The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-29

poets, and expressed a desire to see
the dogs and the ponies. No one was
more welcome than the governor OF
this great Russian district to receive
and enjoy the freedom of the expedl-
ton. While the governor of other dis-
tricts, particularly those in Siberia, had
prohibited the gathering OF so many
dogs, Gov. Engelhardt had personally
found time from his official duties in
directing the affairs of a territory
larger than all Germany to bring the
gathering of the Siberian contingency
of the expedition to a succeSsful issue,
notwithstanding the strong opposition
of his colleagues in authority.
Our chief task at Solombala was the
taking on of the dogs and ponies. -Four
hundred yelping, wild Siberian dogs,
which, if free, could have torn us all
to pieces in few minutes, are not
easily handled, and there were many
exciting scenes in the transfer to light
ers and then to the dog quarters on
board ship. Trontheim, who had gath
cred dogs for Nansen, and the Duke or
the Abruzzi, had been engaged for
months in collecting these animals for
our party, and right glad he was to see
them safely lodged with us. The SIX
young Siberians who assisted Iron
theim were taken on as recruits to our
word of English, they explained
through an interpreter that they had
entrusted all to me "as to a father"
and at this very unusual appeal to me
as young man without family ties
could scarcely repress smile. The
contracts were arranged to their COM
plete satisfaction.
BY the time our live stock was
aboard the keel of the America" was
very low in the water, and l decided
not to take on the hay and oats re-
quired for the ponies until after pass
ing the two bars on our way down the
Dwina. We thereupon betook our
selves to what might be called an in
ternational love feast, a sumptuous re-
past laid by the British pro-consul, Mr..
Paetz, and participated in by several
Russian and German officials, as well
as by more than half of the members
Of our expedition. Many were the ex-
pressions of hearty good will which
were exchanged between autocrat and
republican, and the Governor of Arch
angel led us all with his After all,
we are all brothers." With the same
generosity of sentiment he voluntarily
translated for me a lengthy dispatch
published that day in a Russian ga
zette detailing the plans of Admiral
Makaroff. Makaroff, it seems, will
first circumnavigate Nova Zembla in
his famous ice breaker, "Yermak," and
proceed thence to Port Dickson on the
north coast of Russia in order, If pos
sible, to communicate, with Baron
Tolls expedition. In addition to Ad-
lniral Makaroff's plans for exploration
in Franz Josef Land, it is also his
purpose to leave information at Cape
Flora, the proposed first rendezvous of
the America" and "Frithjof."
Owing to the care we had to give to
our overloaded craft it was arranged
that pilot extraordinary" should
accompany us down the river. When
we had passed the second bar we no
longer needed his services, and our
own pilot took charge. 1t was no easy
matter, however. to take our craft out
into the open sea. We were obliged to
proceed slowly toward the outer bar,
at which point we arrived nearly an
hour too soon. We had let go the
anchor in order that the ship might
not drift from her position; the two
lines of stakes which mark the deep
water channel drew closer and closer
together until but a few rods sepa-
rated them. That we were very close
to the bar was painfully evident from
the sullen thudding of the propeller
ana the trembling of the rigging. To
one on the bridge cognizant of the
real state of affairs it seemed as though
the next instant we should stop. Less
than half of the ships length inter-
vened to the last stake. Then a few
more turns OF the propeller sent the
DOW beyond the outer mark, the rigging
forward steadied itself and joyously
we felt ourselves upon the bosom of
the placid deep. The old pilot, draw
ing long breath and crossing his arms
upon his chest, signified his relief from
mental strain which had taxed his
nerves to the limit. We placed him
aboard the lightship which always lies
at anchor at this place, and as we got
under full speed ahead. he waved us
parting signal of bon voyage"