St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-02-12
PERILs OF SIBERIAN TRAVEL
Peculiar Accidents That Happen O.
Frozen Rivera.

Peculiar Accidents That Happen o.
Frozen Rivers.
There are so many interesting things
that can be written about Siberia as to
render it difficult to select for notice
in q brief article those which present
the greatest attraction. But some In
cidents connected with travelling on the
frezen rivers should be noticed. since
they appear to be peculiar to the coun-
try in question. 1t sounds, perhaps,
somewhat like travellers tale to be
told that, at a certain time in winter,
the greater the frost the greater is
the danger from water. Nevertheless
such is the case. The smaller rivers
are constantly frozen to the very bot
tom and the inhabitants are then COM
PEELED to cut out solid blocks of ice and
melt them in their homes in order to
obtain that liquid. On great river
like the Amur, of which the total length
exceeds 1000 miles and where the num-
Der of tributary streams is very great,
the ice is often five feet thick in the
deeper parts, while in the more shall
low places the stream is frozen
throughout despite the extremely swift
current. Against this current the river
steamers can do from four to six miles
an hour, whereas, going with the
stream, they can travel upward OF 10
miles in the same time, which gives
some idea of its strength. About the
beginning of February, when the in
tensely severe frost has lasted for some
months, water begins to come down
from the uppN. sources, and, passing
underneath the bed of rough ice. con-
tinues on its way until it comes to a
spot where the solid wall blocks its fur
ther progress.
until one of two things must inevitably
happen-either the wall is broken
through, leaving a sufficiently thick
layer of ice for traffic, or else the wa
ter forces its way upward to the sur
face, il unable to pierce road under
meath. In the latter event the water
overfows until stopped by rough ice.
and then freezes. But it does not, and
cannot freeze to thickness capable OF
bearing a laden vehicle and horses in
the space of few hours. These "nalye-
dy," as they are called, the name signi-
fying "water on the ice," are often a
couple of feet and more in depth, and
in the night time especially one is into
a place of this kind without any warn
ing. If it be deep enough-and inches
suffice-for the water to flow through
the bottom of a sleigh, the traveller il
apt to get his legs wet. Should he then
be, as may easily happen, some miles
from the nearest post station, he will
be fortunate indeed if he does not al
least lose a limb from frost bite, and
perhaps his life. Under any circum-
stances it is sure to be difficult task
for the horses, or rather ponies, to pull
out the load. Sometimes the driver
has to unharness one of them, go bach
to his station and bring assistance; a
other times, If the fare can reach the
river bank without getting wet, and
if some of the load be lightened, tn,
animals may succeed in dragging th'
vehicle through to sound ice.
A common occurrence is for tn,
whole turnout to be hauled to terr,
irma and sent some miles along tn,
bank, which is always hilly, the drivel
and passengers, clad in their thickes
driving garments, proceeding mean
while on foot, somewhat firing ex
perience. When a "nalyedy" has beer
encountered notice is always given n
soon as possible to the nearest sta
.ions, but they sometimes form so rap
idly that nothing may be known there
of them. The Amur is a very broal
river, averaging some hundreds o
yards in width, and my driver, seeing
one of these obstacles, crossed over I.
the opposite side of the stream as offer
ing the best means of progress. Aftel
going some little distance his foresigh
was rewarded, for the mail was discov
cred near the left bank, completed,
brought to standstill. Our assistanc,
was offered, and declined as being un
necessary, but we in our turn were in
formed that if we proceeded a few hun
dred yards further along the righ
bank we should come to a new "nalye
dy," from which extrication would b.
impossible. l may add parentheticall,
that one of these may or may not ex
tend from bank to bank. After SOM
| f1oundering in slush and snow and ,
walk Of a few miles, which involves
scme climbing, the difficulty was cir
cGmvented. Were the frost less sever
the ice would not be 50 thick, and there
fore these obstacles would not exist.
But If the traveller escapes fallini
into 'nalyedy" he may do worse an
get into a "polinya." This is larg
rift in the ice, and is often met with o.
the Ussuri, especially at the beginning
of March. AS this river is compara
lively close to the sea, the temperatur
| Is milder than in the interior of 81
IBERIA and the stream is sooner FIRE
from ice. 1t may be frozen to dept
of several feet one day and may be quit
dangerous the next. II a vehicle come
suddenly upon one of these assures tn
whole load falls into the water an
will probably never be heard of agaiI
They are also to be encountered on tn
Selenga, in Transbaikalia, and only
short time ago driver returning wit
an empty sleigh to his station wa
drowned in one, together with tn
horses, nor was his body recovered. A
the winter draws to a close it is impos
sible to travel at night, while the ris
in daytime is considerable. Nor is
pleasant to have to be prepared at an
moment, with cold wind blowing, I
cast of ones furs and scramble fc
dear life. People in Siberia, howevc
are so accustomed to these little inc
dents Of travel as to think nothing {
them. For a stranger they afford VI
riety during drive of some Thousand
of miles.-London Chronicle.
New Nane for Fish.
A curious fraud has just been disco
cred in Aroostook county, Me-, where
man from Gloucester, Mass, has bee
selling dry hake with the fins cut OF II
Goldfish, calling them Irish cod"
| ncr-o~ <ch doo lar xrho wa nm there 4