The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-07-29
DARK TALE OF
BLEAK SIBERIA
Famine and Cold Encompass the
Inhabitants.
PERILS OF THE TRAVELLER
STORY TOLD BY LONDON NEWS
PAPER MAN.

( NEAIIIE, Wash, July -S.-A1ter
travelling for six long months
across the bleak steppes and
frozen mountains of Siberia, Harry De-
windt Of the London Daily Express is
ready to report that a railway practi-
cally connecting the eastern and west
ern hemispheres is a feasible project.
Mr.. Dewindt left Paris Dec. IS last,
and arrived in Seattle by way of Boring
straits, the Yukon. Dawson and Skag-
way, this afternoon on the steamer
City of Topeka. His party encountered
great perils from hunger and cold, and
attribute TO the presence of Americans
in northern waters the fact that they
are again safe in a civilized country
The party consists of Mr.. Dewindt, Wis
count de Clinchamp Bellegarde. George
Harding, who has been with the leader
of the expedition on many journeys in
the last fifteen years, and stephen Ras-
torguyeff, a Cossack. The Cossack sails
at daybreak tomorrow for his native
land.
Dewindt asserts that the overland
journey was much more hazardous and
difficult that he had expected, and
that he would decline to make the trip
again.
DeWindt left the Siberian rail-
way at Irkutsk. From there a course
almost directly north was followed to
the borders of the Arctic ocean. The
trail was along the Lena river, which
is one of the great rivers of the con-
tinent of Asia.
Mines for None But Russians.
On the Lena a find of a gold field has
been made, but none but Russians are
permitted to mine. Much of this part
of the trip was made behind reindeer.
Z ha = 1r - Il
procured, and they hauled the four men
the remainder of the way to Cape East.
The country traversed was covered
to a depth of several feet with snow,
the road was untraveled and rough and
dangers lurked at almost every turn.
The members of the expedition were
treated with kindness, but in many
places the natives were suffering from
famine and disease, and could do little
if anything, for their visitors Many
prosperous cities exist on the map
along the route which the leader of
the party had selected. When these
points were reached nothing but a few
scattered huts and half dozen wretch
ed natives were all that remained of
their greatness. The people of ali the
northern part of the continent have
been attracted to the coast nearest
America, as there they can trade with
the American whalers and subSist more
easily than in their inland towns and
villages.
For several hundred miles directly
east OF Boring straits Mr.. Dewindt
found many settlements of the natives
and here he found food and assistance
Had he not met the Siberians here he
believes he could never have reached
Boring straits, and so his rescue is due
10 American traders. Discussing the
trip this evening, he said regarding his
personal experiences:
Famine Everywhere.
Because of the famine there the
reindeer were thin and they were hard
ly able to travel, but they were far
superior in bodily condition to dogs
which we procured later. We travelled
by post stations. located at intervals
and usually long Intervals. along the
road We passed penal colonies and
little villages of destitute natives,
whose condition was indeed pitiable L
once thought the treatment of the ST.
berians by the Russian government
was not severe, but nov that 4 have
seen, l change my opinion. Along the
shores of the Arctic we ate frozen fish
and walrus meat Our Joy was great at
getting a little -four and n1olasses near
the end of our journey. The cold was
terrific. --------
SnOuId say that the railway prof.
ect is feasible, though no railway will
follow the route which we took 1t
would so several hundred miles to the
southwark and through rich mineral
country. Privately l received the in
formation that Russians are surveying
such a line. but l am not at liberty
to say exactly what course it viii take.
The only difficulty which is in the way
is in transferring at Bering straits
The great distance makes such a road
impracticable, and the miles of ice foe
constantly moving render navigation
almost impossible. However, this prob
lem may be solved. and then the prof.
ect viii be assaiIable and undoubtedly
such a road will be built