New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-18
4 SPRING J0URNEY ACROSS SIBERIA

LIEUTENANT HAIBER'S EXPERIENCES BETWEEN
ToMsK AND IRKUTsK
The following extracts are from private letter
written by Lieutenant g. b. Harder, of the Jeanette
search expedition, just before leaving lrkutsk on
his journey down the Lena Valley:
Alter leaving romsk the roads proved to be worse
than any we had met before. The ruts were deeper
and more frequent. and where no TutS appeared the
snow was deep and unbrOken for II had been snow
ing all OF the preceding day and night The plunges
We made simply fearful and every moment
expected To see the combination OF sapmsS and IRON
called sled 90 in many pieces. Whenever the
driver saw particularly bad place he would lash
his four horses, and nom run We would often come
to a dead stand with Il sensation which only VIVID
imagination can picture without the aid of actual
feeling. Friday morning March III, at u
O'CLOCK, after being nearly three days In gong 300
VeTs. s. entered hrasnoiarsk, our sleds being
dragged over bare ground. In conversation
with the telegraph operator, DANISH gentleman,
formerly III The Danish Navy concluded that lls
services would be almost invaluable 10 me, and
prevailed upon him To leave his Office. where he was
poorly paid, and come with me. his made II neces-
sary TO stay over "a DAY, 10 permit Inn 10 arrange
bis affairs. The next morning, saturday, received
a dspa Oh signed Leach, saying he would be III
KrasnoiaTsk soon, and that he wished me 10 wait
Tor hlm. AT $3.50 p. III. heard my name spoken
with pure accent, and III tones which made me
start. The next minute Leach and Wilson, two men
of the Jeanette, walked into the room, and our
pleasure III meeting was great ana mutual Lieu
tenant DanenhOwer mad sent these men and three
Otuers ahead because it would have been extremely
difficult 10 get horses for sach large party as they
would have made had all travelled together The
others IN after time, and heard the story
the Jeanette and the wonderful retreat over
and water, while gave such late news
could recall. these men were looking extremely
we'll and they expressed the strongest desire 10
turn with Ine assist IN the search In the mean
time preparations for leaving were going on, and at
7;3O y. N. we were in road wagons iOur SledS hay
ing been sent ahead through the mud empyl, said
"GOod-by" TO the brave fellows and started. Al
the fist station again took our sleds drawn tins
time by SIX horses each, Tor we had still several
miles TO 20 before could get snow again. may
say here that al kTasnOlaTsk there never Is much
SNOW, ana 1t is about ihe first place TO cause the
traveller trouble i'll the spring. Al distance Of
twenty thirty Ver>tS heavy SHOWS are again mel.
For two DAYS now had very good roads, and
we made splendid time. Most Of the time we had
tour or five horses TO each Sled for the snow was
fast disappearing and had entirely gone III many
places Al eighty VeIsts from MINI OdnSk We had
to give up slcds altogether and take pOst-wagOnS,
huge affairs WltHOut springs. that III gong over
the rOads of Ice ana mud We had very unComtOrt
able time. Al 1:2O a. M We drew up at the house
III Mini Udmsk where Lieutenant DanenhOwcr and
and Mir. NewcOmb 1T the door when
alIghted ana without thought of Russia Russian
Gus, prevailed III our greeting. We were, ind ed,
full ol JOY, and for few minutes gave Iuli expires
sion 10 our feelings. During the . st ana the
I'D gathered the Story OF the ml,fOTtuHes and for
tunes which these men have met aud aIso got what
INF rlnation Danenhower could give about the
tnods of search winch could be employed. At
1880 y. IN. Oh The I'D we pushed on and without
adventure of any kind reached lrkutsk at p. III.
ne