, 1875-03-07

Scenes in Kamtscla1kn a.1d Siberia.
Ne.o FORK 1E4acs.
The weekly Stree lecture to the people " WAS
delivered last evening in the large hall OF Cooper
Institute, by Mr. George Kenoan, Of Medina,
NY. Tho subject chosen WAS ''Life in 81
IBERIA aud Kamtschatka." The lecturer WAS
ono Of an exploring party sent out in 1865
to select the best route for connecting St. Peters,
burg with the United States by telegraph. He
commenced by bumorously and briefly narrating
the voyage OF the party from San Francisco to
the Russian shores, and then de}incated in
grsphic manner the life and occupations OF the
Russian pecsantry. The marriage relations, he
said, we're peculiar. Russian could OBTAIN
wife for sum equivalent to 10ceuts in currency,
and from that upward. After the ceremony WAS
performed at the church feast WIS usually pro-
vided at the reaidence Of the parents Of the
bride, at which the felicity existing between the
taking OF food from the same dish During
the banquet he said it wes customary for
some persons to exclaim "sour" in
the Russian language. at which exclamation
the bridegroom would drop his knife and
fork, aad, throwing his arms around his
wife, would salute her with hearty kisses. The
frequency with which this ceremony was repeat
ed often interfered sadly with their supper. The
speaker next narrated his experience while jour-
neyins on horseback through kamtschatka in
delightfully."- picturesque. Tho deep gorges ln-
terTening betueeo the suow-capped mountains,
the glowing tinss Of the foliage Of decaying
vegetation, were nll better calculated to remind
the traveller Of California than Of that frozen
country The ~temperature for a ahort time ut
that seaGou, 1b 8a1d. mild and genial
Shortly after the beginning Of the month Ut Oc-
,ober, however, the weather. grew cold very rap
idly, and increased in severity at tho end of the
year. Tboro were in kamtschatka large num-
bor Of colonists from Central Asia who had be-
come thoroughly identified with the Russian pop
nlation, having adopted not only tho dress and
manners Of the natives OF the country, but aeo
the language and religion. They we're honest,
sisted chiefly on the products OF eable-trspplng
and fishing. At one time the little party was re-
duced to the lowest extremity. all their provls-
ions had been consumed, and they were COM
PEELED for two days to subsist upon piece Of
bluober originally intended for the pur-
wandering tribe Of Korarz was encountered,
and, after their fright had been assuaged, they
placed before the half-fauished party the best
accommodations at tleir disposal, which con-
deer meat. boll:d to the consistency OF pud-
ding, which, though not Of 4 nourisMng ten
uencv sustained life. The religion OF tho tribe
WIS generally the worship Of the evil spirit, man
Tested by species OF sotcery. After dehneat-
ing The. customs or the inhabitants Of
borealis as Witnessed in that country. The Their
mometer, ho said, frequently indicated from 90 to
60 degrees below zero. but the intensity Of the
cold was leasened by tho heavy suits Of fur In
which tho natives enTelop themselves. The Ice
tnrer withdrew for moment and ar
rayed himself in q fur costume which he
said he had worn during his sojourn in
the Arctic region. The only evidences Of
civilization to be found in that country nero pic
torial papers. He had Seen in one instance .
portrait ct ex-GoF.. Dix, cut from Harper's
Jteekly, framed and hung as eaiut, and before
which prayers we're daily said by the Russian
peasant1y. The speaker closed BY relating the
disappointment Of the party on learning that al
their labor Lad been frnitloss, owing to tho sue
ceakful laying Of the Atlantic cable.