Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-07-04
NORTHERN RUSSIA.

NOhIAERN RUSSIA.
While in the southern part of the vast
Russian empire, fertile soil and plea
SAINT climate allow of all the agricultural
productions OF the temperate zone, the
northern sections ofthe country are bound
throughout great portion of the year,
in ice and frost of an Artic temperature.
The consequence is that, while in the
great rivers of Siberia, which flow to-
wards the north, are, near their sources,
filed with water, the mouths of their
channels near the sea are stilled locked In
impenetrable ice, and the waters finding
their outlet thus closed, rise above their
banks and overflow a vast extent Of coun-
try, rendering it spinhabitable in north
ern Siberia between the FIRST Of October
and the first of June the mercury in the
thermometer rarely rises above the freez-
ing point, and in January it sometimes
indicates sixty-fye or seventy degrees be-
low zero.
1t is difficult to conceive Inhabitants
in SO desolate and forbidding a region as
this, where nature hes shrouded in almost
perpetual winter and yet, in the sum
mer months, the country teens with ami
NAL life. Countless herds of reindeer,
elks, black bears, foxes, sable, and grey
squirrels, fill the upland forests; stone
foxes and wolves roam over the low
grounds enormous flights of swans, geese
and ducks arrive in the spring, and seek
deserts where they may moult and build
their nests in safety eagles, owls, and
gulls pursue their prey along the sea
coast; ptarmigan run in troops among
the bushes little snipes are busy along
the brooks, and the morasses; the social
crows seek the neighborhood of mems
habitations; and when the sun shines in
the spring, one may even sometimes hear
the cheerful note Of the finch, and in au-
tumn, that Of the thrush. Man, ubiqui-
tous man, may be found their at ell sea
sons, although his life is a continual con
flict with privations and suffering. In
most cases he is impelled by necessity ;
in some cases by avarice or adventure.
The summer afording an ample supply
Of fish and flesh for food and in the au-
tumn he may gather from the immense
shoals of herring which enter the rivers,
an abundant provision for the winter.
Those men who are iInpelled by de-
sire for gain TO seek an abode in these
inhospitable regions employ themselves
chiefly ia hunting and trading for furs
aud ivory. A singular place, indeed, to
hunt for ivory, as the animals from which
this material is principally procured, ex-
ist only in the warmest countries n the
world. But it is well known that All
enormous quantity Of elephant and man
moth remains abound upon the frozen
shores Of Siberia, the ivory Of which.
buried, as it must have been for thou
sands Of years, Is as sound and perfees 3
that supplied by the task Of the living
animal. The multitude Of these huue
remains, together wifh the bones of a
great variety OF other animals that arc
found along the northern coast Of Siberia
and on the numerous islands Of that Po.
Lar ocean, buried 10 masses Of ice. and
IN the frozen mud banks Of the river
near their mouths, i almost beyond be.
lief The traveller here may well cay il
The language Of the post
Fl saw me old worlds shl.s and xzss susp.
bones,
giAat heap of oFsataees thai haG besni
Pa ard eoafta'd fss bspkea skslsloaa
Lay sfssy1 beyoag asins eyes Fsnsossss tsls''
Henderstroms 10 work Published
nearly thirty years since, eays that
These bones Or tusks are less large
and heavy the further we advance to-
wards the north, 50 that itis rare oe.
enrrenoe On The island 70 meet with !
iask more than shTse pod ia wsighs.