The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-29
PERILs OF sIBERIAN TRAVEL.
Peculiar Accidents That Happen On
Frozen Rivers.

Frozen pi~ors
Letter III LONDON Chrohlcle'
There are so many interesting things
that can be written about siberia as 70
render n aiaicnlt n so1ao+ cor n,,tio, =,
80 ~
'0' 0i'''lS ''loSe winch present the
greatest attraction. But some incidents
connected with travelling on the frozen
rivers ebo,ild ho ,,otio,7 .io. .to.. 80,
"P
pear 10 De pecuhar TO the country in ques-
ton 1t sounds, perhaps, somewhat like a
Travellers tale 10 he told that at GER
roth, tir,, 8, -,,,ta -..-
''''ie i' "iii'ei' t"e sIealer Uiie Itose
tIte greater IS the danger from water.
nevertheless SUCH Is the case. The small
Ter rivers are constantly frozen i'm the
very bottom and the inhabitants are then
compelled 10 cut out solid blocks of ice
ana melt them in their homes in order
70 obtain that liquid. on a great river
IKE me Amur of which the total length
exceeds 2OOJ miles and where the number
OF tributary streams is very great, the ice
Is often five feet thick in the deeper parts,
WhlIe IN the more shallow places the
stream IS frozen throughout despite the
extremely swift current. Against this cur
rent the river steamers can DO from four
to six miles an hour, whereas, going with
the stream, they can travel upward of
sixteen miles in the same time, which
gives some idea OF its strength. About the
beginning of February, whea the intense
~ severe frost has lasted for some months
water begins 10 come down from the up
per sources and, passing underneath the
bed Of rough ice. continues on its way
until II comes to spot where the solid
wall blocks its further progress.
The water continues to accumulate I'M
til one of two things must Inevitably hap
pen-eithcr the wall is broken througha
leaving sufficiently thick layer of ice for
traffic, or else the water forces its way
upward to the surface. if unable TO pierce
a road underneath. In the latter event
the water overflows until stopped by
rough ice, and then freezes. But it does
not, and cannot freeze to a thickness cap
able OF bearing laden vehicle and horses,
81 the space of few hours. These nal
yedy," as they are called, the name sig
nifying water on the ice" are often
couple of feet ard more in depth, and. in
the night time especially, one IS into a
place of this kind without any warning
If it be deep enough-and inches suffice
for the water to flow through Che bottom
of sleigh, the traveller is apt 10 get his
legs wet. Should he then be, as may east
~ happen, some mites from the nearest
post station, he will be fortunate indeed
If he does not at least lose q limb from
frost bite, end perhaps his life Under
any circumstances it is sure to be diff
cult task for the horses. or rather ponies,
to pull out the load. Sometimes the
driver has to unharness one of them, so
back to his station, and bring assistance:
at other times. if the fare can reach the
river bank without getting wet, and If
some of the load be ightened the animals
may succeed in dragging the vehicle
through to sound ice.
A common occurrence is for the whole
turnout to be hauled to terra fena ana
sent some miles along the bank, which is
always billy the driver and passengers.
cad in their thiclest diving garments,
proceeding meanwhile on foot a some
what firing experience When a "nalve-
dy' has been encountered notice IS al
ways given as soon as possible to the near
est stations, but they sometimes form so
rapidly that nothing may be known there
of them. The Amur is a very broad river
averaging some hundreds OF yards in
width, and my driver, seeing ono of these
obstacles, crossed over 10 the opposite
side of the stream, as offering the, best
means of progress. After going some lit
tie distance his foresight was rewarded
for the mail was discovered near the left
bank, completely brought TO standstill
Our assistance was offered and declined
as being unnecessary. but we in our turn.
were informed that,if we proceeded a few
hundred yards farther along the right
bank we should come TO new "nalyedy."
from which extrication would be mpossi-
BILE l may add parenthetically that one
of these may or may not extend from
bank TO bank. After some houndering in
slush and snow and walk Of a few miles,
which involved some climbing, the diff
Guilty was circumvented. Were the frost
less severe the ice would not be so thick
and therefore these obstacles would not
exist.
"neIve5,, NJ ma, ~. 80, - mo
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