New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-26

No. XXI
EXPERIENCES OF ARCTIC WEATHER.
Corresponi-nee Of The n Y. TrbsnA
HAPARAsDA, Jan. 90. 1857.


HAPARAsDA, Jan. 90, 1857.
We babe final adieu to Muoniovara on the after
noon Of the oath, leaving Mr.. Wolley to wait for
June and the birds in that dismal secusion. In
stead Of resuming skjVts, engaged horses as far
as KeDgs from Herr Forstrom and neghboring
Finn, with a couple of shock headed natives a.
Positions. Our sleds were mounted upon two
rough Finnish sledges. the only advantage Of which
vas to make harder work for the horses-but the
people would have il So The Gun was down. bat
a long. long twilight succeeded, with some faint
show Of a zOdiacal light. There was toerable
track on the river, but our Films walked their
horses the whole way. and We were nearly seven
hours in making Parksjoki. The air was very
sharp; my nose, feet and hands kept me busily EN-
ployed, and | began to fear that was becoming
unusually sensitive TO cold. for the Thermometer
indicated but l5o below zero when we started.
At ParkajOki, however, my doubts were removed
and my sensations explained, on finding that the
temperature had fallen to Az below.
We slept warmly and well on our old bed of
reindeer skins in one corner of the milk-rOom.
When Braisted, who rose first, opened the door,
thick white mist burst in and rolled heavily along
the floor. | went out, attred only in my shirt and
drawers, TO have look at the weather. found the
air very still and KEEN though not painfully cold
but | was still full of the warmth of sleep. The
mercury, however, had sunk into the very bulb
the Thermometer, and was frozen so solid that
held it in the full glare of the fire for about min
ute and half before it thawed sufficiently to
mount The temperature was PROBABLY 500 below
zero, if not more-greater than any we had yet ex
perienced But it was 6 o'clock, and we must
travel. Fortfying ourselves with coffee and lit
tie meat and relying for defense in case of extrem
ity on bottle of powerful rum with which we had
supplied ourselves, we mufiled up with more than
usual care and started for Kihlangi.
We devoted ourselves entirely to keeping warm
and during the ride of six hours suffered very little
except from the gradual diminutiOn of our bodily
temperature. 1t dreary journey, following
the course of the Muonio between black, snow
laden forests. The sun rose to hight of seven or
eight degrees at meridian; when We came over the
same road, on our way north, be only showed hall
bis disc. At Kihlangi the people recognized US,
allow. The old woman cooked part of our reindeer
Joint, which, with half dozen cups of strong cOf-
fee, brought back comfortable warmth to our ex-
tremites There were still "a miles to be tray-
ersed; the horses were already exhausted and the
temperature only rose to -i2o at midday, after
which it fell again. We had terrible journey.
Step by step the borses slowly pulled us through
the snow every hour seeming heightened to day,
as we worked our benumbed fingers and toes until
the muscles were almost powerless, and yet it was
dangerous to cease. Gradually the blood grew
COLDER in the main channels; insidious chills sue
ceeded, followed by drowsy torpor like that which
is produced by heavy dose of opium, until we
were fain to have recourse to the rum, a hOrrid
yitriolc beverage, which burned our tnroats ana
stomachs like melted lead, yet gave us temporary
relief
We almost despaired of reaching Jokjalka, on
fpding, about 10 o'clock at night, that our posti-
lions had taken US to the village Of KOlare, aud
stopped before a large log house. where they
seemed to think we would spend the night. Every
body had gone to bed, We knew not where we
were. and had set our hearts upon the comfortable
euest's-room at Jokijalka II was impossible to
make the fellows undertand me- but they saw
that we were angry, and after short consultation,
passed on. We again entered the snowy woods,
which were dimly lighted up by an aurora behind
us-a strange, mysterious, CHASTITY illumination,
like the phosphOrescent glow of putrefying world.
We were desperately odd, our very blood freezing
in our veins, and our limbs numb and torpid. To
keep entirely awake WIS impossible. We talked
necessarily, making ramOm answers az continual
leetipg dreams crossed the current of our con-
sciousbess. A heavy tiump on the back was par
doned by him who received it, and punch between
the eyes would have ben thankfully accepted, had
it been necessary.
At last, at last Kolac Church on the river bank
came in sight; we crossed to the Russian side, and
drove into the yard # the inn. 1t was nearly
midnight, Az below zero, and We had been for
seventeen hours exposed to such temperature.
Everybody had long ben asleep. Locks and bolts
are unknown hOwGer; so we rushed into the
fomily room, Lit fir splinters, and Inspected the
faces of the sleeping group until We found the land.
lord. who arose and kinded fresh fire in the
milk room. They made us coffee and small bed,
saying that the gusts room was too cold, which
indeed it was, beng little less than the outside
temperature. On o,ening the door in the morning,
the cold air rushed Il as thick and white as steam.
We had little meat cooked but could not eat
enough, at such an early hour, to supply much
fuel. As for takinsany thing with US for refresh
ment on the road, twas out Of the question. One
of our Firms turnd back to Muoniovara with the
LATEST horse, and We got another from our Russian
landlord But il WIS long, long journey to the
next station (2O miles, and the continuance of the