Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-05-26
Northern Siberia.

Xu0 uOTtucEu part VI SiD6El6e Wu0F0
Captain De Long and part of the crew.
OF the Jeanette at present find them
selves, is the least-known region of the
habitable globe. Travellers have pene-
Grated Central Africa, the districts Of the
upper Amazon, the remote regions of
the interior of Asia, and exploring ex-
petitions have Thoroughly examined all
the northern part of the American con-
&inent, with its adjacent islands and wa
ter-ways. The results of these extended
observations have appeared in many
hundred scientific treatises and volumes
OF travel, large portion of which have
either been first printed in English or
afterward translated into that language.
These have been accessible to every one.
There is no lack of information regard
ing the central and southern provinces
of Siberia, which have been in the pos
session of Russia for more than two hun
dred years. Means Of travel through
them are comparatively easy, and they
have often been described, not only BY
Russians, but by travellers of other Eu-
r0pean nations, who have visited the
principal cities, the prisons, the mines,
and descended the Amour to the eastern
coast of Asia.
With the exception of q few English.
men, and perhaps an occasional Ger
man, none but Russians have penetrated
the inhospitable regions north of
Jakutsk, city about one thousand
miles from the mouth of the Lena. The
whole of the immense territory from Che
White Sea to Behring Strait has been
AiaAnun,roA c.1vsxyovyo6 nd s6ol H.
Russians, few of whose works have been
translated into other languages. The
only one which can be considered full
or Interesting is that of Baron Wrangel,
who spent three years at the mouth OF
the KOlyma, river seven hundred miles
In length, which empties into the Arctic
ocean, several hundred miles east of the
mouth of the Lena. This comes to US
through the German. It was printed
by the Harper's in 1915, and has not
since been supplanted in America. Yet
the strip of country along the north
Siberian coast is full of interest. It is
inhabited by the Tungusi, the Jakahiri,
the Jakuti and the Tshuktschi, branches
of the great Turanian family Of Central
Asia, who in ancient times probably fled
AAAtAAOA w CSC0RO 0OotA 0CtAOu NJ tu0 u6uUS
of their savage neighbors. The
Tshuktschi live farthest to the eastward,
occupying the region in the vicinity and
to the southwark of Behring Strait.
They are mentioned by Nordenskjold,
who wintered in the Vega, near North
Cape. They were also visited BY the
Rodgers. They are the most accessible
to our shores and are specifically
known to American navigetors. The
rivers of Siberia are among the greatest
In the world. The Yenesei Is about 1000
miles long, the Obi 5000, the Indigirka
1000 and the Lena nearly 5000. They
drain the vast watershed formed by the
AltG range of mountains-the back.
bone Of Northern Asia. From q COM
paratively temperate region they flow
northward through broad prairies, i'm.
mense forests and moss-covered steppes,
and empty into q frozen ocean far with
In the Arctic circle. The mouth of the
Lena IS 1,100 miles, while Cape
Chelyuskin, the northernmost point of
Siberia, is less than 900 miles from the
Pole. The rivers, through much of
their course, are navigated during sum-
mer by steamboats,. Near the ocean
they freeze thick at the top, and the ice
sinking forms another thick layer at
the bottom. This not melting soon
enough to make room for the spring
rise, there are often floods which cover
all the country and compel the deser-
ton Of villages. As there is little to be
lost, they can fortunately do small
damage.
What the native tribes. did from me-
cessity the Russians did from love Of
gain. They were drawn thither in pur-
suit Of the skins Of fur-bearing animals,
which have been called the Golden
Fleece of the North. They built trading
stations and established fairs to be held
at regular intervals, where they gave in
exchange for furs sugar. tobabco, can