The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-26
THROUCHSIBERIA
sTADLING's REPORT OF HIS
SEARCH FOR ANDREE.
Journey to Siberia After the Missing
Aeronuat - Almost Unknown
of Artic Perils Penetrated in Eff
fort to Rescue Him.

Mr.. Stadling's narrative Is a sober
account of an experienced travellers
adventures in an extremely difficult
part of the world, and though he pass
cd through some trying vicissitudes he
has not adorned 1t with any dramatic
presentation of the fact It has. in a
way, a greater effectiveness for this
very reason. The writer set out from
Sweden in 1898 to seek traces of An
dree. the Ill fated balloon voyager to
the Pole. The part of the Siberian
coast between the Lena Delta and the
New Siberian Islands is out of the
way of whalers and merchant traffic
and of the several scientific expedi-
tons that were sent out in that year,
and it was in this inaccessible region
that Mr. Stadling's vain search was
made. A large portion of 1t is always
unknown and offers many terrors to
the visitor. The Trans siberian Rail
way was open only to the Yenisei
River when Mr. Stadling made his
journey. so thence to Irkutsk he
travelled by horse and down the Lena
River by boat. At Yakutsk one finds
the rigors of the Siberian climate at
their very worst. It is the severest in
the world. the temperature ranging
between 103 degrees Fahrenheit above
zero to 93 below The earth is frozen
to unknown depths, estimated to aver
age one thousand feet. and is thawed
in summer only to depth of two or
three feet. Curious atmospheric con-
dtons prevail.
The constantly growing cold COM
presses the air mere and more, until
1t finally threatens, as it We're. to suf-
focate all life beneath it's weight. The
strongest currents of air from Artic
Sea. from Pacific, or from the i'm
n,ense continental regions lying to the
south. are unable to move this inert
and compressed mass of air. The
heaviest storms powerlessly rebound
from it. and. SO to speak. become
bound at it's feet. being cooled down
and assimilated in their turn into the
colossal frost mass, which is sufficient
to cool all Siberia during the whole
year.
Yet they can grow wa'termellons
there in the short summer of two
months. ond there is usually time for
the ripening and harvesting of crop
of grain.
STRANGE TRIBES FAR NORTH.
The old pagan beliefs still survive
in these far northern regions under the
thin veneer of the orthodox Russian
Christianity. "Shamanism' is the
name OF this ancient worship, without
written records and of diverse and
contradictory traditional forms. Fur
ther to the north the fungus tribes,
on the Lena River. are avowedly
"Shamanists." They are only partial
ly spoiled by the ravages of civiliza-
tion. and possess most attractive
traits. Their unimpeachable honesty
and straightforwardness will make
them pay not only their own debts,
but those of their dead forefathers.
and their pride forms a very pleasant
contrast to the deceitfulness and men
dacity of the other natives:
If you give a present to a Tangus of
this type he will not receive it unless
he Qan give you a present in return OF
much greater value.
AT a village on the lower Lena Mr..
stadling met Yakut Androssoff. who.
in 1881, saved the lives of two members
of the Jeanette eXpedition-Noros and
Nindemann. sent in advance by De
Long to obtain relief-and who carries
on his chest the medal bestowed on
him by the United States Govern-
ment. Mr.. Stadling almost came to
grief in the same region. He started
out in small boat through the Lena
Delta Westward Storms delayed the
party and nearly wrecked the boat.
and finally they found themselves
frozen IN on an uninhabtated island,
which native help succored them. The
frozen ocean must be crossed with
dog sledges, and then came a long
journey over the Tundras behind REIN
deer. Mr.. Stadling believes that this
portion of Siberia had never before
been traversed by civilized man. Ptar
migan We're so tame that they would
light in the caravan, and a couple of
white foxes ran with the sledges. The
Journey across the Taimyr Peninsula
was an exceedingly difficult one. but
brought the voyagers finally to the
Yenisei River, and then back to the
Siberian railway. AS to the immediate
purpose of his journey, Mr.. Stadling
Gays:
We may now, I believe, take it for
granted that Andree and his compan-
ions did not land on the Siberian
coast east of the peninsula of Taimyr,
while it is equally improbable that
they reached the most northern parts
of this peninsula. Moreover, in the
latter case, If Andree and his COM
panons still had their rifles and am
munition they should have been able
to preserve their lives till they reached
some native camp, for Northern
Taimyr abounds in game.