New-York tribune., 1882-03-12

chorope in st. Lawrence Bay Inc sN cIos'"e
cbanters of the book describe the voyage hoiho-
ward. and while they furnish many proois oi hce''
observation and scientific reflection, are oi necessary
of minor Importance. Yokohama was reacheu Oh
September 2 Hong Kong on November z; oneH on
January 27, 1880; and Stockholm on April -
circuit of 90 50 miles having been completed since
Tho denarture from Karlskrona During this pro-
tracted cruise there had been no sickness OF
serious nature. and only two accdents-a stecrsman
had been thrown over the wheel and badly hurt in
hacking among drift ice and sailor had broken
his arm in falling from the bulwarks in the BAY oil
Naples.
The second general division, which has been out
lined earlier in this review. can only be reierreu W
in the most general terms This is the historical
outline of previous explorations on the siberian
coast Material for these summaries had been col
lected before the expedition was fairly organized,
for the patrons of the undertaking had not been
asked TO furnish dollar for until It's protector had
assured them. after an exhaustive study of all the
records of previous voyages and explorations, that
nearly the whole course had been passed over In
sections at time or another during three cen
tures AMI that there was indlSputable evidence
that durnp August and September belt of clear
water would be found along shore all the way from
Tromsoe to Behring Strait. An outline OF the case
is presented in the introduction, and in subsequent
chapters the evidence unloided IN detail Inc
authOr Yields to the antiquarian impulse at inc
slightest proyocation In the opening chapter
Othere's voyage thousand years ago, the hrSt
doublnr of the North Cape, scandinavian ideas OF
geography in the first half of the sixteenth century
Istomas, Willoughby's and Chancelors voyages
and the oldest maps are brought under review. and
subsequently the history of the Northeast Passage
from 1886 to 1873 and the voyages of the Dutch,
Norwegians Swedcs and Russians are most cX-
haustively discussed. Antiquarian research carries
the author to the engh of making casual references
to Ierodotus SrabO and Pliny, and OF reproducing
ancient and mcdigval maps, but his energy does not
lead him astray when he recOunts the Russian
VOYAGES of the last century, as the mass OF the in
formation furnished is wholly new to English
readers These historical digtessions are some
times made with such painful abruptneSs as to IN
tprrupt the natural course of the narrative, and II IL
possible that the work would have been improved II
all the material of this sort had been collected IN
series of supplementary chapters. 1t entered into
the authors plan, however, to supply historical as
well as scientific summaries at every Stage oi us
northern iourney-to show how the course had been
gradually opened and hat was actually known
ahout each shore along which he passed; and it
will he wiser to recognize the painstakng care aud
pended so the text of the Vegas log-book than to
find fault with the suddenness OF the transitions.
Under the third general head, comparative
sociology. must be grouped several OF the most IN
terestng portions of this work These relate to the
origin, language and mode of life OF the races III
habtinp the Arctic shores Of Siberiaespccally the
Chukches, wish whom the men of the Vega iNed or
such excellent terms during their protmcted
,.l,.1- 90, to,
this peculiar race of honest. gentle bit dirty say
ages have been made by Wrangcll, Luke, Lieu-
tenant w. H. Hooper, Dttmar and other travellers,
bnt the science of sociology is indebted to tie
happy accident which imprisoned the Vega or the
ce-bound coast of Siberia for an exhaustive trea-
tse on the history customs, traits and endcncIcs of
a thoroughly auarchc people. From the first
meeting between the savageS and the Europeans OF
Cane Chclagskoi to the breaking up Of the ice ten
months attcrward special study was made 10y
trained observers of this strange race, and the re-
suits must he regarded with peculiar satisfaction
by so great a master Herbert Spencer The re-
latiOns between these new acIuaintances began
with an effort the part of Baron Nordcnskioid to
procure by barter collection of ethnOgraphcal
articles which corrcspondcd closely with the i'm
p!cncnts of the same class found in old Eshlno
graves in Greenland. An amusing account is gwen
of the difficulty met with in hudIng medium Of
exchange
Nv traffic with the natives was on this occasion
attended with great dtnculty. For suffered from
a sensible want of the first condition Tor the sue
cesSiul prosecution OF commercial undertaking,
Goods i'm demand. Because. during the expeditions
of INzj and 1876 | found myself unable to make
use of the small wares carried with me tor barter
with the natives. and found that Russian paper
money was readily taken, had, at the departure
of the VEGA from Sweden. taken with me only
money, not wares intended tOr barter. But money
was of little use here. A ltwenty-ive rOubie nuie
was less valued by the Chukches Than shOWy soap
box and a gold silver com less than tin or bras
buttons | could. indeed get rid OF few fliy-1rc
pieccs. Int only after | had first adapted them by
boring to take the place of earrings. The only
pTOpcT wares for barter now had were tobacco and
Dutch clay pipes. of tobacco / had only some
dozen bundles, taken from parcels winch Nr.
Sibiriakoll intended to import into Siberia by the
Yenisri. Certain rs | was "t reaching the Paclhc
this autumn. | scattered my stock of tobacco
around me with 80 liberal a hand That II was soon
eX hausteI and my ChukGh friends wants sdti,iel
for several weeks. | therefore, as far as tins cur
rency was concerned, already when the Vega was
heset suffered the prodgals fate of being soon left
with an empty purse. Dutch clay pipes again,
had in great abundance, from the accident that two
boxes of these pipes which were To have been I'M
portrd into Siberia with the expedition of 1876.
did not reach Trondhem until the Gmer had sailed
from that town. They were instead taken on the
Vega, and now, though quite 100 fragile Tor thc
hard fingers Of Chukches, answered well for smaller
bargains as gifts of welcome TO a large number OF
natives collected at the vessel and as gifts to chill
dren in order to gain the favor of Their parents.
besides distributed a large quaLtitY Of silver coin
with King Oscars cfligy in order. ii any misfortune
overlook us, 10 afford a means OF ascertalnlng The
places we had visited. For the benefit of future
travellers | may state that the wares most IN de-
maud are large sewing and darning needles, pots.
knives preferably largel axes saws, boring tools
and other iron tools linen and wOolen shirts pref
erably of bright coors, but also whitel. ueoker-
chiefs. tobacco and sugar. To these may be added
the spirits which are in so great request among
all savagrs: a currency of which, indeed, there was
great abundance on the Vega, but which | con
si1ered myself prevented from making use OF. In
exchange for this it is possible TO obtain in short,
ANYTHING whatever from many of the natives, but
by no means from all. for even here there are men
who will not taste spirits. but with gesture of
disdan refuse the glass that is offered them. The