Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-23
MUSEUM COLLECTOR
Adventures and Strange Ex-
periences of DR.. Laufer.
REMARKABLE JOURNEY
HUSBAND AND WIFE TRAVELLED
5000 MILES.
Daring Death for Months in the
Wilds of ST.
IBERIA.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
When people walk around museum and
gaze In open-mouthed wonder at prehis-
toric skeletons from Siberia, totem poles
from Alaska, bone spears from the canni-
bal islands of the Pacific, and a thousand
other curios from all the ends of the earth,
they seldom give a thought to how the
things came there. 1t seems as natural
as for the morning milk to appear prompt
ly on the breakfast table. Yet the col
lection of museum specimens is one of the
most difficult and adventurous of profess
sons
In one OF the principal museums Of
America the other day a group of OFF,
Gals were talking about one of their num-
Der who happened to be away on sick
leave Hes never been really well since
he came back from his expedition to Pata-
gonna said a man whose face was
bronzed by long exposure to the tropical
sun in many parts of the world. He had
to sleep out in the open for many months.
without even tent part of the time, and
the rains were SO incessant that for over
three weeks he never wore dry clothing.
No wonder he got broken up, poor fellow!
His health completely ruined by that
trip, and now he Is always suffering from
rheumatism and agUe.
And do you know" said another of
the officials, that he was ordered off on
that trip at a days notice. He was asked
one afternoon by the authorities whether
he could be ready TO sail for Buenos Ayres,
and thence TO Patagonia, on the following
morning. He was young and unmarried.
he said yes. In this line of work man
has to be ready TO move to the other side
of the earth rapidly a corre-
spondent or soldier. but l think the dan
gers that he runs are even greater than
theirs
TJa rfc cant In hy.I arin IiaC M
who have been sent abroad by American
museums in recent years bear out this
statement. Consider, for example, the re-
markable experiences of DIR. Berthold
Laufer of the Berlin Academy of Sciences
among the G;lyak fungus and Ainu tribes
on the Island of Saghalin about six years
ago.
After spending some time on the island
gathering idols, amulets and other articles
for a well-k known American museum, DIR.
I.aufer was taken i'll with the grip at a
Gilyak village. He lay on his back for
weeks and directly he got up again he was
attacked by pneumonia-the result of the
hardships of his Iife-and his Investigations
suffered a long interruption.
With Reindeer Steeds
AS soon as ne could stand, the doctor got
a horse and rode over the island to visit the
fungus and Ainu tribes. After few days
he collapsed from exhaustion and could no
sledge and continued on his journey. Then
he received telegram from the Russian
governor Of the island, telling him to re-
turn Immediately If he valued his life, for a
band of outlaws was terrorizing the reg. on
by Staying the natives and holding up
travellers. DR.. Laufer put the telegram in
his pocket book and calmly drove his rein
deer ahead until he reached the Ainu tribes
and collected a lot of valuable informa ton
from them, as well as some remarkable
museum specimens.
II had very good success In using the
monograph" said DIR. Laufer, land OBJ
tanned songs of the Gilyak and fungus. 1t
was difficult to talk to the people. because
there were no interpreters, and nobody
knew more than the most common phrases
of Russian, although Saghalien is Russian
colony Among the Ainu, Russian is entire
ly unknown. and for the purpose of inter-
preting l had to use Japanese. with which,
however, they are not very familiar either.
Nevertheless my knowledge of the jap
anese language facilitated my work among
them, since they like the Japanese people.
II did not succeed In obtaining any an
thropometric measurements. although
tried to do so. The people were afraid
that they would die at once after submit
ting to the process Although I had their
confidence. l failed In my efforts in this