desirous of returning to America to reside. These gentlemen spared no pains to make our brief stay agreeable, and I am sure they succeeded fully. The -time spent with them was one continued round of feasting and enjoyment, and when the day of departure LIFE AT PETROPA UL 0 VSKI. 47 came it was not without great reluctance we turned our backs upon the beautiful little place and its hospitable inhab- itants. Two of these gentlemen, Messrs. Dodd and Frone- field, afterward joined our expedition, and rendered very effi- cient service. The life led by these gentlemen is one of per- fect ease and comfort. The natural beauty of the adjoining country would be, I should think, in itself sufficient to content one with a few years’ sojourn. This, backed with extensive magazines, containing nearly all the luxuries we enjoy at home, together with the more hardy produce of the country, and a pleasant lucrative occupation, would, I should think, satisfy almost any one. ’Tis true their society is small and mainly of one kind — masculine, but their resources for other kinds of enjoyment are great, and they fully understand how to avail themselves of them. 48 REINDEER , , DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. CHAPTER IT. Major Abasa’s Plans. — Country to be traversed. — Ho! for the Amoor. — A Pony-ride. — Kamtchadal Horses and Equipment. — The Start. — Posholl! Posholl! — In Misery. — An Experiment. — Kamtchatka of our Expecta- tions. — The Reality. — Fisheries. — Esquimaux Dogs and Crows. — Along the Bay. — Hay-making. — Siberian Cows. — Bears and Wolves. — My gen- tle Steed. — The Adjutant. — Avatcha Volcano and Village. — By — Thun- der! — A Siberian Exile. — Distrust. — Way Station. — Cockroaches. — Rem- edy. — Primitive Steam Bath. — Bathing Process. — Ouga. — Return. — False Alarm. — Equine Gymnastics. — My usual Fate. — Houtre. — Making But- ter. — Home again. — Last Day in Petropaulovski. — Fur Clothing. — Kuk- lankers. — Torbassa. — Chazee. — Malachis and Archaniks. — Furs of Kamt- chatka. — “ Yassak.” — Severe Penalty. — Fur Traders. — Mistaken Impres- sion. — “ Yankeeism.” — High Rates. — Thunder-storm. — Parting Visits. — Letters. — Farewell. Since our arrival in Petropaulovski, every effort had been made to procure information concerning those portions of the country through which the proposed telegraph line would run, but thus far we had met with poor success. The nearest part of the contemplated route was distant a thousand miles from Petropaulovski, and, to reach this point, the whole extent of the peninsula of Kamtchatka had to be traversed — in itself quite an arduous undertaking — and months might be consumed in its accomplishment. Had it been earlier in the season, we could have reached Ghijigha by sea, but at this time of the year it was not deemed safe to venture far into the northern portion of the Okhotsk Sea, therefore no alternative was left but to effect the journey by land, with horses and rafts in summer, and with dogs and reindeer at the commencement of winter, should we not reach our destination before winter set in. Nothing was to be feared from the natives until we should reach the country of the Koraks, a wild, barbarous, pagan tribe, inhabiting the northern portion of the peninsula. These people, according to information received at Petropaulovski, would have no hesitancy in killing us for plunder, and are a suspicious, treacherous class, without fear of either God or man. From them we naturally anticipated difficulty. FLANS FOR THE EXPEDITION. 49 Once at Ghijigha, the starting-point, for about twelve hun- dred miles westward along the northern coast of the Okhotsk Sea to the town of Okhotsk, the country is well known to the Russians, though difficult to traverse, while the country north- ward from Ghijigha toward the former Russian outpost of Anadyrsk had also been traversed, but was very little known except to fur-hunters. It will be remembered that Lieuten- ant Macrae and party were to ascend the Anadyr River to this outpost to try and effect a junction with some of our party. Should our small band all proceed to Ghijigha by the way of Kamtchatka, the whole winter — consequently year — would be consumed in traversing those sections already men- tioned ; but there still remained an extent of twelve hundred miles of country almost wholly unknown or unexplored, which our line would have to pass through, lying along the western coast of the Okhotsk Sea, from the Amoor River northward to the town of Okhotsk. This section was so wild, mountain- ous, and inaccessible that no one, up to that time, had ever penetrated it ; consequently, we could obtain no information whatever concerning it. How to include this section in our first winter’s explorations was puzzling ; but at length Major Abasa decided to divide his party, and to send Captain Ma- hood and myself by sea to the town of Nikolayefsk, on the Amoor, to explore northward to Okhotsk, while he and Cap- tain Kennan would undertake the remainder. The Olga fortunately had a cargo for Nikolayefsk, and, as she intended starting for that post immediately — August 26 th — Mahood and I were to accompany her. The day of our departure was close at hand, and, as we would probably not have another opportunity of visiting the suburban resorts of Petropaulovski, our friends suggested a pony-ride to a small settlement called Avatcha, distant about seven miles, at the lower end of Avatcha Bay. But there was some doubt of being able to procure the requisite num- ber of horses. The country contains but few, and these be- ing scattered inland, it was questionable whether or not they could be found. At the appointed hour we assembled at the rendezvous on the street, where four of the horses awaited us. These Messrs. Flenger, Dodd, Mahood, and myself started on with, D 50 REINDEER, BOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. leaving Kennan and another of our new friends, Mr. Boll- man, to follow when the others should come up. I was a lit- tle surprised at the appearance of the horses, and all the sym- pathy in my nature was aroused when I thought of the poor little things carrying full-grown, stout men up and down the hills that border the bay; but, being a poor rider, my pity for the ponies was somewhat mitigated by the consola- tion that, should I fall off, no great harm would result from it. These horses are about four and a half feet high, stout and thick-set, having manes reaching below their knees, and long, heavy tails that trail on the ground when they make the slightest descent. Owing to a lack of confidence in my rid- ing abilities, I inquired for the most gentle animal, which one of the natives pointed out. The creature designated was the smallest of the troop — a mother accompanied by her colt, which was almost as large as herself. The saddle was like one of our saw-horses covered with several thicknesses of bear-skin, and loomed up above the lit- tle creature like the humps on the back of a dromedary. On one side was a stirrup, the deficiency on the other side being supplied with a rope loop almost large enough for horse and all to walk through. Thus equipped for the jaunt, my gentle steed presented an appearance at which we all had to laugh, notwithstanding an undercurrent of pity that toned down our mirth very much. Mounting was a very simple process, it being only necessary to balance on one leg and throw the other over the saddle, which was none too high to prevent one’s feet from coming in contact with stumps or boulders. To obviate this difficulty, my companions had their stirrups drawn up to within a few inches of the backs of their horses, and, having concluded to do likewise, I also was soon perched upon the skins, my knees and shoulders nearly on a level. When, at length, all were ready, the word was given, and off they started, all ahead but Dodd and the colt, who were waiting for my animal to move ; but she stood perfectly re- gardless of any whistling or clicking I could master. My position was such that I could not kick her without danger of falling off, and having neither whip nor stick, I was at a loss to know what to do. At length Dodd approached, shak- ing so with laughter that the little beast under him shook FIRST EXPERIENCES IN KAMTCHA TEA. 51 too, and told me to talk Russian to the animal ; that she did not understand English ; to say “ Posholl ! posholl !” After several ineffectual efforts the magic words were uttered, and their effect was truly magical. Off she started on such a trot as to raise me nearly a foot with every step. Minutes were as ages. The agonies of an ordinary lifetime concentrated within a period of five min- utes’ duration could not have been more excruciating than the tortures of that first half mile. While in this dilemma, it occurred to me that I had frequently seen persons ride ap- parently hard -trotting animals with ease by rising in their stirrups. With one’s feet so high, this would be not only a difficult, but dangerous experiment ; but, thinking any thing preferable to what I was undergoing, I resolved to try the experiment. A confused bouncing sensation succeeded, and the next moment I found myself prostrated on the mare’s neck, cling- ing for dear life to her mane with both hands, the rope halter or bridle streaming in the air, and the little creature making desperate plunges to keep from tipping forward with the in- creased weight in that direction. Appearances were now a secondary consideration, and, as- suming as elevated a posture as the circumstances would ad- mit of, I remained in that position until we caught up with the rest of the party, when a halt was ordered to allow me to recuperate. I once heard a friend say that he considered the toothache one of the greatest blessings of humanity, on account of the perfect bliss one enjoys after the tooth is extracted. A trot- ting horse may, I think, be classed under the same head with propriety, for, of all the luxurious sensations it has been my good fortune to enjoy during life, that halt deserves to rank uppermost. Cold, bleak, barren Kamtchatka — the abode of ravenous wolves, frozen lichens, withering tempests, and starved exiles — the least interesting and most God-forsaken country under the sun. The very exemplification of all that is dreary, des- olate, and uninviting, as its tongue-tangling, brain-paralyzing name would indicate. In fact, the last portion of the globe upon which any being in his right mind should set foot ! y. OF U ■■ 52 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. Such were, pretty nearly, our notions of Karatchatka before leaving home, and this was the kind of country our exploring parties expected to encounter. But how different was the reality ! It was a calm, beautiful day, just after a refreshing summer shower, and the sunlight fairly glistened from the fresh green slopes that extended down to the water’s edge. The whole country was besprinkled with wild flowers of the brightest hues, and hundreds of birds darted from the tall grass as we advanced, or flitted among the thick bushes that in places bordered our path. The sky was of the brightest blue, partially obscured by huge feathery masses of clouds that lazily drifted across the heavens, casting alternate light and shade upon the landscape. The only thing wanting to complete this most lovely prospect was a glimpse of those gems of Kamtchadal scenery — her volcanoes, since they were at this time obscured in a dense cloud. These, however, re- vealed themselves later in the day. Our route led through the little valley back of the town, past the soldiers’ graves at the end of the ridge, and thence along the sandspit separating the small lake from Avatcha Bay. Here our ponies were started up, much to my dis- comfort, and we dashed past some fisheries where were thou- sands of salmon suspended under bark and straw shelters, drying for the winter sustenance of the sled-dogs, these being their only food, one of which each dog is allowed daily. Dozens of crows were flying and cawing about the place, occasionally stealing a mouthful from some exposed fish, much to the disgust of a troop of hungry but handsome Esqui- maux dogs, chained to the posts of the sheds below, and un- able to get their portion. Salmon is the principal article of food for both man and beast. In the absence of other diet, even the horses and cows subsist upon it, and appear to be well satisfied. As we passed to the leeward of the fisheries, the cause of our hurry made itself known in a very strong and decidedly unpleasant odor that smote upon our nostrils. Leaving the “ spit,” our route lay over a low spur that made down to the water, thence skirting the shore of the beautiful bay, first up hill, then down, and over alternate stretches of smooth shell-beach, and jagged stones and boul- COWS, BEAMS, WOLVES , AND COLTS. 53 ders that border the water’s edge. For a large portion of the way rank grass and weeds reached far above our horses’ backs, and frequently it was impossible to see more than the head and shoulders of the rider in advance. This was the season for cutting hay, for which purpose the old-fashioned sickle is used, and at intervals along the route we came upon stacks of it, ready piled up to be hauled to town, as required for use in feeding the horses and cows dur- ing the winter months. The cows we saw are as small in proportion as are the horses, but they make up in breadth for what they are defi- cient in height. Their milk is rich, excellent to .drink, and also figures largely in the Kamtchadal bill of fare, from soups downward. It is made an ingredient in every composite dish. Each cow yields daily about five bottles, or a little over four quarts of milk, bottles being employed in its meas- urement instead of quart cups. We found many traces of bears in the deep grass near the beach, left by them in their nightly excursions to the shore in search of “ sea-cabbage.” This marine plant constitutes almost their only food in spring, until salmon begin tp ascend the streams to spawn ; then Bruin subsists upon these fish, which he is very expert in hooking from the water with his long claws. His flesh is hardly palatable in these parts, on account of the strong fishy flavor. Bears are very numerous throughout Kamtchatka, but I am told are less savage than in other portions of Eastern Si- beria. Sometimes, after an unusually long winter, they go into the very streets of Petropaulovski and carry off cattle. Wolves are also very numerous, but are likewise not very dangerous except when in large packs. Owing to the gentleness of my beast and the viciousness of her offspring, on the line of march it was generally my of- fice to bring up the rear of the procession, the path being too narrow and winding to allow us to ride other than in Indian file. Once or twice, however, I ventured to go ahead, but the colt, or “ adjutant,” as the rest of the party called it, being very independent and willful, took no pains to keep up, and if any of those behind approached too nearly, they were warned off by a pair of small hoofs presented somewhat viciously for 54 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. their inspection. Now and then he would get lost in the tall grass, and set up a loud whinnying, when the mother would stand still for him to catch up, in spite of all the Rus- sian I could master. As we approached our -destination — the settlement of Avatcha — we were greeted with one of the most magnificent sights I ever beheld. It was just as we turned a point of rocks at the foot of the bay. From the beach the country extended apparently level for miles inland, when it began to rise in a gentle slope, becoming more indistinct, and grad- ually swelling into hills as it receded from the shore. Each range was succeeded by another, a little higher and a little more indistinct, until the last was hardly discernible in the thick haze of distance, and was crowned by heavy masses of cloud that extended a number of degrees above the horizon. Far above this mass was the magnificent volcanic peak of Avatcha, over eleven thousand feet in height. Though dis- tant thirty miles, its snowy summit, glittering in the sun- light, was so keenly cut against the bright azure of the sky that it did not appear to be a mile away. This peak is a per- fect cone, and so steep that one constantly expects the huge masses of snow and ice to come dashing down its sides to the snow limit, and drop off into boundless space; below the snow-line, the bare distant mountain was blended with and lost in the sky and haze, leaving the snowy summit apparent- ly suspended from the heavens by some invisible cord. Far to the south rose its noble rival, old Villenchinski, a spire of burnished silver. To the left, in the immediate foreground, in a graceful curve, extended the white beach, circling the head of the bay ; and just before us, at the mouth of a small river that winds its way through the deep grass and clusters of white birches on the plain beyond, lay the small group of huts — picturesque in the distance — that compose the town of Avatcha. When the view first broke upon our vision, we all involuntarily stopped, awe-stricken by the grandeur and sub- limity of the scene. Not a word was spoken for some min- utes; but, with eyes and mouths open, each one stood, dread- ing to speak for fear of dispelling the vision. At length one of our party, who had been credited with the least amount of soul and susceptibility for the sublime, drew a long breath, AVATCHA. 55 AVATCHA. and in a prolonged, deep tone, uttered “ By — thunder !” This unpoetical and unexpected outburst of enthusiasm produced a general laugh, and recalled us to our senses, when we gal- loped into the village at a brisk rate, welcomed by the howl- ing and barking of several hundred dogs. Having fastened our steeds to a low wicker-work fence, made by weaving together small pliable sticks, we followed Mr. Flenger’s guidance to the nearest and largest house, 56 REINDEER, DOGS \ AND SNOW-SHOES. the proprietor of which was standing in the door to re- ceive us. “That old man is an exile,” whispered Dodd, as we ap- proached the house. Being the first one of that numerous class we had met, I paid particular attention to his appear- ance, to try and detect some traces of that grief and suffer- ing one would naturally expect to find in a person condemned to pass his life away from the land of his birth. He scruti- nized those of us who were strangers to him very suspicious- ly, but I could not see that he appeared any less happy and contented than the remainder of the inhabitants. His name I did not learn, but he was an old Tartar, at the time of our visit seventy-six years of age, the last forty-six of which he had spent in exile. He never spoke of his early life, conse- quently but little was known of his past history other than that he had deserted from the Russian army and joined a band of robbers, among whom he had distinguished himself for desperation and cruelty. He was a medium-sized man, with a small round head, though rather low forehead, over which his thin gray hair was allowed to fall, cut off squarely just above two deep-set, penetrating gray eyes ; these were rather close to each other, however, and were shaded by thick, bushy brows. A short, snub, snuff- coated nose ; enormous mouth, robbed by time of all its ornaments, with the exception of three small black snags in front ; a long, scant gray beard hanging from be- neath his chin, and a coarse, week-old mustache, completed his physiognomy. His costume was in full keeping, consist- ing of a very much soiled, ragged shirt, leathern trowsers tied tightly around the waist with a piece of rope, and much worn seal-skin boots. Yet, notwithstanding his filthy, ragged appearance, he was considered one of the most prosperous among the lower class. I tried to get a sketch of our host, but he viewed the prepa- rations with such evident distrust and dissatisfaction that I abandoned the effort. Probably my uniform and note-book made him suspicious, and suggested the possibility of my being a government spy or detective, seeking some clew by which to confiscate his dogs and cows for the public welfare. When sledging or riding parties go from Petropaulovski, AN EXILE.— COCKROACHES.— A RUSSIAN BATH. they always make the old man’s house a way-station, paying him a few “ copeks” for its use, for which reason he keeps it much neater than the lower classes do generally. The house is built of logs, and chinked with moss and clay like all the others, and is heated by the “ peachka,” which is also used for cooking purposes ; but, instead of loose reindeer skins, he had a piece of canvas neatly tacked down for a carpet ; and on a small, rough-hewn, but clean table stood that indispen- sable article of furniture to a Russian household, the “ samo- var,” or tea-urn, already beginning to steam. As we entered the house, I was very forcibly struck by hundreds of cockroaches that scampered across the floor and table, and ran along the crevices in the walls on all sides. These people brush them from their food and out of the w r ay as carelessly as we do flies, and appear to make no effort whatever to kill them. I at first attributed this leniency to some superstitious no- tion or belief associated with these insects, by which they were protected from wholesale slaughter, but was afterward told that the people had frequently tried to exterminate them, without success, however, since they are so numerous and breed so rapidly that it is considered time and trouble thrown away. They submit to the nuisance with the best possible grace until the advent of cold weather, when, for two or three days, all the doors and windows are thrown open. This freezes or stupefies the roaches, whose carcases are then picked from all the cracks and crevices and de- stroyed, and afterward the whole house undergoes a thor- ough scrubbing and sweeping. While prying about among the huts, hovels, and fisheries of the settlement with an . eye for the curious, I thrust my head into a low, dark room in a dilapidated log cabin that stood apart from the rest of the houses, and was immediate- ly struck with the dismalness of the place. A dungeon sug- gested itself to my mind at first; but what use they could make of a dungeon in a peaceable little settlement like this, where only two or three families resided, and they the most harmless kind of people, I could not imagine. A small pane of glass was set snugly in the logs on one side of the room, which admitted so little light that I could 58 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. hardly distinguish an object. Gradually, as my eyes became accustomed to the darkness, I saw that the ceiling was very low, and it, together with the walls, was blackened and glossy, as if from smoke. In one corner was a platform about five feet high, reached by three wide wooden steps roughly made, but smooth on the upper surfaces. In another corner was a low, rude oven, made of loose cobble-stones piled carelessly over a kind of iron frame-work, beneath which were pieces of charred wood, and near by were two old barrels partially filled with water. My curiosity was thoroughly aroused, so I called the atten- tion of my companions to the place, with a hope of getting some explanation. Dodd told us it was a primitive specimen of a Russian steam-bath. When a bath is about to be taken, the barrels are filled with water, and the loose stones of the oven are thoroughly heated by a fire beneath them, after which some of them are thrown into one of the barrels for the purpose of heating the water contained in it. The water .of the other barrel is allowed to remain cold for the final souse. The door of the room is then opened to allow the foul air, or “ ouga,” as the Russians call it, to escape, when the bather enters, perfectly stripped, and every thing is closed up as tightly as possible. To generate steam, cold water is then thrown upon the hot stones, and in a few moments the heat becomes almost unbearable, the upper platform, of course, being the hottest. The wide steps are to enable the bather to enjoy different degrees of temperature. After perspiring to his heart’s content, he gives himself a thorough bathing in the hot water, winding up with the cold souse, and then leaves the bath and dresses at his leisure in a small anteroom adjoining. Frequently whole families — men, women, and children — bathe at the same time. It is a very necessary precaution to allow the gases to es- cape from the room before bathing, as, not unfrequently, dan- gerous consequences result from their presence. These peo- ple are very fond of the steam-bath, and will endure a sur- prising amount of heat. It was late when we left Petropaulovski, and not having much time in which to make the return trip before darkness would settle upon us, our stay at Avatcha was brief, and, ere EQ UESTRIANISM. 59 long, we were trending our way on the back path. The ride was most enjoyable, the atmosphere being in that delicious neutral state, neither cold nor warm, when every breath is a luscious draught, and one unconsciously laments his misfor- tune in not having been created with greater breathing ca- pacity. Neither was it without incident. Once we were startled by the cry of “A wolf! wolves!” which caused us all to look in the direction indicated. Revolvers were seized, and other preparations made for the encounter ; but we soon per- ceived that it was a false alarm, the dreaded beasts being Kennan and Mr. Bollman coming out to meet us. As we joined them, Mr. Bollman was in the act of tightening his saddle, which had just turned with him, dropping him gently upon his head, but without injury. They too had been — not deceived, as they were undecided, but — much puzzled as to the nature of the animal that followed us, and had a hearty laugh as they saw the nose and ears of the “ adjutant,” just discernible above the tall grass, trying to find its mother, and making the woods ring with its loud whinnyings. These horses, though dwarfed physically, are by no means limited in sagacity, cunning, or trickishness. The one ridden by Mr. Flenger was a perfect prodigy in gymnastic feats. He was particularly fond of exhibiting his skill on the brinks of steep hills, where, regardless of the feelings of his rider, he delighted to indulge in the experiment of seeing how high he could kick without going entirely over. Even my “ gentle mare” indulged herself once, but she was excusable on this occasion. In accordance with my usual fate, the day could not pass without my tumbling off, or being in some manner awkwardly dismounted. It was just after one of those trots over a stretch of beautiful upland, that terminated in a pre- cipitous bank about fifty feet high, which we had to descend. Just after passing the brow of this declivity I felt my saddle beginning to slip, and, stopping my horse, attempted to dis- mount on the grade ; but, during the trot, my foot and leg had passed through to the rope loop or stirrup, which fact I had overlooked, and, instead of landing on my feet, I found myself suspended by one leg over the mare’s head, with the prospect of a descent of about thirty feet at a steep angle. 60 REINDEER , DOGS , 4iVZ) To relieve herself of the unpleasant weight, she began to kick, thereby disengaging my foot. I picked myself up at the bottom of the hill, none the worse, and, looking up, saw the creature standing in the same old place, from which she had witnessed my evolutions, apparently with the greatest satisfaction. We made one more halt at a group of houses called Hou- tre, a pastoral settlement about three miles from town. Here quantities of rich milk were drunk by our party, in spite of earnest, frequent warnings that it would become butter be- fore we could reach our destination ; and, shortly afterward, sore, tired, but, withal, well pleased with our days’ ride, just as the last ray of the setting sun was quivering upon the very pinnacle of Old Avatcha, we galloped into Petropau- lovski. Friday, August 25th, being the last day Mahood and I were to spend in Petropaulovski, we devoted it to procuring furs for our winter journey; these can be purchased at a lower price here than on the Amoor, arid are of a much finer qual- ity. The most important article of fur costume for winter use is the “ kuklanker,” a large, shirt-like garment that reach- es to the knees, made of two thicknesses of reindeer skin, with the fur on, and having a hood, to be worn over the head, at- tached at the neck. This hood is usually bordered with long, soft dog or wolf fur, as a protection to the face in a cold wind or snow-storm. Some of these garments are made of the skins of unborn fawns, to obtain which the mother is killed, and are so fine and beautiful that, at a short distance, they much resemble “ doeskin” cloth. Such are quite expensive, being usually ornamented at the bottom with a broad belt of finely-embroidered patterns in differently-colored silk, or by the insertion of flowers or scroll-work figures of other col- ored reindeer skins. The whole is then bordered with a wide strip of beaver or otter, and sometimes even of sable skins, which give the garment a very rich and elegant appearance. Domestic reindeer vary in color from pure white to a dark brown, and some are beautifully spotted, so that almost any taste can be gratified in the selection of suits. In addition to kuklankers, we each purchased “ torbassa,” “ chazee,” “ malachis,” etc. The “ torbassa” are long fur KAMTCHA TKA FURS. 61 boots, reaching to or above the knees, made of the legs of the deer, as the hair is shorter and closer, and the skin more du- rable than that of any other portion of the animal ; they are generally soled with bear or seal skin, and are tied around the ankle and knee with long strips of leather to support them. “ Chazees,” or fur socks, are made of dog, reindeer, or wolf skin (the last being best), and are worn with the fur next the foot ; they are gotten up wholly regardless of looks, much resembling a gouty foot heavily bandaged. “ Malachis” are fur bonnets, shaped like an old woman’s cap, intended to be worn under the hood, attached to the “ kuklanker.” These articles, with mittens, buckskin pants, and “ archaniks,” com- pleted our costume. “ Archaniks” are not only useful, but ornamental ; they are beautiful black tippets, made very ingeniously of the tails of Siberian squirrels, and are intended to be carried between the teeth, as a protection to the lower part of the face while facing a cold wind, in the same manner that the Greenland- ers use fox’s tails. Kamtchatka furs are of the finest quality, particularly the sable, which is considered equal to, if not superior, to any pro- duced in the whole Russian possessions. Ermine, river ot- ter, silver-gray, black, and red foxes, besides many other vari- eties of fur-bearing animals, are also found here. The annual “yassak,” or taxes imposed by government upon the natives, are always collected in furs, amounting in value, I am told, to two roubles for each male individual be- tween the ages of fifteen and fifty. In collecting this yassak, each person subject to taxation is required to furnish a sable skin, or other furs amounting to the same value, from which the collector selects as many of the best as are required to pay the tax assessed upon the community, taking them at about one half their market value. The remainder, to insure justice and impartiality, is then sold, and the proceeds di- vided equally among those who furnished the skins. In this manner the finest furs generally fall into the hands of government, and are reserved for the private use of the royal family. At the time of our visit, large quantities of furs derived from this source were stored in the government magazines, awaiting transportation. Cossack sentries were 62 REINDEER , DOGS , 4iVZ> SNOW-SHOES. kept continually posted over them as a guard, though one would think there was little danger of their being molested, since, I am told, the penalty is death to steal from the gov- ernment. (A pity that sucH a law could not be established and enforced in America.) Notwithstanding this extreme punishment, but a short time before our arrival the magazine had been entered, and several thousand dollars’ worth of furs extracted. These were after- ward recovered, however, and the culprit had been detected and imprisoned, to be sent to Nikolayefsk for trial. KAMTCHATKA SABLES. Many persons labor under the impression that in Kamt- chatka and Eastern Siberia, the source from which many of the most valuable furs are derived, these articles are to be obtained at very low prices, but in this they are much mis- taken. The trade has been carried on for so long a time, and there has be4n so much competition in it, that the native hunters now fully appreciate the values of different skins, and demand prices accordingly. They have even progressed so far in “ Yankeeism” as to resort to trickery, it being a very common ruse of theirs to hang poor, light-colored pelts, more particularly sable, up in the smoke, to give them a rich, dark hue. In this they have been detected, though, and now, in purchasing a skin, the trader always first applies it to his DEPARTURE FROM PETROPAULOVSKI. 63 nose, or brushes it with his handkerchief, and then blows it, to discover its quality and thickness. Sables we found worth from six to thirty dollars per skin, according to color and quality, and other furs in proportion — that is, among the merchants in Petropaulovski. The day before our departure, Southern Kamtchatka was visited with a severe thunder-storm, the first for many years, the residents of the town stated. Having finished our purchases and laid in a good supply of “ Manillas” for the voyage, the remainder of the day was devoted to making farewell calls upon our new friends, from whom we procured many letters to private parties on the Amoor. Armed with these, together with others to Admiral Furruhelm, recently appointed governor of the sea-coast provinces of Eastern Siberia, and to Mr. Chase, United States Commissary Agent at Nikolayefsk, we anticipated no diffi- culty in acquiring information, and obtaining all the assist- ance possible to further our explorations, and at 2 A.M., August 26th, stepped aboard the “Olga” for the last time from Petropaulovski. 64 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. CHAPTER III. Good-by. — Departure. — Parting Glimpses of AvatchaBay and Surroundings. — Fog. — Currents. — Difficult Navigation. — Dead Reckoning. — Breakers ahead! — Narrow Escape. — Renewed Danger. — Preparations for Land- ing. — A Puff. — At Sea again. — Ushishir and Ketoy Islands. — Simusir. — Boussole Channel. — Provost Mountain. — Chirnoi Group and Volcanoes. — The Okhotsk. — Beautiful Weather. — Whales. — Saghalin Island. — La Pe- rouse Straits. — Danger Rock.-^-Gale. — Japanese Islands. — Jesso. — Sail ho! — Gulf of Tartary. — Manchuria. — Mare’s Tails and Mackerel Backs. — De Castries Bay. — Shipping Importance. — Contemplated Canal and Rail- way. — Alexandrofski. — Barracks. — Telegraphic Communication. — Cor- vettes. — Natural Bridge. — Hospitality. — Wire down. — Russian Officers. — Orders from St. Petersburg. — Inland Route. — Preparations for Journey. — Scarcity of Horses. — Queer Substitute. — Soldiers. — Mount Arbod. — Start. — Rain. — Bad Roads. — Beregovoi Hills. — Deck Passages, Shipwrecks, and Chop Sea. — Lake Kidzi. — Tederovsk. — Soldier Station-keepers. — Gilaks. — Appearance and Dress. — Interior of Hut. — Deference. — Hospitality. — Unappreciative. “Goodby’s,” if indulged in too often, are rather wearing upon one’s constitution ; and even one of the nature of that we bade the last night in Petropaulovski is very exhaustive in its effects, so much so that it was quite late the next morn- ing before I found myself upon deck. Mahood was ahead of me, however, he having found it necessary to make one more trip ashore, to procure something forgotten the day before. Not unfrequently vessels anchored in the small bay have to wait some days for a favorable breeze by which to work out around the promontory, but this morning every thing favored our departure, and, upon emerging from below decks, I was not surprised at finding the little brig slowly passing the sandspit, though the captain had got under way sooner than he had anticipated. As she advanced the brig gathered headway, and Mahood had some difficulty overtaking us; but, just as we breasted “ Babushka,” his boat caught up, bringing Kennan, and Mr. Flenger also, who had come to bid us farewell once more. The adieu was passed, not without some feelings of emotion, on my part at least. We each had long and difficult, if not AT SEA . 65 dangerous tasks before us ; months would elapse before their completion, and then it was questionable whether our little band would ever be reunited. Where and when, if at all, we were to meet again, the great Disposer alone knew. The day was unexceptionable, warm and pleasant, and the atmosphere so pure and transparent that most distant objects loomed up with remarkable distinctness. Avatcha, Villen- chinski, and Roselskoi stood forth in all their majesty, at- tired in most gorgeous array of blue and silver, cleaving the bright blue firmament with their towering crests. The grass- covered slopes of the adjoining shore, dotted with rich green clusters of foliage, were yet damp with the morning’s dew, which the slanting rays of the sun converted into myriads of sparkling gems, all of which, together with every massive cliff and fantastic turret of rock, was reflected in the unruffled water with a distinctness that rivaled the reality. All nature seemed to have conspired in rendering this, our last glimpse at Avatcha Bay and its surroundings, unsurpassable in beau- ty. Even the water-fowl, as if by preconcerted arrangement, approached nearer to display their brilliant plumage, and seals, usually shy, raised their spotted heads out of the water within stone-throw of our craft, and with their large, soft eyes seemed to bid us Godspeed. But a gentle breeze, barely strong enough to swell our white sails, aided by a good tide, soon bore us beyond this enchanting scene, and, before many hours had elapsed, we were once more on the mighty deep, envel- oped in one of the dense fog-banks so common to this coast. We missed the presence of our former companions very much for some days, but by degrees became reconciled to the new order of things, and settled down to the old daily routine of amusements. For days the fog continued without cessation, sometimes lighting up sufficiently at noon to allow the captain to get an observation, but we had to depend mainly upon the log- line and compass to judge of our whereabouts. Upon the Kamtchatkan coast this kind of navigation is very uncertain, owing to strong, trickish currents, which in a very short time sweep a vessel entirely out of her reckoning. To be on the safe side, we kept pretty well out at sea until we had cleared the lower end of Kamtchatka, when the brig was headed for E 66 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. the uppermost passage through the Kurile Islands, to try and effect a passage into the Okhotsk Sea, Other and much bet- ter passes exist farther south, but sometimes vessels are de- layed days and even weeks from getting through by unfa- vorable winds, or fogs, or calms. Fearing such a disaster, it was deemed advisable to avail ourselves of the earliest op- portunity of reaching the sea. Notwithstanding the continuance and density of the fog, we still clung to our course, hoping for clear sailing before reaching the islands, and trusting to a sharp lookout forward to warn us of the proximity of land should the fog still con- tinue to oppose us. Nothing of interest transpired during this part of the voy- age up to Friday, August 29 th, about noon of which day two or three of us were assembled upon deck watching for land indications. “There she blows !” cried the captain, referring to the spout of a whale; but we barely had time'to glance in the direction indicated when that most ominous and thrill- ing of all cries to the mariner, “ Breakers ahead !” came from the lookout. The dashing spray, barely discernible through the fog, had been mistaken by the captain for the blowing of a whale. In another minute we found ourselves girdled on three sides by the breakers, the angry surf splashing thirty feet into the air, but the land beyond was obscured by the fog. The warning cry had hardly been given before all was bustle and excitement. Not a moment was to be lost. The ship was rushing on with good headway, and would soon be grinding in the jaws of the rock -fiends, without hope of extrication. A heavy swell was rolling in from seaward, and greatly diminished our chances for escape. But, thanks to a prompt execution of the captain’s rapidly-given orders, the ship whirled on her course, and we soon had the gratification of knowing that the dreaded rocks were being slowly but surely left in the lurch. When, at length, the danger was passed, all breathed more freely, and, as is frequently the case, joking succeeded anxiety. We indulged in a little romancing as to the life we would have led upon one of these cold, volcanic islands, and shipwrecked too. What thrilling narratives of our sufferings, narrow es- A NARROW ESCAPE. 67 capes, etc., would be afterward published in the papers ! But soon the joke dampened, for it was perceived that the wind was fast dying out, and still we were not more than two miles from the rocks. Our vessel for some time scarcely moved, and then stopped altogether, her sails hanging straight up and down the mast, except as she rolled and plunged over the heavy sea rollers, when, with a loud snapping, they would flap against the masts, each report serving as a disagreeable reminder of our utter helplessness. The action of the waves was undoubtedly carrying us toward the rocks, but so slowly that we hoped to catch a fresh breeze before reaching them. Ere many minutes had elapsed we were all startled at again hearing the distant roar of the breakers, and immediately afterward the fog appeared to lift, for we could see, though indistinctly, the white surf splashing into the air. Now, for the first time, it was discovered that we were being rapidly swept by a strong current toward the reef, upon which, at the rate we were drifting, the vessel would be dashed in a half hour’s time, unless favored by a fresh breeze. The deep sea lead was dropped with the hope of finding anchorage, but down, down it sank, and no bottom. Anxious- ly we watched the sails to try and detect the slightest puff of wind ; the sailors began to whistle and scratch the mast, but every moment it grew more calm, if possible. At this time the destruction of the vessel appeared inevitable, and the mate received orders to clear the tackle for lowering the long-boat. At this I went below to gather together a few indispensable articles to be carried ashore should we be com- pelled to abandon the ship. i Mahood was already ahead of me. In our seal-skin bags we packed our furs and other articles most likely to be need- ed, not forgetting a good supply of rifle ammunition, by which, in all probability, we would have to subsist ourselves should we reach shore in safety. Having completed our prepara- tions, the parcels were left at the foot of the cabin stairs, con- venient for getting at, and we returned to deck. The ship was now within rifle-shot of the rocks, heaving heavily over the waves, and yet not a breath of air stirring. The men stood at the tackle, ready to lower the boat at the command. Once more the lead was dropped, but no bottom. REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. Nearer and nearer we drifted, until it became evident that we must abandon the ship. Just as the captain was about to give the order to lower tlie boat, one of the sailors exult- ingly cried, “ There’s a puff!” Casting our eyes quickly up- ward, we saw the maintop-gallant-sail flutter for a moment, but it immediately straightened out again. The suspense was awful. In a moment this was succeeded by another and another puff, each a little heavier than the last. The brig was holding her own against the current. In an hour’s time we had the gratification of knowing that several miles of ocean lay between us and the dreaded breakers. The breeze continued until the next day, Wednesday, at 12 o’clock, the fog disappearing in the mean while. As we sailed southward, we made out “ Ushishir” and “ Ketoy” Isl- ands, both of which are small peaks rising abruptly from the water. At night Simusir Island appeared on the horizon. Before morning the wind again died away completely, leav- ing us becalmed abreast of the lower end of the island. Only twelve miles were made during the following twenty-four hours, but just at dark, Thursday, a light breeze sprung up, which enabled us, with the advantage of daylight, to pass nearly through Boussole Channel : this channel is the most southerly and largest of the Kurile Straits, and lies between Simusir and the “ Chirnoi” group. It is the dividing line be- tween the Russian and Japanese possessions. We were awakened early the following morning by the mate calling to us to come on deck “ to see the volcanoes.” The brig was yet lying in Boussole Channel. Thirty miles to the northward lay “ Simusir,” visible its whole length — about twenty-seven miles, above which Provost Mountain loomed, disclosing near its summit the crater of an extinct volcano. Ten miles to the southwest was the “Chirnoi” group — small, rocky islands, surmounted by several quite high mountains, from three of which rolled dense volumes of steam and smoke, that lingered about their summits, and cast a pall-like shadow upon the water for miles around. We much hoped and expected there would be an eruption, but night came on and passed away without any farther demon- strations, and the next morning all land had faded from sight. While crossing Okhotsk Sea to La Perouse Straits, for sev- LA PE ROUSE STRAIT. eral days the weather was most beautiful, though the winds were light. Hardly a cloud appeared in the heavens. The sunsets were perfectly gorgeous, baffling description; and a bright, full moon, beaming from the cloudless sky upon the vast expanse of water, and reflected from our white sails upon the little craft, converted night into day. It was so warm that we could sit whole evenings upon deck without coats or hats, During the hours of sunlight we found abundant amusement shooting at sea-parrots and other fowl, and watch- ing whales, upward of a hundred of which were counted in one day. These, however, belonged to a species of little val- ue to wfflalers, as their yield of oil is very small. On the evening of September 5th the island of Saghalin ap- peared on the horizon, toward the lower end of which we rap- idly approached, favored with a strong breeze from the east, “mare’s tails,” “mackerel backs,” and other indications of a strong wind were seen during the afternoon, and those aboard conversant with marine indications predicted a heavy gale before morning. As we were'just about to enter La Perouse Strait, we sincerely hoped that it would blow favor- ably. This strait, lying between the islands of Saghalin and Jesso, is twenty-five miles in width at the narrowest point. Hear its middle is a rock called “Dangerous Rock” — a very appropriate name,, as vessels are apt to run upon it either in foggy weather or upon a dark night, unless forewarned of their proximity to it by the bellowing of seals, that infest it in large numbers. At dark we took a southwesterly course, which could be kept for a distance of forty miles without danger, by which time we hoped to have daylight to enable us to pass through the Strait in safety. At midnight the gale struck us, fortu- nately from the east. We ran our course as long as we dared, but it soon became so dark that land could not have been distinguished at the shortest distance. It was then deemed advisable to run northward a few miles and “ lay to” for daylight. I think it must have been very rough during the night, as twice my trunk upset, scattering the contents all over the cabin ; and several times, looking from my berth, I saw our boots and the spittoons having a very spirited game, of “ puss in the corner.” 70 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. At daylight the next morning we were howling past Dan- ger Rock under a close-reefed maintop-sail, the sea white with foam, and the heavy waves, in close pursuit, threatening every instant to break over the quarter-deck and deluge the ship. The northern end of the island of Jesso, one of the Japanese group, lay close at hand a little to the southward, distinctly visible from deck as we were passing ; also several smaller ones, partially cultivated, though the inhabitants of this portion of these islands subsist mainly upon fish, I am told. At 4 o’clock P.M. the island of “ Totomosiri” came in sight, and at night we lay becalmed on the “ Gulf of Tar- tary,” though the water was still quite rough, and a heavy chop sea breaking under the ship’s counter. The next day the cry of “ Sail-ho !” was heard for the first time, and aroused all hands ; for, though we had been at sea nearly sixty days, not a vessel had been sighted during the voyage up to this time. It was a brig bound evidently for “Castries” Bay or the Amoor, those being the only ports north of us, and, our destination being the same, as if by mu- tual agreement, a race was arranged between the two vessels. Saturday, the 9th, was a perfectly beautiful day, though rather warm in the sun, the thermometer standing at -f 95°. As we advanced, the high coast of Saghalin Island on one side, and that of “ Manchuria” to the westward, came into view, gradually approaching each other toward the north. The Manchuria coast, nearest which we sailed, is high and very bold, the country back being densely wooded with a species of fir, as it appeared from the vessel. During the last day and a half of our voyage, which occu- pied fifteen days, the barometer had been falling very rapidly. The heavens portrayed other indications of a gale, and the one we had experienced in La Perouse Strait being fresh in our memory, we were more than glad when, at 6 P.M., September 10th, the light-house on the southerly point of De Castries Bay appeared. Shortly afterward, just as the wind was be- ginning to whistle through the rigging, we changed our course, passing between Light-house Point and another “Dan- ger” rock, that lies in the entrance of this bay, though cov- ered at high water, and were soon lying quietly at anchor, sheltered by a number of small wooded islands from the BE CASTRIES BAT. 71 storm that was raging outside. The strange brig dropped anchor just five minutes ahead of us. De Castries Bay, or “ Castries,” as it is frequently called, is a small indenture in the coast of Manchuria, distant about one hundred and fifty miles below Nikolayefsk, which town is situated near the mouth of the Amoor River. It was dis- covered by La Perouse, the French navigator, in the year 1787, and named by him in honor of the Marquis De Castries, at one time Minister of Marine of France. Vessels bound for the Amoor always enter this port to procure pilots, or to await the arrival of one of the Russian corvettes from Niko- layefsk, which frequently steam down for the purpose of tow- ing vessels to that port. This precaution is necessary on ac- count of the difficult navigation of the upper end of the Gulf of Tartary, and of the “ Liman,” or Gulf of the Amoor, the latter, in particular, being very shoal, and the channels nar- row, intricate, and shifting. It is not deemed safe for vessels to attempt the passage without favorable weather and good pilots, unless attended by one of the steamers. By reference to the chart, it will be seen that the Amoor River, at a point distant about two hundred miles above its mouth, near the Russian town of Marinsk, is not more than fifty miles west of Castries Bay. From this point the river flows nearly due north parallel to the coast-line about one hundred and fifty miles, and then turns eastward to join the Liman. For two thirds of the distance between Castries and Ma- rinsk there is water communication by way of Lake Kidzi, a small sheet of water adjoining the Amoor River, and over the fifteen miles of land portage remaining a corduroy road has been constructed, leading over “ Beregovoi Khrebel,” a range of low hills forming the water-shed. Owing to these natural advantages — the shortness of the portage from Castries to Lake Kidzi, and the accessibility of the good, though small bay and harbor — the Russians at one time strongly entertained the idea of building either a rail- road or canal connecting the bay with the Amoor, thereby avoiding the shoals and other obstacles in the Liman ; but, as yet, no further steps have been taken toward completing the work than to make some preliminary surveys, from which 73 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. one or both of the above projects are deemed perfectly feasi- ble. The bay itself is a very pretty little sheet of water, about two miles in extent, surmounted by low, densely-wooded hills, and dotted with small islands, also wooded, which protect ves- sels anchored inside from easterly winds. At the time we dropped anchor the water was scarcely rippled, though out- side in the gulf a strong gale was blowing. The little harbor presented quite a lively appearance, there being five other vessels lying at anchor near us. Between these boats were continually passing back and forth. Just in front of us was the Russian settlement of Alexandrofski, founded in the year 1853, built partly upon the newly-cleared slope of one of the adjacent hills, and partly u{)on a rocky pro- jection extending into the bay, surrounded by abrupt cliffs undermined at the base by the action of tides. This settle- ment is but little more than a small military post without fortifications. In addition to barracks for five hundred men and the government magazines, it contains only one or two stores and a telegraph station. From this point there is tel- egraphic communication with Nikolayefsk by the way of the Ajnoor River. Only a portion of the town could be seen from our ship’s deck. Our sails were hardly clewed up before several parties boarded us from shore and the other vessels, but no informa- tion could be obtained from them concerning the time of the arrival of the next corvette, consequently we were forced to wait until we could reach shore the next morning, and ascer- tain by telegraph, before deciding upon the next step to be taken. Should no corvette come w'ithin a day or two, we had decided to attempt the inland route. As we were approaching shore the next morning, a very beautiful natural arch came into view, reaching in a graceful curve from the rocky projection to a tower of rock standing in the water, and having a span of about twenty-five feet. Its ragged sides, clothed with patches of brilliantly-colored mosses, and grass - covered summit, in which a half dozen gnarled, weather - scarred old firs had taken root, together with the tides boiling over hidden rocks and rolling back and forth beneath its curve — now rushing madly into the ALEXANDR OFSKI. 73 deep cavities at the base of the cliff, and now sweeping back to rejoin their element — and the sweeping beach, distant green fields, and patches of blue sky that disclosed them- selves to view beneath the span as we sailed by, afforded elements for a beautiful art study. Close by was a long flight of wooden steps, by which we ascended from the beach to the plateau above, and thence, following a winding path through groves of firs for a few hundred yards, reached the store and residence of a firm of German merchants, Messrs. Esche & Company. The house was large and comfortable, and the site admirably chosen. From the verandas we had a charming view of the bay, islands, and shipping. Our reception by the gentlemanly proprietors of this es- tablishment was very cordial, and one of them kindly volun- teered to accompany us to the telegraph station as interpret- er. The station is distant nearly a mile from Mr. Esche’s store. It is a newly-constructed, plain log building, situated on a gradual slope overlooking a portion of the bay, and sur- rounded by innumerable stumps, relics of the forest but re- cently cleared away. The whole aspect of the place was such as one might find in some of our own Western border towns. Unfortunately, upon arriving at the telegraph station, we learned that the line was out of repair between Sofyevsk and Rikolayefsk, and as not unfrequently days elapse before it is put in working order again, we decided at once to take the inland route, and risk catching one of the Amoor steamers at Marinsk. Several of the Russian officers located at this post joined us at the station, and offered every facility for the prosecu- tion of our journey, at the same time conveying to us the welcome information that instructions had been received from St. Petersburg by commandants of posts in the regions to be traversed by our line for them to give us, or any of the offi- cers of the expedition, whatever assistance might be required. The hearty co-operation of the Russians enabled us, later, to accomplish much more than would have been possible under other circumstances. Having decided to start the following day, preparations 74 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. for the journey were at once commenced, and messengers sent into the neighboring country to gather horses for the ride to the lake. Provisions, blankets, and a few luxuries, consisting chiefly of cigars, were packed in convenient parcels for road use, and our preparations completed, when we learned that only three horses could be obtained for the trip, and only two saddles were in the place. Under these circumstances, since the captain of the Olga had decided to accompany us, we were at a loss to know how to carry our supplies and bag- gage, but the commandant of the post relieved us of our em- barrassment by kindly offering us three soldiers for the pur- pose, to carry them on foot to the lake, distant about twenty- five versts. We felt some reluctance in making beasts of burden of men, but, for want of other transportation, grate- fully accepted his novel offer. These soldiers are not much more than drafted laborers, sent to the Amoor to settle the country. I was informed that they are required to serve fifteen years for an annual salary of three roubles, the government supplying them with rations of brown bread, and occasionally a little tea. Their chief food is fish, which they are required to catch for them- selves, but at Castries Bay they also have oysters : these are quite large and very good, I was told. The morning of the 12th of September did not dawn auspi- ciously for the commencement of our journey. Mount “Ar- bod,”* the barometer of the Alexandrofskians, was enveloped at its summit in a threatening cloud, a sure indication of bad weather, they say, and none had any hesitancy in predicting a wet ride for us to the lake. For this, however, we were well provided, having good rubber ponchos, and being also as- sured that by night we would reach Marinsk, on the Amoor, and find good comfortable quarters, such discomforts and in- conveniences as one day might produce did not deter us from making the start. The poor fellows plodding along with oui baggage would suffer most, but they started off ahead of us, as though such business was nothing new to them, and apparently glad of * Mount Arbod is a wooded peak 1500 feet high, lying just back of Al- exandrofski. It serves as a landmark to vessels wishing to enter Castries Bay. A CORDUROY ROAD. 75 the opportunity of breaking in upon the usual monotony of their life at the Bay. Our horses were much like those we saw in Kamtchatka — somewhat larger, if any thing, but their equipment was more complete and systematic, excepting the total absence of one saddle. Who would ride bare-back ? was then the question. The captain readily volunteered, though “ he didn’t go much on land navigation,” but he thought he could stand it for three hours, by which time we were told we would reach Tederovsk, the first lake station ; and, should he get tired, we could change about during the trip. About V o’clock we commenced our journey, following for a few minutes a narrow road, cut through the forest along a portion of the shore, which afforded a beautiful prospect of the Bay, and then dipped down into some low swamp land, traversed by the most dilapidated, wet, and slippery corduroy road I ever saw. By this time the heavens had opened their floodgates, and rain was falling in perfect torrents, making it impossible to keep dry even with rubbers. Our progress was necessarily slow on account of bad roads, and several times we had to dismount and lead our horses around through the swamp to avoid places where the road had been undermined, and the small logs of which it was composed misplaced or broken. Soon we emerged from the swamp and began the ascent of the “ Beregovoi Hills,” a densely wooded, gradual slope, hardly deserving the name of hills at this point, though. The soil consisted of a thick, sticky, yellow clay, and on the hill-sides the road had been very much damaged by heavy rains, affording the worst kind of travel for either man or beast. We had passed the soldiers on the road shortly after starting, and a truly forlorn, dilapidated, water-soaked party they were. Riding we found disagreeable enough, but when contrasting the comforts of our own position with those of the soldiers, we felt we had reason to congratulate ourselves. Our ride was slow and monotonous, occasionally relieved by the stumbling or slipping of a horse, or some of the cap- tain’s droll, nautical criticisms of the situation. He expressed himself decidedly opposed to deck passages on land or sea, especially so when there is nothing to prevent you from fall- 76 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. ing overboard; a number of timeshe narrowly escaped being “ shipwrecked” when his horse stumbled, and the continual slipping of his beast produced a “ ground swell” that he thought would “ stave in his counter, sure, before he could get into port.” The country traversed by this road is thickly wooded, mostly with larch, but we also saw a few aspens, spruce, pine, and birch-trees. The corduroy road extends nearly the whole distance to the lake, there being at intervals short stretches of hard road, over which we endeavored to make up for lost time by whipping up our horses, but, in spite of all we could do, six long and very wet hours rolled by before we caught a glimpse of the narrow, dismal-looking sheet of water known as Lake Kidzi, and set in a damp, gloomy framework of larch- trees. It was undoubtedly a dreary-looking place, but we first saw it under most unfavorable circumstances. The sheet at this point is about one mile in width, and the banks low and swampy, the only traces of man’s presence being the rickety corduroy road, and a most dilapidated, tum- ble-down-looking hovel, built at the water’s edge. This was “ Tederovsk,” the first station on the lake, but for several minutes we thought we had lost our road and wandered off to the fishing-hut of some dispirited, broken-down exile, who was anxious to get as far from the world and mankind as pos- sible. No one responded to our shouts, and the solitary small door of the hut was bolted from the outside. Had it not been for the vicious snapping and barking of a small cur that assailed our horses’ heels as we rode up, we would have thought the place abandoned. By this time all of us were perfectly wet and tired out, so much so that even the hovel was a welcome sight, and we had just resolved to take informal possession, when a small, box-like boat, containing two men, was seen approaching from the distance, while two other beings approached along the water’s edge. These last were evidently natives of the coun- try, and, from their appearance, were objects of a good deal of interest and curiosity to us, though by no means prepos- sessing in their looks, or calculated to inspire one with admi- ration. How to classify them we did not know, except as under the general-head of Tartars. THE GILAKS. 77 From small patches of skin that were in a few places visi- ble through the dirt in which they were clothed, we judged their complexion to be midway between those of the Chinese and the American Indians. Their features were decidedly Mongolian — almond-shaped eyes, flattish noses, and coarse black hair; but most prominent of all were their cheek-bones, which were exceedingly large, so much so as to completely obscure the rest of the face in profile view. They were a filthy-looking pair, clad in dirty, greasy skin garments, with naked feet and legs, and their long, coarse, uncombed hair, that had once been braided, hung down their backs in queues. That of the man (for both sexes were rep- resented) was arranged much like the “ tail” of a Chinaman, in a single braid, with the exception that no part of his head was shaven. The woman wore two braids, or what had once been such, since her hair, as well as that of her husband, was a perfect mass of tangle, and becoming more so every mo- ment through the energetic clawing and digging of several long, unwashed fingers. We would have experienced some little difficulty in decid- ing which was the man and which the woman had it not been for a long-stemmed pipe, with amber mouth-piece and minia- ture brass bowl, which the former smoked, while his fair part- ner carried a number of fine, large, freshly-caught fish. The pair were members of a tribe numbering about 8000 souls, called Gilaks, a branch of the Tungusians — so stated, though, as we afterward found, a very different people from the Tungusians whom we encountered in our journeys. The Gilaks were the original inhabitants of the country of the Lower Amoor at the time of the first visit of whites to that section, and for an unknown period previously. By this time the two boatmen had paddled up, and drawn their small scow upon the beach. They proved to be Rus- sian soldiers, and the keepers of the station ; and, as one of them was a native of the Baltic provinces and familiar with German, we had no difficulty in conversing through the cap- tain, who was himself of Teutonic origin. Having turned our horses over to the soldiers, who fast- ened them beneath a small straw-thatched shelter close by, followed by the Gilaks and several chickens, we found our 78 REINDEER , DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. way into a smoke -blackened apartment, lighted by a piece of fish-skin set in a small aperture in the log-walls. A large brick “ peachka” covered three fourths of the dirt floor of the room, upon the top of which was stored away a good supply of dried fish and wood drying for fuel. In two of the corners were narrow bunks covered with rags, very repulsive in ap- pearance, and in another corner was a small rude table and a couple of stools. As soon as she entered the apartment, the Gilak woman, out of deference to us, though in a very immodest manner, posted herself upon one of the beds, and began to attire her- self a little more decently, neglecting, however, either to wash herself or comb her hair ; but, poor thing, even what slight alterations she made in her appearance was a very difficult proceeding, since either one hand or the other was constant- ly employed answering the summons of innumerable creat- ure^, which, though invisible, were, to all appearances, by no means unfelt. Shortly our hosts joined us, and one of them very hospita- bly offered us of his larder, thinking us, no doubt, hungry after the long ride, as in fact we were ; but the appearance of the black, nondescript substance he offered us was suffi- cient to appease our appetites temporarily, and we excused ourselves on the plea that we did not wish to deprive him in the least, and that our own supplies were momentarily ex- pected. Often, during succeeding journeys, we were glad to avail ourselves of such fare, but, as yet, had not become ini- tiated into Siberian experiences sufficiently, consequently we preferred to nurse our appetites and await the arrival of our own, even at the expense of a little internal gnawing at those parts most affected by the absence of nourishment. GL 0 OMY PE OSPECTS. 79 CHAPTER IV. At Tederovsk. — Gloomy Prospects. — Route to Yevetevo Station. — Our Con- veyance. — Arrival of the Soldiers. — Off again. — Dismal. — Dangerous Po- sition. — Terra firma. — A Night Tramp along the Shores of the Lake. — Hard Traveling. — Darkness. — Exhaustion. — Wading the Lake. — Hope and Disappointment. — One more Effort. — The Signal. — The Boat. — Arrival at Yevetevo. — The Station. — Our Repast. — Cockroaches. — Appetites. — Dissatisfied Boatman. — Brick Tea. — Off for Ylademirsk. — The Scene. — Ylademirsk. — No Boat. — Russian Soldiers. — Obliging Officer. — The De- tail. — Barge. — Admirable Traits. — B oshniak. — Marinsk. — Gilak Lotka. — The Commandant. — Contrast. — Mr. Rosenheim. — Disappointment. — A Dilemma. — Extrication. — Poor Accommodations. — Russian Hospitality. — Indolent Males. — Brutality toward the Weaker Sex. — The Boat. — De- parture. — The Amoor. — Gilaks. — Habitations. — Subsistence. — Salmon. — Women Rowing. — Scenery of the Amoor. While delayed at Tederovsk by the non-arrival of the sol- diers with our supplies and baggage, time passed tediously enough. The dreary, dingy little hovel, together with our rapidly - increasing appetites, the gloomy weather outside, and a fear that our men might be so late in arriving as to necessitate our spending the night upon the dirt floor of the cabin, created a feeling of depression and ennui so strong as hardly to succumb even to the cheering and consoling influ- ences of our pipes and cigars. We stood it for three hours, at the end of which time, by dint of a good deal of persuading, our host produced a small, precious package of tea from some out-of-the-way crevice, and prepared for us a liberal allowance of that beverage. An hour later, at 5 P.M., the rain fell in torrents, and night began to settle rapidly over the cheerless landscape. It was six miles direct, by water, to the next station, and, in answer to our inquiries, we found that the only way of reaching that point was by means of the miserable little box-like craft we had seen on the lake. It was even questionable whether this craft was large enough to contain our party, to say nothing of the extra weight of baggage, and there was no means of computing the length of time likely to be consumed in mak- ing the passage. so REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. These discouraging circumstances had decided us to re- main over night, when the arrival of our baggage and the prospect of more comfortable lodgings at Yevetevo, the next station, induced us to continue our journey, notwithstanding the rain and darkness. The poor soldiers were entirely used up and saturated, but a good draught of their favorite beverage, diluted alcohol, and liberal compensation in Russian roubles, completely re- vived their spirits, and their fatigues and discomforts were soon entirely forgotten. One of them, who spoke German, we decided to take with us as interpreter until another could be obtained. A hasty but hearty lunch having been disposed of, but a few moments were consumed in transferring ourselves and baggage to the boat, and, ere long, we were being propelled at a snail’s pace by a pair of rude paddles in the hands of one of the station-keepers toward the middle of the lake. A small sail, about four feet square, had been hoisted, but, there being no wind as yet, this did not add any to our speed. Our boat was in itself quite a curiosity, and so poorly con- structed that a very slight movement to one side or the other would well-nigh capsize her. For this reason we, each of us, were allotted our particular locations, and great care was ob- served not to shift from them in the least. The boat was a shallow, flat-bottomed, square-sided structure, made of hewn boards, and so small that, when containing our party and bag- gage, with the boatman, her gunwales were not more than three inches above the water. Fortunately, the water was perfectly smooth, there being no wind, and, wishing to shorten the journey as much as possible, the craft was headed boldly for the middle of the lake. Rain still fell thick and fast, the heavy black cloud curtain overhead having the appearance of being inexhaustible, and the lowering shadows of nightfall portended any thing but an agreeable trip. After having gone about two miles and reached the middle of the lake, a light breeze sprang up from the north, rolling low waves toward our boat, every one of which dashed over her sides. Hats and every thing at hand were used in bailing, but to no effect. The water slowly gained upon us, and it became evident that if we continued A NIGHT TRAMP NEAR THE LAKE. 81 our course the boat would surely swamp. Now our only safety lay in reaching shore without delay, toward which the prow was turned, and in a few minutes we reached terra firma. A short consultation being held, we resolved to continue our journey, but in so doing it would be necessary to lighten the boat. To effect this, the captain, interpreter, and myself volunteered to walk, picking our way as best we could along the swampy shore, while Mahood and the boatman proceeded with the boat and baggage. It was nearly dark, and, follow- ing the shore-line, about ten miles intervened between us and our destination ; but we pushed on, little realizing the diffi- culty of the task before us. The low shore was very uneven, being cut up with small water-courses, forming innumerable hummocks, and strewn with half- buried logs, all of which were obscured by a rank growth of grass that reached above our shoulders in many places. The rain still fell fast, and the tall grass through which we had to wade had become so wet, that before proceeding one hundred yards we were perfectly drenched, our very clothing hanging about us like so much lead, and greatly impeding our progress. In spite of this inconvenience, and the logs and hummocks over which we were continually stumbling and plunging for- ward, we made tolerable headway for the first hour, skirting deep bays and indentures in the coast, and rounding point after point that jutted out into the water. There was no beach upon which to travel, but the swamp and bog reached away out into the waters of the lake. Soon the difficult traveling and repeated falls began to tell upon us, and by the time we had accomplished half the dis- tance we were so wearied that it was difficult to raise one foot after the other. The last vestige of daylight had entire- ly vanished, and night, clothed in her blackest robes, had en- veloped all nature in her sable gown. To see our way was impossible. We could not distinguish one another within arm’s reach, and only kept together by constantly calling and shouting. To add to the gloom, the rain began to fall still faster. A troop of blind men cast loose in a difficult, unknown country could hardly have been more helplessly situated. F 82 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. At length, completely overcome with exhaustion, we found it necessary to keep together, and to assist one another in ris- ing to his feet after falling, none of Us having strength to get up without assistance. The thick grass now became so mat- ted, and the bottom so uneven as to bar our farther progress altogether. At this stage, our only plan was to try wading in the lake, for which we headed, each holding the other by the hand. This was far preferable traveling to the other, since the bottom was more even, and we were already so sat- urated that the water was not objectionable. For another hour we managed to struggle forward, sometimes sinking to the waist in mud and water, and only being able to keep our course by noting the depth of the lake. Point after point was passed, each time with the expectation of catching a glimpse of the station lights ahead, but as often were our anxious expectations succeeded by disappointment. The jour- ney seemed interminable, and our strength had dwindled down to mere spasmodic plunges. Finally it lighted up a little, and we were enabled to distinguish another black cape about a mile ahead of us, just beyond which we felt sure the station lay, since we had been traveling upward of four hours, and must certainly have accomplished nine miles of the journey. Cheered by this hope, we exerted ourselves for this final stretch, and in three quarters of an hour’s time reached the point, but beyond the same unbroken sheet of darkness con- fronted us. We were too much exhausted to go farther, so threw our- selves down in the wet grass to spend the night, having nei- ther matches nor dry wood for making a fire. Just then hap- pening to think of my revolver, which I had managed to keep dry, in anticipation of meeting some of the bears that infest this region, and knowing that Mahood must have long since reached the station, I fired three shots in rapid succession as a signal of our wherabouts, hoping that he would hear them and send a boat to relieve us. The last flash had hardly vanished, and the echoing reports were scarcely smothered in the dingy forest across the lake, when three distinct shots were heard in reply, and half an hour afterward the measured dip of oars reached our ears. At the end of another half hour the glare of torches at the YE VETE VO. —PIPES AND TEA. 83 station came into view, and shortly afterward we were ush- ered by the station -keepers into a good, comfortable log building, containing three or four apartments, heated by huge peachkas. This was Yevetevo Station. A palace could not have been more acceptable. The oven door was thrown wide open, disclosing a large, cracking fire inside, lighting up the rude walls of the apartment with cheer- ful flashes. Our wet clothing was shortly removed, and then suspended about the room to dry, while fresh, warm garments were extracted fron* our satchels to replace them, by which time the hospitable keeper had brushed the cockroaches from a rude table, and spread an array of brimming tea-cups, ar- ranged systematically around a ten -pound loaf of brown bread, near which was an old-fashioned, gayly-figured china plate, containing about equal amounts of butter and be- smeared cockroaches. “ Did we eat ?” It would have done any one good to have seen us. Tea, bread, butter, and I don’t know but the cock- roaches too, were soon “things that were,” and, had it not been for our consideration for the keeper, he would certainly have found himself bankrupt in the provision line before morning. Those china cups were drained and filled, and drained and filled — well, I will not say how many times, for fear of being discredited ; but I know that when the repast was finished, I sat for some moments wrapped in perfect admiration and as- tonishment at my own capacity. Then came on pipes and tobacco. Would that some of those unappreciative, libelous individuals, who are continually decrying the use of tobacco, had been with us at this time. One whiff of the fragrant “ weary man’s comforter” would have sufficed to convince them of the error of their former notions, and I dare say that forever thereafter their tongues would have been silent on the subject of smoking. The night was passed very comfortably on beds of dry hay spread on the floor, as we were in condition to enjoy the poor- est accommodations. By daybreak all were astir, making preparations for the farther journey. From this point to tbe next lake station — Vladimirsk — we were to take another and better boat and a new boatman, a very acceptable change, since the last evening’s experience 84 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. had somewhat prejudiced us against foot journeys in this lo- cality. A nice dish ol fried trout and several cups of “brick” tea put us in perfect traveling trim, and by 6 A.M. we were once more on the way. We left the old boatman behind, grumbling, however. In spite of the little service he and his miserable craft had rendered us, his demands for payment were exorbitant, but he had to content himself with the ten months’ pay we hand- ed him upon leaving. “ Brick tea,” as it is called, constitutes almost the only bev- erage of these people, who are unable to afford better, and, though considered the most inferior quality, we found it very palatable. It consists of the small stems and coarser leaves of the tea-plant, which are first pulverized and then mixed with bullock’s blood to the consistency of a thick paste, and afterward baked or dried in hard, brick-shaped cakes, from which it derives its name. It becomes very hard, and has to be shaved off in powder as required for use. In our hurry, we had neglected to bring tea with us from the brig. The day was clear, mild, and surpassingly beautiful. Not a ripple disturbed the glassy surface of the lake, and the boundless forest of larch that hemmed in our vision stood as motionless as a forest on canvas. Nothing but our little craft, and an occasional hawk that plunged into the water after its prey, gave an appearance of life to the scene, until we had advanced a few miles and approached the northern bank of the lake, where several white storks and swans were seen, and shortly afterward, upon reaching a point where low mud banks succeeded the swampy shore, w T e started up hun- dreds of geese. It was a sight to make the eye of a sportsman sparkle with enthusiasm, to say nothing of the numbers of glittering fish that, from time to time, shot from the placid surface of the lake, wriggling joyously for an instant in the warm sunlight, and then falling back with a splash, scattering miniature rain- bows for feet around. It hardly seemed credible that this day and the previous one could have been the offspring of the same climate and country. At 10 o’clock we arrived at the third station, Vladimirsk. This, like the others, contained but one house, but this house VOYAGE ON THE LAKE. 85 was much larger and more comfortable than either of the previous ones, containing accommodation for about fifty sol- diers, who were stationed here at the time of our visit. None of them were about the place, however, and the ferryman was also absent with his boat, leaving us no means of prosecuting our journey farther, since our last boatman could not be pre- vailed upon to go beyond his allotted distance. The only other water-craft of any kind at the post was a large barge, drawn up high and dry on shore, and capable of carrying about thirty men. There was no wind for sailing, consequently we could make no use of this boat. About a half mile down the shore of the lake we could hear the axes of the soldiers, who, our boatman told us, were getting out logs to raft to Marinsk. With the view of ascertaining when the boatman would return, Mahood and the captain, with the interpreter, started to find them, and did not return until two hours afterward. The ferryman had gone to Marinsk, and might not return for two days, but the officer in command kindly offered us the use of the barge, and furnished nine men to row her, and by 1 o’clock we were once more under way, though making slow progress with the clumsy craft. At the stern of the boat was a large square platform, reach- ing out over the sides for the convenience of the helmsman in handling the awkward rudder, though in rowing no such space was required. We were hardly under way before Mahood and the captain lay on this, wrapped in their blank- ets, and lost in deep sleep. I found it sufficiently comforta- ble to recline back and enjoy the varying scene through light curls of smoke from a good cigar — now watching the mis- chievous pranks of some of the soldiers, and now musing upon the transformations this scene of wildness would in all probability undergo in future years. I tried to conceive of this forest being cut away, towns on this and that point of land, and every variety of craft plowing these "waters — the shrill whistles of steamers or locomotives echoed back from fields of waving corn, where now a frowning wilderness holds sway ; but invariably, just as the finishing touches were be- ing given to the imaginary scene, some of the soldiers would “ catch a crab” rowing, or something else transpire to oblit- erate it and divert my thoughts. 86 REINDEER , BOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. The soldiers were a jovial set, and appeared well satisfied with the lives allotted them by destiny. I could not but ob- serve and admire a strong brotherly feeling that existed among them ; not the slightest trace of selfishness could be detected in any of their actions, though there were abundant opportunities of showing it. The pipe, when lighted, passed to all, and even two small turnips (grown in the neighborhood) were equally divided among the whole party. Upon parting at the station they were as affectionate as so many school misses would have been ; had I not known better, I would have thought they were about to undergo a lifetime separation instead of one for two or three days. During this portion of our journey on the lake, which is about twenty-five miles in length, we passed a small rocky island called Boshniak, which is held sacred by the Gilaks. To this place the “ shamans” or “ medicine-men” of the tribe periodically resort for the purpose of carrying on their pagan rites, which in many respects resemble the ceremonies of our American Indians. About 5 o’clock we rounded a long point making out into the lake, and immediately afterward the town of Marinsk came into view, situated upon a low bluff upon the right shore. This town was established by Captain Revilskoi, in the year 1851, as a trading-post for the Russian American Company, and afterward became of considerable importance as a military post on account of its proximity to De Castries Bay. At first it was subject to invasions from the Chinese, and as a defense a number of earth-works were erected, but these are now no longer used, though a battalion of infantry occupies the town. The houses are all one-story log buildings, and are scattered for about a mile along the shore, presenting a very unimpos- ing appearance. The most prominent feature of the town is a small, neatly-designed and gayly-painted church, after the Oriental style of architecture, with domes and minarets : this building looked very pretty from the water, and there were also one or two very comfortable-looking residences, with handsomely-arranged gardens and graveled walks, that would have done credit to almost any place. MARIXSK. —HOSPITABLE RECEPTION. 87 All varieties of small boats, from the life-boat to the Gilak “ lotka” (canoe) were drawn up on the beach, in the midst of which lay a dirty, dingy-looking craft of much larger size, from which emerged a thin cloud of steam. This we rightly inferred to be one of the Amoor steamers ; for, though unbe- known to us at the time, we were now upon one of the more unfrequented channels of the mighty Amoor. Upon landing, we were guided to the residence of the com- mandant, his head-quarters being a very inferior log house, but, I am sorry to say, did not experience any undue amount of cordiality in the reception he gave us. For this we were unable to account ; and it was in such glaring contrast with the open-handed hospitality extended toward us every where else we went, that it appeared all the more striking. Shortly afterward we were introduced to Mr. Rosenheim, a resident merchant of the place, who insisted upon our abid- ing at his residence during our stay, at the same time volun- teering all the assistance in his power to enable us to reach Nikolay efsk, since weeks might elapse before the arrival of any of the steamers destined for that place. Two hundred miles of river navigation yet intervened be- tween us and our destination. This we would have to make in an open boat ; but then arose the difficulty of procuring a boat and rowers for so long a trip. Our first thought was of the Gilaks ; but, it being the fish- ing season, during which they lay in their winter supplies, we were informed that no price would induce them to ac- company us. Mr. Rosenheim had a large barge, which he willingly placed at our disposal, and, there being no other resource, we pre- sented our letters and applied to the commandant for five soldiers as rowers, which were reluctantly furnished us, so that we were enabled to continue our journey the following day. Such a thing as an inn is unknown in these towns, neither is there ever to be found much spare room, consequently the traveler generally has to put up with poor accommodations. Not unfrequently the host sacrifices his own comfort entirely to accommodate unexpected guests, as did Mr. Rosenheim ; or, rather, he wished to turn his whole family out of bed to accommodate us, but to this we would not listen, preferring 88 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. rather to sleep on the floor of his library, where the night was passed most comfortably. As we were making preparations for our departure the fol- lowing morning, nearly all the inhabitants of Marinsk were assembled at the beach to see us off. The men were out in full force, lazily lounging about and smoking, leaving the women to attend to the laborious duties not only of the house, but also to many of those duties which properly belong to the men, such as chopping wood and car- rying heavy buckets of water from the river to their homes, the river supplying the place with the only water the inhab- itants use. Large arms and waists showed that the latter had for a long time performed these heavy tasks to the relief of their indolent lords, and it was painful to look at them ; but when, a little later, we saw little girls with rounded shoulders, and pale, haggard, and care-worn countenances performing similar tasks, almost breaking their frail backs under heavy burdens, before the very eyes of the masculine brutes seated about, it appeared outrageous and criminal. Long intercourse with the heathen Gilaks had imbued the whites with some of their brutal customs. Mr. Rosenheim’s boat was well fitted for our purpose ; in fact, we could hardly have been better suited, as we were to be favored with a good current during the voyage, though for awkwardness of construction and unwieldiness the craft could hardly have been surpassed. Her chief excellence lay in her size, being about twenty-five feet long and six wide, and affording not only abundant room for sitting and storing our baggage, but also for sleeping. The afterpart had been partitioned off crosswise for con- veying goods. One of these spaces w T e filled with fresh hay upon which to sleep, as we anticipated drifting during nights ; and having provided one or two seats for the rowers, which were wanting, and procured a small mast for a sail improvised from two rubber blankets, we pushed from shore, amid a part- ing cheer from our new friends. A few lusty pulls with the clumsy oars carried us to the middle of the stream, when, striking the current and catching a breeze, the rubbers filled, and soon the last vestige of Marinsk was lost to view. THE AMOOJR.—GLLAK VILLAGES AND BOATS. 89 The Amoor was first discovered by the Russians in 1843. Among the Chinese we find records of the people inhabiting this section which date as far back as 1100 B.C. Probably as early as that date, or not much later, they also had a knowledge of the river. Having a length of more than 2400 miles, 1500 of which is navigable for steamers, and, together with its tributaries, draining 766,000 square miles of coun- try, the Amoor deservedly ranks as one of the greatest rivers of Asia. It affords nearly all varieties of climate and soil. This stream is said to be the only one upon earth upon whose banks animals indigenous to the arctic and torrid zones meet, for, strange as the fact may seem, here the rein- deer becomes a prey to the Bengal tiger, and the wild boar and badger range in the same latitudes with the Polar hare and glutton. The river at this point is nearly a mile in width, and flows through extensive plains of meadow-land burdened with a rank growth of tall grass, beyond which, on either hand, in the distance, faint blue hills limit the vision. Patches of woodland dot the plains, and, in many places, extend to the river-bank, where, beneath the thick clusters of foliage, the tasty though filthy Gilaks erect their picturesque habitations near the sandy beach. One of these we came upon shortly after leaving Marinsk. In front of each house, upon the beach, were drawn up their odd-shaped canoes, with elevated, fanci- fully-carved prows, and all along the shores we could see the bare-legged natives toiling at their long seines, and strewing the banks with hundreds of fine salmon, that glittered in the sunlight like heaps of silver. These fish are afterward split, and suspended on light poles under bark or straw-covered shelters to dry, where they remain until required for use, they being here, as in Kamtchatka, intended for the suste- nance of both men and dogs during the long winter months. Fish and berries, with the bark and roots of various trees, constitute almost the only food of the inhabitants, and, though many of the more hardy vegetables could be had at the expense of a little toil, they content themselves with the food that Nature showers upon them. The river at certain seasons of the year is literally alive with salmon, and so little effort is required to capture them 90 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. that they are considered almost valueless. Fish that would adorn banquets in many places are here thrown to the dogs by hundreds. GILAK LOTKA AND VILLAGE. Now and then we encountered “lotkas,” or canoes, glid- ing from shore to shore, almost invariably propelled by the women, who handled the short carved paddles with a skill and grace really to be admired. They use the paddles much as we do oars, but make the strokes alternately, allowing one to trail along the side of the craft while the stroke is being made with the other. The men display equally as great skill in the management of the boat, though their duty is compar- atively light, being simply to sit in the stern of the craft and guide it with a light paddle, in the mean while smoking their long -stemmed pipes with small brass bowls and enormous amber mouth-pieces. Once fairly under way, sweeping rapidly forward toward the sea with the vast volume of waters, we resigned our craft to the will of the elements, and settled back upon our hay SAILING DOWN THE AJIOOH. 91 mattress to a full and quiet enjoyment of the ever-varying panorama of the shores. The day was unsurpassable, and our craft, clumsy though she was, aided by a four-knot cur- rent and a strong, though agreeably-tempered breeze, glided so swiftly forward that we barely had time to examine the features disclosed by the flight of one bend before others were ushered upon our view, each, if possible, surpassing the last in beauty. Islands, rocks, villages, forests, and plains all swept by in panoramic rotation, radiant in the warm sun- light, and the majestic stream gleamed in the reflected rays like a mass of liquid silver, upon the bosom of which our boat shot forward, impelled by the eagerness of the waters, which, though nurtured in a hundred different climes, here unite their strength for the accomplishment of their one sole purpose — to rejoin the mother element. These scenes we enjoyed with as little expense of comfort as would have been required to witness the same on canvas in one of our best-arranged home opera-houses. 92 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. CHAPTER Y. Kada. — Irkoutsk. — Post-station. — Horses, Cows, etc. — Freshets. — Old Pole’s Misfortune. — Improvidence. — Neatness. — American Appetites. — A Passenger. — Primitive Plow, Anchors, etc. — Departure. — Perfection of Traveling. — Summer Eve on the Amoor. — Our Soldier Boatmen. — Music. — Reticent Soldier. — Mystery solved. — Storm. — Lightning and Gale. — Darkness. — Search for Land. — Unpleasant Prospects. — Shelter. — Fishing Camp. — Unwelcome Sight. — Spirits at Zero. — The Hut. — Russian Hospi- tality again. — A commendable Trait. — A Night’s Experience. — The Fat Captain. — Poor Mahood. — Indignation. — Off again, — Scenery. — Gilak Hats. — Mikhaelofski. — Highlands. — Gilaks Fishing. — Tartar Monuments, etc. — Gilak Settlement. — Camp-fire. — Gilak Endurance. — Clothing. — Su- perstitions. — Religion. — Shamans. — F uneral Rites. — Barbarity. — Murder and Punishment. — Weapons. — Habitations — Good Natures. — Curiosity. — Invoking the Gods. — Drifting. — Drowsy Crew. — On Shore. — Gilak Tab- leaux. — Storks. — Grampuses. — Steamer. — Shipping. — Nikolayefsk. — Seines and Traps. Owing to repairs necessary to the boat, our departure from Marinsk had been delayed until the hour of 10 A.M., since which time the beautiful and ever-varying landscape, together with the consciousness of our position and whereabouts, had so occupied our thoughts and attention as to make us obliv- ious to the passing hours. At 1 o’clock we sailed by the small Russian settlement of Kada, twenty-five versts below Marinsk, where we were strongly tempted to land and try to appease our appetites ; but the glowing description given us by our latest friends of the advantages possessed by Irkoutsk (farther down) as a place for supplying the wants of the hungry traveler, induced us to martyrize ourselves for a while longer in anticipation of reaching that point. We would gladly have avoided this disagreeable episode of the morning’s journey — hunger — and lent our entire thoughts to outside matters, but found the outer and inner man too closely allied to admit of an enjoyment of the one unalloyed by the cravings of the other ; consequently, our approach to Irkoutsk after a six hours’ sail was hailed with joy. From the river we could see no trace of the settlement, and IRKOUTSK POST-STATION. should undoubtedly have passed it had we attempted the jour- ney alone, as we at one time thought of doing. Under the guidance of one of our soldiers, who happened to be familiar with this portion of the river, we left the main stream alto- gether, and, entering a narrow channel-way, for half an hour wound through a vast meadow of tall grass, making what ap- peared to be a complete circle, when we suddenly came into view of a comfortable farm-like establishment, surrounded with barns and hay-stacks. Numbers of horses, cows, and chickens welcomed our arrival, each in his own peculiar way, while visions of fresh milk and eggs whetted our long-nursed appetites. Our men were but a short time in starting a fire on the beach and beginning the preparations for their meal, during which time we found our way to the station building. This we found to be kept by an old Pole, employed by government for the purpose. Irkoutsk, so called after the capital of Eastern Siberia, com- prises but little more than the house and barns of the keeper, being intended merely as a relay station for changing horses during winter journeys up and down the frozen river. The station is supported at government expense, though the pro- prietor owns all the horses, for the use of which he receives annually two hundred roubles. The house was a well-built structure of logs, comfortable and roomy, but that which most attracted our attention was a display of taste and cleanliness that we had hitherto found disagreeably deficient among the humbler classes. Here every thing was in its place, and even the rude floor w r as bleached, from the careful and frequent scrubbings it re- ceived. The surrounding country is eminently fitted for the support of such a station on account of the unlimited yield of splendid hay, the plain’s produce. Thousands of horses and cattle could be reared at very small expense. Notwith- standing these advantages, the place has its drawbacks in the overflowings of the Amoor, which occur from time to time, often doing much damage by sweeping off the stacks of hay cut for winter use. Upon congratulating our old host upon the air of prosperity and happiness his place displayed, he shook his head mournfully, and entered into a long account 94 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. of one of these freshets which had taken place but two years before, and well-nigh ruined him. At that time the river rose to an almost unprecedented height. The neighboring country was a vast lake, over which the accumulated waters swept wdth such force as to carry every thing before them. Much of the old man’s stock was swept away, and the remainder only saved by driving it to the hills. This loss was very heavy for him, but immediately afterward the long winter came on, and his hay having been carried off, nearly all the remainder of his horses and cattle died from starvation, leaving him insufficient to supply the demands of the post, and without means to procure others. By industry and economy, however, he told us he had man- aged to struggle onward, and at the time of our visit was just beginning to recover his former condition of prosperity and independence. Notwithstanding a recurrence of the freshet may be annu- ally expected, a surprising want of foresight in the old man prevented him from placing his stacks beyond high-water reach. Such improvidence we afterward found exhibited throughout the country, but in this case it appeared more glaring, since the recent disaster was so fresh in the station- keeper’s mind that he could not speak of it without weeping. Fortunately, as it proved, we had an excellent antidote for tears at hand, a good quaff of which soon restored him to good humor. We barely had time to make known our wishes after enter- ing the house before the housewife, a large, healthy woman with teeth like pearls, and her whole countenance radiant with smiles, began to bustle about in the preparation of our meal. This, when completed, fully realized our anticipations. The gusto with which we assailed the fresh milk, eggs, baked salmon, etc., produced an ill-concealed expression of astonish- ment on the countenances of all present ; and there were quite a good many of them, for the whole population of the place had assembled to see the Americans. I dare say at that place, if no other, American appetites have become proverbial, though the inhabitants themselves are by no means small eaters. From this place we intended traveling all night, drifting MILITARY BOATMEN. 95 with the current, hoping to reach the small Russian settle- ment of Mikhaelofski by morning. For this town we were soon headed, having a small son of our host on board as a passenger for the night. While at Irkoutsk we were all much interested in a curious specimen of a plow, such as is generally used by the inhabit- ants on this part of the river. The whole structure is^of wood (there not being a particle of metal in its construction), and is formed of the natural bends and limbs of trees lashed together with thongs of leather. Boat anchors are made in the same manner, small sharp- ened limbs answering the purpose of flukes. To give these weight, they are lashed around heavy stones. This last, how- ever, is an invention of the Gilaks. Just after sunset we again struck up the river, and, hoist- ing our rubber sails, sped along, with the assistance of the current, at a seven-knot rate. This portion of our journey was perfectly delightful. The evening was warm and beautiful as we entered the river, the western heavens still retaining a faint glimmer of the rose and orange hues of the setting sun, while overhead a few stray stars were beginning to sparkle in their azure setting. Darkness was fast creeping on, and already upon the river banks objects had begun to lose their individuality, and were by degrees blending together, forming long, dark, indistinct lines, denoting the river limits. A brisk but warm summer breeze filled the sail and helped us on our way, making it unnecessary to row. All hands gave themselves up to en- joyment and comfort, each in his own way, and the progress of our craft w~as trusted to the wind and currents. Our blankets had been spread over a thick layer of hay, making a couch comfortable under any circumstances. Upon* these we reclined, enjoying our after-dinner smoke and listen- ing to the melodious Russian airs of our soldier -boatmen, whose sweet voices sounded doubly musical in the night air. From time to time, as we were sweeping onward, their songs would be answered from some obscure habitation on the shore, the faint notes reaching us blended together in a con- tinuous strain of harmony, and mingled with echoes whis- pered back from some distant cliff, while at others they 96 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. would awaken an unearthly chorus from the troops of wild dogs at some Gilak settlement near by. These people are # all great lovers of music. They might, in fact, he called a musical nation, though their taste and ability for it is not at all surprising, since both boys and girls almost from infancy are taught to sing. Nearly all their games and amusements are combined with song, and even in dancing they rely much upon the voice for preserv- ing time. Upon this occasion, however, one of our soldiers seemed to be in no mood for singing, preferring rather to squeeze as far forward as possible into the bow of the boat with our little passenger, and there indulge in a lengthy 'whispered conversation. He seemed perfectly oblivious to every thing and every body but his companion. Upon our calling to him to sing, he stammered out some excuse in Russian which we could not understand, and, after casting a sheepish kind of glance around at his companions, continued his conversation. His apparent reticence somewhat astonished us, but just then our helmsman leaned forward and whispered, “The boy has a pretty sister.” This explained all, and, not knowing but that one or more of us might some day desire the intercession of a favorite brother, we left him undisturbed in his novel love- making. During the first hour’s sail from Irkoutsk we enjoyed the perfection of traveling, but then a complete, sudden change took place. Heavy black clouds rolled up from the west, obscuring the heavens, and a darkness settled over the coun- try that was almost tangible. Lurid flashes of lightning darted from the threatening masses, and we had barely time to roll up our blankets and cover ourselves and baggage with rubber ponchos before the storm broke upon us in all its fury, nearly deluging the boat with a torrent of rain. In an incred- ibly short space of time the wind had increased to a gale, splashing the waves over the clumsy sides of our boat, and strewing the black surface of the river w T ith white caps, that gleamed in the pale flashes like so many phantoms. At the outset we had been obliged to lower the sail to avoid cap- sizing. The lightning continued but a few minutes, however, and, NIGHT- ST OEM.— CLOSE QUAETEES. 97 after the last flash, we found ourselves hemmed in as if by an ebony wall. We could not even distinguish one another in the darkness, much less see to guide .the boat, which was abandoned to her own course. In this manner we drifted for nearly two hours, hoping that the storm would pass over, that we might continue our journey during the night. Such good fortune was not reserved for us, and at length we were constrained to take to the oars and endeavor to find shore, with whatever accommodations it might afford, since our boat was momentarily in danger of being swamped. We hardly dared hope for other shelter than some rock or tree, as our boatman informed us there were no habitations within miles of our supposed whereabouts. At length a grating sound and noise made by one of the men falling backward off his seat proclaimed the presence of land, but what was still more welcome was the barking of a dog a few hundred yards distant, a sure indication of some habitation, whether Gilak or Russian we were not par- ticular. Our shouts were soon answered by the glare of a torch which suddenly broke upon the darkness, serving as a guide to direct our steps to a bark habitation, a small por- tion of which, lighted up by the blaze, we could indistinctly see through the falling rain-drops. This proved to be the camp of a party of Russian soldiers temporarily stationed here for the purpose of laying in a winter supply of salmon. Following the guidance of the torchman, we dodged into a low doorway, when a sight met our gaze which caused our spirits once more to sink to zero. The small inclosure, 8x12 feet, was literally jammed. A row of rude, narrow bunks, ranged on either side, completely filled the space, with the exception of a cramped passage-way leading through the centre, and each bunk, though large enough to accommodate but one person comfortably, was occupied by two soldiers. The hut itself was built entirely of bark tacked to a light frame of poles, but afforded only partial shelter from the wind and rains without, owing to carelessness of construc- tion and natural imperfections in the bark. Scarcely had we made ourselves known wdien several of the soldiers, verifying the previous statements of Russian hospitality, tendered us their beds. But to accept their gen- G 98 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. erous offer and turn them out of doors on such a night would have been simply outrageous, and we directed our steps out into the storm once more to find other shelter, but failed. When, at length, some of the soldiers assured us that if we would accept their berths, they could find shelter for them- selves and our men at a neighboring encampment, we gladly availed ourselves of their offer, deciding, however, to occupy but one berth, in order not to discommode them too much. Our little passenger had no difficulty whatever in securing nestling room between two of the soldiers, probably also as- pirants for the honor of becoming a brother-in-law. Disregard of one’s own comfort to contribute to that of others is one of the most commendable of human traits, in my opinion, particularly so in cases where one’s self is the recipient and not the loser. I at one time thought, however, that it was better to give than receive ; but, upon the very few occasions in which I put into practice this maxim, I found my supposed generosity received with such indiffer- ence and as a matter-of-course-edness, that I desisted from it afterward, except upon special occasions. This night in the soldiers’ hut was one of those special occasions. Sleeping three a-bed in a narrow bunk, with scant, narrow cover, of course the middle place is most desirable, particu- larly when the outside sleepers are exposed to a cold wind and rain. The bunk stood against the miserable bark parti- tion or wall of the hut, through which the wind howled all night, and the heavy rain-drops, dashing against the outside, splashed through the knot-holes and cranks in a perfect spray. Though aware of this fact, I volunteered to sleep next the wall, and took pains to lie on my side and breathe as little as possible, so as not to occupy too much space. The captain, a great, fat, Dutch sea-captain, and weighing about one hundred and ninety pounds, occupied the middle, while Mahood, by bracing one foot against the bunk opposite, managed to keep on the front of the bed. The torch was barely extinguished when a deep snore, like a peal of distant thunder, issued from the captain’s throat, and he rolled heavily upon his back, nearly forcing me through the bark wall by the unexpected change of position. To re- monstrate was useless ; the Furies could not have awakened MIKHAEL OF SKI. him. For many long, sleepless hours I lay, assailed on one side by the cold wind and splashing rain-drops, and on the other sustaining the huge corpus of my neighbor. By de- grees the covering vanished, in spite of importunities to my bed-fellows for a little mercy. When at length day dawned, it was a joyous moment, notwithstanding my clothing was perfectly saturated and myself speechless from hoarseness. Mahood was but little better off, having been obliged to lie awake all night to retain his position in bed. Poor fellow ! I could have pitied him, but there was no room in either of our feelings for any other emotion than that of indignation when we discovered the cause of our discomforts. There lay the captain flat upon his back, completely enveloped from head to foot in every bit of the covering, as compactly as an Egyptian mummy. To aggravate us all the more, his first utterance upon opening his eyes was, “Well! these accom- modations are not so bad, after all; I don’t know when I slept better.” We didn’t deign to answer him. The morning was clear, with a good breeze. Our soldiers constructed a larger and better sail from an old army blanket and several bags, and by seven o’clock we had gone several versts. The scenery was much the same as that of the day before — the banks dotted with small Russian and Gilak settlements. I could not help admiring the taste displayed by many of these Gilaks whom we passed in the manufacture of their hats. They are made of birch-bark, shaped like a low, broad cone, the outside covered with beautiful scroll-work figures cut from stained bark. At 1 2 o’clock we arrived at Mikhaelofski, having made the distance of sixty-five versts in six hours. The country ad- joining this place is more cultivated than any we had seen upon the river. We noticed several fields of grain on the hill-sides cut and stacked, ready to be hauled off. Mikhaelofski contains about three hundred inhabitants, and is composed of quite large, comfortable houses standing in a row facing the river, opposite which, sloping down to the water’s edge, were garden patches, growing potatoes, turnips, cabbage, and other of the more hardy vegetables. Here we stopped for dinner at one of the residences, and were very 100 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. MXKHAELOFSKI. agreeably entertained during our short stay by the lady of the house and her daughter, recently graduated at a young ladies’ seminary at Nikolayefsk. Shortly after leaving Mikhaelofski we were overtaken by another storm, making it necessary to lower the sail, but it was of short duration. Light showers continued to fall during the afternoon, however. At this point the ranges of moun- tains — before seen in the distance — on both banks approach the river, rising abruptly from the water’s edge, and resem- bling very much the Highlands of the Hudson. We could easily have imagined ourselves sailing down that river had it not been for a picturesque Gilak village nestled under the cliff, with its group of natives in fancy lotkas and birch hats, hauling a seine. Just as we were passing they captured sev- eral hundred splashing victims from the river. After passing the highlands it cleared up and the wind died out, when we put our men at the oars. At sunset we passed an uninviting little settlement upon the right bank, distant about one hun- dred and forty-three versts from Nikolayefsk, but pushed on, as we were desirous of reaching that place the next day — Saturday — if possible. A GILAK SETTLEMENT. 101 At dark threatening clouds hung overhead, and we saw flashes of lightning on the horizon, which rather portended a repetition of our experience of the night before, but fortu- nately the storm passed in another direction. It was, how- ever, very dark sailing under the high banks and bluffs that border the river at this point. On one of these bluffs are the remains of an ancient temple, and three Tartar monuments covered with inscriptions. We would have liked very much to lay over and visit them, but had not the time to spare. Mr. Collins, in his “Voyage down the Amoor,” gives a minute description of these relics. As we were passing near the cliff on which our men told us the monuments stand, we were greeted from the darkness by an almost unearthly chorus of how ling, barking, and yelp- ing, as though the entrance to the realms of Pluto was at hand, and all the Furies loose. The night was so still and dark that we could easily have imagined the sounds coming from ten thousand invisible throats in the air immediately about us, but, not possessing very superstitious tempera- ments, we readily concluded that it must be a Gilak settle- ment. Since it was our intention to row and drift all night, and it being a little cool, we decided to head for shore, to prepare tea as soon as we should get beyond this settlement. Direct- ing our craft for the dark cliff, we soon brought up on land, and our men, after feeling around in the darkness for some minutes, gathered up a few dry sticks and started a fire. This was a signal for a new chorus, as we had landed just in front of another village, and in a few moments our party was surrounded by a troop of half-naked men, women, and chil- dren, while scores of hungry-looking dogs darted through the firelight on all sides. The night was cold enough to require an overcoat, but these natives were without hats, and had no covering for their feet and legs. Their bodies were protected simply by a loose skin gown, open in front, and, to all appearances, no protection whatever. The Gilaks are a very superstitious, pagan people, worship- ing idols of wood and stone as of old, though many of them have been baptized into the Greek Church, and wear small 102 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW- SHOES. metal crosses suspended about their necks. They have their priests, or “ shamans,” who conduct all their ceremonies and are the advisers of the communities. These shamans are supposed by them to be gifted with supernatural powers, and are held in great awe and reverence. Their funeral rites are sometimes quite impressive. The remains are first burned, and afterward a small wooden house or tomb is erected over the ashes. At death the soul is sup- posed to take up its abode in the favorite dog of the deceased, where it remains until released from its confinement by the death of the animal. To facilitate its escape, it has become customary to sacrifice the dog at the tomb of its master, the creature being first fattened for the occasion. Among other superstitious notions, the Gilaks will not al- low a particle of fire to be taken from their habitations, not even in a pipe. A violation of this custom they firmly be- lieve will be the occasion of some great disaster — either a complete failure in fishing or in the chase, or the death or serious accident to some near relative or dear friend. But not all their superstitions are as harmless and inoffen- sive as this. Some are perfectly barbarous. For instance, dur- ing parturition, whether in winter or summer, the unfortunate mother is ejected from her habitation — thrust out of doors, exposed to the inclemency of the weather, there to provide for herself as best she may, solitary and ignored, until a cer- tain period shall have elapsed. During this time every pos- sible assistance is denied her, it being considered almost crim- inal to lend her the slightest attention, and, as a natural con- sequence, death often ensues. Their dogs are much more ten- derly cared for, they, at least, being allowed shelter. Murder is not an uncommon occurrence among these peo- ple, being often committed upon the slightest provocation. They are governed by no established laws except those dic- tated by superstition, which differ in different localities. A murderer is usually punished by the friends of the deceased, who are bound in some manner to avenge his death, general- ly by counter-murder. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is their notion of justice. Formerly bows and spears were their only weapons, but of late these, the bow especially, have been discarded for G1LAK CUSTOMS. 103 small-bored flint-lock guns, which they procure in trade from the Russians. Their habitations differ somewhat in their construction. Many of them are erected on posts several feet above the ground, and are surrounded by a platform, upon which they stow away their sleds, nets, weapons, etc. These platforms are reached by rude steps cut in a log. Many of their houses are heated by a fire in the centre of the room, the bunks for sleeping ranged around the sides, and a square hole in the roof for the smoke to escape through, while others have the fire in a kind of oven in one corner, the smoke and heat being conducted entirely around the room, under the bunks, before escaping from the chimney. This is in order to heat their beds during the winter. Sus- pended to the rafters overhead they frequently have hun- dreds of salmon curing in the dense smoke. This is called “ukale” by the Russians, and, when carefully prepared — “and you know the woman as made ’em,” as Sam Weller said of veal pies — are quite palatable. While preparing tea our soldiers were constantly joking and poking fun at the group around us, who laughed and seemed to enjoy the tricks as much as we did. On learning that we were Americans, they became exceed- ingly curious, and watched our motions with the greatest in- terest. The buttons on our uniforms were minutely exam- ined, as was every thing connected with our dress, though the inspection was carried on in a quiet, inoffensive manner. While here, our attention was attracted by a curious noise from some settlement far up the river, sounding like the beat- ing of a bass-drum. This, upon inquiry, we learned to be a party of Gilaks invoking the spirits to attend them and crown their efforts in fishing with success. We once more pushed out in the dark, and, having given our men instructions to let the boat drift with the current, retired to our blankets, and were soon lost in blissful repose, oblivious to all that was transpiring. In the night we drift- ed ashore, and, upon awaking at daylight, found our mast caught in a cluster of overhanging willows on the river bank. Having aroused the men and put them at the oars, we once more lay down, but in an hour’s time, upon again awaking, we found the boat drifting down stream stern-foremost, and 104 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. all the men — helmsman and rowers — sitting at their posts sound asleep. At 6 o’clock we went ashore near a Gilak settlement to make tea, and were soon surrounded by a group similar to the one of the night before. They wandered barefooted over the jagged stones on the beach as though their feet were soled with iron, while the cold seemed to have no effect on them whatever. Some of them presented a very amusing tableau as we pushed from shore. Near our fire was an old ARRIVAL AT NIKOLAYEFSK. 105 stump of driftwood about six feet long, on which six of them sat, with their feet drawn up under their bodies, their heads resting on their hands, and their elbows on their knees. In the group was an old gray-headed man, the patriarch of the village ; and from him down, in both sexes, to a little boy hardly old enough to walk, who, however, imitated the atti- tude of the others with the greatest precision. I would not have believed it possible to roost so many humans on a log of that size, had I not seen it done. During the day we saw several white storks wading near the beach, but we were unable to get within gun range of them. Numbers of grampuses, or “bielugas” of the Rus- sians, white, and about twenty-five feet long, were constantly rolling out of the water, spouting like whales. They ascend these large rivers in search of salmon, upon which they sub- sist. Their young, numbers of which we also saw, are nearly black. After passing through a variety of scenery — hay- meadows and highlands, interspersed with settlements — at 4 o’clock P.M. we came in sight of the shipping anchored in the river opposite Nikolay efsk. Here we met a small steamer slowly making its way against the current, with two large barges in tow, and passed another barge heavily laden with hay, drifting down. The left shore is a continuous meadow, on which thousands of tons of hay were ready stacked for use; and on the right extended an abrupt range of hills, along the base of which ran the De Castries telegraph line, which we had traced for many miles. As we neared the town the edge of the river was lined with seines and fish-traps, suggestive of the diet awaiting us, and proclaiming either the scarcity of other food, or the particular fondness of the inhabitants for this. 106 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. CHAPTER VL Nikolayefsk. — Origin. — Location. — Fortifications. — Appearance. — Gilak En- campments. — Church and Chancellerie. — Drays. — Mr. Chase. — American Assemblage. — Surprise. — Prasniks or Holidays. — His Excellency Admiral Kazakevitch. — Suspension of Labor. — Difficulties of Building. — Church Services. — Intoxication. — Laf kas. — Population. — F oreign Merchants. — Guilds. — Starastas. — Houses. — Port Buildings. — Machinery. — F oundry. — Messrs. Barr, Woods, and Elliott. — Barracks. — Club-rooms. — Mails. — Newspaper. — Schools. — Park. — Band. — Amusing Manner of Organizing. — Trades. — Arrival of Admiral Furruhelm. — Reception. — Parades. — Ban- quet. — Toasts. — Tossing the Governor. — Distinguished Honor. — Ball. — Ladies Vanish. — Musketry. — Disconsolate Males. — Dearth of Information. . — Captains Lindholm and Swartz. — Orell Lake. — Solavaoff. — Tungusians. — Rewards. — Yakov. — Discouraging Assurances. — The Gonets. — Our So- journ. — F riends. — V aluable A ssistance. Nikolayefsk, named after the Czar Nicholas, was founded by Captain Nevilskoi in the year 1851, as a trading post for the Russian American Company, but it was not until during the year 1854, when the troops and munitions of war were removed from Kamtchatka to this place, that it became of much importance. The town is situated upon a plateau upon the left or northern bank of the Amoor, about twenty-two miles above the Liman or Gulf. The river at this point is a mile and a quarter in width, having a current of about four knots, but is shoal on the side next the town — so much so that large vessels are unable to approach the wharves. Op- posite the town, upon an island, is erected a fort mounting twenty-four guns and mortars, called Fort Constantine. This commands the approaches to the place from above, while be- low it is guarded by three other fortifications. The nearest of these, Fort Nicholas, is situated upon a point of land at the lower end of the town, and commands the immediate harbor, while the others are situated one of them four miles below the town on the opposite shore, and the other at Point “ Chnyrrakh,” about ten miles above the mouth of the river. The appearance of the town, as we approached, somewhat disappointed our expectations, notwithstanding we had made NIKOLA TEFSK. 107 allowances for its newness. A row of one-story log buildings sprinkled along the river bank, backed by a dingy -looking forest of conifers of small size, disclosing in their midst a small church surmounted with a dome, were all that present- ed themselves to view from the river, though, upon closer in- spection, the air of bustle that prevails, together with num- bers of small water-craft plowing about the wharves, and the groups of men upon shore, somewhat revived our interest. Shortly after passing Fort Constantine, our helmsman steered for the lower of two log wharves jutting for some distance out into the stream, which we reached just before dark. The beach was literally lined with Gilak lotkas laden with fine freshly-caught salmon, and all along at the foot of the plateau were their encampments, of every conceivable style, presenting very curious and picturesque groups. Some were small, rude bark shelters, barely large enough to hold two persons, while others were formed of canoes inverted in such a manner as to form roofs. In addition to these were many others, in which no kind of shelter was used whatever, consisting merely of large camp-fires, about which the na- tives — men, women, and children — were assembled prepar- ing their evening meals. A good road, leading to the plateau above, winds along the side of the bluff, following which we soon found our- selves in the main street or thoroughfare of the town. This street extends along the river bank for nearly two miles, and is bordered with narrow board sidewalks. Directly in front of us stood the church, rather more imposing upon nearer in- spection, situated in an open square, just back of which were the chancellerie buildings — a one -story group of logs, sur- mounted with a signal-staff for signaling vessels lying in the stream. Numbers of officers and gray-coated soldiers were prom- enading up and down the walks, enjoying the mild evening air, and, notwithstanding the lateness of the hour, men with small drays laden with hay, drawn by diminutive horses, continually passed, the poor little beasts nearly quailing be- neath the volleys of Russian oaths showered upon them by their remorseless drivers. Such life and activity we were not prepared to meet so far from the world, though the long, 10S REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. leisurely strides and expansive waists of the officers whom we saw proclaimed theirs to be any thing but an arduous life. As already stated, we had brought with us from Kamt- chatka letters to Mr. Chase, acting commercial agent of the United States, to whose residence one of our soldiers guided us. His is one of the ornamental buildings of the place, be- ing clapboarded, and is situated-adjoining the church square. Greatly to our surprise, upon entering the well-furnished apartments, we found ourselves in the midst of quite an as- semblage of American gentlemen, engaged in the mercantile business in the town. These gentlemen were expecting us, having that day received the dispatch we had forwarded from De Castries by telegraph five days previously. The familiar sound of our own tongue made us, for the time be- ing, forgetful of our whereabouts, and but a few moments sufficed to put us upon terms of perfect familiarity, so great was the relief of finding one’s own kind in the world of strangeness that had every where confronted us since leav- ing the Olga. What with inquiries from our new friends concerning America, mixed with information relating to those portions of the country we were about to traverse, the evening was soon passed, and we retired, preparatory to the commence- ment of our arrangements on the following day for our win- ter explorations. The next day, Sunday, being a “ prasnik,” or holiday, and one suitable for calling, we first of all paid our respects to his excellency Admiral Kazakevitch, the governor of the sea-coast provinces of Eastern Siberia, Mr. Chase kindly ac- companying us as interpreter. His excellency, a fine-look- ing old gentleman of very dignified demeanor, but, withal, very sociable and pleasant, received us most cordially, and expressed the greatest interest in our enterprise, offering every possible assistance during his short stay, since he was in daily expectation of the arrival of Admiral Furruhelm, the newly -appointed governor, who was soon to succeed him. He kindly placed at our disposal all reports or charts in the chancellerie that might throw any light upon the country we wished to explore, but, upon searching afterward, we could HOLIDAYS.— MERCANTILE GUILDS. 109 find nothing that would be of the least assistance to us, the country lying between the Amoor and Okhotsk, and adjacent to the Okhotsk Sea, which we would first traverse, being at that time terra incognita. Upon prasniks all work is suspended, each and every one giving himself up to enjoyment. Morning service is usually held in the church, and in the afternoon the lower classes cel- ebrate the day by getting drunk on diluted alcohol, often re- maining in that delectable condition for days. These pras- niks not only include Sundays, but all the saints’ days, be- sides the birth-days and death-days of every body of note, consequently nearly two thirds of the year are consumed by them. In some weeks there are no less than eight prasniks, two sometimes falling upon the same day. Among the foreigners we found much complaining of the frequency of these holidays, and the consequent suspension of work. By them it is considered a lifetime undertaking to have a house erected, and even so small a matter as the build- ing or repairing of a heating-oven has been known to occupy five weeks. Nikolayefsk contains a population of about five thousand souls, chiefly military and convicts. But few ladies, compar- atively, reside in the place. A number of foreign mercantile houses are represented, among others several from our own country, the proprietors of which live in a style hardly to be expected in this portion of the globe, indulging in all the lux- uries and comforts that their ships can convey, and these we found to be not a few. As in Russia proper, the mercantile population is divided into grades or “ guilds,” as they are called, each grade being regulated by the amount of capital employed. The first class are required to represent a capital of thirty thousand roubles, and pay a certain guild for the privilege of trading. To this grade belong all the foreign merchants, who are entitled to all the rights of citizenship, and are required to serve as “ starasta,” or mayor, if elected to that position. The staras- ta is usually chosen from the first guild merchants, to look to the interests of the mercantile class. At the time of our visit, Mr. Luhdorf, a Hamburg gentleman, occupied that po- sition. The foreigners represent the majority of the capital 110 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. of the place, and have to contribute largely to all public im- provements. “ Vodki” or alcohol, together with other spirituous liquors, cigars, tea, sugar, flour, and salt are the chief articles of trade, especially the former, of which immense quantities are con- sumed. There are at present in town no less than seventy- five “lafkas,” or places where liquor is sold, and drunken- ness may be seen at almost any time on the streets. The houses are generally large and comfortable, and, with two or three exceptions, constructed of logs, the better class of them being neatly papered, and well furnished and car- peted. After paying our respects to the governor, we direct- ed our steps to the lower end of the town, where are the port buildings, or government machine establishments. These are very complete, comprising all kinds of machinery for the manufacture of metallic or wooden ware, in addition to a foundry, saw-mills, etc. The whole is under the superintend- ence of Mr. Barr, an American gentleman, who brought over two steamers from America for the Russians, and in the year 1858 received a gold medal for the zeal he manifested. Messrs. Wood and Elliott, two other Americans, have the immediate charge of different departments under Mr. Barr. In addition to hospitals, barracks, etc., for the soldiers, the town boasts a club-house for the officers — a large, comforta- ble log building, containing a ball-room, parlors, card and reading rooms-, besides a bar and billiard saloon, the latter containing two American tables, which, however, saw their best days a number of years ago. A table is set daily for a. large number of officers who board at the club, though, judg- ing from their complaints, the fare can be nothing extra. A semi-monthly mail from St. Petersburg renews the sup- ply of papers and other reading matter, some of which we noticed to be of quite recent date. A small weekly paper is published in town. Two flourishing schools have been established, one for young ladies, and the other for the children of the soldiers and sailors, both of which, I understand, are well patronized ; and enterprising parties have opened two photographic gal- leries, sometimes turning out very good pictures. Upon the main street, extending down to the river, a few A FETE AT NIKOLATEFSK. Ill acres have been set aside for a park, and, though as yet new, it is quite a public resort, particularly Sunday afternoons, when the military band plays selections from different op- eras and other music remarkably well considering their short practice and the manner in which the band was organized. To obtain the different performers who compose the band, a large number of soldiers were drawn up in line, and then the leader, passing along the front, examined the mouths and sounded the chests of each. Upon finding certain ones to suit him, they were put aside until the requisite number had been obtained. To each of these was then allotted a partic- ular instrument, though many of them had never before seen one, and were at a loss to know which end to apply to the mouth. In this same manner the different trades are sup- plied, certain ones being ordered to apply themselves to cer- tain callings. We found the park tastefully arranged, and neatly laid out in winding gravel -walks, bordered with an abundance of shade-trees, though the latter were yet small. At some fu- ture day this will be an ornament to the town. Nearly two weeks elapsed after our arrival before Admiral Furruhelm reached Nikolayefsk. During this time the whole population was on the qui vive , such an event as the change of governors not having taken place for ten years previously. All were full of bustle and excitement, making arrangements to receive the new governor, and to honor the retiring one with a farewell banquet and ball as a testimonial of the high regard in which he was held. Upon the day of reception the troops were paraded and re- viewed by the governor, the officers appearing most gor- geously attired in their brilliant uniforms, ornamented with gold and silver bullion. Crosses of St. George, Vladimir, and Stanislaus were in the greatest profusion, together with other badges of honor, many of them received by the wearers for meritorious services rendered during the Crimean War. The banquet which followed surpassed all expectations. For the occasion the club-rooms were beautifully decorated with flags, evergreens, and polished arms, and the tables burdened with delicacies. Toasting followed feasting, the first being to the health of the Czar, proposed by the old admiral, when all 112 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. arose to their feet, and, after a lusty cheer, drained their glasses. Others followed in quick succession, among them one to the success of our enterprise, which Mr. Chase kindly responded to in our behalf. Ignorance of the Russian lan- guage made this portion of the entertainment a little unin- teresting to us, not being able to understand the toasts ex- cept as afterward translated. At the close a general rush was made for the admiral, in whose honor the feast was given. The band struck up the Russian national air, which was near- ly drowned by the cheers and shouts of the assemblage. We were wholly ignorant of what would follow, nor was our cu- riosity gratified until the short, fat figure of the admiral sud- denly appeared, shooting into the air above the heads of the assemblage, and as suddenly disappearing again in their midst. This was repeated for some moments, until his excel- lency could, to all appearances, survive it no longer, and his tossers were equally exhausted, and then he was borne by the officers in procession, headed by the band, through the streets to his residence. To be tossed in this manner is considered a great distinction, but such, I should judge, as would not bear frequent repetition. Gentlemen only appeared at the banquet; but two days later, upon the occasion of the ball, the ladies were out in full, elegantly attired and jeweled befitting the occasion. Their rich dresses, with the uniforms and decorations of the officers, sparkling in the light of hundreds of candles by which the hall was illuminated, made a very showy display. I could not but remark, however, the almost total absence of beauty among the fairer sex. The men, as a class, were by far the better looking. At midnight dancing was suspended, and all adjourned to do justice to a bountiful supper. This was hardly over when, as if by magic, almost every lady suddenly vanished from the dancing-hall and parlors. It could not be* possible that they had withdrawn altogether, as the band had already struck up for a renewal of the dance. Being unable to solve the mys- tery to my own satisfaction, I asked an explanation of a gen- tleman with whom I had been conversing. “ Come with me,” he replied, and, following his guidance, I soon found myself in one of the large parlors, but as yet none of the ladies were PLANS FOR EXPLORATION 113 to be seen. “Now,” he said, “as we pass that open door, glance in.” This direction was explicitly followed, and a sight met my gaze which I confess somewhat astonished as well as amused me. The apartment was filled with smoke, not so much, however, as to prevent us from distinguishing through it the missing forms ranged around the room with knees crossed, each leisurely enjoying the luxury of a Russian papy- rosa or cigarette. Their merry laughs and rattling conversa- tion, as they found vent through the partly opened door, could not be more appropriately compared than to the cease- less roll of musketry as heard issuing from the dense smoke of battle. The male portion of the assemblage appeared perfectly dis- consolate as they wandered neglectedly through the silent parlors, though, upon the reappearance of the ladies and re- newal of dancing, mirth was once more in the ascendency, and continued so to a late hour. Thus far during our sojourn we had made every effort to procure some information concerning that tract of country, already mentioned, which extends from the Amoor north- ward to the town of Okhotsk. The exploration of this re- gion was the task allotted Mahood and myself, Major Abasa having promised to meet us at Okhotsk. Of this vast extent of territory, to traverse which would necessitate a journey of 1200 miles and upward, nothing was known except concern- ing a small portion adjacent to the Amoor, over which a half dozen persons had passed. Two of these gentlemen, Messrs. Lindholm, a Swede, and Swartz, a Pole, we were fortunate in finding in Nikolayefsk, to both of whom we were indebted for much good advice and valuable information while prepar- ing our outfit for the journey. Mr. Swartz afterward joined our party as interpreter. Our first destination after leaving Nikolayefsk would be Tugur, a whaling station at the head of Tugur Bay, dis- tant about ten days’ journey with reindeer from Orell (eagle) Lake. This lake lies near the Amoor, about sixty miles west of Nikolayefsk, and can be reached by water. Mr. Lindholm, whom I have mentioned, was the proprietor of Tugur Station, but was not intending to return to that place until late in the winter, otherwise we would have availed ourselves of hjs H 114 REINDEER , DOGS , AiVT) SNOW-SHOES. company during the journey. From him we learned that it would be necessary to secure reindeer both for riding and for packing, on account of the swampy nature of the country over which the route lay. These animals being very scarce, and only in use among the few scattered families of Tungu- sians in this region, we had to avail ourselves of the kind of- fers of assistance made by Governor Furruhelm in order to procure the requisite number. Without his valuable aid we could have accomplished nothing. His excellency felt the greatest interest in our expedition, he himself assuming the charge of preparing our outfit. He informed us that a Ya- kout cattle -merchant named Solavaoff would soon arrive with deer from the direction we wished to take, and that, if our departure could be postponed a while, animals could be procured from him to carry us to Tugursk. At that point we expected to obtain a fresh relay, also to renew our supply of stores, having been informed by Captain Lindholm that the post was well provisioned. For many days we delayed taking further steps to procure deer, constantly expecting the arrival of the Yakout; but at length, fearing lest our departure should be deferred until it would be too late to start on our journey before the opening of the winter roads, it was deemed advisable to try to pro- cure deer elsewhere. To facilitate matters, Cossacks were dispatched in different directions in search of the Tungu- sians, with instructions to bring to town all that could be found. In the mean while all our preparations were com- pleted. After an absence of a few days the Cossacks returned, bringing jvith them a band of wild-looking, fur-clad natives. They were all very poor, not having more than deer suffi- cient to enable them to carry on their fall hunts for wild deer and sable, consequently were very reluctant to part with their animals. These were, however, finally obtained, through promises of swords and medals from the governor as rewards for their services should they convey us quickly and safely to Tugursk. A Cossack, Yakov, had also been detailed to accompany us as far as Oudskoi, a small Russian settlement a month’s journey distant, and situated near the Okhotsk Sea. To the OFFICIAL COURTESIES. 115 ispravnik, or sub-governor of the Oudskoi district, we were provided with letters of instruction, directing him to afford us every assistance, and replace Yakov by another Cossack upon the renewal of our journey from that point. With such valuable and hearty co-operation, we were prepared to commence our difficult explorations with light hearts, not- withstanding positive assurances from several of our newly- formed acquaintances that, if we should venture far into those wild, mountainous regions, it would cost us our lives. Yakov and the Tungusians departed immediately to as- semble the deer and drive them to Orell Lake, at which point we were to join them on the 2 2d of October. A fine little government steamer, the Gonets, had already been offered us as conveyance for ourselves and baggage to the lake, and, at length, our arrangements were all completed. Concerning our stay of thirty-five days at Nikolayefsk, I have but one regret to express, and that the inconveniences and restraint to which we were subjected through ignorance of the Russian language, whereby we were prevented from cultivating social relations and extending our acquaintances with the many kind and disinterested friends with whom we came in contact. From first to last, every possible courtesy was extended us, and every wish anticipated and gratified even before it could be expressed. No pains were spared to make our sojourn agreeable, every species of amusement the place afforded having been indulged in. The hearty co-operation and invaluable assistance rendered us in connection with our expedition, both by the ex-governor, Admiral Kazakevitch, and his successor, Admiral Furruhelm, as well as Captains Belsoif and Hackel, of the Engineers, and numerous others, deserve the lasting gratitude of all who were in any way connected with or interested in the great enter- prise. As previously stated, without their assistance we could have accomplished little or nothing. 116 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. CHAPTER Vn. Departure from Nikolayefsk. — Farewell. — Prophecies of our Friends. — Scarcity of Reindeer. — Mr. Swartz. — Yakov. — Outfit and Provision. — Steamer Gonets. — Up the Amoor. — Margah. — Pilots. — First Ice. — Palvo. — Intricate Channels. — Cleaving through the Ice. — Consultation. — Ne- cessity of pushing ahead. — Snow. — Aground. — Lost in the Storm. — De- feat and Retreat. — Despondency. — Fishing Camp. — Weather moderating. — Rain. — Yakout Pilots. — Fresh Start. — Ice. — Frightened and rebellious Crew. — Open Water. — Orell Lake. — Strong Breeze. — At the Rendezvous. — Gilak Encampment. — No Deer. — Distant Shouts heard. — Mahood’s Cruise. — Leaky and smoky Tent. — Our Neighbors. — Shelter. — Cradle. — Industry. — Dogs. — Filthiness. — Sacred Grounds. — News of the Deer. — Party in Search. — Rain. — Game, Fish, and Ukale. — The Gilaks. — Alone. — First Reindeer. — Disappointment. — Their Appearance. — Deer-riding. — A queer Sight. — Experience of the Party. — Mikhaeloff and Constantine. — Tungusians. — Physiognomy. — Customs, Dress, etc. — Deer Feed and Feeding-grounds. — Departure of the Yakouts.— Parting Salutations. — Reverence. — Our Commissariat. — Preparations for the Journey. — Deer- packing and Saddles. — Weak Backs. — Cautiousness. — Remarkable Feat of Strength. At length the day fixed for our departure, October 21st, rolled round. It was already the season for ice to begin to form upon the river, and knowing that a delay of a month would be incurred should we be prevented from reaching the place of rendezvous on Orell Lake by the closing up of the narrow channels leading to it, at the appointed hour the Gonets loosed her cables, and our journey was commenced. Before starting, however, many of our new friends assem- bled at Mr. Chase’s residence, where, amid the clinking of glasses, toasts were drunk to our undertaking, and the final adieus and God-speeds were passed, though many of the par- ty accompanied us to the wharf and saluted us with a part- ing cheer. It was not without slight reluctance, I confess, that we commenced this journey. The thrilling portrayal of the hard- ships and privations endured by Kane, Hall, and other Arctic travelers gave us a foretaste of what might be expected. But yet I had consoled myself with the supposition that these ac- DEPARTURE FROM NIKOLATEFSK. 117 counts might be somewhat exaggerated. When, however, to these were added discouraging assurances from the inhab- itants of the country of the almost inevitable fate that await- ed us in the deep, unknown mountain gorges of the Juggur range, and the fearful “ poorgas” to which we would be sub- jected, and the utter impossibility of any succor ever reach- ing us in case of disaster, we felt indeed that we had a diffi- cult task before us. ’Tis true we would encounter two or three Russian settlements along the coast, but these were ac- cessible only by sea, the vast stretches of desert wildness lying between them being only known to a few daring Tun- gusian hunters, who had penetrated some portions of them in search of the elk, mountain goat, and sable. Owing to the scarcity of reindeer in the Amoor region, we could only procure eighteen for our journey. Four of these would be required as riding animals for our party, which consisted ofMahood, Mr. Swartz, interpreter, Yakov, the Cos- sack, and myself. Two Tungusians, who were to accompany us as guides to Tugur, and to take care of the deer, supplied their own riding animals. The fourteen remaining for pack- ing our supplies and equipments were not sufficient to admit of our carrying a very complete outfit for the long journeys ahead of us ; consequently we were forced to abandon all our personal baggage except the fur clothing we had procured at Petropaulovski, and two or three changes of under-cloth- ing. Of provision we carried only enough to enable us to reach Tugur, where Captain Lindholm informed us our sup- ply could be replenished. These consisted of tea, sugar, and pork principally. Fresh meat we expected to obtain from the Tungusians, to procure which we supplied ourselves with ten gallons of alcohol for trading purposes. In addition to the above, a light, cone-shaped canvas tent, made in the gov- ernment sail-loft at the port ; twenty-six canvas panniers for packing purposes, and four wooden, leather-covered boxes, with locks and keys, for the same purpose, besides bedding and a few cooking utensils, completed our outfit, with the ex- ception of a small Fahrenheit spirit thermometer, and a larger one of Reaumur scale, flints and steels, compasses, and a few minor articles. Our cuisine was very limited, comprising merely a tea-ket- 118 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. tie, fry-pan, small tin pail for making soup, and three enam- eled iron cups and saucers, with wooden spoons. For the remainder we depended upon sheath-knives and fingers. I neglected to mention our revolvers, two of Sharpe’s breech- loading carbines, and a double-barreled shot-gun. For the Reaumur thermometer we were indebted to the kindness of Captain Belsoif. The steamer Gonets, which was placed at our disposal for the trip to the lake, was a handsome little craft, built espe- cially as a dispatch-boat for the navigation of the lower Amoor. Her comfortable arrangement and general appur- tenances were eminently fitted to the service for which she was intended, though the thin iron hulk, which yielded like India-rubber to the action of the waves, was somewhat sug- gestive of frailty. Upon a former occasion during our so- journ, while making a short excursion up the river, this weak- ness became so manifest that we all began to fear lest she should collapse altogether. Waves were rolling very high on the river at the time. The day of our departure was very favorable — calm and pleasant, but toward night it grew colder. At 7 o’clock P.M. the thermometer indicated +22° Fahrenheit — ten degrees be- low the freezing point. This sudden fall somewhat excited our anxiety lest we should, after all, be frozen out and forced to retrace our steps to Nikolayefsk, notwithstanding we could easily have reached our destination the following morning, weather permitting. No steamer had as yet ever penetrated to the lake, nor had we any one with us who was at all familiar with the route, else we would have steamed during the night. The whole country at this point is cut up by innumerable sluices and channel-ways, forming an intricate network. Among these our route lay, and the Gilaks being the only ones who could guide us, upon reaching one of their villages called Margah, forty-three versts above Nikolayefsk, at 8.30 o’clock P.M., our boat was tied up to shore, and Mahood and Swartz went to secure their assistance. Two of the natives promised to accompany us, and by 4 A.M. the next morning we were again under way. During the night the temperature had again risen to 28°, UP THE AMO OR— THROUGH THE ICE. 119 though the effect of the cold was visible on all sides, where sheets of thin ice clung to the river banks. Shortly after starting we passed a small Russian settle- ment called Palvo, containing three or four log houses, but did not stop, and immediately afterward entered one of the small channel-ways leading from the river to the lake. Our .route was very circuitous, winding through prairie lands, dot- ted here and there with clusters of trees. Up to this time we had encountered but little ice ; but, as we penetrated farther into the narrow lagoons, the quantity increased alarmingly. The narrow strips we had first seen clinging to the shores, as we advanced gradually encroached upon the surface of the water, until at length we found our- selves confronted by a continuous sheet half an inch in thick- ness. Into this the steamer plunged, cleaving its own way, and with her small paddle-wheels shivering the glassy sur- face into myriads of particles. At first we made very good progress, the ice being too thin to afford much opposition ; but later it became much thicker, some of it measuring fully an inch, and our speed was greatly diminished. This, we became convinced, was the opening of winter in earnest, and, as not more than twenty miles intervened be- tween us and the head of the lake, after a short consultation it was decided to make a strenuous effort to break our way through, even at the risk of having the steamer frozen in. Failing in this, our only alternative would be to return to Nikolayefsk, there to await the sealing up of the Amoor for good, and then, with horses or dogs, to proceed to the lake and make a fresh start. Yakov (the Cossack) and the Tungusians, after reaching the lake and finding no one to meet them, would soon be obliged to leave in search of food, or, perhaps, would depart altogether, thinking our expedition abandoned. All this would necessitate long delays before other arrangements could be made ; besides, in order to complete the long jour- neys ahead of us before the close of winter, no time could be spared. To add to our alarm, at 9.30 A.M. a furious snow-storm set in, accompanied by a light wind. The flakes fell so thick and fast as to hide from view all traces of shore, and in a few mo- 120 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNOW-SIIOES. merits whiten the ice. All landmarks were lost, hut the Gi- laks felt perfectly confident of guiding us to the lake unless prevented by ice, so we continued forward. In this manner we had been running for some time, still breaking our way, when the boat suddenly stopped, having grounded. By backing off and putting on additional steam, a passage was opened in another direction for a short dis- tance, when we again grounded. To proceed was now out of the question. The Gilaks, in reply to our inquiries, con- fessed their total ignorance of our whereabouts, having be- come confused in the storm, and the officer ^f the boat re- ported that his supply of fuel was nearly exhausted. These were gloomy moments for us, and cast a damper upon the spirits of all on board. After another short con- sultation, we concluded that nothing could be done but to return as we had come, while our fuel lasted. With great reluctance we turned about, intending to go to Palvo, and there await either a spell of moderate weather, when we would renew our journey in Gilak lotkas to the head of the lake, or, should it become colder, procure dogs and try to reach Tugur with sledges. Our hearts failed within us at the prospect of defeat at the very outset. After running an hour and a half, we came to a rude hab- itation where were twenty-five or thirty soldiers fishing, to lay in a supply for winter use. We were very hospitably received at this place, and, as the weather was by this time moderating, tried to procure a guide from among the sol- diers, in order to make another effort. None, however, could be prevailed upon to accompany us for fear of being frozen in and starved before aid could reach them. We nevertheless determined to make one more attempt, and, having secured the services of two Yakouts as pilots who fortunately happened to pass by in a canoe at the time, set the soldiers at work chopping wood, to renew our supply of fuel, and by night were in readiness to attempt another passage. Now prospects of success were much more en- couraged, as it began to rain, and the thermometer had been standing all the afternoon at +33°. In the morning it was still raining, and, the Yakouts hav- ing come aboard, we left our moorings at 7 A.M., heading OBELL LAKE. 121 for the lake. We experienced no difficulty in finding our way, and soon came to the entrance to the lake, hut, con- trary to our expectations, instead of yesterday’s ice having disappeared, it extended ahead as far as we could see in a vast, unbroken, snow-covered sheet. Into this the steamer cleft its way, but not without much difficulty. Frequently she would get wedged in, and have to back out for a fresh effort. After working our way for a mile into the lake, the crew refused to go farther, but we persuaded them to try it a little while longer, and, in a few minutes, open water was discovered far ahead. For this we made, and soon had the gratification of finding ourselves with clear sailing. The lake is about thirty versts in length by twenty in width, and av- erages in depth from three to eight feet, which was abundant water, as our craft drew but one foot. When we had reached the middle, a strong northerly wind arose, which tried the strength of our little steamer greatly, and, though her thin iron hull shook and yielded to the press- ure of the waves like an India-rubber boat, she brought us safely to our point of destination. Upon nearing shore we descried two very dilapidated log huts, but, as no smoke could be seen issuing from their mud chimneys, we knew that, for the time being, they were unoccupied. A half mile farther eastward could be seen a faint curl of smoke rising against the dark background of larch-trees bor- dering the lake. For this we headed, in expectation of find- * ing Yakov and the deer, but, upon approaching nearer, two lotkas hauled up on the beach proclaimed it to be a Gilak encampment. Having selected a suitable spot near by for our tent, our supplies were soon landed, and the Gonets, turning her prow homeward, rapidly disappeared from view in a thick haze that began to settle upon the lake. This was the last we ever saw or heard of her ; but, as mild weather followed her departure, we had no reason to doubf her safe return. Our Gilak neighbors could give us no information concern- ing the deer, they themselves having been but a day or two on the lake. While making their way to their winter quar- ters, which were situated upon a neighboring stream, the cold snap had overtaken them, and prevented them, by the 122 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. formation of ice upon the rivers, from reaching their desti- nation. They, however, reported having heard shouts far around the shore, which we thought might be our men, who were unable to come nearer on account of ice in the rivers entering the lake. This ice was too thin to sustain the weight of a man, and yet too thick to allow the deer to wade or swim, and might prove an obstacle for many days. While our tent was being pitched by the two Yakout pi- lots, who had agreed to remain with us a few days, Mahood and Swartz borrowed one of the lotkas from the Gilaks and went in search of the missing party. Upon their return, they reported also having heard hallooing, but it was so far dis- tant that they thought best to return to camp for food be- fore attempting to find them. We had none of us eaten any thing but a few sardines and crackers since leaving Nikola- yefsk, and all felt the need of something more substantial. The Yakouts consumed but little time in frying several fine salmon-trout obtained from the Gilaks, which, with a large kettle of hot tea, rapidly vanished from our board. Immediately afterward Mahood again set out, accompanied by one of the Yakouts, in a drizzling rain, to seek for the deer. Our tent, being new and of very thin material, leaked badly — so much so that we could keep nearly as dry, and certainly much warmer, walking outside. We tried a small fire within, but in a few moments the smoke became unbearable, and for want of better refuge Swartz and myself fled to our Gilak neighbors. Their only shelter consisted of birch-bark, sewed together in long narrow strips about two feet in length, and spread over a frame of light poles sloping to the ground and forming a shed-like covering, open in front and at each end. This was erected upon the beach, facing the high wooded bank, which served as a protection from the wind. As we came up, one of the women was in the act of pre- paring the noonday meal over a small fire in front of the camp. A small pot contained several fine trout, near which was hanging a good-sized copper tea-kettle (a rare article among the Gilaks, who are, as a general thing, unable to in- dulge in tea). On this occasion we furnished them, in ex- change for fish. GIL AES AT HOME. 123 gilak encampment. Beneath the shed several deer-skins were spread over a thick layer of green boughs, upon which half a dozen humans and about as many dogs lay twisted and coiled into almost every conceivable shape. The group presented a curious, if not interesting tableau, which I will endeavor to portray in a few words, as it conveyed to us a very complete idea of the internal workings of a Gilak domicil, as well as some of their occupations. At or near one end of the shed was a babe, tightly band- aged in a wooden box or cradle, something like those used by our American Indians, but with its little legs from the knees downward unfettered. This cradle was suspended from the ridge-pole, in an upright position, by four leather thongs, which were just long enough to enable the little one to reach the ground with its feet, by which it swung itself back and forth without assistance. Near by, sitting cross-legged, Turkish- fashion, upon the skins, two frowsy-headed, haggard-looking women were sew- ing very industriously upon filthy skin garments, only paus- ing now and then to give some directions to the cook, and to launch something — what I don’t know, but it sounded verv harsh — upon the heads of a couple of naked little urchins, 124 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. who were disputing the possession of a deer-skin bed with an old, half-famished, toothless dog. The latter appeared to be conscious of his rights, however, and obstinately refused to budge beneath the feeble blows of his tormentors. Other dogs were in abundance, but the crowning feature of all was an old hag (no other word will express it), wrinkled, withered, and toothless, and clothed in the dirtiest of dirty skins, with long, scant locks of hair dangling wildly about her face. She would have been a pitiable object had it not been for her oc- cupation — that of catching vermin from the head of a dirty- faced girl, and disposing of them in a manner not very con- ducive to one’s appetite. Upon leaving the Gilak encampment, we climbed the bank just in front of it, to the woods above, when we found our- selves upon a spot held sacred by the Gilaks. Upon all sides, scattered through the woods, were skulls of bears, poised upon the stumps of small trees from four to six feet above the ground. These were intended as some kind of offering to the native gods, and, when newly placed in position (we afterward learned), were sprinkled with tobacco, berries, roots, and other articles. None of these offerings appeared to be of more recent date than two years, while some were so old as to crumble beneath the touch, and others were buried in such a profusion of moss as to be hardly recognizable. After being once placed, it is deemed very sacrilegious ever to dis- turb them again. Time and the elements, according to Gilak notions, can alone tamper with them with impunity. At 5 o’clock P.M. Mahood returned, wet and hungry, after a long, hard pull up several small rivers and along the beach, having met with no success; but an hour later one of the Gilaks, who had also been absent all day, brought the wel- come intelligence that Yakov and the deer were ten versts distant on the lake, unable to approach nearer on account of the ice, as we had expected. To help them along, we resolved to send our Yakouts and the two Gilaks with lotkas early the following morning. The following brief extract from my diary, referring to the latter portion of our first day in camp, will convey a notion of the weather and our appreciation of it : “ 8 P.M. — Rain, rain, rain, and'prospects of its continuing. LIFE AAIOXG THE G FLAKS. 125 It is very disagreeable, but what else was to be expected of Siberia? Thermometer at night +40° Fahrenheit. “ Oct. 2,±th . — Still raining ; but our natives started off for the deer, after catching a nice mess of fish in a neighboring stream for our day’s allowance.” To while away the time, Swartz and I took our guns to try and get some birds, but soon returned wet through to the skin, without game. Some of our neighbors, however, brought us several “ rapsheaks,” or small brown tree-partridges, that abound in this section of the country. A small lump of sugar was considered liberal compensation for them — much greater than they usually receive, I imagine, as they have been infest- ing our tent ever since, bringing other birds, fish, and “ukale” with which to trade for tea, powder, lead, or any thing we would give them ; but we were obliged to discontinue trad- ing for fear of diminishing our stores too much. W e could not make them understand that all our supplies would be re- quired for the journey before us, as they carry and consume but little food while traveling. These people might with propriety be called an aquatic tribe. During the summer months they almost live upon the water, paddling here and there in their lotkas continually. For their food, likewise, both during summer and winter, they rely upon this source nearly exclusively. What traveling they do in winter is accomplished with dogs; but this is very little, their preference being decidedly to lie and vegetate in their dingy, smoky habitations during the cold weather, wait- ing for the advent of spring before renewing their out-of-door exercises. These exercises, rowing and fishing principally, are only partial, benefiting merely the muscles of the upper portion of the body. Owing to this fact, it is not uncommon to see men among them powerful and robust about the chest and arms, while their lower limbs are comparatively so small and puny as to convey the impression of deformity. At 5 o’clock P.M., as we sat in our tent, the cry of “ Alane ! alane !” from one of the natives outside caused us all to spring to our feet. We had already acquired enough Rus- sian to know that this meant deer ; but little time was con- sumed in finding the door, so eager were we to catch a first 126 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. glimpse of the famous reindeer of which we had heard and read so much since infancy. Each of us (that is, Mahood and myself, for the others were already familiar with the rein- deer) had an imaginary animal in our mind’s eye, and were curious to know how much it coincided with the reality; but alas ! we were doomed to disappointment as far as our ideals were concerned. Our first impressions were not at all favorable to the animal, nor were our last. This, of course, was owing to the great expectations in which we had in- dulged. About half a mile distant, picking their way along the rocky beach, approached a long train of awkward, clumsy- looking animals, most of them white, which one would readi- ly have mistaken for cows at a distance. In the first place, such a thing as a white deer had never occurred to me, at least. As they drew nearer we distinguished their large antlers, but the troop was a regular Falstaff’s brigade as far as uniform- ity was concerned. Most of them were white, the remainder having brown backs and light-colored bellies. Two or three of the band had fine, large, complete antlers; but of the remain- der, some had the right horn missing, and others were minus the left ; a few had both horns chopped off about six inches from the skull, leaving a savage-looking, fan-like prong pro- jecting over the forehead, shaped something like a person’s hand. These last were all bucks, and were trained for riding, their horns having been cut off for fear of injury to the rider. There were still others that had no antlers at all, having lost them fighting each other, or broken them off in the woods. This was the season for them to shed the skin or velvet from their horns preparatory to their being hardened for win- ter, and long bloody strings of it hung dangling over the eyes and heads of the animals, giving them any thing but the appearance of domestic creatures. After the antlers have attained their full size, and become tolerably hard and strong, the deer experiences a very acute itching in them as long as they are in velvet. To obtain relief, whenever oppor- tunity offers, the animal rubs and scratches them against trees, by which process the velvet is loosened and torn into shreds, and then dangles from the horns sometimes for many FIRST SIGHT OF REINDEER. 127 days, unless prematurely cut off by their masters, who use their sheath-knives for the purpose. Both sexes have horns, though those of the male are much larger and heavier, fre- quently measuring six feet in the curve. They begin to shed them in February. I was very much disappointed as to their size in particular, since I had expected to see large, majestic- looking creatures ; but their backs are rarely more than five feet above the ground. Their heads without the horns are very much like those of cows, but their bodies are much narrower, elevated upon slight legs, which terminate in broad, large hoofs, the latter also much like those of the cow. The hoof spreads when the animal steps, enabling it to travel more easily over snow and marshes, and when raised for another step the two toes strike together, keeping up a continuous rattle when the animal travels over a hard surface. The male has a thick bunch of long hair under the throat. Mounted on the shoulders of the leading deer sat a figure dressed in heavy fur clothing, that made him look as large as two ordinary men. As he approached, his body swayed from side to side with each step of the deer, and in his hand he carried a staff which was kept continuously in motion, either thrusting the poor animal in the sides or striking it over the antlers. At the same time, both feet were kept busily employed kicking the sides and chest of the creature, each blow being accompanied by a peculiar “ cluck” of the tongue, such as I had not before heard. It seemed very much like working one’s passage ; yet, in spite of all these demonstrations, the deer could not be made to move faster than a walk. This, after all, did not seem so very strange to us ; for, judging from the relative sizes of the two creatures, the man and the deer, it would have been much more appro- priate and just for the rider to carry the ridden. Following this leading deer were six or eight others, each fastened to the one preceding it by a halter made of seal-thong, and car- rying on its back — or rather shoulders — a very small pack- saddle. Then came another huge fur-covered individual, going through the same motions as the first, and leading the remainder of the deer, amounting in all to twenty. The boat came up at the same time, containing Yakov, our 128 REINDEER , DOGS , J.iVZ> SNOW-SHOES. Cossack escort, and the little baggage he and our Tungusian guides intended to carry with them on the journey, besides the Yakout and Gilak we had sent in search of them. They had been on the lake four days, and, as we supposed, were unable to reach the rendezvous on account of the ice in the rivers. When the lotka came up, by putting their baggage in it, and shimming the deer tied together behind the boat, they managed to circle the mouths of the rivers without encountering much ice. Four streams had to be passed in this manner. As the first native dismounted, and threw back his fur hood or bonnet to salute us, we at once recognised one of the Tungusians whom we had seen at the governor’s residence in Mkolayefsk, Mikhaeloff by name. The other, Constantine, was an entire stranger to us. These names are both Russian, having been given and adopted at the time the parties were baptized into the Greek Church, as is the usual custom. The Tungusians have the dark skins, enormous cheek-bones, and small, keen black eyes of the Tartars in general, though occasionally persons with eyes of a grayish tinge are to be met among them. In cleanliness, language, customs, and mode of living, they dif- fer materially from their Gilak neighbors, also somewhat in the style of dress, for which the same material is used, how- ever. This dress is quite simple, made of deerskin for both summer and winter use, the latter, of course, being much thicker and heavier. The chief article consists of a large fur coat, cut something like our own, open in front, and with- out the hood of the Kamtchadales. This is worn next the body, without other covering. A pair of short, closely-fit- ting skin pants, with the fur inside, cover the upper portion of the lower limbs, while their feet and legs upward to the knee are incased in deerskin torbassa, soled with bear or sealskin. . While exercising, they generally go with the head uncov- ered, though always wear suspended about the neck a “ mal- achi,” or detached fur hood, for use when required. Many of these hoods are quite ornamental. The legs of the red, black, and silver-gray fox are preferred in their manufacture, THE TUXGUSIANS. 129 differently-colored skins being sewed together alternately in stripes, and bordered with sable, beaver, or sea-otter. These people do not allow the hair to grow long like the Gilaks and other tribes farther south, but keep it trimmed tolerably short, with the exception of a long lock on either side of the face in front of their ears. Their habits are pure- ly nomadic. They reside in cone-shaped skin tents, so con- structed that they can be erected in a few minutes. (Our own was made after the same pattern.) These, together with their few household utensils, they pack upon their deer when- ever game has been exhausted or frightened away from one locality, and the next night may be found as comfortably and contentedly settled in an entirely new region. They subsist altogether by the chase, and upon what few simple articles they receive in exchange for furs from Russian traders, whom they meet annually at some established point. Their terri- tory extends from the Amoor northward to the town of Okhotsk, and westward to the great Lena, though they are by no means a numerous tribe. Since we would not be able to commence our journey for a day or two, the deer were conducted to a feeding-ground, distant about a mile from camp, and turned loose. Like sheep, they herd together, rarely wandering off. Two or three thoroughly domesticated animals will prevent a large herd from straying as long as food is to be had. They sub- sist upon a light-colored moss that is found in dry localities growing close to the ground. The country bordering Orell Lake, and extending for some distance to the west and north, being mostly low and swampy, but little of it is produced, consequently reindeer are scarce, either in a wild or domesti- cated state. Now that Yakov and the Tungusians had arrived, we no longer needed the services of the two Yakouts who had re- mained with us since the departure of the Gonets, and, after we had given them a few roubles and a “ che-peet” (which means a fill of tea), they took their departure. They were very loth to go, notwithstanding, and before pushing off in their lotka came to our tent, and after bow- ing and crossing themselves to the guardian saint of our hab- itation, invoked its blessings upon us ; also, with tears in their I 130 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. eyes, thanked ns for the liberal compensation they had re- ceived, as they supposed. I only relate this to show the sus- ceptibility of their natures. By them every house, tent, and habitation of any kind is supposed to be under the protection of a guardian saint. They never think of entering one with- out reverently uncovering and crossing themselves. This custom is only to be found among those natives who have adopted the Greek faith, the others being very unceremo^ nious. At the leave-taking with our men, all uncovered their heads, and the ceremony of kissing each other three times upon the cheek was performed. This we likewise aft- erward found to be a common custom both at meeting and parting. During our sojourn upon the lake we fared quite sump- tuously. Our Gilak neighbors, for trifling compensation, kept us abundantly supplied with lake trout, partridges, and cranberries, and, upon the arrival of Mikhaeloff, a fine quar- ter of venison was added to our larder, to say nothing of deer-milk for our tea and coffee supplied by a doe in the herd. The reindeer meat, though I think a little coarser grained than that of our American deer, we found much more delicately flavored than the latter, and but little infe- rior to the best beef. The milk, however, was much inferior to that of the cow in flavor, though it contained much more body. A tea-cupful which the doe supplied each night was equivalent, in the amount of nourishment it contained, to nearly a quart of ordinary cow’s milk. This small yield was probably owing to irregularity of milking. The next day was devoted to repacking our stores and ar- ranging them in quantities suitable for loading upon the deer. Each pack-animal was capable of carrying about one hundred pounds dead weight, but no more, with safety. Each riding deer, however, being larger and stronger . than the others, could carry a man weighing one hundred and seventy-five pounds with ease, if in good condition, as a rider preserves his own equilibrium, and there is not that constant strain on the beast. Our pack-saddles were made much after the fashion of those used for packing mules in California, but were much smaller, since they were intended to fit upon the fore-shoulders of the beast. Each one consisted of two small REINDEER SADDLES.— GOOD TEETH. 131 buckskin pads stuffed with moss or hair, and united at the ends by bows made of pieces of deer-horns selected with their natural curves. Between the pads space was left to admit of the working of the deer’s shoulders. The riding-saddle was very nearly the same in appearance as the pack-saddle, with the exception that the pads were a little wider, and stood out more from the animal’s shoulders, presenting a broader and flatter surface to sit upon. These last, by measurement, were one foot in length and fourteen inches in width. No stirrups are used, nor any kind of sup- port whatever for the feet. The saddle is fastened upon the deer by a single girth around the body, and, as before stated, placed upon the fore-shoulder. While loading or mounting the deer, great care is neces- sary to prevent any part of the weight from resting upon the animal’s back, which is very weak. An apparently slight pressure, Mikhaeloff informed us, would sometimes completely disable the animal. The bridles, or, rather, halt- ers, were made of pliable seal-thong, or braided strands of buckskin, and were formed exactly like our own. This day we had an opportunity of witnessing one of those remarkable feats of strength of which people frequently hear, but few are permitted to see. In fact, we were somewhat dubious ourselves as to the correctness of our eyesight, nor did we believe until there was no other alternative. The hero of the occasion was Yakov, our Cossack, himself a small man in stature ; but, as the feat was accomplished with his teeth and jaws, this, perhaps, is not to be considered. It hap- pened in this wise : While discharging our cargo from the Gonets, one of the leather-covered panniers was badly broken. This had to be repaired before it could be used in packing, and we were at a loss to know where to procure nails for the purpose. At length, among our articles, part of a box was found in which several nails were tightly driven, but then the difficulty of extracting these without breaking them off presented itself. Our hatchet was tried, and so was every other means at hand, but without success. Finally the Cos- sack deliberately kneeled, placing his knees upon the frag- ment so as to hold it perfectly steady, and with his teeth extracted the only two remaining unbroken. Upon our ex- 132 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. pressing astonishment at this, Swartz informed us that most of these people have powerful jaws and teeth. Always, in purchasing an axe, they test its quality by trying to bite the edge off. This test is so effective that they are rarely im- posed upon. PACKING UP. 133 CHAPTER VIII. Packing up. — Riding Deer. — A Tableau. — Impressive Ceremony. — Yakov in Danger. — Mounting the Deer. — Mishaps. — The Polka. — Russian Mode of Riding Deer. — Our Journey commenced. — Disgraceful Fall. — The Country. — Making Camp. — Tardy Start. — Lassoing Deer. — The Lariat. — Swamp Land. — Cranberries. — Wild Reindeer. — The Birpocoon. — Curious Mound. — Refractory Pack-deer. — Mikhaeloff’s Cure. — The Yasmall. — Rain. — Camp. — Hunting Grouse. — Success. — Constantine’s Shelter. — Tungusian Mode of Sleeping. — The Sabbath. — Diluted Alcohol. — Our Vis- itors. — Eating Hair-oil. — Still Raining. — Making Portraits. — Humanity in the Wilderness. — Sheared. — Natives. — The Stars. — More Rain. — Bridge-building. — Luna. On the morning of Thursday, October 26 th, we were all astir bright and early. The day was a little cloudy, but bade fair to turn out well. N” ev ertheless, had it threatened to rain pitch- forks and Dutch-ovens, I doubt whether we could have been prevailed upon to postpone our departure. The journey was before us, and we were anxious to plunge into it. We had met with so many unexpected delays, and the monotony and tediousness of being compelled to lie closely housed in our tent to avoid saturation from the disagreeable drizzling rain that had fallen almost incessantly since our arrival on Orell Lake, had prepared us to submit to any alternative for the sake of a change. By the time Mikhaeloff and Constantine had returned from the feeding-grounds with the deer, the tent was struck and rolled up into a compact bundle, and the other packages were tied together in pairs of equal weight, with seal-thongs, ready to be thrown over the pack-saddles and girded on. Then came the distribution of the riding deer. The rest had had more or less experience with them, and as Mahood and I were anxious to take it a little moderately until we had acquired the art, the two most gentle animals were assigned to us. Our supplies w T ere first packed upon the fourteen deer intended for the purpose, and afterward top-loads were made of our bedding, the cooking utensils, tent, and other light ar- ticles that would be required for daily use, so that it would 134 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. not be necessary to unpack any of the bundles except for pro- vision until we should arrive at our next destination — Tugur, on the bay of the same name. The scene which presented itself at this time was a very novel and interesting one. The pack deer were fastened one after the other by their halters, in three trains, to be led by Yakov and each of the Tungu- sians, all of whom stood by their animals ready to mount at the signal. Our Gilak friends were gathered about, with eyes and mouths open, watching our proceedings, and ready to pounce upon our deserted camp in search of fragments of bread and sugar as soon as we should leave it. Mahood, Swartz, and I each stood holding the halter of his deer, hav- ing previously searched the camp to see that nothing was being left behind. In one hand Yakov held a cup of diluted alcohol, anxiously waiting for the moment when he could commence imbibing. Now came the most impressive part of the proceeding. With slow and solemn movement Mahood put his hand under that part of his coat nearest his heart, and drew therefrom a sus- picious-looking black bottle that had been reserved for the occasion. A blow with his sheath-knife shattered the neck ; the jagged bowl was raised on high, and amid a silence that was awful in its intensity, drank to “ absent friends.” The admiring assemblage of Gilaks being no longer able to re- strain their enthusiasm, burst forth in a subdued smile. It is needless to say that we all drank to that toast. This cere- mony affected Yakov so greatly that, in order to conceal his grief, he buried his face in the cup of alcohol, and might pos- sibly have drowned himself in its contents had not Mikhael- off and Constantine, fearing for the safety of their own al- lowances, rushed forward to prevent the catastrophe. Three cheers were then given; our guides mounted and started ahead, and so might have commenced our journey, but, for various reasons, the rest of us did not get into the saddle. To mount a reindeer is by no means a simple operation for the beginner, so great care being necessary in order not to injure the beast; and, besides, it requires a good deal of agility, which I, for one, did not possess. The rider, to assist him in this process, always carries a staff, called by the Russians “ polka.” This “ polka”, is about five feet in length, and near REINDEER -RIDING. 135 the bottom has a small hoop fastened around it by a network of deerskin thongs, which prevents it from sinking into the snow in winter. A similar staff is also used in snow-shoeing. To mount the deer, the rider takes the rein or halter in his right hand, which hand he places on the saddle, and rests his left upon the top of this staff. Then, with an easy movement, he places his right foot upon the saddle, and, dividing his weight equally between his two hands, springs lightly into place. But to do this requires considerable calculation, as the skin on the deer’s shoulders is very loose; and, should you spring an inch too far, or not quite far enough, the saddle will turn, in which case there is no alternative but to come to the ground. Even after being mounted, until one becomes an expert in reindeer-riding, it requires his constant attention to preserve his equilibrium. This looseness of the skin accounts for the odd, swinging motion of the rider already described, as the deer in walking, by the movement of his shoulder- blades, tips the saddle first to one side and then to the other. To counteract this, when the saddle tips to the left, the rider must lean to the right, and “ vice versa.” Knowing these facts, the reader will not be surprised at our failures. Swartz, having more confidence than Mahood or I, sprang a little too far, consequently went entirely over his deer. Mahood began well, but was a little too slow ; for, as soon as his right foot touched the saddle, his deer started ahead and prevented him from gaining his seat. I failed in the very first principles, since I could not kick high enough to get my foot over the saddle at all, and, after three or four fruitless efforts, had to call on one of the guides to help me into my seat. The Gilak children were highly amused at our manoeuvres, as were, in fact, the whole party. While in Petropaiilovski the ispravnik told us we would have to ride on deer if we traversed this country, but, as it was something we had never read or heard of before, and we did not think it possible for a deer to carry a man’s weight, we supposed he was jesting. He said, however, a Bussian friend of his had made a short journey once with reindeer, and found it necessary to carry two polkas, which he trailed on each side of his deer to prevent his falling off. We did not use two of them, but neither did we ride without falling 136 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNOW- SHOES. off, and I doubt whether two staffs would have prevented our tumbling. We took a westerly course from the lake, which was soon lost from sight, and, after traversing about five versts* of boggy, swampy land sprinkled with “hackmatack” or larch- trees, we arrived at good feed grounds for the deer, and con- cluded to halt for the night. It was some time since our deer had been last packed, and we did not wish to tire them too much at the start ; besides, we ourselves felt like halting, for, though we had not gone very far, the difficulty we had experienced in retaining our seats, and a little soreness re- sulting from occasional tumbles, made the proposal to camp acceptable to all. W e felt highly flattered by our first experience, for, strange as it may seem, the falls did not average more than one to the verst. One of these, though, I confess, occasioned me some mortification, and did not much enhance my reputa- tion as a rider. The deer was standing perfectly still at the time, which put me off my guard, and, by simply turning its head to one side, Host my equilibrium, and the saddle turned. The oldest rider frequently falls oft'; for while sitting ol the saddle, the rider’s knees are on both sides and above the deer’s neck, leaving his feet dangling underneath, without stirrups or any thing by which he can brace himself if once started sideways. In a very few minutes after stopping our Tungusians had cut twenty or thirty long slim poles, the bases of which they planted in a circle twelve feet in diameter, allowing the tops to lean together in such a manner as to support each other. Over these we spread our tent. Boughs were afterward cut and strewn over the ground inside, upon which to make our beds, a space being left in the middle large enough for the fire, over which our tea-kettle was singing in almost as short a space of time as it has taken me to write this description. It was our intention to make an early start the following morning, but were prevented from doing so by the wildness of the deer. Some of these had to be lassoed, and our guides . found much difficulty in accomplishing it on account of the thick growth of trees that surrounded camp. The lariat * A verst is five eighths of a mile. LASSOIXG REINDEER.— ON THE BLRPOCOOX. 137 used for the purpose is a long thin line cut from a sealskin, and made pliable by being kept well oiled. It is very strong, though strength is not so very essential, as these deer have all been lassoed so much that they yield without further ado the moment the line strikes their antlers. As with our na- tive Californians, the lariat is deemed an indispensable article among the Tungusians. After the wildest animals had been secured, lassoes were then stretched from tree to tree in a semicircle, forming a corral, into which the remainder were driven. The country we were traversing, though naturally soft and swampy, was made doubly so by the recent rains, and our deer, burdened with heavy loads, frequently sank to their knees in the mud and water. During the greater portion of this day’s journey we were unable to ride on this account. We continued a westerly course through a flat, monoto- nous country, where no trees were to be seen but larch (which were abundant), except as we approached some wa- ter-course, on the banks of which grew a few white birches. Portions of the route were literally covered with cranberries, and two or three wild deer were seen during the morning. About 12 o’clock we struck a small rapid stream, called by our guides the Birpocoon River. Up this we traveled through a pass in a range of low hills, beyond which we found ourselves in a narrow, marshy valley, through which the Birpocoon flows. At noon we stopped to make tea, and after a short rest, pushed on up the stream, our trail occa- sionally leading along the hill -side, when we would seize upon an opportunity to ride a short distance. At 5 o’clock, cold, tired, and wet to our waists, we pitched our tent on a dry spot, adjacent to deer-feed, for the night. Xear our tent was a singular oval-shaped mound, composed of loose stones, on the top of which grew two quite large hackmatacks. It was thirty feet long and seven feet high, perfectly isolated, and had such a regular and artificial ap- pearance that I was inclined to believe it to be a large grave, similar to the Indian mounds, or tumuli, of our own country. If so, many years had elapsed since its construction. During the day one of our pack-deer had been causing us much trouble and delay by tearing the load from its shoul- 138 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES ders with its right antler. At night, before letting the creat- ure loose, Mikhaeloff assured us that he would obviate the difficulty, but how he would effect it we were all curious to know. When the trains had been unpacked and freed, he led the culprit animal up to a good-sized larch-tree, and, with his lasso, proceeded to bind its head to the trunk in such a manner that the natural curve of the antler encircled it, fit- ting it quite snugly. This completed, with his hatchet, which was not over sharp, he chopped off the horn, the op- eration occupying some minutes. Other than from the jar- ring made by the blows, the deer did not seem to experience any inconvenience until after it had been loosened from the tree, when the preponderance of weight on the left side of its head caused the creature to run in a circle for a half hour, which time elapsed before it recovered from its fright. At 10.30 A.M. the following day we forded a small stream,, called by our guides the Yasmall.* This stream flows east, and empties into the Amgoon, a large branch of the Amoor. At noon rain set in upon us, and, finding good feed for our deer near at hand, we decided to camp until it should sub- side. This precaution we had to adopt to protect our stores, many of which were of a destructible nature, and only se- cured in canvas bags. The country traversed during the forenoon was the same as that of the previous day — low, swampy, and detestable. We left the Birpocoon early in the morning, keeping a northwesterly course. As soon as we had camped and partaken of some tea, Mikhaeloff, who had a great reputation among his tribe as a hunter, started off with two of the best deer after game. For want of better occupation, I donned my rubber poncho, and, taking Swartz’s shot-gun, also set out to try and make some additions to our commissariat, which was, by this time, pret- ty nearly exhausted, as far as fresh meat or game was con- cerned. In about two hours’ time I returned to camp, hav- ing shot a large bird of a species I had never seen before, though Swartz called it a grouse. The following description will, perhaps, enable ornithologists to classify it : * For the names of rivers and mountains employed in the following pages. I depended entirely upon our Tungusians, except where Russian names could be obtained. THE FIRST SABBATH. 139 The bird measured twenty-seven inches from the point of the bill to the tip of the tail ; three feet from the tip of one wing to that of the other, and the girth of the body was fif- teen inches. It was a female, and would weigh about five pounds. The bill was short and black, and slightly beaked ; eyes and feet were also black ; legs were short, and covered with feathers to the feet ; color brown, dappled with small black and white spots. The male, Swartz informed us, is al- most black, and has a small red line over each eye. Upon returning to the tent, I found that Constantine had been busy constructing a shelter for himself and Mikhaeloff, ours being only large enough to accommodate four persons. It was a very scanty habitation, consisting of a dozen small poles ranged in a half circle, and covered with deerskins, to shelter the occupants from wind and rain. The covered space seemed hardly large enough to protect one boy, much less two men ; but the Tungusians, in sleeping, roll themselves up in a very small space, doubling their knees up to their chins, and laying with their backs to a large fire which they build in front of their shelter. Their only bedding consists of a small deerskin^ to lie on; for covering, they take off their fur coats (only one being worn by each person) and spread them over their shoulders, leaving their bare backs exposed to the fire. Except in rainy weather, however, a person would want noth- ing better than this simple protection, provided he had plenty of bedding. Mikhaeloff did not return until 5 o’clock. He saw no deer, but brought in three large birds similar to the one I had shot; so our stock of fresh meat was sufficiently large for the time being. October 29th was our first Sabbath in camp ; it still rained too hard to admit of traveling without injury to our supplies. Notwithstanding it was the Sabbath, the six idle, healthy, and hungry individuals that constituted our party made such fearful inroads upon the stock of grouse on hand, that it was deemed advisable to try and secure other while we had an opportunity, and, with that aim in view, Swartz started out. They were excellent eating, and we in excellent condition to enjoy them. Though several had been shot and many others seen, there was not a male among them. 140 HEINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW- SHOES. After leaving the lake, we had made it a practice to deal out rations of diluted alcohol to each of our men twice a day; and even in this short time they had learned to look upon these allowances as among the conditions of their agreement with us. About the customary hour this day, as we were sitting in our tent, the entrance slowly opened, and the shag- gy head of Mikhaeloff immediately became visible. His er- rand was at once guessed, but no allusion was made to the liquor, and, after sitting some minutes, he arose and left the tent, evidently disappointed. • In two or three minutes Con- stantine appeared in the same manner, but, being a little cu- rious to know what would be the result, we still feigned ig- norance of the object of their visits. At length, becoming tired, Constantine also arose and left. After this visit we heard the two outside engaged in low conversation for some moments, which was immediately followed by the appearance of Mikhaeloff 8 at the tent door. This time he was all smiles, and brought a bladder of some white, greasy-looking sub- stance, which he insisted upon our accepting as a present. We were unable to converse with him, Swartz being yet ab- sent, consequently could form no notion of what the bladder contained. Mikhaeloff* saw our hesitancy, and for a moment thought that even this ruse would fail in producing the alco- hol ; but then his face suddenly brightened again, and, taking a piece of bread, by signs he made us to understand that the substance was a substitute for butter. “ What do you sup- pose that is, Bush?” said Mahood, turning toward me with a dubious expression of countenance. “Don’t you think we had better try a little for the sake of curiosity ?” I assented to the proposition, and, greatly to Mikhaeloff ’s satisfaction, we commenced the repast, having previously pledged each other to swallow every thing that passed our lips, by the way of preparing our stomachs for future ordeals. The taste was undefinable, though not particularly disagreeable. We continued the eating for a few minutes, when Swartz re- turned, and Mikhaeloff pressed him to partake. A shake of the head, accompanied with a shrug of his shoulders and drawing up of his nose in a manner indicative of disgust, caused both Mahood and myself to cease chewing, and with one breath to ask what on earth it was. “ Hair-oil ! hair-oil !” UNAPPRECIATED PORTRAITS. 141 he replied; “it’s bear-grease.” Each fixing his eyes on the other to prevent deception, with a difficult gulp the half- masticated morsels vanished, and we gave the Tungusians their rations without farther ado. Upon waking on the morning of the 30th, the first sound that reached our ears was produced by the rain-drops, which still continued to bespatter the tent. It was an unwelcome sound ; but, there being no other alternative, we quietly re- signed ourselves to another day’s delay. This shower, or rather storm, we sincerely hoped would be the last of the season, and that cold weath- er would follow and freeze up the bogs so that travel- ing would be better. As it then was, our heavily- packed deer could with dif- ficulty get along at all, to say nothing of our own dis- comfort in being obliged to walk or wade throughout each day’s journey. For want of better pas- time, I persuaded Mikhael- off to sit for his portrait. The fellow had never seen a mirror in his life, and I dare say had no conception of the amount of ugliness exhibited upon his counte- nance. At any rate, upon seeing the picture, he man- ifested no delight, though Constantine was very much elated, and could not rest contented until I had se- cured his picture also. But alas for the weakness of humanity ! Though Mik- haeloff was the pleased one this time, poor Constantine CONSTANTINE. 142 REINDEER , DOGS, AND .SNOW-SHOES. was terribly crestfallen. The pictures seemed to have awak- ened in their minds strange revelations, and they retired from the tent in a very thoughtful mood, each trying with his hands to smooth down his neglected locks. Presently Con- stantine had occasion to borrow my scissors, and shortly aft- erward the two returned, with scarcely a vestige of hair re- maining on their heads, and implored me to make other like- nesses. During the day our larder was replenished by two more grouse and a ptarmigan, or arctic partridge, the first we had seen. At 9 P.M. stars once more appeared in the heavens, a sight which we hailed with joy, as our patience had become well-nigh exhausted, and we retired to our spruce beds fully expecting to renew the journey on the following morning. “ October 31s£. — In camp. The elements have lost their reason. Evidently forgetful that it has been raining almost incessantly for the week past, they are favoring us with some rain. No hope of departing this day.” During the afternoon, while hunting, Mikhaeloff discovered that a small stream a mile ahead of camp had become so bad- ly swollen by -the late rains as to require bridging; and we immediately started him and Constantine off to fall trees across it. At 9.30 P.M. the moon favored us with a glance at her benign countenance. 01 V THE WAY AGALY. 143 CHAPTER IX. En Route. — Flooded Marshes. — Bad Traveling. — Poor Deer. — Labor of Riding. — A Race. — Impressions on Deer-riding. — Yakov’s Ingenuity. — A novel Boot-jack. — Maimed Deer. — Old Man’s Head. — Mikhaeloff’s bad Shooting. — The Mystery solved. — Mahood’s Mishap. — Deer-doctoring. — More Rain. — Snow. — Contrast. — Vanguard of Winter. — The Chimcha- galee. — The Male Grouse. — Tungusian Mode of Hunting. — MikhaelofF’s Sickness. — The Remedy and Effect. — Our Camp. — Sable Grounds. — The Divide. — First View of Usalghin Bay. — The Sololoucan. — Long Day’s Journey. — Broken Thermometer. — The Usalghin River. — Curious Mud Mounds. — Ptarmigan and Cranberries. — Departure of Guides after a Boat. — Desolation. — No Boat. — Shelters for Deer from Musquitoes. — A Feast at Night. — Luxury and the Price. — Bridging. — Sol’s Condescen- sion. — Rafting the River. — A pretty Sight. — Better Traveling. — First Frostbites. — Ten Degrees Fahrenheit below Zero. — Tracks of Wild Ani- mals. — Tungusian Trail. — Deserted Camp. — Death of the Deer. — Cache. — Native Honesty. — The Ulban. — On the Ice. — Frozen Lakes. — Crystal Carpets. — The Seran. — Jivarack. — Tugur Valley. The repeated disappointments we had experienced each morning, npon emerging from our tent, to find it raining, had prepared us to expect nothing else, and it was not without a little surprise that, early November 1st, we found the ground coated with snow, and the weather suitable for the renewal of our journey. But little time was lost in assembling the deer and striking our tent, and at a reasonable hour we were picking our way through a vast overflowed marsh toward the so-called bridge our guides had constructed the previous night. This consisted merely of two large logs felled side by side across the deep but narrow stream. One of these, how- ever, had been swept away by the increased volume of wa- ter during the night, which fact, together with the uninvit- ing prospect of an endless lake to be traversed beyond the stream, induced us to seek another crossing and better trav- eling farther up the creek. Failing in this, we retraced our steps, after an hour and a half of delay, to the first place, and succeeded in effecting a crossing by swimming the deer and packing the loads across on our shoulders over the remaining log. In the swamp beyond our deer frequently sank to their 144 REINDEER , Z>0 &VO W-SH0E8. YAKOUT WOMAN. ings I never beheld.* The Russians were a long time in conquering them, but, since that event, they have adopted the Russian lan- guage, customs, and religion, and are quite devout, though many of them still retain a lingering belief in sha- manism. They are of fair stature, and have more regular features than any of the other natives we had met. Their com- plexion is also generally lighter, and, in many of the women, is of a livid hue. This can not be owing to ill health, as a more robust class of be- “ Yakout” is a name given them by the Russians, for what reason I do not know. They for- merly called themselves Zinzacha, or Zinzogotock, from one of their princes, and were composed of ten different sub- tribes, numbering altogether more than thirty thousand souls. They were originally united with the Bratti, a large tribe living in the neighborhood of Lake Baikal, but from these they subsequently seceded, and settled on the banks of the Lena. Their religion was very similar to that of the other Siberian tribes, though they did not worship carved idols like the Tungusians. They offered sacrifices to one great invisible God, of whom each tribe had an image, with a stuffed bag for a body, sur- mounted by a huge hideous head. All trees they looked upon as sacred objects, and uncommonly fine ones they used to decorate with vari- ous trinkets. On the death of a prince, Muller says, it YAKOCT MAN. * Intercourse with the Russians has greatly improved the condition of the Yakouts, as will be seen by reference to a translation from S. Muller, publish- ed in 1761, in London, by Thomas Jeffries, entitled “Voyages from Asia to America for completing the discoveries of the Northwest Coast of America. ’’ APPROACH TO OKHOTSK. 301 was their custom to sacrifice or bury alive with him his old- est servants or favorites, but other dead they sometimes left in the streets of Yakoutsk to be devoured by dogs. One of their original peculiarities they still retain — their voracious appetites. At feasts they used to strip themselves, in order that their stomachs might have full scope for expanding, and it was a frequent occurrence for some of them to die on the spot. Never was devout Mussulman, on his approach to Mecca, more elated at the prospect of fulfilling his life’s dream, and terminating his pilgrimage, than was I upon finding that only twenty-five versts intervened between me and my destination. Nearly five months had elapsed since our departure from Nikolayefsk, and at last the goal was about attained, in spite of the predictions of our Amoor friends, who, no doubt, thought us long since retired to the shades of Hades. The distance traveled was not more than 1200 miles, but the time consumed and obstacles overcome had made it apparently three times as great. After seeing sleds started toward the Oulia for Swartz, so great was my eagerness to be on the way that for once my tea was not relished, and daylight found us once more rapid- ly gliding along the barren coast. An hour and a half aft- er starting, I thought myself near enough to distinguish Okhotsk. Ahead for at least twenty versts was an unbroken barren plain, bounded on the farther side by a low range of white hills. No signs of a town were visible, the even white- ness of the plain being disturbed only in one spot by an ob- scure, low, dark object, resembling a portion of a burned log jutting from the snow. I felt satisfied that I had been de- ceived as to the distance, and no doubt showed some signs of my displeasure, for the driver immediately gave a knowing grin, and, pointing to the burned log, exclaimed “ Okhotsk !” It is hardly necessary to say that I was disgusted. As we approached nearer, my Mecca gradually disclosed itself, and I at length was enabled to make out a small collection of low, dirty log houses, in the midst of which stood a small church of the same material, surmounted by a dome and tow- er, but not a tree or shrub was within miles, or any object whatever to shelter it from the fury of the winds, no matter 302 REINDEER, D 0 OS, AND SNO W- SHOES. from what direction they might blow. I never beheld any thing more thoroughly desolate in its aspect. We approach- ed the town from the southwest, but, owing to bad ice on the Okhota River, were obliged to take a very circuitous course, and enter it from the north ; and shortly afterward my driver drove up to a very plain, low log house, in front of which were two or three sleds, and twenty or thirty fine team-dogs. Once dismounted, and my journey was at an end. Neither Major Abasa nor Mahood were expecting me until the follow- ing day. Okhotsk was once a town of comparatively great impor- tance, but when Nikolayefsk was founded it was almost de- serted. From here Behring started out on his voyages of discovery, his vessels having been built and launched at this point. The town consists of about thirty houses, heaped to- gether without any regularity, in the midst of which, on an open space, stands the church, an unimposing log structure. Most of the former houses have been torn down and burned for firewood. The place contains about three hundred inhab- itants, consisting of Russians, Cossacks, and Yakouts. An is- pravnik also resides here ; he, with two or three fur-traders, comprising the aristocracy. The streets, if they can be so called, were literally alive with crows and magpies. No other shelter was afforded for these birds within a scope of miles. In summer, however, the ispravnik afterward informed me, the place presents a much more cheerful aspect, and is quite a pleasant place to reside in. Game of all kinds abounds, from bear to grouse, and in the month of August the River Okhota so teems with fish, that for a time the waters are made unfit for use, on account of a taint imparted to it by dead ones. The latter constitute the chief food of the na- tives and peasants, and annually thousands are dried and stored away for winter consumption, both for themselves and dogs. Potatoes of small size, and a few other vegetables, can be raised, but the inhabitants are not much inclined to- ward agriculture. The dogs constitute a very important feat- ure of the place, and are of a fine large breed. In summer they wade into the river and do their own fishing, and rare- ly fail to procure their regular meal. END OF OUR JOURNEY. 303 Quarters were soon provided for us by the kind assistance of the ispravnik, and in two or three days we were comfort- ably established to await the arrival of vessels in the spring, up to which time we expected to lead a life of indolence. But the prospect was not at all cheering, as the town and neighboring country afforded so few means of enjoyment, and I very early began to regret the completion of our jour- ney. It was the major’s intention to start back immediately for Ghijigha to meet Kennan, and make preparations to pros- ecute the work of building the telegraph line upon the ar- rival of vessels with men and material at that point. Meanwhile we reluctantly discharged Ivan, our Cossack, and, having paid him liberally for his services, both in money and various presents, he once more turned southward to re- join his family at Oudskoi. Poor fellow, we did not envy him the journey. DOGS FISHING. 304 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. CHAPTER XXL Another Journey. — A comparatively pleasure Trip. — Short Notice. — Start. — Last View of Okhotsk. — Pavoshkas. — Luxurious Traveling. — Our Teams. — Indications of the Approach of Spring. — Tundra Hummocks. — The Sea. — Salt Ice. — First Duck. — Post-yourt. — Ena. — Fast Traveling. — Our Re- ception. — Change Dogs. — Native Curiosity. — Politeness. — The Town. — Poorga Indications. — Start. — Turnoff River. — The Poorga. — Frightened Drivers. — Moral Persuasion. — Climbing the Mountain. — Sleds Lost. — Pavoshka Traveling. — Lost in the Storm. — Dismayed Drivers. — A Lull. — The Summit. — Furious Descent. — Timely Precaution. — Narrow Escape. — Broken Sled. — Snow Caverns and Precipices. — Overhanging Masses. — Dangerous Traveling. — Fish Deposits. — Team - dogs. — Distemper. — Te- dious Traveling. — Sled - road. — Cowey River. — Snow - squalls. — Road Lunches. — Imperial Ermine. — Dead Dogs. — Late Traveling. — Tausk Bay. — Hummocks. — Cutting our Way. — Repairing Sleds. — Tausk. I had hardly become settled in the belief that my winter journeyings were ended, and was but just beginning to be- come reconciled to the idea of spending the following four months in the dreary, uninteresting little town of Okhotsk, when, one morning, Yushin, the major’s Cossack, entered my quarters with a note from the major informing me that he would start for Ghijigha the following day, and asking me to accompany him. To this I willingly assented, not only to gratify my curi- osity concerning the country and natives far to the north- east, but the seven days’ taste of Okhotsk life had sated me, and I felt that the most arduous traveling would be prefer- able to the stagnation that would certainly result from a much longer sojourn in this town. Besides, the journey to Ghijigha would be a pleasure-trip compared with the one just completed, for we were henceforth to abandon reindeer- rid- ing, and adopt the . less arduous, more comfortable, and rapid dog-sleds of the Yakouts and Cossacks along the post-route. In some countries one day would be considered short no- tice to prepare for a 1200-mile journey; but our Siberian wardrobes, at the outset very incomplete, had dwindled down to almost nothing — three or four pairs of old socks, PA VO SHEAS. —B 0 G- TEAMS. 305 with strings tied around the toes to close up some of the holes, and two suits of ragged under- garments, out at the knees and elbows. Reindeer-riding wears out clothing very rapidly. Having procured a fresh supply of fur socks and mits, and put on all my under- clothing, so that no part of my body should be neglected, my preparations were completed. About 9 o’clock on the morning of the 15th of March the word was given, and, with loud yelps and barks, our dogs started off, soon bearing us beyond the sound of the final “good-bys” and “prostiaties” of our American and Russian friends whom we were leaving behind. Dashing across the frozen surface of the Okhota River, our route lay for some distance over a level, barren waste of snow, from which, looking back, the dark group of log houses that composed Okhotsk resembled more a pile of rubbish in a va- cant lot than a town. Gradually, as the distance increased, the dark mass diminished in size, until, rounding a low, snow- clad knoll, it vanished altogether from sight. We had thought our first dog-ride on the Uda River the perfection of winter traveling, but the comfortable “ pavosh- kas” with which we were each supplied on this journey sur- passed any thing in the shape of dog-sleds I had seen. These pavoslikas are low, long, and narrow, like the ordinary narta, but have a body constructed of thin boards, over the outside of which sealskins are tightly sewed, making them almost impervious to cold or moisture ; and, in addition, the whole inside is thickly lined with long, soft bear or wolf skins, so that the traveler is almost smothered in the profusion of fur. The box or body extends the full length of the sled, and is entirely covered over except at the back end, where the traveler sits or reclines, thrusting his feet and legs under the covered portion, which serves the driver as a seat. The back portion of the sled has a top like that of a buggy, made to raise or lower at the option of the traveler, and is also thick- ly lined with fur. If the weather be stormy, a boot, or skin curtain, attached to the body of the sled, can be unrolled and fastened to the top in such a manner as to completely shelter the person inside ; but the driver has no protection whatever. The pavoshka, though so comfortable in its arrangements, 306 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. is but little used except by the more wealthy, who can afford to hire a driver, as it is impossible to manage or direct the dogs while reclining inside. Nearly all the inhabitants pre- fer to drive their own sleds, which at times requires no small amount of exertion and activity, and therefore keeps the blood in circulation, thereby preventing them from suffering from the cold. As the ordinary sled is much lighter and more easily managed in traversing mountainous or rough country, they always use it in preference. It is also much more con- venient for packing. To each of our sleds were attached from fifteen to twenty fine large dogs, perfectly fresh, and so invigorated by the cool morning air that they could hardly be restrained by the drivers from dashing off in a pell-mell race over the level ex- tent we were now traversing along the sea-shore. The slight- est movement of a dry leaf, or any object on the snow, would attract their attention, and then a furious race would ensue in pursuit of the object, resulting in a general melee and tangling of traces and harness. This was owing to the half- starved condition in which the dogs are kept while making a journey. At such times they become so ravenous as to be ready to devour any thing that has an appearance of life. Already the approaching spring and neighboring salt air had begun to affect the snow, and in many places the knotty hummocks of the tundra were beginning to make their ap- pearance, offering quite a serious obstacle to our progress. At these places all hands would lend their united strength to assist the dogs in dragging our heavy sleds, and it was really a pleasure to do so, as the noble little animals worked and struggled with such earnestness, every muscle strained to the utmost, and their tongues hanging from their mouths, each one in the mean while giving short, quick yelps, as if to en- courage his companions. Fortunately we encountered but few of these places, and the traveling was generally .very good. For the first half of the day our route lay along the imme- diate edge of the sea. The water was covered with rotten salt ice, broken into large, irregular fragments by the action of the waves, and piled upon each other in the greatest con- fusion. The ice extended as far as the eye could reach, inter- POST-YO URTS. —FAST TEA VELING. 307 spersed here and there with small open patches of water, in one of which we saw a solitary duck paddling about, the first to revisit his old haunts after the long arctic winter, and a welcome harbinger of approaching spring to us, who were be- ginning to tire of omnipresent snow and ice. In the immedi- ate foreground huge fantastic boulders and blocks of ice were grounded on the beach, some of them forty feet in height and thickness. I was astonished at the great thickness of these fragments, but, upon closer examination, found that they were formed of several layers which had been forced one upon the other and become cemented together. Many of them might readily have been taken for stone or earth on account of the sand and gravel that had clung to their sides while being tumbled about in the surf before finding their final resting- places. At noon, having arrived at a small post-yourt, we stopped to refresh ourselves with tea, and to await the coming up of some of our heavy sleds that had not been able to keep pace with the others. These yourts were well-built, comfortable log huts, erected at government expense along the routes usually traveled for the protection of travelers during the se- vere storms that prevail during the winter months. Each yourt consists of a single room, upon one side of w^hich is a low platform, upon which the traveler spreads his bed ; and in one corner is a “chual,” or fireplace-, like the one we saw at Solavaoff’s, on the Aria River. They are unoccupied ex- cept by travelers, and are generally kept in good repair. From the yourt we struck inland more, toward the foot- hills of the Juggur range, which at this place is of inferior magnitude, and then continued our course eastwardly paral- lel to the coast until 10 o’clock P.M., when we reached the half-Russian, half-Yakout settlement of Ena. The barking of dogs as we approached the settlement was a most welcome sound, as my feet and hands had been suffering much from cold during the last two hours’ ride, and the necessity of ly- ing in one position during the whole day made the journey very tiresome. After becoming accustomed to the slow progress and short day’s journey with reindeer, this seemed like very rapid trav- eling, and in fact it was, considering the conveyances. We 808 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. had made during the past twelve hours one hundred and fourteen versts, or about seventy-two miles. We were very hospitably received at the residence of a Russian doctor, with whom the major had stopped on his way to Okhotsk, and every thing that could be contributed to make us comfortable was freely furnished. Early the next morning all were astir making preparations for our farther journey. Our exhausted dogs were exchanged for fresh ones that were to carry us through to Tausk, and a noble lot they were, each sled having from ten to twenty of the little ani- mals attached to it. It did not take long for the news to spread through the settlement that there was an American in the place, and as most of them had heard of, but never seen one of these creat- ures, upon emerging from the house in the morning I heard a general buzzing sound, and, glancing up, found about two hundred of the inhabitants assembled around the doorway to catch a glimpse of me. I was scrutinized from head to foot, and every motion I made was followed by the eyes of the assemblage as if in expectation of seeing me perform some hitherto unheard-of feat; but withal they were very polite, and each individual, down to the smallest child, threw back his fur hood and bade me good-morning in Russian when I made my appearance. Ena, like most of these small settle- ments, contains nothing to attract the attention of the trav- eler, and is an exact counterpart of the other villages I had seen in the country. The morning was dark, and milder than usual, and the heavens were concealed by a dingy, threatening cloud, from which indications our drivers predicted a poorga ; but, as we felt certain of being able to reach one of the yourts on the route in case of a storm, we felt no hesitancy in starting out. It was 9 o’clock before our preparations were completed, at which time, upon the signal being given, we dashed down a steep bluff, with half a dozen natives clinging to our pavosh- kas to prevent them from capsizing. We then bade them “proschi,” and soon the village was lost to sight. We con- tinued steadily on in an easterly direction, now traveling on the winding bed of some frozen stream, and then through stretches of larch forest, until about 3 o’clock P.M., when we A POORGA. 309 came to a yourt on the Turnoff River, where we encountered a number of sleds laden with dried salmon for dog-food, that had been sent from Tausk to meet us. At this point the route leaves the river and crosses a high mountain ridge to the head of the “ Cowey” River. The poorga was now raging at its height, but the yourt was so sheltered among trees that we did not feel its effects in the least. Here we stopped to make tea, intending to push on over the mountain and reach the yourt on the other side, dis- tant about twenty versts, before night. As soon as the driv- ers learned our intention, they assembled in mass, and begged the major not to attempt to cross the ridge in that storm, as they would get lost and perish, or be blown from the moun- tain sides down into the deep chasms. To these pleadings they added accounts in which whole parties had been lost- in such attempts, and well-nigh persuaded the major not to go any farther. But these poorgas sometimes last several days, constantly increasing in fury, and, as we had neither foor for ourselves or dogs to risk such a delay, we concluded that the best thing to be done would be to push ahead as soon as pos- sible. At this some of the drivers revolted, and declared that they would not stir from the yourt; but the major, by a free use of a well-selected assortment of Russian epithets, accom- panied by threats, and the unpleasant proximity of two or three willing Cossacks, overcame their obstinacy, and ere long we were working our way up the mountain side. The wind was blowing a perfect hurricane, and, although sheltered by a forest of larch-trees, the snow fell so fast that we could not distinguish the leading dogs of our sleds. The old trail was entirely obliterated, and we were left to pick our way as best we might in the blinding storm. Two or three sleds that were unable to keep up lost their way, as the tracks of our sleds had become covered up by the snow, and they only succeeded in finding us, after half an hour’s delay, by hearing the hallooing of the men whom we had sent out within hailing distance of each other to discov- er their whereabouts. The snow drifted into our pavoshkas so rapidly at the out- set that we raised the skin curtains, knowing that we could be of no assistance to the drivers in finding the way ; and, al- 310 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. though the scene was of the wildest confusion without, we were completely sheltered from the storm, and might have been perfectly oblivious of it had it not been for the howling of the winds, above which we could at times faintly hear the shouts of the drivers encouraging their dogs. Now and then our sleds would thump violently against a tree, or almost cap- size in running over some hidden log, but no injury was sus- tained. After struggling for about two hours the train came to a halt, and with blank countenances the drivers assembled around our pavoshkas to inform us that they were lost. No traces of the old route could be found, nor could any land- marks be distinguished by which they could direct their course. At this juncture we decided that our only plan was to camp where we were until the storm should subside ; but just then the wind lulled a little, and we sent parties out on snow-shoes in every direction to try once more to learn our whereabouts. In a few minutes we heard a joyous shout far to one side, and ere long all were hard at work assisting the dogs in dragging the sleds up the last steep range of the mountain. Once upon the summit we felt truly grateful, for henceforth our route was all down hill to the next yourt. The eastern side of the ridge was also completely sheltered from the storm. I could not help remarking the total absence of trees or vegetation of any kind after passing the summit. Ahead, as far as the falling snow would permit us to see, was nothing but a dull whiteness, into which our dogs, after a few mo- ments’ rest, plunged on the full jump, with loud, excited yelps. The descent w T as very steep, and our headlong course so rap- id that we might have imagined ourselves falling from a balloon. Not knowing what was ahead, the drivers, in order to check the speed of their dogs, were compelled to spring from their sleds and brace their feet forward against the snow, at the same time thrusting their pointed staves or ostles into the hard crust between the runners. The ostles tore up such clouds of fine snow as to almost envelop each sled from the view of the others. This precaution for diminishing our speed was taken none too soon. The next moment we found ourselves on the brink of a snow precipice about fifty feet in height, which we bare- CA CUES. — PRICES OF DOGS. 311 ly had time to escape by guiding our dogs to the right. As it happened, some of the dogs could not avoid going over it, but they managed to direct their course to a place where it was only twelve feet high, and escaped at the expense of a broken sled and one injured dog, who fell beneath it. The sled was soon repaired, and our journey continued, though at a more moderate pace. The route led down a narrow gorge, in which the snow had accumulated to a depth of more than a hundred feet in places, being blown from the neighboring summits, and the traveling was excellent except when we encountered precipices like the one we had just escaped. These precipices are occasioned by the action of the winds sweeping through the gorge with such force as to chisel out large chasms in the vast amount of accumulated snow, some- times leaving perpendicular walls seventy feet in height, packed nearly as hard as ice, and again in many places scooping them out in such a manner as to leave tons’ weight of snow overhanging our trail. These masses were constant- ly falling, making the journey very dangerous, to say noth- ing of heavy snow-slides that blocked our path from time to time. Only a short time before, my driver told me a man and his dogs had been killed by the falling of one of these masses. At 8 o’clock P.M. we arrived at a yourt near the “ Sheelcap” River. Of this we gratefully availed ourselves for the night. Before our departure the next morning, each driver, ac- cording to custom, deposited in small caches one day’s al- lowance of dried fish for their dogs, to be used on the return journey. This is a very wise precaution, it being not unfre- quently the case that, through some mishap, they lose, or have to part with portions of their supply, and, were it not for these deposits held in reserve, they might be unable to regain their homes, or, if at all, at the expense of losing many of their dogs, which they prize very highly. Though each settlement abounds with these animals, a large proportion of them are almost good for nothing. On this account, the finer and more intelligent ones are almost invaluable. A good lead dog, trained to go to the right or left by the sound of the voice, if also a good draught animal, will sometimes bring eighty roubles, about $60. This is very 312 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. nearly a fortune in itself to these poor people, whose wants are so simple. The price of an ordinary dog is from five to fifteen roubles, according to the scarcity of the animals. A species of distemper breaks out every two or three years among the dogs of these regions, and almost invariably proves fatal ; sometimes hundreds of them are swept off in a single week. At such times money can not purchase the sur- vivors. Our route was over an undulating, sparsely-wooded coun- try, going eastward toward the Cowey River, which empties into Tausk Bay about two hundred and fifty versts farther to the east. The day was pleasant and tolerably mild, the thermometer indicating zero, and the journey would have been very pleasant had it not been for bad traveling. Car- avans of nartas or dog-sleds always travel in the same track, if possible, packing down each fresh fall of snow upon the old road, so that, toward the latter part of the winter, they have a hard bed to travel upon two, and sometimes three feet above the ground, while upon either side of the narrow causeway the snow is so deep and soft that a man will sink to the waist. This being the nature of the road we were traversing, we experienced great inconvenience, particularly since all traces of the old road had become obliterated by the recent storm, and our sleds were constantly running off into the deep snow. Then two or three men would be required to lift them back upon the track. To avoid an almost constant re- currence of these delays, we found it necessary to keep two men constantly in advance, on snow-shoes, feeling for the road with staves, some of the rest of us driving their teams in the mean while. In the afternoon it began to snow again, accompanied with strong gusts of wind ; but dark found us at one of the yourts on the bank of the Cowey River. The Cowey at this point is about one hundred feet wide, and well wooded on the banks with larch-trees, none of which exceed ten inches in diameter, however. The next morning was yet squally and disagreeable, par- ticularly to the drivers, who had to face it; but the travel- ing was much better. We continued our course eastward down the wide and well-wooded valley of the Cowey, some- ROAD LUNCHES.— THE IMPERIAL ERMINE. 313 times traveling on the river itself, but mostly through the woods by more direct routes, to avoid the long and frequent meanderings of the river. At noon, according to our usual custom, we stopped at one of the yourts to make tea and have lunch. These lunches were generally very unceremo- nious and hasty. While tea was being prepared, Vushin, the chief Cossack, would get a raw, frozen salmon, and, with his sheath-knife, cut it up into thin shavings, to be eaten with salt. This, with frozen black bread, chopped into rations with an axe, at first constituted our meal; but, finding it very difficult and disagreeable eating the frozen bread, which was so hard we could not bite it without first thawing it in hot tea, we afterward adopted the plan of placing it in the fire, and, as fast as it thawed to a sufficient depth, sliced it off for use. For variety we sometimes ate dried salmon, such as we fed our dogs with, which, when carefully prepared, was very palatable. This day, while sitting cross-legged upon the pfatform in the yourt eating, my attention was attracted by a small white animal, apparently of the weasel family, that darted back and forth beneath a pile of fire-wood in one corner of the hut, but its motions were so rapid that I could not catch a good view of it. I at first thought noth- ing of the animal, but, aft- er it had made its appear- ance several times, I ven- tured to ask Yushin what it was. Much to my sur- prise, if not somewhat to my disappointment, he informed me that this miserable-looking little creature, skulking about among old logs and in deserted huts, was the imperial ermine, that, from my earliest recollections, I had associated with kings and thrones. Verily “all is vanity;” and this first glimpse of the humble source of so much regal splendor had a tendency to lower at least one notch in my estimation the glory of maj- esty. Every few versts along the route we found dead dogs that had starved or given out on some previous journey during 314 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. the winter, and been left on the road to perish. When, how- ever, the sleds are not heavily laden, the driver, rather than lose an animal that has given out, will carry it on his narta until it recuperates its strength. At 6 o’clock P.M. we arrived at another yourt on the bank of the Cowey,but, it being yet some time before dark, and we were anxious to reach Tausk, we pushed on to the next, which we reached at 10.30 P.M., though some of the more heavily laden sleds did not get in until near 12 o’clock. We had yet upward of one hundred and twenty-five versts to go before arriving at Tausk, and, in order to accomplish it the next day, were on the road by 5 o’clock A.M. The day’s journey was without particular interest, the traveling being good, but our dogs were too much exhausted to make very rapid progress. We traveled on the -ice of the river most of the day, arriving at its mouth just before dark. Here we encountered salt ice once more, the mouth of the river being completely choked up with broken masses of it which had been drifted in by the tides and frozen up for the winter. Our only route was across these hummocks, in order to round a rocky promontory that jutted into the bay on the easterly bank of the river, and we found it a rough road in- deed. Each sled had to be carried through separately, ac- companied by four or five men to lift it over innumerable jagged ridges or lower it down into the ice chasms that in- tervene, so we worked along, first up and then down, now capsizing and breaking a sled, or plunging it forward among the dogs, when a most piteous yelping and howling would ensue as some poor creature would get jammed. The axe was brought into frequent use, chopping off jutting frag- ments and clearing a way, and the sound of it, together with the shouts of the men and the yelping and howling of our one hundred and fifty dogs, produced a perfect Bedlam. It was some time after dark before we got them all through, and even then only at the expense of several broken sleds and injured dogs, but, as we had only fifteen versts farther to go, and a good road before us, the sleds were patched up in some manner, and we reached Tausk about 9.30 P.M. PICTORIALS AT TAUSK. 315 CHAPTER XXII. Tausk. — Population. — Tausk Bay. — Peeping. — Frank Leslie’s and Harper’s Pictorials. — Government Postilion. — News from Kennan. — Value of Er- mine. — Ermine Traps. — Departure for Dobratown. — A lazy Team and more lazy Driver. — Knowledge of ‘ ‘ American. ” — Arman. — Lamut Chiefs. — Native Livelihood. — Decoration. — Improvidence. — Amusing Idea of Telegraph. — Dosing the Sick. — Disease. — A Band at Sea. — Armani. — Conflict between Dogs and Deer. — The Polog. — Seal-oil Lamps. — Jour- ney toYamsk. — Forced Traveling. — Dogs in Boots. — Ice and Bone Sled- runners. — Agates. — Tinder. — Mode of making Fire. — Canine Character and Peculiarities. — Leader’s Sagacity. — Night Journey. — Buried in the Snow. — Resurrecting. — Misplaced Confidence. — Yamsk. — Industry of set- tled Koraks. — A Poorga. — Along the Coast. — Toumane. — Outrageous Im- pudence. — Ce chas. — Famished Dogs. — Postilion’s Mishap. — A starving Community. — Criminal Negligence. — Annual Famines. — Abundance of Fish. — Government Aid. — Laziness. — Reliance upon the Lamuts. Tausk, which is situated near the bay of the same name, contains about twenty habitations, ranging from quite re- spectable log houses to mere hovels. The population is a decided mixture of Russians, Yakouts, Cossacks, and Lamuts, and it is a hard matter to distinguish the one from the other. They all speak the Russian language, and have adopted the Russian religion and customs. Tausk Bay had been fre- quently visited by American whalers in earlier days, on which occasions they used to go ashore and barter for furs and trinkets of different kinds, so that we found the inhabit- ants quite familiar with American ways, and some of them even understood many English words and phrases. Never- theless, they exhibited great curiosity upon learning that an American was iri town, and during our stay long rows of black eyes were continually peering through the cracks in the partition that separated our own from the other apart- ments of the house. They also displayed a good deal of fondness for pictures and other decorations. I was not a little surprised at finding illustrations taken from Harper’s and Frank Leslie’s pictorials pasted upon the walls of many of the houses. 316 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. The same day on which we reached Tausk the government postilion also arrived, bringing letters with him from Kamt- chatka and Ghijigha, among which was one written by Mr. Kennan from a small town called Anadyrsk, near the head of the Anadyr River, far to the northeast. When he wrote he had just reached that place on his way to the mouth of the river in search of Macrae and party, who we supposed had been landed at that point. In conversation with the starasta, at whose house we stop- ped, I was much astonished at the little value placed upon ermine by these people. These animals bring so small a price from traders (about six cents each) that few make any efforts whatever to capture them, and then they trap only a sufficient number to pay their light church taxes. In this manner about fifty skins had accumulated on the hands of the priest, which he was more than willing to dispose of to me for the trifling sum of five roubles. He also showed me the trap with which these animals are usually caught, which is quite a curiosity in itself, and ex- hibits considerable ingenuity. It consists of a small rectan- gular wooden frame like that of a picture, in which a cross- bar is made to slide up and down in grooves on either side, something after the manner of the blade of a guillotine. A small strong bow is lashed to the upper part of the frame, but the arrow, instead of being a loose shaft, is fastened to the sliding cross-bar in such a manner that, when the bow is sprung, this bar is pressed quickly and firmly against the low- er end of the frame. The trap is so placed over the entrance to the ermine’s abode that the animal, to get in or out, has to pass between the sliding-bar and the bottom of the frame, and, in so doing, presses & fine string stretched across the aperture, and leading to the trigger. The pressure frees the DEPARTURE FROM TAUSK.—A LAZY DRIVER. 317 bowspring, and, before the animal can get through, he is caught and killed without injury to the skin. We left Tausk the following morning at 6 A.M. for Ar- man, or Dobratown (“good town”), as the whalers used to call it, and, though the distance was only half a day’s jour- ney, we took fresh dogs. Traveling was very rugged among the hummocks and boulders along the shore, and my team was, I will venture to say, the laziest collection of quadru- peds that ever had the misfortune to be harnessed together. But this they had acquired through force of habit, owing to the neglect of their driver, an exact counterpart of Dickens’s fat boy. It required constant care on my part to keep the fellow from going to sleep and capsizing my pavoshka among the hummocks, and at length, when we reached a smooth road, I experienced great relief. Joe, by which name the fellow understood me to mean him, immediately coiled himself up for a comfortable nap on top of the pavoshka, leaving the dogs to follow the other sleds, and, as my curiosity was by this time fully aroused, I resolved to see what it would result in. The dogs, hearing no sound behind them, began to look back over their shoul- ders, and, seeing the driver asleep, gradually slackened their pace, and finally stopped altogether, and began to coil them- selves up in the snow for quiet naps also. At this my pa- tience left me, and, seizing the man’s “ ostle,” which lay by his side, I gave him a hard poke in the side, accompanying the thrust with an imperfect representation of an Apache war-whoop. At the sound every dog sprang to his feet in perfect astonishment, but the only effect it had upon the driver was to cause him to roll his lazy body leisurely around toward me, disclosing his fat face distorted by a sickly smile. By great exertion he managed to utter the words “ big noise” in tolerable English, and then slowly began to coil himself up for another nap. Fearing lest he should go to sleep again, I tried to get into some kind of conversation with him. In reply to my question/' Do you understand English ?” for some moments his face wore a blank expression, and then he replied “No sabez.” Not wishing to give it up, I changed the form of my question, and said, “ You sabez American ?” to which he immediately replied, “ Me small sabez,” and then 318 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNO W- SHOES. began to tell me the names of different whalers he had seen in Tausk. As he continually repeated the same names over, he did not complete the list until we arrived at Arman, about 12.30 o’clock P.M. This place is also situated on Tausk Bay, or near it, and is so like the town of Tausk that it would be difficult to distin- guish one from the other. Imagine ten or a dozen tolerable log houses heaped together in a large dice-box, and then thrown out and left standing where they fell, without regard to regularity, and you will have the appearance of one of these settlements. But, to complete the picture as we found it, the houses must be half buried in huge snow-drifts, and the spaces around them thronging with half-starved dogs, crows, and magpies. These birds are never molested, and become so tame that I have seen them sharing the daily meal of the dogs from the same trough with them. On his previous visit to this place, Major Abasa had sent word to some rich neighboring Lamuts for them to meet him here on his return, as he wished to bargain with them for a number of deer, to be used in the construction of the line. Upon our arrival we found them assembled, decked out in their best attire of reindeer-skins, ornamented with beads and trinkets of various kinds. One of them, a benevolent-looking old man, wore suspended to his neck a huge silver medal, pre- sented to him by the Czar for his liberality in supplying some of the settled natives with deer to prevent them from starva- tion during one of their periodical famines. These people depend mainly upon fish for a livelihood, but not unfrequently there is the greatest scarcity of them, and they are unable to secure' a supply sufficient to maintain themselves and dogs during the long winter months. They are greatly dependent upon their dogs to go to neighboring towns and tribes in search of food, and, rather than sacrifice them, will share with them their last fish ; after which they are mainly dependent upon the generosity of some of the Lamuts, or upon bark, roots, and berries for the wherewithal to sustain life. It was for assistance given on one of these occasions that the old man was rewarded. He valued his medal “ even beyond his life,” he said. These famines occur every three or four years, producing LAMTJTS.— IDEAS OF THE TELEGRAPH 319 great suffering, and often death ; but the strangest thing of all is the neglect on the part of the people to profit by past experience. The moment their sufferings have ended they forget them altogether, neither do they make any provision for future emergencies of a like nature. Usually fish are so abundant that, with little extra exertion, they could lay in a supply sufficient to last them two or three years ; but no sooner is their winter supply caught and dried than they abandon their nets, and give themselves up to feasting and dancing — satisfied with to-day, and willing to let the morrow take care of itself. The Lamuts are very similar to the Tun- gusians, having the same appearance, language, and customs, the only difference I was able to discover being in their name. Those chiefs we met were quite dignified, and seated them- selves with the greatest gravity to hear the major’s proposi- tion. They had plenty of deer, and were perfectly willing to sell any number of them, provided they were to be used for any other purpose, but evidently did not wish to encourage the building of the telegraph line. Thinking they did not thoroughly understand the object and nature of the line, the major explained it to them, telling them that it would simply consist of a line of poles extending through the country, and having a small wire stretched over the top. They were also told what advantages would accrue to them in having our forts and stations in their midst, from which they could pro- cure supplies, cloths, and every thing needed, but nothing that was said seemed to satisfy them. At length one asked in what direction the line would go ; but, upon being told, they became decidedly gloomy and still more reluctant. We could not imagine why they were so opposed to the project until one of them, as if struck with a new idea, ask- ed how far apart the poles would be. Upon being answered, their faces all brightened up, and they were perfectly willing to dispose of the deer. They knew the line would cross their usual routes of travel, but had supposed the poles would be so close together that they would not be able to pass between them with their deer. Without farther hesitation, they prom- ised us two hundred deer in the spring, at two and a half roubles each (about $1.87). It being our intention to push 320 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. on without delay, fresh dogs were immediately ordered for the journey to Yamsk, about four hundred versts distant. During our short stay, all the sick and lazy of the place came to us asking medicine for their different complaints, knowing we had a small medicine-chest with us. In doc- toring them medical knowledge w T as not at all essential, as far as their wishes were concerned, as they were perfect- ly willing to swallow any thing that we would give them, from arsenic to Dover’s powders. But we confined our prac- tice to the latter, to be on the safe side, and I have no doubt but that the effects were as beneficial as if we had used the former. There was a great deal of disease among them, probably originating from intercourse with whalers. No means of checking its advancement were at hand, and at the time of our visit a large proportion of the inhabitants were hopeless- ly stricken with it. Some of them were merely living mass- es of putrefaction, perfectly sickening to behold. Hemor- rhage of the lungs appeared to be quite common also. Oc- casionally, among the men, we encountered some poor fellow whose face was all scarred and features distorted by the teeth and claws of a bear with which he had struggled, and at rare intervals we saw traces of smallpox. By cutting across an arm of Tausk Bay from Arman we might shorten our journey considerably, but at this late sea- son the ice was very insecure, and the experiment would have been hazardous at the least. Only three years before, a party of natives, while crossing the ice at this same point, suddenly discovered that they were drifting seaward on a large sheet of ice that had become detached from shore. But fortune favored them, and, after four days’ sailing, they brought up on shore near Okhotsk. Since this, the ispravnik had forbidden any of his people attempting it. From the town we ascended the bed of the Armani River, having a well-beaten track, which enabled us to make very good prog- ress with our fresh dogs. Only a few versts from the settlement we met a Lamut riding one deer and leading another, who, upon seeing our train coming, kept close to the river bank, hoping our dogs would not discover him. The sharp sight and keen scent of FIGHT BETWEEN DOGS AND DEER. 321 the animals soon detected his presence, however, and in a mo- ment their wolfish instinct was thoroughly aroused. Perfect- ly frantic and wild with excitement, the whole train, contain- ing about two hundred dogs, dashed fiercely toward the deer, at the same time uttering loud bays and yelps, completely drowning the shouts of their drivers. It was impossible to restrain them, and most of the drivers turned their heavy sleds bottom up to check their speed ; but, in spite of their ex- ertions, three of the teams caught up with the hindmost deer just as he was about to ascend the river bank, and then en- sued a scene of the wildest excitement. Ten or twelve dogs immediately fastened upon the poor animal and dragged it to the snow, but in an instant the drivers were in their midst, dealing quick blows right and left with their heavy ostles. The dogs obstinately persisted in the attack, and the deer, up to this time overcome with fear, having recovered its feet, began to recover its self-possession, and then, rage succeed- ing fright, it dashed boldly into the very thickest of its ene- mies, springing into the air and striking viciously with all four feet at the same instant. At length the dogs were driv- en back by the natives. The deer, then missing its compan- ion, which had disappeared among the trees on shore, rushed madly to the middle of the stream, when the greater part of the dogs, restrained by their traces, were howling and spring- ing into the air to free themselves. In a moment it was again dragged down, and, before the dogs could be again driven back, was so badly injured that it could not live. . We all very much regretted the occurrence, fully sympa- thizing with the poor deer for its sufferings, and with the Lamut for his loss ; but a liberal compensation in money re- stored the latter to feelings of content, and we renewed our journey, traveling, without farther incident, until dark, when we camped in the woods, there being no yourt within a couple of versts. We disposed of ourselves d la Korak for the night, camping in a small Korak polog the major had brought with him from Ghijigha. The polog is a small square inclosure, made of heavy deer- skins, tanned with the hair on, and made’to be suspended by the four upper corners inside of the Korak yourts. It is about six feet square and four feet in height, being air-tight, X 322 REINDEER , DOGS , J.iVZ» SNOW-SHOES. each one serving as a separate apartment for the different families residing in the same yourt. Upon retiring, the family carries into its polog a small lamp, consisting simply of a shallow Avooden basin filled with seal oil, upon which a small bunch of burning moss floats. This not only fur- nishes light, but furnishes heat to the close, confined atmos- phere inside, and soon makes it almost insufferably warm. We pitched the polog and tried the lamp ; but, shortly after retiring, the heat and stench arising from the burning oil became insupportable, and we were glad to throw up the skin curtain, and breathe the pure cold atmosphere from the outside. The journey to Yamsk was without particular interest, the country being undulating, thickly wooded with larch and spruce, and traversed by numerous small streams. We trav- eled late and early, camping usually in yourts, and stop- ping barely long enough to give our dogs and drivers time to rest before renewing our journey. With us it made no perceivable difference, as our comfortable pavoshkas enabled us to sleep on the road ; and, as we intended to procure fresh drivers and dogs at Yamsk, we knew our present ones could endure a little deprivation of sleep, for three or four days. But the heavy sleds and forced journeys were very trying upon some of the dogs. The surface of the snow, from par- tial thawing at noon-day, and after freezing, became rough, and, through constant travel, the bottoms of our dogs’ feet became ra.w and lacerated. The drivers, however, were pro- vided, in case of such an emergency, with small fur socks, that they put on the dogs’ feet as a protection, and it was not an uncommon thing to see whole teams of these animals traveling along clad in boots. At this season of the year the roughness of the snow is very destructive to the birch runners of the sleds also. In cold weather, to protect them, as well as to ease the running of the sled, every two or three hours during the day the driver turns his narta over, and, with a piece of deerskin sat- urated with water, moistens the shoes, and in a few moments they are incased in a smooth icy covering. If it is difficult to procure water on the way, they carry a bottle of it be- neath their furs, next the body, to prevent its freezing. CHAR A CTERISTICS OF DO GS. 323 These ice-shoes soon wear off in spring, however, and are consequently of little protection ; but if the journey prom- ises to be particularly rough, they shoe their runners with strips of bone hewn from the ribs of whales. We found a number of agates on the gravelly beds of sev- eral streams, where they had become exposed by the snow thawing. These the natives use as flints in striking fire. Their punk or tinder is manufactured from the fungi grow- ing on the birch-tree by boiling it in lye, though some of them create fire by friction, rubbing two pieces of wood to- gether. Sulphur is found in some portions of the country, more particularly in Northern Kamtchatka, the natives say. They all know the value of it, and each one wears suspended to his tinder-bag a small bone or wooden basin of it, in which to place the punk when lit, and, by blowing, create a blaze with which to start their fires. While making these long journeys I had abundant oppor- tunities for studying canine peculiarities and characteristics, and on more than one occasion found myself watching their manoeuvres not only with astonishment, but admiration. Their characters are as diversified as those of human beings, and I have even thought, many times, that I detected facial resemblances to persons I had seen at some time or another. They are possessed of great intelligence and acuteness, fre- quently outwitting their masters. Some are reserved and dignified, fully cognizant of the obligations that devolve upon them, and enter into their duties with conscientious zeal. These are placed at the head of the train, to set a good example to the young rattle-brains of good, honest in- tentions that follow them, but who, not being perfectly sound in judgment, require some wise Mentor to direct them. Be- hind these come the knaves — cunning, sharp-nosed fellows, wifh one eye always over the shoulder, watching the driver, pulling desperately when he is watching, and slackening uj) their traces as soon as his attention is diverted ; but they are often caught in their tricks, and have become so accus- tomed to having the ostle thrown among them, that, the mo- ment the driver raises his staff, they set up a piteous yelling, as if being killed, and rush underneath the bellies of the good dogs for protection. It is their delight to pick fights with 324 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. other teams passing by, and, as soon as the engagement be- comes general, to withdraw from the contest and look on ; or at night, while being fed, to swallow their fish at one gulp, and then take the supper away from a weak neighbor. They are always ready for a spree, jumping for every grouse that flies up, and trying to induce their companions to give chase, but only work when there is no other alternative. At the end of the train, where the driver can easily poke them up, are those who are both lazy and stupid. They seem to think it their duty, while going down hill, always to hold back, and let the other dogs drag the sled over them and mash them into the snow. They are always glad when night comes, take advantage of short halts during the day to catch “ cat-naps,” and in the morning, before starting, have to be jerked out of their snow beds and kicked half a dozen times before awaking. But the finest of them all, though last mentioned, are the leaders. Intelligent, active, sensible, and discreet, they are guided altogether by the voice, and by their actions serve as a check on the rest of the team. I remember on one oc- casion, while traveling along, a fox started up near the trail, and dashed off in full view of the team. All the dogs be- came frantic except the leader, and started off in pursuit, dragging the leader along backward with them. He worked against them as hard as he could, but their united strength was too much for him. At this juncture he suddenly pricked up his ears, and, looking in the opposite direction, gave sev- eral sharp, quick yelps, and made a bound as if in pursuit of other game. At this the others all seconded him, and he led them in a sharp race until we had recovered the trail, when he quietly turned into it, and we proceeded without farther difficulty. The third night after leaving Arman we traveled all night long, having a ready road, and early the next morning reached a yourt just as a heavy poorga overtook us. But the yourt was in a very dilapidated condition, and filled to the roof with snow, so that we had once more to resort to our polog. A heavy forest of larch sheltered us from the wind, but the falling snow came in such abundance as to obscure the near- est objects. Upon awaking after six hours’ sleep, we found / B URIED IN THE SNO W. 325 every thing buried from sight, nothing but the tops of our sleds being visible. During that time, by sudden changes, the temperature had become warmer, and rain had succeeded snow, moistening the surface of that freshly fallen, and after- ward it had again become cold enough to freeze, forming quite a stout crust. Soon after stopping, our men and dogs, overcome with fa- tigue, had thrown themselves down to sleep ; but, upon crawl- ing from our polog, nothing was to be seen of them except the low, grave-like heaps that indicated their resting-places. Two or three shouts caused a crackling of the crust, and one by one their fur-clad heads broke through the surface, like so many corpses arising from their graves. The sight was very ridiculous to us, but might possibly have caused a little alarm to persons not expecting it. Shouts, however, did not suffice to resurrect the dogs, whether owing to the crust or content with existing circumstances, I do not know. In sleeping they curl themselves up into so small a space that not even hil- locks indicated their whereabouts, and to find them we had to go to the sleds, and, catching hold of the long seal-thong to which they were attached, trace it up until an animal was found, when, by a sudden jerk, the crust cracked, and out popped a dog, perfectly bewildered with sleep and astonish- ment. Two or three sound kicks from the driver, followed by a yawn and good stretch, immediately restores him, and he watches the operation repeated with each of his fellows with evident satisfaction. In some cases three or four jerks were required to extricate them, the crust was so strong. Vushin, the Cossack, told me that, on one occasion, while traveling, he had found it necessary to break the crust with a hatchet before he could extricate his dogs. It would ap- pear that men or animals buried in this manner would expe- rience a difficulty in breathing, but it is not the case, as snow freshly fallen lies so loosely as to contain all the air that is essential. These people are generally very rough, and sometimes cruel in the treatment of their dogs, but it is the only way to keep them in subjection. Affection is a rare trait among the animals, and they have little appreciation of kindness. One of the dogs of my team, a fine, large fellow, was blinded 326 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. in one eye, and the day before, while taking lunch on the road, I perceived that the poor fellow got none of the spare morsels thrown to him, not being able to see them. This excited my sympathy, and, being a thorough believer in the humane treatment of animals, I attempted to feed him with a piece of dried fish from my hand; but with one gulp he took both hand and fish, leaving a couple of dents in the for- mer as a token of his gratitude. He had always been taught to catch his food “ on the wing,” and no doubt expected to do the same on this occasion. The males, owing to their willful, savage natures, have to undergo an alteration to adapt them to the road. Some of the teams it is very dan- gerous for a stranger to approach. On the 24th of March we arrived at the settlement of Yamsk, a small town containing about one hundred and fifty inhabitants, situated on Yamsk Bay. The inhabitants were nearly all Koraks (a tribe I had not before met), and had adopted the Russian language and customs, so that I could discover nothing in them different from the other semi-civil- ized natives along the coast. This place had also been visit- ed frequently by whalers, from whom the natives had pro- cured bright-colored paint, and decorated the interior of their houses in gorgeous style. The town, I think, excels the oth- ers in the construction and neatness of its houses, and the in- habitants appeared to be industrious and prosperous. As a token of their industry, we found that they had cut a large number of telegraph-poles since the major’s first visit, to be used in the construction of the line. It was our intention to have started on the next morning, but, upon awaking, we found the snow driving in clouds be- fore a hurricane of wind, making it very difficult to go from one house to another. To have started in such a poorga would have been the height of folly, as we could not have proceeded a verst without losing our way, so we were con- strained to delay our departure until the morning of the 26th. A few versts from town we encountered quite a large tun- dra, across which extended a long line of tripods, formed of light poles, as guides in poorgas ; but after this our way was generally through wooded country, sometimes traveling near the coast, where we occasionally encountered some kind of a CE CHAS.—A ST ARYLS G COMMUNITY. 327 habitation, and then ascending a stream to a suitable point from which to cross a mountain range, and so on, each day being a repetition of the former. The next place at which we stopped was Toumane, one hundred and fifty versts from Yamsk direct, but the route we had to pursue made it much farther. On the road to this place nothing of interest tran- spired, unless I may except an incident which, though slight in itself, serves to show the outrageous audacity of some of these drivers. We had made a very early start in the morn- ing, and, being somewhat exhausted from a late journey the night before, I raised the boot of my pavoshka, and was soon fast asleep. I don’t know how long I had been in that con- dition when I was awakened by a heavy thump, and, upon opening my eyes, found my sled capsized. Expecting every moment that my driver would right it, I lay still ; but, hear- ing no sounds outside indicative of such an intention, I shout- ed to Egor, the driver, in a slightly impatient mood, receiving in reply the invariable answer M Ce chas.” “ Ce chas” means, literally, “this hour,” but is used by these people in the sense of “ right away,” or “ immediately.” I swallowed my indig- nation for a minute or two longer, poised in the mean while on my head and right shoulder, the rest of my body raised at an angle of forty-five degrees ; but at the end of that time, thinking Egor meant “ce chas” in its literal sense, with great difficulty I partly extricated myself, and, peeping out, saw the fellow leaning against a large ice hummock, having a com- fortable smoke with a companion driver. Had it been a load of dried salmon capsized before him, he could not have ap- peared more indifferent. It is easier to understand than to express my feelings on the occasion. As we drove up to the small collection of inferior log houses that compose Toumane, a troop of half- famished dogs came dashing down toward us as fast as their feeble legs could carry them, and, scenting the dried fish on our sleds, rushed in the midst of our dogs to procure it. One poor fellow ran between my legs, and, seizing a fish that jutted from beneath the load, tried to pull it out. Not knowing the condition of the animal, I gave him a kick to drive him off, but, without loosening his hold, he gave a feeble yelp, and hung to the fish with still greater desperation. Our dogs immediately 328 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. attacked these, and bit them severely, but the poor fellows were so famished, that, with piteous yelps, they submitted without resistance, striving in the mean while to reach the fish. A number of dead dogs, frozen stiff, were scattered about on the snow, at one of which, as we approached, two of the famished creatures were tearing with their teeth, trying to appease their hunger. It was a most pitiable sight, and one which affected all our party, particularly as our supply of dog-food was too limited to be shared with them. One of the natives came out, and, in answer to our inquiries about the dogs, said that the government postilion, in coming from Ghijigha, had been overtaken by a severe poorga just beyond the Villiga Mountains, and had been forced to sojourn in one of the yourts for ten days, not being able to cross the range. While stopping there, his dogs had consumed nearly all their food, and after the storm had subsided, upon reaching Tou- mane, not being able to procure a fresh supply of fish, he was obliged to abandon forty of these animals to perish from starv- ation. The poor creatures had been fed nothing for sixteen days. Upon entering one of the houses, a scene of squalid misery presented itself to us which was equally as pitiable as the one outside. Two grown men of haggard appearance and indo- lent manner guided us inside, where were two or three women and several little children wasted to mere shadows from starv- ation. They had been subsisting for several days on bark and roots, having exhausted their winter stores of fish, and were now struggling to eke out a miserable existence until spring, when they would forget their winter’s sufferings, and gorge themselves with the produce of their rivers, wholly unmind- ful of the morrow. The condition of the women and children was lamentable, all owing to the indolence of the men, and, after hearing their story, had it been in my power, I could have added to the misery of the latter tenfold without the slightest conscientious scruples. At Toumane famines occur annually, and the misery of one winter is only a repetition of that of the preceding one, Yet I was told no other point on the coast afforded a richer har- vest of the finest fish merely for the effort of capturing them. KORAK IMPROVIDENCE. 329 Often two weeks of industrious labor will more than provide for a winter’s consumption, and a few days’ extra labor each year would enable the inhabitants to accumulate a supply that would for all time place them beyond suffering ; but, with all these advantages, no people suffer more than they. Forgetful of the past, neglectful of the present, and unmind- ful of the future seems to be their motto. They are furnished by government with twine with which to manufacture nets and seines, but, instead of making these and doing their own fishing, they give the twine to Lamutkas on condition that the latter will furnish them with fish suffi- cient for the long winter. Then, as soon as winter sets in, they give themselves up to feasting, consuming all their sup- plies during the first few months, and depending upon the generosity of some of the interior tribes for a living during the latter portion. But they often fail in their calculations, as was the case when we found them. 330 EE INDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. CHAPTER XXIII. Departure from Toumane. — Villiga Mountains. — Piety. — A wise Swallow. — Passing the Ridge. — Villiga River. — A night Journey. — Lost. — A Yourt full of Snow. — Surprising Endurance of Dogs. — Tavatoma River. — Hot Springs. — Niakhana. — News from Kennan. — His Exploration of the An- adyr. — Party rescued. — Uneasiness for Macrae and Arnold. — Ghijigha Gulf and River. — Ghijigha. — Journey ended. — District Head-quarters. — Early History. — Affanassa Shestakova. — Inhabitants. — Occupations and Amusements. — Fur Trade. — Easter Preparations. — Swinging. — Feasting and Fasting. — Easter Services. — Midnight Surprise. — Kennan, Macrae, and Arnold. — Macrae’s Party and Experiences: — Late Arrival. — Building Cabin. — Fuel. — Winter. — Unenviable Position. — Trying Uncertainty. — Okakrae. — Tchuctchus. — Bargaining by Signs. — Macrae and Robinson’s Adventure. — Life and Death. — Its Consequences. — Arrival of Okakrae. — Wewoki. — Departure of Macrae and Arnold. — Annoying Slowness. — Ar- nora River. — Overbearing Treatment. — Tchuctchu Conclave. — Deer-chief. — Threatened Abandonment. — Questionable Diet. — At Anadyrsk. — Sur- prise. — Kennan’s Adventures and Travels. — Dodd. — Explorations com- pleted. — Approaching Spring. — Appointments. — Preparations to depart again. — Our Sleds. It being late when we reached Toumane, we stopped there for the night, and early the next morning, after leaving all the provision we could possibly dispense with for the starv- ing inhabitants, we renewed our journey. The Villiga Moun- tains, near which the postilion met with his misfortune, is a high spur, extending down to the sea from the main continu- ation of the Juggur range, which latter follows the bend of the coast, and finally vanishes in low hills in the tundras far to the northeast of our present position. This Villiga ridge is always approached with dread by travelers, not so much on account of its inaccessibility and rugged sides, as for the strong winds that sweep through its gorges almost without cessation. There are three routes which travelers pursue to pass it. The first is to work along the base of the cliffs where the ridge terminates abruptly on the coast ; but this is not always possible on account of the nature of the salt ice upon which a portion of the journey is made. The second, and best in fair weather, is a direct route over the ridge ; but, DEPARTURE FROM TOUMANE.—A PIOUS SWALLOW. 331 owing to its rugged projections and steep sides, this route is very dangerous, except on days when the weather is very auspicious. The third is the safest but longest of the three, it being necessary to make a detour inland, crossing the ridge about forty miles from the coast. The last route we determined to pursue, not only on ac- count of its feasibility, but to select a route for our proposed telegraph line, as neither of the others would be suitable for the purpose, and it would be necessary to examine the coun- try farther inland. With this aim in view, on leaving Tou- mane we struck inland, traveling over a rolling and well- wooded country, and camping in yourts along the route, though our stoppages were very short, generally of not more than five hours’ duration. In all these yourts we found suspended or tacked to the wall small crucifixes, before which our drivers invariably crossed themselves upon entering. In one of them, directly beneath a small wooden cross, a swallow had built its nest the previous summer, cementing it against the smooth logs. The hut afforded so many corners and niches better adapted for nest-building, that the bird’s choice in selecting the spot at the foot of the cross for rearing its young seemed to be the result of wisdom and forethought, and in this light our drivers looked upon it. To test their belief, I made pretense to tear the nest down, when they raised their hands in horror at the idea of my being so sacrilegious, and I hardly think I could have done it without experiencing a slight degree of compunction. The second day after leaving Toumane, being favored with beautiful weather, we effected the passage of the ridge without difficulty, but, owing to the absence of q, trail, were obliged to break one for our dogs with snow-shoes. The country was well wooded, and eminently adapted for telegraphic pur- poses in every respect. On the eastern side we struck the head of one of the branches of the Villiga River, which we descended nearly to the coast, arriving at the yourt where the postilion was delayed about 5 P.M. Having no confi- dence in a long duration of fair weather, we desired to get out of the locality as soon as possible, and determined to push on without stopping. Our course was parallel to the coast, 332 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. varying from three to five versts from the beach, and led over a broad extent of barren, rolling tundra, gradually ris- ing as it receded from the coast, and terminating in a low ridge a few versts farther inland. When darkness overtook us, there was no wood convenient for camp purposes, so we concluded to push on through the dark to the next yourt. With night a light cloud settled over the earth, obscuring the stars from our view, and casting an uncertain shade over the snowy waste, so that we could not detect the point at which the snow ended and the heavens commenced. Our sleds appeared to be gliding through a heavy fog-bank. We could no longer perceive the rise and fall of the tun- dra for more than a few rods in any direction, every thing, sky and snow, being of the same uncertain ashy hue, and, after wandering about a few hours, our guides declared them- selves lost. Taking an easterly course by the compass, we decided to follow it until we should find wood enough to boil some tea, and then camp for the night. Hours rolled by, at the end of which, upon making a sudden rise, a quarter of a mile ahead we could see a long line of dark trees, the first objects that had met our gaze since night had set in. Our guides immediately recognized their whereabouts, and half an hour afterward, at 3.30 o’clock in the morning, we found ourselves before the yourt. But here another obstacle presented itself: the hut was nearly filled with snow. Our drivers at once set lustily at work with their snow-shoes shoveling it out, and in another half hour we were drowning our night’s misery in brimming cups of delicious tea. We were all too exhausted to wait for supper before retiring, and even many of our dogs, though they had eaten nothing since the previous night, immediate- ly coiled themselves up in the snow to sleep before they had received their daily allowance of dried fish. The endurance of these little animals is perfectly remark- able. Two of the teams of our train had accompanied the major from Ghijigha to Okhotsk, a distance of twelve hun- dred miles, and, after only three weeks’ rest, had made the return journey with us, drawing heavily-loaded sleds, and the greater part of the way leading the train. The dogs for our other sleds had been changed no less than four times, but EOT SPRINGS.— COMRADES RESCUED. 333 these two teams, in spite of long and forced journeys, held their own bravely. At the expiration of three or four days more they will have traveled two thousand four hundred miles, the last twelve hundred in the short space of nineteen or twenty days. The next morning we pushed on to the Tavatoma River, where was another yourt filled with snow, but, there being indications of a poorga, and our dogs not having yet recov- ered from the journey of the previous day, we decided to stop over to the following morning. On this stream, a short dis- tance above the yourt, are two or three hot sulphur springs, near which an old, dilapidated building stands, but, owing to long neglect, it was fast falling to pieces. Though the tem- perature of the air was —15° Fahrenheit during the day, that of the springs where it bubbled from the earth was +130° Fahrenheit. The water did not retain its heat long, however, after coming to the surface; the stream flowing from the spring was frozen up two hundred yards below its source. By making an early start the next day, April 1st, we arrived at Niakhana, a very small settlement only one hundred versts from Ghijigha, our destination. Our route was over a rolling tundra nearly the whole distance. On the morning of the 2d of April we pushed on with the fresh dogs, expecting to reach Ghijigha by night. About noon we met a train of sleds coming from that place, and from one of the natives received a package of letters from Kennan, written from Anadyrsk, the same town from which he had written before. He wrote that, upon receiving in- direct information through the Tchuctchus, the tribe inhab- iting that section, that a party, consisting of five men, had been landed near the mouth of the Anadyr River, he procured a number of sleds, and immediately started in search of them. After fifteen days of hard travel, at a very low temperature, he reached the point where he expected to find the party long after midnight, but no signs of a house were to be seen. Weary, frozen, and discouraged, he was about to give up the search, when the driver of one of his sleds, in passing over a huge snow-drift, discovered a stove-pipe jutting from it. This was the only indication of the whereabouts of the party they could find. Mr. Macrae had been left there with 334 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. Messrs. Arnold, Robinson, Smith, and Harder, but, upon en- tering the habitation, the three last-named gentlemen only were found, Messrs. Macrae and Arnold having started more than a month previously with some Tchuctchus for the town of Anaciyrsk, as they supposed, expecting to reach that place in ten days, and return for the remaining three. Since that Kennan had returned to Anadyrsk, carrying with him the three gentlemen ; but, up to the time of writing, no news had been received from or of Macrae and Arnold, and he began to entertain fears for their safety. Not knowing in what di- rection to go in search of them, he was unable to take any measures to assist the party, should they be in need or in danger. The Tchuctchus are considered the most warlike of all the tribes of Eastern Siberia. This journey of Messrs. Kennan and Dodd (the latter gentleman having joined the party in Petropaulovski) was the first ever made by any body in winter to the mouth of the Anadyr, though it had, on one occasion, been attempted by a Russian gentleman (Mr. Phil- lepaeos), but he did not complete his journey on account of the reported barbarity of the Tchuctchus near the coast. Kennan’s letter was most welcome, though it left us in great suspense and anxiety for the safety of Macrae and Ar- nold. About 2 o’clock P.M. we came to two or three huts, situ- ated on the brow of a cliff overhanging the sea. Here we left the tundra, and for several miles traveled along the shore ice of Ghijigha Gulf, following it until we arrived at the mouth of the Ghijigha River. Two hours more brought us in sight of quite a settlement, situated on a high bank on the east side of the river. The houses were placed facing the river, and extending along the bank for some distance. In the midst of them stood the log church, faced with a tower, and surmounted with a dome. At last our journey was com- pleted, and I experienced no regret whatever in dismounting from my pavoshka to once more have a taste of indoor life. We had accomplished the twelve hundred miles in nineteen days, with dogs, inclusive of stoppages. A like distance, while riding reindeer, had occupied us four and a half months. Ghijigha is situated upon the verge of a tundra which ex- tends from the river far back beyond the reach of mortal vis- GHIJIGHA. 337 ion, and is fully accessible to blasts from every direction, there being not a tree, shrub, or hill within miles to shelter it. Ow- ing to this, we found the weather-side of every house com- pletely buried from sight by huge snow-drifts, through which deep passage-ways had been cut leading to the doors or win- dows. There was no scarcity of snow on any side of the houses, however, since varying winds and circling currents of air, whipping around the corners of the buildings and through the open spaces, had distributed it with a bountiful hand every where. But this, though giving the town a frigid, desolate appearance, was not without its benefits, since the buildings were greatly protected from cold and wind by the masses, and were rendered much more comfortable than they would otherwise have been. The town contained about five hundred inhabitants, mostly Cossacks and half-breeds. There were about fifty of the former, together with ftieir sub-officers, an ispravnik, a doctor, and two or three priests. Ghijigha is a place of considerable importance, being the seat of government of the district comprising that large por- tion of Siberia lying to the north and east. It is also the head-quarters of all the semi-Russian fur-traders, who annu- ally make tours to all sections of the adjoining country for the purpose of trading with the natives. Being upon the only direct route by land from Southern Kamtchatka to the Siberian cities, it had the advantage of an annual mail, which starts from Petropaulovski, with a postilion, early in the win- UttHT-HoCSE AT GUUltrUA. Y 338 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. ter, reaching Yakoutsk in the spring. It was one of the ear- liest Russian settlements on the Okhotsk Sea, there being a stockade fort here as early as the year 1728, when an expe- dition consisting of one hundred and fifty men, comprising Cossa,cks and Tungusians, under the command of a young officer named Affanassa Shestakova, was sent against the Koraks, a neighboring tribe. But they met with a disas- trous defeat after proceeding about two hundred versts ; a large number of Koraks surprised them during the night, and slew Shestakova, together with more than half his force. In spite of its isolated location, the town, together with its inhabitants, possessed an air of superior civilization over the other places and people I had seen on the Okhotsk Sea. The buildings were well constructed and commodious, one or two of them being carpeted and papered, and a number of new ones were in cburse of erection, the necessary logs having been rafted for about twenty miles down the Ghijigha River. The people are intelligent and industrious. The men gener- ally devote a large portion of the winter to making journeys with the fur merchants, carrying their stock for barter, and returning with the furs obtained. The women employ their time in tanning skins and manufacturing different articles of wearing apparel, some of which they decorate with beautiful patterns embroidered in different-colored silk and worsted, which they obtain from the traders. They are all extremely fond of pleasure, and “ vechourkas,” or dances, are of almost nightly occurrence. This portion of Siberia, owing to the vast extent of tundra, or barren land, is not as productive of furs as many other por- tions, and even those skins that are found here are purchased at very high rates, as the natives, through long experience, have become pretty well acquainted with the values of the different articles. Kamtchatka, and some of the narrow belts of woodland bordering streams on the northern tundra, sup- ply the sable and otter market. Beaver are procured from the Tchuctchus, who in turn get them from the natives on the east side of Behring’s Strait, giving in return reindeer pelts. Foxes of several varieties, and squirrels, are most abundant, particularly the former, as they are found in all lo- calities. The accumulation of each winter’s trade is immedi- EASTER AT GUIJ1GHA. 339 ately forwarded, by the way of Okhotsk, to Yakoutsk, from which point it is distributed among the markets of Europe and China, according to the demand for the different varie- ties. China always secures a large share, and pays very lib- eral prices. At the time of our arrival the people were making busy preparations for the approaching Easter, which comes twelve days later than ours, owing to the difference in reckoning time. They had been undergoing a kind of fasting during Lent, and were all looking forward eagerly to the time when they could eat to their stomach’s content without suffering conscientious pangs. But, owing to the scarcity and limited variety of food to be obtained, the priests are not severe with them, except during the last twenty-four hours, when they are not allowed to take a mouthful of any kind of food. Fresh paintings had been received from St. Petersburg with which to decorate the church for the occasion. The whole building was undergoing a thorough scouring at the hands of troops of barefooted women, who worked perfectly regardless of the temperature. Though not very cold, the atmosphere was suf- ficiently stinging to remind one that winter had not altogeth- er loosened its hold. Swinging is the favorite amusement of all classes at this season, and, strung along the river bank, several large swings had been erected, each capable of accommodating a dozen persons. They were propelled by the Cossacks in their gray uniforms, and the natives, all singing their melodious Russian airs the mean while. These people are all natural musicians. They have great love for music, and the majority of them, both men and women, have quite fine voices. The night before Easter, up to the hour of 12, was devoted to feasting, in preparation for the coming fast ; but, as soon as that hour arrived, all jaws stopped as if spellbound, and the inhabitants immediately assumed lugubrious, half-starved expressions of countenance, and without doubt many of them thought themselves fearfully hungry, though they had eaten only half an hour before. Services were held during fhe day, and also at night, con- tinuing until midnight, and were very interesting ; but I did not await their termination, as it is customary, as soon as the REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. 040 gun peals forth the Resurrection, for each individual to salute every other one present with three kisses, a proceeding I am not particularly partial to, where all ages, sizes, and sexes are concerned. When the services were ended, a general stam- pede followed, each one hastening his steps homeward, where a feast awaited him. My quarters were in a large, comfortable log house, partly occupied by the family of a fur-trader. As I lay upon my bed, the last sounds that reached my ears before falling asleep were the crunching of viands, and the busy rattling of knives and forks. These sounds had hardly ceased to have an impression on my thickening memory when I was awak- ened by having the door of my room thrown open, and found myself confronted by three figures, heavily clad in furs, and their beards and hoods incrusted with frost. By their voices I recognized Kennan and Macrae; but Arnold, who was just recovering from a severe attack of sickness, to which he had been subjected while on the road, was unrecognizable. A few days after Kennan had written his last letter, these gen- tlemen arrived at Anadyrsk, having been sixty- four days making the journey from their hut at the mouth of the Ana- dyr. Immediately upon their arrival at Anadyrsk the three had started for Ghijigha, making the journey in about fifteen days. The following account of the experiences of Macrae and party I insert very nearly as it was given me by those gen- tlemen : The party was landed late the previous fall at the mouth of the river — so late, in fact, that they barely had time to land their stores and erect their quarters before winter set in. They were put ashore as high up the river as the lateness of the season would permit, in order to shorten their winter journey as much as possible. The river afforded no timber whatever with which to construct shelter, except a few pieces of drift-wood, and only a few boards could be obtained from the ship, so that at the outset they found themselves con- fronted by serious obstacles. At length they were obliged to dig a pit in the ground, about five feet deep, and nine by eighteen feet in dimension, over which they constructed a frame-work with drift-logs. The neighboring tundra afford- AN EPISODE:— MACRAE'S EXPERIENCES. 341 ed an abundance of trailing pine, the boughs of which they interwove among the drift-logs in such a manner as to close up the sides. Outside of these they made an embankment of sod and dirt, rendering the sides impervious to cold, and by making use of the few boards they had procured from the ship as roofing, they found themselves tolerably provided with shelter. A good cooking-stove, with an abundant sup- ply of provision, promised them warmth and food, but for fuel they had to depend upon the pine brush and a few drift- logs they towed from different points on the river. A good whale-boat was also added to their outfit, with which to prosecute their explorations on the river during the coming spring, should they fail in their winter programme. The hut completed, all hands employed themselves lustily in laying in their winter supply of fuel, w T hich they dragged to the sand-spit upon w T hich they had built their hut, using a large Newfoundland dog, left with the party, as motive power. They also took the precaution of constructing a long tunnel-way of sod, as farther protection, leading to the door of the hut, after the manner of the Greenland Esquimaux. Their preparations were barely completed when "winter was ushered in by a violent wind, accompanied with a heavy fall of snow. By degrees they found themselves sealed in by icy barriers, precluding all possibility of escape, and leaving them but one alternative, that of facing the uncertain winter ahead, with whatever fortunes or misfortunes it might have in store for them. Their position "was an unenviable one. Five men left on a foreign, unknown shore, to face an arctic winter for the first time, and surrounded by a tribe reputed to be' war- like and barbarous, of whose language and customs they were totally ignorant, and possessed of no means of making themselves understood. They knew that there had once been a small Russian settlement near the head of the Ana- dyr, but whether such a place still existed or not they had no means of ascertaining. Their instructions were to proceed to the head of the driver, and then, if possible, work their -way down to the Okhotsk Sea, there to meet our parties-; but, being left without means of winter transportation, their only alternative was to await the coming of the Tchuctchus (the 843 REINDEER , DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. wandering natives of the country), and then make the best arrangements possible. But, in the mean while, they were in a state of trying uncertainty, hoping to find the Tchuctchus overrated in the accounts of their barbarity, and fearing lest these accounts should all prove too true. They were, how- ever, well armed with revolvers and breech-loading carbines, as were all our parties. At length a small band of Tchuctchus, led by a native called Okakrae, arrived on a visit to their hut. These they found very peaceably disposed, and friendly relations were soon established. The natives lived about twenty-five miles distant, down the bay, and upon being made to understand, through innumerable gestures, that the party wished to as- cend the river, their chief intimated to them, through signs, that after so many moons he would call and take them up with deer. Macrae tried to purchase deer and sleds to trans- port his party, but the natives would not sell any of these animals alive, having some superstitious scruples about doing so, though they supplied the party with all the fresh meat they could desire. After a while large numbers of Tchuc- tchus arrived, driving their herds of deer to the mountain- ous and wooded districts farther south, to escape the winter storms that prevail on the northern tundra. They all ap- peared friendly, and, with the exception of the loss of an axe, spade, and a few other small articles that were missing after their departure, no inconvenience was experienced from their presence. Once, during the early winter, Macrae and Robin- son started out in search of Okakrae’s settlement on foot, to procure deer. They left the hut early in the morning, taking their rifles with them, and intending to spend the night with the Tchuctchus. The day was calm and beautiful, and the ice smooth and firm, enabling them to take a direct route down the river and across the bay. They accomplished the twenty-five miles without difficulty, arriving at the locality they were seeking about 5 P.M., but, greatly to their disap- pointment, they found the Tchuctchus settlement abandoned. Tired and hungry, they would have rested, but, knowing they could not find the natives that night, and having nei- ther food nor matches with them, they were constrained to retrace their steps, and endeavor to reach the hut as soon as AN EPISODE MACRAE' S EXPERIENCES. 343 possible. To add to their misfortune, it had become much colder, and a strong, cutting wind began to blow. The first nineteen miles had to be made facing this severe wind, and they found it almost impossible to make any headway on the smooth ice. Their under-clothing had become moistened by perspiration during the exercise in the early part of the day, and now they perceived that the increasing cold was begin- ning to stiffen it about their persons. They saw at once that if they relaxed their exertions death would certainly follow, and, though tottering through exhaustion, yet spurred on with desperation, they struggled manfully to regain the shore, where they hoped to find more secure footing. Night — dark, stormy, and bitterly cold, closed down upon them, and yet they had not effected half of the return jour- ney. Their weary legs could barely support them, and the slightest unevenness caused them to topple and fall. At length Robinson threw himself down, and declared that he would have to freeze, as he could go no farther ; but Macrae relieved him of his revolver and gun, and, by assisting him once more to his feet, on they struggled. Still some miles intervened between them and the nearest shore. Hour suc- ceeded hour, and the wind and cold increased. None but almost superhuman exertions on their part could save them ; but, fully realizing their danger, by mutual encouragement and assistance they struggled on. A heavy drowsiness suc- ceeded their sufferings from cold, and it was with difficulty they could retain their feet. At length they regained the land, but the hut was still six miles distant, and Robinson avowed his intention of remaining there for the night. To sleep under the circumstances was to die, and Macrae, know- ing this, had to resort to all kinds of means to urge his com- panion on. At length, after a long and desperate struggle, at 3 o’clock in the morning they found themselves at the en- trance of their hut, nearly dead, but then the large dog did not recognize them, and would not let them enter through the tunnel. For some time they were detained outside, when one of the party from within came to their assistance. They were both badly frozen, and, upon removing their clothing, a thick coating of frost was found on their bodies. Robinson did not recover from the effects of the journey for three 844 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. weeks, being confined to his bed the greater part of the time. They had traveled more than fifty miles without stopping, having been twenty-three hours on the road. At length the time arrived for Okakrae, the Tchuctchu, to make his appearance. Some time elapsed, however, before he presented himself, and then he had transportation for only two of the party. To Macrae’s inquiries about the town of Anadyrsk, he could give no reply, never having heard the name probably, but he conveyed the impression that there was a settlement ten days journey distant up the river, call- ed Wewoki, where a priest resided. As a proof of this, he ex- hibited a document written in the Russian language, and a small crucifix. One of the party understood the Russian lan- guage, and, as the docunient confirmed the native’s state- ment, Macrae and Arnold resolved to accompany him, and to send for the remainder of the party immediately upon their arrival at the settlement. To provide for accidental delays, they carried fifteen days’ provision to use on the road. Taking care to arm themselves well, and having procured suitable clothing from the natives, they at length took their departure, descending the Anadyr to the bay, and then ascending another quite large stream flowing from the southwest, to which Macrae gave the name “Arnora,” from the Tchuctchu pronunciation of Arnold’s name. They made very short days’ journeys, sometimes at night being able to see the spot they had left in the morn- ing. However, since they were in the minority, and entirely at the mercy of the band they were accompanying, they could only submit, and at the end of the ten days they found their provision consumed and their journey barely com- menced. From the outset they had occupied a polog in Okakrae’s tent, and, as their host assisted them in disposing of their provision, they were at an early day forced to adopt the Tchuctchu mode of living. Half-cooked deer-meat, and soup made from the contents of the deer’s stomach, succeeded their own well-selected rations. At length they found their way to the grand rendezvous of the Tchuctchus, far to the south, where the old “ deer-chief” resided. They were delayed here a number of days, and many of the other natives exerted all AN EPISODE KENNAN S ADVENTURES. 845 their influence with Okakrae to try and induce him to aban- don the party, and not carry them through to the settlement. Not knowing the object of the expedition, and Macrae hav- ing no means of explaining it to them, they feared lest the party might be spies, and were afraid of incurring the dis- pleasure of the Russians by carrying them through. By oc- casionally exhibiting their uniforms, and documents address- ed to the Russian officials, the explorers conveyed the idea to the savages that they were on an important mission ; but even these did not altogether protect them from impositions and some abuse. On several occasions they thought it would be necessary to resort to their arms, though it would certain- ly have proven fatal to themselves ; nevertheless, they saw the necessity of presenting a bold front. After being sub- jected to innumerable annoying delays and petty persecu- tions, and after being obliged for more than fifty days to adopt the Tchuctchu mode of living, with all its disgusting details, on the sixty-fourth day after their departure from the hut they reached the settlement. Their surprise was most agreeable upon finding not only Kennan and Dodd, but the three gentlemen whom they had left at the mouth of the river. Since I had last seen Kennan at Petropaulovski before our separation, he had also experienced many trying adventures, and won for himself an enviable reputation for energy, per- severance, and endurance. But his journeys were so lengthy and full of interesting details that I will not attempt to de- scribe them, but will refer the reader to Mr. Kennan’s own account of them, which have already been laid before the public. At length our task' was completed, and the whole tract of country lying between the Amoor River and Behring Sea had been traversed, and the route of the line fixed upon. For nearly two weeks after the arrival of the party from Anadyrsk we gave ourselves up to such pleasures as the town afforded. Sled rides and snow-shoeing excursions filled the hours of sunlight, and the evenings were devoted to vechour- kas, card-parties, and the rehearsal of our various experiences. Spring was making rapid strides, and the lengthening hours of sunlight, with the milder temperature of the air, promised 346 REINDEER, DOOS, AND SNOW-SHOES. us an opportunity of once more seeing bare land and open water. The Anadyrsk sleds that had brought Kennan and party were hastening their preparations to leave the Okhotsk coast, fearing lest their departure should be prevented by the open- ing of the rivers to be crossed. Already the balmy salt air and warm rays of the sun had made startling inroads upon the winter’s accumulation of snow on the tundra. I now, for the second time, thought my winter journeyings completed, and had settled down to the quiet enjoyment of stationary life, when I received an order from the major ap- pointing me to the superintendence of that portion of the line to be built between Ghijigha and Behring Sea. Accompany- ing this order were instructions for me to proceed immedi- ately to Anadyrsk with the sleds about to return to that place, and thence to descend the river to its mouth, to meet vessels destined for that point in the spring. Macrae had been appointed to the command of that portion of my dis- trict extending along the Anadyr River, known as the Ana- dyr Section, and was to accompany me. We had but one day in which to make preparations for our departure. This was ample time, however, our wardrobes being entirely upon our backs, and there being no possibility of increasing our supply of wearing apparel except by the addition of a few fur garments of which we were in need. I abandoned my pavoshka, and adopted for this journey one of the lighter ordinary sleds, at the rear end of which my driver lashed several light poles in such a manner as to make a very comfortable support for the back. Macrae was sup- plied with a like conveyance. The major promised to follow us, after a few days, as far as Anadyrsk, from which place he intended to return with Messrs. Dodd and Robinson, whom he had appointed to positions in the districts commanded by Kennan and Mahood. DEPARTURE FROM GHIJIGHA. 347 CHAPTER XXIV. Departure from Ghijigha. — Molmofka River. — Yakout Yourt. — Purchasing Milk. — Dogs and Cow. — Yourt. — The Tundra. — Snow-blindness. — Deso- lation. — Usinova River. — Paren. — Eagles’ Nests. — Early Start. — Poorga. — First View of Coeil. — A close Race. — Coeil. — Strange Buildings. — Pa- gan Sacrifices. — Seeking an Entrance. — Interior, — Zda-ro-o-o-va. — Cal- drons. — Curiosity. — Seat of Honor. — Vermin. — Koraks. — Appearance. — Costume. — Character. — Korak Meal. — Grunting. — Trading. — Korak Dance. — The Town. — Population. — Fuel. — Civilized Koraks. — Settled Koraks. — Reindeer - men. — Living. — Boats. — W eapons. — Snow - shoes. — Worship. — Passion for strong Drink. — Muck-a-moor. — Method of becom- ing Intoxicated. — Marriage Ceremony. — One-sided Affair. — No Dog-food. — Shooting with Bows and Arrows. — Insensibility. — Narrow Escape. — Running and Wrestling. — Start. — Meekina. — Inhospitable Reception. — Shestakova Settlement and River. — Ice-bridges. — Shestakova Khrebet. — Cold Traveling. — Snow Encampment. — Night Costume. — Aklan River. — Fish and Game. — Resuscitating Dogs. — Severe Remedy. Wednesday, April 18th, dawned fair and favorable for the commencement of our journey. The weather was sufficient- ly cold to make the snow firm and crisp, and the dogs, after their several days’ rest, appeared to be in excellent condition. Bone runners having been attached to the bottoms of our sleds in anticipation of rough traveling, and our road provi- sion having been carefully packed away, after taking leave of our friends, the whistle was given, and off we started at a brisk trot over a rise of the tundra back of the town. In a few minutes all traces of the settlement were lost to sight. It was quite late in the day when we took our departure, so we did not intend going more than thirty versts before camping. After proceeding about ten versts we struck the wooded banks of the Molmofka, a small tributary of the Ghijigha River. Xear this point we stopped at a yourt where a Ya- kout lived, to procure a few pounds of milk for road use, the proprietor being the owner of two or three cows. It may seem strange to hear of buying milk by the pound, but at this convenient season of the year that article is bought REIXBEER , BOGS, AXB SXO W SHOES. o48 and sold in a frozen state, and can be carried for a long pe- riod in a simple bag. When required for use, the requisite quantity is chopped oft' with a hatchet or sheath-knife, and thawed as needed. From the hut we traveled up the Molmofka through a for- est of fine larch-trees, and just at dark reached a small road yourt, at which we camped for the night. At the Yakout’s house we came near having a repetition of the scene Iliad witnessed near Arman, but in this case the victim was a cow instead of a deer. The dogs pounced upon the animal and dragged her to the ground, but the kindly interference of the ‘drivers prevented any great mischief be- ing done. By four o’clock the next morning we had renewed our jour- ney, taking an easterly course from the yourt, over a vast barren tundra, leaving all traces of vegetation behind us. The snow of the tundra, having been subjected to the warm THE TUNDEA. 349 rays of the sun for several days, presented a glassy surface, from which the reflected sunlight shone with such dazzling brilliancy that in a few moments our whole party was nearly blinded, and we were compelled to resort to our goggles for protection. Even these hardly sufficed to shield our eyes, and it was only with pain that we could look upon the snow at all. Our drivers were even less fortunate than we, as they were compelled to keep their eyes open in order to direct the dogs, and their protectors were not as effectual as ours. Some of these simply consisted of strips of tin perforated with small holes, or having long, very narrow slits cut through them, while others were of wood, shaped so as to fit the upper part of the face, through Avhich were cut narrow slits, one for each eye. . After two hours’ travel the dark' line of timber had entire- ly vanished in the distance behind us, and we found ourselves wending our way over the trackless waste, which extended on all sides in undulating sweeps, bounded only by the hori- zon. The dreary solitude and awful silence that reigned over this rigid, lifeless expanse produced a feeling of strangeness that I could not overcome — a feeling as if some dread calam- ity was about to be launched upon us. I experienced a long- ing sensation, and felt that if I could only see some motion, if nothing more than the fluttering of a dry leaf, or if a dead, knotty stump would only p resent itself jutting from the snow, how great a relief it would be ! But no ; there it lay, cold, stark, stiff, and motionless, the very corpse of Nature, over whose lifeless form we were noiselessly picking our way. For more than two hours I did not hear a word spoken, or a sound from man or beast. All seemed to be under the influ- ence of the spell. After ten hours’ journey we came to a small frozen stream in the midst of the desert, called the Usinova River, from whose banks arose a dozen quite large, rough-barked, weath- er-beaten trees, from which the stream derives its name. Here we collected dry branches enough to cook dinner, and halted two hours, to give our dogs and men a chance to rest. At 5 P.M. we renewed our journey over the tundra, passing a chain of small frozen lakes; and at 10 P.M.,just after sun- set, descended to the bed of the Paren River, a stream about REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. 350 one hundred feet wide, whose banks were bordered with nar- row strips of fine forest, consisting of larch, spruce, birch, and a kind of poplar. I counted six eagle’s-nests in the tree-tops, all in sight from our camp, on this stream. * At 3 o’clock in the morning I was awakened by snow fall- ing on my face (we had brought no tent with us), and, upon opening my eyes, found it broad daylight, but the heavens were partially obscured by threatening clouds. Fearing a poorga, and being anxious to reach the Korak settlement of Coeil, about thirty versts ahead, before the storm should break upon us, we barely took time to prepare tea before starting out. Emerging from the narrow wooded belt on the east bank of the Paren, we ascended a long, gradually- sloping plain, and once more found ourselves on an elevated, rolling tundra, similar to the one we had crossed on the pre- vious day. Over this waste we traveled for several hours, during which the dreary monotony was undisturbed by the appearance of the smallest twig or any object whatever. Even the tracks of former caravans had been obliterated by a fall of snow during the night, and on all sides, extending to the horizon, was an unvarying, unbroken whiteness. I can conceive of nothing more dreary and uninviting than these tundras in winter. On this occasion we passed it under the most favorable circumstances. The morning was mild and calm, and over- hanging clouds protected our eyes and faces from the daz- zling rays of the sun. But the very stillness was ominous, and we were in constant expectation of feeling the first blast of the inevitably-approaching poorga. The constant shouts of our drivers, and their efforts to urge on the dogs at a more rapid pace, showed that they fully understood the threaten- ing indications. About 10 A.M., as we attained the crest of a low elevation, my driver, after gazing for some moments ahead over the plain, called my attention to a barely perceptible dark line on the verge of the horizon, at the same time muttering the word “Coeil,” and immediately afterward the dogs, seem- ing to realize the proximity of shelter, started off on the full bound. But it was a sharp race, for about this time we saw the snow beginning to rise in puffs from the tundra in the A POORGA.— ARRIVAL AT COEIL. 351 distance, and in a few moments we found ourselves enveloped in a thick cloud of snow, that swept the plain with the force of an avalanche, accompanied by a furious, cutting hurricane of cold wind. Our dogs staggered, and the sleds reeled be- fore the blast. As soon as the settlement was pointed out to me, I took its bearing with my compass, and it was well I did so, as we had to depend upon its guidance for the rest of the way, though some of the drivers exhibited no small amount of contempt at the idea of a small brass box knowing more of the country than they did. After an hour’s struggle against the gale the wind suddenly lulled, and directly ahead several large dark objects loomed up through the driving snow, which we knew at once to be the habitations at Coeil. But such habitations I had never before seen, and, had I not been prepared for a strange sight by the accounts of our other parties who had previously visited the place, I would have been at a loss to comprehend their object. Before me was a group of log structures, each one more resembling a huge hour-glass than any thing else I can com- pare them to. This effect was produced by the fact that the habitable portion of each establishment was all beneath the ground, nothing but the conical roof being visible. On top of this is poised another inverted roof of about the same size, supported at the outer rim by long poles, which in many cases extended above the structure. To these several dead dogs were suspended as sacrifices to the pagan gods, the pointed ends of the poles being thrust into their necks. Belonging to each house, and erected on a scaffolding near by, several feet above the snow, out of the reach of dogs, were conical and pyramidal structures used as store-rooms. About these were suspended their fish-nets, dog-harness, and every thing that might possibly aid in appeasing the ravenous appetites of the troops of half-starved dogs that thronged the settle- ment. As we drove into the place, the inhabitants swarmed on the tops of their yourts like so many bees, and began to gather about us to ascertain the object of our visit. Being desirous to get shelter, I walked around the habitation before which we had stopped with the hope of finding an entrance 552 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. to the place, but failed completely in my object, and was at a loss to know what to do, when a large, round-faced, good- natured Korak came to me, and made signs for me to follow him. We ascended a long pole, in which a series of holes were cut as steps — no mean feat in itself — when I found my- self in the basin-like apparatus on top of the hut. This place was decorated with sealskins stuffed with putrid seal-fat used as food, and with snow-shoes, dog-harness, and several little pups choked to death with wisps of straw, the latter also as sacrifices to their pagan gods. In the middle of the space was a dark hole, about two feet square, leading to some sub- terranean den, from which issued clouds of smoke, and a most villainous combination of all the most disagreeable odors. Chekin, my guide, and the proprietor of the yourt, after glancing back to see that I was following, with a smile of encouragement stuck his feet in the hole, and, grasping an- other pole like the one we had ascended, rapidly disappeared from sight. I followed as best I could under the circum- stances, being ignorant of the premises and stifled with smoke. Down, down I crept, vainly stretching out my legs every few steps with the hope of touching bottom, and had about concluded that the place must be the entrance to the bottomless pit, when I found myself on solid footing. The moment I struck, salutations came from the impene- trable gloom on all sides, to which I replied, in the same words and tones, “ Zda-ro-o-o-va ,” but I was unable to distin- guish a single object for some moments afterward. When my eyes became accustomed to the darkness, I was enabled to find my way to where Macrae was sitting, he having en- tered while I was hunting for the door outside ; and then, by degrees, the nature of the establishment disclosed itself. The apartment was octagonal in form, and about twenty- five feet in diameter, constructed of drift -logs standing on end, and the whole supported by a heavy frame of smoke- blackened, glossy logs. The aperture through which we had descended was about twenty -five feet above the dirt floor, and was hardly discernible through the dense smoke that filled the upper half of the room. Extending around the apartment, about two feet above the floor, was a wide plat- form burdened with huge piles of filthy fur bedding and BEDS AND BEDFELLOWS.— THE KORAES. 353 clothing, upon which sat or reclined from fifteen to twenty Koraks of both sexes, from hideous, toothless old hags down to fat, chubby babes, besmeared with seal-fat and dirt. Over this platform a number of pologs were suspended, serving as different apartments, and capable altogether of containing about fifty persons after the Korak mode of sleeping. In the middle of the floor, directly under the entrance, a fire was kept burning for heating purposes, and just beyond, support- ed upon several large stones, was a huge copper caldron in which they prepare their meals of seal and whale meat. That portion of the platform nearest the foot of the perfo- rated log by which we had descended is considered the post of honor, and is always reserved for guests, when there are any ; at other times the master of the house occupies it. Be- fore taking formal possession, we took the precaution to have the old skins removed and our own bedding substituted in its stead, not liking the ominous gestures of the Koraks near us, which thoroughly satisfied us as to the presence of other creatures, with which we desired no acquaintance whatever. The Koraks are a very peculiar and distinct people) both in appearance and customs. The men are of good stature, large and robust, with fat, good-natured faces, small black eyes, prominent cheek-bones, broad noses, and heavy lips. They shave the tops of their heads, merely leaving a fringe of coarse black hair hanging over their eyes and ears, which gives them the appearance of monks. The women have the same cast of features as the men, but tattoo their faces, hav- ing lines drawn down their foreheads, noses, and chins, and their cheeks covered with an intricate scroll-work. When they do comb their hair they part it in the middle, and usu- ally let it hang in two braids down their back, interwoven with strings of beads. Their garments are of nicely-dressed reindeer-skins, and are worn with the fur inside, the pattern being much the same as that of the Tungusians ; but no regard whatever is given to cleanliness. They eat any thing they can get, whether whale, seal, or reindeer meat, or fish, and their diet seems to agree with them, there being no scarcity of the arti- cle called fat in their composition. They are naturally bold and independent, having little regard for death, and are gen- Z 354 REINDEER , 2)0 GS, AiVZ> A^Tr-jS£TQ£& erally hospitably inclined, but have been known to resort to treachery when opportunity offered. Our reception by Chekiu was all that could be desired un- der the circumstances, and, availing ourselves of his hospital- ity, without farther ado we disposed ourselves as comfortably as possible to await the cessation of the poorga, and resolved to make no complaints whatever of what we should see, feel, or smell. Vassilly, our Cossack, who had accompanied us from Ghijigha, in a few moments after our arrival had tea and lunch prepared, which Chekin shared with us ; and then, after lighting our pipes, we lay back to enjoy the novelty of our position, and take notes of Korak customs. A fire was soon built under the big caldron, and several large masses of seal-meat were thrown in, shortly after which their meal was announced, and the native inmates, large and small, each armed with a large knife, assembled around wood- en trays filled with the steaming meat, and commenced the onslaught. They showed no want of appetite whatever, a matter which astonished me very much a few moments afterward, when I saw one of the younger members of the household making use of one of these same trays for an entirely different pur- pose. After their meal the women returned to their occu- pations of dressing skins and grunting their babies to sleep, while the men produced their small-bowled pipes and gath- ered around us, watching every movement with the greatest curiosity. The striking of a match, together with the fire that immediately ensued, elicited exclamations of the great- est surprise ; but a few rings of smoke that rolled from Mac- rae’s mouth while enjoying his pipe completely won their admiration, and they gathered from all sides to witness a repetition of the remarkable feat. Every few seconds dur- ing the afternoon the place would be darkened by the in- gress or egress of some burly Korak passing through the aperture above, causing a constant flitting of light. Each one of them brought foxskins or some article which they wished to exchange for tobacco, knives, and a few other trinkets we had brought with us. We gained the everlasting friendship of two or three of the filthy belles of the settlement by giving them some strings DANCING PARTY AT COEIL. 355 of fancy beads, and they, in return, treated us to an exhibition of one of their favorite dances, which, though strange and weird to look at, is very difficult to describe. Stepping into the middle space, they began by uttering low, peculiar grunts, that appeared to come from the stomach, accompany- ing each grunt with a short, quick squat, at the same time swaying their bodies back and forth with an undulating mo- tion, and swinging their arms in the air. This they contin- ued for some moments, gradually quickening their motions, and altering the tones of their grunts. By degrees they be- came warmed to the sport, and in a few moments were bouncing about, writhing, and twisting, and distorting their bodies and faces in such a manner as to be hardly recogniza- ble as human beings. During all this time they continued to utter unearthly groans, grunts, and squeaks, that appeared to come from all parts of their bodies, with the cracking of their joints thrown in for accompaniment. This performance they continued until the perspiration flowed in streams from every pore, and the dancers became so hoarse that it was no longer possible for them to grunt, when, completely over- come with exhaustion and excitement, they threw themselves down upon the ground to recover their composure. Upon seeing this, I was forcibly reminded of the remark of a Chi- nese official, who was invited, one hot day, to attend a ball given at the Chinese port of Amoy to a number of our naval officers who were there temporarily. The dignitary sat with our consul and several officers upon a raised platform over- looking the hall, but his stoical countenance exhibited no traces whatever either of pleasure or dislike. While the dancers were whirling about the hall in light summer dress, and wiping the profuse perspiration from their faces, keep- ing step to a lively waltz, the consul turned to the official and asked him how he enjoyed it. “ Oh, very well,” he re- plied ; “ but I should think you would make your servants do it for you.” So I thought of this dance. It was all very well for the lookers-on, but I would prefer being excused from participating in it. Coeil contains about three hundred inhabitants, and is sit- uated upon a low bank overlooking Penjinsk Gulf. The nearest tree is on the Paren River, so the inhabitants have to 356 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. depend altogether upon drift-logs for fuel and material for constructing their houses. In their polog, however, as I have already stated, they burn seal oil. There are three classes of Koraks ; the civilized or convert- ed, whom I have already described, living in the settlements along the coast west of Ghijigha — at Yamsk, Toumane, and Niakona. They are hardly distinguishable from any of the other civilized natives. The other two classes still retain their original barbarous customs and pagan beliefs. The first of these are known as the settled Koraks, they having permanent abodes on Penjinsk Gulf, and subsist almost en- tirely upon the produce of the sea, like the Esquimaux. These Koraks, with the exception of a few scattering huts, are confined to four settlements — Coeil,Meekina, Shestakova, and Karmenoi. They have but few guns, and depend upon their bows and arrows, and bone-headed spears and harpoons, in the capture of whales and other large game. Seal they usually catch in very large seines made of seal thongs, and for the capture of smaller fish they use twine seines that they procure from Ghijigha. They make use of two kinds of boats or canoes, consisting of a light frame-work of birch-wood, over which they stretch sealskins, firmly sewed together in the proper shape, and the seams closed with grease or pitch. The larger kind are, some of them, capable of carrying forty men, and are open at the top. The others are much like the Greenland “ kiak,” in- tended for one or two men, and are entirely covered over ex- cept at the circular holes in which the natives sit. They use dogs and sleds for winter transportation, but their snow- shoes are different from the ones already described. These consist of wooden bows, rounded, and raised in front, and pointed at the rear, over which a network of seal-thongs is interwoven, but are very clumsy, and not as buoyant as those used by the Yakouts and Tungusians. They are pagans, wor- shiping invisible gods, whom they approach through their shamans. To these spirits they offer sacrifices of their best dogs when threatened by sickness or disaster ; and in travel- ing they usually have certain rocks or mountains that they look upon with superstitious awe, and which they never pass without making some oblation. Like nearly all savage peo- KORAK CUSTOMS. 357 pie, they have a strong passion for any thing of an intoxica- ting nature. They will sacrifice almost any thing for strong drink ; but, as it is often difficult to procure this, they manu- facture for themselves a beverage from a species of poison- ous toadstool, called “ muck-a-moor,” which the Russians use for exterminating vermin. This fungus is very highly es- teemed by them, but its scarcity and consequent costliness places it beyond the reach of the poorer people. These lat- ter, however, through a very questionable process, are always participants in the sprees of those who have the means of procuring it. The liquor is prepared by simply steeping the fungus, and is drank in quite large quantities without any apparent injurious effects. In a few minutes the fortunate ones get thorbughly intoxicated, and imbibe to such an ex- tent that they are forced to relieve themselves of the super- fluity, on which occasions the poorer people stand prepared with bowls to catch the liquid, which they quaff, and in turn become intoxicated. In this manner a whole settlement will sometimes get drunk from liquor consumed by one individual. The following description of courtship and marriage among the Koraks, which I received from Vassilly the Cossack, is something of a novelty in that line : When once the young beau becomes infatuated, he makes known his passion to the father of his “ affinity,” and express- es his desire to strive for her hand. A kind of contract is immediately entered into, by which the young man binds himself to the father as a servant for a term of years, at the expiration of which time he can have the pleasure of learn- ing whether the daughter will have him or not. In this manner, if the father be the happy possessor of a beautiful daughter, he may have half a dozen men ready to do his bid- ding at one time. When the term of servitude expires, one of the larger yourts is selected, and all the old women of the place, armed with sticks and pieces of seal-thong, are station- ed in the pologs suspended around the room. The daughter then appears, thickly clad in skin garments, followed by her lover, when a race ensues around the inclosure, the contes- tants dodging about among the pologs. To win his bride, he must overtake her, and leave the print of his nail upon her person before she can be rescued by the old women, who, 358 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. during the race, im- pede the lover as much as possible by beating him with sticks, and tripping him by seiz- ing his legs as he rush- es by them. The advantage is all with the girl, and if she does not wish to become the wife of her pursuer, she can avoid him without difficulty. On the c’ontrary, if she korak BEAU. likes him, she manages to stumble, or makes known her wishes to the old women, who then only make a show of impeding the pursuer. Sometimes the lover is so desperately smitten that, just after being foiled, he returns to the father, and binds himself for another period of years for the privilege of making another trial. The third class of Koraks, known as the Reindeer Koraks, are again quite different from these. They are a nomadic people, living in skin tents like the Tungusians, and own im- mense herds of reindeer, which they drive from place to place to pro- cure food. The poorga continued without cessation dur- ing the day, and also through the following one ; so we had to con- tent ourselves with the unavoidable delay, and submit calmly to the disgusting sights and smells that the place af- forded. Not the least of our afflictions were SHO 0 TING. —R UNNING. - 0 YMNA STICS. 359 the merciless attacks of scores of a species of vermin that had a peculiar fondness for American meat, and insatiable appe- tites to gratify. Here, for the first time, I learned that the drivers were without dog-food, they having left Ghijigha with only two days’ supply, expecting to procure enough fish and seal fat from the Koraks to carry them through to the town of Pen- jina, where they could obtain a fresh supply. But the stock of the Coeil Koraks was so nearly exhausted that we could not obtain more than enough to supply our teams during our delay, and we were therefore obliged to depend upon the Meekina or Shestakova natives for a supply for road use. During our second day’s sojourn at this place time hung heavily, and every few minutes some of the party would as- cend to the roof, hoping to detect some signs of the storm abating. The natives seemed to wholly disregard the wind and driv- ing snow, having probably become inured to it, and all through the morning the small boys were out shooting at a mark with their bows and bone-headed arrows. To test their skill, I placed a number of Russian copper coins on top of a stick for them to shoot at, the ones who struck them to have the money, but their shooting was very wild. One little incident happened, however, which well illus- trated the stoical, insensible natures of these people, the de- velopment of which traits in such youths astonished us very much. In a direct line with the coins at which they were shooting, and about forty feet beyond, two girls stood, lean- ing against a log store-house. In shooting, one of the arrows struck a hard snow-bank, and glanced off in the direction of the girls, who, seeing it coming, had no time to get out of the way, but bowed their heads to avoid it. The next instant the shaft buried itself quivering in a soft log just over one of their heads. I could not avoid an involuntary shudder when I saw the arrow strike, but the little heathens exhibited no traces of emotion whatever, and, hardly deigning to follow the course of the arrow with their eyes, continued to shoot with the greatest unconcern. Afterward the men gave us an exhibition of some of their sports in wrestling and running foot-races. They are a strong, 360 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. athletic race, and their feats of agility and skill would have put to shame some of our gymnasts. In wrestling, they strip- ped the upper portions of their bodies to the skin, regardless of wind and snow, and each grasping the other with one hand by the hair, and with the other clutching a good thick fold of flesh and fat in the side, they twisted, writhed, jerked, and tripped, until one of the contestants lay half buried in the snow. After one of these struggles, the vanquished re- tained in his hand a thick tuft of black hair he had jerked from his opponent’s head, and several of the participants bore red finger-marks and severe scratches on their sides, from which blood flowed quite freely. One of their favorite ruses was to grasp the opponent about the neck with both hands, and, by dint of chokings and quick jerks, to force him to suc- cumb. Sunday, April 22d, was yet stormy, but there being indi- cations of the storm subsiding, we pushed on. We followed the bend of the gulf, traveling sometimes on the salt ice and sometimes on the edge of the tundra, the weather varying between sharp snow-squalls and intervals of sunlight. At 7 o’clock P.M. we reached the settlement of Meekina, which is in every respect like Coeil, though containing fewer houses. Our dogs appeared to be so much exhausted from the jour- ney that we w^ere forced to halt for the night. These Ko- raks were not as hospitable as those at Coeil, and assumed an insulting, independent air. Though having plenty of dog- food, they refused to let us have any at any price, and we were obliged to borrow one night’s supply from a fellow-trav- eler. After shaking the snow from our feet, we hastened our de- parture at 4 A.M. the following morning, pursuing an easter- ly course over the tundra, and at 9.30 A.M. arrived at the Korak settlement of Shestakova, situated at the mouth of a small river of the same name. It was near this place that the young Russian oflicer Shes- takova, with his party, were surprised and massacred early in the last century. We stopped here only long enough to pro- cure dog-food, which the natives willingly supplied us with, and, leaving the sea-coast, took a northerly course uj) the Shestakova River. This stream had already begun to open SNOW ENCAMPMENT.— NIGHT COSTUME. 361 in many places, making it necessary for us to construct ice bridges. Just at sunset we reached the head of the river, and as- cended a Ions:, gradual divide known as the Shestakova Khrebet. Beyond this, for more than twenty versts, no wood could be obtained for camp purposes, and we were obliged to continue our journey until 10 o’clock P.M. The moment we passed the ridge there was a strongly percepti- ble change in the atmosphere. During the last hour of the journey, while picking our way through the darkness, we all suffered much from cold. Our thermometer indicated —30° Fahrenheit. We camped for the night on a small tributary of the Ak- lan, at a point where enough dry sticks could be procured for our camp-fire. The snow at this place was six feet in depth, in which some previous travelers had dug a deep well or pit large enough for our fire and to furnish our party with sleeping-places. ¥ We gratefully availed ourselves of the hole, as a cold, dis- agreeable wind swept the tundra above, but, while nestled down in this pit, we avoided the blasts altogether, and the light and heat of our large fire, reflected from the snow walls that surrounded us, gave a cheerful and comfortable aspect to the place. On this journey I abandoned my old custom of undressing myself nightly, and adopted that of the natives, who, upon retiring, instead of removing any of their clothing, pile on all the extra furs in their possession. Before leaving Ghiji- gha I had supplied myself with a robe cle nuit and sleeping- socks. The first consisted of an immense fur kuklanker of double thickness, and extending to my ankles ; a heavy, spa- cious hood covered the head, and was bordered with a thick fringe of wolf-hair, to keep the drifting snow out of my face while sleeping. Once attired in this, and having donned my fur sleeping-socks, each of which was as large as a small-sized ' barrel, I could set Jack Frost at defiance, and all else needed to complete my comfort was to throw my bearskin on the soft snow for a mattress. We, however, found it a very nec- essary precaution to remove our inside fur socks before retir- ing, and to replace them with fresh, dry ones. During the 362 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. day these invariably absorb more or less dampness from per- spiration, and, unless changed, cause the feet to freeze during the night. We did not renew our journey until 1 A.M. in the morn- ing, when we took a direct northerly course across the tun- dra for the Aklan River, ten versts distant. This stream is two hundred feet in width at this point, well wooded on the immediate banks, and flows eastwardly for about fifty versts, when it empties into the Penjina. The Penjina drains all this inland territory, of several hundred miles in extent, and flows into Penjinsk Gulf a few miles east of the settlement of Shestakova. Both streams abound in fish, and their wood- ed banks afford shelter to a large variety of game, including bears, wolves, foxes, sable, and hare. Without halting, except to resuscitate one of the rear dogs that had been run over by a heavy sled dashing down the steep river bank, we pushed on through the wooded belt for ** about half a mile, and again emerged upon the tundra. The process of resuscitation, as practiced by these drivers, is not exactly in accordance with our civilized notions of such things. The animal, being one of the lazy class that I have previously described, was too indolent to run, and the trace by which he was attached to the seal-thong was just long enough to allow the whole weight of the sled to rest upon the creature. When once started down the declivity, it was impossible to stop the sled before reaching the bottom, and the trace-line refused to break, so that the dog’s body was kept underneath the runners during the whole distance, serv- ing as a kind of clog. Upon being dragged out, no trace of life could be detected in the animal ; but a few well-directed kicks and blows, and a rough tumbling about in the snow, revived it, and, after stretching itself, it started off, apparent- ly as well as ever. The most remarkable thing of all is that the creatures don’t profit from past experiences, but are al- ways ready to repeat the performance whenever a hill is to be descended. THE OOSCANINA MOUNTAIN. 363 CHAPTER XXV. More Tundra. — Ooscanina Mountain. — Worn-out Dogs. — Mystery Solved. — Ineffectual Scolding. — A good Ruse. — Ooscanina Rivers. — Ishiginski Mountain. — Valley of the Penjina. — A fearful Poorga. — Scattered Sleds. — A Night-search. — Penjina. — Anadyrsk Sleds. — Proposed Exploration of the Myan. — Serious Obstacles. — The Start. — Slavotna River. — Laceitsa Soapka. — The Myan. — Mount Polpol. — A Mirage. — Strange Illusion. — Dancing City. — Polpol River. — Korak Trail. — Snow-storm. — - Poorga Camp. — Polog. — Hunting Wood. — Stormy Night. — Hunting Koraks. — Success. — Reindeer Koraks. — Character and Appearance. — Great Wealth. — Government. — Lords and Retainers. — The Value of Reindeer. — Their Uses. — Sonkees. — Advantages of Fish as Dog-food. — Fearful Poorga. — May-day. — Keeping Awake. — Provoking Deception. — Off again. — More Poorga. — Return River. — Seeking Shelter. — Roast-rib Camp. — The Myan. — Thawing. — Day Halts. — A tender Organ. — Remedy for Snow-blindness. — Orlofka River. — Abasa River. — Swans and Bear-tracks. — Game. — Sled- tracks. — Our Speculations. — Nature of Country. — Traveling. — Prospect Bluff. — Night- thaw. — Laluma. — Exhaustion. — Overtaken. — Last Fish. — Olgan River. — Telegraph Bluff. — Anadyr Valley. — Crepast. — Close of Journey. Emerging from the Aklan, before us lay a vast level plain of snow, varying from fifteen to twenty-five miles in width, and hounded on either side by low ranges of white hills, that gradually came together in the distance far to the north. Upon these, in places, black masses of rock jutted from the snow, but not a trace of vegetation was to be seen. One dome-like mountain on the right was crowned with a large, regular mass of rock, with perpendicular sides and level top, above which loomed occasional turrets and fantastic projec- tions. To this we gave the name of Castle Mountain. The plain was smooth, and presented a hard, polished surface, from which the sun reflected with such brilliancy that not only was our eyesight endangered, but we had to resort to buckskin masks, with which we were provided, to prevent our faces from blistering. Our course lay directly across this for twelve hours’ travel, when we found ourselves at the foot of a low divide, called Ooscanina (rabbit) Mountain by the natives. Here we camped, on a small, lightly-wooded tribu- 364 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. tary of the Aklan. We had crossed two similar streams dur- ing the day. Many of our dogs showed signs of giving out during this day’s journey, and seemed to have such difficulty in drawing the sleds that we decided to have an investigation. The mystery was soon solved, for, upon removing our own light baggage, we found that the drivers had packed underneath several hundred pounds of stores for their own use unbe- known to us. For the transportation of this we were ex- pected to pay. But it was too late to remedy the matter now, and we had to content ourselves with venting our in- dignation in what must have been very poor Russian, for the scamps could hardly conceal their smiles, in spite of their fear lest we should tumble their loads off on the snow and leave them behind. During the latter part of the journey the natives adopted a ruse to encourage the dogs which must have been very ag- gravating, but was, nevertheless, quite effectual. The best team was put in advance, followed by the others in the order of their efficiency, and then a dried fish was suspended over the back of each narta, the scent of which, reaching the hun- gry teams following, caused them to redouble their exertions, with the hope of catching up to it. April 25th . — We had but one day’s dog-food left, and still upward of one hundred versts intervened between us and the town of Penjina, the nearest settlement. At 4 A.M. we were ascending a divide called Ooscanina Khrebet. Beyond this ridge we struck another tundra similar to the one of the day before, drained by three small streams called First, Second, and Third Ooscanina Rivers, which empty into the Penjina above the mouth of the Aklan. Three dark threads winding and twisting about on the vast sheet of snow before us, as viewed from Ooscanina Khrebet, indicated their courses. On the farther side, Ishiginski Mount, a small conical peak, but prominent landmark, denoted our course. For this we start- ed in a northeast direction, and at 4 P.M. reached another low divide, extending westwardly from the base of the peak. From this ridge we looked down upon another plain, inter- sected by two or three scantily-wooded streams. Far to the other side was the Penjina River, extending along the base TO AND AT PENJINA. 365 of a low range of bluffs, beneath which the town ofPenjina is located. But many dreary versts had to. be traversed before we could reach the place, and we immediately dipped down into the lowlands in order to lose no time. This plain was very uneven, and cut up by small gulches, which, with great patch- es of laurel brush that obstructed our way, made traveling comparatively slow, and night, dark and cold, with threaten- ing indications of a poorga, settled down upon us before we had accomplished half the distance. About twenty versts still intervened, and we cheered on our dogs to find shelter before the storm should break upon us. In half an hour more snow was flying in clouds, driven by furious blasts of cold wind directly in our faces. My compass was of little assist- ance, I not knowing in which direction to look for the town, and the natives, having become confused, appeared to know as little of the place as we did. In a short time the nartas became separated from each other in the storm and darkness. We could not make our shouts heard above the howling of the wind, consequently could not reassemble, and were compelled, singly or in pairs, to keep our northerly course as best we could, many of the men being guided only by the wind, that blew from the di- rection they wished to take. Our chief hope was to find shel- ter among the trees on the banks of the river. After several long hours, two of our sleds that had kept together struck the stream, whether above or below the settlement we could not tell. We would have camped, but had no food for our dogs, and Vassilly’s narta, upon which our provision was packed, was nowhere to be found. At a hazard, we decided to go up stream in search of the village, and were fortunate in picking up, at intervals, four or five more of the scattered teams. After a couple of hours’ groping and stumbling along the river bed, we struck a trail, and at 2 o’clock in the morn- ing entered Penjina. Some of the sleds did not get in until long after daylight. Penjina is a small settlement after the style of Tausk and Yamsk, though most of the houses are rather inferior. It does not contain more than fifty inhabitants, consisting of Cossacks and Russianized natives of the Chuansee and Uka- 366 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. gari tribes principally, though the blood of all of them is more or less mixed. Upon our arrival we found several Anadyrsk sleds loaded with provision, that had preceded us several days from Ghijigha. From this place Anadyrsk is not more than four long days’ journey distant by a direct route, but it was our intention to strike eastward to the Myan River, a large tributary of the Anadyr, flowing north, and to explore it to its mouth, with a view of ascertaining whether it would furnish a suit- able route for the line, and if it afforded proper timber for poles. Kennan, in his northward journey, had undertaken the same route from Penjina, but, after proceeding half way down the stream, was obliged to abandon the project from want of dog-food, and to take a direct route for Anadyrsk. The poorga continued without cessation during the 26th and 27th, raging with great fury, and causing us more than once to congratulate ourselves on having gotten off as well as we did. While here we met with a very serious obstacle to the realization of our plans, which well-nigh upset them altogether. The proposed exploration was to extend through a difficult and almost unknown region even to the natives, and might consume many long days. We would, in all prob- ability, encounter deep snow, and, having no roads nor even guides except for a small portion of the way, our progress would necessarily be slow. To succeed in such an undertaking, good fresh dogs and an abundant supply of dog-food were very essential. Upon in- quiry, I found that only one team could be obtained in Pen- jina, and the supply of dried fish was so nearly exhausted that not more than one hundred and fifty fish could be pro- cured — enough to sustain three teams only five days. To start out singly with such a limited supply of food would be madness, and I was well-nigh forced, though very reluctant- ly, to abandon the project altogether for the present. How- ever, rather than do this, we resolved to make an effort to reach the wandering Koraks, who live somewhere to the east- ward of the Myan, and then, should we succeed in procuring deer-meat sufficient to sustain our dogs for a few days, we would continue the exploration. We selected enough of the best dogs from our train to START FOR THE MYAN— POLPOL MOUNTAIN. 367 make two tolerable teams, which, with the fresh one from Penjina, would be all that were required. Then, having cut down our supplies for road use, and our personal baggage to the smallest possible weight, we forwarded the remainder on the other sleds for Anadyrsk by the direct route, and took our departure for the Koraks on the morning of the 28th of April. Our party consisted of Macrae and myself, with our drivers and the Cossack Vassilly, who accompanied us as cook and commissary. From Penjina we took a course a little south of east, over a barren, rolling country, for about twenty versts, when we came to the Slavotna River, a small, scantily-wooded stream, that has its rise in a range of hills which separates it and its tributaries from the Myan River, about forty versts north of where we were, and then flows south into the Penjina. East of this stream we passed a low divide at a point near a prominent sugar-loaf peak known as w Laceitsa Soapka,” or Fox Peak. From this point we had a magnificent view of the valley of the Myan, extending east and west about fifty versts, and visible in a northerly direction for nearly double that distance. It lay spread out before us in a vast sheet of snow, unbroken except by two winding lines of black specks, denoting the courses of streams. At the confluence of these, farther to the north, the Myan commences. But the most prominent feature of the landscape was a rag- ged, conical peak, about five thousand feet in height, that reared itself abruptly from a range of white hills that bound- ed the valley on the east. This was Mount Polpol, one of the largest peaks in this part of the country. Beyond this moun- tain we hoped to find the Koraks. We continued our course across this valley, and, after proceeding ten versts, reached the first of the streams, where we camped for the night. The next morning was quite cold, and the atmosphere had a pe- culiar glassy appearance. We resumed our journey at 3.30 o’clock A.M., steering di- rectly for Polpol Mountain. The peak appeared as if seen through a dim glass ; but, as I was watching it closely, trying to detect the cause, I was almost dumbfounded at seeing it become suddenly so very distinct that it appeared to have ap- proached ten miles nearer our position. The next instant 368 REINDEER , DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. there appeared to he an upheaval of earth and snow on the summit rising before our eyes, and before we could express an exclamation, a tall, regular tower, at least five hundred feet in height, stood perched upon the highest peak. While we were watching this, the tower gradually lowered itself to half its original size, when, as if by magic, two wings sud- denly fastened themselves to its sides, and I would hardly have been surprised at seeing the whole thing soar away. The wings gradually shaped themselves into square projec- tions, and we found ourselves confronted by a perfect repre- sentation of an old style meeting-house. Again, as if by magic, the tower disappeared, but castellated turrets imme- diately sprang up, and wings, bastions, and angles attached themselves to the sides of the structure in such a manner as to totally change its aspect. I felt as if suddenly transport- ed to the base of some castle-crowned crag in the Old World, and was almost expecting to see the' sentry making his rounds, when the whole thing vanished, and the mountain had reassumed its natural shape. While regarding it and musing on the causes, my attention was suddenly attracted by a great commotion among the hills farther north. All along the ridge towers and palisades were springing up and as suddenly disappearing. Now and then one taller than its companions would rear itself, and noiselessly glide along for a mile or two, when, as if shaken to pieces by an earthquake, it tumbled into an irregular mass of debris and ruin, but im- mediately reassumed some regular shape. At one time the ridge represented a city, with its flat and gable roofs, high and low chimneys, shot towers, church steeples, and other prominent objects, and remained perfectly motionless for some moments, when, as if by general consent, the different edifices began to move about and change places, rising and settling, now disappearing altogether, and now suddenly reappearing somewhere else. This illusion continued, the different objects constantly changing and dancing about, until suddenly we saw nothing before us but the natural outline of the hill, and detected ourselves rubbing our eyes, and endeavoring to as- sure ourselves that we were not dreaming. But no, it was not a dream ; for, while we were looking, old Polpol was be- ginning to writhe as if in mortal agony. A DREARY CAMP. 369 Half way down the mountain its sides began to contract and the summit began to expand, the latter widening out like a fan, and the former pinching up slowly, as if two great in- visible Cyclopean beings had a rope around it, and were pull- ing, one on either side, to reduce its dimensions. At length the enormous mass of earth was almost cut in two, and the huge upper portion appeared about to topple and fall with a thun- dering crash, when the cord loosened, and there stood old Pol- pol as the Almighty had made it. This mirage was the first of the kind I had seen in the country, and greatly relieved the monotony of the morning’s journey over the tundra. After proceeding twenty versts farther we struck the oth- er stream, seen from the hill the day before, which is known as Polpol River. This we ascended, taking a southeast course, and passing around the base of Polpol Peak on the southern side. Forty versts beyond the point at which w T e struck the Polpol River we were much encouraged at find- ing a Korak trail leading in a northerly direction along a range of barren hills. This we followed, hoping to reach their encampment before dark, but night overtook us before we had proceeded ten versts, and was ushered in by a heavy, damp snow-storm. We had no alternative but to camp, though there was not a twig within sight with which to start our camp-fire. Fortunately, one of our drivers had an old dilapidated polog, which he loaned us for shelter, and, by dragging two of the sleds together, and using the ostles or staves, we managed to erect a frame-work to suspend it to. We had not even brought a tent with us. The third sled was then unloaded, and we started Vassilly off with it to the neighboring hills, to try and find enough dry sticks to pre- pare tea with. In half an hour’s time he returned, having succeeded in procuring about ten pounds of wood. After supper we crawled into our forlorn shelter, which was only large enough to accommodate three of us, and the drivers, after putting on their sleeping kuklankers, and throw- ing the large hoods over their heads, drew their arms out of the sleeves, hugging them up to their bodies for warmth, and then perched themselves up on the sleds in a sitting posture to while away the night. By morning the storm had nearly abated, and Vassilly was A 2 370 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. out bright and early trying to find more sticks. Thinking it useless to go in pursuit of the Ivoraks with our heavy sleds, we unloaded them, and started off our drivers to follow the trail, and endeavor to procure some deer-meat. The day was cloudy and threatening, and at night the storm broke upon us with increased fury. By nine o’clock our drivers had not returned, and we were beginning to experience some anxiety for their safety, but half an hour afterward we heard our dogs barking in the distance, and shortly afterward they drove up within the glare of our camp-fire, each sled burdened with two fine, large, freshly-killed reindeer. It was a joyous sight to us. A minute afterward seven fine-looking Koraks came up, armed with long spears, and dressed in clean suits of rein- deer-fur, which were perfectly white with snow. These last had come with their deer and sleds, but were obliged to keep in the rear on account of the dogs. They had picketed their deer on a neighboring hill. The storm was raging fearfully in the mean while, and our little polog was jammed to the utmost by our guests, who were anxious to see and watch those strange beings “ the Americans,” of whom our drivers had told them. After stuffing them with tea, and presenting each with a handful of tobacco and a couple of needles, they left at eleven o’clock in the storm, ap- parently highly pleased with the result of their visit. Nee- dles they prize very highly, ours being so far superior to the bone awls they generally use in sewing. But, in spite of the slow and tedious process of making clothing with their rude implements, their stitches are fine and even, and never give way. Sinews of the reindeer supply them with thread. We found these people far superior to the Gulf or settled Koraks. Owing to their simple, nomadic life, and non-intercourse with more civilized beings, they are ignorant of all the tricks and deceptions of their settled brethren, and are characterized by their generous, unsuspecting natures. Their language and religion are the same as the others, but their mode of living is entirely different. Some of them are fabulously rich in reindeer. One old fellow of whom I heard possessed no less than fifteen thousand of these animals. They have no particular form of government, and are con- trolled altogether by the fundamental laws of nature and 9 ■ GKOTTP OF RF.INDEF.K. THE REINDEER KORAKS. 373 justice. Each one is his own governor, and, in case of mal- feasance, is only answerable to the person injured, who has the choice of selecting his own course of action. They are firm believers in the laws of retaliation. If one man com- mits murder, he is very apt to be murdered in turn by the friends of the deceased. Sometimes the matter rests here, but often family feuds are continued through generations. They are very jealous of their own rights, and are careful not to infringe upon the rights of others. I said there is no established form of government, but I will except a certain influence wielded by the wealthy over those who are dependent upon them for food and clothing. These latter, having no deer of their own, join the household of some rich man, and, in return for his food and clothing, as- sist in guarding and taking care of the herds of their lord. Where one man owns many deer, he keeps them separated in lots of from one thousand to twelve hundred, scattered over the country, so that they can procure abundant food. The reindeer is all in all to these people. They furnish them with food, raiment, transportation, and shelter. Their sinews sup- ply them with thread, as above stated, and their bones and antlers supply material for the manufacture of numerous lit- tle implements necessary to their mode of living, and even with weapons, when they are unable to procure steel or iron through trade. The antlers are also used in the manufacture of some of their light sleds or “ sonkees.” These sleds are very pretty and graceful little structures, and some of them are fine speci- mens of workmanship. The long, light runners, raised in a beautiful curve at the prow, are usually made of birch. Over these are from six to twelve arches, uniting the two, and made sometimes of wood, but frequently from reindeer antlers care- fully smoothed and polished. Resting on the arches is the light body, with rounded back and curved arms like a chair, held together by rounds, all carefully made and polished, and the whole neatly lashed together at the joints by long, narrow strips of black whalebone. Two deer are used with each sled, harnessed in the same manner as those used on the Ajan post-road; and the rider carries a light pointed statf, with which to goad them on. 374 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. They have another sled, large, heavy, and comparatively clumsy, on which they transport their luggage. As they journey slowly while traveling with their herds and house- hold, these answer every purpose. Each of the deer the Koraks brought us were ready dressed, and would weigh from eighty to one hundred pounds. Though most acceptable under the circumstances, we could not but wish that we had been able to procure dried fish for our dogs instead. However, our men had also procured three days’ supply of fish and seal-fat, which, with the deer, would sup- port our teams five days and a part of the sixth. The great advantage of fish for road use is its lightness and convenience for packing. We estimated that twenty pounds of dry fish would go as far as a deer weighing seventy pounds. It was a fearful night, and the wind howled and swept over our unprotected position with such fury that we would hard- ly have been surprised at w T aking up and finding ourselves at the foot of the mountain. All night long the snow drifted through innumerable rents and holes in our polog, and upon awaking we found a coating two inches in depth all over us. It was the 1st of May, and such a one I had never dreamed of seeing. Macrae and I tried to picture to ourselves joyous parties robed in light summer costumes, decorated with gay ribbons, and wearing wreaths of freshly-plucked flowers, pick- ing their way over green meadows and through shady groves to the rendezvous at the May-pole. We tried to conceive of the soft, balmy atmosphere, clear blue heavens, glowing sun- light, and gentle breezes laden with the fragrance of flowers, with which all the rest of the world was blessed at that mo- ment, but could not think it possible. Blast followed blast in rapid succession, wailing, shrieking, and roaring as if bent upon the destruction of every thing living that came in its way. I raised myself partly from my bearskin, and, putting my eye to the polog, peeped out ; but what a sight ! Though late in the day, it was quite dark, but sufficiently light for me to distinguish a chaotic mass of whirling snow rushing and tearing by, obscuring every thing in its madness. Only one object was visible, but that only at intervals, though only six feet distant. There, perched upon a sled, silent and motion- less as if in death, was the fur-clad figure of one of our drivers, NIGHT AND DAT IN A POOIiGA. 375 against whom, on the windward side, a large snow-drift had accumulated. I gave a shudder, and dropped back on my bed. My watch had run down during the night, and we could not tell the time of day. Nevertheless, Vassilly crawled out and endeavored to make a fire, but, utterly failing in this, crawled back into the polog with a dried fish, which we di- vided among us. We could not tell how long we had slept, nor could we think of moving under the circumstances. There were no signs of the poorga abating for hours. Macrae and I amused ourselves smoking and chatting as long as we could, for, in spite of our night’s sleep, we both experienced strong feel- ings of drowsiness, and it was with the greatest difficulty we could keep our eyes open. But we knew that if we gave way to it we would pass a sleepless night, and, by mutual con- sent, whenever one of us showed signs of napping, the other punched him, and tried to enter into conversation with him. We continued this for several hours, when, much to our grat- ification, the wind lulled, and one of our drivers came and re- ported that the storm had subsided. We had eaten nothing except the small piece of dried fish since the previous night, so immediately built a fire to have supper before retiring. The sun was just setting, though it must have been nearly 9 o’clock at night, the days were, so long. After supper we started back for the polog, when one of the drivers asked us if we did not wish to start on.. To this we replied that “ we would not go until morning.” After looking at us curiously for a moment, he said, “ But it is morning.” We thought him crazy; but the others siding with him, we referred to the compass, and, from the bearing of the sun, found that it was rising instead of setting. We had been keeping ourselves awake all night long. The days were so long at this time that the twilight continued all through the night. We had perceived that it was quite dark, but attributed it to the storm. Availing ourselves of the lull, we immediately renewed our journey, taking a northerly course by the compass. Though perfectly ignorant of the country, and without guides, we felt confident, sooner or later, of striking either the Myan or one of its tributaries. Shortly after starting the storm revived, 376 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. but this t*ime the wind came from the south and blew against our backs, so that we experienced no great inconvenience from it until in the afternoon, when we struck a tributary of the Myan, and followed its course in a northwest direction. For two hours we followed the stream, when the wind be- came so strong that we were obliged to take shelter behind a large thicket of alder-brush. A glorious fire was soon roar- ing, and the tea-kettle lent its merry song to cheer the sur- roundings, after which Yassilly proceeded to prepare dinner. Suddenly Macrae threw down his pipe, and, drawing his sheath-knife, started for the sleds. “I will be cook to-night,” he said. “ We will have a reg- ular Rocky Mountain feast, and if you don’t say it is good, I pledge myself never again to don the apron or wield a toast- ing-fork.” “Mac” had crossed the Rocky Mountains in early days, and had a peculiar appreciation of good things, so I knew I would not be disappointed. In a moment he returned with the whole side of a deer, coated with rich fat, and, after cutting a pronged stick and spitting the meat, proceeded to roast it. Soon the rich juice began to stream out and drop in the hot ashes, but a tea-cup judiciously placed caught most of it, which was, from time to time, poured back upon the smoking ribs. The aroma alone would almost appease one’s appetite. Finally, after the long and careful process was ended, dinner was an- nounced in a triumphant tone, and we began the assault. Though “ sans” salt, “ sans” pepper, “ sans” plates, and, in fact, “ sans every thing” except the roast and our sheath- knives, I think I never before enjoyed a more delicious mor- sel. Its effect was astonishing ; neither wind nor snow troub- led us any longer, and our own feelings were so much elated that we held a mass meeting of two on the spot, and unani- mously decided to call the place “Roast-rib Camp.” Toward night we continued our journey, but, after pro- ceeding five versts, were again forced to take shelter. At half past 3 o’clock the • next morning we were again on the road, having a clear sky and bright sun to cheer us on. At 10 o’clock we arrived at the junction of the river* with the * We afterward learned that Kennan had named this stream the “Return River” on his journey northward. THE ORLOFKA RIVER. 377 Myan, and then took a northerly course down that stream through a narrow valley bordered by barren hills. The im- mediate banks of the stream were wooded with poplar, wil- low, and laurel, but no larch was visible. Up to this time we had found the snow hard and crusted, and the traveling excellent, but this day at noon the sun was so hot as to melt the crust, and our sleds sank so deep in the snow that we were obliged to halt for three hours for the crust to re-form. One of our drivers was nearly blinded by the glare, and we all suffered considerably. My nose, of which I had not taken proper care, became blistered by ex- posure, and not six hours afterward, when the weather be- came cold again, it had the misfortune to freeze. The effect on that organ of these two opposite agents can be more readily imagined than described. These natives use tobacco- juice as a remedy for snow-blindness, which, though exceed- ingly severe, is very effectual. The next morning we started early, continuing all day down the Myan with firm snow underneath. At sunset we came to the mouth of 'the Orlof ka River, a stream flowing from the west. At this point Kennan, in his exploration, left the Myan, and took a direct route for Anadyrsk, his dog- food having given out. A few versts farther we came to a wooded country, where we saw scattering trees of birch, spruce, and larch. The lat- ter were tall, straight, and durable, and are admirably suited to telegraph purposes. Here the snow was deep and soft, having been sheltered from the winter winds, and we were obliged to resort to our snow-shoes to break a road. After- ward we crossed to the eastern side of the river, and found open tundra, upon which-’we traveled until 10 o’clock P.M., and camped. During the day we had seen bear-tracks, and a few geese and swans flew over our heads going north, all of which indicated the proximity of spring. East of our camp was a broad, fine valley, extending in a southeast direction. It was so large that we knew it must be drained by a river of no mean size, and therefore con- cluded that it was the Olgan, a large stream Macrae and Arnold had descended while approaching Anadyrsk during their long journey, with the Tchuctchus. We now congrat- 378 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. mated ourselves upon having a known country ahead of us. After proceeding eight versts from camp, on the morning of May 5 th we struck a long belt of thick woods, which we were forced to penetrate, though it -was a difficult task, the snow being deep and soft, and in places we had to cut a way for our sleds through the underbrush. Suddenly we emerged upon a large stream about three hundred feet wide, which Macrae at once declared not to be the Olgan. It was larger than the branch we had been descending, so we at once de- cided that this was the main Myan, and, to distinguish the two, called the other the Abasa River, by which name it was afterward recognized. In descending to the ice we started up a pair of swans of very large size, and also found fresh bear-tracks near a small patch of open water, where Bruin had been watching for an opportunity to catch his morning meal. Rabbits and ptarmigan were also very abundant ; we saw large numbers of both while passing through the woods. But what astonished us most was a fresh trail made by two dog-sleds going up the Myan in a southeast direction. We at first thought that some of the Anadyrsk people had gone in this direction in search of Ivoraks to procure deer-meat, but our drivers assured us that they never came to this part of the country, as they can obtain deer much nearer in other directions. Our next thought was that Major Abasa had ar- rived at Anadyrsk, and, being anxious on account of our long absence, had sent these sleds out in search of us. But the fact of their ascending this stream instead of the other in- duced us to believe that this could not be the case. Finally, we decided that the major himself, not being able to delay his departure from Anadyrsk longer on account of warm weather, had chosen this route for his return journey, in the hope of meeting us, and that he had ascended the wrong branch. This appeared to us most probable, and we would have turned back with the hope of overtaking him, but knew it would be useless with our exhausted dogs ; besides, there was no time to be lost, as we had barely food enough to en- able us to reach our destination. Following this trail as a guide, we renewed our journey along the bed of the river. Both banks were thickly wooded with larch and spruce, and PROSPECT BLUFF. 379 gave shelter to quantities of game. In one place a fox had the audacity to seat himself on the river bank, in plain view, and bark at our dogs as they were passing by. He had evi- dently never been disturbed by hunters. At 1.30 P.M. we halted two hours, to give our dogs rest and to escape the heat of the day, but at 3 o’clock we were obliged to renew our journey, there being no prospect of its growing cold. The snow was deep and water-soaked, and traveling very difficult. We all took to snow-shoes to beat a trail and lighten the sleds, but even then our dogs could go no faster than a walk. At this rate our dog-food would give out long before we could procure other. Fortunately, at that time the sun did not set until 9 o’clock, and we could see well enough to travel until 10 o’clock, so we endeavored to make up for slow progress by long hours. This day, though fifteen hours on the road, we did not ac- complish more than thirty versts. The river was beginning to open in many places, and every half hour during the day we encountered fresh bear-tracks, but did not catch sight of one of the animals. An eagle also made its appearance, and one of those horrible little pests, a musquito, buzzed around my head for a few moments. We camped at 9.30 P.M. on a small island, Sunday, May 6th. It thawed all night, for the first time since winter set in, and we found it impossible to travel on the river, so left the trail we had been following, and traveled upon the left bank of the stream, through a fine forest of larch. At 1 o’clock P.M. we reached a point where a bold cliff terminates ab- ruptly on the river, and stopped to rest the dogs and cook dinner. After dinner I climbed the cliff to take bearings of different prominent landmarks, and to obtain a better idea of the country we were traversing. The valley of the Myan at this point is about forty versts wide, and the whole surface seemed to be a continued forest of larch-trees. My eyes had become so accustomed of late to the barren tundras we had been traversing, that this sight was a most refreshing one, and, in a telegraphic point of view, perfectly lovely. Mr. Kennan had found the banks of the Anadyr River perfectly barren of trees, but here were poles enough to supply a line from Ghijigha to Behring’s Sea, and to keep 380 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. it in repair for any length of time. From soundings I had made, from time to time, through holes in the ice, we knew there was sufficient water for rafting purposes. We named this place “ Prospect Bluff.” The course of the river was due north magnetic. At 2 P.M. w r e resumed our journey on snow-shoes over a rolling, lightly-wooded country on the west bank of the river. Just as we were crossing a low elevation, Macrae cried out, in a joyous tone, “ Laluma ! Laluma !” pointing to the north- east. Looking in the direction, I saw a high conical peak, barely perceptible in the distance, which Macrae recognized as an old friend. For many days during their Tchuctchu journeys, this peak, which is about six thousand feet high, loomed above him. Its appearance at this time was very opportune, as it enabled us to discover our whereabouts. We camped at dark, having made but thirty-five versts dur- ing the day. We had now but one night’s food left for our dogS, but hoped in two more days to reach our destination. We had fed the deer-meat to the dogs as soon as possible, in order to lighten the sleds, and now our own stock of food was getting very low. In addition to this, the late exceedingly difficult traveling in wet, heavy snow, most of the time on snow-shoes, together with the lack of sleep (our allowance being usually about three hours out of the twenty-four), and our eyes weak- ened from snow-blindness, made us all long for the goal. We were all so badly tanned as to be hardly recognizable as white men. The next morning at 3 o’clock, just as we were about to start from camp, we heard a noise back of us, and soon saw three empty sleds approaching. They proved to be the ones whose trail we had been following, and the drivers informed us that they had been sent in search of us from Anadyrsk by the major, who had arrived at that place three days before their departure. We had passed each other near the mouth of the Abasa River. They had been traveling day and night to overtake us after discovering our trail. We then delayed our departure two hours, to give them and their dogs an op- portunity to rest. Their animals having eaten nothing for twenty-four hours, we also gave them our last fish. ANADYR VALLEY.— CLOSE OF JOURNEY. 381 We attached these fresh teams to our own nartas, and sent the old dogs ahead with empty sleds to break a road, but soon overtook them. Ten versts from camp we reached a point where another bold bluff terminates on the river, which is here very narrow, and a verst below we struck the mouth of the Olgan, seventy versts below where we expected to find it. The bluff we called “ Telegraph Bluff,” it being the most suitable point we had found for stretching a wire across the river. Here was an old deserted hut, and the immediate neighborhood was densely wooded with fine larch; but be- low the mouth of the Olgan the timber ended. From a neighboring elevation we could trace the river for miles to the north. Its course was exceedingly winding. Being out of food, from Telegraph Bluff we struck imme- diately across the range of hills that border the valley of the Myan on the west, and took a northwesterly course over a large barren tundra toward the settlement of Crepast, which, with two or three other villages, compose Anadyrsk. This tundra is in the valley of the Anadyr River. From the range we could see the river itself winding about in the dim dis- tance to the north and west. Beyond the river, the tundra continued until it faded from sight on the distant horizon. Our journey across the tundra was long and tedious, the plain being uneven, and covered with dee{) snow, and dotted with patches of laurel brush. At 3 o’clock on the morning of the 8th of May, just as the sun was rising, we entered Crepast, completely exhausted, having been twenty-two hours on the road since leaving camp. I only waited long enough to get a fresh team, and pushed on for Markova, fifteen versts farther, where the ma- jor was stopping, leaving *Macrae and Yassilly to get some rest and sleep, and to come on at their leisure. Our journey had been a very severe one, but our discov- eries had far exceeded our expectations, and pointed to the Myan and Abasa Rivers as the natural course of the line. 382 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. CHAPTER XXVI. Crepast. — Early History of Anadyrsk. — Deshnew. — Simeon Motora. — Chu- ansees and Ukagirs. — Expeditions against the Tchuctchus. — Pawlutzki. — Native Legends. — Present Inhabitants. — Markova. — Programme of Work. — Instructions of the Ispravnik. — Koschevin. — Departure of Major Abasa. — Newfoundland Dog “ Cook.” — His Siberian Experiences. — Spring Sup- plies. — Expeditions to purchase Deer. — Timber Belt. — Grouse and Grouse- traps. — Our opportune Arrival. — Upper Anadyr. — Protoks and Islands. — Myan and Vaccarana Protoks. — Purchasing Huts. — Vetkas. — Esqui- maux Pup “Nik.” — Geese and Swans. — Carbasses. — Native Summer Costume. — Cornelius. — Return of Meat-seekers. — Off for the Myan. — In- structions to Koschevin. — Dangerous Ice-traveling. — Building Station. — Discouraging News. — Goose-hunting. — Arrival of Priest. — Tolstekhin’s Sufferings. — Fates against us. — Cutting Poles. — Break-up of the Myan. — Departure for Markova. — Water-fowl. — Perpetual Day. — Midnight Sunset. — Thunder. — Contrast. — Regularity of Nature. — Break-up of the Anadyr. — Grandeur. — Relic of Paganism. — Flood. — Starvation. — Dog eat Dog. — Clubbing Rabbits. — Constructing Rafts. — Afloat. Crepast is situated on the south bank of the Anadyr Riv- er, upon a bank about thirty feet above the level of the river. It contains about a dozen inferior log houses and “ umbars,” or store-rooms, the latter erected on posts about six feet above the ground. The name “Crepast” is Russian, and means “ fort,” this being the location of the original Russian settle- ment on the Anadyr, made by one Deshnew and two hun- dred and ten followers, who ascended the Anadyr in the year 1649, and built a small stockaded fort here. Deshnew had started the previous year with three vessels from Colema, on the Arctic, to sail around the eastern extrem- ity of Asia, and in October of the same year, two of his ves- sels having been lost, his own was driven ashore near the mouth of the Anadyr, where he wintered, and, as already stated, ascended the river the following summer. While as- cending the river, he met a tribe called “ Anauli,” a branch of the Tchuctchus, whom he endeavored to force to pay trib- ute, but they resisted, and, in an engagement that followed, were nearly all killed. C REPAST. — THE TCHUCTCHUS. 383 In 1650, a Cossack, named Simeon Motora, effected the first overland journey from Colema to Crepast, after which time communication was kept up, and a garrison regularly estab- lished. By degrees, a number of the inhabitants from Cole- ma settled here, and were re-enforced, from time to time, by members of the Chuansee and Ukagir tribes, who, having be- come impoverished by the loss of their deer through disease or warfare with the Tchuctchu, were obliged to settle down and subsist upon fish. At length the settlements of Marko- va and Pokorukna sprang up also on the Anadyr, the one fif- teen and the other thirty-five versts above Crepast. The three combined are called Anadyrsk, though at the present day Markova takes the lead of the others. Very little is known of the early history of this section that is perfectly reliable. The inhabitants have accounts of battles with the Tchuctchus that have been handed down from generation to generation, and exaggerated with each repetition, until they have become now enormous affairs. From “ Muller” we gather that, in the year 1 710 , three Cos- sacks, who had been at Anadyrsk, reported to the “Way- wode Dorosei Trauernicht” at Yakoutsk that, in the year 1701, some of the Ukagirs, who were tributary to the Rus- sians, complained to the commander at Anadyrsk that they were often attacked by the Tchuctchus, and requested that some Russians might be sent to assist them in subduing their enemies. A party of twenty-four Russians and one hundred and ten Ukagirs proceeded to the sea-coast, and, finding thir- teen habitations of Tchuctchu, called on them to surrender and to pay tribute. Upon their refusing, an engagement en- sued, in which ten Tchuctchus were killed, and sev.eral men, together with the women and children, were taken prisoners. The men, rather than be captives, killed each other. Some escaped, however, and succeeded in raising a force of three hundred men at “Tchucotskoi Noss,” who opposed the Rus- sians in an engagement, and lost near two hundred slain. The next day three thousand Tchuctchus attacked the Rus- sians, the fight lasting all day, and lost large numbers in slain. The Russians and Ukagirs had only ten wounded. The Tchuc- tchus were armed with bows, slings, and spears. The Tchuc- tchus then surrounded their enemies, and kept them belea- 384 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. guered for five days, at the end of which time they succeeded in making their escape, and returned in safety to Anadyrsk. Twenty-nine years later, in 1730, Captain Pawlutzki ar- rived at Crepast, and the following year led an expedition, comprising two hundred and fifteen Russians, one hundred and sixty Koraks, and sixty Ukagirs, against the Tchuctchus. They struck north to the Arctic coast, which they reached after two months’ travel at the rate of ten versts a day. They then proceeded eastward along the coast for two weeks, and, on the 7th of June, met a large band of Tchuctchus, who refused obedience, and were defeated, with what loss it is not stated. After eight days’ rest, they pushed on eastward for about two weeks, and on the 30th of June defeated anoth- er band. From this point, after resting three days, they ad- vanced to “ Tchucotskoi Noss,” which they had to cross to reach Anadyr Gulf. At this place they defeated and killed a large number of Tchuctchus, but could not subjugate them. Among the spoils were found several articles that were taken from Affanassa Shestakova during the previous year, when he was slain, and his party defeated on Penjinsk Gulf. The whole loss of the Russians and their allies in this expe- dition was three Russians, one Ukagir, and five Koraks killed. They returned to Crepast October 21st. In addition to these accounts, the natives told me that, a good many years ago (probably since Muller’s time), the Tchuctchus advanced on Crepast in very large numbers, and put the Russians to flight, driving them to a hill two days’ journey distant, on the direct route to Penjina, called “Ruski Khrebet.” Here the Tchuctchus again attacked them, kill- ing a great many, and thoroughly defeating the remainder. This, if true, all occurred earlier than the recollection of any of the natives I saw, and there were some old men among them. It is certain there has been no garrison at Crepast for a great many years, nor are there any traces of the old fort to be seen at the present time. The present inhabitants are mostly descendants from those early pioneers, and, though they class themselves under the different heads of Chuansees, Ukagirs, Lamutkas, and Rus- sians, they have all for so long a time adopted the Russian language that they have forgotten their own, and it is im- MARKOVA. 385 possible to distinguish the members of the different tribes from each other. Markova was one of the least interesting, unattractive vil- lages I had seen, and contained not more than half a dozen mean log houses, together with a small church ; but, on the VIEW IN MARKOVA. morning of the 8th of May, when I drove into town, I was so thoroughly worn out that any place would have been accept- able. We drove up to the house of an old Chuansee named Avaram, where Messrs. Dodd (Kennan’s companion), and Rob- inson, Harder, and Smith, of Macrae’s party, were stopping. It being early in the morning, I found them all asleep. As soon as I aroused them, and had made inquiries con- cerning the major and ispravnik, who were in another house, I threw myself down on a bed to sleep, but, from utter ex- haustion, was unable to do so. Owing to the lateness of the season, little time was to be lost, therefore the major and is- pravnik decided to start for Ghijigha the next day. It was my intention to proceed to the mouth of the Olgan on the Myan, with native laborers, as soon as the necessary preparations could be made, for the purpose of cutting poles to raft down the Myan and Anadyr rivers with the spring floods, for distribution along the Anadyr, that stream being wholly without timber. By so doing, should the Company’s vessels arrive at the mouth of the river in good season, we could immediately commence the construction of the line; B 2 386 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. otherwise we might be delayed another year, as the sum- mers are very short, and nothing could be done on that por- tion of the line until poles had been rafted. Before his departure, the ispravnik assembled all the in- habitants, with their different starastas, and instructed the latter to supply us with all the assistance we should require, whether of men for labor, or dogs for transportation during winter, and also placed, subject to my orders, Koschevin, a Cossack sergeant, who had great influence and authority over the natives, together with half a dozen other Cossacks. Invested with these powers, and with near fifty able-bodied men to call upon, we entertained strong hopes of being able to accomplish a good deal of labor by summer. At this season of the year, it is better to travel nights, to avoid the heat of day ; so on the 9th of May, late in the after- noon, the major and ispravnik, w T ith Messrs. Dodd and Rob- inson, and the Newfoundland dog “ Cook,” took their leave; the latter had a sled to himself, like the others of the party, his feet having become very sore from the effects of the jour- ney up the Anadyr with Kennan. Poor “ Cook !” his lot had been a hard one, and many a bat- tle he had to fight to convince these dogs that he was as good as they. All the way up the Anadyr he had been fastened behind one of the sleds, and all the other dogs, whenever an opportunity presented itself, whether through jealousy of Cook’s size, or supposing him to be some distant relative of Bruin, used to attack him and give him pretty harsh treat- ment. Upon his arrival at Markova, he had to fight every dog in the place, either singly or in troops, and it was not un- til he had killed one of them, and badly injured several oth- ers, that they began to respect him. Upon his arrival at Ghijigha and the intervening towns he undoubtedly had to go through it all again. Before his departure from Marko- va he had become thoroughly Siberianized ; he would sub- mit as knowingly as any of the others to the harness, and al- ways pulled his share. His special task was to haul wood and casks of water from the town well — a hole in the ice of the river near by. At first he did not approve of howling, but towards the last, whenever the dogs of the village start- ed their nightly choruses, old Cook’s voice could be heard ON TEE UPPER ANADYR. 387 above all the others, and was easily recognizable, from the clumsy manner in which he tried to imitate them. Cook’s driver didn’t relish the idea of being a dog’s coachman. Our supplies for the spring were limited to tea, sugar, and black or rye flour, which we had brought with us from Ghiji- gha. Of the two former articles we had an abundance, both for ourselves and what natives we should employ, but flour was comparatively scarce. These people, however, rarely use bread, reindeer meat and fish being their chief support. Fish we could not obtain at all ; our main reliance was, there- fore, upon reindeer, which we hoped to procure in sufficient quantities for our purpose from the Koraks or Tchuctchus. Of these we would require a large number to sustain the workmen, and there being a great scarcity of dog-food, we would also have to use deer-meat to feed our dogs with. To obtain the necessary amount, the day after the major’s departure, May 10th, I sent Koschevin, the Cossack, off to the Koraks, on the Upper Myan, with fifteen nartas, and a suffi- cient quantity of “ chilketski” — tobacco — to purchase eighty deer, and also instructed him to try and persuade the Ko- raks to move their herds down near the mouth of the Olgan, where the field-party would be at work. Fearing lest Kos- chevin might fail in procuring the necessary number of deer, and to provide against such a possibility, I sent Tolstekhin, another Cossack, the following day in a different direction, also to procure meat, knowing we would require all that could be purchased. By this time all the able-bodied men of the place were ab- sent, having accompanied the Cossacks, and we were com- pelled to postpone our departure to the Myan until some of them should return. Markova is situated upon the -east bank of the Markova River, about half a mile from its junction with the Anadyr. A belt of timber, that extends a mile or two from these riv- ers on both sides, furnishes material and fuel for the inhab- itants, and also shelters the town from the fury of the winds outside. These woods are the resort of thousands of ptar- migan or grouse during the winter months ; all around the settlement the woods were spotted with them. The natives have but few guns, and rarely use them on account of the 388 REINDEER, DOGS , SNOW-SHOES. scarcity of ammunition, consequently these birds are rarely disturbed, though hundreds are trapped daily, in a species of dead-fall like the fox-trap described on a preceding page. These traps, being light, are set on top of the snow ; they are baited with the young buds of the “ topolova”-tree, of which grouse are very fond. Up to the time of our arrival the na- tives had been sustaining both themselves and dogs chiefly upon grouse or ptarmigan, but the warm weather that im- mediately followed, and consequent thawing of the snow, made their traps useless, since they could not keep them set for any length of time. The people were then obliged to seek food from neighboring tribes. Our arrival proved to be very opportune for them. We furnished them with the to- bacco necessary to purchase meat, without which they would have had to depend upon the generosity of their more savage brethren. The Anadyr River, above the mouth of the My an, flows through a vast level tundra, quite low, and cut up by innu- merable channel-ways or “protoks,” as the Russians call them. Many of these are dry except during the spring floods, though large numbers have water in them the year round. In many places, for miles inland from the main stream, the whole country is a succession of large islands, separated from each other by an intricate network of these protoks. Markova and Crepast are both situated upon isb ands. For a good many miles above Markova, and as far down as Crepast, the main Anadyr flows nearly due east, but at Crepast it changes its course to the northeast, and makes a large elbow far to the north, flowing again nearly due south until it meets the waters of the Myan. The land com- prised within this elbow is also a large island, there being two protoks running from the Anadyr near Crepast to the Myan. One of these joins the Myan about forty versts above its mouth, at a point called “Vaccarana,” and is known as the Vaccarana Protok. The other, which joins the Myan far- ther up, is called the Myan Protok. Kennan, in making his journey to Anadyr Bay, followed the Vaccarana Protok, and by so doing, instead of following the river, saved two days’ journey. In addition to rafting poles down the river, we also wished EUTS.-BOA TS.— COSTUMES. 389 to raft ten or twelve “yourts,” to be erected at convenient distances from each other along the river banks for winter shelter while traveling. With this in view, Lieutenant Mac- rae and myself took dogs and proceeded up the river thirty versts from Markova, to examine a number of “ letnia pova- rinie,” or summer huts, the owners had offered us for sale. These had been constructed by the natives for use during the fishing season. Having selected sixteen of the best for our purpose, we called on our return at the settlement of Pa- korukua, an insignificant little collection of log huts. The only objects that interested us in the place were sev- eral very small boats, called “ vetkas,” that had been left ex- posed on the river bank by the thawing of the snow. These were so very small and light that we could not think it pos- sible for a man to ride in them. Old Avarani, my driver, assured us, however, that, though it required great skill and long practice to handle them, yet they were frequently used for long journeys where speed was required. They were es- pecially made for the pursuit of wild reindeer while swim- ming the rivers during their annual migrations in the fall, from the cold, barren tundras north of the river to the moun- tainous regions south, and also in the spring, when they re- turn to the northern tundras to escape the persecutions of the millions of musquitoes that infest the woodlands. These pests are equally as abundant on the tundra, but the strong winds make them less troublesome. The vetkas we saw were fifteen feet long and one foot wide, flat-bottomed, and made of three boards hewn out with an axe. The bottom board was three fourths of an inch thick, and pointed at both ends. Each side consists oftl single board from eight to ten inches wide, and not more than one fourth of an inch in thick- ness. They were sewed to the bottom board, and to each other at the ends, with the sinews of deer, the seams being carefully sealed with pitch. Two light sticks in the middle of the boat keep the thin sides spread, and prevent their warping. The rider sits flat upon the bottom, and propels himself with a light double-bladed paddle, dipping one blade on one side and the other on the opposite alternately. Un- der each vetka lay the paddle, and a light spear about twelve feet in length, used in spearing the deer. 890 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. While here I was presented with a fine Esquimaux pup, that I called w Nik” after the giver, whose surname was “ Nik- olai.” But the native became much alarmed at my giving his name to the dog, and declared that some calamity would befall him if it was not changed. When, however, I assured him that in America we frequently named dogs after men, he became perfectly satisfied. On the way back to Markova we saw a few geese and swans, and thousands of grouse. Some of the latter were standing on the open tundra asleep, and the snow, which was drifting with a light wind, had covered them until nothing but their heads were visible. Others were completely bur- ied, but broke from their shelter when we approached. For the transportation of their families, dogs, and house- hold effects in summer, the people of this section use a large boat capable of carrying a dozen persons, called “ carbass.” These “ carbasses” are simply log “ dug-outs,” spread by heat and water, with two hewn boards fastened upon each side to increase their size. The sides and bottom are fastened to- gether with sinews, and the cracks chinked with ground-moss. These craft are considered very unsafe in rough water, as the moss sometimes washes out ; but, for want of better, the peo- ple make use of them. During the delay in Markova, we pro- vided ourselves with summer costumes such as the natives wear, made of light, dressed buckskin, carefully tanned and softened, and smoked thoroughly on one side, to prevent them from stiffening after becoming wet. The chief article of the summer dress is the “ comlea,” or “ comleaka,” a long shirt, closely fitting about the wrists and neck, and having a small hood to fit closely over the head, merely leaving the face exposed. This is to protect the head from musquitoes. In addition to this are buckskin pants ; mits, fitting tightly around the wrists ; and boots of the same material, soled with thick bearskin. Besides these boots, intended for dry weather, they have others made of seal or horse hide, which, if kept carefully greased, are waterproof. Equipped with these and musquito nets, and having manufactured buckskin caps for ourselves (the natives wear none in summer), we felt in condition to defy any number of musquitoes that might assail us. I give, on the opposite page, two actual portraits LAMUTKA PORTRAITS. 391 of Lamutkas in their summer costume. Day by day the na- tives began to return from their journeys, having been generally successful in procuring meat for their families, though many failed ut- terly. Having previously made arrangements with Koschevin and Avarani for the con- struction of two “ car- basses” and a fish-seine, to be ready by the time the river opened, and after leaving instructions for the^former to have the sixteen huts we had purchased taken down, and rafted through the Myan Protok to the Myan River, where we would meet them with our rafts, on the 22d of May we took our departure, with all our stores and baggage, together with sixteen men and ten nartas. Other men were to come on afterwards, and bring seal-thongs with which to lash our rafts together, as we had no augurs or any of the implements generally used in constructing rafts. Thinking it pos- sible that we might not see Koschevin again be- fore winter, I also left or- ders for him to forward twelve nartas to the mouth of the river, as soon as the next winter roads should open, to bring us up in case of ac- cident to the vessel des- tined for that point. We arrived at Crepast FKADOR OUYAN. 392 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. during a heavy snow-storm, by which we were delayed until evening, when we again pushed on, traveling all night and until 3 o’clock the next afternoon before reaching the mouth of the Olgan. Traveling was exceedingly bad, particularly on the My an River, where a number of our sleds broke through the rotten ice. In places it was very exciting trav- eling. Each sled had to cross the river separately, with the ice bending and cracking beneath it. Very often, had it not been for the speed of the frightened dogs, we would have inevitably gone down with the current, for behind each sled was a long train of open water where the ice had given way beneath its weight just as the sled was passing. On the road we shot our first goose. The following day all hands went to work constructing a large log house for shelter, which was also to be used after- ward as a store-house. This would have been completed in five days, but on the 26th of May two nartas arrived from Koschevin bringing only twelve deer, sufficient to feed our dogs but two days, and the discouraging intelligence that no more could be procured on the Myan. The natives, though perfectly willing, could not drive their deer to the Olgan, as it was the breeding season, and the does could not undergo the journey. He had gone, however, in search of some Ko- raks living to the westward of Penjina. Up to this time noth- ing had been seen or heard of the Cossack Tolstekhin. Finding that we would be unable to sustain the dogs here, Monday, 28th of May, I sent them all back to Anadyrsk with Harder, whom I instructed to bring all the laborers he could procure, together with a carbass to enable us to cross the in- tervening rivers and protoks, should we be compelled, from want of food, to vacate the place and return to Markova. Hitherto, in order to save the deer-meat for our dogs, we had succeeded in shooting enough geese to sustain the whole party. It was fine sport indeed. Every night, at 11 o’clock, it being perfectly light, and that being the flying-time of the geese, we would strap on our snow-shoes and cross over the Myan to some open swamps beyond. After taking our stands in different places, whenever a flock or single birds flew over in easy range, the fusillade would commence, and by 1 o’clock we would have as many birds as we could stag- THE FATES AGAINST US. 393 ger under. But soon the geese began to seek other patches of water, and the ice on the Myan became so unsafe that we could no longer venture across. On the 29th the Markova priest — a Yakout, who possesses all the vices of the rest of the brotherhood in Eastern Siberia — arrived with fifteen deer, and stated that Koschevin was in Markova. He had procured twenty deer, but, feeling sat- isfied that we would be obliged to return to that place, had retained five there for our sustenance during the spring flood. Tolstekhin had also returned to Markova without success. In addition to his disappointment, the poor fellow had under- gone severe hardship. He and his companions were four days without food, except a small piece of seal -thong they had boiled up for one meal, and their dogs had had nothing for five days. The fates seemed to be arrayed against us. In the first place, many of the inhabitants were in very destitute circum- stances, or unfitted by disease for labor, so that we could not procure more than a handful to accompany us to the Myan without depriving many families of their only support. As it happened, I was obliged to send three of the men back to try and provide for their families, not being able to supply them with the meat I had promised them. Another obsta- cle was some misunderstanding that had arisen between the neighboring Tchuctchus and Chuansees with regard to sup- plying the inhabitants with deer -meat, which resulted in their refusing to render any assistance whatever. And then, in addition to not being able to procure deer for dog-food, we failed in securing sufficient seal-thong with which to construct our rafts. It was evident we would have to vacate the Myan, and, not wishing to do so without accomplishing something, we put all the men at work cutting and piling up telegraph poles for future use. May 30th, Harder returned from Markova without having secured laborers, but he had brought a carbass with him to one of the largest protoks we would have to cross on our re- turn journey. He reported that the rivers were all about to break up, and that, unless we returned immediately, we would not be able to do so at all. June 1st, Macrae and Harder started for Markova with our 394 REINDEER , DOGS , baggage and what few stores we had, with instructions to send back sleds enough to carry the rest of us through, and on the following day the ice in the Myan began to break up, and the waters to rise very rapidly. It was a magnificent sight to see eight months’ accumulation of ice and snow sweeping by at a six-mile rate, foaming, crashing, and roar- ing, and the large masses of ice piling upon each other, or playing “ leap-frog” down the centre of the stream. In a few hours the river was full to the brim and beginning to run over its banks, threatening to inundate out* locality ; but the timely arrival of the sleds on the 3d of June enable^ us to escape with our implements, though the snow in places was perfectly saturated with water. After crossing the ridge to the valley of the Anadyr, we found the traveling much bet- ter. To cross one stream we had to use ice-rafts, and, where the carbass was left, the protok was entirely open. Our journey to Markova was exceedingly hard. Had we been a day later, we could not have effected it at all. By constant traveling day and night we reached the settlement on the 4th of June at 11.30 o’clock P.M., having been thirty- six hours on the road. Upon our return we found the Anadyr still sealed up, ex- cepting here and there a small patch ; but these places had been open for many days. Large numbers of geese, ducks, and swans infested them, but were too wary to be shot ; be- sides, our small stock of ammunition had been nearly exhaust- ed on the Myan. We, however, availed ourselves of this open water to become familiarized with the management of vetkas, and it was not until we had each experienced some chilling duckings that we learned to sit in them. These were curious days to us ; in fact, days only, for, dur- ing the twenty-four hours, at no time was it dark enough to distinguish a star. When we retired it was broad daylight, and when we awoke it was broad daylight, and even if we didn’t sleep at all during what ought to have been night, every thing was lighted up by the glare of the sun except for the short space of two hours between sunset and sunrise. A few days later it was cut down to less than an hour. Though the sun disappeared from sight during this short time, it barely skimmed along beneath the horizon, and dur- PERPETUAL DAYLIGHT. 395 ing its absence the northern heavens were all aglow with the most gorgeous displays of gold, crimson, purple, orange, and, in fact, all the most beautiful and delicate tints, blending in one harmonious whole, and casting a lustre of indescribable beauty over the, at other times, cold and cheerless landscape. At times this variegated display was partially obscured by heavy, accumulated masses of dark cloud, bordered with a glittering fringe, and blushing where exposed to the rays of the departed sun. One of these sunsets at midnight on the Anadyr I shall never forget. It excelled in magnificence any thing of the kind I had ever beheld, and continued with undiminished loveliness for nearly two hours. During this period a heavy thunder -cloud rolled majestically across the heavens, and darted its forked tongues of vivid lightning athwart the va- riegated curtain of light suspended beyond. Thunder-storms are quite rare in this section, and on this occasion the natives began to cross themselves and mutter their prayers. Upon our telling them that we used lightning in transmitting mes- sages by telegraph, they thought us very sacrilegious, and were much horrified. During this perpetual daylight it was immaterial when we retired and when we arose, but from choice we selected the hours naturally belonging to night, or the greater portion of them, for our day. During these hours it was more quiet, and the air being somewhat cooler, we found it more pleas- ant, for by this time the heat of the sun was beginning to make itself felt. We could see distinctly at all times to read and write indoors. What struck me as being most singular was the regularity with which birds and animals observed the hours of rest and activity. Upon emerging from our quarters, at one time all would be full of life and activity ; wreaths of smoke curling from the mud chimneys of the different habitations, and the natives constantly passing back and forth with sled-loads of dry sticks for fuel, drawn by teams of active, wide-awake dogs. Strings of women would be wending their way to the water-holes, and returning with their tubs filled to the brim, and suspended to poles carried across their shoulders ; while loose dogs could be seen prowling about the village, catching 396 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. field-mice, or contesting with the magpies for the possession of some stray morsel of food. In the neighboring trees grouse and numerous other birds fluttered about from limb to limb, plucking fresh buds from the twigs, and filling the air with their notes. Intermingled with these could be heard the sound of the axe, the shouts of the dog-drivers, and the laughs and songs of the girls going to the well. Every thing and every body was alive and awake. A few hours afterward I again step from my quarters, and, though the sun is shining as brightly as before, all is hushed, and a deathlike silence prevails. No smoke, no people are to be seen. Here and there, coiled up in the snow, with their bushy tails covering their faces, lie the village dogs wrapped in oblivion ; and the magpies, with drooping tails and closed eyes, sit nodding on the sled-bows and rough projections of the houses. Not a movement is visible among the bare limbs of the neighboring forest, but here and there, on all sides, the white grouse may be seen with their heads nestled under their wings, and their snowy feathers hugged closely to their sides for warmth. With the regularity of a clock, at just such times, all nature retires to rest, and, with equal precision, each morning she arouses herself. Immediately after our return from the Myan we made preparations to secure the yourts I had purchased from be- ing swept away by the freshet ; but on the morning of the 6th of June the ice in the Markova River began to open in long seams, and the water to force its way through, over- flowing the surface so rapidly that some natives on the op- posite bank were hardly able to get back to the village. In a short time the pressure from beneath w r as so great that the ice had to give way, and all up and down the stream we could hear the heavy rumblings, and loud, sharp reports, as the thick winter coatings were snapped in twain, and came foaming to the surface of the now raging torrent. The wa- ter rose very rapidly, but at first the current was choked up by the accumulated masses of ice, jammed together among the islands below. By degrees the current gathered force, and suddenly the ice-dam gave way. Then the wildest race ensued among the ice-blocks, each apparently striving to pass the other, and crowding, squeezing, or trying to force its BREAKING UP OF ICE.— STARVATION SEASON. 397 neighbor beneath the boiling flood. The river was strewn with tree-trunks and logs, writhing in the mad tumult, and tossing their scarred and twisted arms in the air as if implor- ing assistance; but onward they were hopelessly swept to mingle in the fury of the neighboring Anadyr, while other logs took their places in the vast moving panorama before our gaze. It was a thrilling sight, and all the inhabitants assembled on the river bank, crossing themselves, and firing blank car- tridges from old flint-locks, according to their annual custom. This custom is a relic of their old pagan superstitions. It is a form of worship to the spirit of the waters, upon whose bounty they depend for their winter supplies of fish. Twelve hours after the ice opened the whole country was a vast lake, and many of the inhabitants had to desert their houses and take shelter on the roofs, with their families and dogs, or resort to small hummocks that jutted from the flood. Our quarters fortunately were just out of reach of the water, which flowed all around them, ho.wever, and to go any where we had to use boats. This is the “ starvation” season of the year. Being the tail end of the long winter, the supplies of the inhabitants are all exhausted. The flood has driven the native tribes to the mountains, and cut off* all communication with them ; and even the vast numbers of water-fowl have taken refuge from the ice-flood, and sought the more quiet waters on the open tundra. No fish can be caught, nor are there any grouse to be seen. These last have all gone to the knolls on the tun- dra to build their nests. Though better off this spring than on most former similar occasions, yet there was a good deal of suffering. One family was so reduced that they ate" only once in two days. Our deer-meat that we had saved from winter spoiled as soon as warm weather came on so that we could not eat it, and, as the natives were ready to eat almost any thing, w r e willingly distributed it among them, but the quantity was too small to appease their sufferings much. One native came to me with tears in his eyes, and told me that he was in a fearful state of want. He and his family had been subsisting for several days upon dog-harness which they had boiled into soup. Others were eating their deerskin bed- 398 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. ding. Our own supplies were reduced to a small quantity of black flour, and barely enough tea and sugar to take us to the mouth of the river, therefore we could render them but very little assistance. The dogs were in a fearful condition. Many of them subsisted altogether upon the carcasses of their starved companions. At Crepast some of the more enterprising inhabitants sup- ported their families altogether by paddling in their vetkas to the hummock islands on the tundra, and knocking down rabbits with sticks. These animals had congregated in large numbers on some of the knolls to escape being drowned. As soon as the river was sufficiently free from ice, all the destitute inhabitants, with their dogs and household goods, took carbasses and started for the mouth of the Myan, to catch fish and watch for the swimming of deer, leaving Mar- kova nearly deserted. During the freshet Koschevin and Avaram completed the two carbasses. By the 19th of June the waters had subsided, so that it was only waist deep around most of the yourts we intended to carry with us. We then proceeded at once to take down the huts and construct rafts, and by night of the 20th of June had eight of the huts, each complete in a small raft of itself, and all lashed together, so that one could be detached when required without interfering with the others. In the mean time Harder had been sent up the river to pro- cure other houses, but, on account of the freshet, could secure only two, which were floated down and attached to the main raft. We had now only two days’ supply of black flour for ourselves and eight natives who were to accompany us, and but little tea and sugar left. Meat we had not tasted for many days. All being in readiness, and having no time to lose, since we could, not expect to get other food before reach- ing the mouth of the Myan, on the 22d of June we set our- selves adrift. RAFTING DOWN THE ANADYR. 399 CHAPTER XXVII. Proposed Voyage. — Rafting down the Anadyr. — Collision. — Assistance from Markova. — A wild Night’s Ride. — Longest Day. — Entering the Protok. — Flooded Country. — Vaccarana Protok. — Reduced Rations. — Native Stomachs. — Watches. — A Swim. — Astonished Natives. — Avaram’s Swim- ming. — Character of Inhabitants. — Timidity. — Ducks and Eggs. — Ava- ram’s Adventure. — “ Kamuk !” — Slow Progress. — Winding Course. — Horse-hair Nets. — “Nik” and Kiote. — Vaccarana. — Whitefish. — The Myan again. — Wild Deer. — Preparations for Spearing them. — Foiled. — Manner of Spearing. — Skill. — Disappointment. — Camp of Natives. — Re- plenishing our Larder. — Musquitoes. — DeepWater. — Petrified Wood and Mammoth Tusks. — Deer Migrations. — Mouth of the Myan. — Markova Peo- ple. — Feasting. — Halt. — At the Lee of an Island. — Pleasure of Rafting. — Sunset and Sunrise. — Wild Deer.— Giving Chase. — Bidera and Bidarka. — Baillee, or White River. — Origin of Name. — Meat-hunting. — Fish. — Wild Flowers. — Expedition up the Baillee. — Quicksilver. — Annoying Winds. — Fresh Meat. — Provision Gone. — Running the “Thousand Isles.” — The River. — Exciting Chase after Deer. — The Death. — Tchuctchu Ya- rangas. — Bideras. — Yan-den-kow’s Liberality. — An Invitation. — Tents. — Jerking Meat. — A Feast. — Parting Presents. — Oochostika. — Building winter Yourts. — Musquitoes. — Swollen Faces. — Sufferings of Dogs. — Moske. — Mocrusa. — Harder’s Return and Success. — Asbestus. — Copper. Nearly five hundred miles of river andprotoks had to be traversed before we could reach Behring Sea, and, since nei- ther ourselves nor any of our native crew were at all ac- quainted with the last three hundred miles of the voyage, or were familiar with the rafting, it was not without some feel- ings of dubiousness that we loosed our moorings in the quiet protok, and drifted slowly out to join the furious current of the Anadyr. The waters were yet fifteen feet above their summer level, and sweeping on toward the sea at a six-knot rate. Once fairly launched, unless our raft should smash to pieces upon some of the numerous islands that lay in our path, we felt confident of a speedy voyage. Beyond Crepast it was our intention to follow the Vac- carana Protok through to the Myan River, and thereby avoid the long detour of the Anadyr to the north. From the junction of the Myan with the Anadyr to the 400 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. mouth of the Baillee, or White River — a large tributary of the latter flowing from the north — our guides assured us we would have good sailing, but at that point their knowledge of the river ended. The day was clear and warm, and in every respect but one favorable for our departure. This one obstacle was a strong northerly breeze that swept across the river, and, catching the piles of bark roofing that lay on our raft, kept us con- stantly under the lee-shore, in spite of our exertions at the sweeps. It was only with the greatest difficulty we were prevented from being driven ashore. While dashing along in this manner directly under the overhanging river banks, about three versts below our start- ing-point we suddenly came to the entrance of a protok, through which a portion of the waters swept with a power- ful current. Directly ahead of us, and not two hundred yards distant, appeared a pointed island upon which the waters split, and for this our raft was going at a furious rate. All hands sprung to the sweeps, but the wind and the current of the protok being unfavorable, hardly half a dozen strokes had been made before the crash came, prostrating nearly every man by the force of the collision. The strength of our raft was severely tried, but the stout seal -thong lashings held their own bravely, and, other than a few broken logs, it sus- tained no injury. After colliding, we swung into the entrance of the narrow protok, and became blocked. The strength of the current made it impossible to extricate ourselves with our present force, and, being yet near Marko- va, one of the men was dispatched in a vetka to go to that place for assistance. Seventeen additional men soon joined us, and, with their assistance, after nearly two hours of tow- ing and poling, we again attained the river bank two hun- dred yards above the island. The wind having died out, our second attempt was successful, though even then the raft grazed the island. Owing to the numerous channel-ways that intersect the country between Markova and Crepast, we retained several of the men to provide against farther emer- gencies. At length, after near twenty hours of the wildest and most REDUCED RATIONS.— NATIVE STOMACHS. 401 exciting racing, we emerged from the islands just above the village of Crepast, and entered upon a wide, open stream, with good current and clear sailing. This was the longest day of the year. Between sunset and sunrise only fifty-five minutes elapsed, and, though the sun was obscured from view, we had abundant light even for reading fine print. At 3.30 A.M. we floated by Crepast, and sent ashore for assistance to enable us- to enter the Vaccarana Protok, which lay a few versts down the stream. At this time a strong wind arose, blowing against the current of the river. The waves rolled quite high, and caused our raft to creak and bend. Notwithstanding this, the wind was of great assistance to us, checking our speed, and enabling us to work into the protok much more easily than would have been pos- sible under other circumstances. Once in, we sent back the extra men, and prepared to fight our own way to the sea. From our raft, after entering the protok, not a trace of land was visible excepting two ranges of hills, each at least forty miles distant. We could only judge of the course of the protok from the parallel lines of tree-tops that jutted from the water. Between these we carefully kept the raft, lest the waters should subside, and leave us high and dry. But what a contrast ! Instead of the furious rate at which we had swept along on the Anadyr, our progress was now barely perceptible. This was rather discouraging, consider- ing the scant condition of our commissariat, which was re- duced to but little over one day’s supply of black flour, and tea and sugar for nearly two weeks. Fortunately, the men that joined us from Crepast brought some putrid deer-meat with them and gave it to our crew. Though we could not eat this ourselves, yet it diverted the appetites of our men from the black flour, which, by economy, we hoped to be able to subsist upon for several days. The presence of various creatures in the meat that did not originally belong to it did not seem to disconcert our men in the least; picking them out one by one with the points of their knives, they tossed them overboard, and continued their meals with the greatest possible unconcern. Our progress so far since entering the protok had been at the rate of about half a mile to the hour, but we perceived Cc 402 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. that the farther we advanced the more speed we gathered, and, although the protok was about fifty miles long, we still hoped to get through it, and reach the Myan by the time our flour gave out. In order to travel day and night, we divided our party into two watches, to relieve each other every six hours, six men being sufficient to control the raft except in very rough weather. Up to this time none of us had slept for forty-eight hours, excepting an occasional cat-nap. It being Smith’s and my watch “on deck” first, to keep awake we had a good swim in the protok, and, although the water had but just been freed from ice, did not suffer in the least from cold. The men were much astonished at our swimming, it being new to them, and our diving beneath the surface caused ex- clamations of alarm as well as of the greatest surprise. Aft- er the first dive they aroused their sleeping companions, and in a few moments all hands were curiously watching us, and continually exclaiming “Sorovno kak outka!” (just like ducks). Old Avaram, who was with us, had the reputation of being the best swimmer on the Anadyr, and we induced him to jump in. Before doing so, he provided himself with two large chips to hold in his hands as paddles, and then only by great exertions and considerable floundering did he manage to keep on the surface at all. These natives are, without exception, the most artless, sim- ple-minded, and timid creatures I ever beheld. Their only vices they learn from their priests, whom they regard as al- most superhuman beings, even worshiping their faults. The majority of them are utterly without courage, it being with great difficulty that I could induce any of them to accom- pany me to the mouth of the river, on account of their dread of the Tchuctchus. Some of them will nearly go in spasms if a dead mouse is thrown among them ; and one in particu- lar, named Goorilla, though unable to swim a stroke, during the construction of our raft jumped overboard to avoid hav- ing one thrown upon him. Avaram was the only man in the whole country of any courage. He often went bear-hunting, on which account his companions regarded him with perfect awe. But even he was extremely timid in some respects, being very superstitious. AVARAM' S UPSET.— THROUGH THE PROTOK. 403 During our first night on the protok we occasionally en- countered small hummocks jutting from the water. On one of these Smith found a duck’s nest containing eight eggs, and also succeeded in shooting the duck. This was a welcome acquisition to our larder. Old Avaram then started ahead in a vetka with a gun to try his luck, and we saw no more of him again for several hours. At last he came paddling up to the raft, wet from head to foot, and his eyes nearly pop- ping from their sockets. He was evidently troubled about something, and with a long, solemn face seated himself, not muttering a word to any one. Having brought no game back with him, I thought that might possibly be the cause of his troubles, and ventured to ask him what was the mat- ter. He replied gruffly, in the Tchuctchu tongue, “ Kamuk ! memeliked !” (Devil ! upset !) and that was all we could get out of him for nearly an hour, when he explained his mean- ing. While paddling along watching for game, he was sud- denly startled by hearing a sharp whistle near by him. Look- ing in the direction the sound came from, he saw nothing, but the next minute it sounded behind him. Then he was satis- fied it was the devil, and became so frightened that he tipped over his vetka. We told him that the sounds were made by some bird, but he could not believe it. The poor fellow had to suffer several days, however, for his superstition, for one of the men, a jovial, good-natured fellow named Ivan, when- ever he caught Avaram’s eye, would give a short whistle, point his finger at the water, bob his head, and cry “Kamuk !’* at the same time shaking from head to foot with laughter. Avaram would never smile, though. Our progress through the protok was so slow that we had abundant time to examine nearly every island, and our search was usually rewarded by finding enough eggs, or shooting enough geese, ducks, and hare to keep us in fresh meat. Sometimes we had to tie up our raft to avoid being driven backward by strong winds. On these occasions we would set our horse-hair gill-nets to try and catch some fish, but never succeeded. These nets were made of horse-tails, four hairs being used in each strand. They were light, and not easily distinguishable in the water, yet sufficiently strong to hold large fish. These people prefer them to all others for 404 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. “ set”-nets, though they easily rot, and require great care to be preserved. The protok was very winding. In many places we could shoot a pistol-ball across the necks of peninsulas that we would be hours passing around. However, our raft life was so comfortable that we could endure these delays as long as we had plenty of food. When the wind would allow, we erected a small canvas tent that had belonged- to Macrae’s party, which afforded us shelter from the heat of the sun. Had it not been for musquitoes that began to swarm over the raft, we would have been perfectly contented with our lot for the time being. These pests made it necessary for us to retain our skin clothing day and night, and, though com- pletely covered from head to foot with buckskin, and having cords tied around it at our wrists, ankles, necks, and waists, so as to leave no openings, and wearing musquito-nets inces- santly, we all suffered much from their bites. Our two dogs — “Nik,” of whom I have before spoken, and “Kiote,” one be- longing to Macrae — were tormented nearly to death. Their only refuge was in the smoke of the fires we kept on the raft for cooking, purposes. This smoke we also availed ourselves of while preparing for swimming, and in dressing afterward. Wednesday, June 27th, when we had eaten the last of our game and eggs, we came in sight of what is called Vacca- rana, a solitary house on the side of the protok, about a mile from the My an River. Without stopping the raft, we sent men ashore to try and procure provisions, but they returned in half an hour, reporting that the place was deserted. They had succeeded during their absence in catching with the hair- net two fine large fish called “baillee,” or whitefish; but these were hardly a mouthful for twelve men. Shortly afterward we struck the Myan. At this point it was a magnificent stream more than a mile in width. We sounded, and found twenty-one feet of water ; but Ivan told us that where we were then sounding was a dry bar in sum- mer. We had hardly entered upon the Myan when one of the men enthusiastically cried out “ Alane ! alane !” and, glancing over the adjoining tundra, we saw twelve or fifteen wild deer feeding leisurely toward the river bank, when we expected SPEARING WILD DEER. 405 they would attempt to swim the stream. All was excite- ment, though our preparations to spear them were made without the slightest noise. The raft was immediately tied up, and each of four vetkas we had on the raft was put into the water, when the riders carefully sat in them, armed with their long, light spears, and began to shoot rapidly across to the opposite bank of the river, to await the approach of the deer in the water. Then it was their intention to suddenly paddle out, and, having surrounded the animals, keep them swimming in a circle until they had speared them all. Wish- ing to participate in the sport, I took Macrae’s carbine and my vetka, and was soon located on the opposite bank, ready to shoot any animal that might by chance reach the shore. Minutes were like hours, the musquitoes tormented me so, and finally, in utter disgust, I paddled back across the stream, where I found the others had preceded me. The deer had become frightened from some cause, and ran off, so we were not only denied the sport, but the acquisition to our supplies. Six expert natives have been known to surround and spear a herd of three hundred deer, and not allow one to escape. Sometimes, when a very large herd is swimming, a whole settlement joins in the attack, some with vetkas and spears, and others with carbasses on the river below, to pick up the carcasses as they float down. On such occasions the occu- pants of each carbass keep all they pick up, and those deer that manage to reach shore before dying belong to the spear- men. These last are so expert that every fine fat animal they come to they spear in such a manner as to give it just time to reach shore. The inferior ones they kill on the spot, for those with carbasses to pick up. Sometimes, while surround- ed in this manner, the deer show fight, and it is necessary to give them wide berths with the light vetkas, which they would otherwise sink or capsize. We were considerably disappointed, but shortly afterward a vetka joined us from below, where several shots had just been fired, and we learned that the owners of Yaccarana were near by, from whom we could procure both fresh and jerked venison for present use. They had already speared sixteen deer. We paddled down to their camp, which was a mere hovel, but nevertheless received a truly hospitable welcome. 406 REINDEER , DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. They fired the guns as a salute upon seeing our vetkas, as they knew them to belong to our party. Two families were camped here, their only shelter being an old polog, and an- other habitation formed of a carbass inverted, with deerskins suspended around it. This being the season for deer to mi- grate north, they had selected a spot on the northerly bank of the Myan, and pitched their camp in the midst of a thick cluster of “kedrovnik,” or scrub pine, out of the sight of deer swimming from the opposite bank. Musquitoes swarmed about the place like bees, and tormented us nearly to death, though the little half-naked natives ran about in their midst, and appeared to pay no attention to them whatever. The night was calm and bright, and, not wishing to lose the good opportunity, as soon as the raft floated down we rejoined it without stopping, taking two days’ supply of jerked meat with us. This meat is simply cut into thin strips and allowed to dry in the sun. Large portions of it become so tainted before curing that it is unfit for any but native palates, but we gladly accepted the acquisition to our stock of supplies. The Myan at this point is over half a mile wide, and flows in a northeast direction, bordered on the northwest bank by a range of low hills, and on the other by a succession of rolling tundra covered with patches of stunt- ed pine. In no place did we get less than eighteen feet of water, and in the channel we frequently found it ten fathoms deep ; but now the stream is twenty feet above its ordinary level. From this point Kennan, in his journey to Camp Mac- rae, took an easterly course across the tundra, and rejoined the Anadyr at a small Tchuctchu settlement called Oocho- stika, thereby saving a day’s journey. The Anadyr makes another large bend to the north from the mouth of the Myan. Ivan, one of our men, told me that on this tundra is a par- tially petrified grove of kedrovnik, and that quite frequently mammoth bones and tusks are found there by the natives. The tusks are some of them fifteen feet in length, of fine ivory, and are bartered to the Russian traders for tobacco and other articles. At noon on the 18 th of June we arrived at the confluence of the Anadyr and Myan. These two streams run so square- ly together that one appears to be a continuation of the other, MOUTH OF THE MY AN.— GOOD FISHING. 407 and it was not until we arrived at the very junction that we could perceive the main stream breaking off abruptly to the eastward. This point is one of the greatest crossing-places of reindeer in the fall, when they travel south in large herds, and hundreds are killed annually. During the winter these animals become scattered, and in the spring pick their way back northward singly or in small bands, so fewer are killed at that season of the year. At this point is quite a large summer village, where the natives live during the migrating season, but at this time it was vacant. Below the junction the Anadyr is a magnificent stream, in one place two miles wide, and contains several small islands wooded with kedrovnik. This pine-brush is the nearest approach to trees to be seen any where along the river for a great many miles. Eight versts below the Myan we came to the point where the Markova people had assembled to fish. Their temporary habitations formed a motley group, and were composed of every thing that could be possibly used in the construction of shelter. The poor people had much more cheerful counte- nances than when we last saw them, for now they were be- yond want, and had good prospects ahead. They managed to catch enough whitefish for daily use, and some of them had a small stock they had dried. These fish were perfectly de- licious ; firm, and delicately flavored, and so fat that, while curing in the sun, the grease drops from them. They supply their own fat for frying. Here we tied up for two days to try and catch a supply for our journey, but only caught enough for use during our stay. On the morning of the 30th a strong wind arose, and the waves rolled so high that they threatened to demolish our raft. We dropped down stream to the lee of an island to wait for the wind to subside, and again pushed on at 1 P.M. Owing to strong back currents, we met with much difficulty in extricating ourselves. It be- came necessary to put lings ashore and tow the raft out of the protok in which we had taken shelter. For the next twelve hours we had a glorious sail. The river was on an average a mile in width, with a strong cur- rent, and the night was light and calm. We rolled on with the vast volume of water in perfect comfort, having no cares 408 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. to harass us, and no occupation but to light our pipes and watch the ever-varying panorama of the shores, now glowing in the last warm rays of the departing sun, and now sparkling beneath its glance as it ushers in the morrow, before yester- day’s blushes have faded from the northern heavens. During the night two deer attempted to swim the river about a mile ahead of our raft, to which some of the men gave chase, but, just as the leading vetka was within thirty yards of them, they climbed out on shore and made their escape. About twenty versts below the settlement the river changes its course from nearly due east to N". 25° E. About this di- rection it continues to flow for forty versts, bordered on each side by ranges of high hills that were literally specked with wild reindeer grazing toward the north. Deer at this season look nearly white, as they are beginning to shed their thick winter coating of hair. At 6 A.M. we were joined by an old Korak, bound for the mouth of the river with his family and three or four dogs, all piled up promiscuously in a “ bidera,” or large walrus-skin canoe. He also had a small “bidarka” of the same material, capable of carrying one man, and entire- ly covered over the top except at a circular aperture in which to sit. By 7 o’clock we arrived opposite the mouth of the Baillee, or White River, which empties into the Anadyr from the north. This stream derives its name from the color of its waters, which are many shades lighter than those of the Anadyr. The natives claim that this is occasioned by large beds of a soft white stone over which the river flows. Quick- silver is also found on its banks, specimens of which the Tchuctchus occasionally carry to Anadyrsk. This is another favorite crossing-place for deer, and as there was a strong wind blowing and two or three families camped near by, we tied up to try and catch some fish as well as to procure deer-meat. Musquitoes nearly devoured us, in spite of our skin clothing and nets. The adjoining tundra was radiant with wild-flowers of many varieties and hues. As soon as we had tied up, we started some of the men off to procure meat, but they soon returned with the report that none was to be had at that point, though they brought the information that two days’ journey up the Baillee one native had speared more than one hundred of those animals. There MEAT-HUNTING. 409 being no certainty of our procuring meat below this point — this being the lowest camp of the Anadyrsk people — I sent Harder with a carbass and two natives up the Baillee to pro- cure a supply, intending to push on as soon as the wind should abate. We had found it utterly impossible to travel in the wind. The piles of bark on our raft presented such a surface to the breeze that we were invariably driven ashore. It had from the first been our aim to keep the middle of the stream, and then at the first puff of wind to try and gain the weather shore, but the winds usually came up so suddenly that we rarely succeeded. We were detained by the weather until 3 o’clock the next morning, July 2d. During this time several of us went ashore to try and shoot some deer, but failed to get a shot. Some of our men also started off with vetkas, but had not returned w T hen we loosened the raft. Upon firing several shots as a signal, they rejoined us, bring- ing a fine large buck one of them had speared. This again placed us beyond want for the time being, and, together with half a dozen large whitefish we had caught while tied up, made no mean variety to feast upon. Unfortunately, how- ever, the weather was so warm this food would not keep, and we were obliged to dispose of it immediately and let the fu- ture provide for itself. Our black flour was now all gone, and our supply of tea and sugar was reduced to one pound of each. From the mouth of the Baillee the Anadyr makes a sharp bend, and flows S. 35° E. to Oochostika, about forty miles. To that place it is crowded with innumerable islands, among which the waters of the Anadyr, re-enforced by those of the Baillee, rush at a furious rate, boiling, and foaming, and fall- ing almost in a cascade. For six hours, while running these islands, we had an exciting race. No one knew what we would encounter next, and invariably, after passing one diffi- cult place, we would find ourselves rushing headlong towards the point of another island. By straining every muscle, all hands being at the sweeps, we would perhaps graze it by a yard or two, then only to find ourselves about to wreck on the next. These islands are mostly wooded with low poplar and willow trees, though the neighboring country is barren. The south bank of the river is a high bluff, that gradually 410 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. rises as it recedes, until three versts from the river it becomes a respectable range of high hills. The north is flat, and reaches for about forty versts, where it is bounded by a dis- tant range of mountains, running apparently east and west. In this portion of the river, which we called the “ Thousand Isles,” we found fourteen fathoms of water. We had just emerged from the islands into open water when one of the men cried “ Alane,” and, two miles ahead, we saw a deer in the act of stepping into the river to swim. Three of us at once jumped into vetkas and started in pur- suit. In the race that ensued, though I exerted myself to the utmost, I was soon left far behind. It was a pretty sight, however, to see my companions shooting ahead in their min- iature boats, with a long train of foam behind each of them, and the damp blades of their paddles flashing in the sunlight like electric sparks, first on one side and then on the other, in rapid succession. The race was doubtful, but, just as the deer approached the shore, Yassilly, a Chuansee, who had killed the last one, darted his vetka in ahead of the animal, and turned it back towards the middle of the stream. Now there was no hope for the poor animal, whom the natives , kept swimming around in the current until I could come up. They wanted me to spear it, but I didn’t have the heart to do it, the creature looked so utterly helpless and frightened. I excused myself by telling Yassilly that it was his game, as he had headed it off. For an instant the long, light spear poised opposite the deer’s side ; then a short, quick dart for- ward followed, and the deed was done. A thick stream of * blood poured from the animal’s side, staining the water for yards around, and, after half a dozen nervous, spasmodic strokes with its hoofs, the creature slowly rolled over on its side, and its head dropped below the surface. The body floated, and might have continued to float for half an hour, but sometimes they sink sooner, and, to be sure of saving it, Egor and I put our vetkas side by side (one not being suffi- cient), and supported it by the antlers, while Yassilly return- ed to the raft for a “ carbass.” It was a large buck, but was very poor, the musquitoes having tormented it nearly to death. From a point about ten versts above Oochostika, on the YANDENKOW' S YARANGA. 411 right or southern bank, the hills approach the river, termina- ting in a high bluff. At the foot of this bluff Oochostika stands. Before reaching the bluff we discovered four Tchuc- tchu “ yarangas,” or skin tents, pitched in a group on the north bank of the river, which is here about a mile in width, and shortly afterward two small “ bidarkas” came splashing through the waves to join us. In propelling these little skin canoes the Tchuctchus use a double-bladed paddle, like those belonging to our vetkas, though more clumsily made. To one end of these paddles they have a short spear attached, for spearing deer. As they stepped aboard the raft, one of them, a tall, good- natured looking fellow, named Yandenkow, was pointed out to me by one of our men as having rendered Kennan great assistance during his journey up the river. On his way up from Camp Macrae, upon arriving at Oochostika, all of Ken- nan’s dog-food was exhausted, and there was no possibility of procuring other along the route. Yandenkow, learning his condition, presented him with twenty deer from his own -winter supply, without receiving compensation, Kennan hav- ing nothing with him at the time to give in return. We told him that we had heard of his generosity, and made him a present of some powder, lead, and tobacco, which pleased him greatly. But the special object of his visit was to invite us over to his “ yarangas,” to eat with him, having learned of our ap- proach from the Korak who had preceded us from the mouth of the Baillee. He informed us that he had prepared a feast for our especial benefit. Not wishing to disappoint him, we tied up our raft a short distance below where they had joined us, they assisting the men in handling the sweeps, and, taking our large carbass, pushed for the opposite shore, where the tents were. Four filthy, smoke-blackened skin tents were pitched upon the edge of the tundra, sheltered from the warm rays of the. sun by clouds of ravenous musquitoes. Among these pests half a dozen little naked savages were playing, utterly heed- less of their attacks. The tents were like those of the Tun- gusians in form, consequently were not new to us, though a long line of scaffolding, extending along the beach, and bur- 412 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. dened with the meat of upward of one hundred deeiywas not only a novel, but a welcome sight. About twenty others, just speared, lay in the water, waiting to be dressed and cut up. The worst feature of the place were the piles of entrails, in all stages of decomposition, scattered about promiscuously among the tents. Upon entering Yandenkow’s yaranga we were met by a dense cloud of smoke that was almost unendurable ; but by throwing ourselves upon some verminated deerskins, and hugging closely to the ground, we stood it for half an hour, during which time a large wooden tray, piled up with steam- ing deer-heads, was brought in, and the feast was announced. Our appetites were thoroughly appeased by the mere appear- ance of the heads, together with Korak recollections revived by the wooden tray, and we excused ourselves as best we could, but our men soon demolished what meat the tray con- tained, and did not stop eating until they were confronted by nothing but a pile of clean skulls. As we. were leaving, the Tchuctchus presented us with some very nice fresh deer-meat, and several bladders of tal- low for frying it. They also filled our carbass with jerked meat for the men, who relished it all the more for being spoiled. Having rejoined the raft, we immediately pushed on, and arrived at Oochostika at 7 P.M., July 2d. All there was to be seen of the settlement was a number of holes or cellars, in which two or three winter hovels had been constructed. Owing to some superstitious notion, the Tchuctchus tear down their houses every summer, and rebuild them in the fall. At this point we landed and erected our first yourt, which occupied us in building until the night of July 4th. It was constructed as comfortably as possible for winter use, with a good roof of logs, sod, and bark, and a “ chual,” or fire- place, formed of light poles plastered over with three layers of clay, each being well hardened by heat before another was applied. During our stay at this place we were quite successful in catching whitefish; some of them weighed fifteen pounds. 0 0 CHOSTIKA. —MTJSQ TJITOES AND GNATS. 413 The musquitoes were abominable. Many of our faces were so swollen from their bites as to be hardly recognizable, though we went night and day in full armor of buckskin and netting. The weather was very warm, and, in our buck- skins, we found the heat almost unendurable, but that was preferable to the musquitoes. While erecting the hut we found it necessary to build fires on all sides, in order to be shielded by the smoke ; and our poor dogs (of whom there were now five, three having joined us below the Myan) went prowling and whining about day and night, unable either to eat or sleep. Two of them, in their torment, had torn nearly all the hair from their backs with their teeth. Their long hair is generally a protection against these insects, their only vulnerable points being the tops of their feet and their eyelids. I counted nine of them boring at one time into one of “Nik’s” eyelids. The poor fellow was whining piteously, but did not know how to rid himself of them. Ivan told us that there were three great pests here during the summer months. First come the “ comare,” or musqui- toes, to which the natives pay but little attention. Then a very small gnat, with speckled legs, called “ moske,” appears. These are, in the language of the people, “ sheepka hooda,” very bad. They come later than musquitoes, and appear in perfect swarms. No kind of clothing can shield you from their attacks, as they crawl through the smallest holes, and even into your hair. Their bites are not only very painful, but poisonous, causing much swelling. They are often fatal to dogs, in whose nostrils and ears they crawl, and then sting them. During the “moske” season the people take their dogs into their houses with them, and keep the rooms con- stantly filled with dense smoke, arising from small fires built about the floor. We were glad to learn that the moskes were not very troublesome near the sea-shore, and sincerely hoped to reach the mouth of the river before they should make their appearance. The third are called “ mocrusa,” but are not very bad. As far .as our own experience went, we one and all infinite- ly preferred winter, with its extreme cold, to the musquitoes as they existed on the Anadyr. If moskes are worse than they, then — deliver us from them. During the last four days, 414 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. while at Oochostika, we had found it necessary to exist alto- gether in a dense smoke, upon the verge of suffocation the whole time ; there being a choice between only the two evils, we chose smoke. Buckskin is the only material to be had that they can’t bore through, but they exhibit a wonderful amount of judgment and ingenuity in finding seams and nee- dle-holes. None of us, upon our departure for this country, had thought of reserving a place in our catalogue of Northern miseries for musquitoes, although aware of their existence to a certain extent. After being subjected to their persecutions in all portions of the United States and in the tropics, we did not dream of experiencing any great inconvenience from the few lank, frozen specimens this country might afford ; but, alas ! we knew little of what we had to contend with. A country that for eight months out of the year is frozen solid and buried in snow, we little thought would be congenial to these insects. But, if plenty of water is all that is necessary to their existence, they have it here. The tundra is covered with pools and small lakes, formed by the melting snow ; and the ground, being frozen solid a few inches below the surface, refuses to absorb the moisture, so the pools remain until evap- orated by the snow, or frozen up by the succeeding winter. Ordinarily, the Tchuctchus informed us, the tides affect the current of the river as high up as this point, but at this sea- son of the year there was such a volume of water rolling to- wards the sea that the effect, if any, was not perceptible. We, however, anticipated much trouble from them lower down. Harder and party rejoined us that evening, July 4th, with five deer he had procured up the Baillee. They had given chase to another with their carbass while coming down, but failed to get it. Ivan, who accompanied Harder, brought me a specimen of the stone that the natives claim colors the water of the Baillee. This I immediately recognized to be “asbestus,” of a very fine quality. We also found many specimens of copper ore at the foot of Oochostika Bluff. They were very rich in the metal. DEPARTURE FROM OOCHOSTIKA. 415 CHAPTER XXVm. From Oochostika. — Nature of the River. — Dispatching Message. — Tchi- kiowa. — Russian Relics. — Bears. — Mikhael Ivanitch. — Krasnia River. — Phillepaeos. — Bolshoi Osero. — Telegraph Bluff. — Leaving Yourts. — Raft Ashore. — Deer. — Smith’s Departure. — Chimcha Mountain. — Last of the Raft. — Ticklish Position. — The Blue Boat. — Smith’s Indignation and Story. — Tchuctchus breaking open Camp. — Devastation. — Pleasant Sail. — Camp Macrae. — Dismal Locality. — Currants. — Remains of Houses. — Tchuctchu Graves. — Musquitoes. — Reduced Circumstances. — Clubbing and Spearing Wild Geese. — Mac on a Wild-goose Chase. — Goose-spears. — Geese not Geese. — Priest’s Arrival. — Buying Converts. — Expedition to the Tchuctchus. — Macrae’s Reception. — Okakrae. — Drinking Liniment. — Building the Hut. — Tchuctchu Idea of Swimmers. — Our Revolvers. — Tchuctchus : Appearance, Language, Character, Customs, Religion, etc. — Killing the Aged. — Spartan Heroism. — Story of the old Chief. — Shaman’s Jugglery. — Weapons of Offense and Defense. — Towing Boats. — Smoking. — Strange and Economical Pipes. — Eating Nicotine. — Return of Priest. — Instructions to Koschevin. — Non-arrival of Vessels. — Without Food and Raiment. We left Oochostika July 15th, but, after drifting ten versts, were obliged to tie up on account of a strong wind that de- tained us a day and a half. For twenty versts below the de- serted settlement the river runs due south magnetic, and con- tains a number of islands. The bluffs retire inland on the right bank, and the country is low and marshy — so much so that we had difficulty in selecting a suitable place for the next yourt, which we finally landed upon a small knoll on the right bank, about twenty-five versts below the last. Here Macrae and Harder remained with five men to erect it, and the rest of us pushed on with the raft, expecting they would overtake us with their carbass before we could reach Tchi- kiowa Bluff, where we intended to land another. Shortly after leaving “Mound Yourt,” which bears S. 20° E. from Oochostika, Yandenkow overtook us, bound for the mouth of the river in a bidera, and, thinking the vessel might have ar- rived, we gave him letters to be delivered, telling our where- abouts, what doing, and when we expected to reach that point. We encountered so many strong winds that we did not 410 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. reach Tchikiowa until night, July 8th, during which time we grounded, and with great difficulty extricated ourselves. Tchikiowa is the name given to a bluff where a range of low hills terminate on the right bank of the river. On top of this bluff was once a Russian settlement, the sites of two houses being still distinguishable, and there are two rude wooden crosses still standing. These must have been erected a great many years ago, for none of the present inhabitants have any recollection of the time when the Russians were on this part of the river. One old man, upward of sixty years of age, told me they were erected before his birth. Just above the bluff a stream of water enters into the Anadyr, which we at first thought was a tributary, but this afterward proved to be a protok, which leaves the river a short distance below Ooclio- stika, and does not rejoin it for fifty versts. Our last yourt had therefore been left upon an island. We landed two houses at Tchikiowa, one to be erected on the hill, and the other to be reserved for future use. Macrae and party did not overtake us as expected, so we started on, following a course E. 20° S. for about twenty versts, winding about among a number of large islands, and scaring up large quantities of wild geese. We then arrived at the mouth of a large stream flowing from the south, which we supposed to be the Krasnia, or “ Red River.” From Tchi- kiowa to this point the southerly bank is very low and marshy (possibly another large island). The north bank all the way below the Baillee is a continued rolling tundra, dotted with small lakes and ponds. On both banks small willows grow, together with a good deal of brushwood, but none of them attain to the magnitude of trees. On this portion of the river two black bears were seen, but they scampered from the shore before we could get a shot at them. These people have a very superstitious dread of bears. As Smith was shouting at the animals we saw while they were running off, the men begged him to stop, otherwise some day he would be devoured by one of the creatures. They, in speaking of them, rarely use the word “ midvait” (bear), but call them “Mikhael Ivanitch,” which means Mi- chael, son of John. Why this name was selected I don’t know, but they speak of him as they would of a human being. KRASNIA RIVER— LEAVING YOURTS. 417 The large stream we saw coming from the south proved to be the Krasnia, or rather one of its mouths, for one verst farther, at 6.30 P.M., July 9th, we struck the main stream, which was at least a verst in width. Mr. Phillepaeos, a Russian gentleman who started for the mouth of the Anadyr in the winter of 1862, upon reaching Tchikiowa was told that if he advanced below the Krasnia River he and his party would be killed by the Tchuctchus. This prevented him from going farther in that direction, but from Tchikiowa he took a southeast course to a large lake called Bolshoi Osero, about one day’s journey distant. In this lake the Krasnia has its source, and, though a short riv- er, a large volume of water flows through its channels. The east bank for about ten versts above its mouth, which dis- tance we could see from our raft, is a high bluff, rising into hills as it recedes from the river, while the west is low swamp land. Just below the mouth, on the eastern shore, we left another yourt, with some jerked meat, for Macrae’s party, erecting a tripod of the longest logs to designate the spot. From the mouth of the Krasnia the Anadyr flows E.N.E. about twenty versts between high banks, and is deep and straight comparatively. In many places we could not get bottom with our fourteen-fathom line. We left the Krasnia at 1 A.M., July 10th, but, it being flood tide, our progress was slow. At 5.30 P.M. we came to a high rocky promontory on the right bank, at the foot of which a solitary white birch-tree grows. This I at once rec- ognized to be “ Telegraph Bluff,” from Kennan’s description of it, and was the spot selected by him as being most suitable for stretching a wire across the river. The opposite bank is a rolling tundra, upon which we left another yourt. Upon returning to our raft at this place we found that the tide had receded and left it high and dry. By dint of levers and half an hour’s work, we once more got afloat. Our raft now consisted of but three huts, and we were beginning to be a little crowded for space. Thirty-four hours were con- sumed in making the next twenty-five versts, since we could only travel with the ebb tide, and, besides, a strong wind forced us to tie up for a portion of the time. D D 418 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. While preparing dinner on shore a wild deer ran within twenty feet of the fire. Musquitoes were tormenting him so much that he did not see us until within that distance ; he then wheeled and ran off before we could get a shot. From Telegraph Bluff the river flows near due east by the compass for twenty-five versts, and then makes a bend to the south of about forty-five versts. By crossing this tundra in- stead of following the curve of the river, twenty versts may be saved in winter travel. On the west side of this curve we landed one hut, and floated the remaining two around to the opposite side. Here Smith left us in his vetka, and started for Camp Macrae, about twenty versts distant, for the pur- pose of bringing up the whale-boat to meet us, our carbass not being large enough to carry ourselves and baggage. On the southern bank of the river opposite this place is a dome-like peak about one thousand feet in height, to which Kennan gave the name of Chimcha Mountain. This means “Near” Mountain in the Tchuctchu language. He gave it this name because, while passing here in his search for Mac- rae’s camp, late at night, nearly frozen and worn out, when- ever he inquired of his Tchuctchu guide where the camp lay, the only reply he could get was chimcha. After landing one yourt the tide began to flow, and a strong wind sprang up, making it impossible for us to pro- ceed with the other. Being anxious to reach the camp, we loaded all we could in our carbass, and, taking the dogs, pushed on. The . boat was so loaded down that we with diffi- culty crossed the river in the rough water. My own posi- tion, perched up on the top of the load, was any thing but agreeable ; the slightest movement from one side to the oth- er caused the boat nearly to capsize. At length we found it impossible to continue, and were just on the point of landing, when the blue boat made its appearance, sailing uj) around a bend in the river below. One glance at Smith’s face was all that was necessary. No ships yet, consequently no food. But this was not all, nor the worst of it, in his estimation. The first words he uttered upon coming up were, “ Confound these bug-eating Tchuc- tchus ! I wish I had some of them here. I would drop them overboard quicker than a bluefish’ll bite.” DEVASTATION.— A PLEASANT SAIL. 421 “ Why, what’s wrong ?” I asked. “ There’s lots wrong. You know, captain, when we left the camp last winter with Mr. Kennan, this boat was left be- hind, and she was all right ; there wasn’t any thing the mat- ter with her at all. But when I got down there last night, I found every thing knocked higher than Minot’s Ledge Light - house. Some of those miserable ‘ skally wags,’ that stole our axe and spade last winter, had broken open our house and carried off every thing they wanted, and what they didn’t want they left adrift all over the ground. But what made me madder than all was when I went to get the ‘ blue’ boat ready to come up with. Some of the heathens had car- ried off the spreet-pole and centre-board rod, and then they wasn’t satisfied, but had to go to work and break off the rud- der pintles, so I had to steer her all the way up with this oar. I hope some of their deer’ll run off and capsize their sleds, and stick that centre-board rod through one of their gizzards. But I guess they’ll get sick of breaking open houses, because I had a jug of liniment good for freezes that I left behind, and it’s gone too. I hope some of them will think it’s Amer- ican whisky and drink it, because it’s got a lot of sulphuric acid, and sugar of lead, and such stuff in it; and they car- ried off a can of arsenic, too, that Mr. Macrae had for stuffing birds.” We were glad to find, however, that the “blue” boat had sustained no more injury, and, having transferred our bag- gage and the dogs to her, Smith and I started on, leaving the natives to bring the other yourt and the remainder of the ba^oraore with the next ebb tide. It was beautiful sailing, and particularly refreshing after our slow raft journey. Smith was in his element, being a natural-born seaman, and during the trip relieved the time by recounting his experiences off Cape Cod, occasionally in- terrupting his narrative to point out different spots where they procured drift-logs for winter fuel, and to construct their hut with the previous fall. Above the mouth of the Krasnia we found but little drift-wood, but below that point, in some places, the shores were covered. From this fact we judged that stream to be better wooded than the Anadyr. At 4.30 A.M., July 13th, we turned in under the lower side 422 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. ¥ of a long, narrow sand-spit, making out into the river from the northern shore, and beached the boat opposite Macrae’s hut. It was a sorry- looking place. Dried and withered pickles strewed the ground outside, and three barrels of beef and pork that had been left behind were chopped open, and what was left of the contents distributed about over the sand. The pit inside of the house was partially filled with water, on which floated six or eight United States army blankets, torn and partially rotted; and even some pulu mattresses had been ripped open by the natives in search of spoil. The blankets were new and good when left behind, but I presume the natives were afraid to take them for fear of their being recognized afterward. This spit must have been a dismal place in the winter for a habitation. It had been used on some former occasion by the Tchuctchus. The sites of two or three houses were still to be seen, and half a dozen piles of weather-beaten, moss- covered deer-horns indicated the spots where the remains of some of the former inhabitants had been buried and the ashes deposited. The Tchuctchus usually burn their dead. But I was most surprised at finding a large patch of red and white currant bushes in full bloom. These were the only ones we had seen or heard of in the country. At this point the Anadyr is more than a mile in width, and very deep in the channel, which, however, is very winding. During the day the other yourt arrived, and on the follow- ing afternoon Macrae and party joined us, having erected all the yourts except the one at the mouth of the Krasnia, which they did not see. We pitched our tent for temporary use, and immediately commenced the erection of our house. The musquitoes were abominable, but, fortunately, a strong wind swept the point nearly half the time, during which these insects take shelter in the grass, except as many of them as can crowd on the lee side of one’s body, which they know enough to do. We found it necessary to keep our tent constantly choked up with smoke during the day, and before retiring at night it underwent the same process, after which we carefully closed up every crack and hole, but even then they would effect an entrance. A WILD-GOOSE CHASE. 423 By this time we were out of every thing in the provision line except the beef and pork strewed over the ground. This salt meat was very welcome, but, without bread, tea, or sugar, was rather unpalatable. We kept our horse-hair seine set constantly, and would some days succeed in catching enough fish for two meals, while on others we could catch none at all, and sometimes for days had nothing but the salt meat. Our party of thirteen healthy eaters soon reduced this stock, when we were left without resource. Fish were very scarce. The salmon, upon which the natives depend chiefly for their livelihood, had not yet begun to ascend the river. Geese were plenty on the tundra lakes, but we had no am- munition, so could not shoot them. Finally these birds began to “ moult” (shed their wing feathers), and were unable to fly, when another resource was opened to us. This moulting occurs just after the young are hatched out. During this period the birds congregate on the lakes and ponds, where they can take refuge from foxes. One day one of the. men reported having found about one hun- dred of these birds on a small lake two or three miles dis- tant, in consequence of which we all turned out in force to go “on a wild-goose chase.” We knew that as soon as we approached they would take to the water, and then it would be necessary to drive them ashore. Taking two vetkas, our dogs, and a couple of goose-spears, we armed ourselves with good stout sticks and started out. As we approached the lake, the tundra was alive with the birds taking to the water. Having selected the best place to drive them, two of the natives launched their vetkas at the oppo- site end of the pond, and the rest of us crept up to stations as near the landing-point as we could get without frightening the birds back. Our dogs became frantic, and caused us much delay, but we finally secured them in our arms. When all was ready the vetkas advanced, and the geese, rather than take to the shore, allowed them to approach very near. Then the goose-spears were launched among them, each time fastening into a bird. Then the natives would paddle up, and, after, ringing the bird’s neck and tossing it into their vetkas, repeat the operation. These spears are very light shafts about five feet long, and have three barbed points of m REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. iron something like a trident, though they diverge in differ- ent directions from the end of the shaft instead of being ranged in a row. In hurling them the native uses a stick about eighteen inches long, one end of which he holds in his hand, having a circular hole to put the thumb through, and at the other end is a jog or notch, and pin, upon which the back end of the spear rests in being hurled. When poised, this stick is held horizontally over the right shoulder, and the shaft, with the back end resting against the notch, ex- tends forward along the stick, steadied between the thumb and fore finger. The advantage of the stick is the leverage it affords, the shaft being hurled from' the notch at the far- ther end. At length the flock headed for shore, closely pushed by the vetkas. When they all had landed, the sport commenced in earnest. The dogs were first loosened, and then our whole party might have been seen rushing, shouting, and knocking right and left among the birds, who were heading for another pond near by. We only secured twenty this time, but fol- lowed them up, and by another drive killed thirty -eight more ; these, with two that were speared, made sixty in all — a good day’s work. Geese are no “ geese,” in the common acceptance of that word ; they have more of the opossum in their composition. Several times birds that were knocked over and supposed to be killed, as soon as the pursuer had passed jumped up and started off in another direction, and made their escape. We had several tight races, and were frequently beaten, but one that Mac had with a full-grown gander eclipsed all the others. The bird, with neck stretched forward and flapping wings, was going for dear life, bounding over the tundra at a desperate rate, followed by Mac, who, with his uplifted stick in one hand and musquito-net in the other, was making fearful strides to close up the gap of four feet that intervened between him and his game. They were closely matched, and the race was long, but inch by inch the space was diminished, and the deadly stick was just about descending upon the neck of the poor goose, when an unfor- tunate bunch of grass on the tundra caught Mac’s toe, com- pletely upsetting his calculations as well as body, and plun- ging him headlong into a small pool of water. BUYING CONVERTS.— DRINKING LINIMENT. 425 Sixty geese, one would think, would last a long time, but at the end of three days not a trace of them was left, nor could we catch any more, for every goose in the neighbor- hood ran off after our big raid on them. Unfortunately, just after our “ chase” the Markova priest arrived with several men, who lent their assistance most willingly to dispose of the surplusage of goose-meat. The priest, having availed himself of our presence at the mouth of the river, was on a mission to the Tchuctchus to try and hire some of them to be baptized, and I afterward learned was quite, successful, though one convert refused to go into the river to be bap- tized without a larger present than he had already received. He was not a believer in total immersion. Much to our surprise, none of Macrae’s old Tchuctchu friends came to the camp, though they had undoubtedly heard of his return. We were continually hoping they would do so, as we were desirous of procuring deer-meat from them ; but, as they did not come, we decided to go to them, and on the 28 th Macrae left with the blue boat and four of the men. After an absence of four days he returned with six deer, and the welcome intelligence that we could procure all we wanted in future. Upon Macrae’s arrival at the settlement no one came to meet him, as they did on former occasions, but, when they saw his boat approaching, the natives all walked off, leaving him. This strange and unwelcome proceeding astonished Macrae very much, and he did not know what to think of it until Okakrae, with whom he had traveled during the win- ter, ventured to approach him. In answer to Macrae’s in- quiry as to the meaning of their actions, Okakrae explained that his people were afraid they would be suspected of hav- ing broken into the hut, and that Macrae would shoot them. The other natives, seeing Okakrae was not killed on the spot, began to gather around, and, upon learning that his party’s mission was a peaceable one, extended every kind of hospi- tality to Macrae. Okakrae stated that some of the Northern-coast Tchuc- tchus had entered the cabin on their return from their win- ter quarters in the mountains south of the Anadyr, and that two of them drank something they thought was liquor, one 426 REINDEER , DOGS , ^OTT-ALBO^A of whom would not live. From their description of the jug Macrae is satisfied they drank some of the liniment, but could learn nothing whatever of the arsenic. A few days after reaching the sand-spit our house was completed, bunks erected, and what was left of Macrae’s old stove put up to cook with. In making the roof we used the sods that had been piled around the old cabin. Musquito netting was stretched over the windows, and for several days we kept the house full of smoke, to try and rid the place of these pe’sts ; but every thing failed. Every hole had been chinked with moss, and we were at a complete loss' to know where the insects came from. At last, by holding a light to the sod roofing, we found the spaces between the split-logs swarming with myriads of the insects, just beginning to fly. Our only solution of the mystery was, that they had depos- ited their eggs the previous summer on the sods used for roofing, and that these were now beginning to hatch out. They could not possibly have worked their way through the covering of the hut. After Macrae’s visit the Tcliuctchus visited us frequently, sometimes bringing us^ meat, but at length they ceased to do so altogether. By this time salmon began to run in sufficient quantities to sustain our party. Nothing seemed to please the Tchuctchus as much as our swimming. While in the water they used to crowd along the bank, men, women, and children, to watch us. When one of us dove beneath the surface, and reappeared all right, they would all exclaim sim- ultaneously “ Huk-ho !” their exclamation of astonishment. One old fellow thought he “ would dislike to be at war with such people, lest they should dive down and cut holes in the bottoms of his skin boats, and in that manner drown them all.” Our revolvers, also, were a great curiosity to them, they supposing we could shoot all day without reloading. We took no pains to dispossess them of this notion. The Tchuctchus are very much like the Koraks in appear- ance and in many of their customs. They also shave the tops of their heads, and the women tattoo their faces. Their worship is carried on through the agency of “ shamans,” and dogs and deer are used in sacrifices. They, like the Koraks, SPARTAN HEROISM OF A TCHUCTCHU CHIEF. 427 are also of two classes — the deer or wandering men, and the settled, who subsist on whale, seal, walrus, and any thing they can get. Each man has as many wives as he can sup- port, and is at liberty to do with them as he sees fit, whether to sell, trade, discard altogether, or even to kill them, as is sometimes the case. They have little regard for life, and it is a regular custom with them to kill the aged and infirm of their tribe, also any others who are unable to support them- selves. These they lance, stone to death, or choke with seal- thongs, often leaving the choice to the victim, and after death, if the person be one for whom they had much respect, they burn the body, otherwise they leave it for wolves and other animals to devour. But, with all their barbarous cus- toms, they appear to be an intelligent race, and have many noble traits. One incident of an old Tchuctchu chief, who lived years ago, was told me by an old Chuansee, and is worth record- ing among the noblest deeds of mankind. It smacks of true Spartan heroism. It was during the prevalence of the small-pox, cholera, or one of those epidemics that have proven so disastrous to mankind the w T orld over. The Tchuctchus were dying off very rapidly, and the shamans all over the country were em- ployed night and day trying to appease the wrath of the great evil spirit. Dogs were sacrificed by the score, and the snow was reddened by their blood about every habitation ; but death was king, and its ravages increased daily. Fail- ing in all their incantations, the shamans assembled from all parts of the country, and held a grand consultation to decide upon the next step to be taken. They decided that the Gredt Spirit was very much wroth, and that nothing but more and continued sacrifices would appease him. Again blood flowed in streams ; hundreds of deer were led to the altar to be slain. From morning to night, day after day, the settlements resounded with the noise of drums, and the shrieking and howling of the madmen. But this did not suf- fice. Their great tribe was melting away like the snow in spring, and soon there would be none left to relate their sufferings to posterity. At this stage the shamans again held a consultation, and, after a long and solemn delibera- 428 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. tion, decided that nothing short of the death of the old chief would propitiate the evil spirit. Their word was law, and the edict fell like a thunderbolt upon the tribe. The old chief was loved by all, and many offered to be sacrificed in his stead, but the wise doctors said no other sacrifice would be sufficient atonement. Then the tribe resolved to be swept away by the epidemic rather than pay the price de- manded for their safety. At this stage the old chief assem- bled his people together, and begged them to accept his life, which he would willingly give for their welfare, but no one could be found who would make the fatal thrust. Then the old chief called his only son to him — a mere lad — and, hand- ing him his own spear, placed the point opposite his heart, and commanded the boy to thrust. This he refused to do until threatened by his father’s curse, when the stroke was made, and a wail arose throughout the whole land. Shortly afterward the epidemic subsided, which, of course, was at- tributed to the death of the old chief. Some of these shamans are quite expert jugglers, and per- form tricks in the open air which defy detection. Among the most common are to cut off their tongues and thrust knives into different portions of their bodies. They are look- ed upon and dreaded as almost supernatural beings by the neighboring tribes. I had heard of their feats of legerde- main during all my travels, even as far south as the Amoor, and always wished to witness some of them, but I never had the good fortune to do so. The Tchuctchus are a bold, independent, and warlike peo- ple, and are the dread of the neighboring tribes, but they have a perfect horror of fire-arms. Their weapons of offense consist of spears, bows, and slings, and for defense they wear a large double garment of buckskin stuffed with sand as a protection against the spears and arrows of their enemies. Like the Koraks, they are expert athletes — fond of running, jumping, and wrestling, and in every respect are so like that people that it is hard to distinguish one from the other, though their language is somewhat different. Those whom we have met so far belong to the reindeer or nomadic class. For winter travel they employ the same kinds of sleds and snow-shoes as the wandering Koraks. In summer they use WEAPONS AND PIPES. 429 both the bidera and bidarka, which I have already described. While traveling with their boats against the current of a stream or along the sea-beach, they put a long seal-thong ashore and employ dogs for towing. They are great smokers, as are all these natives, and use a very curious-looking pipe, manufactured more with a view to economy than any thing else. The bowl is generally of lead or brass, and not larger than a thimble, while the stem is sometimes larger than a man’s arm. The stems are hollow, having small doors in the bottom, secured in their places by pitch, which can be opened at pleasure. These are made so on account of the scarcity of tobacco, which they always use cut up with an equal quan- tity of soft wood or bark. In smoking they stuff the large, hollow stem with fine wood shavings, which in time become saturated with nicotine, and are then smoked as a substitute for tobacco. Some of the men have quite a passion for nico- tine, and eat all of it they can obtain, sometimes even trading with the Anadyrsk people for it. On the 1st of August the priest started back up the river, and, there being yet no signs of the ships, the desire to see which induced the natives to accompany us, most of them were anxious to return with him, having concluded that the ships were not coming at all ; besides, they wished to return in time to secure a supply of fish and deer for winter use. We, however, persuaded four of them to remain, and sent Koschevin, the Cossack, instructions by the remainder to for- ward ten or twelve dog-sleds for us as soon as the winter roads should open, should we not return previously. We ourselves began to entertain some slight fears at the non-arrival of the vessel, not knowing but that some accident might have befallen her, in which case our position would not be an enviable one. It was our intention to live along from hand to mouth until there should be no longer a possibility of a vessel entering the river with safety, and then work our way up to Oochostika if possible. There we were sure of a hospitable reception and plenty to eat — such as it might be, and could await the arrival of the Anadyrsk sleds. Salmon were yet very scarce, and our hair net was getting so old that it did not retain more than one out of three fish that became entangled in its meshes, so we were once more reduced to 430 REINDEER , DOGS , ^YD &Y 0 FT-/SffO^». short allowances. Upon the neighboring tundra we found quantities of salmon and whortleberries, which helped us out somewhat. Ours was a dilapidated party in every respect. Our under- clothing, all put together, would hardly have covered the nakedness of one man, and our buckskins, though perfectly whole, were much soiled from constant use,. It is true there was plenty of water near, but also there were plenty of mus- quitoes — so many, in fact, that it would have been unpleas- ant, to say the least, to wash one’s only suit in their presence. LIFE AT CAMP MACRAE. 431 CHAPTER XXIX. Life at Camp Macrae. — Surprise. — News of Steamer Wright. — Labourne and Whymper. — Excursion to the Steamer. — Salute. — First Sight of a Vessel. — Dogs. — Awe-stricken. — Anadyr Bay and Gulf. — Golden Gate Bay. — Voyage to Plover Bay. — The Bay. — Tchuctchu Settlement. — Nightingale and Rutgers. — Station-building. — North Coast Natives. — Habitations. — Bideras. — Food. — Traders. — Hunting the Walrus. — A Tchuctchu Gathering. — Preparing to Kill an Old Man. — Unconcern. — Nan-Kum’s Explanation. — Modes of Killing. — Knowledge of Anatomy. — Native Notion of the Custom. — River Steamers. — Arrival of Barque Gold- en Gate. — Departure for the Anadyr. — Steamer Wade. — Gate aground. — Choosing a Site. — Wade at Work. — Approaching Winter. — Discharg- ing. — Barque afloat again. — Loss of the Scow. — Wade River. — Prepared for Winter. — First Snow. — Ice forming. — Attempted Escape of the Barque. — Aground again. — Heavy Ice. — Wade in Danger. — Frozen up. — Last Trip of the Season. — Breaking our \vay Ashore. — Wade beached by the Ice. — Damage sustained. — Gate Wrecked. — Flight of the Crew. — Dan- gerous Passage. — Alarming State of Affairs. — Volunteers to the Wreck. — Saving the Food. — Gloomy Prospects. — A valuable Acquisition. — Quar- ters for the Crew. — Station-building. — Farnam’s Gash. — Library. — Our Quarters. — Eager for the Fray. — Reducing Rations. — Station Regulations. — Details. — Observations. — Our Guests. — Former Residents. While at Camp Macrae we used to spend as much of our time as possible sleeping. By so doing we did not require as many meals a day. Upon awaking, our first movement was to step to the door of the hut and scan the river below for some sign of the expected vessel. In this we had learned to expect nothing, and, consequently, were not disappointed. Then we would set the seine, and throw ourselves down on the gravelly beach to watch for our breakfast to come along and get caught, though the long delay often made it dinner, and in one or two cases supper. On these last-mentioned days we contented ourselves (from necessity) with one meal. The fish caught, a fire was built, our fry-pan filled with water, and the fish thrown in to fry, boil, stew, or whatever name suits the process best, and then, without any accompaniments whatever, we masticated and swallowed it. We did not use to call it “eating,” for that word suggests something of enjoyment, and these periodical * 432 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. operations of ours were utterly without any thing of the kind ; they were undergone only from necessity. Before re- tiring at night we would again scan the river. So the days rolled on, each one lessening' the possibility of accomplishing any thing toward the construction of the line that year (for the summer lost was the year lost), and each one increasing our doubts and fears as to the safety of the vessel destined for that point. On the night of the 14th of August we were more than or- dinarily dubious, and retired to our bunks in not the best spirits. Early the next morning I was aroused by loud talk- ing, and, upon opening my eyes, found the hut full of stran- gers, and Americans too. Mr. Labourne, the chief interpreter of the expedition, was the only one I had ever seen before, but acquaintances were rapidly made, and during the follow- ing half hour I presume there was more information received and given than ever before exchanged hands in the same length of time. The party consisted of Labourne, Mr. Fred- erick Whymper, artist, and the second officer of the telegraph steamer Wright, with a boat’s crew of sailors. The Wright lay about thirty miles below, at the entrance of Anadyr Bay, where she had come to get a supply of coal left the previous year. Colonel Bulkley, the engineer-in-chief of the expedi- tion, was on board, bound for Plover Bay, or Port Providence, as it is often called, at which place the different vessels were to rendezvous. He had no idea of finding any body at the mouth of the Anadyr, but sent this party up merely to de- posit a letter, provided any one should come down. After eating a “ square” meal of cold meat, hard bread and molasses, the blue boat was manned by our natives, and, leav- ing Harder behind to guard camp, we joined our friends on their return to the steamer. Our natives were as much in- terested as we ; they had never seen either a steamer or large vessel of any kind, and were all on the qui vive. The rain fell in torrents, but this we did not mind, and, after a four- hours’ sail, the black hulk of the Wright loomed up before us in the mist. A salute from one of the ship’s cannon wel- comed us on our approach, and shortly afterward we were surrounded by earnest and curious friends, scanning our wa- ter-soaked buckskins, and asking innumerable questions. THE STEAMER WRIGHT. 433 All the coal had been taken aboard, and the Wright was ready to sail when we came up. As it would be necessary for me to go to Plover Bay to procure men, material, and provision for my district, I accompanied Colonel Bulkley, by his invitation, but not without first leaving a good supply of substantial provisions behind. It was amusing to w T atch our natives. They were perfect- ly beside themselves with astonishment. The paint and gilt- work about the cabins, together with the machinery, large masts, and every thing about the vessel, elicited continual exclamations of surprise ; and the shrill sound of the steam- whistle caused them to nearly jump overboard. There were two little dogs on board, one of which was the homeliest con- ceivable specimen of a rat terrier, dressed in a gray jacket, and trained to perform various tricks. For a long time the natives watched him with the greatest curiosity, under the impression all the time that it was a cat, which animal they had heard of, but never seen. Upon learning it was a dog, they were dumbfounded. While watching the performances of the rat terrier, “ Flora,” a sleek, glossy, black-and-tan ter- rier jumped in their midst, when they all started back shud- dering. Upon being told that this one was also a dog, they could hardly believe their ears. “ Well, Nikolai,” I asked of one of them, “ what do you think of the steamer ?” “ Oh, sir, I don’t know,” he replied ; and so it was with the whole of them. They were so confused by the strange sights that — Macrae afterward told me — they did not recover their senses thoroughly for several days. Six miles below Camp Macrae the Anadyr widens out into a large bay or lake of more than twenty miles in extent, into which, at the southern end, the River Arnora, of which I have previously spoken, empties. Below this bay the shores again approach each other, and are shortly afterward joined by an- other bay on the northern side, to which we afterward gave the name of Golden Gate Bay. Three or four miles below this lies “Anadyr Gulf,” an arm of Behring Sea. At the en- trance of Golden Gate Bay the steamer Wright lay when we joined her. As soon as Macrae’s stores were lowered into his boat the Ee 434 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. propeller was put in motion, and we rapidly emerged into the open sea. We left the Anadyr on the 10th of August, and arrived at Plover Bay on the 18th. The weather was calm and beautiful, and our trip most delightful, particular- ly for me, after my long exile. For nearly the whole distance we kept within plain view of the northern coast, along which, a few versts inland, extends a monotonous range of moder- ately high mountains, with a stretch of rolling tundra land intervening between it and the sea-shore. As we approached Plover Bay these mountains gradually extended down to the coast, and terminated in high, bold cliffs overhanging the sea. The bay is buried in the very heart of these mountains, winding back from the sea for about twenty miles, with an average width of two miles. Its en- trance is nearly closed by a long, narrow sand-spit, extending from the .eastern cape, which affords very secure anchorage to vessels lying inside. On this spit was quite an extensive Tchuctcliu settlement, containing over a dozen habitations. These were some of the Northern-coast men that had broken into Macrae’s camp. The neighboring mountains were high, steep, and rugged, formed of loose boulders, and of jagged masses of rock of every conceivable shape and size, and were so barren in the immediate vicinity of the bay that, except in few places, even the hardy mosses that abound in other portions of the country could not take root. Upon entering the bay we found two of the Company’s vessels awaiting orders — the ship Nightingale and the barque Rutgers. The barque Golden Gate, which was destined more particularly for the Anadyr, did not arrive until two weeks afterward, consequently I was detained much longer than would otherwise have been necessary. Plover Bay is situ- ated at the extremity of a large cape. Across this cape it was decided to stretch a land wire of about forty miles in extent, uniting the two cables — one across Behring Straits, and the other across Anadyr Gulf. Here a station was to be erected, and a party left during the following winter ; and, as lumber had been brought for the purpose, shortly after the Wright’s arrival the fleet moved to the other end of the bay to select a site for the building and commence the con- struction. A large number of men had been brought up from THE NORTH- COAST NATIVES. 435 San Francisco to be landed at different parts along the route of the line, all of whom were put ashore to assist at the work ; and in a short time the chosen site was perfectly alive with busy groups, some carrying stones with which to con- struct foundations, others digging sods, while still others car- ried lumber up from the water’s edge to supply the car- penters. In the mean time we made several trips to the mouth of the bay with the Wright to look for the Golden Gate, and had various opportunities of visiting the Tchuctchu settle- ment. These natives were much the same as those I have already described, though the sterility of the neighboring country and total absence of drift-wood force them to rely upon other sources for material for their habitations and boats. Their tents are made of the skins of the walrus, seal, or deer, and are generally of an oval shape, from the fact that the in- habitants can not procure straight wooden poles for the frame, but employ the curved bones of whales instead. For fuel they burn blubber altogether. They use the “ bidera,” or large skin-boats, covered generally with walrus- hide, the frame of which is sometimes also made of bone. These boats are frequently used in quite rough weather at sea, and, to prevent their capsizing, as well as to buoy them up, sealskins inflated with air are attached to their sides. They are propelled with short, single-bladed paddles. Their winter costume is of deerskins, with sealskin boots, but in summer many of them wear garments made of the skins of birds prepared with the feathers on and sewed together in the proper shape. For wet weather a kind of overshirt is made of fish-skins or the intestines of the whale or walrus, with a hood of the same material. These garments are frequently worn in dry weather also. This same material is also used by the Russianized natives throughout Eastern Siberia for windows, it being translucent, and in many respects better than cakes of ice, which they would otherwise have to use, though scaled fish-skins are also frequently applied to the same purpose. Whale, seal, and walrus constitute almost their only food, and, as these animals abound in this locality, the natives are rarely in destitute circumstances. Besides, they carry on quite a thriving trade with v whalers and traders who annual- 436 REINDEER, DOOS, AND SNOW-SHOES. ly visit tlieir coast, exchanging walrus tusks, whalebone, and blubber for liquor, guns, implements of various kinds, and whatever they wish for. They employ quite an ingenious mode for catching the walrus in summer, though they are not always successful. During one of our trips to the sand-spit I had the good for- tune to witness this process. While visiting among the tents, my attention was called to several large black animals that occasionally came to the surface of the water about half a mile from shore seaward, and, with a big splashing, immedi- ately disappeared from sight. As soon as the natives saw them they launched their bideras, tossing into each one half a dozen bone-headed harpoons, to each of which was attached a long seal -thong, fastened at the other end to an inflated sealskin. Then they each took a long flat slab of black' whalebone, and crowding as many men into a boat as it could carry, paddled rapidly to the locality of the walruses. In the bow of each boat stood a native with one of the har- poons poised ready to hurl. As soon as they reached the lo- cality, half the men dropped their paddles, and, seizing the whalebone slabs, began to pound the water, causing a loud, cracking sound. This was to excite the curiosity of the ani- mals and make them come to the surface again. As soon as one appeared, the boats paddled toward the locality in which he had been last seen, about which they congregated, and continued to pound until the animal at length arose within darting distance of one of the boats, and became transfixed with a harpoon ; then the line and buoy fastened to it were at once thrown overboard. The harpoons are so fixed that when once firmly planted in an animal they will not draw out. When the animal was once struck, it was comparatively easy to fix a number of harpoons in him, as the floating buoy indicated his whereabouts. In a few minutes there were so many bladders attached to the beast that he could no longer dive beneath the surface ; then one of the boats paddled up and killed him with a lance. They secured two others on this occasion. The same method is employed for catching whales, with the exception of pounding on the water, though it generally requires a very large number of inflated skins to buoy the huge beast up. A WILLING SACRIFICE. 439 During one of our visits to the lower end of the bay, as the steamer lay at anchor, we saw quite a large group of natives assembled at a spot on the rugged mountain-side about half a mile back of the village, and,. being curious to know what they were about, a boat was lowered and a party of us started for shore. We had to make an ascent of a few hundred feet over the loose, jagged fragments of rock, and it was not with- out some difficulty that we reached the place. On all sides, scattered over the rocks, were crushed human skulls and oth- er bones, and we at once decided that this was the spot where they kill the old and disabled of their tribe. Our first im- pression was that we were about to witness one of these acts of barbarity, and I confess to a feeling of reluctance and sick- heartedness as we approached the 'group. But their lively chattering and occasional laughter disarmed our suspicions. There were about forty persons present, from old men and women down to mere babes, all of whom appeared to be in the best of spirits. In their midst, upon a small patch of level ground, was an oblong ring of stones about six feet in length, by the side of which lay a reindeer freshly killed, choice portions of which, together with handfuls of tobacco, were being sprinkled over the stones by half a dozen hideous specimens of womankind, all talking at one time, and occa- sionally bursting out into laughter. We then thought they were about to make an offering to their gods, and, calling aside Nan-Kum, one of the natives who had learned to speak a little English from intercourse with whalers and traders, we began to question him about it. Pointing to one in the group, he replied, “ See old man — no got eyes — byme-by kill um.” Looking where he pointed, we beheld an old blind man seated upon a rock among the other natives, but his face wore an expression of such perfect calmness and uncon- cern that I looked elsewhere to find the victim, thinking I was mistaken in the person pointed to. No one was show- ing him any kind of attention, neither was there any thing in his appearance, nor in the actions of his companions, to lead to the suspicion that he was so soon to be ushered into the next world. “But what for kill um, Nan-Kum?” we replied. “ Old man like um. Old man plenty deer. Last year old 440 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. man son die. He plenty like um son ; want die too. He want Tchuctchu man kill um. All right. Old man pickininny . no want kill um. All right, no kill um. Byme-by, last month, old man want kill um ; to-day Tchuctchu kill um.” We had some difficulty in making out Nan-Kum’s meaning, hut at length comprehended that it was by the old man’s re- quest they were going to kill him. He had plenty of deer, and was beyond want, but the previous year he had lost his only son, whom he loved very much, since which tilne life had become a burden to him, and he wanted his tribe to put an end to his existence. The day had been once before fixed upon, but his little grandson begged so piteously that the old man consented to live for his grandson’s sake. But he had again changed his mind, and his wishes were now about to be gratified. In answer to other inquiries, Nan-Kum told us how they killed their victims. If they are persons for whom they have much regard, they first produce insensibility by making them inhale some substance — what I could not learn — and then cause death by opening some of the main arteries and bleed- ing them. In telling us, Nan-Kum pointed out the different arteries which are sometimes opened, and exhibited a perfect knowledge of human anatomy. The bodies of these persons they always burn. Others they spear or stone to death ; and some they kill by putting a slip-noose about their necks, and dragging them over the rocky mountain-side. These last are left lying among the rocks to rot or be devoured by the fam- ished dogs of the settlement, aided perhaps by wolves and bears. Nan-Kum was unable to comprehend our astonishment and disapproval of the barbarous practice. “It’s bad, Nan-Kum — very bad,” one of the party said. “No bad,” he replied. “Tchuctchu plenty like um. All same every fellow. Byme-by me get old, kill um too. All same.” Shortly after we reached the spot, we perceived a kind of reluctance on the part of the natives to proceed, and finally they discontinued their preparations altogether. We knew our presence was the cause of this, and, besides, I, for one, was wishing for an excuse to leave, so we took our departure. THE GOLDEN GATE AND THE WADE. 441 Nan-Kum told me afterward that the old man was not killed after all, as his grandson again induced him to change his mind. It is quite possible they wished to postpone the oper- ation until after the departure of our vessels from the bay. The Nightingale, a fine, large clipper ship belonging to the expedition, had brought up on her decks from San Francisco two small flat-bottomed steamers, one intended for the navi- gation of the Yukon River in Russian America, and the oth- er for the Anadyr. These were lowered from the ship’s deck immediately after Colonel Bulkley’s arrival, and the work of putting up their machinery and building deck-houses com- menced. As before stated, the Golden Gate did not arrive until two weeks after our entrance into the bay, and then nearly two weeks more were consumed in transferring and distributing stores, telegraphic material, and implements among the dif- ferent vessels destined for various points. Finally, by the 12th of September, every thing required for the northern Asiatic district for the coming year was put aboard the “ Gate,” including lumber with which to construct a station building ; a large scow to assist in unloading, and for trans- portation ; and provisions for nine months for twenty-five men. To this number my party was increased. We could accom- plish but little work before the ensuing summer, and more men than these were not needed. Having no time to lose, as soon as every thing was ready, we took the small steamer Wade in tow, and started for our destination. The Wade was a small stern-wheel or wheel- barrow boat, as the men called her, about sixty feet in length, and capable of carrying about twenty tons of freight. At the time of our departure from Plover Bay she was ready for use, with the exception of erecting her smoke-stack and putting the wheel together. This last Mr. Forbes, the engi- neer, with the assistance of some of the men, effected on the passage over, by taking advantage of calm weather. On the 19th of September we entered tfye mouth of the Anadyr, and steered into the small northern or Golden Gate Bay, that having been chosen as the most suitable place for landing the end of the cable to be stretched across Anadyr Gulf; but we had only proceeded three or four miles in this 442 REINDEER , 2)0££, JLiV2> SNOW-SHOES. bay when the Gate grounded on a bar. I immediately dis- patched Mr. Jared Norton, with a boat and crew, to go to Camp Macrae and notify the party there of our whereabouts, and went with another to select a site for the station, which we found, convenient in every respect, at the mouth of a small river, emptying into the bay five miles from the posi- tion of the barque. As soon as the vessel struck the Wade was hauled alongside to have her smoke-stack erected, and in two hours 1 time she was busily at work trying to tow the Gate off the bar, but had not sufficient power. Already winter was rapidly approaching, and her “ ve- dettes,” in the form of freshly fallen snow, were visible on the neighboring hills. Every exertion was made to land our cargo, and allow the Gate to escape before the ice should close in on her. To effect this, all hands were busy late and early, and the little steamer, with the loaded scow in tow, was constantly plying back and forth between the barque and the station, but, owing to some defect in her draught, the distance to be traversed, and the time consumed in loading and discharging, we found it impossible to make more than two trips a day. First the lumber was landed, and, the car- penters being furnished with a plan for the building, the con- struction commenced immediately. By the 23d of September every thing was discharged but the coal for fuel and for the use of the steamer, there being no wood within hundreds of miles ; and on the following day the Gate was so much lightened, that at high tide, and with the assistance of a strong easterly wind, she swung afloat, and approached a mile nearer the point. This facilitated the discharging very much, but the next day we met with a great misfortune in the loss of our large scow. She had reached the point late the night before, loaded with coal, and, as the men were perfectly worn out, having been hard at work since 3.30 o’clock in the morning, she was anchored at shore with two anchors, to lie until daylight before being dis- charged. The Wade had also been anchored near by. In the night a strong easterly wind arose, causing either the steamer or scow to drag, when their anchors became foul, and, before any thing could be done, they were swept by a strong tide into seven-fathom water, when the scow foun- TEE GOLDEN GATE AGROUND. 443 dered. The next morning we dragged for her, but were un- successful, and, time being scarce, discontinued the search for the time being. From this time forth every moment of day- light was taken advantage of, that we might finish dischar- ging, and, besides, I was anxious to make our trip up the An- adyr, to find winter quarters for the steamer, there being no suitable spot in Golden Gate Bay or in Wade River, that be- ing the name given to the river entering the bay at the sta- tion. To complete the nomenclature of the place, the officers and men of the party christened our new settlement “ Bush’s Station,” a name which could not but appear very inappro- priate to a stranger, for there was not a bush growing with- in miles of the spot. Much to our relief, on the 1st of October every thing was put ashore, and our house about completed, though our sup- ply of lumber was so limited that old boxes had to be knock- ed to pieces to provide material for building bunks for sleep- ing. One of the Gate’s boats was at the station, filling her water-tanks from a small fresh-water lake on the point, and, it being late in the day, Mr. McKenna, the second officer in charge, decided to wait until the next morning before return- ing to the vessel. We had already had a light fall of snow, and during several nights ice had formed along the water’s edge, but in very thin coatings. The next morning, however, the bay was filled with large cakes of it, sweeping back and forth through the entrance of Wade River with a four-knot current. It was evident that winter was upon us, and the barque had already loosened her sails to make good her es- cape. As soon as the tanks were filled we took them in tow of the steamer, and started for the vessel, which was now under way. Our progress was slow, and, when we caught up in the afternoon, we found the Golden Gate again hard aground, and that, too, at high tide, so we felt but little hope for her escape. All during high water the little Wade pulled and tugged at her, but without effect, and, it being late, we tied up alongside the vessel to make another effort in the morn- ing. This bay is about ten miles in extent, and, except in a very narrow, winding channel, running from Wade River through it, is extremely shallow: His being the first vessel 444 REINDEER , DOGS , ^4iVZ> ^0 that had ever entered it, Captain Harding, of the Gate, was not familiar with the channel, and winter coming on so sud- denly gave him no time to sound it thoroughly. As the tide ebbed the vessel careened, until at low tide she was al- most on her beam-ends, so much so that it was impossible for us to lie in the berths on the upper side. During the night I was awakened by a loud grating sound, that contin- ued for hours, the vessel quivering all the time like an as- pen leaf, and shortly she almost righted herself, and then fell back with a sound as if nearly every timber in her had bro- ken. Immediately afterward, Captain Ashcomb, of the W ade, rushed into the cabin saying that the steamer was sinking. On deck we could barely stand, it was 'so much inclined. The steamer had first been fastened on the sheltered side of the vessel, but now, by the change of the tide, was exposed to its full force, and was being weighed down by heavy mass- es of ice crowding upon it; but without great difficulty she was dropped astern, and hauled up on the other side of the Gate, where she would be perfectly safe until the next change of tide. in the morning we found the bay entirely frozen over with ice an inch in thickness, and knowing that, unless we could reach shore with the steamer immediately, she would almost certainly be destroyed by the next heavy tides, we made an attempt to plow our way through to the point, now six miles distant. After half a dozen fruitless efforts, we discovered that the ice was cutting through her hulk. Then the only plan was to reverse the engines, and work our way back- ward, breaking a passage-way through the ice with the large wheel astern. At this we succeeded much better, and, though it took nearly all day, we at length reached the station in safety. It was now evident that this was the last trip the Wade could make during the season, and, for want of a better place, we immediately commenced preparations for hauling her up on the point. A complete barrier of ice, six feet in height, occasioned by the crowding of the ice-fields upon the beach, was formed all around the shore. Taking advantage of low tides, all hands were put at work with picks and shovels to clear a space through this ice wall, in order to draw up the THE WALE BEACHED BY THE ICE. 4-5 steamer. Posts were firmly planted and purchases rigged, and we were just about to commence hauling, when a large field of stout ice swept by with such force as to catch the steamer and hurl her far up on the beach, twelve feet from the water-line, piling large fragments of ice nearly up to the top of the deck-house. Xow she was indeed beached, and rather more expeditiously than we had expected to effect the same result ; but the elements were not as gentle in their deal- ing with the poor Wade as we would have been. Her wheel was badly shattered, but fortunately we had extra arms and buckets; her hulk was cut through in half a dozen places, and her machinery was thrown somewhat out of place, but luckily this last sustained no very great injury. Nothing more could be done with her until the following spring. THE WADE BEACHED BY THE ICE. We had all kept an eager watch on the Gate, hoping to see her square her sails and glide out of the bay into the Anadyr, but her leaning position, even at high tide, excluded the possibility of such a thing transpiring. The morning after the Wade was beached, all the boats belonging to the Golden Gate were seen leaving the'vessel at a great risk, and 446 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. picking their way through the drifting ice toward shore. We assembled on the beach to receive them, together with the unwelcome information that the ice had torn open the sides of the vessel, and that she was filled with water, leaving them no alternative but to winter on the point. She had on board but little over two months’ supply of provision for her crew, all of which, however, had been secured on the main deck, out of reach of the water. But what was a two months’ supply at the commencement of a long arctic winter ? I had received a supply barely sufficient to sustain my own party of twenty-five men until the opening of spring, and now, by this calamity, the party was increased to forty-six men, and but a small increase of stores. Even could we save what provision was left on the deck of the vessel, our supplies would hardly carry us more than half way through the win- ter. Every man saw at once the necessity of saving every ounce of food, and in a few moments our four boats were manned with volunteers to attempt another passage to the wreck. The ships’ boats had been badly pinched and cut on this trip, and required some slight repairing. The passage was particularly dangerous at this time, as, in case of accident, the ice was not strong enough to sustain a man’s weight, and the ice-fields were sawing and grinding together at a furious rate, driven back and forth by the tides. Before starting, each boat was provided with tacks, zinc, and canvas. We anxiously watched their progress as they worked toward the wreck, and before they were half a mile distant every boat was bailing, but we saw each of the four attain the ship in safety. They were all badly damaged, and had to be repaired before attempting the back trip. The re- turn was effected without serious accident, each boat being well laden. By sheathing all the boats with copper brought from the Gate, and taking advantage of tides, several other passages were made, and every thing portable and of much value saved, including the ship’s stoves and furniture. Cap- tain Harding did not leave the vessel until every pound of provision was secured, and Mr. Frost, the first officer, with the crew and many of the land party, exerted themselves to the utmost throughout. PREPARING WINTER QUARTERS. 447 We were in daily expectation of seeing the wreck cut to pieces and swept off, but, on the last visit of the boats, they found the ice piled up around her in such quantities as to form a perfect bulwark against the floating ice-fields. The barrier was sufficient to secure her from farther injury until the breaking up of the ice in spring. Amongst the material received at Plover Bay were five hundred sawed telegraph poles, brought from British Colum- bia for distribution over the tundra. These I had at first looked upon as almost superfluous, but now they proved in- valuable for constructing shelter for the Gate’s crew. Under Mr. Frost’s superintendence, in a couple of days a large, comfortable apartment was constructed, thirty-six feet in length by eighteen in width, heaped over with dirt, hav- ing good berths for the men ranged around the sides, and the ship’s stoves put up for cooking and heating the room. When completed, their quarters were equally as comfortable as our own. The station building was twenty-five feet square, divided into four apartments, with a “ loft” above for our light stores. Stoves and berths were put up, and the outer walls made of a double thickness of boards, six inches apart, the intervening space being stuffed with ground moss for warmth. A kind of cache, or store-house, was built outside for our heavy stores, such as beef, pork, molasses. This the men persistently called “Farnam’s gash” (cache), Mr. Far- nam being the post quartermaster. At Plover Bay, among other things, I was fortunate in se- curing about one hundred volumes of poetry, travels, ro- mance, and miscellaneous works for a station library. These were ranged on shelves for general use — Mr. Baxter being librarian — and helped to while away many a long and tedi- ous hour during the following winter. Large mirrors brought from the ship were suspended in the different apartments, and these, together with chairs, ta- bles, berth curtains, swinging lamps, and various other arti- cles from the same source, decked out our quarters in mag- nificent style (for this region), and gave the place such a cheerful and comfortable appearance that the men, one and all, were anxious for grim winter to advance with his icy legions and commence his assault. 448 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. Now that the present comfort of the party was cared for, our first attention was to the stock of provisions on hand. With the able assistance of Mr. Farnam, the quartermaster, these were overhauled, and a complete inventory made. To- gether with the ship’s supply, we found that, by strict econ- omy, we could sustain the party for six months, but still four months would elapse before we could reasonably expect any assistance from vessels in the spring. Ration tables were made, cutting down each man’s allowance to the lowest pos- sible amount, and calculations were made to ascertain the quantity of each article that could -be used weekly. In this manner we settled upon a regular bill of fare for each day in the week, which was strictly adhered to, and, though on many days the table was by no means inviting, no grumbling was ever heard among the men, though it was naturally to be expected. Officers and men all fared alike from the com- mencement, and all, seeing the necessity of such an arrange- ment, adapted themselves to circumstances with the greatest good-humor. In a short time the proper names of the days of the week were never heard, but, by general consent, each was designated by the most prominent article of food for that day, according to the bill of fare, such as “ bean day,” “sugar day,” “bacon day,” “molasses day,” “soft-bread day,” etc. Regulations for the government of the station were also posted up in the eating-room, where all could see them, and know what would be required of them. These provided, among other things, for the appointment of an officer weekly to superintend the kitchen apartment, see that the beds were aired and made up at a certain time, and that the quarters were swept and kept in order, and to report the violation of any of the rules. Two men were also detailed weekly to sweep the quarters, assist Mr. Farnam in weighing out daily allowances of food, and to keep the cook supplied with coal and water. With these there were many other minor requirements, some of them necessarily strict, and, out of justice to the good sense and orderly behavior of the men, I will say here that at no time during the following year were any of the regula- tions transgressed. THE WINTER STATION. 449 Mr. Dixon, our hospital steward and only medical adviser, with his other duties, assumed the care of the barometers and thermometers, and kept a complete meteorological record, or as nearly so as his instruments would allow, taking the read- ings three times during the day, morning, noon, and night. Among the unfortunates who were compelled to take up their abode with us during the winter by the loss of the Gate were Messrs. Stoddard, Leggett, Kelly, and Smith (senior). These gentlemen shared willingly in all the duties of the sta- tion, and resigned themselves calmly to the rigors and tedi- ousness of the long winter before them. The position of the station was not a very sheltered one, though in every other respect it exceeded any other spot we could have chosen. It was situated on a point of level land comprising about twenty acres, bounded on one side by Gold- en Gate Bay, and on the other by Wade River. This stream is six hundred feet in width at its mouth. The spot had, however, been inhabited long before we took possession of it both by whites and natives. Heaps of deer-horns indi- cated the graves of some of the latter, while a high, rude wooden eross, apparently of great age, proclaimed that Chris- tians had also visited the place. These last were undoubt- edly Russians, but whether they ever lived at this point I could never learn from inquiry. Deshnew wintered some- where in this locality in the year 1648, when he first ascend- ed the Anadyr, but I should think it hardly possible that this cross had been standing since his time. 450 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. CHAPTER XXX. Anxiety. — Hope and Fear. — Possible Resources. — Dubiousness. — Foot-par- ty to Camp Macrae. — Success. — Tchuctchu Ideas of our Object. — Explain- ing. — Day of Rejoicing. — Arrival of the Herd. — Bargaining. — Killing the Deer. — Grubs. — Our Mirrors. — Arrival of Anadyrsk Sleds. — Famine and Distemper. — Off for Anadyrsk. — The Poorga. — Dismay of a New-comer. — Death of Dogs. — Telegraph Bluff. — Oochostika. — Yandenkow again. — Our Champion. — Trading Wives. — At Markova. — Pitiable Condition of Inhabitants. — No Fish, no Deer, no Grouse, no Dogs. — Famines. — Cos- sacks after Deer. — Start for Ghijigha. — Kennan. — Encouraging News. — More Expeditions for Deer. — Native Endurance of Hunger. — Lamentable Circumstance. — Simple-mindedness. — Notion of Time and Age. — 111 Health. — Confidence. — A Caravan for the Sea. — Supplies from Penjina. — Last Communication. — Arrival of Jared Norton. — A bitter Cold Snap. — 68i° minus. — Sufferings of our Men. — Effects of Extreme Cold. — Christmas Holidays. — Famished Dancers. — Ousting the Devil. — Deer in Penjina. — Koraks and Deer. — Disappointments. — Trading Season. — Absence of Tchuctchus. — Last Hope of the Inhabitants. — Macrae. — News from Bush’s Station. — Death of Robinson. — Sad Circumstances. — Dismantling the Wreck. — The Fate of Nik. — Young’s Adventure with Wolves. — A badly- scared Man. Our condition at this time was any thing but cheering, on account of the scarcity of provisions. My own feelings fluc- tuated constantly between fear and hope. When this extra party was first thrown upon my hands I experienced many an anxious hour, though I endeavored as much as possible to conceal my fears from the party, and whenever any of them asked what we would do for food, as many of them did, I made it a point to tell them we would have no difficulty whatever in securing supplies from the natives. There were two avenues from which I hoped to procure assistance, but there was a possibility of both of these fail- ing. The first was from the Tchuctchus, who I hoped would pass near the station on their southward journeys. From these I had strong hopes of procuring enough deer-meat to carry us through ; but in this there were two possibilities of failure. Perhaps the natives would not make the southern journey at all this winter, as was sometimes the case ; or, if HOPES AND FEARS. 451 they did so, they might pursue some other route, and we had no means of reaching them, nor any knowledge of their whereabouts. The second resource was through the dog-sleds I had in- structed Koschevin, the Cossack sergeant, to send from Ana- dyrsk with the opening of winter travel. With these, should they arrive, I had hopes either of reaching the Tchuctchus, or of dividing the party and conveying some of them to the Okhotsk Sea. But then there was a possibility of Koschevin not having received the instructions sent him, or he may have been unable to procure sleds. Even if the sleds were sent, they would come as far as Camp Macrae, forty-five miles dis- tant from the station, and, finding no one there, also not know- ing where to look for us, they would be obliged to return. At length the 20th of October rolled round and no Tchuc- tchus made their appearance, perhaps through fear of us. To double our chances of finding some of them, and to direct the dog-sleds to the station should they come, I sent a foot- party to Camp Macrae, under the guidance of Mr. Smith (jun- ior), with instructions to remain there as long as their sup- plies would permit. After a few days, some of the party re- turned on deer-sleds with two or three Tchuctchus whom they had encountered at that place, and persuaded to visit the station. These men had purposely avoided us through fear, they said, thinking our object was to make war upon them, and it was with the greatest difficulty they could be induced to come near us. “ If,” they said, “your object is not to make war upon us, why didn’t you bring your women and children with you ?” We told them that our women were frail, delicate creat- ures, accustomed to perennial summer, and that they would wilt like flowers on the tundra if exposed for ten minutes to one of their chilling poorgas ; and as to the children — why, at the approach of winter, they would die off more rapidly than musquitoes. From the manner in which one old fellow shook his head, I am satisfied he thought that we were either tell- ing a rather large “ yarn,” or that our women and children must be strange and useless creatures. With them, the wom- en perform much of the hardest labor, and can bear any amount of exposure. 452 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. A few little presents convinced them that our mission was friendly, and, after getting them in the best humor, they promised to bring over their herd of deer, we agreeing to buy some from them, and to pay them in kettles, axes, pow- der, and tobacco, since those were the articles they wanted most. This was a day of rejoicing with all hands. Three days later the natives arrived, bringing their families and a herd of about eight hundred deer. We made a satisfactory bar- gain with them for one hundred and fifty animals, and they started out to select and kill them for us. In a few hours they returned dissatisfied, and demanded more compensation. I saw at once there would be no end to their extra demands in payment, and told them I would pay for the deer the price they had agreed to accept, and no more, but that, when the deer were killed, I would make them a number of presents (naming them) through friendship. We expected to have many future dealings with the tribe, and wanted to let them know that we would abide by our agreements, and should expect them to do the same. He (the spokesman) was per- fectly satisfied with the promised presents, and again started out, but in half an hour returned, demanding in addition a gun and various articles we could not spare. We were re- solved to get deer now, as we might have no other opportu- nity, and I at length told him that unless he killed the deer I had purchased from him I should send our own men to kill them instead. He now saw he could get nothing more, and went willingly at work lassoing and killing the animals. Be- fore spearing each one, a kind of short prayer was muttered by the executioner. As fast as they were killed, our men, with the assistance of the Tchuctchu women, dressed them, and threw snow inside to prevent their spoiling ; afterward they were piled up against the station building to be covered with drift snow. It was quite a cold day, —27° Fahrenheit, but, in spite of this, the women, to free their arms, threw their skin clothing entirely from the upper portions of their bodies, and worked wholly disregarding the temperature. Their heads were also bare and covered with frost. For the first time, I noticed upon the backs of these deer a very large species of grub, an inch in length, much like those FAMINE AND DISTEMPER 453 sometimes found on cattle. These the women used to carry- piled up in their double hands into the house to offer to the men, now and then cracking one between their teeth to con- vince them that they were good to eat, much to the discom- fort of some of those uninitiated in Siberian customs. Our mirrors were great curiosities to these people. It was their chief delight to assemble before them in groups and make faces. After this band had visited us in safety, several others came, bringing fox and beaver skins and mammoth tusks to exchange for trinkets and tobacco. Some of these tusks were of enormous size, and could be obtained for a mere trifle. On the 31st of October a dozen dog-sleds arrived from An- adyrsk, sent by Koschevin. Their reports from the interior were any thing but encouraging for the prosecution of our work. The natives, even at this early day, were many of them in an almost starving condition. No salmon had as- cended the Anadyr during the past summer, and they were entirely without dog-food. Besides, to add to their misfor- tune, a species of distemper had broken out among their dogs, and swept away four fifths of all in the country. This dis- ease was undoubtedly the same with which Dr. Kane’s dogs had been attacked : it almost invariably proved fatal. Now that the party at the station was absolutely beyond want, our next care was to try and accomplish some work on the line. Nothing could be done along the Anadyr until poles had been rafted, and, if any thing at all could be effect- ed, the Myan River portion of the district would be best adapted for the commencement. Our greatest difficulty would be in securing transportation and dog-food. If these could be procured, supplies could be brought from Ghijigha to sustain a party on that river. To ascertain these facts, as well as to convey the intelligence of the loss of the Gate and safety of all on board, I resolved to start immediately for Anadyrsk, and thence for Ghijigha, from which place the news of the Gate’s loss could be transmitted through by sleds to Irkoutsk, and then telegraphed via St. Petersburg to Amer- ica, in order to relieve the anxiety of those who had friends on board. Leaving Mr. Macrae in command, and taking Mr. D. C. Norton (foreman), Harder, and two others, I left the station November 5th for Anadyrsk. It was snowing at the 454 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. time, and there were indications of a poorga, but we pushed on, taking a direct course across the tundra for Camp Macrae. That place we hoped to reach by night. But the snow was not sufficiently deep on the tundra to cover the rough hum- mocks, and our progress was slow. Night overtook us with a severe storm, in which our sleds became scattered. Six of us managed to keep together, and traveled until we came to a small cluster of brush, when we built a fire, cooked supper, and threw ourselves down on the snow to sleep. By morn- ing every man and dog was buried from sight in the snow. About noon we arrived at Camp Macrae, where we found the other sleds, they having traveled nearly all night to reach that point. It was a pretty severe initiation into arctic ex- periences for three of the party, one of whom came to me and asked, “ Captain, how long do you think it will take us to reach Markova?” “About thirteen days,” I replied. At this his face wore an expression of utter consternation, and he broke forth, “ Great G — d ! twelve days more !” and, ut- tering a groan, walked off shivering. O O 7 o On account of severe storms, we were four days reaching the yourt erected opposite Telegraph Bluff. Four of our best dogs fell dead in their harness from exposure to the fury of the storm. Beyond Telegraph Bluff yourt we had fine though cold weather, and a good hard road all the way up the river to Markova, which place we reached November 17 th, after a twelve days’ journey. At Oochostika we found Yandenkow expecting our arrival, and holding in reserve a fine fat deer to present us with. I had brought with me a carbine and several minor presents to give him, with which he was very much pleased. He was very particular to inquire all about the telegraph line ; how it would look when done, and every thing connected with it. When I had finished telling him he appeared much relieved, and said his people had been afraid that it would frighten wild deer, and prevent them from migrating across the river, thereby depriving the natives of the means of procuring a livelihood. “ But now,” he said, in a very earnest tone, “ if any of my people touch the telegraph, I’ll whip them first my- self, and then report them to you.” Yandenkow was a very large and athletic man, and a better champion for us could AT MARK 0 VA. —HARD TIMES. 455 not have been found in the country. He was conceded by his tribe to be one of the best, if not the best wrestler among them. During our short sojourn at this place we witnessed a novel trading arrangement, the objects exchanged being the wives of two natives. Upon reaching Markova, we found that the reports we had received at the mouth of the Anadyr from the dog-drivers, concerning the destitute circumstances of the inhabitants, had not been exaggerated. In view of the anticipated hard winter, numbers of families had moved to the mouths of the Myan and Baillee Rivers to fish through the ice. We found old Avaram, the bear-hunter, at the Baillee. One native, more enterprising than the others, Illia Deachkoff, had taken his family to the Myan, where he had built our house the previous spring, near the mouth of the Olgan. Of those that remained, many were in very pitiful conditions, utterly with- out food, and even at this early stage of the winter were boil- ing up their deerskin bedding into soup. Their dogs were nearly exterminated, and what remained of them were half starved and almost unfitted for use. But, even had they been in condition for the road, the Tchuctchus and other neighbor- ing tribes had not yet begun to approach the settlement, and there were great doubts whether, by going in search of them, assistance could have been procured. These famines occur every four or five years, owing to fail- ure in catching fish; but usually the people struggle through the winter by obtaining deer from the wild tribes, and by trapping grouse, which are almost always very abundant. But this year misfortunes were heaped upon them. They had succeeded in spearing but few deer, and salmon had fail- ed altogether. Their dogs were nearly all dead, therefore precluding the possibility of going to the wandering tribes to buy deer, and, strange as it may seem, scarcely a grouse was to be seen about the settlements. Their last and only hope was that the deer-men, hearing of their situation, would approach nearer the settlements with their herds, so that they could be reached. These misfortunes rendered it impossible for us to derive any assistance here, either in labor or transportation, for the 456 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. prosecution of our work. Penjina and Ghijigha were the x nearest sources from which we could expect to obtain either. Without these, even could we get the necessary supplies from Ghijigha to sustain a party on the Myan, but little could be done in the way of distributing poles over the route, which would be the first thing necessary. Immediately aft- er our arrival I sent Koschevin in search of the Tchuctchus, to purchase seventy deer for ourselves and the natives, to many of whom we were indebted ; and having left Mr. D. C. Norton in charge at Markova, on the 20th of November I managed to collect enough dogs for two teams, and started for Ghijigha, taking the direct route to Penjina. On the third morning out, as we were crossing Ruski Crebet, a low ridge, we met Kennan, on his way to Anadyrsk with a small supply of provision, and eleven hundred dry fish for dog- food. It was a joyous meeting, and, there being a poorga raging at the time, we returned to a point where the route crosses the Orlafka River, and, pitching a polog, spent the day recounting our various experiences since last meeting, and perusing letters from home, of which each had several for the other. But the most welcome intelligence was that there was the greatest abundance of provision in Ghijigha, brought there by one of the Company’s vessels, and Kennan thought he would have no difficulty in securing the neces- sary transportation for it. The following day we started back for Anadyrsk. Kennan remained with us only four or five days, and hurried back to the Okhotsk Sea, to convey the intelligence of the wreck. Short though his visit was, as I look back upon it now, it appears to be the only bright spot upon the dismal page of that winter’s proceedings. The good news he brought for a while brightened up the gloom occasioned by the sufferings of the poor people all around us, and somewhat encouraged our hopes of accomplishing some work on the line. W e were both satisfied that a party could be sustained on the Myan ; but to procure dogs and dog-food for the distribution of poles would be our greatest obstacle. Should, however, we succeed in getting deer from the Tchuc- tchus or Koraks in sufficient quantities, even this obstacle might be overcome. In three or four days Koschevin re- turned, having been unsuccessful in finding the natives. HEAD-QUARTERS AT MARKOVA NATIVE CHARACTERISTICS. 459 It was yet early in the winter, and, thinking it would be impossible to work out of doors during the months of De- cember and January on account of the extreme cold, I de- ferred sending to the Gulf Station for more men for the time being, though I immediately dispatched Koschevin and Tol- stekhin again in search of the Koraks, with tobacco and ma- terial sufficient to purchase two hundred deer. After a few days they again returned unsuccessful, and then Koschevin started for Penjina, to forward supplies from that place as fast as they should arrive from Ghijigha. The month of December rolled by cold and stormy, our spirit thermometers indicating as low a temperature as —56° Fahrenheit. This was the coldest weather any of us had ex- perienced, but our comparatively comfortable quarters, with plenty of firewood, placed us out of reach of the unpleasant influences of this low temperature. However, we found it necessary to wear our furs even indoors a portion of the time, and within three feet of our large blazing fire water froze. Several times I attempted t'o write at my desk, a few feet distant, but was compelled to desist. How the people lived during this time I can’t conceive, but they are peculiarly and fortunately constituted. Starvation they are accustomed to, and they can subsist upon a smaller amount of food than I would ever have dreamed it possible. We shared our scant supplies with them as much as we dared to, but our past experiences in the country had taught us not to rely too much upon future expectations. One poor fellow, whose family was upon the verge of starvation, came to me one day with tears in his eyes imploring assistance. He had a large family of small children, who had eaten noth- ing for two days — poor, haggard little creatures, nearly fam- ished to death ; and his dogs, of which he had seven, were perfect living skeletons. To feed his dogs was out of the question, but we gave him what food we could spare, and he started off, relieved for the time being. A few hours after- ward another man came, and wanted to get my advice on a matter that he said had been troubling him for several days, and which he was unable to decide upon for himself. “You know, barin (sir),” he said, “the winter has hardly commenced. I have a wife and seven children, and seven 460 REINDEER, DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. dogs to support, and not a pound of meat or fish to give them. But I have some deerskins and eight fathoms of seal- thong which I can boil up. These are not enough to sustain the family, and the dogs too, until the Tchuctchus come to trade, and I don’t know where to get any more, as my neigh- bors are all starving too.” Here he hesitated a moment, and, with a faltering voice, said, “If my children perish, I will have my dogs left ; but if my dogs perish, how can I go to the Tchuctchus to get deer ? Then my family will starve too, and I will have neither fam- ily or dogs.” What he wanted me to decide was whether he should let his family or his dogs starve. This only serves to show the desperate straits to which some of them were reduced. A little provision, with the promise of more when the Penjina sleds should arrive, together with a short moral lecture upon the duties of parents, etc., relieved him very much, and he went off encouraged, and, I dare say, convinced what course to pursue if driven to the worst. These people, old and young, are perfect children in their tastes and notions. It was almost a daily occurrence for some of them to come to our quarters to have some question in dispute settled, or to get advice upon some matter. Any thing we would tell them they would accept as Gospel, and our advice was law with them. It was sometimes quite amusing to listen to their debates on the simplest matters, and to act as arbiter for them. On one of these occasions, two old men, the younger thirty-five years my senior, came to get some kind of advice. When they had received it they expressed great thanks, and one of them said, “Ah! barin, you are just like a father to us.” The manner in which this was spoken, together with the circumstances of our relative ages, made the whole thing appear very ludicrous. They have no conception of time or ages. One of our par- ty, who was twenty-three years of age at the time, an other- wise sensible native, after thinking a while, judged to be fifty- five years old. “ Oh no, my friend,” said another who was present, “ more than that ; I should say sixty-two or sixty- three, at least.” NATIVE CONFIDENCE.— A CARAVAN FOR THE SEA. 461 They have no beards whatever, or but very little, and, from the fact of our having them, they decided at once that we were all very old men. They rarely spoke of any of our men except as “ stareek” (old man). These semi-civilized natives are not a very robust people, and are afflicted with a great deal of disease, probably brought from the shores of the Okhotsk Sea. They had such implicit confidence in the superior knowledge and ability of the mem- bers of our party as to imagine us all, with our other accom- plishments, to be likewise possessed of a knowledge of medi- cine, and being confirmed in their notions by the fact of our having a small medicine-chest with us, they beset us almost daily for medicine. In a short time all the harmless contents of the chest were consumed, as we did not dare to make use of the others, but still they called and pleaded for more. They were unable to comprehend that certain medicines were suitable only for certain cases, but would pick up one phial after another, and want to try some of each. Any thing we would have given them they would have swallowed without the slightest hesitancy. Up to this time I had held in reserve the eleven hundred dry fish brought me by Kennan for the purpose of supplying teams going to the mouth of the Anadyr. The natives, being without food for their dogs, were glad to make the trip for the sake of having their dogs fed, and on the 13th of January I sent thirteen teams to the lower station to bring up Mr. Jared Norton and five workmen, together with the necessary implements for labor on the Myan. It was my intention to send a party to that river to cut poles and commence the distribution. As yet no stores had arrived from Ghijigha, though we were expecting them daily. February 2d Koschevin returned from Penjina with eight nartas loaded with supplies, brought to that place by the Ghijigha ispravnik for our use. These nartas had also prom- ised to continue on to the mouth of the river, if needed, and, being supplied with their own dog-food, I started them on immediately to that place, to bring back Messrs. Macrae, Baxter (telegraph operator), and Frost (first officer of the wrecked vessel), together with six other men. Mr. Frost and four of the crew of the Gate had joined the land-party 462 REINDEER , DOGS , ^i\ T Z> SNOW-SHOES. since my departure from the station. This would necessarily be the last train to go to the Gulf Station during the winter, so I requested Mr. Macrae to bring up also a supply of salt provision, to be used for the support of the Myan party dur- ing the spring floods, knowing that it would be impossible to procure other food during that time. On the 5th of February, the thirteen sleds, with Mr. Jared Norton, arrived at Markova from the station, after a quick and pleasant journey, it having taken only twenty-three days for the sleds to make the round trip ; and on the 9th of Feb- ruary, having a good supply of provision on hand, the first party of six men, under Mr. D. C. Norton, left for the Myan to commence work. By waiting until the month of February before sending men into the field I had hoped to escape the severest cold, but, as it proved, was mistaken in my calculations. Immedi- ately after Mr. Jared Norton’s arrival in Markova, and dur- ing Mr. D. C. Norton’s journey to the Myan also, for the two weeks succeeding we experienced by far the coldest weather of the winter. From the 7th to the 18th of February in- clusive the mean temperature at all hours of the day was —42° Fahrenheit, the maximum —20° Fahrenheit, and the minimum — 68-§-° Fahrenheit, this last being upward of 100° below the point at which water freezes. The extreme temperature on the 18th was —52° Fahren- heit, and on the very next day the spirits in our thermom- eters arose to +21°, making a change of 73° in temperature in the short space of twenty-seven hours. On the 19th, 20th, and 21st of February the temperature fluctuated between 4-21° and —19° Fahrenheit, and then, dur- ing the four days following, our thermometer indicated —49° on the 22d of February, —56° the 23d, —62° the 24th, and —41° the 25th of February. During the warm spell we had a light fall of snow, but the remainder of the time it was clear and calm. While the weather was coldest Mr. D. C. Norton and party were living in the open air, the house we had commenced building the previous spring not being habitable, and requir- ing fixing to a great extent before it could offer any protec- tion against cold. During the coldest nights this party did EFFECTS OF EXTREME COLD. 463 not dare to go to sleep. Mr. Norton assured me that while standing so near their camp-fire as to nearly burn their hands extended in front of them, their noses were actually freezing. At this time Mr. Macrae and party were also on their way up the Anadyr River, but with them the weather was much milder than farther inland, though nevertheless very severe. With us indoors it was extremely cold, and, though our chual was all ablaze with burning logs, in some portions of the room near the floor the spirits sank to —35° Fahrenheit. Outside the moon was full, but it cast a pale, indistinct light upon the landscape. The atmosphere itself appeared to be frozen, obscuring every thing as if in a thick mist. To test the effects of this lowest temperature, I stepped out of doors bareheaded and barehanded, and stood for some moments. Upon first emerging from the house, I could not perceive that it was any colder than I had previously seen it on a hundred occasions. It was calm and deathly still. The only thing uncommon that I noticed was a hissing sound, occa- sioned by my warm breath coming in contact with the cold air. But in a few moments I felt a very slight pricking sen- sation in my nose, ears, and fingers, which was accompanied by a peculiar feeling, as if those features were being drawn up like a wilting leaf, and then I sought refuge in the house. I had always associated in my mind a vast amount of shiv- ering and chattering of teeth in connection wfith extreme cold before coming to this country, but, during a sojourn of more than two years, I do not remember, except on one occa- sion, ever having seen a person shiver from cold, and this one had broken through the ice on the Myan River and become wet, when the temperature was hardly below the freezing- point. Nor is the suffering from cold in this dry atmosphere, ex- cept where the body, becomes moistened through perspira- tion or otherwise, one tenth part as great as I had expected to find it. Dressed in these heavy furs, if compelled to ex- ercise much, even at a very low temperature, one will per- spire more or less, and then he is likely to suffer a great deal until he can change the moistened garment ; but with proper care, and by not burdening himself with a superfluity of fur clothing, he can travel for days without experiencing much 404 REINDEER, DOGS, AXD SNOW-SHOES. suffering, though he may freeze his nose a dozen times. This last experience is accompanied with very little pain — so little, in fact, that one rarely knows when his nose is frozen until made aware of the fact by a companion, and then the remedy is always at hand. I have never yet seen a native with a frozen nose, but it is very common for them to have their cheeks and chins frostbitten. In spite of the scarcity of food and the great uncertainty ahead, the inhabitants entered into their holiday sports with their usual zeal. Our own Christmas was a forlorn affair, but theirs, which came twelve days later, was observed as strictly as on former occasions. Vechourkas (dances) were almost of nightly occurrence. They were always fully attended, and oftentimes those per- sons in the most destitute circumstances would be most mer- ry. Among other sports at this time, parties disguise them- selves with wooden masks or handkerchiefs, and visit every house in the place, carrying their three-stringed musical in- struments with them for dancing. This species of masquerade is kept up nightly for a week or more, after which the vil- lage priest goes around to each house and reconsecrates it, it being supposed that during the masquerades the devil gets possession of them, and this ceremony is intended to oust him again. During the visit of the Ghijigha ispravnik in Penjina he had succeeded in purchasing one hundred and seventy deer from the wandering Koraks for our use. These were so far distant, however, and we found so much difficulty in getting transportation, that we derived but little benefit from them. Dogs consume so much deer-meat for food that, had I sent teams to that place to bring some of these to Markova, near- ly all the load they could have hauled, in their present feeble condition, would have been required to sustain them during the journey. We found that it would be necessary to have the animals driven to this place and to the Myan, and then killed, in order to secure the requisite amount of meat. To try and effect this, I again sent out the Cossacks. On the 17th of February some Koraks arrived, from whom we obtained thirty-six animals. They reported that seventy others were on the way that Koschevin had bargained for. BITTING DEER— DEATH OF ROBINSON. 465 Twenty of the thirty-six were at once sent to Mr. Norton, on the Myan, the remainder being used to feed the dogs. After waiting a number of days for the other Koraks to arrive, a native came in saying that this band had found it impracticable to drive the deer farther than the Orlofka, on account of deep snow, and that they had killed the seventy on that stream, and left them lying without dressing them, which resulted in their becoming unfit for any thing but dog- food. This was a very serious disappointment for us. Annually large numbers of Tchuctchus come to Anadyrsk to trade with the fur merchants from the Okhotsk Sea. The trading season was now approaching, and, having been disap- pointed in our other calculations, w^e looked to these traders as a last resort. The merchants were already beginning to arrive with large quantities of tobacco and trinkets for the trade, but as yet no Tchuctchus, except a mere handful who had neither herds nor many furs to exchange. Beaver-skins constitute the chief article of trade at this point, though they are all brought across Behring’s Straits. Large numbers of them are obtained every summer from the American natives, who exchange them for reindeer-skins, to be used in the man- ufacture of their clothing. February rolled by, and, in fact, so did the whole winter, without the arrival of the expected Tchuctchus. The mer- chants were compelled to depart empty-handed. But the se- verest disappointment was for the inhabitants, who relied mainly upon obtaining food from this source. Nevertheless, some of them partially expected it, knowing that on former occasions, almost invariably when the settled natives were in destitute circumstances, those having deer had purposely kept away, fearing lest they should have to donate large numbers of their animals and receive nothing in return. Now we all had to look to Ghijigha for supplies, and those of the natives who had dogs held them in reserve for that trip. This made it still more difficult for us to get transportation. The Penjina sleds I had started February 4th to the Gulf Station for Macrae and party did not return to Markova un- til March 4th. They had a very severe journey up the Ana- dyr, and, to add to their gloom, lost one of their party — John Robinson — who died on the journey from inflammation of the G g 46(5 REINDEER , DOGSy AND SNOW-SHOES. bowels. Upon leaving the station poor Robinson appeared to be in perfect health, but four days afterward, on the 21st •of February, he died in Telegraph Bluff’ Yourt. A fearful poorga was raging at the time, the wind blowing a perfect hurricane, howling dismally about the solitary little hut, and sweeping dense clouds of snow before it. Inside it was cold, dark, and gloomy. A fire had been built in the chual, but it did not suffice to keep the room warm, as the moss chink- ing between the logs had been blown out in many places. Through these cracks the wind found its way, driving be- fore it sheets of snow that sprinkled the apartment. Here, stretched out on his skin bed, lay poor Robinson, breathing his last far away from home and relatives, and with none but the rough though willing hands of his hardy companions to administer to his wants. It was most saddening under the circumstances, but how immeasurably worse it would have been without the shelter, imperfect as it was, of this poor little hut. The thought of the protection it afforded to the dying man a hundred fold compensated for the difficul- ties and privations we underwent while waiting for the wa- ters to subside, and in rafting during the spring months. Up to the time of Mr. Macrae’s departure from the station, nothing of note had transpired. He had succeeded in pur- chasing fifty deer to be used for dog-food for teams going to the station. The party was in good health and spirits, de- voting fair days to dismantling the wreck, and hauling the spars, cables, sails, and every thing of value ashore. In this they were assisted by the two dogs Kiote and Nik; but poor Nik came to a very unfortunate end soon afterward. The deer-meat piled about the station attracted large num- bers of wolves from the neighboring tundra. One night a large band of them dashed down to the very door of the sta- tion, and the next morning Nik’s body was found literally torn to pieces within a few paces of the sailor’s house. Nik’s loss was much lamented by all the party, as he had become a great favorite. He was by far the finest dog I had seen in the country, being both large and handsome. One of the Gate’s crew — Young, a man six feet three inches in height in his stockings, had also come very near having a like experi- ence with a pack of wolves. ADVENTURE WITH WOLVES. 469 Three miles back of the station, on the tundra, were several small lakes that the men frequently visited for the purpose of fishing through the ice for trout. In this they were quite successful, and nearly every fair day some of them would be out with their lines, carrying axes with them to keep the openings clear of ice. On this occasion Young was alone, and had no protection except his axe. It was very common to hear the howling of wolves on the adjoining tundra, but the men had learned to pay no attention to it. While fish- ing near the middle of a small lake, Young was startled by hearing cries of wolves very near by, and, glancing in the direction from which the sound came, soon saw a large buck reindeer dash down on to the lake and rush along the shore within a hundred yards of him. A minute afterward, seven full-grown, famished-looking wolves of very large size also dashed down upon the lake at full speed, with heads and tails in the air, following the tracks of the deer. Young seized his axe, but kept perfectly still, hoping the animals would not perceive him. On they dashed, and were just about to pass by, when, one of the pack catching sight of him, the whole band rushed toward him. Anticipating a severe struggle, he sprang to his feet, swinging his arms and the axe, and shout- ing at the top of his voice. The wolves were evidently not expecting such an apparition, and were so struck with aston- ishment that they stopped immediately and squatted on the ice within a hundred feet of him. But in a minute they gained courage and made another dash for him. Having ob- served the effect of his first actions, he repeated them, but this time with still greater vehemence — yelling, swinging his axe, and starting toward them. They paused only for a mo- ment, and then fled, taking up the trail of the deer again. After this episode Young at once took up his line of march back toward the station, the worst scared man in Northeast- ern Siberia, according to his own statement, and fully resolv- ing never again to venture alone upon the tundra. 470 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. CHAPTER XXXI. Telegraph-building under Difficulties. — Departure of Macrae for the Myan. — Supplies in Penjina. — Stock on hand. — Non-arrival of Sleds from Ghi- jigha. — Surmises. — Off for the Okhotsk. — Penjina deserted. — Mr. Jared Norton. — Arrangement with Cossacks. — The Journey. — At Ghijigha. — Arnold in Trouble. — Departure of Supplies for the Myan. — Poorga. — Lost. —Return. — Fresh Start. — Arrival of Anadyrsk and Penjina Sleds. — Squar- ing Accounts. — Gambling Priests. — Difficulty of obtaining Transportation. — Home Journey. — Sanford’s Cache and the Bears. — Penjina open. — Anadyrsk Sleds. — Alarm for the Myan Party. — No News. — Failures. — Supplies to the Rescue. — At Markova. — Macrae’s Report : Commencing Work. — Cutting Poles. — Sickness. — Reduced Supplies. — Suspension of Work. — Illia Deackhoff. — Sleds from Crepast. — Men discouraged. — Field- Party. — Off for the Orlofka. — Failure of Traps. — More Supplies. — Expe- dition to Koraks. — Olgan River. — Hard Journey. — Unsuccessful. — Return. — Work discontinued. — Precarious Livelihood. — For Markova. — Buying Horses. — Destitution. — Feeding the Men on Horse -meat. — Opportune Arrival. — Preparations for Journey to Penjina. — Enormous Appetites. — Start. — Meat Sleds. — Return. — Provision. — Baxter’s Departure with Stores for the Myan. — Explanation. — Cause of Distress. Immediately upon his arrival at Markova, after his trip up the Anadyr, Macrae started for the Myan River, with the men he had brought from the lower station, to take the com- mand of the parties at that place. He took with him all the supplies in and about Anadyrsk, together with tobacco and various articles for trading with the Koraks and Tchuctchus for deer-meat. The most work he could accomplish would be to cut the necessary poles for the Anadyr River and pre- pare them for rafting in the spring, except, perhaps, to cut poles and distribute them by hand up the Myan as far as the Orlofka. We now no longer retained any hope of procuring sleds and dogs for the distribution of poles. I was anxious for the party under Mr. Norton to work their way up the Myan as far as possible, thereby lessening the distance to Penjina, from which place, by direct route, there would probably be no difficulty in supplying them, with the assistance Mr. Kennan expected to be able to render from Ghijigha. There still remained in Penjina a very good supply of pro- TRIPS FOR SUPPLIES. 471 visions for us, brought by the ispravnik in the month of Jan- uary. To procure a portion of these to send to Macrae, I suc- ceeded in employing six teams from the natives by paying them in deer from the Orlofka, and, on the 19th of March, started them off for that place under the direction of Mr. Jared Norton, who would remain there to receive supplies from Ghijigha, and forward them as fast as transportation could be procured. The day after Mr. Norton’s departure, Koschevin arrived from Penjina with two sled-loads of provision, and the sur- prising information that none other had reached that place from Ghijigha since early in January. From this long delay I judged at once that Kennan had been disappointed in se- curing the transportation he had expected. We had now a supply sufficient to last the party until the 1st of May ; but after this would be the most difficult season in which to procure food, and, unless other could be obtained from the Okhotsk Sea, undoubtedly great suffering would ensue to the party. Macrae, during his journey up the Anadyr, had been obliged to abandon at Camp Macrae the supply of salt provision in- tended for the season of high water, and now we had noth- ing to fall back upon. With these alarming facts staring us in the face, our only alternative was to endeavor to procure sleds here and at Penjina with which to proceed to Ghijigha for supplies, and to return immediately. By starting at once and traveling at the ordinary speed, supplies could be got in time to prevent suffering. It was now nearly time for those natives who had been holding their dogs in reserve to make their expected journey to Ghijigha also ; but their sleds would be required to bring back supplies for their families to prevent them from starving, consequently no assistance could be obtained from them. Nevertheless, by the 26th of March I had obtained four dog-teams, and immediately started for Penjina to procure others, first notifying Mac- rae of my departure, and leaving a man at Markova to try and purchase deer, as well as to forward supplies to the Myan. On my way to Penjina I met the six nartas sent with Mr. Norton returning laden with provision from that place. 473 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES These would sustain the party until my sleds could return from the Okhotsk. Upon arriving at Penjina, I found that place nearly desert- ed, all the inhabitants having gone off in search of the Koraks for deer-meat, but was told that several sleds could be pro- cured for the transportation of our supplies upon their re- turn. For these I could not wait, so pushed on toward Ghi- jigha, pursuing the same route Macrae and I had followed on our northward journey the previous spring. Before leav- ing Penjina I instructed Mr. Norton to forward supplies to the Olgan to meet Mr. D. C. Norton’s party, also to engage all the sleds he could to come to Ghijigha after me, and like- wise made arrangements with some Cossacks to have deer driven to the Myan and killed. At this time twenty-four deer were on the way to the Myan for Macrae’s party. Our journey to Ghijigha was an uneventful one. The snow was hard, and in good condition for traveling, and our sleds being light, we effected the distance in the short space of thirteen days from Markova. The temperature ranged from + 10° to —40° Fahrenheit. At the Korak settlements of Shestakova and Coeil we procured dog -food, and on the morning of April 9th entered the town, much to the sur- prise of Kennan, and Dodd, and a dozen other gentlemen who had arrived the previous fall on the Company’s barks Onward and Clara Bell. Owing to the lateness of the sea- son, the Onward only reached Petropaulovski, and her pas- sengers, to reach Ghijigha, had made the winter journey through Kamtchatka with dogs and deer. Our conjectures about the difficulty of procuring transpor- tation from Ghijigha had been correct. Mr. Arnold’s party at Yamsk had also been in reduced circumstances, the dogs at that place being nearly all dead too, and Mr. Kennan had found it impossible to supply both him and the Myan River party with the few dog-sleds at his command. We arrived at Ghijigha April 9th, and on the 12th a se- vere poorga arose, making it impossible for my four sleds to start back with supplies; but on the 13th the weather mod- erated again, and the sleds took their departure, with instruc- tions to proceed as rapidly as possible to Anadyrsk. They had seventeen days in which to reach that place before Mac- SQUARING ACCOUNTS. 473 rae’s supplies would be exhausted. I remained, to return with the Penjina sleds Mr. Jared Norton was to forward. On the 14th the poorga again increased in fury, and contin- ued for two weeks almost without cessation. I felt much anxiety for the four teams just departed on account of the vast open tundra they had to traverse, and feared they might experience great delays, even if they should not be forced to retrace their steps ; therefore was not much surprised, though greatly disappointed, when, on the 19th, they came crawling back into Ghijigha with empty sleds, and completely exhaust- ed. The poorga had caught them in the middle of the tun- dra, and for three days they had been wandering about, com- pletely lost. Upon starting they had but one night’s food for their dogs, expecting to get a supply at Coeil, consequently their animals were now nearly famished. To lighten their sleds they had been compelled to abandon their loads. Now they had but eleven days in which to reach Markova. This would be almost impossible with loaded sleds and their ex- hausted dogs, but no time was to be lost. After allowing them one day for rest, we again loaded up their sleds and started them off, with two additional nartas, on the 21st of April, though the storm was still raging. The Penjina and Anadyrsk sleds did not arrive at Ghijigha until April 30th, having been detained on the way by bad weather. The latter were twenty-eight days making the same journey I had accomplished in thirteen days, but their dogs were in a fearful condition at the start. Every thing with four legs had been pressed into the service by the na- tives for this trip, with the hope of procuring supplies for their families. Hitherto we had been unable to pay but few of the na- tives in provision for past services on account of our own pressed circumstances ; and, owing to some mismanagement at head-quarters in New York, we had been wholly without other means; consequently, by this time, we found ourselves more or less in debt to nearly every individual. We had issued promissory notes payable in Ghijigha in provision, and, upon the arrival of the sleds at that place, I had promised to redeem them. This was a most fortunate circumstance for the poor peo- 474 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. pie, for, after their notes were redeemed, their sleds were all heavily loaded with substantial food. If, on the contrary, they had been paid in money, the greater part, if not all of it, would have been lost in gaming with the priest, who is an expert in the business, and almost supports himself and family upon the furs and roubles gotten in this way from the natives. He and the Ghijigha priest, almost every winter, enter into a copartnership, and travel among the Ivoraks on a gambling tour, from which they frequently return laden with valuable furs. During his stay in Ghijigha (for he came with the Anadyrsk sleds), this “ spiritual adviser” of the poor unfortunates dependent upon his guidance was in a continual state of intoxication. I had much difficulty in procuring transportation for the necessary quantity of supplies for the Myan party, and only effected it by distributing them in small lots among a large number of nartas. With the last of these I left Ghijigha May 3d, fifteen days later than Macrae and I had started the year before. Messrs. Rourke and Pierson, two of Mr. Ken- nan’s party, accompanied me to Penjina, where Mr. Sanford, with a small party, had preceded them, for the purpose of cutting and rafting poles on the Penjina River. The tundras along Penjinsk Gulf were nearly free from snow, making very difficult traveling. We also found it nearly impossible to ascend the Shestakova River on account of open water, but north of the Crebet or ridge it was colder, and the traveling better. At the Aklan River Sanford had been obliged to cache some of his provision, his loads being too heavy. Upon our arrival we found that bears had been at his cache, and destroyed every thing excepting half a doz- en axes, which they probably found unpalatable. Opposite the town of Penjina the Penjina River was near- ly free of ice, so much so that, upon our arrival at that place on the 14th of May, we had to be ferried across the river in carbasses. Here I was much alarmed at finding the first sleds I had sent back from Ghijigha with supplies for Macrae’s party. They had but just arrived after a journey of twenty- two days, in which they lost several of their dogs. These sleds ought to have reached the Myan by May 3d at the or- dinary rate of traveling. MACRAE AT MARKOVA. 475 This long delay occasioned great anxiety for the safety of that party, whose supplies must have utterly given out some days since. Mr. Norton had received no information from them for more than three weeks, and was therefore unable to judge of their condition. The supply sleds were immediate- ly dispatched upon our arrival, to proceed without delay to the Myan. Mr. Norton informed me that directly after my departure for the Okhotsk all the dogs able to travel left both Ana- dyrsk and Penjina for that place also, depriving him utterly of all possibility of forwarding supplies. The deer-meat on the Orlofka had all been consumed by passing teams, and it was impossible to procure dry food, else he might have se- cured one team by gathering together the stray, useless dogs that had been left behind. But it would have been neces- sary for these to haul deer from Penjina for their own sus- tenance while on the road, of which, in their present feeble condition, they could not have carried more than three days’ supply, even without other load. Under these circumstances, it was useless for him to attempt a journey of ten or twelve days’ duration, which time would have been consumed in go- ing to and coming from the Myan. The Cossacks, with whom I had made arrangements, had also failed in inducing the Koraks to drive their herds down the Myan on account of the depth of snow, though they were offered their own price for so doing. Many of the stores just arrived from Ghijigha had been brought on Penjina nartas, and, as these could go no farther on account of the lateness of the season, we were now con- fronted by new difficulties. Fortunately, Mr. Sanford had a team of dogs of his own, which I secured, and, by offering big inducements to the Anadyrsk drivers, they managed to pile the remainder of my stores on their sleds for the trip to Anadyrsk. When all the supplies had been forwarded, Mr. Norton and I took our departure from Penjina, and, after four days’ journey, reached Markova May 21st. Here we found Macrae and four of his men living with the natives, and subsisting upon any thing they could get to eat. The remainder of the party were yet on the Myan in a very precarious condition, living upon horse-meat, and many of 476 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. them down with sickness. They had led a very anxious life for the last month, and had undergone considerable hardship. Macrae’s report, which I here subjoin, will convey a much better idea of the experiences of his party on the Myan than I could otherwise furnish. MACRAE’S REPORT. Markova, N. E. Siberia, June 4th, 1867. Sir, — My last report to you gave you an account of the progress of the work at the Myan Station to March 10th. On the 13th of the same month, the weather having cleared up, which had been stormy for a week previous, Mr. Frost moved up to a slew on the Olgan with his four constructors, and on the same day Mr. Norton started out with his party of six, cutting and distributing poles on the Myan section. I divided with Mr. Norton my provisions, which gave each party ten days’ rations of hard bread, tea, twenty-five pounds of bacon, and two deer each, which you sent down at this time from Crepast. Before going to work cutting poles, Mr. Frost constructed a small cabin fifteen feet square, as the weather was too severe for camping out — the mean temperature of the nights being below —30°, as far as I could judge without a thermometer. In order to forward the work as much as possible, I sent Frank to cook for Mr. Frost’s party, and Mr. Baxter and myself brought in wo6d and water, and cooked for ourselves. The snow in the timber was from .four to five feet deep, and, as the men were without snow-shoes, two thirds of their time was occupied in passing from one tree to another, and they only averaged thirty poles to a man each day that they worked. There was, however, scarcely a time when some of the par- ty, and sometimes the whole, were not unfit for duty on ac- count of severe diarrhoea which attacked every one. I had no medicine except laudanum and opium pills, which the se- vere cold made me cautious in using. On the 21st of March, our provision being reduced to two days’ supply of hard bread and deer-meat, I ordered the work suspended and the men placed on half rations. Up to that time Mr. Baxter and myself lived upon fish furnished by Illia,* and I will take oc- casion here to say that whenever he caught any fish or game he divided them with us, and on several occasions took Mr. * Illia Deachkoff, the native who had settled on the Myan, near the Olgan, the previous summer, mentioned on a former page. MACRAE'S REPORT. 477 Norton’s party a supply. He was ever willing and ready with his sled to assist us, and, without his assistance, I would have been unable to send to Mr. Norton the supplies which reached me from you. The men from Markova and Crepast being invariably without food for themselves or dogs, he al- ways fed them and their dogs while they were at the station. On the 25th two sleds arrived from Crepast with flour and hard bread, and on the same day Mr. Norton and party came in used up, not having slept for three nights on account of the severe cold. Reports were circulated among the men that you could not procure sleds to send us provisions, which produced a bad feeling, and made them very uneasy and dis- contented. I attributed the diarrhoea to the entire absence of grease of any kind with our food, and wishing to see you on these subjects, and also, if possible, to procure sleds to go to the Koraks for deer, I left the station and proceeded to Crepast, arriving there on the evening of the 26th. I was much surprised to receive a note from you stating that you would start that morning for Ghijigha, and, to learn that you had gone. All the natives were preparing to leave for Ghijigha, with every team that was able to travel. With one or two excep- tions, the families at Crepast were living from hand to mouth on birds and rabbits, and they represented the people above Markova to be in a starving condition. I offered to go with them to the Koraks, and, if I succeeded in purchasing fifty deer, would give them thirty. This I considered a sufficient inducement to secure them for the trip, even if they were not in such a sad state as they represented themselves to be. They promised to make every effort to get sleds and go with me. Next I hired the starasta’s narta at a high price, and re- turned to the station. April 3d, Mr. Norton having recruited his party, and the weather having moderated somewhat, he again started out, taking with him ten days’ rations in hard bread, beans, deer- meat, tea, and sugar, the latter as a luxury. In your note to me, you said, “ Tell Mr. N orton to push on to the Orlof ka, as we shall be able to supply him from Pen- jina when be reaches that point.” He also received a note from you to the same effect. I wrote to Lieutenant Norton, A. Q. M. at Penjina, that Mr. Norton’s party would be at the mouth of the Orlof ka River on the 12th of April, and repre- sented to him the serious position in which they would be placed if there were not provisions there to meet them. 478 REINDEER , DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. The weather continued very fine, hut intensely cold for the season. I judged the temperature at nights to be at least 30° below zero up to the 12th of April. After the 25th of March Illia’s fish-traps failed, and from that time Mr. Baxter and myself supplied ourselves with meat from grouse and rabbit traps, and sometimes we sent up a supply to Mr. Frost’s party. We did not care to eat deer- meat when we could get any other kind. April 11 tli, Mr. Frost’s provisions being reduced to two days’ rations of beans and deer-meat, he again stopped work, and I ordered all the men to set traps. On the 13th Mr. Harder arrived with four sleds, bringing five deer, four sacks of flour, two sacks of beans, ten pounds of bacon, and an abundant supply of tea. He brought me a note from Lieutenant Jared Norton, saying he could not hire sleds to go by the way of the Orlofka River, and that the provisions at Penjina were reduced to two sacks of flour, one box of hard bread, ten pounds of bacon, thirty pounds of tea, and one hundred pounds of sugar, and, as he did not mention deer, I took it for granted that they too were exhausted. These men came with Mr. Harder to go to the Koraks on the conditions I made to them at Crepast. They had but one day’s food for their dogs, so I could not get them to go to the Orlofka with supplies for Mr. Norton’s party ; besides, it was uncertain whether they would find Mr. Norton there or not, as he had some intention of proceeding to Penjina in the event of his finding no provisions at the Orlofka. One of the natives said he knew the exact spot where the Koraks were camped, that they had plenty of deer for sale, and distant, with good road, only xme day’s drive. It was my last and only chance of procuring meat to supply the parties during the freshet, when it is impossible to go any where. I therefore made preparations to go. A storm de- tained me two days. Having little faith in the miserable dogs that came down from Crepast, even for one day’s drive, I persuaded ILlia to go with me. I placed Mr. Frost’s party on a ration of one pound of flour until my return, and left instructions with Lieutenant Baxter to do the, same with Mr. Norton’s party, should they come in. The morning of the 16th was clear and calm, and we got off early. I took with me three of the five deer Harder had brought for dog-food, and Illia furnished us with some old fish for the road ; I also took three days’ rations of hard bread and plenty of tea. MACRAE'S REPORT. 479 Mr. Frost’s party of six men ate one of the best of the deer at four meals, so you can judge of their size and quality. The last storm made the snow heavy, and we got along slowly, having to walk on snow-shoes most of the day. We traveled thirty miles, and camped on the northeast fork of the Olgan, some ten miles from where we expected to find the Ivoraks. A heavy snow-storm set in during the night from the east, the direction in which we wished to go. We pushed into it, however, the next day, and came to the deserted camp of the Koraks. They had evidently just moved, as the storm had not covered up their tracks. Our guide then said we would find them on the southeast fork, distant about fifty miles. We followed their trail into the mountains separating the two streams, and at night had only traveled about twen- ty-five miles, every one being upon snow-shoes breaking the way or assisting the dogs. The next day the storm increased in violence, with such dense clouds of snow drifting through the mountain passes that we could not proceed with the sleds.. I offered each man thirty roubles if they would go in search of the Koraks on snow-shoes, myself remaining with the sleds, as I was weak from diarrhoea, and could not stand to walk much farther. They replied that if there was the slightest chance of finding the Koraks in the storm, they would go without pay. The next morning, our provisions being reduced to one fish and a few pounds of hard bread, and our dog-food being en- tirely exhausted, and the storm still raging, we could not ad- vance against it or lie still. I reluctantly turned my back upon it, fully appreciating the consequences of not being able to procure a supply of meat. That day we traveled but twelve miles, dragging the sleds ourselves, and, but for Illia’s team, would have had to aban- don the articles I took to trade with the Koraks. We ate the last of our fish that night, and the next morn- ing, though it was snowing heavily, we made an early start, our snow-shoes sinking six inches in the wet snow in the morning, "but in the afternoon it cleared up and the snow hardened, so that we were able to reach the station at 10 P.M., having walked forty miles during the day. Mr. Norton and four of his men had arrived two days be- fore, the other two members of his party remaining at the Orlof ka, unwilling to undertake the walk. Two days after my return the sleds left for Markova, and I sent Mr. Scammon up with them on snow-shoes to send down three deer which had come from Penjina some time REINDEER , DOGS , .4 AT) 480 before, and also to hurry oft' the sleds as soon as they should arrive from Ghijigha. After this no work was done. Mr. Frost’s party had cut two hundred and fifty poles at the Myan Station, and nine- teen hundred at his camp on the Olgan ; these, with what we cut last year, and with those Mr. Norton cut before my ar- rival, amount to nearly five thousand poles. Mr. Frost also made six good sweeps for rafting, each thirty feet long, and a good boat to accompany the raft. The boat is light, and will answer admirably for setting fish-nets, etc. ; there should be one with each raft. Mr. Norton, Baxter, and myself kept the traps we had made in order, and with what game we caught in them, and some game Illia and Constantine gave us, we got enough to eat, using one pound of flour at a ration. At this time a large herd of deer passed near Mr. Frost’s camp, and he killed three of them. They were, however, like those we received from Penjina, small, poor, and without grease — not fit to eat except in the absence of all other meat. I had made calcu- lations for my provision to hold out until the 1st of May, at which time I expected to receive supplies from Ghijigha for two reasons — first, because I knew you would hurry the sleds back; and, secondly, the men from Markova and Crepast ex- pected to spend their Easter Sunday at home, which would be the 28th of April. By the 1st of May the weather had become very warm, and the snow was melting rapidly. The birds left the rivers for the tundras, and our rabbit-traps, upon which we relied for meat, began to fail, and still not a word from Ghijigha. We had on hand at that time seven rabbits and twenty pounds of beans. Something had to be done at once. As it would not do to rely upon that uncertain mode of procur- ing a livelihood, I determined to go to Markova. Illia and Constantine were going up the next day, believ- ing that the sleds had reached Markova from Ghijigha, and that the natives were drinking tea and dancing out their Easter w T eek, as is their custom. I did not believe the Ghi- jigha sleds had arrived, but I could send down the deer I had sent Mr. Scammon for, and, if absolutely necessary, pur- chase some of the horses belonging to the priest for food. The evening of the 2d I left the station, taking with me one rabbit and two pounds of bread (part of a little I had been saving for sickness), with a sufficient supply of tea. Of tea we always had an abundance, and but for it we would have suffered much more than we did. Fortunately the trav- MACRAE'S REPORT. 481 eling was good, and I rode half of the way. Without that assistance I should have had great trouble getting through, as I was extremely weak and very sick. The next day, at 10 A.M., the whole population of Markova turned out to greet us, thinking ours were the Ghijigha sleds — not one having as yet returned, though some of them had been absent forty-five days. I was asked to the house of Parvil Mufdofskoi (where it was likely I could get more to eat than elsewhere), and had the breast of a grouse for my supper, which was all I had eaten for twenty-four hours, with the exception of tea and hard bread — the dogs had eaten up my rabbit. I immediately called upon the priest’s wife, and offered to purchase the horses. My object in buying them was not only for food (for we could not use many of them before the sleds should arrive from Ghijigha), but also for hauling poles to the river bank for rafting, and, later, for distributing them along the line. She would not sell all of them in the ab- sence of her husband, as it was possible he had already sold them in Ghijigha, but would let me have one for food, should I require it. She could only give me a cup of tea and a small piece of black bread, and said that, unless the sleds arrived soon, she would have to kill horses for her own family. In fact, the people on this river at that time depended entirely upon their fish-nets for food, and, if they did not catch fish at nights, they went hungry the next day. I could therefore procure no provisions here other than horse-meat. Next day, the 5th, I started Illia and Constantine off with the three deer, giving them half of one I found in the store- house for their dogs. These would last the hungry party at the Myan but as many days, but Illia told me he had been saving four deer for his family to eat during the freshet, which he would give my party in the last extremity. Tuesday , May Ith . — No sleds having arrived from Ghiji- gha, I sent two men off with a horse which I had purchased, having to borrow from Ivan Ermechkoff, of Crepast, meat to give them for the road, he being the only man here or at that place that was able to furnish me with two days’ dog-food for two men. I sent a note to Mr. D. C. Norton not to kill the horse unless forced to do so, as w’e could use him for hauling poles to the river bank when we got to buildfng rafts. Fri- day evening, the time at which I expected the horse to reach the station, I was surprised at the return of one of the men, who said that they had only reached Crepast, and could not proceed farther. II H 483 REINDEER, BOGS , AND SNOW- SHOES. Two sleds had come in that morning from the month of the Myan, looking for the Ghijigha sleds. I knew the party must now be out of provision at the Myan Station, so hired these teams, paying them each ten roubles, and, putting them to- gether before one sled, went at once to Crepast and had the horse killed. I got together the refuse dogs of Crepast for another team, aud started the two off with the meat the fol- lowing evening. At Crepast I found two of the men from Mr. Frost’s party, whom lie had sent up, thinking by divid- ing the party they. could get along better. They told me that, since my departure, little game had been caught. I returned to Markova that night on snow-shoes, and found two men just arrived from Penjina, who informed me that provisions had been brought to that place twenty days be- fore this date, May 12th; that an American at Penjina owned a good team of dogs, and, by paying enough for them, I could get two others from the natives there. I at once set to work collecting together enough dogs for a team, picking up one here and another there, to take me to Penjina, thinking, in all probability, the Ghijigha sleds were land-bound, and would yet be some time in coming in, as the men reported the land almost bare of snow below Penjina. The next morning the sleds returned from the Myan with a note from Mr. Norton saying that when the horse-meat ar- rived they had the last piece of meat in the kettle, and had all become so weak on deer-meat as scarcely to be able to get around. The traps had failed, and no geese had come. On the morning of the 18th I had collected together the frames of eight animals that might have been called dogs, and a man who was greatly in need of the horse’s tail for a fish-net gave me forty grouse for that article, which I would use for dog- food. I was just ready to start, when Illia drove up with Lieu- tenant Baxter and two of the men, who had walked upon snow-shoes. They brought me the surprising information that the horse -meat would only last the party two days longer. As there were five hundred pounds of it, and it was very fat, I had expeqted it to last twelve or fifteen days. You can judge how well it was relished, and form some idea of what men will eat when reduced to a single article of food, when that amount of horse-meat only lasted ten men six days. I bought another horse, and ordered it killed at once. I persuaded Illia to go with me to Penjina, and was rejoiced / MACRAE'S REPORT. 483 to exchange ray skeleton dogs for his team, and sent the for- mer to the Myan with the meat. I wrote to Mr. Norton that I had to pay one hundred rou- bles for the horse, and he must make this meat hold out un- til my return. (Fortunately, I did not have to pay this price, as the horses had been previously purchased by Mr. Kennan at Ghijigha for twenty-five roubles apiece.) My provisions for the road to Penjina consisted of four small fish, a small piece of half-spoiled deer-meat — all the population of this place could furnish me — and a piece of horse-meat which I furnished myself. We left Markova that night, the 15th of May, and on the morning of the 17th, when forty miles from Penjina, we met some sleds returning from Ghijigha. The drivers said that you would leave Penjina that evening, and would pass that point about midnight. I laid over, awaiting your arrival, until 8 A.M. the next morning, when more sleds came up, and I was told that you would not leave Penjina until that afternoon. As they could give me food for myself and dogs for the road, and as five sleds had gone on to Markova with our pro- visions, I turned back, and reached here on the morning of the 19th, so unwell that I could scarcely keep my feet. The following evening I sent Lieutenant Baxter, with the best two teams in the place, with provisions for the party at the Myan Station, and on the morning of the 21st was relieved by your arrival. I am too unwell to give this report the consideration it should receive, and only at your earnest request have given you this plain statement of facts. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, C. L. Mackae. The above report, given exactly as Mr. Macrae submitted it, requires no explanation, except perhaps in relation to the information he received at Markova concerning the arrival in Penjina of an American with supplies and a dog-team of his own on or about the 20th of April. Without farther explanation*, one might infer neglect on the part of Mr. Norton, acting quartermaster at Penjina, in not securing the sleds spoken of and forwarding these sup- plies, but justice to Mr. Norton, for whose strenuous exer- tions to procure and forward supplies I shall always feel deep- ly grateful, requires me to state that the American spoken of was Mr. Sanford, and that his supply of provision was so 484 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. small that he could not dispense with a pound of it without imperiling his own and the safety of his party. It is true, he had a team of dogs, and it might have been possible to procure one or two others ; but, even had there been supplies in Penjina to forward, no dog-food was to be had excepting a scant supply of deer-meat, which it would have been necessary to carry with them from Penjina. This, in itself, in sufficient quantity to sustain the teams during their journey to the Myan and back, would have been more than the animals could haul in their feeble condition, even without other load. Every opportunity of forwarding sup- plies this gentleman had availed himself of, and, had all he sent reached its destination on the Myan, the party at that place would have had no ground for anxiety. Upon making inquiries afterward, I found that but little more than half of the deer forwarded from Penjina had been received at the Myan. The remainder had been appropriated by the native drivers for the support of their families. EORTOWS REPORT. 485 CHAPTER XXXII. Zeal of the Men. — D. C. Norton’s Report: his Party. — Cold Weather. — Frostbites. — Native Endurance. — Difficulty from Freezing. — Myan Sta- tion. — Outdoor Work. — Effect of Cold on Axes. — Distributing Poles. — Camps 1, 2, and 3. — Sleepless Nights. — Out of Food. — Retreat to the Sta- tion. — In the Field again. — Orlofka River. — No Sleds. — Building Camp. — Erecting Signals. — Snow-blindness. — Trapping Grouse. — Supplies give out. — Colburn andNesbit. — Off for the Station. — Lost in a Storm. — Scant Supplies. — Arduous Journey. — Breaking Roads. — Cheerless Night. — Home again. — Used-up Set. — Sufferings of Myan Party. — Anxiety. — Baxter’s Return. — Sleds for the Myan. — Loveman : his Account and Ad- venture. — Lost on the Tundra. — Bears. — Despair. — Through the Ice. — Returning Sleds. — Search. — Yelping Dogs. — Narrow Escape. — Arrival of Myan Party. — Forgetful of the Past. — Re-enlisting. — Stock on Hand. — Robinson’s Remains'. — Starving Dogs. — Break-up of the Rivers. — Off for the Myan. — Boating and Towing. — Happy Natives. — Success in spearing Deer. — Feasting. — The River. — Wild Water-fowl. — A bad Place. — Set Adrift. — Illia again. — Deserved Success. — A Deer. — Taking his Stand. — Glorious Sight. — Sympathy. — Constantine. — The Onslaught. — The Vic- tims. — Provoking Circumstances. — Miss Fire. — Small Triumph. — Dis- gust. — Deer-snares. — Watching for Deer. — Precautions. — Arrival. — De- parture. — Ivan Ermechkoff. The following extracts from Mr. Horton’s Report of the proceedings of himself and party after leaving Anadyrsk for the Myan, early in February, will convey some idea of the difficulties attending telegraph building in the Arctic with nothing but axes and determined natures wherewith to ac- complish it. These men displayed so much, zeal, and under- went so many discomforts, if not actual suffering, in the pros- ecution of the work assigned them, that it would be hardly justice not to follow them through a portion of their experi- ence at least. Mr. Horton, in company with Messrs. Mason, Hesbit, Smith, Colburn, and Scammon, left Markova with sleds and provis- ions on the 9th of February. In his report he says : We proceeded the first day to Crepast, and the following morning pushed on for the Myan Station. The first day from Markova the thermometer indicated —54° Fahrenheit, but, as 486 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. we had good and abundant food, we did not experience much inconvenience from this seeming extreme degree of cold. The morning of the 10th seemed to be somewhat warmer, at least to me, as I walked all the forenoon with nothing but a short coat and ordinary pants; but when we stopped for tea at noon, I found that the air was intensely cold. We had not felt it on account of the exercise in walking. When we started again after tea, I found I could scarcely keep warm sitting on the narta with two skin coats. We traveled until about sundown, having only made about half the distance between Crepast and this station, and camped on the bank of the protok, convenient to plenty of dry wood. This proved probably the coldest night ever spent in the open air by any of the Company’s employes, having been within one degree of the greatest cold observed by Dr. Kane in his Arctic Expedition (his observation being 69° below zero, and ours 68°). Even at this intense degree of cold, I observed that the na- tive drivers slept soundly in their fur kuklankers, not appear- ing to know that it was very cold. I slept none, keeping up the fire by heaping dry wood on, which we had collected in the evening. I roused the men at half past 2 o’clock A.M. ; they made tea, boiled deer-meat, of which we made breakfast, with hard bread, and then started about 3.30 A.M. We all had great difficulty in keeping from freezing ; some were frozen slightly, notwithstanding every precaution : fin- gers, toes, ears, and noses suffered some damage. The wind, which was very slight, blew in the direction we were travel- ing — southeast. We arrived at the station about 3 o’clock P.M. on the 11th, and found that the house was uninhabitable, being nothing but an open pen of logs. However, we set to work immedi- ately, banking up the snow to keep the cold from without, and got our cooking - stove up to lower the temperature within. But all deserted the place except two for more comfortable quarters in the small yourt of a native living near the station. The 13th was entirely occupied in fixing the house, in which I slept the second night, or rather passed the night, not being able to sleep on account of the intense cold, which still ranged, from 50° to 65° minus. The 14th, 15th, and 16th were spent in chinking the house with deerskin and building a chual. After having finished these we began to experience some degree of comfort. NORTON'S REPORT. 487 From this time until the 7th of March, upon which day Mr. Macrae arrived to take charge of the station, Mr. Norton’s party were engaged in constructing a small storehouse and cutting poles about the station. The weather was yet in- tensely cold, and many of his party sustained frostbites, but nothing very serious. During this severe weather the men found it very hard work chopping into the frozen trees, and, contrary to their expectations, hardly an axe was nicked, though dozens of hickory axe-helves shivered fro pieces with the jar occasioned by chopping. The severe cold, instead of rendering the axes brittle, appeared to have an opposite effect, though this may be perhaps attributable to the large amount of electricity in the air, which pervaded the metal. On the 13th of March Mr. Norton and party started out from the station to cut and distribute poles along the Myan River toward Penjina. This outfit consisted of a couple of canvas tents for shelter, ten days’ supply of provisions, and a sled (without the dogs) upon which to haul their supplies from one camp to another, and with which to distribute the poles where wanted. Illia assisted them the first day with his dogs in hauling their supplies and locating their first working camp about four miles from the station. This gen- erous Chuansee also increased their commissariat by a pres- ent of a number of fine fish freshly caught through the ice. By the 23d the party had cut and distributed poles as far as Prospect Bluff, about twenty miles, using three working camps, styled Camps No. 1 , No. 2, and No. 3. During this time the weather had been clear and very cold, and their stock of provision had been replenished by the arrival of two reindeer sent from the station. Mr. Norton’s notes read as follows : Saturday , 23 d. — Still colder this morning. All agree in pronouncing it as the coldest weather yet experienced dur- ing the winter. We intended to have moved camp this morning, but, owing to the intense cold, did not. We sup- pose it 50° minus, as we had some Cognac brandy frozen in the tent. Monday , 25 th. — Colder than yesterday. None of us slept last night. While eating breakfast around a great camp-fire, 488 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. we had to change our tin cups from one hand to the other to keep them from freezing. As our provisions were nearly exhausted, we concluded to evacuate Camp No. 3 and find more comfortable quarters at the station. We packed what we could not carry with us in the tents, taking with us two days’ rations. About that much was left. We fastened on our snow-shoes and struck out for the station, twenty miles distant, each one car- rying some portion of the provisions. We arrived at the station at 3 P.M., father a used-up set, having slept but little for five nights. We found, t& our great satisfaction, a fresh supply of provision had just arrived from Markova. Upon Mr. Norton’s return Mr. Macrae went to Markova, leaving him in charge of the station. On the 2d of April the party again took the field, and, upon reaching their last camp, found all right except the sled, from which foxes had eaten the seal-thong lashings. They established a new camp, No. 4, five miles farther, the next day. “ Still very cold and clear. On the 6th of April Mason froze his feet so badly that he could scarcely get back to camp.” Wednesday, 10th . — Extremely cold. Signs of a snow-storm. Concluded to take one man and proceed to the mouth of the Orlofka River, to see whether any nartas had arrived by that way with provisions from Penjina. Thursday, 1 1 th. — Mr. Smith and myself started this morn- ing on snow-shoes for the Orlofka. Arrived at the river about 3 P.M. ; found no signs of nartas having been there. We erected signals to direct them to our camp, should they come. Here Mr. Norton found abundant signs of grouse, and, his provisions being low, he decided to move his party up to this place, and to try and subsist them upon game until the ex- pected sleds could arrive from Penjina with stores. On the 12 th of April they proceeded fifteen miles, hauling their camp equipage themselves, and the next morning, after a sleepless night on account of the extreme cold, they pushed on four miles farther to the river, which they came upon unexpect- edly. Even during this short distance they were obliged to halt once and build a fire for the purpose of warming them- selves. NORTON'S REPORT. 489 Mr. Norton’s report says: I directed the men to make another fire to keep themselves comfortable, while I went in search of a suitable place to camp, which I found about two miles from where we first came to the river, on an island where there was some shelter and plen- ty of wood. No signs of nartas yet. I sent Mr. Smith for the narta and men, while I made a fire, and commenced to shovel the snow away for the camp. We were all suffering from snow-blindness ; I could scarcely see at all. While some of the party were making camp, Mr. Smith and myself com- menced making and setting traps. We set six during the afternoon, and put up other signals to direct nartas to our camp. Sunday, 14 th. — This morning we had two grouse in our traps. Made thirteen more traps. Signs of an approaching storm; we cut brush and planted it on three sides of the camp, to protect us from the wind. Stormy night ; not quite so cold; two inches of snow fell. We ate our last mess of beans for dinner; we have a little deer-meat, ‘hardtack,’ and about three pounds of sugar and tea. From the 12th to the 17th the party remained camped at the mouth of the Olgan, waiting for the sleds from Penjina. They constructed a number of other traps, which kept them very well supplied with grouse for food ; and at the end of this time, seeing or hearing nothing of the sleds, they decided to try and reach the station. But two of the party, Colburn and Nesbit, were unwilling to attempt the walk on so small an amount of provision, preferring rather to remain behind and risk catching enough grouse to supply their wants. All *the party were at this time much stricken with snow-blind- ness. April 17 th. — Smith, Burton, Mason, Scammon, and myself left camp this morning for the station, after having partaken of a very slight breakfast of deer- meat and one hardtack. The distance is about fifty miles. We only took for the road three hardtack each, a little sugar and tea, and set out, after bidding Colborn and Nesbit good-by, expecting to reach the station in one day. A short time after starting a storm came up, with snow and wind, so that all landmarks were entirely obscured ; but, fortunately, we were able to reach the point to which we had cut and distributed poles for the line with- out losing our way. We now had something by which to direct our course through the storm, which continued, and, if 400 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. any tiling, increased in fury. We reached Camp No. 5 about noon, and made tea and ate one of the hardtack each. The storm had now abated some, and the sun shone out for a short time, when we hoped that we would have no farther trouble in keeping on our course. But shortly after starting the storm commenced with more violence than ever, blowing the snow directly in our faces, causing us to lose our way, and lengthening our journey by three miles at least. We were becoming well tired out after finding the line again, w r hich we did near sundown. We now made tea again, and ate our hardtack, still intending, if possible, to reach the station, which was yet about eighteen miles distant. We again set forward, making good headway. Up to this time I had taken the lead in breaking the trail, and I now began to feel exhausted, so fell back and let Mr. Mason take the lead, which he only kept for two or three miles, and then fell back, Burton taking the lead. We found the tea and hard bread were not very good for strengthening exhausted mus- cles. Night was rapidly coming on, and we were still about twelve miles from the station. We were now staggering rather than -walking, feeling rather than seeing our way. Sometimes we were on the trail and sometimes off, dragging our weary legs along through the deep snow. At about 10 P.M. we arrived at Camp No. 2, and could go no farther. We stopped, and with great difficulty made a fire, some of the men in the mean time trying to make a shelter out of brush to protect us from the storm. We par- tially succeeded in the shelter, but the wind changed so it did but little good. We made our cups full of tea again. This truly Siberian solace warmed us up some, and we began to feel more comfortable. We lay down in the shelter of the brush, but not to sleep, as I knew that it would not do to go to sleep, as we might become so benumbed by the cold that we might freeze to death. After lying down for an hour, I roused the men up, and we went out in search of dry wood with which to make a good fire. We found plenty close by, and soon had a good fire, and were sitting around it discussing with empty stomachs the chances of finding any thing to satisfy the cravings of our appetites. We watched anxiously for the first streaks of the coming dawn in the east with eager and impatient eyes. We were cheered by the gray of morning about 3 o’clock, and commenced immediately to prepare our morning meal, which consisted of tea “ straight.” After drinking it we prepared for the last struggle to reach the station. NORTON'S REPORT. 491 We had the worst portion of the road to pass over this morning, some deep ravines having to be crossed. In going over some of these the men would stagger and fall, and could not get on their feet again without assistance. However, the knowledge that we were within only a few miles of the sta- tion kept our strength up equal to the demand on it. We reached Camp No. 1 about sunrise, and threw ourselves down for a little rest before going farther. I urged the men to take only a short rest, as I knew the longer we remained without moving the less inclination we would feel to do so. After a few minutes we started forward again. We now put Scam- mon in the lead, as he seemed less exhausted than any of us, having had the benefit of going behind, where the trail had been thoroughly broken. In this way we reached the station about 7 o’clock A.M., twenty-four hours from the time of leaving the mouth of the Orlofka. Had the distance been twenty miles farther, I doubt whether any of us would have reached it. Some of the men, when they came to the bank of the river, could not get up without assistance. We were glad to find that a supply of provisions had ar- rived a day or two before from Penjina. After remaining at this station until Lieutenant Macrae returned, I sent Illia and Constantine with their nartas to bring Colborn and Nes- bit down. They did not suffer much from hunger, having been able to catch enough grouse to keep them pretty well. In a few days after I sent the same men up again to bring down our camp fixtures, which they did. I will take this occasion to bring to your favorable notice, and, through you, the officers of the Company, the many kind favors we have received from Illia on many occasions. We would be almost reduced to the last mouthful when a pres- ent of fish or deer-meat would be sent in by him. I person- ally shall ever feel grateful to him for the many favors re- ceived at his hands. Very respectfully, etc., L>. C. N OETON. It was not until after this date that the party on the My an experienced their greatest anxiety. At no time were they altogether destitute of provisions, though on several occasions they were reduced to their last day’s allowance of food, when, by the timely arrival of supplies from Markova, or a present from Illia, or a fortunate catch with their traps, their stock would again be increased. But these precarious and uncer- tain resources, together with the faint glimpses they from 493 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. time to time caught of the monster “ famine,” caused them great anxiety, and the whole party became very low-spirited. This was much increased by weakness and inertia resulting from the sickness with which they were nearly all afflicted. The delay occasioned to the provision sleds from Ghijigha by severe storms, which raged for weeks without cessation in the neighborhood of the Okhotsk, was extremely unfortunate. Upon reaching Penjina, and finding the first return sleds still there, I experienced the greatest anxiety for the safety of the Myan party, and when, upon arriving at.Markova, I found Macrae, and learned that they had managed to sustain life during the interval, my relief was equally as great. On the 22d of May, Baxter, who had started for the Myan with supplies immediately upon the arrival of the sleds, re- turned to Markova, having been unable to reach the station on account of open water encountered in the protoks. As our stores were now all in Markova, and it would be easier to bring the men from the Myan with the present dif- ficult roads than to carry all our provision to that place, I immediately dispatched a sufficient number of sleds for that purpose under Loveman, a lad of seventeen, one of the party then in Markova. Loveman was anxious to go and test his ability for dog-driving, so I gave him charge of the team I had procured in Penjina from Sanford, and he took his de- parture with the others. At 1 A.M. on the morning of May 26th we were awakened by the entrance of Loveman into our quarters on his return from the journey with the Myan party, but he was a sorry- looking object, and, in spite of a half-solemn, care-worn ex- pression on his countenance, we had to laugh outright. He had on but two articles of apparel — a pair of old chassees, or fur socks, reaching a little above his ankles, and an old kuk- lanker turned inside out, and hanging from his shoulders in rags, reaching almost down to his naked knees. His head was bare, hair uncombed, and his soiled face wore a haggard, serious expression, through which one of his usual good-na- tured smiles bubbled to the surface in response to our laugh- ter. “ Well, Loveman, so you are back ; but you look as though you had a hard trip of it,” said Macrae. LOVE MAN'S EXPERIENCES. 493 “ You ought to have seen me yesterday on the tundra, and you would have thought I was having a had time. I thought my goose was cooked, sure ; and, what scared me all the worse, I saw two hears sitting up on snow-hanks and looking at me as though they wondered if I was good to eat or not. I thought I was gone then, sure. I tried to make my dogs run, hut they would not do it, and then I thought I would run and leave them behind ; but the first hear I saw didn’t look very hungry, and didn’t move, so I kept still too. It wasn’t ten minutes before I saw the other one, and then I thought I had got into a nest of them. This one was bigger than the other, and when he saw us he sat up on his hind legs and growled; hut my dogs pulled the other way, and I was mighty glad when he was out of sight. You ought to have seen me. I shook all over just like a leaf, and after that I thought every thing I saw was a hear.” “ But where were the other sleds ?” I asked. “ Oh ! they had gone to the Myan. I hadn’t seen them for two days. But I forgot to tell you about it. The first day we left I was behind the other sleds, because my dogs wouldn’t mind, and I thought they would go better behind the others. I got along first-rate with them until we had to go through a lot of brush for about half a mile, and then some of the dogs kept running on one side and some on the other side of the trees, and got all tangled up. I thought I never would get through. By-and-by I got through, though, and there wasn’t a sled in sight ; and, what made it worse, the crust on the snow was so hard that they didn’t leave any tracks behind them. But the tundra was all cut up with gullies, and I couldn’t see very well, so I didn’t think the other sleds were very far off. But I -could not find them, and wandered about all night. In a little while I got so mixed up that I didn’t know which way to go, the country was so alike in every di- rection.” “ What did you do then ?” I asked. “ Then I got hungry, and stopped to make tea, but I forgot to carry any matches with me, so didn’t have any thing to eat but six hardtack I had put in my pocket to nibble on the road. The other nartas had all the rest of the provisions with them. I didn’t know which way to go, so I let the dogs 494 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. go where they pleased, and laid down to get a nap ; when I woke up I couldn’t tell whether it was day or night, it was so light all the time. That was the time when I saw the bears. I began to get awful hungry. I had eaten up all my hardtack, and didn’t have any thing else, so I kept the dogs moving, hoping we would come somewhere, but we didn’t, and, what made it all the worse, I broke through the ice on a pond and got my clothes all wet ; then I lfad to take them off and put them on my sled to dry, and put on these old things, and roll up in my blankets on the sled to keep from freezing. You bet I was scared then. I was almost starved, and had given up all hope of finding Markova or of ever being found, and my dogs were used-up too. Then I got to thinking about starving to death, and didn’t like the notion. I wished I had never heard of the Telegraph Expedition. Pret- ty soon I fell asleep, and the next thing I knew I was sur- rounded by the sleds coming from the Myan with all the men.” This is Loveman’s story as he told it to us. Without doubt the poor boy’s chances for life were very slim, and it was merely accidental that he was ever found. He was out near- ly three days. The other sleds on the way to the Myan did not miss Loveman until night, and then made search for him, firing guns, etc., but were compelled to renew their journey without him, thinking he had returned to Markova. On the 25th, as they were returning across the tundra, the snow was soft and traveling difficult, and their dogs kept up a yelping while dragging at the nartas. These yelps saved Loveman, as they attracted the attention of his dogs, who, upon hearing them, started off with the sled in the direction from which the sound came. The party with the train were much surprised at seeing a solitary sled approaching from the distance across the tun- dra, particularly as no driver was to be seen, and when the dogs were recognized to be Loveman’s team, surprise gaye way to alarm and anxiety. The sled caught up with the train, and, there being no movement on it, several of the men rushed up, and, throwing off the deerskins, discovered Love- man, who was just awaking. It was a joyous though unex- BREAKING UP OF THE RIVERS. 495 pected meeting for all parties, particularly so to Loveman, who had abandoned all hope. He said he thought it was a dream, and for some time did not dare to believe his eyes. The knowledge that there was a good supply of provision awaiting their arrival at Markova very much revived the spirits of the Myan party, so much so that all whose term of service expired that spring made fresh agreements to remain another year. They now laughed over their past experiences, and many declared that they preferred horse-flesh to poor deer-meat. Upon the arrival of these last sleds they were again out of supplies altogether. Mr. Frost was just on the point of killing a dog, which he proposed to pass off upon his men as a rabbit, if sleds should not immediately arrive with provision. W e now had in Markova tea, sugar, flour, rice, and beans sufficient to last us until the loth of July, by which time the vessels would certainly be at the mouth of the river, and bacon enough to sustain the party during the freshet, after which deer and fish could be obtained in abundance. Poor Robinson’s remains still lay buried in the snow-drift at Telegraph Bluff Yourt. It had been my intention to pro- cure sleds and carry them to the Gulf Station for interment, but this I had found absolutely impossible. Now, as soon as the freshet should subside, I proposed taking a carbass and proceeding down the river for that purpose. The arrival of the Ghijigha sleds inaugurated a change in the condition of the inhabitants, and they gave themselves up to eating and dancing. They appeared to be well sup- plied with every thing in the provision line but food for their dogs. These poor animals were yet in a most pitiable con- dition, and many of them subsisted almost wholly upon the carcasses of their dead companions. We found it necessary to lock up every thing edible, not even excepting our fur clothing, and even to bar up our “ gut” windows at night, as some of the creatures had learned the art of jumping through them, and carrying off any thing they could lay hold upon. This spring was a repetition of the last : long days, beau- tiful midnight sunsets, the arrival of water-fowl, and, finally, the grand breaking-up of the ice on the rivers. This last occurred several days earlier than on the previous year. Last 496 REINDEER , DO OS, AND SNOW-SHOES. year the river did not open until June 6th, and on the cor- responding day this year it was sufficiently clear of ice for our party to leave Markova with all their supplies for the Myan Station. We went in three carbasses by the Myan Protok, stopping the first night at Crepast, and camping the second near the junction of the protok with the Myan River. On the Myan we encountered a powerful current — so strong, in fact, that we could make no headway against it rowing, and were obliged to put lines of seal-thong ashore and tow the boats. This was necessarily very slow and irksome traveling, and frequently disagreeable, as the men had to wade in the wa- ter a good portion of the way. As we advanced up the stream we began to encounter the habitations of many of the natives, who had preceded us for the purpose of spearing deer. At one of these places frames of poles extending along the bank were literally black with drying meat, and upward of fifty deer freshly speared were lying in the water, tied up to shore, waiting to be dressed and cut up. The natives had already killed one hundred and twenty at this crossing. It w~as a novel sight for many of our party, and must have been a most cheering one for the natives themselves. In fact, every where we encountered them they were doing nothing but eating, and, as we approached, they would joy- ously point to the stacks of deer-meat, exclaiming, “ Look there, barin, no more starving now.” At intervals all along the river we saw the white carcasses of deer floating on the water, tied up to shore, and partially covered with brush to protect them from the sun. In this way they will keep many days ; but a slight taint does not spoil them for the native taste. Several hundred of these animals had already been killed in this locality. The Myan here is a very winding stream, with short bends, and the neighboring shores are cut up by innumerable pro- toks. Geese swarmed the low mud shores by thousands. Upon our approach they rose into the air, blackening the heavens, and causing the whole atmosphere to vibrate with the thunderings occasioned by their flapping wings, and cre- ating a din with their startled outcries that could be heard DEER-HUXTIXG OX THE 21 TAX. 497 for miles. Other water-fowl were also very abundant. Ev- ery few moments our attention would be attracted by the whirring sound made by flocks of ducks of every variety rushing by over our heads, and the trumpeting notes of swans as they came slowly sailing in pairs down the valley. Three or four miles below Myan Station we came upon the temporary encampment of Illia. At that point was a large bend, just below w'hich we encountered a stronger current than we had met with elsewhere during the trip. It was with the greatest difficulty that our boats could be towed against it, and, besides, the banks were very unfavorable for the men to walk upon, being high, steep, and covered with brush. The two other carbasses which preceded ours suc- ceeded without much difficulty in passing this bad place, but when we had towed about half way up our seal-thong gave way with the strain upon it, and, before two of us who were riding in the boat could get in to shore again, we were swept back to the starting-point. Once more the line was attached, and this time we effect- ed the passage. This incident, though trivial in itself, was the cause of our witnessing a very pretty as well as novel sight which the other boats missed. On the opposite shore Illia and another native had a small brush hut, from which they kept constant watch for the crossing of deer. Seeing our boat, Illia pad- died across in his vetka, and joined us at a point where was an eddy in the current, half a mile above his hut. He informed us that he and Constantine (his companion) had already killed upward of two hundred deer. If any of the natives deserved success, he did, for he was the most dis- interestedly generous person I had ever had the good fortune to meet. We talked about fifteen minutes, and then start- ed on, he paddling back across the river, but had proceeded only a few yards, when, stopping his vetka, he motioned us to stop also. In a moment a large buck came in sight on the point of a bend one hundred yards distant ahead, and, after scanning the river, immediately turned back into the woods. Illia then hurried across, and took his station at the foot of a steep bluff, near where the deer, in swimming, had to land, as for nearly three miles the bank was high and steep, and af- Ii 498 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. forded but this one place for them to get out. We waited some minutes, and, being able to see nothing, started on, when Illia again motioned us to wait. The next minute, just ahead of us, between forty and fifty fine deer gracefully sailed out into the stream from beyond the bend, going di- rectly for Illia’s vetka. It was a beautiful sight to see them noiselessly gliding across the river in a solid phalanx, with their wide-spread antlers swaying gently back and forth with the motion of the waves. Nevertheless, we could not but feel some sympathy for them. The unsuspecting creatures gradually drew near to the cliff, beneath which we could see Illia sitting in his vetka, as still as the rock above him, with his long light spear resting over his shoulder, and his paddle strongly grasped, ready to make the quick strokes that were to bear him into the midst of the herd. In the mean time we saw Constantine launch his vetka at the lookout, half a mile below, and, with crouching figure, glide rapidly up the stream, closely hugging the shore to escape detection ; but he was too late, for ,now the deer were within six rods of Illia. Suddenly all was life. His glistening paddle -blades cast a shower of sparkling water-drops about the vetka; it plunged forward, and in an instant the long spear was deal- ing death-strokes with surprising rapidity in the very midst of the bewildered herd. Before they could recover their sur- prise twenty-three of them were lanced ; the remainder scat- tered, some continuing on their course, and about a dozen heading back across the river directly for our carbass. We seized three of our breech-loading carbines from the boat as quickly as possible, and jumped ashore just as the first deer stepped on land, one hundred feet distant. I leveled my gun, and, getting a good sight, pulled the trigger, but there was no »report, and the deer slowly trotted past me and disap- peared in the woods close by. I leveled on two others in the same way, within very short range, but the hammer of my gun refused to fall, having got rusted on the trip. Nor did my companions have any better success. Three loaded rifles were in our hands, and yet five deer passed so near to us that they almost splashed water upon us as they waded out on shore. I will not attempt to convey an idea of our feelings ; suffice it to say that, in my opinion, this was one of the occa- TO AND FROM MTAN STATION 499 sions on which a man is excusable if for a moment his tongue gets the best of him. But other deer were yet swimming toward us, and I made desperate efforts to discharge my gun, to be prepared for them. At last I succeeded, the ball sailing harmlessly across the river, and then reloaded. By this time three other deer were about reaching the shore within a stone’s-throw of us, and the three waded slowly to land, and trotted across the beach into the woods under the very muzzles of our guns. This was beyond endurance. Again I got the gun off when there was nothing to shoot at, and reloaded in time to drop the last one of a band of five that swam toward the boat. We were all in too bad a humor to be elated by this, so small a triumph, and, having a supply of meat in our boat sufficient for present use, left the animal lying where it fell, for Illia to make use of. In addition to the twenty-three speared, three others were caught in snares suspended over the path which led up the steep bank. These snares were simply slip-nooses made of seal- thong, in which the deer’s antlers became entangled. Had Constantine, Illia’s companion, seen the herd in time to help kill them, not one could have escaped. The river was about five hundred yards wide. While watching for deer the natives observe the greatest quiet. They will sometimes allow days to pass without build- ing even a fire, if the wind be blowing toward the direction from which the deer are migrating. The scent of smoke will often turn them back, or cause them to pursue some other route. We reached Myan Station at 10.30 P.M. of June 10th. On the 12th, having made the necessary arrangements for rafting poles, in company with Mr. Jared Norton and Ivan Ermech- koff, a native of the Lamutka tribe, I left the station, bound for Telegraph Bluff Yourt, on the Anadyr, to secure the re- mains of Robinson, and have them interred at the Gulf Sta- tion, on Golden Gate Bay. Ivan, our native companion, had proved a valuable friend during our past winter’s miseries. He was one of our raft crew the previous year. 500 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. CHAPTER XXXIII. Down the Myan in a Carbass. — Rain. — Hunting Eggs. — Avaram. — Provid- ing for Rafting -parties. — Ruined Watch-tower. — Lone Mound Yourt. — Approach to Telegraph Bluff. — Magpie. — The Remains. — Interment. — Supplies give out. — Gull’s Eggs. — Gale. — Ticklish Passage. — Camp Mac- rae. — Wanton Destruction. — Demolished Yetka. — House unroofed. — Au- dacity of a Bear. — Golden Gate Bay. — Ice. — The Wreck. — Blue Boat. — Our Welcome. — Launch of the Wade. — Renovated. — Health of Party. — Death of Geddes. — Dixon. — The Burial. — Extracts from Robinson’s Jour- nal. — Fearful Poorga. — Kelly lost. — Another Adventure. — A Night on the Tundra. — Frozen insensible. — Party to the Rescue. — Amputation. — Rude Implements. — Break-up of the Ice. — Damage to Wreck and Change of Position. — Effects of extreme Cold on Metals. — Electricity in the Air. — Auroras. — Mr. Farnam and the Commissariat. — Outdoor Exercises and Sports. — Loading the Steamer. — First Trip up the Anadyr. — Curiosity of the Tchuctchus. — Huk-ho! — Reinterment of Robinson’s Remains. — River Navigation. — Celebration of the Fourth of July. — Macrae. — First Raft. — Harsh Treatment. — Arrival of the Clara Bell. — Work abandoned. — Dis- appointment. — The Enterprise. — Major Wright. — Last Trip of the Wade. — Outrageous Economy. — No Provision. — Captain Redfield. — Mason. — Leave-taking. — Farnam’s “Gash.” — Farewell. — The Graves. — Departure. — Plover Bay. — Old Friends. — “There she blows!” — Killing and cutting up the Whale. — Ravenous Natives. — Tongue and Bone. — Redfi eld’s De- light. — Homeward bound. For our boat-journey down the Anadyr we took the small- est of the three carbasses used by the party in coming from Markova. It was an old and not very safe craft, but, for mild river navigation, we thought would answer every pur- pose. The current being with us all the way, we could float toward our destination night and day if the weather should permit, and, if it should be too rough for traveling, we could afford to lay by at intervals. Not wishing to diminish the supply of provision at Myan Station, we contented ourselves with a little hard bread, tea, and sugar for the journey, think- ing we would no doubt be able to procure meat and fish at the camps along the river. At 11.30 A.M. on the 12th of June our boat was loosened from shore and our journey commenced, Ivan taking the first pull at the oars, and myself as steersman. During the whole trip we alternated, each taking his turn at the oars, steering- DOWN THE MY AN— EGG-HUNTING. 501 paddle, and his comfort. We stopped long enough at Illia’s to get some deer-tongues and fresh and jerked meat, and then continued on our course until 10 P.M., when we pitched our canvas tent on the east side of the Myan, just below the mouth of the Myan Protok. The next day it was quite windy, but we traveled until 9 P.M., and camped upon an island in the Myan. The 14th it rained hard all day, so we did not take our departure until night. From that time we traveled almost incessantly, day and night, until our arrival at the mouth of the Baillee River, merely stopping from time to time to make search for geese and duck eggs on some of the small islands. These we found in the greatest abundance, but, out of several hundred, only one was good to eat, according to our notions, though Ivan fared sumptuously. At the mouth of the Baillee old Avaram and several com- panions had been also securing their share of migrating deer. He was in such good spirits that we actually succeeded in making him laugh over the time he capsized his vetka in Vac- carana Protok, when the birds whistled. After making arrangements with these natives to supply the rafting parties with fresh meat as they should pass by, we continued our course, stopping by the way to visit an old wooden watch-tower just below the mouth of the Baillee. At this place stood a Russian settlement a great many years ago. A sentry was formerly kept continually posted on the tower to watch for the approach of hostile Tchuctchus. This structure was nothing more than a small platform, erected on four posts about twenty-five or thirty feet above the ground. It was evidently very old, being moss-covered and rickety, and had such a tumble-down appearance that we did not dare to ascend it. Our champion Yandenkow, the Tchuctchu, had left Oocho- stika by the time we reached that point, so we did not see him. At the “ Lone Mound” Yourt, between Oochostika andTchi- kiowa, a bear had taken up his abode very unceremoniously. His bed of brush lay at the very entrance to the house, but his lordship happened to be out when we called, and, not having time to wait for his return, we pushed on. At length we approached Telegraph Bluff Yourt, but not without expe- 502 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. riencing feelings of dread. The snow had by this time en- tirely melted from the tundra, and we feared lest we should find that the remains had been molested by animals. As we approached, the only sign of life that met our vision was a solitary magpie perched on the ridge of the hut, keeping lonely vigil over all that remained of our friend. The mo- ment the boat touched shore we ran eagerly up the bank to the hut, and, greatly to our surprise as well as gratification, found the body just as Macrae and party had left it, with the exception that the snow shroud had vanished. The boughs that had been planted in the snow around it had afforded ample protection from the sun’s rays. We had brought a pick and spade with us from Myan Station, and, after digging a grave, gave the body a temporary burial, intending to send up and have it removed to the Gulf Station the first oppor- tunity that offered. This was on the 21st of June — just four months after his death. Up to this time, with the exception of two days’ rain at the commencement of our journey, we had been favored with beautiful and generally calm weather ; slight winds had, how- ever, from time to time somewhat impeded our progress ; but a little wind was by no means objectionable at this season of the year ; it served as a great protection against the clouds of ravenous musquitoes that were now beginning to infest every cubic inch of air within stone’s throw of the earth. Below Telegraph Bluff Yourt we had not only winds to contend with, but the tides also much impeded our progress. This proved somewhat annoying, as more time had been con- sumed in making the journey than we had allowed for, and our scant supply of provisions was reduced to two days’ sup- ply of tea and sugar, and a few pounds of tainted jerked meat. Nevertheless, we made tolerable headway until after round- ing the bend in the river near Chimcha Mountain. From this point, it will be remembered, the river turns abruptly to the east, and flows in that direction for about twelve miles to Camp Macrae. Here we were met by a furious gale of wind sweeping up the river from the sea, and raising such waves that we did not dare for a moment to risk our dilapidated old carbass among them. A small island near by, of not more than a quarter of an acre in area, afforded us shelter and room AT CAMP MACE AH. 503 for pitching our tent. To our astonishment, the ground was literally covered with gulls’ nests. Our caps and handker- chiefs were soon filled with eggs, hut these, like the goose eggs we had found above, had just passed that point when they are condemned as unfit for use. Here we were detained until the next day, and, as then there were no indications of a lull, we attempted to track along the most protected shore. During this and the next day we succeeded in working down to a point of land three miles above and on the opposite bank of the river from Mac- rae’s old camp. But now the most serious obstacle present- ed itself. The river at this point was upward of a mile and a half in width, and the gale of wind, blowing against the strong current, produced a short chopped sea, rolling up waves of sufficient magnitude to make navigation somewhat dangerous for a much better boat than our moss-chinked, low-sided carbass. The night before we had consumed our last ration of jerked meat in preparing a soup for dinner, and no other food was to be had until we could reach the old camp, where Macrae had been obliged to abandon the beef and pork on his winter journey up the river. It was out of the question to think of making a passage di- rectly across the river broadside to the waves. We could not have proceeded one hundred yards before being swamped. There was no other alternative but to make a straight cut for camp, four miles distant, keeping the boat well headed to- ward the wind : this we attempted, not without great reluc- tance, but finally reached the opposite shore, perfectly wet through with spray, and our boat half filled with water. Upon reaching camp, our first steps were toward the hut to procure some beef and pork to appease our appetites, which were by this time unpleasantly sharp. A display of wanton destruction met our gaze, much like that of the year before, but teeth and claw marks on all sides showed that this time other than human agency had been at work. My vetka, which had been left here the previous fall, was clawed to pieces, and nearly half the roof of the cabin was destroyed. Inside, the beef and pork barrels left by Macrae had been shattered to pieces by the bear or bears, and every ounce of the pork had been devoured, considerably to our disappoint- 504 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. ment. Mikhael Ivanitch evidently did not relish the beef so much, but had rolled and tumbled it into every part of the room ; and, finally, after disposing of every thing to his taste, was so much pleased with the “ tout ensemble” that he had made him a bed and settled down to a quiet possession of the establishment. After his pork rations had given out he had changed his quarters, as none of the signs appeared less than a week old. The next day, June 26 th, the gale subsided, and we re- newed our journey along the open bay below to Cape Large, the point of land bounding the entrance to Golden Gate Bay on the west. Up to this time we had encountered no ice whatever, but the entrance to this bay we found nearly choked up with masses of it, which had been sweeping back and forth with the tides all the spring. Through this we ef- fected a safe passage, keeping a sharp lookout as we rounded the point for some signs of the wreck, the fate of which we were curious to know. At length we descried her, apparently unchanged except in her position. She was, to all appearances, much nearer the station than in the fall. In a few moments the station build- ing came in view, and shortly afterward we could see groups of men gathering on the beach, apparently watching our boat, as if uncertain what to make of it. Now they rush for the blue boat, which they launch, and in a few moments we are welcomed back to the station by a crew of as healthy, hardy, and happy-looking individuals as I have ever seen. They were in the best of spirits, from Mr. J. H. Robinson, the offi- cer in charge, down, having only an hour before launched the steamer Wade, which they had thoroughly repaired, fresh- ly painted, and in many respects greatly improved upon her former condition. Under the able direction of Mr. Forbes, the engineer, her boiler and steam-pipes had been covered with old rope and canvas to keep the heat in them, and her engines overhauled and painted. Several changes had also been made in the construction of her deck-house with regard, to draught for the furnace, and comfort for the officers and men attached to her. Both the land party and the crew of the wrecked barque were in the best of health and spirits; but, as I approached ROBINSON'S REPORT. 505 the station, my eyes met an object which proclaimed too truly that they had not altogether been exempted from sor- row and misfortune during the past winter. A low mound, with a neat head -board and appropriate inscription, an- nounced the last resting-place of one of their party — Charles E. Geddes, carpenter of the barque Golden Gate, who died April 28th, at 5 A.M., after a long and protracted illness, of remittent fever, complicated with acute rheumatism. Mr. Robinson, in his report of the winter’s proceedings, states that “ every effort that could be made to save his life was made by Mr. Dixon, who was up night and day with him from the time he took seriously ill until his death. His body was buried April 30th, at 10.30 A.M., under the supervision of Captain Harding, with every respect that could be shown to the memory of the deceased.” The Episcopal service was read over the grave by Captain Harding in the presence of the members of the party, who attended in full uniform. With this exception the health of the party had been very good, though some of them suffered very much from frost- bites. Mr. Kelly, one of the wrecked passengers of the Gate, was particularly unfortunate. The following extracts from Mr. Robinson’s report and journal briefly sum up the experiences of the party and the most interesting features of the winter since Mr. Macrae’s de- parture from the station on the 18th of February : The evening after Lieutenant Macrae’s departure a heavy storm sprang up from the southeast, which kept on increas- ing until the morning of the 21st, when the wind suddenly changed to northwest, and blew the most fearful gale we have experienced during the winter. The snow drifted so thickly that we were unable to go a hundred yards from the house without being lost. M. J. Kelly, Colonel Wicker’s clerk, was lost during the morning in attempting to go a dis- tance of about one hundred yards from the station. Imme- diately after he was discovered to be missing guns were fired to attract his attention, and several of the party started in pursuit, but failed to find him, as they dared not go out of sight of the house. Mr. Kelly, by accident, found his way back, after being out about half an hour, so badly chilled through that he was unable to leave his bed for several days. Several other members of the party were lost during the day, 506 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. but found their way back to the station without suffering to any great extent. During this time Mr. Robinson told me that they found it necessary to stretch a rope from the station building to the sailors’ house, a distance of fifty yards, that the men in the latter might not lose their way while going to their meals. March 31s£. — Weather clear and very cold; the ther- mometer at 6 A.M. —50° Fahrenheit. Last evening Mr. Kelly asked permission to leave camp for two or three hours, stating that he was going out for a walk. I retired at the usual hour, supposing he had returned, as the men did not re- port him absent. At 7.30 this A.M. we were all startled by a report that Mr. Kelly was out on the ice so benumbed that he could not walk. Several of the men were immediately sent in pursuit, and at 8 A.M. returned with him frozen stiff, and life almost extinct — his senses and speech were gone. After rubbing the frost out of him, which took half an hour, consciousness returned, so that he was able to utter a few in- distinct sounds. By noon he had so far recovered that he was able to eat a little light food. He and Mr. Young, one of the sailors, visited a Tchuctchu encampment about three miles from the station late last evening, and, in attempting to return after dark, lost their way, and wandered about over the tundra and ice all night, not knowing where they were. At daybreak they saw the ship, and found they were eight miles southeast of the station. Mr. Young succeeded in reach- ing camp in a half-frozen condition, but Mr. Kelly’s strength failing him when within a mile of the station, he sat down to rest, where he remained unconscious until picked up by the party in pursuit. On the 17th of April Mr. Dixon amputated the fore and middle fingers of his right hand, they being so badly frozen that all Mr. Dixon’s efforts to save them proved fruitless. Mr. Dixon deserves great credit for the able manner in which he performed the amputations, having nothing to perform the operation with but the most rude implements. These consisted of a handsaw and jackknife to do the cutting with, and a pair of old rusty tweezers to pick up the arteries. The operation was performed in two hours’ time, the patient be- ing under the influence of chloroform. Mr. Kelly is now rap- idly recovering. On the 23d of June the ice in Golden Gate Bay and Wade River broke up without any noise whatever, and on the 27th the bay was clear. About half of the ice that went out ELECTRICAL PHENOMENA. 507 on the ebb came back with the flood tide. This I think was caused by a heavy easterly gale that blew from the 23d to the 26th, and the small quantity of snow that fell during the winter being insufficient to create a current on Wade River strong enough to counteract the flood tide. The Tchuctchus informed me that the ice generally ran out on the flood as well as the ebb tide. On the 24th of J une the wreck was driven to within two miles of the station by the pressure of the ice, which left her grounded in four feet of water at low tide, and nine feet at high tide. She was harshly treated by the spring ice, hav- ing portions of her port bow and starboard side carried away. Speaking of the effects of extreme cold upon metals, Mr. Robinson says: My observation of the contraction of wdre during the coldest weather we had (—65° Fahrenheit) convinces me that it will require three hundred and sixty pounds of wire to the mile* to stand this severe plimate. From observa- tions taken at the temperatures of —62°, —64°, and —65° Fahrenheit, I found the contraction to be three inches to two hundred and ten feet, or six feet three inches to the mile. From some very imperfect observations made during the winter with common wrought iron, I am led to believe that the large quantity of electricity in the air during the winter months pervades iron to such an extent as to prevent it from becoming brittle, as is usually the case in cold climates. How- ever, if this be true, it will not prevent the contraction of the wire, but will make it less liable to break when it tightens up in winter. The amount of electricity in the air, even during the sum- mer months, is surprising. Mr. Robinson, at the time of my arrival, had constructed about three miles of telegraph line, and had put up an instrument and battery in the station. There was no time scarcely when we could not dispatch messages over this length of line without the aid of the bat- tery, though the natural current of electricity was hardly strong enough at all times to operate reliably. During the past winter many auroras had been seen both here and at Anadyrsk, but none of surpassing beauty, al- * Ordinary No. 9 telegraph wire weighs three hundred and twenty-three pounds to the mile. 508 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. though they were almost a nightly occurrence. They were, however, of short duration, rarely lasting more than half an hour. Strange as the fact may seem, I did not witness one of these phenomena during my first winter’s journeyings in the vicinity of the Okhotsk Sea, though Messrs. Kennan and Dodd, while on the Anadyr, were treated to several most gorgeous displays. Thanks to Mr. Farnam’s able management of the provision department, the stores at the station had held out finely, and there was yet a very good supply on hand — enough, at least, to last until the arrival of the expected vessel, though the variety was much reduced. At the approach of warm weather the deer-meat remain- ing on hand became unfit for use, but, by the industry of the men, the table was very well supplied with geese, and ducks, and fine trout taken from the tundra lakes. All during the winter, whenever the weather permitted, the men had devoted much time to hunting and fishing, but generally with poor success. They, however, persevered in their efforts, more for exercise than any thing else, and fre- quently resorted to the smooth ice on*Wade River to play base ball, run foot-races, and engage in other games for the same purpose. These sports they sometimes indulged in at a temperature as low as — 52° Fahrenheit. This abundant out-of-door exercise was the undoubted cause of the remark- ably good health of the party. Mr. Jared Norton and myself reached the station on the 26th of June, after fourteen days’ sailing. The 27th was de- voted to loading the steamer with coal to be deposited at Oochostika. Her small capacity would not allow her to carry much load in addition to the fuel necessary for a trip up the Anadyr and back, and by making deposits of fuel at this point from which to replenish her supply, this difficulty would be obviated. The same day a neat coffin was made to receive the remains of Robinson, and on the 28th we start- ed for our first voyage up the Anadyr with steam. The Wade worked much better than during the previous fall, and we encountered no^ difficulty whatever until we ap- proached the mouth of the Anadyr, seven or eight miles be- low Camp Macrae. Here we found the water very shoal (as, STEAMING ON THE ANADYR. 509 in fact, it is all through the inner bay we had just crossed), and the channel was very intricate, so much so that we grounded a number of times, though the draught of the Wade was only two and a half feet. We anchored a num- ber of buoys at this place, but the strong current of the river immediately swept them beneath the surface. Above Camp Macrae we had much less difficulty, the chan- nel being deep and wide, though we grounded a number of times, as was naturally to be expected, until we had become familiar with all the shoals. After three days’ running against the current,' stopping once for a few hours to read- just some of the machinery which was a little at fault, we reached Oochostika and landed the coal, together with some supplies for the rafting party. OOCHOSTIKA. This was the first time since the creation that these tun- dra banks had ever responded in echoes to the shrill scream- ing of a steam-whistle, and it was not surprising that the geese and ducks, startled by the strange sound, arose from their quiet lakes and sailed rapidly far away across the tun- 510 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. dra, or that foxes and the polar hare sprang from their places of concealment and scampered off to other shelter. Even the wild reindeer that dotted the distant hills threw up their heads in astonishment, and then fled in dismay, when, for a second time, the valve was opened, and the escaping steam trumpeted forth the approach of the vanguard of civilization. But their alarm was premature. A few weeks afterward that portion of the world had reassumed its original state of quie- tude, undisturbed except by the old and familiar screams of water -fowl, together with the barking of foxes, baying of wolves, and such other sounds as had been allotted to it from the time of the commencement by the great Creator. The little Wade was the first steam craft that ever plowed these waters, and will probably be the last. Centuries may roll by, and the present age be swallowed up in the dim past be- fore she has a successor ; or it may be — unless, by some great terrestrial convulsion, or by a long, slow process of nature, this soil and climate become better fitted for the abode of civilization — that the next shrill trump which shall resound over these desolate wastes will be that which shall startle both the living and the dead of all climes and ages. The curiosity manifested by' our Tchuctchu friend Yanden- kow and his companions upon our approach was very amus- ing. As the steamer came plowing up the river, they gath- ered on the bank, and stood in perfect amazement watching the large red wheel revolving in the sunlight at the stern, and dashing back the white foam. They were perfectly dumbfounded. With mouths and eyes stretched to the ut- most, they watched her every movement ; and when, at length, she gracefully swept in to shore, the one prolonged exclama- tion “ Huk — ho !” rolled from every mouth. She was most carefully scrutinized from stem to stern, and, upon landing, the whole party rushed aboard to try and discover the great, power that produced such wonderful results. The furnace was peered into, the engines felt of, and even the windlass twisted about. Not being able yet to discover the cause, the whole band squeezed themselves down into the coal-hole to try and solve the mystery. It was impossible to explain it to them with our limited knowledge of Tchuctchu, and, even had we been familiar with their language, I doubt FOURTH OF JULY AT OOCHOSTIKA. 511 whether they could have been made to understand. We in- vited them to tie their boats alongside and take a short ride down the river with us, which pleased them very much; but, upon leaving the craft, they were more perplexed than ever. The return trip to the station was made in two days. At Telegraph Bluff Yourt Robinson’s remains were taken aboard, and afterward buried at the station by the side of Geddes, a neat head-board, with appropriate inscription, be- ing erected to designate the spot. The Wade made two other trips as far as Oochostika, car- rying wire, brackets, and insulators. When the Fourth of July rolled around we celebrated it after the manner in which all Americans usually observe that greatest day in our na- tion’s history. A national salute was fired from one of the ship’s 12-pounders, that had been brought ashore for the pur- pose, and the station buildings and steamer w T ere decked out in our country’s and Company’s flags and signals, presenting a very gay and holiday appearance. Mr. Famam’s fore- thought had also held in reserve several of the dainties with which we had been furnished before leaving Plover Bay, and at the dinner-table our tin plates were burdened with a fare that would have done justice to many another country and climate. On the third trip of the steamer, just below Camp Macrae, we met Macrae and party with the first raft. They left Myan Station on the 26th of June with two rafts of one thousand poles each, but the water had fallen so much on the Myan that the rafts were too deep to float. They then left one of them behind, and divided the other into two smaller ones, which they brought down to deep water. After this, Mr. Macrae sent back a party under Mr. Mason to float down the other. The first raft had been divided up and the poles land- ed at different points along the river convenient for winter distribution with dogs. Their supplies by this time were nearly exhausted, so they continued on to the station to await the arrival of the vessel. These poor fellows had received very harsh treatment from musquitoes and “ moskes.” Some of their faces were so badly swollen that they were barely recognizable. When we rounded Cape Large on our return trip and came 512 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. in sight of the station, we were much gratified at seeing a barque lying at anchor in the mouth of Wade River; but, as we came in full view, our delight was changed to disappoint- ment. She flew the Company’s colors; but one glance pro- claimed all — our great undertaking had collapsed ! Her cop- per sheathing was distinctly visible far above the water-line, showing the absence of cargo, nor had any thing been landed, as the beach was perfectly clear. Our surmise proved cor- rect. The Atlantic Cable was a success, thereby obviating the necessity for telegraphic communication with the Old World via Behring’s Strait. With this great rival in the field, nothing was to be gained by a completion of the work. This announcement, instead of causing that joy one would expect from a band of men who had been exiled from the world and civilization for one and two years, and who had been undergoing privations and sufferings in a cause which affected them so indirectly, was received without a word of approbation. The pecuniary compensation derived from it could not be the cause of their disappointment, for, without exception, they all received outrageously small amounts for their services under the circumstances. No ; the truth is, the enterprise was looked upon as a great national undertaking, and one that would do credit to any nation. To construct a telegraph line for upward of seven thousand miles through a wild and hitherto unexplored territory, among savage tribes, and that, too, for the greater portion of the way through an arctic region, where the severest cold had to be endured, to- gether with innumerable other privations, was an enterprise which we all felt a pride in being enlisted in ; and now that the avails were scaled — the greater part of the suffering gone through with, and the heaviest obstacles overcome — to see our pet project abandoned just as we were emerging upon a comparatively smooth and easy path, was by no means grat- ifying. The barque anchored at the station was the Clara Bell, with Major Wright, the adjutant of the expedition, on board. Our instructions were to get every thing aboard as soon as possible to proceed to Plover Bay, the general rendezvous. Mr. Mason and party were yet on the Myan, where also much of the baggage of the men, with various other articles, had TELEGRAPH EXTERPPJSE ABANDONED. 513 * been left. To secure these, at 4 A 31. the next morning the Wade left the station for her last trip on the Anadyr, under the command of Mr. Frost, with instructions to proceed, if possible, to Myan Station, and to hasten the passage, as the Bell had to visit the American coast to gather together the parties yet remaining there. After the intention to abandon the work was announced, the Company had sent an agent to San Francisco to settle up its affairs. Economy is very essential for the prosperity either of an individual or corporation, but when it is carried so far as to send an empty ship two or three thousand miles to relieve parties destitute of supplies, and to bring those par- ties back to civilization without carrying provisions to sus- tain them, it becomes outrageous. The dispatches sent via St. Petersburg during the winter, announcing the critical con- dition of our party owing to the wreck of the Gate, and urg- ing the necessity of speedy relief in the spring, had been re- ceived, so that the authorities at home could not plead igno- rance. Yet when I applied for provisions to sustain my par- ty — our own supplies being about exhausted — I was told there were none to spare. Fortunately, since the opening of the river, the men had caught a number of salmon, and, to provide against a possi- ble emergency, had salted down three barrels full. IJpon these, with quarter rations of bread and a very small quan- tity of other food, we managed to eke out an existence until after our arrival at Plover Bay, when Major Wright had to make a voyage in search of whalers to try and either beg or buy enough food to prevent the parties from starvation. Thanks to the noble generosity of Captain Redfield, of the Manuella, and several other whalers, he secured a sufficient quantity of provisions to place the parties beyond want. The Wade returned to the station on the 25th. She had ascended the Myan as far as Vaccarana, above which point the water became too shoal in places for her to advance far- ther. At this point they met Mason and party with another raft, and, taking them aboard, immediately turned back, find- ing it necessary to abandon the articles left at Myan Station. These I afterward intrusted, to the care of Ivan Ermechkoff (the native who had accompanied Mr. Norton and myself on Kk 514 REINDEER, DOGS , AND SNOW-SHOES. our carbass journey down the river), to be delivered up if called for by any of the Company from Ghijigha, and if not called for to be applied to his own uses. During the absence of the Wade every thing about the station was transferred to the Bell, including spars, rigging, anchors, chains, etc., that had been saved from the wreck, and, upon her return, the loading-up was completed. When every thing was put aboard, the men nailed a painted board over the entrance of the station, giving its name, date of erec- tion, and date of abandonment. Our “ Jack-tar” neighbors, not to be outdone, soon had a similar board erected over their quarters, announcing that theirs was “ The House that Jack built,” with a sketch of its history. To be impartial, and to give an idea of the object for which each building was erected to any straggler who might event- ually find his way to this brink of the world, some wag in the party soon had a sign raised on a pole above the store- house, bearing the words F ARN AM’S GASH. TO LET. After this three lusty cheers were given for the old spot, to which the men had becbme attached in spite of its dreary location, and we left the point for the last time. Before step- ping into the boat, however, we gave one farewell glance to see that nothing was being left behind — but, alas! some- thing icas left behind. There, upon the bleak point, side by side, were two low mounds, with their white head-boards glistening in the warm sunlight. Beneath these lay poor Robinson and Geddes, who had joined our party full of bright hopes and anticipations for the future. Little did they dream that their future was so near at hand, and that their eyes would close for the last time upon this drear, dismal waste. But what care they now? Their white grave-stones may glisten in the cold, frigid rays of the winter’s aurora, or glow and sparkle in the bright effulgence of the midnight sun ; the fierce, howling poorga may rush madly by, tearing up the frozen snow and dashing it against their low graves, or the mild summer breezes creep gently over the tundra, to bathe them in the fragrance of wild flowers. PLOVER RAY.- OLD FRIENDS. 515 Fierce wolves shall dash over the spot in pursuit of their prey; the wild reindeer shall come to crop frozen lichens from their tombs ; the partridge to build her nest between them ; and the startled hare shall take shelter behind them ; but nothing can disturb the departed in this their long, last sleep. The steamer towed the barque out of Golden Gate Bay, and then the order was reversed, the steamer being taken in tow. She was afterward taken to pieces at Plover Bay, and the hulk given to the natives at that place. We had a very pleasant trip, owing to the obliging nature and genial company of Captain John Norton, who command- ed the Bell. No pains were spared either by him or his offi- cers to make our voyage comfortable. At Plover Bay we found Captain Libby and party from Port Clarence ; and afterward Captains Ennis, Ketchum, and a dozen other old friends, who had been leading a life much like our own for the past two years in Russian America, joined us with their parties. These gentlemen all had their exploits, adventures, and ex- periences to relate, and had by no means been idle. Among them was Mr. Whymper, who, it will be remembered, com- prised one of the party that visited us at Camp Macrae from the steamer Wright, after our first winter’s sojourn in the country. Mr. Whymper had. devoted the past winter to traveling and sketching in Russian America.* During our stay in Plover Bay, for shelter we erected large tents from the sails of the Golden Gate, which afforded ample accommodation for the party. Had it not been for the scar- city of supplies, our month and a half’s sojourn would have been very pleasant ; but still we experienced much pleasure in meeting old friends, and mutually recounting our experi- ences. While here we made frequent visits to the vessel of Cap- tain Redfield, which lay at the lower end of the bay. The captain, in all our visits, sustained his generous and hospita- ble reputation ; and we were always welcomed aboard with * A volume of Mr. 'W'hymper’s travels was issued by Harper & Brothers, New York, in the year 1869. It is entitled “Travels in Alaska and on the Yukon.” 516 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNO W-SHOES. a cheerful salutation, and such friendly grasps of the hand as one is reluctant to loosen his hold of. On one of these visits a long-desired wish was gratified — that of witnessing the capture of a whale, and seeing it dis- posed of after the usual method of whalers. “ There she blows !” came from the look-out in the “ crow’s nest,” and the next moment we saw a puff of vapor and water arise from the bay, just inside of the sand-spit. Three boats were soon lowered, and rapidly rowed to the spot. It was a long time before the harpoon was fastened into the creature ; but perseverance triumphed at length, when the huge beast reared almost entirely out of the water, and, with frantic strokes of his powerful tail, lashed the sea into a perfect foam. Finally an opportunity presented itself, when the fatal bolt was hurled from the bomb-gun, and exploded inside of the animal. Immediately after this death ensued. The boat’s flags were planted in the carcass, and the long, tedious job of towing it to the ship’s side followed. In the mean while the ship’s carpenter was busily at work sharpening long-han- dled blubber spades, while some of the other hands were rig- ging purchases. After the carcass w T as brought alongside, and hooked into to prevent its sinking, the huge lower jaw was first detached by means of spades and axes, and hoisted on deck by purchases rigged overhead. The men at the windlass accompanied their heaving with songs the mean while. * The moment the jaw struck the deck, three or four men commenced at it with spades, cutting it up into blocks of fat which they call “ horse pieces.” These are afterward chop- ped into “ mince-meat” before being “ tried out” in the huge caldrons on deck. The rest of the whale is then stripped of its thick blubber coating by hooking into a strip of fat at the throat and heaving at the windlass, in the mean while cutting a deep gash spirally around the carcass. By this means the carcass rolls over slowly in the water, and the long fat strip becomes unwound , as it were, from the body. When the commencement of the blubber strip reach- es the purchases above, a fresh hold is taken lower down with another hook, and the upper portion, being severed from the CAPTURE OF A WHALE. 517 remainder, is lowered to deck, chopped into “ horse pieces,” and thrown into the “ blubber-room” below deck until the time of “trying out” commences. One of the most interest- ing portions of the process was hoisting aboard the tongue — a huge mass of quivering fat, large enough to fill up an or- dinarily-sized bedroom, and so heavy that it made the brig careen, and the mainmast bend with the weight. But the huge upper jaw, with seventeen hundred pounds of black whalebone clinging to it and hanging in heavy slabs from the gums, was the crowning scene in interest. This jaw, with the whalebone attached, when suspended to the rigging, more resembled a large black tent than any thing else, capable of inclosing twelve or fifteen men. “ There, gentlemen,” said the captain, “ look at that. Did you ever see any thing on shore as handsome as that ? And there’s something,” said he, pointing to a vast accumulation of blubber heaped upon the greasy deck, “ there’s something that may look very dirty and worthless to you landsmen, but it is gold to us. There lies the sole inducement for us whalers to abandon all the comforts and pleasures of home, and spend our lives cruising about these out-of-the-way seas, pinched up in little six-by-ten cabins, and undergoing some- times no trifling hardships, to say nothing of the constant risk of life. But I tell you, gentlemen, when we catch fel- lows like this, that will make one hundred and twenty, one hundred and fifty, and sometimes two hundred barrels of oil all in one lump, I tell you it pays us for all our trouble. You people on shore can have all your theatres, and balls, and things of that kind, but we don’t want any thing better than this.” This was a rich harvest for the natives on the spit, and they availed themselves of it. A dozen baideras assembled around the carcass, each crowded with men, women, and chil- dren, all armed with knives, ready for the onslaught. As fast as the fat was stripped off they attacked the exposed lean meat, cutting out large chunks, and casting them into their boats for future use. I think I never before saw such a ravenous set of creat- ures; the same number of famished dogs could not have been more so. Each creature, before commencing to work, 518 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. supplied himself or herself with a long strip of the raw meat, reeking in fresh, warm blood, and, putting one end in his mouth, commenced the work of mastication, at the same time cutting and tearing from the carcass as much as he could seize hold of for loading his boat. In a few minutes they were all dripping with blood from head to foot. All this time we had been waiting for the arrival of Colo- nel Bulkley with the Nightingale, he having gone from San Francisco by the w r ay of Japan. The long and unexpected delay occasioned some anxiety for him and his vessel, but on the 6th of September we were relieved by his arrival. This was the signal for us to get ready for the homeward voyage, and ere long we were gliding under full canvas through the waters of Behring Sea, bound once more for the world and civilization. These we again reached after a short, joyous, and prosperous voyage of twenty-two days. METEOROLOGICAL TABLES FOR THE MONTHS OF OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, MAY, AND JUNE, 1866 AND 1867; TAKEN AT BUSH’S STATION, GOLDEN GATE BAY, NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE ANADYR RIVER, NORTHEASTERN SIBERIA, Latitude 64° 55' N., Longitude 177° 19' E., BY W. D. DIXON, HOSPITAL STEWARD OF THE STATION. METEOROLOGICAL TABLES . 521 Meteorological Table for the Month of November, 1866, Bush's Station, Anadyr River, N. E. Siberia. Maximum Temperature, +28°. Minimum Temperature, —80°. Mean Temperature for November, —7°. 64. 522 REINDEER , DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. 1 i i Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Light nreeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Light Dreeze. Lijrht breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Light nreeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. s Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Lijjht breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. i *: P. . . £ £ g J . . M £ £ £ 1 £ *: pH Clear. Clear. Snow. Snow. Snow. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Cloudy. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Cloudy. Clear. Snow. Cloudy. Cloudy. Clear. Clear. Clear. Cloudy. Cloudy. Clear. Clear. 3 Snow. Clear. Clear. Snow. Snow. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Cloudy. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Cloudy. Clear. Cloudy. Clear. Cloudy. Cloudy. Cloudy. Clear. Clear. Clear. Cloudy. Cloudy. Clear. Cloudy. i s (C 00 £ i t£> 1 * P. 00 OOlOCilOOfflOOOHiOCiSOCONftacCO'iiOISONffl'-CifN +77+ 7777+1 mini 1+++1 i7 7 1 1 7 i s ©*-<®'^TjcaO£iJgaOGgGDgO«50TjT-<i»>' >^’^3 . h . . . | i £ . ^ . '. . >»>»’ i | A z* Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Overcast. Cloudy. Cloudy. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Cloudy. Snow. Overcast. Snow. Snow. Overcast. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Cloudy. Cloudy. Mist. Clear. Clear. Clear. ! £ | 3 Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Overcast. Cloudy. Cloudy. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Cloudy. Snow. Overcast. Snow. Overcast. Overcast. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear.* Clear. Cloudy. Cloudy. Cloudy. Clear. Clear. Clear. A z. 00 § 8 § § § g g S* S 8 8 s' s' 8 8 s s 8 s' 8 § § 8 g 8888 8 § g I | 2 Sg22S§£S;2§Sggggg§g§ggSS§g§gg88gS 8 8 § § g" 8 g" § § § 8 8 8 8 « 8 8888 8 " g 8 § g* 8 8 8 8 g g A §£gg§g§2§gggSggg§Sggg§22g§g§ggg 8 8 8 g g 8 g g g 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 s 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 i j 00 S§SfeSS;2S8gS5SS 00,s,,B S 0 SS838S3SS« 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1 +I++-H 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i s 3S§S3533SgSgSS ono S' <, S' i, 23383g§33Sg 1 1 1 I II 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 I-H-I+++I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 £ .5 ssssasssasssss^^^sssssssssss 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 II 1 1 I + I+++I 1 1 1 1 1 II 1 1 1 1 |ll | Meteorological Table for the Month of January , 1867, Bush's Station , Anadyr River , N. E. Siberia . Maximum Temperature, +26°. Miuimum Temperature, —50°. Mean Temperature for January, — 10°.5. 534 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. Wind. Force. ™ i Strong breeze. Gale. Gale. Gale. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Whole gale. Gale. Light breeze. Calm. Calm. Calm. Light breeze. Calm. Calm. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Gale. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. s < Light breeze. Gale. Gale. Gale. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Gale. Gale. Light breeze. Light breeze. Calm. Light breeze. Calm. Calm. Light breeze. Calm. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Light oreeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Direction. «s & S Weather. WVI "C t3 P O g -O T3 T3 ’TS .J K .g £ £ ^ C « £ C C3 'O > £ £ £ £ £ £ £ 55So cS 5S =ic3=!!3c3 cirtcScSOjcJcSE^grtcicJcieScirt > t-,2,2,2,2.52,5,2 a> ©jw a) « © ® ^isoogiusjiDiuoofl) 5ooo55S55555fe55555o555oi»5o55o55 s < >>*.§§ . >> >> ^ >> hi k! £ § ^> 00 ^ s.’O’C ^ ^ ^ .Jfl'5'C'S o ^ t ^ I.’ SgJJ'SrtggcjSec-gGcsffeScScSrtSEins^rtcScScicScSca ^3>>iJ f 20^^ r 2 t 2a 5 c a, o a>a>lx,a,cooo > <1,QJa,4>a>a)a> 5®oo5oo55oo565fe5o65o556o5o555Q5 Barometer. 00 © 05 » TJH © as 00 rH rH O) ci t- t- CO 50 TjH Ol © OO (M © oiceoer?o?cr?coer5ei?ct'(/jH © os os os os a a a © © © © o © o © © © os os* os © o’ o’ o’ o’ o’ o’ cs cs © ccos o^oicfloiosoieococoeocoeoeocococoojojoicocoeocoeccoccoioict? Thermometer. s 00 OC^C0«0OC5^«DOC0CC0srt ££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ 1 8 P.M. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1++++++++++++++ S i -40 —24 —24 —14 —26 —30 —34 —34 —34 —18 —20 —28 —22 + 6 —10 + 8 +14 +18 +24 +23 +29 +31 +20 +21 +30 +35 +29 +34 +22 ! Date. i Meteorological Table for the Month of May, 18G7, Bush's Station, Anadyr River, N. E. Siberia. Maximum Temperature, +59°. Minimum Temperature, -f 11°. Mean Temperature for May, +33°.75. 528 REINDEER, DOGS, AND SNOW-SHOES. 1 i Light breeze. Light breeze. Very l’ht breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Calm. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Very l’ht breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Very l’ht breeze. Strong breeze. Very 1’ht breeze. Very 1’ht breeze. Very l’ht breeze. Wind. i Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Very l’ht breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Calm. Strong breeze. Calm. Very l’ht breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Very l’ht breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Very l’ht breeze. Light breeze. A (L . fas £ ®a3o5Wcdo2 I 2 £ . . . . . £££££ £ . 1 & Overcast. Clear. Overcast. Overcast. Overcast. Snow. Snow. Overcast. Overcast. Overcast. Overcast. Overcast. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Overcast. Cloudy. Rain. Rain. Clear. Overcast. Overcast. Clear. Clear. Overcast. Rain. Clear. Overcast. Overcast. Cloudy. 1 2 Clear. Clear. Clear. Overcast. Rain. Snow. Snow. Overcast. Overcast. Snow. Snow. •Clear. Overcast. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Overcast. Snow. Snow. Clear. Overcast. Overcast. Overcast. Clear. Clear. Rain. Clear. Overcast. Overcast. Cloudy. &. 00 sssssssssssessassssesssssassfegg 1 s SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSe 2 S 3 S’ § § 3 § 3* 3 S' S S' S' S' S’ S' S' 3 S S 3 S S S’ S 8 S S3’ 3 3 N - 00 1 i TfT?fffTfTfffff?-fTffTfTTffff7ff Mil ii 1"1 l r | l l 1 1 1 l l l 1 l l l 1 1; l | | | | r 2 to ill ical Table for the Month of June, 1807, Bush's Station, Anadyr River, N. E. Siberia. m Temperature, +70°. Minimum Temperature, +34°. Mean Temperature for May, -|-43 0 .6. METEOROLOGICAL TABLES. 529 i t * X Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Light nreeze. Light breeze. Very Pht breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Light nreeze. Very l’ht breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Gale. Gale. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Very Pht breeze. Gale. Strong breeze. s Strong breeze. Light Dreeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Strong freeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. Very Pht breeze. Very Pht breeze. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Light breeze. Gale. Gale. Strong breeze. Light breeze. Very Pht breeze. Very Pht breeze. Strong breeze. Strong breeze. s X . .HHH H EH ooiEaDsdaDadcnaQcdadcdccSHcdoccdczjaDenaQcccDodaD'^^HcdQd i GQaDaQa5afiGD®®ari®iE®\aQ®oriori®Gri®a3GdodaQ(Ea2£?&HaQ Weather. A Overcast. Overcast. Cloudy. Cloudy. Cloudy. Cloudy. Cloudy. Clear. Overcast. Overcast. Overcast. Rain. Rain. Overcast. Rain. Overcast. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Clear. Overcast. Overcast. Overcast. Clear. Clear. Clear. Overcast. Cloudy. i Overcast. Overcast. Clear. Cloudy. Snow. Cloudy. Cloudy. Clear. Overcast. Overcast. Overcast. Overcast. •Rain. Overcast. Rain. Overcast. Overcast. Overcast. Overcast. Clear. Clear. Clear. Overcast. Rain-showers. Overcast. Overcast Clear. Clear. Overcast. 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