The Coconino sun., 1919-06-20
CAPT. GUTHRIE LANDS
 AT EXCHANGED, RUSSIA

Former Forest Supervisor of Coco nino National Forest, writes an inter esting description of his trip from France to Russia:
 On Board Russian s. $. Kanada,
 Arctic Ocean,
 Off MuIman Coast, April 15, '19. Dear Fred:
 We'll, I'm on my way! Left France on March 10, came to London, and stayed there until April 2, when I left Harwich, England, on U. S. s. Galveston, for Murmansk, Russia. After really pleasant trip around (not through) the various mine fields in the North Sea, and hugging the east coast of Scotland and the Orkney and Shetland Islands, we swung east along the Norwegian coast, and into the Arctic Zone, around the North Cape, and as for north as 73 degrees; then southeasterly along the Kala Peninsula, to Murmansk, where we anchored on April s in the fine land locked harbor of Murmansk.
 The trip was very great surprise to me in that it was not cold, nor rough. We saw no icebergs, no polar bear, nor seals. Saw something of the famous fjords of Norway from a distance. Country all snow covered, of course.
 Murmansk is a new town; sprung up since 1916, upon the completion of the railroad from Petrograd, begun and completed by Russia since 1914, and constructed largely by German and Austrian prisoners.
 We remained in Murmansk for q week, on board the Galveston; but went ashore each day. Verify, the ends of the earth are met in Mur- mansk. Esquimoux, Films, Russians, British, Americans, French, Italians, Serbs, and Chinese! As you know, of course, from the newspapers, it is occupied by the allied forces-as well as good part of the railroad south from the town. It is wonderful harbor and Russia's only open-the- year-round northern port.
 l came up with the American rail- Way maintenance troops and an Amer ican brigadier general and his staff. The troops stopped at Murmansk, but the general is on this ship en. route to Archangel. Murmansk was very quiet; and but for the various allied uniforms one would take it for a new, busy seaport. Absolutely no fighting there, although occasional scraps have occurred southward along the rail- road The news that gets into the American papers is, so far as we know, greatly exaggerated.
 The living conditions at Murmansk looked good to me considering that the place is well inside (150 miles) the Arctic Circle. There is a large Y. M. c. A. with cinema and concerts during the week. Candy and tobacco, etc., seemed abundant at the British com missary, and while there is starvation in some outlying districts, certainly the allied troops in Murmansk seemed well fed and certainly well clothed. There are organizations in Murmansk (Red Cross and others) looking out for starvation cases, and attended a benefit boxing match in Murmansk for the sufferers. The tickets were p rubles each, or about $500 What with francs and centimes, then shil- lings, bobs, quids, 'arf-crowns and fla vies, and now kopecks and rubles, will not know a good old American dollar when I see 1t!
 We certainly were treated finely on the Galveston, and was mighty glad to be able to take a trip on U. S. naval boat. We crowded the boat con siderably Git is NOT passenger n1 1EA can soldiers, g American officers, and 15 British officers, and 12 British sol diers on the Galveston;, and the Chester, which came on with us, also had troops aboard. I was in the cap tain's cabin, with an American colonel and 4 British majors, and we were very comfortable, had fine meals, ex cellent service, baths, etc.
 This boat is quite different-badly maintained as far as cleanliness is concerned. It was formerly the yacht of Earl Grey, governor general of Canada, and built especially to stand the ice of the St. Lawrence, and has quite a reputation as an ice breaker. It was sold to the Russian government and is now the Kanada, with Russian naval officers, a Russian crew, etc. We get about meals day--and tea at each one! About 2 a. m. we have tea-if you get up that early; be- tween 9 and 10 we have breakfast; about 11:30 you can have coffee or tea; luncheon between 1 and 2; tea, with sandwiches or such, at 4; dinner, from to 2; and tea again later if you want it! It's great life--if you don't weaken!
 We are living on board on the army ration, so the menu isn't so wildly exciting! 'Corned Willy" is rather frequent dish, skillfully camouflaged though it may. be at times.
 We left Murmansk on April IA and should reach Archangel about April 20. All day we've been blowing thru an ice field-hardly any water visible at all-with every little while seals waddling and Hopping away from the Ship. It's been wonderful sight and is the first real Arctic looking scene we've had. I've taken a lot of photos of the seals, ice floes, etc.
 T. IL .l, x,s