Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-09-14
RUSSIA "A LAND
OF ENDLESS FORESTS
Country Has Territory Where No
Wounds of War Could Be Inflicted.
Especial to The Bulletinl


Washington. D. c.. Sept. 13.-Unlike
the other belligerents, vulnerable in
every part, Russia has unlimited
reaches OF territory where no wounds
or war could be indicted, where no
invaders would ever come, and where
IL they. came, their coming would be
to no purpose. as It could work no
damage. Such a security from the
perils OF war Is enjoyed by the north
OF Russian, by the wild, thinly-peo-
pied governments Of Archangel and
Olonets. which are described as fol-
lows In the latest bulletin of the Ma
tonal Geographic society.
In the north of European Russia
stretches lapd of endless forests, of
immense belts Of moor wastes, and of
greyish tundra which blurs as far as
the eye can reach into uncertain hor-
lions. Here mighty, unfrequented
rivers cut their ways to the north
ern waters, some drowsy and reed
cluttered and others swift and strong
and cascade-broken. Here are innu-
merable pleasant, wooded lakes and
| huge inland seas, and throughout all
| Of the royal reaches Of this north are
good hunting and wilderness.
Archangel is the only city in this
region whose name is known in the
outside world, and the only place that
ual distinction in the midst of the
yastness, the desolation and the con-
gealing winters Of Russia's north.
There is much economic value in the
north. the forests are filed with val
liable fur-bearing animals, the lower
forests are rich in noble trees. the
higher forests in pitch and tar, the
/ tundras In reindeer herds, and great
| sturgeon are caught through the ice
of the rivers, which produce large
quantities Of this delicate fish meat
and caviar.
| THE English established a trading
| factory near present Archangel, dur
/ ing the reign of Ivan the Terrible
and since their coming the region has
been exploited by pioneers. by adven-
turous traders, trappers, huntsmen
and fishermen, but the country has
never passed the pioneer stage. The
roads, for the most part, are barely
| marked, trails, narrow, unleveled rib
bons through vast forests, Indifferent
| Ily-corduroyed causeways through
swamp and marsh lands, and uncer-
| tain tracks through the northern tun-
dra- Post stations are scattered over
the governments, far apart, where
hardy little horses and prehistoric
types of c6nveyances are kept for The
occasional trader, the occa sionai let
! ter and the rare visitor. The villages
are small and poor and forgetful of
| the modern world and all that 1t con-
tains. Between them are leagues OF
solitude.
Il
chora are the two great rivers of the
country, and, before the railroad pen
etrated to Anchangel, they formed the
commercial outlet of the land to the
Arctic sea The famous and fabulous
ly wealthy monastery of Solovetski
annually attracts $1,000 pilgrims into
the far north, to the wooded island
IA hours sailing from Archangel in
the Gulf Of Omega on which it is sit
uated: This monastery was founded
I
English fleet during the Crimean waI
and the marks of hostile shells are
still proudly shown.
THE northern peasants are very in
dependent, quite the most independent
Of all the Russians. They have the
self reliance and self-respect of true
pioneers, and. as free hunters in the
forests and prospectors of the tundra
4 they share many of the characteristics
of the free, careless people of ouI
own early west and of the present
Canadian Northwest Lacking ever
in the rudiments of education, pictur-
esque in their costumes, primitive in
their customs, they are simple
straightforward, stalwart and hospi-
table people.
Some Of their songs nnger Ions
In memory. Their tales are stirring
, of privation and of adventure. Theil
woods are full of game. and their riv.
| ers are lavishly stocked with fish
Woodcock, capercailzie, tree partridg,
and blackcock are to be shot in abun
dance among the trees that firing,
, each village. In the forests are foxes
wolves, and sombre Russian bears
nursing their peculiar, perpetua
groudhes. The peasants sometimes
: hunt the bear, armed only with lonI
) knives. Wolves, however, are tn
most thrilling quarry. They are hunt
! ed in summer and autumn on horse
! back: the hunters, aided by traine,
hounds, drag down the wolf and sta
> it to death. This is exciting and dan
! gerous sport. In winter they ar
' hunted by parties in sleighs, and oftel
, the quarry hunts the hunters. TIL
. pack racing by the side of the sleigh
swapping at the cold rifle muzzle
and at the horses. This sport is ais
exhilarating.
In autumn, in the time of change
: this whole region is shut off from tn
outside world, the roads become i'm
: passable and all communication cease!
There are 20 words for ice, IL 70
cold, Al for snow and 26 for the pro
cess Of freezing in the speech of tn
Lapps and this goes far toward max
t ing plain the autumns, the winter
: and the early springs of North Rus
+ sia-"
= PAN AMERICAN ROAD