Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-09-07

prepared by the National Geographic
Society, Washington, ID. c.
A sled drawn over the deep snow by
terrified horses, a driver wildly beat
ing them. and a pack of ferOciOus
wolves breaking in pursuit from a
dark pine fOrest-this is a picture that
has given many a person a faulty idea
of the Siberia OF today.
An American woman who had
laughed at an Englishman when he
complained that during his ten days
In New York city he had not seen
single Indian asked upon her arrival
In VladivOstOk II there was any dan
ger from wolves in the city. As
matter OF fact. one may spend a con-
siderable time In Siberia and cover
large areas without seeing a wolf. or
a pine tree, and what little snow he
will see will probably not be more than
a few inches deep, though there are
sections where IL is quite deep. And
one may meet thousands of people
without seeing either exile or criminal.
One is not likely to be 'disillusiOned
about the climate. The American sol
der said. siberia has two seasons
July and winter" This is nearly
true. for there Is practically no spring;
the foliage does not appear until June.
July Is as warm as the winter is cold.
The brief fall Is beautiful indeed. and
there is something very thrilling about
the intense cold of the winter. when
the temperature goes to GO and 20 de-
grees below zero IN some sections.
Everybody dresses and prepares for
the cold, and on the whole il Is pos
sible to be more comfortable In the
steady winter Of Siberia than In the
changeable American winter.
Beautiful Wild Flowers.
Siberias wild flowers feature
which does not fit into the picture Of
a frozen waste-are worthy a volume
that blooms hugely on big. sturdy
bushes. Then there is the mauve and
gold of the MARY and John" that IS
loved most by the Siberians. This
lovely flower is named after the Yir-
gin Mary and the loved disciple.
Siberia is. above all. an oriental
country. out there the traveller sees
every phantasmagOria associated with
the East. Oriental sunsets, equal 10
any and inferior 10 none, thrill the
senses with splendors OF color rang
ing from volcanoes OF rubies 10 the
myriad mysteries OF the kaleidoscope.
Then one sees all the peoples OF the
Orient-Chinese, japanese, Tartars,
Manchus. KOreans-men and women OF
every color and condition.
For the most part the Russians have
Russianized the country. Even so.
one could easily believe the Tower OF
Babel incident to have occurred In ST.
IBERIA for one hears so many Ian
guages and sees so many different ma
tional customs. Chinese "sampans"
and japanese "dambes" ride the road
stead OF YladivOstok along with Rus
sian craft and American motorboats,
and on the highways and caravan
routes camels and oxen are passed by
AA0oAAg VI
can make.
Native Life Fascinating.
One gets wonderfully attached TO
Siberian Lie. There is something
charming and fascinating about Ii.
The natives, In spite OF the scourges
Of typhus and cholera. In spite OF the
hunger and cold which they have ex-
perienced so frequently during the last
six years. are devoted to their home
land; yet apparently they are Indiffer-
ent to tia rich opportunities OF their
country.
Siberia Is a land of rich agricultural
potentlalities. In spite Of the short
ness Of the summer season. and even
American tables have been served
with Siberian cheese and butter. But
the most Slluring opportunities OF the