The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1856-01-31
Noses ON the Arctic Regions.
xuMpER ~.


NOses on the Arctic Regions.
SunBER ~.
Written for the Pieaeet and p~1ocrs.i
SEARCH FOR NORTHEAST rAssA0E.--krssiI
AND ENGLAND.
RIcaAxp CaAxcrioR. the surviving CON
mander Of the first expedition In search o
q Northeast passage to India, before return
ing home, visited the court Of the Cxar o
Russia, at Moscow. where be Was treatet
as the representative OF Eugland. with tn,
greatest kindness, The Gar sent u letter b,
him to the King % England expressing 4 read
mess TO establish friendly commercial inter
course with that country, and also granting Il
the London company Of merchants before re
ferred to, all the privileges, they could desire
These friendly sentiments, aud the importan,
privileges granted by the Russian sovereign
were regarded by the English as alike pro6,a
bic and gratifying. This was the commence
ment OF the FIRST commercial intercourse DO
tween the two nations, which continued with
out interruption until the beginning OF thu
present war.
Richard CHANCELLOR, who was u man o.
great energy and fine abilities. wrote " III
Book efAs Great aud M,shty Emp'n Of Ras,a
equally interesting for its quaint and simple
style, and very full account Of the condition
Of the Russian Empire at that time VI the
military force of Russia, he says, the Gar Is
lord and Emperor Of many countries, and hi'
power is marvellous great, and he can bring into
the field two or three hundred thousand men.
Before CMAScILoR's account, Russia was
but obscurely known to Western Europe. lie
was. in fact. regarded as the discoyerer Of tha,
country.
The English Government made haste to re-
spond in the most cordial manner, 10 the
friendly sentiments Of the Gar, and CHANcrL-
LoR was sent back with credentials from PHILIP
and MARY, then On the throne. The Car
fitted out three ships, and CnAscxLLom, &C.
companied by the first Russian Embassador to
the English court, sailed for England. The
tutNS NtocSiS vttt ,uANthit'n WIS
droxneJ. hut the Embss ador arrived safely in
London, where he received splendid and
pompous reception. Joy and festivity inaugr-
rated the commercial intercourse of the two
nations. Russia, then an immense mart Of
trade for English merchants, was n Power
worth concilating and winning. Since then
Russia has become. in the progress Of its civil
lzation and expansion, rising rival in the
worlds commerce, the crushing Of which has
been considered by the statesmen Of England,
as worth the cost Of the most terrible war Of
modern times
The association Of London merchants. ON
CnAKcKLoR's return with such glad tdings
from the then gracious Sovereign Of Russia" "
assumed the title Of " The Musoovy Company"
and Immediately after CHASoKLoRs return TO
Moscow-for the spirit Of adventure and dis.
covery was not in the least abatcd by the dis
astrous issue of Sir HuGH WiLLou0aBYs cx-
petition fitted out small vessel, the Search
thrift, under command Of STEPHEN BuRRouoHs,
who was master Of CnAscKLLoR's ship in the
previous expedition. She sailed FROM Graves
end, April 9th, 1886. On the 2lst July,
BuRRouGns reached the island and straits Of
Waygatz, between Nova Zembla and the Con
tinent. Here, at the most distant point then
reached by the English, he met a Russian
trading vessel. the captain Of which, jealous no
doubt Of the rivalry Of these strangers in trade,
represented that the inhabitants on the main
land were cannibals, and even ate Russians 1;
although it was ascertained that the natives,
the Samoides, ut that time knew something Of
the Russian language.
BrRRouGHs reached but n short distance
east Of the river Pechora, and only near to
the west end Of Nova Zembla.
lie, like subsequent navigators, was afraid
20 dash out into the open sea, and attempted 10
MAKE his passage near the main land, where the
ice generally presents the greatest barriers 49,
lie was therefore compelled to abandon pro-
ceeling on his voyage, and returned Thus the
second voyage Of discovery ended without find
lux u w Wv wv W Va ~"
ma was then called. For more than twenty
years afterwards the ~carch for passage TO
China by the Arctic sea was abandoned, and
this interval was spent in lruitls+s attempts 10
find passage by way d the White "a. the
Volga. the Caspian. and Oxns, aud through
lndia---a voyage requiring frequent portng'ss--
a signal evidence Of the ignorance prevailing at
that day among the merchant princes nf Eng
land
Yet the spirit Of enterprise for the passage
which had been ~ earnestly sought, was not
checked by tbe-c repeated failures, which rather
stimulated the provcrbial dogvcd perseverance
of John Bull
In $50. new idea TOOK possession OF the
Muscoyy Company. GERALD MERcAros. was
the greatest Geograpber Of that age, and in
ventor Of the charts bearing his name, and now
in use. A Nctherlander, named AsESms, who
had penetrated eastward along the Arctic
coast. communicated information 20 MERcAros
which confirmed him in the opinion that in his
own language the voyage 10 Caihay China
BY the eas, il donbth-s very easy and short,
and have oitcntimes marvellesl that being 10
easily begun, /, has been lef' III, and the eours'
changed into the West, amer tina, more than
bali Of your voyage has bcen discovered, Far
beyond the island 81 Waygaz and Nova Iem-
bla. there iolIo~eth presently great bay
which on the let side Is enclosed by the mighty