The Elbert County tribune., 1911-10-13

having been found along the shores OF
Northeastern Kamchatka. famed our smouldering
Imagination into brightest flames.
There's of men that don't At 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 a new California yonder, "'crost
the bay" lured from the Yukon even to 81
beria-to Vladivostok.
There we joined by kindred spirit.
young Russian mining engineer. Ivan Ivanovitch-
soon enough he became plain Jack-fresh from
an American college and ready for adventure.
Kamchatka, dependency of the maritime prov
fnce and administrative district of Petropavlovsk,
has been Russian colony for over 200 years.
From Cape Lopatka, the large peninsulas south
most point. lofty mountains. oyertopped 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
Mttoral. the Pankara enters the sea, opposite to
the large island Of Karagnsk. gloomily beau
tiful thundercloud overshadowed the density 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 earthly possessions and the
cargo consigned to the local agent OF the Russian
Chartered Company who holds the furrng priv
ieges of Northeastern Siberia.
Openmouthed natives gaped curiously and
thousand hostile-looking dogs snarled vciousy-
The Natchainik, however, having minutely scru-
tinized our papers, received us with open arms,
and Father Juvenal, the Pope offered us the hos
ptality of his log cabin. We learned many inter
esting facts about this out-ofthe-way neck OF the
woods that night The peninsula's mongolod
aborignes the rapidly decreasing Kamchadales
proper-mostly fshermen--dwell around the wa
ter courses to the southwark
Their northern neighbors, our friends the dog
Koryaks." mighty hunters and trappers. live In
lxrx l.lxxr dtuN rclrt ,<.lNu
largely to the orthodox church-at least nominal
ly-are good natured and hospitable. but their no.
tions OF cleanliness are more than questionable.
The occasional sight of our toothbrushes once
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. intermixed with birch bark and wear
nearly identical dresses OF pelts or-in summer
gaudy calico.
Further On and up to Kamchatka's border the
strictly nomadic reindeer Koryaks" addicted to
weird shamanism. pitch their yourtes wherever
good feeding grounds attract their herds. Be
yond their territory we 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 a length OF about 90 miles
The advanced season and preliminary examina-
tion OF accessible rock formation, combined with
encouraging reports of white and native residents
prompted to prospect the upper valley without
delay The Natchalnik placed the only three pack
horses at our disposal, rather shaggy, but hardy
Irltutsk ponies. able to shift for themselves
in winter. AS guide and helper engaged the
Koryak, Peter, nicknamed PetrushkaParsle
from his fondness for this wild plant Petrushka
of speedily pared down to Pete. as
Ivan has surrendered to Jack long ago.
The village of Ola is happy. 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.
Tie Natchalnik invites to farewell dinner
(deer tongue ptarmigan. smoked and salted fish.
much tea and more vodka) and on the 17th day
Of August we set out
On the third night we are encamped in the
foothills
Even here, at the threshold OF boreal dreariness
nature unfolds an almost pathetic beauty. I'M