News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-09-14
HARBER,s pERILOUs SEARCH.
Traversing- Siberia in Quest or the
Chips Party.

The first official communication from
Lieutenant B. Giles Harder, since he
left the Melville party, was received at
the Naval Department. 1t bears date
of Viska, near Siberia, June IL, 1882,
and reads as follows:
"On Thursday, April IS, I signed the
contract pertaining to the steamer
General Siminikoff, a copy of which
was translated and sent to you the same
day. Immediately after started north
accompanied by Mr.. Thornam, inter-
prefer, and F. Emanson, seaman. AS
anticipated would be the case, had great
difficulty in getting horses without
being exorbitantly cheated, and had it
not been for the Governor General
strong order which I carried, and the
interpreter, would have been greatly
delayed. The snow had gone from the
ground and the rivers were breaking
up, so the roads were nearly impossible.
| However, we reached Viteem on the 28th
of April, after experiencing every
variety of conveyance and all kinds of
weather. Three hundred and fifty
versts were made in post wagons, 900
versts in sleds-nearly the whole of the
latter being through mud and water,
except when crossing mountains of con-
siderable elevation, where we got snow
and nearly $50 versts were made on
horseback.
"Once only did we experience any
danger, and that occurred just as we
had crossed a river by swimming our
horses, while our baggage was taken in
a small boat. When the opposite bank
was reached wonderful noise from up
the river caused the natives to hasten
up the river bank with horses and par
cells, and the water rose some six feet
perpendicular height in three minutes,
and the river itself was filled with i'm
mense masses of ice in which no boat
could live. We escaped being caught
in this by ten or fifteen minutes.
"When we arrived at Viteem I found
Mr.. Scheutze and the men who had
come with him all well. Mr.. Scheutze,
in accordance With instructions had
sent, had made the journey to Veron-
zofsky Harbor. he had seen the
steamer 1 had chartered subject to my
inspection. He gave an upfavorable
account. The same day I came to
Visks, settlement consisting of the
workshops, houses and people employed
by Bazonaff & Co., and from the acting
director learned that it would be nearly
impossible to get to Voronzofsky.
Though only ITO versts distant it was
through a country in which no person
lived. The only route ever used, the
river, would no longer be safe, and to
go by land would necessitate going
through unbroken forests, over q con-
tinuous series of mountains, and there
were a number of streams to cross.
which could not be crossed on the ice.
nor were boats to be obtained. was
told, furthermore, that the steamer was
being placed in running order, and
would be ready as soon as the river was
open. AS nothing could be gained,
therefore, by attempting to go to vo-
ronzofsky, I concluded to wait here I'M
til the river broke ZIP. and in the mean
time to have two dories built. I also
found boat fifty feet long and nearly
ten feet beat beam, which could readily
be made into schooner sufficiently
large and strong to do work along the
coast"
The Navy Departm ent has letter
from Lieutenant Berry, dated Liberia,
April 4, confirming the report of the
loss of Master Putnam. Lieutenant
Berry writes that the natives at Cape
Wanekurum report that two vessels
drifted ashore at that point during the
Summer of 1881, dismasted, filed with
ice and bearing dead bodies. Nothing
was found to indicate the name of either.
Lieutenant Berry thinks the coast
between Colymsk and Jena should be
searched for Chips party.