The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1911-11-16

horns and pure white color. Their bands ~<
spend most of the time above timber re-
naming even during the severe Kamchatka win
ter amongst the heights whose irregularities Of
cliffs and gorges afford opportunity for shelter
and exposed food supply. Sometimes when we
had nearly stalked them the warning whistle of
the watchful marmot would drive them to head
long flight Their flesh is very palatable; when
cold weather set in we killed and fTcze enough to
last all winter.
The brown bears of immense size, greatly
exceeding the grizzlies of the western hemis-
phere Their front claws shorter, thicker and
more abruptly curved than in grizzlies. AS rule
they give us a wide berth; in close quarters
however, when wounded. they are veritabe
fiends from hell But Pete attacks them, boldly
and unhesitatingly, with his formidable spear.
Tradition and training make all natives marks
men OF the first order with firearms, bolos and
arrows Even small ermines and arctic squirrels
stand no chance OF escape at seventy-fve yards
and the Koryaks have to shoot them in the head,
at that. or their skins would be worthless.
The ground frostbound nearly to the sur
face, and bedrock, reached by thawing through
the icy gravels. ten TO fifteen feet deep.
Keeping three fires agoing. for which Pete rustled
the wood. We made good headway. Lack OF
leverage, however, makes the Russian shovel,
which has bend at its neck. most unwieldly
and exasperating utensil. At the beginning we
struck encouraging colors In addition to quartz,
iron pyrites. often in the form OF mispickel and
all the products of its decomposition such as
magnetic oxide and hematite. Despite these fair
prospects We had worked our way up to the yeri-
est headwaters without tangible results early In
November. Near the source the soil was not
frozen, due to warm volcanic springs and sinking
to bedrock became impossible. Therefore we
crossed the divide leading southwark to the Rus.
saxon river to examine its course down to the
sea and finally to sled TO headquarters along the
shore. On the Russakoff we found the same con-
ditions; tepid springs above, a few colors below
paydirt nowhere.
Winter is now upon us in good earnest; in De-
cember our thermometer sinks to 81 below The
sheep are safe beyond the snowdrifts; bear, mar
mot and porcupne have retired for their long
sleep; only willow grouse and rock ptarmigan re-
main with
Glorious winter stars. clear, large unapproach-
able glitter on the armament At midnight the
Peiades of Job and Homer flame from the zenith
and then the Northern Lights, violet, silvery and
rose come down and dance with the houseless
snow.
Christmas eve finds the Russakofs
mouth and on New Years day we drag our sled
into Ola. Just In time already midwinter sun
dogs loom ghost-like through the frost-mist in
the south; for far to the northward the weather
witch OF the Yaga-Baba Pass has been brewing
her dread purga. the Siberian snow storm
The blizzard's fury ragged forty-eight hours bury.
ing the roofs Of the lowly cabins under mountain
Gus drifts.
proaches. In the morning the entire population
and with them we-attended church, Father Ju.
venal ofhciating in full canonicaIs of black and
gold. Before the Russian New Year we were up
and away once moro