Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-01
Take Scletskoe After Sharp
Scrap With Bolshevik
Troops
RIVER MINED BY REDS
Entente Forces Have Now
Reached Point 200 Miles
South Of Archangel
BY ARTHUR COPING
Special Cable to Evenins Public Leds

opecsdt Cd0fe to Evening Public Ledger
COPYRIGHT. 1918. BY Nc,o York Times co.
With the Allied Forces. 900 Miles South
Of ArshanGei. Oct. IL.
Slowly We have travelled some zoo
miles from Archangel to Beresneskia,
where the majestic north Dvina is swol-
len by It's noble tributary, the Vaga
Thirty miles further up the river, we
have taken Scletskoe after a sharp SCRAP
y with the Bolsheviki, who before retreat
ing mined the river and blocked the
> fairway with sunken bafges Against
these obstacles our craft must go SOUTH
ward soon or be frozen in for the
winter.
Meanwhile a small force of ours has
penetrated some sixty miles up the vaga
in the direction Of distant vologda and
Petrograd. Eastward of the line Shen.
kursk Is about half way from Archangel
to Vologda.
left the north Dvina for the perilous
vaga:
''Shenkursk: ! am going there, see?"
well done"
"Will you Gomez
We went. We were soon on a COM
itlodious steamboat with Mississippi
deckhouse. Presently we were steam-
ing In a strong current of sherry -colored
water which. several hundred yards
shores of clean sand.
Swisslike Scenery
Like the most impressive mile-wide
river from which we had emerged-the
great north Dvina---the Vaga has ver-
dant tow banks, sloping UP for the most
part into goodly stretches of farm land
plowed or planed. Here are palisaded
pastures where cows and horses Craze.
We never went many minutes without
seeing on one bank or the other some
village Of substantial wooden houses. In
a way the scenery seemed semi-Swiss
and not all displeasing. Clustered here
and there were church dones or spires,
minarets and graceful cupolas Of green
silver or shimmering gold Sometimes
there was low landscape Of river clear
ings with stunted forest growths, but
always now and again churches even
more sharply breaking the skyline.
Peasant groups gathered, often to see
our large boat 60 by. There were
women and girls. conspicuous in top
boots. with head-dresses, blouses petit
coats Of yellow and red and blue. There
were more somberly clad men. with
variety of caps. and with boards and
belted shirts. and there were children
quantity dressed like miniature adults.
At first these sub-Arctic peoples seemed
to stand spellbound with curiosity, but
presently they broke away in merry pur-
suit Of one another. Over all alike there
seemed to be spirit of childlike trust
and docillty and good temper.
Arriving at Shenkursk, we were well
coined by scores OF citizens. Here grown
men were gentle-looking giants. Here
were enthusiastic boys long-haired
priests. and pretty girls and plump old
ladies. Eagerly these people at the edge
OF the worlds war zone crossed the ra-
vine through which the river way comes
to the town.
Shenkursk might be described as
prosperous garden city, built in a river
arm situation of sandy undulations. II
has many fine churches rising amid
houses with large gardens looking into
three-shaped thoroughfares. such as
Shenkursk. But even here the war has
come. The front Of the brick Cossack
barracks Is pitted by bullets. Still the
towns reign of terror had been mild
and brief 1t seems that Bolsheviki from
without arrived to stimulate some Boil
shevik rising from within. For a while
the situation had looked sufficiently
grave. but the menace passed wondrous-
ly away. The incoming Bolsheviki did
not wait for force to come to help their
outgoing Even In matters of pillage
and murder they seem to have been
Visiting the famous Shenkursk con-
vent, l seemed to find clues to an
enigma. Conceive OF a pass spOtlessly
clean. where, amid choice of palms and
singing canaries and pictures of saints,
move with infinite gentleness forms of
women garbed in black. OF the many
sisters in this retreat. some were seen
digging in gardens, some cooking. some
preparing hallowed bread, some painting
icons. Every nook. every cloister Of this
place appears to breathe something of
the smiling, unselfish spirit of the
Mother Superior. who. after her nifty
three years Of retirement from the
world, can still consider public affairs
with an instructed and sympathetic
mind
1t was only a few days ago that a
section of mankind in lawiess and mur-
derous mood had gone blundering into
that sequested haven of altruism.
II was at the service" the Mother
Superior said. when word was brought
me that the Bolsheviki had arrived and
were saying ! was to be arrested and