Charlevoix county herald., 1911-11-04

Northeastern Kamchatka, famed our smouldering
Imagination into brightest flames.
There's race of men that don't fit in; they are
always tired of things that be; they want the
strange and the new and they don't know how to
rest. My dear old 'pard," Austin, and belong to
this legion of forelopers, never enlisted and never
discharged The fond hope that we were going
to be numbered amongst the original Forty
Miners" of new California over yonder, crost
the bay" lured us from the Yukon even to 81
beria-to Vladivostok.
There we joined by kindred spirit,
young Russian mining engineer, Ivan Ivanovitch-
enough he became plain Jack-fresh from
an American college and ready for adventure.
Kamchatka, dependency of the maritime prov
ince and administrative district Of Petropavlovsk
has been Russian colony for over 200 years
From Cape Lopatka, the large peninsuas south
most point, lofty mountains, overtopped by many
active and more extinct volcanoes, stretch north
ward far into the Arctic waste.
On the northeast coast, there where the noun
tain chain recedes over thirty miles from the low
littoral, the Pankara enters the sea, opposite to
the large island Of Karagnsk. gloomily beau
tful thundercoud overshadowed the densly wood
ed shores when we landed at Ola the little
Koryak hamlet near the Pankara's mouth. In the
course of few hours our steamer "Primorsk,"
had discharged our earthly possessions and the
cargo consigned to the local agent of the Russian
Chartered Company. who holds the furring priv
ileges of Northeastern Siberia
Open-mouthed natives gaped curiousy and a
thousand hostelooking dogs snarled vicousy.
The Natchalnik, however, having minutely scru-
tinized our papers, received us with open arms,
and Father Juvenal, the Pope, offered us the hos
pitality Of his log cabin We learned many inter-
estng facts about this out-of-the-way neck of the
aborigines, the rapidly decreasing Kamchadales
proper-mostly fishermen-dwell around the wa
ter courses to the southwark
Their northern neighbors, our friends the dog
Koryaks," mighty hunters and trappers live in
log cabins, dug-outs or skin tents. They belong
largely to the orthodox church-at least nominal
ly-are good natured and hospitable but their no.
t1ons or cleanliness are more than questionable.
The occasional sight of toothbrushes
caused a riot Of an amazed mob. Both the women
and the almost beardless men alike, braid their
hair into two plaits, smoke the cheap Moharka
tobacco, intermxed with birch bark and wear
nearly identical dresses of pelts or-in summer
gaudy calico.
Further Oil and up to Kamchatka's border the
strictly noHadic reindeer Koryaks, addicted to
weird shamanism, pitch their yourtes wherever
good feeding grounds attract their herds. Be-
yond their territory find, in the interior, Tun-
guse tribes, along the seaboard the unconquered
race of the Tchuktches that stoutly refuse the
Yassak to this day.
The Pankara has length Of about 30 miles
The advanced season and preliminary examina-
ton os accessible rock formation combined with
encouraging reports of white and native residents,
prompted us to prospect the upper valley without
delay. The Natchalnik placed the only three pack
horses at ovr disposal rather shaggy, but hardy
lrkutsk ponies, able to shift for themselves even
In winter. AS guide and helper we engaged the
Koryak. Peter, nicknamed Petrushka-Parsley-
from his fondness for this wild plant. Petrushka
OF course was speedily pared down to Pete as
Ivan has surrendered to Jack long ago.
The village Of Ola is happy A sweet fragrance
of fish and blubber permeates the air. for seal
and salmon were plentiful
Pete, very busy, very important, helps with
our preparations for the prospecting expedition.
The Natchanik invites to farewell dinner
(deer tongue ptarmigan. smoked and salted fish,
much tea and more Vodka) and on the 18th day
of August we set out
On the third night we are encamped in the
foothills.
Even here, at the threshold OF boreal dreariness