From the "^ Arctic Ocean TO THE Yellow Sea «.r:s»^,P^'^i 11 ii.S. mm JOSEPH MiDONOt BOOKSELLEI S3 S 55 STftTES I ALBANY - N \\'>^V^^ FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN TO THE YELLOW SEA. NOTE. T am indebted to th(! ])roprietors of the Illustrated London News for their kind permission to reproduce in this work the sketches and drawings I made for tliem wliilst on my journey, ii great many of which have already appeared in that paper ; and also for the use of the text accompanying them, which has formed the basis of this work. FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN TO THE YELLOW SEA. THE NABBATIVE OF A JOURNEY, IN 1890 AND 1891. ACROSS SIBERIA, MONGOLIA, THE GOBI DESERT, AND NOBTH CHINA. JULIUS M. PRICE, F.KU.S., Special Artist of the '^Illustrated London News." WITH ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-TWO II.LUSTBATIONS FROM SKETCHES BY THE AUTHOR. LONDON: SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & COMPANY LIAflTED, Fetter Lane, Fleet Street, E.G. 1892. iAll rights reserved. ] ',. Before leaving Siberia, probably for ever, I am desirous of recording my gratitude for the assistance afforded me and the many kindnesses I received during the winter I spent there. From the highest officials to the humblest employe, the courtesy I was shown on all occasions was so great, that in all my varied experiences of travel I remember nothing to equal it ; and if it is the same all over this mighty empire, I trust that my wanderings will lead me some day into Greater Russia itself. Amongst the many gentlemen to whom I owe a special debt of gratitude, I may mention Mr. E. Wostrotine, in Yeniseisk; General Telakoffsky, Dr. Peacock, and Messrs. Cheripanoff, Matwieff, and Kusnitsofif, in Krasnoiarsk ; General Grimiken, M. Soukatchoff, and Mr. Charles Lee, in Irkutsk ; and M. Feodroft" and M. Shollingen, in Ourga. J. M. P. PREFACE A FEW introductory remarks are, I feel, necessary, if only to give the raison d'etre of my journey, and as a sort of apology for adding to the already formidable array of books of Asiatic travel. The celebrated voyage of Captain Wiggins in 1887, when he successfully accomplished the feat of navigating a steamer (the Phcenix) across the Kara Sea and up the river Yenisei to the city of Yeniseisk, is too well remembered for it to be necessary for me to recapitulate an exploit which is destined to become historic, solving as it did the much-vexed question of the practicability of establishing commercial relations between England and Siberia via the Arctic Ocean and the Kara Sea. This successful expedition, opening up such im- mense possibilities, naturally encouraged its financial promoters to follow it up by another and much more important one. Towards the end of July in th<' following year, therefore, the Lah^mdor, a powerful viii PREFACE. wooden steamer specially built for Arctic work, was despatched to the mouth of the Yenisei with a cargo of " all sorts," with which to try the Siberian market ; the Phoenix, which liad been laid up for the winter at Yeniseisk, being commissioned to proceed down the river and fetch back the cargo brought out by the Lahrado7', the latter vessel being too large to be able to get such a distance from the estuary. For all this, special permission had naturally to be got from the Russiau Government ; but so far from making any objections or putting any obstacles in the way of the scheme, the officials, advised of course from head-quarters, lent every assistance in their power and showed a most friendly spirit. Through a diversity of causes, into which it is not necessary to enter here, the expedition failed to accomplish its purpose, and the Labrador returned to England without having crossed the Kara Sea at all. An ordinary man would have been discouraged, at any rate for a time, by such a failure ; but Wiggins is not of that stuff. Nothing daunted, he at once began trying to raise "the sinews of war" for a fresh expedition, and was so successful (such confidence had his friends in him), that the following year the Labrador once again started for the far North-East — but only to meet with another failure, though tliis PBEFA CE. IX time the failure, it was proved afterwards, could have been easily averted. In fact, so conclusively was this proved, that, emboldened with the knowledge of how near it had been to being a success, a syndicate of rich and influential London men was without difficulty got together, and it was at once decided that two ships should be sent out the following year, and that everything possible should be done to ensure success. This time there were no half-hearted measures ; money was forthcoming, and with it a renewed enthusiasm in the scheme, which, I may add parenthetically, helped not a little to bring about its eventually satisfactory result ; this not- withstanding the fact that the expedition started handicapped by the untoward absence (owing to his having met with shipwreck on his way to join us) of Captain Wiggins, the leading spirit of the project. Talkiug about Eussia one morning with Mr. In- gram at the office of the Illustrated London News, he suddenly suggested my going out as their " special artist " with this expedition. The love of travel and the spirit of adventure are so strong in me, that with- out the slightest hesitation I eagerly caught at the idea ; in fact, had he suggested my riding across the Sahara on a bicycle I should probably have jumped at it with just as much alacrity. PREFACE. Well, to cut a long story short, after a lot of correspondence had passed between us, the " Anglo- Siberian Trading Syndicate " agreed to take me, sub- ject to certain restrictions as to publication of sketches and matter relating to the expedition, and to land me eventually, if all went well, at the city of Yeniseisk, in the heart of Siberia. On my taking a map of the route down to the office, and asking Mr. Ingram where I was to go if I ever found myself there, " You can go wherever you like, so long as you send us plenty of interesting sketches for the paper," was his generous reply. With liberty, therefore, to roam all over the world, so to speak, and with unlimited time and plenty of means at my disposal, I started on a journey, the narrative of which I now venture to put in print, in the hope that at any rate some parts of it may give a few fresh facts about the vast continent I traversed from north to south. In conclusion, I must candidly confess I arrived in Siberia with foregone conclusions derived from the unreliable information and exasforerated stories so current in England about this part of the world. How far ray suljscquent experiences dispelled the prejudices with which I started, the reader of my narrative may judge for himself. I have touched but en passant on the exile and prison system, for nothing PREFACE. XI was further from my thoughts, when I undertook the journey, than to nicake a profound study of this question. Efforts in this direction have been made both by prejudiced and unprejudiced writers, all of whom, however, are agreed on the main point, that the system is an anachronism and unsuitable to the present age. What I felt was that in Siberia, that vast country with such immense natural re- sources, there must be much which would be novel and interesting to study in its social aspect, apart from the actual prison life and hardships with which the name of Siberia has always been associated ; so I determined to devote my chief attention to phases of life which are still, in general, so little known that to many readers, probably, much that I have attempted to describe in these pages will come, as it did to me, in the light of a revelation. JULIUS M. PRICE. Savage Club, London, March, 1892. CONTENTS. CHAPTER L FROM BLACKWALL TO SIBERIA. PAGE The object of the expedition — The steamer Biscaya and its passengers and cargo — Across the North Sea — Uncomfortable experiences — First glimpse of Nor- way — Aalesund — The Lofoden Islands — The mid- night sun — A foretaste of the Arctic regions — " Cape Flyaway " — Our ice-master, Captain Crowthei* — We sight the coast of Siberia — The village of Kharbarova — The entrance to the Kara Sea ... ... ... 1 CHAPTER 11. THE KARA SEA. In the midst of the ice-floes — Tedioas work — Weird effects at twilight — A strange meeting — We pay a visit to the home of the walrus-hunter — Curio- hunting — A summer morning in the ice — Delightful experience — The Arctic mirage — We part from our new friends — An uncertain post-oflSce — Ice-bound — Novel experiences — Seal-hunting ... ... 16 CHAPTER III. THE KARA SEA — Continued. Further impressions of the Arctic regions — The awful silence — Average thickness of the ice — On the move XIV CONTENTS. PAGE once more — A fresli danger — A funny practical joke — The estuary of the River Yenisei — Golchika — A visit from its inhabitants — From Golchika to Karaoul 27 CHAPTER IV. THE PORT OP KAKAOUL AND ITS INHABITANTS. The tundras of Northern Siberia — The Samoyedes — Arrival of the Phoenix — My first Russian meal — Vodka and tea — Our departure for Kasanskoi ... 36 CHAPTER V. KASANSKOI. Our Russian customs officer — A shooting-excursion — Visit to the settlement of Kasanskoi — The house of a Siberian trader — Interesting people — First experi- ence of Russian hospitality — The return of the Phoenix — Departure of the Biscaya ... ... 48 CHAPTER VI. THE RIVER VOYAGE OP THE P£(EyiX UP TO YENISEISK. The Yenisei river — Its noble proportions — Scenery along the banks — The first tree — Our first mishap — The return of the tug — An exciting incident ... ... (30 CHAPTER VII. THE RIVER VOYAGE — Continued. An awful fatality— Mivsfortune follows misfortune — M. Sotnikoff — Scllivanaka, the settlement of the Skopti — A visit from the village " elder " ... ... 70 CONTENTS. XV CHAPTER VIII. TURUCHANSK. PAGE Visit to the monastery — Werclmeiinbackskoi — Our first visit from official Russia — The police officer of the district — The village priest ... ... ... 80 CHAPTER IX. THE KAMIN EAPIDS. A whole chapter of accidents — First touch of winter- Arrival at Yeniseisk CHAPTER X. THE CITY OP YENISEISK. Custom-house officials — Novel sights in market-place and streets — My lodgings — Siberian idea of "board and lodging " — Society in Yeniseisk — A gentleman criminal exile ... ... ... ... ... 97 CHAPTER XI. THE CITY OF YENISEISK — continued. A visit to the prison — First impressions of the Siberian system ... ... ... ... ... 10/ CHAPTER XII. YENISEISK — continued. The hospital — Siberian houses — Their comfort — The streets of the city ... ... ... ... 117 XVI CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIII. FROM YENISEISK TO KRASNOIARSK. PAGE My first experience of sledging — A. delightful adventure — Krasnoiarsk — The market-place — The High Street... 123 CHAPTER XIV- KRASNOIARSK— cow^inMec?. Privileged criminal exiles — Ordinary criminals — A marching convoy on the road — Convoy soldiers — The convoy — Proceedings on arrival at the Perasilny of Krasnoiarsk — The staroster of the gang — A stroll round the Perasilny — The married prisoners' quarters — A "privileged" prisoner in his cell — Scene outside the prison — Prison labour — I give it a trial — Details as to outside employment of prisoners ... ... 134 CHAPTER XV. MY JOURNEY FROM KRASNOIARSK TO IRKUTSK. My servant MatwiefE — The Great Post Road — The post- houses — Tea cai'avans — Curious effect of road — Siberian lynch law — Runaway convicts — A curious incident — The post courier — An awkward accident — Arrival at Irkutsk ... ... ... ... 1.56 CHAPTER XVI. IRKUTSK. Unpleasant experiences at hotel — Hospitality of Mr. Charles Lee — First impressions of the city ... 180 CONTENTS. XVll CHAPTER XYII. PRISON LIFE IN SIBERIA — continued. PAGE The Irkutsk prison — Comparative liberty of prisonere — Incongruities of prison life — The "shops" — Prison artists ... ... ... ... ... 192 CHAPTER XVIII. PRISON LIFE IN SIBERIA — continiied. Outdoor employment of prisoners — A chat with an em- ployer of convict labour — The " convict's word " — An interview with a cclebi-ated murderess — The criminal madhouse — Political prisoners in solitary confinement — I get permission to paint a picture in one of the cells — End of my visits to the pi'ison . . . 198 CHAPTER XIX. IRKUTSK — continued. A gold-caravan — Particulars as to the gold-mining industry of Siberia — The Foundling Hospital — The fire-brigade — Celebration of the Czar's birthday — Living in Irkutsk ... ... ... ... 208 CHAPTER XX. FROM IRKUTSK TO THE MONGOL CHINESE FRONTIER. My journey to Kiakhta, the city of the tea princes — Across Lake Baikal on the ice — Interesting experi- ences ... ... ... ... ... 221 XVlll CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXI. FROM IRKUTSK TO THE MONGOL CHINESE FRONTIER — continued. PAGE The road from Lake Baikal to Kiakhta — The " Kupetski track " — Incidents on the way — I change my sledge for a tarantass — Exciting adventures — Arrival at Troitzkosavsk, the business suburb of Kiakhta ... 235 CHAPTER XXII. ACROSS MONGOLIA. The Russo-Chinese frontier — Maimachin — The Mongols of to-day — Curious customs — Hair-dressing extra- ordinary — A pestilent farmyard — Exciting incidents — A forced enca.mpment — An awful night's experi- ences — The Manhati Pass — Magnificent scenery — I pull off a successful "bluff" — " Angliski Boxe " in the wilds of Mongolia — Arrival at Ourga ... ... 249 CHAPTER XXIII. THE SACRED CITY OP OURGA. The Russian consul, M. Feodroff — Hospitality of the Con- sulate — The " lions " of Ourga — The colossal statue of the "Maidha"— The " Bogdor of Kurene "— An impromptu interview — Prayer-wheels — Praying- boards — Religious fervour of the Mongols ... 272 CHAPTER XXIV. FROM OURGA TO THE GREAT WALL. My preparations for the journey across the Gobi Desert — The Russian Heavy Mail — My camel-cart — Good-bye to Ourga — The first few days out — Discomforts of the journey — The homeward-bound mail — The desei'fc settlement of Tcho-Iyr ... ... ... ... 301 CONTENTS. XIX CHAPTER XXV. THE GOBI DESERT — Continued. PAGE Sport in the desert— The " post-station " at Oud-en — The last of the desert — Saham-Balhousar — First impres- sions of China — Chinese women — Returning to sea- level — Curious experience — The eclipse of the moon — Arrival at Kalgan ... ... ... ... 318 CHAPTER XXVI. KALGAN TO PEKING. A heart J welcome — Yambooshan — The Great Wall of China — American missionaries — My mule-litter — From Kalgan to Peking — Scenery on the road — Chinese inn — First experience of a Chinese dinner — Amusing rencontre — The Nankaou Pass — The Second Parallel of the Great Wall — First impressions of Peking — The entrance to the city ... ... 331 CHAPTER XXVII. PEKING. Exciting times — A chat with Sir John Walsham— The Chinese city — Horrible scenes — Social life at the Legations in Peking — Lady Walsham's " At homes " — The hardest-worked man in the East — Interesting evening with Sir Robert Hart — His account of his life 353 CHAPTER XXVIII. PEKING {continued) — and home. Difficulty of sketching in the streets — My journey from Peking to Tientsin — A Chinese house-boat — The Peiho River — Tientsin — From Tientsin to Shanghai — And home ... ... ... ... ... 371 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. The "Biscata" leaving Blackwall ... Preparations for the Arctic Regions ... A "Dead Reckoning" in the Kara Sea Our Ice-master, Captain Crowther Clearing the Drift Ice from the Propellek The Home of the Walrus-hunter The "Biscata" Ice-bound in the Kara Sea ... After Seals ... "One Speck of Life in the Ice-bound Waste" The Handsomest Member of his Family Samotede Boatmen Karaoul The Samoyede's Grave A Samotede Ladt Transhipment of our Cargo to the " Phcenix " Our Custom-House Officer Kasanskoi Trader's House at Kasanskoi ... Mine Host at Kasanskoi ... Sweet Seventeen A Home in Northern Siberia : The Morning Meal Materfamilias Temporart Farmtard on one of the Barges ... Tea-time at the Men's Quarters on Shore Cossacks ... A House-boat The "Phcenix" Loading Wood for the " Ph(enix " Difficult Navigation SeIjLIVANAKA ... The Principal Thoroughfare, Turuchansk ... Our First Visit from Official Russia ... Werchneimbackskoi Interested Observers ... The Russian Police Officer The Village Priest A Village Boat ... PACK 1 To face 8 ... 10 13 ... 16 20 To face 24 25 ... 27 33 To face 34 36 39 40 43 48 50 50 ... 51 53 To face 54 65 To face 57 57 58 60 To face 61 >j m 70 To face 78 ... 80 To face 83 J) 83 83 To face 84 85 XXll IJST OF ILLUSTBATIONS. PAGE A River Pilot ... ... ... ... ... 89 The Riyeb Yenisei at Worogovo ... To face 90 Storing the Winter Forage : A Village Scene on the Yenisei ... ... ... ... To face 96 Yeniseisk ... ... ... ... ... 97 Peasant Woman ... ... ... ... ... 101 In the Market-place, Yeniseisk ... To face 101 A Prison Beauty ... ... ... ... ... 107 The Governor visiting the Men's Prison, Yeniseisk To face 109 The Murderers' Department, Yeniseisk Prison ... Ill The Governor visiting the Women's Prison, Yeniseisk To face 112 Criminal Prisoners waiting at Yeniseisk for Convoy to start for Krasnoiarsk ... ... To face 113 Street Scene, Yeniseisk ... ... ... 117 A Water-carrier... ... ... ... ... 118 Getting Water from the Frozen River Yenisei To face 118 The High Street, Yeniseisk ... ... ,, 118 A Swell ... ... ... ... ... 119 The Two Collegiate Schools, Yeniseisk ... To face 120 Life in Siberia: An Afternoon Drive in Yeniseisk,, 121 Ready to Start ... ... ... ... ... 323 "Good-bye" ... ... ... ... ... 126 Im the Meat Market, Krasnoiarsk ... ... ... 181 A Typical Siberian Interior, Krasnoiarsk ... 132 Snow Scavenger, Krasnoi.\rsk ... ... To face 133 The Cathedral, Krasnoiarsk ... ... ... 134 A Convoy of Prisoners on the March (Enlargement FROM AN Instantaneous Kodak Photo) To face 138 Prisoners unloading Sledges on Arrival at Perasilny, Krasnoiarsk ... ... ... ... To face 140 Verification of Prisoners on Arrival at Perasilny, Krasnoiarsk ... ... ... To face 141 The Staroster of the Gang ... ... ... 142 Group of Prisoners (from a Government Photo) ... 144 A " Priviligiert," or Privileged Prisoner ... ... 148 Peasant Women selling Provisions to Prisoners 149 Watchman on Duty in Fire Tower, Krasnoiarsk To face 155 My Servant ... ... ... ... ... 156 Arrival at a Post Station ... ... ... 164 Interior of a Post-house ... ... To face 166 The Imperial Mail ... ... ... „ 173 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. XXlll PAGE Irkutsk ... ... ... ... ... ... 180 The Moskovskaia Podvorie, Irkutsk ... To face 180 An Irkutsk Beauty ... ... ... ... 18.5 Entrance Hall of Millionaire Gold-mine Owner's House, Irkutsk ... ... ... ... 186 Street Scene, Irkutsk ... ... ... 188 A Cossack ... ... ... ... To face 190 An Irkutsk Policeman... ... ... „ 191 The Museum, Irkutsk ... ... ... ... 191 The Recreation Ground, Irkutsk Prison ... 192 Married Prisoners waiting to be served with New Clothes on arrival at Prison, Irkutsk To face 193 The Prison Artist ... ... ... ,, 196 The Baroness ... ... ... ... 201 A "Political" (from a Government Photo) To face 205 "Sweethearts and Wives: " Yisiting-Dat in the Irkutsk Prison ... ... ... ... To face 206 Autograph Letter from the Baroness ... „ 207 The High Street, Irkutsk ... ... ... 208 In the Courtyard of a Fire Station, Irkutsk ... 215 The Governor-General's House, Irkutsk ... ... 218 Street Scene, Irkutsk ... ... ... 220 A Bit on the Road to Lake Baikal ... ... 221 The River Angara near Lake Baikal ... . . 225 LiESTviNiTz, ON Lake Baikal ... ... ... 229 A Lake Baikal Steamer ... ... ... 231 Crossing Lake Baikal ... ... ... ... 233 The Kupetski Track ... ... ... ... 235 A Post-house on the Kupetski Track ... ... 288 A Tea Cart ... ... ... ... ... 240 Day-dreams : A Sketch in the Trans-Baikal To face 242 The High Street, Troitzkosavsk ... ... ,, 245 My First Glimpse of Mongolia ... ... ,, 246 A Bourriate Lady ... ... ... ... 247 Sketch by a Political Prisoner, made whilst on the March across Siberia (the Original is in Sepia AND White) ... ... ... To face 248 On the Road to Ourga ... ... ... ... 249 A Mongol Yourt ... ... ... ... 253 A Mongol ... ... ... ... ... 254 Our Midday Halt ... ... ... ... 260 A Street Musician, Ourga... ... ... ... 272 The Principal Thoroughfare, Ourga ... To face 273 xxiv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE A Pilgrim from Thibet ... ... ... ... 277 A Lama ... ... ... ••• ••• 281 A Prayer-wheel, Ourga ... ... ... ••. 283 Prate R-BOAEDS, Ourga ... ... ... ... 284 "The Old, Old Story all the World over" To face 286 In the Camel and Pony Bazaar, Ourga ... ,, 29.3 In the Bazaar, Ourga ... ... ,, 294 The Punishment of the " Cargue : " A Sketch outside THE Prison, Ourga ... ... To face 295 An Odrga Beauty ... ... ... ,, 299 In the Gobi Desert ... ... ... ... 301 My Camel-cart ... ... .. ... To face 303 Mongol conveying the Russian Light Mail across the Gobi Desert ... ... ... ... To face 306 The Midday Halt in the Desert ... ... 309 My Caravan in the Desert (from a Kodak Photo) ... 313 We meet the Homeward-bound Mail ... ... 314 The Lama Settlement of Tcho-Iyr in the Gobi Desert 315 I take Tea with a Lama in the Gobi Desert To face 316 The Russian Post-station in Mid-desert ... ... 318 In the Gobi Desert : A Tea Caravan on its Way to Siberia (from a Kodak Photo) ... ... 320 In the Gobi Desert : Lady Visitors to our Encamp- ment ... ... ... ... ... To face 323 " Ye Gentle Shepherdess of ye Steppe " ., 324 Street Scene, Yambooshan (showing the " Great Wall " ON Mountain in Background) ... ... To face 332 My Mule-litter ... ... ... ,, 338 The Courtyard of a Chinese Inn ... .. ... 341 A "Room" in a Chinese Inn ... ... ... 343 A Nasty Bit of Road ... ... ... To face 346 The Great Wall of China at the entrance to Nankaou Pass ... ... ... ... To face 348 Chinese Revenue Cruisers in Hongkong Roadstead (from A Photo GIVEN by Sir Robert Hart) To face 363 Street Scene, Tartar City, Peking ... ... 356 Sir Robert Hart, G.C.M.G., in his " Den " at Peking To face 366 My House-boat ... ... ... ... ... 375 Shanghai ... ... ... ... .. 380 THE "BISCAYa" leaving BLACKWALL. FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN" TO THE YELLOW SEA. CHAPTEE I. FROM BLACKWALL TO SIBERIA. The object of tlie expedition — The steamer Biscaya and its pas- sengers and cargo — Across the I^orth Sea — Uncomfortable experiences — First glimpse of Norway — Aalesund — The Lofoden Islands — The midnight sun — A foretaste of the Arctic regions — "Cape Flyaway" — Our ice-master, Captain Crowtber — We sight the coast of Siberia — The village of Kharbarova — The entrance to the Kara Sea. In these prosaic days of the nineteenth century one hardly expects a revival of the adventurous expe- B Via FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN ditions which made the fame of England in the days of Frobisher and Drake. As a matter of fact, the world is almost too well known now for such adventures to be possible, even were the leaders forthcoming, and the " good old buccaneering days " are long past. Still, I could not help thinking, on the day we left Gravesend for the far North-East, bound for a region but little known, and with the uncertainty of ever reaching our destination, that it must have been under somewhat similar conditions that the adventurers of old started on their perilous journeys ; with, however, this very great difference — ours was not a filibustering expedition, but a commonplace commercial enterprise, backed vip by several well-to-do Englishmen, with absolutely nothing of the romantic about it beyond the fact of its having to traverse these wild and comparatively unknown regions before it could be successfully achieved. We started from the Thames on Friday, July 18, 1890, in the chartered Norwegian steamer Biscaya, eight hundred tons gross, bound for the Yenisei Eiver with a nondescript tentative sort of cargo, con- sisting of a mixture of all sorts, from a steam saw- mill down to the latest toy for children, our ultimate destination being the town of Yeniseisk, which is situated some fifteen hundred miles from the mouth of this mighty river. The object of the expedition was to endeavour to open a trade route between TO THE YELLOW SEA. Endand and Siberia bv means of the Kara Sea passage, which was discovered by Nordenskiold in 1875. Nothing of particular interest occurred during the first few days after we left the Thames. We were so closely packed that it required some careful arrangement to get us all comfortably stowed, so to speak. Imagine seven men jammed into a cabin just about laroe enouo^h to accommodate four, and each man with the usual amount of superfluous luggage without which Englishmen could not possibly travel, this baggage also stowed in the cabin, and you will guess that we were packed like sardines. As, how- ever, no doubt even sardines get used to being packed, after a time so did w^e ; and, although the passage across the North Sea was about as uncom- fortable a one as I ever experienced, we somehow managed to settle into our respective grooves long before we sighted the coast of Norway. Our jDarty consisted of two representatives of the London Syndicate, two engineers, a master stevedore (to unload the ship on arrival), an experienced ice-master, who knew the Kara Sea thoroughly, the captain of the Biscaya, and your humble servant. I don't think I ever was on board a more crowded ship. Even the decks were packed wdth all sorts of para- phernalia, including a large steam-launch and several pens of live stock ; and, so as to obviate any fear of running short of coal in the outlandish parts we were FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN going to, the fore and upper decks liad over seventy tons of loose coal on them. We had a head wind and a heavy sea nearly the whole way after passing- Harwich, where w^e dropped onr pilot, thus bidding a last farewell to Old Enoland. Oft' the Doo-o-er O CO Bank we went rioht throuQ-h the fishino- fleet which congregates there, and took advantage of the oppor- tunity to get some fresh fish — a matter of no small difficulty, as the men had a preposterous idea of its value : they would not take money for it, but actually had the effrontery to want to swop a couple of small cod, a ling, and a pair of soles for two bottles of whiskey and a pound of tobacco ! Fish is evidently dearer on the fishinoj-o;round itself than in London. Whiskey, however, was far more valuable to us than fish, so, when the men saw we were not buyers on their terms, they eventually came down to \h lb. of ship tobacco (value 25. id.) for the lot, which Avas reasonable enough. After passing the Dogger Bank the wind freshened very considerably towards evening, and added much to the discomfort of the crowded ship ; in fact, so badly did she roll about that not only was all our jDarty busy " feeding the fishes " most of the time, but our cook was also so ill that he could not attend to his duties, and wo all had to lend a hand in the galley as well as we could. I had never been a long voyage in a wooden ship before, so could hardly sleep a wink all night, owing to the (to me) unusual noise caused TO TEE YELLOW SEA. by the groaDiDg of lier timbers as she pitched and tossed about. It sounded not unlike what I should imagine it would be sleeping near a lot of new leather portmanteaus which were being continually shifted. During the whole of the following day it was blowing- big guns, and the sea was so heavy that the cabin was almost dangerous to remain in, owing to the sort of cannonade of packages from all sides, many things being damaged. There was absolutely nothing to do but sit down and wait events, and, meanwhile, make one's self as comfortable as one could under the circumstances. By the next day the gale had moderated considerably, and during the morning we got our first glimpse of Norway — a high, rock-bound coast, with a dim vista of mountains in the back- ground. Shortly after, a small pilot-boat hove in sight, evidently on the chance of a job, probably taking the Biscaya for a tourist steamer wishing to pass inside the islands, which is the most picturescpie route, though somewhat longer. We had no time, however, to waste on scenery, so, although one of our party, who was suffering from an attack of dysentery, offered to pay the pilotage (about c£l5) out of his own pocket if the calm-water channel was followed, it was at once decided to keep outside the whole way up the coast, and thus get on as fast as possible, more especially as the weather showed signs of clearing up. On the Norway coast we anchored for a short 6 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN time off the quaint little village of Aalesund, with its pretty wooden houses nestling under the high snow-clad mountains which encircle the beautiful fiord on which it is situated. I was disappointed on a nearer inspection of the village, which looked so quaint as seen from the sea: the houses all appeared to be almost new, doubtless owing to the fact that they are all built entirely of wood. The effect is thoroughly characteristic of Norway, the smell pervading the place especially so, being, as far as I could guess, a mixture of paraffin and pickled fish, with just a soupgon of burnt wood thrown in here and there. Everything looked as clean as a new pin, but, as each house is exactly like its neighbour, the efiect is certainly monotonous. Nevertheless, there were several pretty bits which I should have liked to sketch had I had time. What, if anything, struck me most was the entire absence of any national or picturesque costume, which gives such local colour to most Continental villages. At Aalesund the inhabitants looked for all the world like English people, and their fair hair and blue eyes added to this resemblance. I was told, how- ever, that on fete days tliere are some quaint costumes to be seen here and there. No time was lost in getting away, and shortly after we had lost sight of the quiet little village, where we had spent a few lazy hours, and were headinc: it once more for the far- distant Arctic TO TEE YELLOW SEA. regions. The days after this date began to lengthen considerably, and, although we had hardly noticed it at first, it astonished us very much when we suddenly found that it was eleven o'clock at night, and yet the sun was shining as brightly as during the afternoon. When the novelty had worn off, as it naturally did after a few days, the amount of daylight almost palled on one. It seemed too absurd turning in while the sun was up ; still, like every- thinof else, one o^ets used to it after a time. The next few days were uneventful, as we were out of sight of land, and the usual monotony of shipboard life was only broken by the usual skylarking, without which no sea voyage would be complete. On July 28 we sighted the Lofoden Islands, about fourteen miles off on our starboard quarter. It was a lovely morning, and the lofty snow-capped mountains towering against the calm eastern sky presented a grand and impressive sight. The effect was almost that of a colossal painting, so still was everything in the bright sunshine. I was so im- pressed by the quiet grandeur of the scene that I got out my paint-box and started a sketch, but only succeeded in making a sort of caricature of my impressions. Late the next evening we came across a fleet of small fishing-boats — about the quaintest lot of craft I ever saw : they looked as if they had been copied from the frontispiece of the Argosy . We got some coarse sort of fish from them in FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN exchange for tobacco, biscuits, and the inevitable rum. The men were a very fine-looking set of fellows, very much like Englishmen (as, in fact, most Norwegians are), and seemed quite comfortable in their ramshackle-looking boats. After leaving them we saw for the first time the curious phenomenon of the sun above the horizon at midnight. It was so bright, and the atmosphere so clear, that I took an instantaneous photograph of a group on deck, and it came out very well. The next morning we niTived ofi" the North Cape, and passed it close in to the shore. We were now well inside the Arctic Circle, but perceived no difierence whatever in the temperature, except that perhaps it was warmer than it had been previously. As a matter of fact, we had out the hose and took a most enjoyable bath on deck in the warm sunshine. In the afternoon, however, w^e had our first taste of the Arctic regions, as a dense fog came on, and lasted till late in the evening. Everything seemed saturated with moisture ; the very rigging was dripping as under a heavy shower. For the next few days nothing of interest occurred, when suddenly one morning, as we were nearing Kolguier Island, we were aroused by the news that there was a steamer in sight, and soon we were all on deck eagerly scanning the horizon. Considering how far we were from the ordinary track of vessels, our excitement was natural ; for what was a ship TO THE YELLOW SEA. doing in these outlandish parts ? We soon made out that it was a Large steamer, coming from due north straight towards us. She was coming at such a spanking rate that very soon we could see she was flying the Kussian flag ; and shortly after she passed round our stern, and we dipped our colours to each other as she did so. She then brought up, and stopped not far from us, while our captain hailed her in English, and asked if they would take some letters ashore for us. With difficulty, we understood their reply to be "Yes." When, however, in their turn, they asked us where we were bound for, and got the reply " Siberia," they seemed somewhat astonished, as well they might, for "Siberia" is vague. We then lowered a boat, and sent them our packet of letters ; after which, bidding each other farewell by means of our fog-horns, we continued our way. We subsequently learnt from the mate, who had been in the boat, that it was a steamer w^hich had been sent to Nova Zemla to try and discover a Russian ship, which had been lost there some months back. During the remainder of that day our course was again obscured by thick fog, which prevented us from sighting Kolguier Island in the afternoon as we had expected. When, however, we came on deck after tea, a curious incident occurred. Our ice- master, who had been intently looking through his glasses at something which had attracted his atten- 10 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN tion, suddenly declared that lie saw laud ou the horizou behind us. AVe were all naturally somewhat startled at this intelligence, as we hardly expected to see it in so distant a quarter, for even had we passed A "DEAD RECKONINCx" IN THE KAI!A SEA. Kolguier in the iog, at the rate we were going it could not possibly have been so far away from us in the time. But what land w^as it, then? for on looking througli our glasses we certainly did sec high TO THE YELLOW SEA. IL mountains capped here and there with snow, their base lost in the snrroiindino; mist. On consultino- the chart we were not a bit the wiser, for it seemed as doubtfid as ourselves. I give, as a proof, the following "caution," which. is printed on the "Map of the Coast of Russia included between Cape Kanin and AVaygatch Island" (Imray, 1883): "As the sea comprised within the limits of this chart is very imperfectly known, no survey of any portion of it having been made, it should be navigated with more than ordinary care. The geographical positions of headlands and islands are all, without exception, uncertain, and their general delineation is only approximately accurate." (This is from the map we were then consulting.) After a while, however, the mysterious land gradually disappeared in the distance ; and, as we shortly after sighted the looked-for Kolguier Island ahead of us, there can be very little doubt that the mountains we thought we saw were part of what the sailors call "Cape Flyaway." It was a most realistic effect, and, even seen through powerful glasses, was exactly like land. The sunset that evening was magnificent ; in fact, I never remember seeing such glorious sky effects anywhere else as I have observed in these latitudes, the most wonderful part of them being their extra- ordinary stillness. For at least an hour I have frec[uently noticed masses of cumuli aljsolutely unchanged either in shape or position. 12 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN The days were uow beginning to get shorter again, although it Avas still broad daylight all night (if such an expression is English), the sun remaining below the horizon a few minutes longer every day. By the way, I believe we w^ere fortunate in getting in the neighbourhood of the North Cape exactly on the last day in the year, when the sun is visible above the horizon at midnio-ht. All of us were now anxiously looking forward to getting a glimpse of the coast of Siberia, and yet the weather was so warm and the sea so calm and blue that it was more like yachting in the Mediterranean than a voyage through the dreary Arctic regions ; in fact, on August 4, when we at length sighted the land, the sun was simj^ly broiling. Lovely, however, as the day was, it seemed to have very little effect on the dreary-looking coast-line, for a more dismal and uninviting country I never saw, fiat and uninterest- ing right down to the very water's edge, and with a striking absence of any colour, except a dingy muddy brown. This, of course, is easily accounted for, as it is only for two or three short months that the ground is free from snow, and there is no vegetation in these regions. Captain Crowther, our ice-master, a veteran Arctic traveller, who was out with the Eira expedition in 1881-2, and is the only man on board who knows these parts, now assumed the command of the ship, and took up his position on the bridge. We were TO THE YELLOW SEA. 13 about to enter the Kara Sea by the Waygatch Straits, and it was uncertain as yet if the navigation was open, as this remote sea is never entirely free '^'i^.^.^ ^. ■-«'< OrR ICE-MASTER, CAPTAIN CIIOWTHER. from ice. It was to be an exciting time for the next hour or so, for, if our passage through the Straits was blocked, we should have to return and try and get round by the coast of Nova Zemla, a much 14 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN longer and still more doubtful route. Sailing as we were, on a summer sea and in the warm sunshine, one could hardly realize that, perhaps a mile or so ahead, we might find our passage blocked by impenetrable ice ; it seemed so utterly improbable as to be hardly worth the thought. But we did not know the Arctic regions yet. We soon reached the entrance to the Straits, which are formed by the Island of Waygatch on one side and Siberia on the other, and are only about one and a half mile across, passing so close to the shore that we could plainly distinguish the battered wreck of a small vessel lying on the beach near a primitive sort of wooden beacon, which seemed strangely out of place in so melancholy a spot. Some distance farther, on the Siberian side, we could see the small hamlet of Khabarova, con- sisting of about a dozen w^ooden huts or cottages clustered round a little church, with a few fishing- coracles drawn up on the shingle in front, while a short distance away were several Polar bear skins hanging up to dry. It looked unutterably sad, this poor little outpost of humanity so far away from the busy world. One could not help wondering what inducement this dreary Arctic waste could possibly ofier for any oue to wdsh to dwell in it. I hear, however, that a few Russian merchants live there, carrying on a sort of trade with the Samoyede natives in return for furs, walrus tusks, etc. TO TEE YELLOW SEA. 15 Up till now we had been having real summer weather, with rij^pling waves sparkling in the brilliant sunshine. Suddenly the scene changed, and, with barely any warning, a drenching shower came down, and with it the wind veered round to the north-east, dark clouds obscured the sky, and as we entered the Kara Sea the eflfect was indescribably weird. It was like going from daylight into a horrid, uncanny sort of twilight. Behind us we could still see the lovely sunshine we had just left, while ahead the scene was Arctic in the extreme, and thoroughly realized my wildest expectations. All was cold and wretched, with a wintry sky overhead. Under the low cliffs which encircled the dreary shore one could see huge drifts of snow which the sunshine of the short Arctic summer had been powerless to disj^erse, while for miles round the sea simply bristled with drift ice in all sorts of uncouth shapes. I felt that it would require the pencil of a Dore or the pen of a Jules Verne to convey any adequate idea of the weird scene in all its desolate grandeur. CLEARING THE DRIFT ICE FKOM THE PKOPELEEK. CHAPTER 11. THE KARA SEA. In the midst of the ice-floes — Tedious work — "Weird efEects at twilight — A strange meeting — We pay a visit to the home of the walrns-hnntei' — Cario-hunting — A summer morning in the ice — Delightful experience — The Arctic mirage — We part from our new friends — An uncertain post-office — Ice -bound — Novel experiences — Seal-hunting. Notwithstanding its unpromising aspect, our plucky ice-master put tlie Biscaj/a straight for the icy obstacles, and soon we were surrounded on all sides by ghostly shapes, which appeared to l)e hurrying past us like so many uneasy spirits under the leaden sky. Although the ship was well and skillfully handled, in a very short time we were actually blocked in on all sides by huge masses of ice, and remained so for several hours. Tlien the floes drifted sufti- FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN TO THE YELLOW SEA. 17 ciently to allow of our gradually wedging our way through, which we did with considerable difi&culty and not without several severe bumps ; in fact, it was a wonder to me how we managed to get through at all, still more without serious damage. Curiously enough, all the ice for the moment seemed to be gathered in one spot, for the sea beyond was clear for several miles ahead after this ; then more drifts appeared, and during the night we were again hemmed in on all sides. The next morning the sun was shining in a cloudless sky once more, a great contrast to our previous evening's experience, and the effect of the snow-white drift-ice floating on the blue sea was very beautiful and novel. This time the water was sufficiently clear ahead to allow of our passage without much difficulty, and we proceeded without any special incident for several hours. Towards the afternoon, however, we observed a curious effect on the horizon before us : it was a sort of white reflection in the sky. Our experienced ice-master, who had been up to the mast-head with his glasses, how- ever, did not look at it in the same light as we did ; to him it was neither novel nor interesting. He told us that it was the reflection in the sky of enormous fields of ice, which it would be impossible to get through, unless we found a passage in some part of it. For the moment he could see nothing for it but to turn back and try another course, as the c 18 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN sGca ahead was blocked on either side as far as he could see. This did not sound cheerful, as it imme- diately raised visions of wintering in the Arctic regions, if, indeed, our ship was not smashed up before then. Without any delay the Biscayas head was immediately turned right round to the south- east, in the hope of finding a clear passage, and creeping north again under the shelter of the land. It was wearisome work going right back again over the old ground, but this was but a forerunner of what we had to do for some time afterwards, and by the time we had done with the Kara Sea we had all learnt a good lesson in patience. So as to econo- mize the coal, we only steamed half-speed ahead all the time. After several hours on this course, it was decided once more to try our luck and get northward again, and all that night we went steadily on without meeting with any ice. The next morning, when we got up on deck, a most provoking sight awaited us. We were steaming very slowly, for a few miles ahead of us was the wall of ice we had been trying in vain to avoid. There it lay, stretched out as far as the eyes could reach on either side in the bright sunshine, a ghostly barrier between us and our route. Our ice-master was pacing the deck in a very restless manner, and evidently did not like the look of affairs at all. At last he told us that it was no good humbugging about it : we were fairly in for it. As far as he could judge, the Kara TO THE YELLOW SEA. 19 Sea was full of ice to the north, so that the only thino;' we could do was to dodoe about on the chance of finding a weak spot to try and get through. If we did not succeed in finding a passage, he thought "it would be a very long job before we got out of the ice." His language was forcible enough to carry weight with it, even if his experience had not, so once more the ship's course was altered, and we started on a fresh voyage of discovery, westward this time. All that day we were pounding along the fringe of the interminable fields of ice, when, towards evening, it w^as decided to try what appeared to be a sort of opening some few miles ahead, although it did not look a very hopeful undertaking. For an hour or so, however, before making the attempt, the engines were slowed down as much as possible, in order to give our captains an opportunity of taking a little rest, as they knew that, once inside the ice, there would be no time for sleeping. At eight o'clock the ship's head was turned due north again, and in a very short time we were entirely surrounded by ice, which seemed to get more and more compact as we advanced, if advance it could be called ; for at times we barely moved at the rate of a mile an hour, with continual stoppages to enable the men to clear away the drift-ice from the propeller. Round us was an extraordinary scene, and one which I hardly know how to describe. There was not a breath of air stirring ; in the gi'owinj^ twilight the sea looked 20 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN like polished glass, and ou it the floating ice, which was rapidly melting, took all sorts of weird and grotesque shapes, conjuring up visions of low tide on some immense shore in antediluvian days, with uncouth monsters disporting themselves in the shallow water. We were so much impressed by our surroundings that we remained on deck watching the slowly moving panorama all night, or, rather, during the hours which are usu- ally night, for it was but a sort of myste- rious twilight all the time, which consider- ably added to the eifect. Towards morning we got into somewhat clearer water, when, to (Hir great surprise, we sighted some ves- sels ahead of us in the; ice. They turned out to be walrus- hunters, and, on our getting up to the nearest one, a sort of sloop with a crow's-nest at the mast-head, with a man in it on tlie look-out, they THE HOME OF THE ^VALKl;S-HUNTEU. TO TEE YELLOW SEA. 21 sent a boat over to us, and we then learnt that they were all in the same fix as ourselves, and had been blocked in for some days past, as they also wanted to get north. They hailed from Hammerfest, and had been in the Kara Sea since April, but hoped to be able to get out and on their way back to Norway towards the end of August. One of our party, an enthusiastic curio-hunter (without which no party could be complete), immediately " scented " his prey, and on inquiry found that the men had on board a Polar bear's skin they could sell him, also some seal- skins and walrus tusks ; so we jumped into their boat, and they took us across to have a look at them while their captain and ours hobnobbed together and talked Norwegian to their heart's content in the Biscayas cabin. On nearer inspection, the sloop proved larger than we had imagined it, and certainly dirtier. In a few minutes a cask was hauled up out of the hold, and a large yellowy-brown bundle, covered thickly with wet salt, pulled out of it and spread on the greasy deck. This Avas the Polar bear's skin we had come to see. Our curio-hunter's enthusiasm went down to zero at once, for it was as unlike the snowy- white rugs one sees in London drawing-rooms as chalk is to cheese ; still, they actually asked the modest sum of <£5 for it in this dirty state. The sealskins were also very disappointing, and we were about to return to the boat, when one of the crew produced a lot of Samoyede costumes and walrus 22 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN tnsks. wliicli we all made a rush for, as, at any rate, they were interesting — and clean. Of such there were enough to satisfy us all, and they were soon bought up. I got off cheapest, as I managed to get some very curious articles in return for my AVater- bury watch, which took the man's fancy. On returning to the Biscaya we found that it had been arranged to tow the sloop a short distance, as its cap- tain said he knew the coast, and thought he could pilot us through the ice part of the way. The ships there- fore got under way in company, and most of us then turned in for a few hours, after a most fatiguing day. In tlie morning we were at a standstill, fairly blocked in on all sides by the ice, which glistened and s-parkled round us till one's eyes ached from the glare. The sea was as calm as a mill-pond, the sun was shining in a cloudless sky, and it was so warm that had it not been for the ice around I should have suggested having the hose out and a bath on deck, for the thermometer marked fifty degrees in the shade. It was simply delightful, and made one feel quite pleased to be alive, so to speak. I could not help thinking, as I breathed the exhilarating air, how few Londoners have ever experienced such delight, as inhaling this sort of air seems to impart to one a kind of desire to jump about and give vent to one's animal spirits in quite a school boyish fashion, remind- ing one of one's youthful days before the cares of manhood were upon us, when on the weekly half- TO TEE YELLOW SEA. 23 holiday the rush was made for the cricket-ground. Owing to the purity of the atmosphere, the refraction or mirage along the horizon was so great that the ice seemed to be literally standing straight up, thus pro- ducing the impression of our being surrounded by a high white wall or cliff — an almost indescribable effect, and which, when seen through the glasses, reminded one of a transformation scene at a theatre, when the background is formed of painted gauze which is gradually lifted to disclose further surprises behind. A long and wearisome delay now occurred, as it was manifestly absurd even to try and advance any farther in the direction we were in. A.t last it was decided that the Biscaya should get out again into the open sea as soon as possible, as our ice -master did not like the look of the huo-e masses of ice which O were pressing tightly on her sides. The walrus- hunter expressed his intention of remaining where he was for a few days, to try and get some seals. Before parting company we entrusted to his care a packet of letters which he promised to post at the first port he touched at — rather a vague promise on his part, as he was uncertain when he would return to civilization. However, it was worth chancing, as he might possibly get back before we reached the end of our long journey. I could not help wondering how long my letter would take to reach the Strand, and felt certain I should never find a more uncertain post-office than this one. 24 FROM THE ARC TIG OCEAN For the next few days we were dodging tlie ice in all directions. North, south, east, and west, everywhere it seemed to be closing in on us, till at last, during a futile effort to break through, we got so hemmed in that it was deemed advisable to anchor to a floe for a time, and see if there was any chance of the drifts breaking up with the advancing season. So we brought up at a huge field of hummocky ice, and some men were sent down with the ice-anchor. Most of us then enjoyed our first bit of exercise for a fortnight. It was a novel experience being on one of these floating islands. Though not very slippery, one had to be careful. Along the edges the water deepened gradually, as upon a shore, for a couple of yards or so, till where the ice 'ended, when it suddenly went off" into hundreds of fathoms, which looked like a black abyss beneath us. There was very little to see, however, and, although we took our rifles with us, we did not meet with a single living object, still less a bear or a walrus, as we had fondly hoped we might. The next few days passed quietly. I managed to do a little sketching, although it was chilly work for one's feet on the ice. Then the weather changed, and it came on to rain, with a thick fog accompany- ing it, so we found the close and stufty cabin very cosy after being in the bleak wind outside, and, if singing (or, rather, making an infernal row) could help to pass away the time, we certainly THE " BISCAYA " ICE-BOUND IN THE KARA SEA. l^" face p. 24. TO THE YELLOW SEA. 25 did our best to lose no oiDportunity, our only draw- back being that we had not a single musical instru- ment among us. However, as it generally only was a question who could invent the most unearthly noise to accompany the " songs," the result can be more easily imagined than described. Sometimes we managed to get a shot at a stray seal which was AFTKi; :-i:als. rash enough to come within range, but, as they invariably dived down immediately we had fired, we could never tell if they had been hit or not, still less get them. One brute, with a face like that of an old man, was particularly " cheeky." He would come up alongside and almost stand up in the water and have a good look at us, as much as to say, 26 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN TO THE YELLOW SEA. " Here I am, you fellows ! Why don't you try and get me ? But you know you can't ! " Then, by the time we had got our rifles and ammunition ready, he would disappear suddenly, and a few seconds after come up on the other side of the ship. After a little of this sort of thing we simply got mad, and at last there was quite a battery waiting for him when he did appear. The ice-master, who was up at the mast-head, and could, from that elevated position, see him quite plainly under the water, directed our movements, and when at last we got a shot at him grew awfully excited, yelling out, " That's it ! Hit him again in the same place, and you'll get him ! " We did not get him, however, for the poor brute dived down, leaving a track of blood in the water, and did not reappear. We then got out a boat, and went on a sort of hunting-ex- pedition round about, but without finding anything ; in fact, we came to the conclusion, after j)addling about for half an hour, that there was nothing to find, so we gave it up as a bad job. At last it was decided to up anchor and once more try our luck, as our captains, and, in fact, all of us, were getting impatient at the delay, unavoid- able though it was. The rain appeared to have loosened the floes considerably, so we were a bit more hopeful. "ONE SPECK OF LIFE IN' THE H E-l;ul ND WASTE. CHAPTER 111. THE KAEA SEA COUtinUcd. Further impressions of the Arctic regions — The awful silence — Average thickness of the ice — On the move once more — A fresh danger — A funnj practical joke — The estuary of the Eiver Yenisei — Golchika — A visit from its inhabitants — From Golchika to Karaoul. The novelty of being blocked in on all sides by fields of ice soon wears off. Even the chance of a shot at a seal now and again fails to enliven one. The silence of the surroundings is too oppressive ; all seems dead, and it seems like some hideous dream to row about on these motionless waters, with the ghostly frozen monstrosities floating around. It 28 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN reminded one of Dore's illustrations to Dante's "Inferno." One can realize how awful it must be to be forced to pass a winter in the far North, where continual night is added to the horrors of the death- like surroundings. The silence of the great forest Stanley tells us of in his book must be almost noisy (if one can use the expression) compared with it ; at any rate, he had living nature around him, whereas in the Arctic regions all is gloom and eternal silence, without even vegetation to enliven it. Before leaving the floe to which we had been anchored, out of curiosity I ascertained the thickness of the ice, and to my astonishment I found it averaged seventeen feet, some pieces being even as much as twenty-Jive feet in thickness, and this after several weeks of continuous thaw. It would take too lono- to describe the wearisome attempts we made during the next few days while trying to break through the immense barrier which lay between us and the mouth of the Yenisei Eiver, and during all this time we experienced every variety of Arctic climate, from hot sunshine to sudden and icy cold fogs. This delay was trying to our patience, for time was precious, as we had to get up the river, discharge cargo, and get the ship off again on her return journey to England before the winter ice set in, otherwise it meant her being fixed in the Kara Sea till the late spring of next year. At length from the mast-head one TO THE YELLOW SEA. 29 evening came the long-expected and joyful intelli- gence that there was clear water visible ahead, and our ice-master reported having discovered what he thought looked like a passage to it. This was good news indeed, as the monotony of the last few days was beginning to pall on us, and we were none of us grieved when, after a few more hours of slow steaming, the intelligence proved correct, and we at last saw a clear horizon before us. Even then a new and unexpected danger presented itself. A gale had been blowing, and, although inside the ice-floes all was calm as in a lagoon, outside a heavy sea was running, and the enormous masses of loose ice were being tossed about like corks. It was an awful sight, and one of the utmost danger to the Biscaya, as it was most diflicult to steer clear of the huo;e heaving masses which threatened at any moment to smash into us. Fortunately, however, we managed to pass through them without the slightest injury to the ship, and we gave a hearty cheer for our skipper when we found ourselves once more out in the open sea, and the order was given, for the first time for many days, " Full speed ahead ! " Before quite leaving the ice behind, I must tell you of a very funny practical joke our captain played on us while we were at anchor. One morning, at about three o'clock, when we were all fast asleep, we were aroused by the captain rushing into our cabin in a state of great excitement, and calling out 30 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN to US that there was a bear on the ice close by. To jump out of one's bunk and make for one's rifle was the work of a moment, while the captain, who appeared to be in a frantic state of excitement at the chance of such capital sport, was rushing about looking for his ammunition. In a few seconds, and without waiting to put on coat or slippers, I was out on the deck, with nothing on but my pyjamas, in order to get the first shot if possible. I found all the crew looking over the bulwarks. It was broad daylight, a cold, raw sort of morning, with a dense fog enveloping everything a few yards ahead. About a hundred yards away, on a huge piece of ice which was slowly drifting towards us, was a large animal looming out through the mist. It was too far away to be distinctly made out, but there it was undoubtedly — a Polar bear. It would make for the water before I could get a shot, so without the slightest hesitation I commenced blazing away. It w^as so cold standing out in the frosty air, with scarcely anything on and coming straight from one's warm bed, that I could scarcely hold my rifle, still less distinguish the dim outline in the distance at which I fired four rounds in rapid succession, as I expected every minute the other fellows would turn up before I could hit it. All at once, the mass of ice having by this time drifted nearer, the animal turned slowly round towards us, and started a plaintive bleating. " Why, it's only a sheep ! " I TO THE YELLOW SEA. 31 fairly yelled, as I now made out its form quite distinctly. Immediately there rose from all sides such shrieks of laughter as were never heard before in the Arctic regions, I imagine ; the crew simply rolled about the deck in convulsions. As to the captain and the others, they nearly went into fits. To my astonishment, I then saw one of the ship's l)oats which had been waiting on the other side put off to fetch back the pseudo-bear — which was only one of our own sheep, after all, and which the captain, as a joke, had himself put on the ice, rightly guessing that in our half-awakened state none of us would hit it. The others, however, did not turn out quickly enough, so I was the sole beneficiary of what was one of the funniest practical jokes I ever heard of, and I laughed as heartily as any of them when I " twigged " it all. It was no use going back to bed again directly, so, to show I could appreciate a good bit of fun, and to keep out the cold, we opened a bottle of whiskey, and spent a pleasant hour, while laughing again and again at the description of how I looked, rushing out on deck in my pyjamas, half asleep, and firing wildly over the side of the ship. The sheep (which had been condemned for mutton), in recognition of its valour while under fire, was reserved as our very last victim for the fiesh-pot. We were once more fairly on our way towards the Yenisei, and, although we sighted a great deal 32 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN more ice, we encountered none which formed any serious obstacle ; we evidently had passed the worst. On August 1 1 we cjot as far north as it was necessary for us to go (our position being at the time 75 deg. north), and probably very few of us will ever get so near the North Pole again. It was a real Arctic day, as I take it, wretchedly cold, with heavy rain and a dense fog, so there was nothing for it but to remain in the cabin all day. In the afternoon we crossed the estuary to the river Ob, and — curious phenomenon — passed through fresh water for some hours. We got some on deck, and found it drink- able though brackish. It was now only a question of making up for lost time, as it had been arranged that the river steamer, the Plioenix, should come from Yeniseisk and meet us at the mouth of the river about August 12, which would give us ample time to get out from England, allowing for delays. We reached our place of rendezvous on the 13th — wonderful time, all things considered — and brought up opposite the little station of Golchika, without seeing anything of the ship which ought to have been waiting for us. The river here was about ten miles wide, and the coast on cither side was as bare and desolate as that we had seen when passing through the Waygatch Straits. It was profanely though graphically described by one of our j^arty, who remarked that it looked as if it were '' the last TO THE YELLOW SEA. 33 place God had made, and He had forgotten to finish it ! " In reply to our gun, which we fired as a signal, a boatful of men put off" from the land, and soon — s THE HANDSOMEST MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY. reached the ship, and then we had before us our first visitors from the kingdom of the White Czar. There were six of them — two Russians, and the rest Samoyede natives. Good specimens of the Mongolian 34 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN race, they were dressed in what looked like un- dressed sheep-skin of great age, judging from its colour, the fur being worn inside next their bodies. The two Russians were dressed in the usual peasant costume of the country. We could none of us make ourselves understood, although I got out my guide-book and vainly tried to pronounce some jaw- dislocating words ; so we stood grinning at each other for several minutes, till some one thought of offering them a cigarette. This time no interpreter was necessary. What we wanted to find out from them was whether they had seen anything of the Phcenix, but could not make them understand ; in fact, our difficulty now was to get rid of them — to let them know we were pleased to have had the pleasure of meeting them, but that " enough was as good as a feast." As they did not understand a hint, we simply pointed down to their boat, waving our hands to them as a sign for them to depart ; this they acted on, but not before they had insisted on shaking hands with us all round — rather a trying- ordeal. After their departure, it was decided to anchor in mid-stream and wait a few hours for the Phcenix before we attempted reaching the next station without a pilot. In the mean time, the steam-launch we had on board was got out and put in readiness. The follow- ing day, there still being no signs of the Phoenix, it was decided to attempt to reach the next station, TO THE YELLOW SEA. 35 Karaoul, a distance of about a hundred and sixty miles, without her, as it was thought she might have met with an accident on her way down with so many lighters in tow ; so, with the launch a few hundred yards ahead taking soundings, the Biscaya left Golchika, and started up the river in the hope of seeing the missing shijD. We made slow but sure progress, considering we had no pilot, and how imperfect our only chart was, and it certainly was a bit of luck that we got on so well as we did, as the river is full of sandbanks. No incident worthy of note occurred. It was blowing a nasty head wind all the time, so those in the launch had a rough and wet time of it, as the river averaged three miles wide the whole way, and there was no shelter what- ever ; yet they stuck to their work manfully, although they were nearly swamped several times by the heavy seas. Towards evening the next day we came in sight of a solitary log-cabin on the dreary shore, with a dilapidated sort of storehouse next to it ; close to the water's edge stood a Samoyede tent with a lot of native clogs lying round it ; all about were empty casks and other miscellaneous rubbish. Not a human being was in sight. We had safely accomplished the risky voyage from Golchika without a pilot ; for this wretched little station off which we dropped anchor, with all our colours flying, was Karaoul, the goal of the Biscaya s voyage. CHAPTER IV. THE PORT OF KARAOUL AND ITS INHABITANTS. The tundras of Noi'tliern Siberia — The Samoyedes — Arrival of the Phoenix — My first Russian meal — Vodka and tea — Our departure for Kasanskoi. In my last chapter I told you how we had safely reached Karaoul, the destination of the Biscaya, and that, to our great disappointment, the ship which ought to have been there to meet us was not at the rendezvous. What could have happened to her ? Naturally, the first idea that suggested itself was that she had run ao-round and was unable to 2fet off, encumbered as she was with the heavy barges that she was towing down from Yeniseisk to take back our cargo in. It was manifestly out of the question attempting to proceed any farther without a pilot, so it was decided to wait where we were, in the hope of the Phoenix turning up during the next day or two. FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN TO THE YELLOW SEA. 37 In the eveniiip- we all went ashore to have a look o round, and were received on landing by quite a pack of native dogs, which, however, only offered a mild protest against an invasion by barking at ns from a distance. A limp-looking individual, dressed in the usual Eussian costume, with the inevitable top-boots, strolled listlessly down towards the beach with his hands in his pockets, and stared at us in an aimless sort of fashion. The dismal loneliness of the sur- roundings had evidently had their effect on him, and he was incapable of arousing himself to anything requiring a mental effort, for he did not evince the slightest interest in our arrival, strange and unusual though it certaiidy must have been to him in this out-of-the-way sort of place. We found, however, that he still retained the use of his tongue, and my slight knowledge of German then proved very useful, as it turned out he was not a Eussian, but hailed from the " Vaterland." He informed us that he was the only white man in the place (which, by the w^ay, only contained as many inhabitants as there are letters in its name), and usually spent the summer months there looking after the Samoyede fishermen who were working for the merchant who owned the dilapidated wooden buildings. In the winter he was employed as a butcher at Yeniseisk, and very glad he was to get back again there, as he said he had a fear- fully dull time of it here, with not a soul to speak to except the Samoyedes, and very little work to do 38 FROM TEE ARCTIC OCEAN even when fish was brought in to salt. One could not help pitying a man who was so down on his hick as to be obliged to bury himself alive so far from his native land in order to earn his daily bread. There was not much to see on the beach, so we started for a walk over the hills, and had a very pleasant ramble through country which reminded one not a little of the Scottish Highlands. Every- where we were knee-deep in luxuriant grasses and moss, while all around flowers were growing in wild profusion — it was almost like being in a huge deserted garden. I noticed no end of old friends, such as the wild thyme, campanella, and mountain daisy. It was hard to realize that the ground is eternally frost-bound a foot or so beneath the sur- face, and that all this wonderful vegetation only comes up during the few months when the ground is not covered with snow ; for during the greater part of the year there is absolutely nothing to relieve the white vista of the endless rolling plains, which are then deserted by even the aborigines them- selves. We came across a solitary Samoyede grave on the hillside, the spot being marked by two sledges standing ready packed as for a journey. The Samoyedes thus leave their dead, and the custom is almost touching in its simplicity. All the earthly belongings of the deceased arc placed on the sledges, covered with a reindeer skin, and abandoned to the mercy of the elements, with no other protection than TO TEE YELLOW SEA. 39 a rudely carved forked stick stuck in the ground close by to frighten away evil spirits. They have no fear of robbers, as they know that their own people would not desecrate a grave, and to strangers the few primitive articles on the sledges would not offer much temptation ; still, I must confess, it rather w^ >- ! j- eing sent from, say, Moscow or St. Petersburg, or some other important city in Russia, for a long period to some remote Siberian village, the punish- ment must Ije a severe one. From the little I ha\e seen of these villages on our way up the river, I can imagine no fate more dreadful than to be shut up alone in one of them, among a lot of unsym- pathetic and ignorant peasants, with no books to read, and entirely out of touch and hearing of the civilized world. Better almost to be buried alive ! When, however, instead of to an out-of-the-way villao-e, he is consioued to a bii^oish town like Yeniseisk or Krasnoiarsk, his fate is certainly not so hard. He is allowed to live how and where he pleases ; if he has money of his own he is permitted to receive it; and if he is a sociable man he will TO TEE YELLOW SEA. 115 soon find that lie is not treated as an outcast, even by the officials, who, at any rate at Yeniseisk, are, I hear, the very embodiment of courtesy and polite- ness, though I believe it to be the same all over Siberia; and he will probably soon settle down to his new life, and, as is often the case when the sentence is not a " life " one, he will eventually decide to remain in a country which, though doubtless not all coideur de 7'ose, is certainly not all black. Still, there are many fine fellows whose fiery spirits not even exile to Siberia can tame, and who are only biding their time to return to Eussia and start a fresh struggle for freedom — with possibly (or rather, probably) the same, or a worse, result to themselves. There are a few of this sort here. One of them, M. X., an evidently well-educated man of about forty, was sent to Siberia for five years, two out of which he passed in a village, the rest in Yeniseisk. His time is up soon, when he will be allowed to return to Eussia again, but not to live in a University town. His wife accompanied him into exile. I met them out one evening at a friend's house, and had a long and interesting talk with both of them in French, as I was anxious to learn some- thing of his experiences. I could not help remarking to Madame that after what her husband had under- gone he would, doubtless, on his return to Eussia, not meddle with politics again. To my astonish- ment, she replied — 116 FROM TEE ARCTIC OCEAN TO THE YELLOW SEA. " Nisnaia ? " (Who can tell ?) " What ! " said I, " is not ouce sufficient to come to Siberia ? " But she shook her head, and answered, " It is very difficult to remain silent when one sees the state of things in Eussia, and one knows how very different it is in other countries. If no one takes the initiative, it will never be changed." We were on delicate ground, so I thought it best to change the subject, as one can never tell who may be listening. Moreover, politics are not in my line. However, I managed later on to have a further chat with M. X. on the subject, and he corroborated the words of his wife, in spite of my asking him if he had not had enough of it already in Siberia, for if he were again caught tripping he would doubt- less not get off so easily, but, in all probability, be sent to the mines. " Suroimo !" (It is all the same to me I) was his characteristic reply. The idea that they are wasting their lives on a cause which is not yet nearly ripe for solution, and which, for the moment, only time can help, never seems to occur to these men, who plod away cheerfully into Siberia with the firm conviction that they are making martyrs of themselves in the cause of liberty, whereas, in reality, they are only helping to colonize this vast continent. STREET SCEN'E, YEVISEISK. CHAPTER XII. YpmiSEiSK — continued. The hospital — Siberian houses — Their comfort — The streets of the city. A FEW days after, I received au invitation to visit the hospital, and, as I heard it was a very interesting- sight, I eagerly availed myself of it. The house doctor, an amiable old gentleman, who spoke German fluently, showed me over the place, and evidently took a great ^oride in it, although he informed me it was very old and was to be shortly re^^laced by a new building. The Yeniseisk sick-list was, unfor- tunately, very large at the time of my visit. On entering the principal ward, every bed of which was occupied, I was much struck with the curious effect before me ; it looked as if the j^lace had been prematurely decorated for Christmas. Everywhere 118 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN pine saplings were placed — between the beds and along the walls — reaching from the ground to the ceilino-. On askino- the reason, I was informed that it was to purify the air. It certainly wanted it, for the atmosphere was simply stifling. An English doctor would have stood aghast at the temperature. There was no attempt whatever at ventilation, and the triple windows were all hermetically sealed. Only a Russian could have lived in it, and all the patients seemed comfortable enough. A ■\VATER-CAUUIER. The fire brigade at Yeniseisk, as is usual in all Siberian towns — where the danger is so great in consequence of the many w^ooden houses — is remark- ably well organized. In case of need, the numerous water-carriers of the town are bound to orive their services and provide horses and water-carts ; while in the tower over the fire-station is always a watch- man, whose sole duty is to look out for the enemy, and to give w^arning of any outbreak l)y means of a big alarm-bell fixed on the upper platform. TO THE YELLOW SEA. 119 What, I fancy, astonishes an EDglishman most in Siberia for the first time, is the wonderful temperature he finds inside all the houses, from the richest to the poorest — a temperature so equable as to permit of the rarest tropical plants being cultivated with the greatest success. I may say, in fact, that many of the houses of the rich mine- owners present the appearance of conservatories, so crowded are they with exotics of all sorts, from climbing plants trained to grow round the doors to huge palms or plantains, and all in the most perfect condition. An Englishman's surprise is, there- fore, comprehensible. He has heard of the frightful cold of the Siberian winter, so arrives in the country duly armed against it accordino; to EuHish ideas. To his astonishment he finds that, when the thermometer in the street register3 40 deg. of frost (Reaumur) the temperature of his room is still as genial as though it were spring, although there is no stove visible. His thick fiannel shirts are naturally very much too w^arm ; he only requires one thin blanket on his bed ; and, when he goes out into the open air, his dacha is amply sufficient to keep out the cold. That most 120 FROM THE ABC TIC OCEAN complete device for heating a house that was ever imagined, the Russian stove, robs, therefore, the Siberian winter of many of its terrors, and makes a visit to this interesting and little-known country pleasant even during the coldest period of the year. The High Street of Yeniseisk is not unpicturesque ; and the importance of many of the buildings is enough to upset all the previously conceived ideas of Siberian towns. It would astonish most Europeans if they could see the stately mansions owned by some of the millionaire mine-owners and rich exiles ; these houses look as if they had been transplanted from the Champs Elysees or the Bois de Boulogne, and in the interior are to be found luxuries with which Paris, rather than Siberia, is generally associated. In my sketch I have, unfortunately, been unable to give any of these palatial residences, as I wanted to show the general effect of the town, witli the schools, fire-towers, one of the many churches, and the in- evitable telegraph-poles. The two Collegiate schools — one for boys, the other for girls — were founded by one of the merchant j^rinces of the town — Mr. KitmanofF. They are built in a style which would mark them as striking-looking buildings in any town in the world. They contain a fine laboratory of physical science, well supplied with apparatus, and a drawing-class room, provided with plaster casts and geometrical models ; the walls of tlie rooms and corridors are hung with maps, drawings, and diagrams =^^^ I f I-IFK IN PIBKIUA : AN AFTKHNOON DlUVj;, YKM-.f-IilSK. [7o face ji. 121. TO THE YELLOW SEA. 121 useful for teaching, and the seats and desks are of the most approved design for schools. There are several European professors of competent attainments in this excellent educational institution. Yeniseisk, though only a place of ten or twelve thousand inhabitants, is quite a model abode of civiliza- tion. It is worth wliile to see the ladies of fashionable society going out for an afternoon drive at Yeniseisk. When the temperature is not too low, say, 15 deg. below zero (Reaumur), one sees many smart sledges about. Four o'clock in the afternoon is the favourite time for drivinof, and one can then see horses as fine as those of any private carriages in London. The fair occupants of the sledges are, as a rule, too much wrapped up in furs to be seen to advantage, and, as the " grand chic " is to tear along at top speed, but a fleeting vision of beauty is all that is generally obtained, and before you have time almost to re- cognize who is in the sledge it is already far away. The city of Yeniseisk at this moment is, of course, of great interest to Englishmen, on account of the scheme for sea traffic between Enoland and the Yenisei o — which, if it prove successful, will probably go a long way towards making the fortune of the smart little town — and, if the canal is ever finished which the Government is constructing to connect Yeniseisk with Tomsk, there will exist, by means of the Volga, 122 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN TO THE YELLOW SEA. Obi, Yenisei, Irtish, Angara, and Amoor Rivers, one of the longest water highways of the world, and Chinese and Central Asian goods will be brought direct to the railroad at Tinmen, and thus to the gates of Europe, without transhipment. READY TO START. CHAPTER XIII. FROM YENISEISK TO KRASNOIARSK. My first experience of sledging — A delightful adventnre — Krasnoiarsk — The market-place — The High Street. If asked which place I should prefer, Krasnoiarsk or Loudon, to pass the winter in, I should, without hesitation, give the preference to this picturesque Siberian town, with its bright blue sky and exhila- rating atmosphere, its gay and interesting society, and many festivities during the Christmas season. I do not think there was ever a country less known or more maligned than Siberia. I found this out more and more every day ; but I formed that opinion from the time I landed, after my voyage through the Arctic Seas, and I have not had occasion to alter it, nor am I likely to do so. In my last chapter I endeavoured to give you a description of Yeniseisk, the first Siberian town of 124 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN any importance I bad tlien reached, and where I managed to spend five of the pleasantest weeks imaginable among some of the most hospitable people I ever had the good fortune to meet. Far- away Yeniseisk will long remain graven on my memory, not only on account of its being the long-looked-for goal of the most eventful voyage I ever made in my life, but also as recalling many delightful hours and novel experiences. The journey by sledge from Yeniseisk to Krasnoiarsk, a distance of 331 versts, if one travels day and night, takes forty-eight hours ; this, of course, means hard going the whole time, but, as the various post-houses on the road offer but little inducement for the traveller to prolong his stay in them longer than is absolutely necessary, there is no temptation to loiter on the way. I had been strongly advised to l)uy my own sledge, and not trust to the ramshackle convey- ances which could Ije hired at the different stations, so I determined to go by the advice of people who knew what Siberian travelling meant, and, with the assistance of a kind friend, was fortunate in picking up a sledge in excellent condition wonderfully cheap. All complete it cost me only fifty-two roubles, or about £6 15.S. — such a bargain was it that, I was informed, 1 should doubtless be able to sell it again at the same price anywhere. In fact, my lucky star seemed to l)e in the ascend- ant at that time, for just before leaving Yeniseisk I TO THE YELLOW SEA. 125 had a unique little adventure which made my first impressions of Siberian sledging too agreeable for description in plain Anglo-Saxon. I had made my arrangements for starting, when a Siberian friend of mine called and asked me if I would escort a lady as far as Krasnoiarsk. The sledge held two, but I was alarmed at the idea, especially as I was informed that the lady was a widow. Like Mr. Weller, I avoid widows. It is one of my few guiding principles. I said, therefore, that my bag- gage was multitudinous and heavy. My friend had placed me under so many obligations that I could not refuse to reconsider the matter, so it was arranofed that I should be presented to the widow on the next day to talk the matter over. I went to bed quite determined to have my sledge to myself. In the morning I called. The lady came into the room, and, instead of the wrinkled widow I had conjured up in my mind, behold a most charming and graceful creature of twenty-five, with a most vivacious manner and a smile which melted all the frost in my nature. (I mentally decided that if it cost me another sledge for the baggage the widow should be my conqjanion.) So without the slightest hesitation I said, twirling my moustaches, that I should feel myself a thousand years younger if I might be permitted to escort her to Krasnoiarsk. I made this remark in English, so neither the widow nor my friend understood it ; but I quickly assured them in my very best Parisian that 126 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN on mature consideratiou I liad discovered tliat there was room for two in the sledge, so the horses were ordered at the Government post-liouse, and at six o'clock that evening we started on our first stage, about twenty-five versts on the road. A party of friends accompanied us so far, and when we reached the post-house they produced chickens and champagne " GOOD-BYE." enough to have bribed the whole Press of Russia. Then good-bye, and away over tlie moonlit snow, galloping noiselessly through the night. I smoked a heavenly cigar ; the widow pufted at a cigarette. And so we travelled, halting only at the post -houses to change the horses. My sledge was heavily hulen with tinned meats and food to last me a long way. The post-houses supplied tea and minor necessities. TO THE YELLOW SEA. 127 I was soon initiated by my charming companion into the mode of travelling by sledge here. I learnt that horses (the nsual number is a troika, or three) were to be got at each post-house, the cost being three kopeks j^er horse per verst (rather under a penny for two-thirds of a mile), plus ten kopeks progon, or Government tax, per station. The Hemscliik, or driver, changes with each relay, and is included in the charges, l)ut he naturally expects a small gratuity for himself. Although this is not obligatory, it is a usual custom to give sixpence or so, according to the length of the stao;e and how one was driven. The padarojiia, or Government per- mit, authorizing the traveller to have the necessary horses, is a thing of the past, to all intents and pur- poses. Of course, there is nothing against the traveller wasting his money on one, if he so wishes, but he will find it a nuisance rather than otherwise. A good tip to your last driver goes a long way further towards helping one than all the Government pada- rojnas, in my humble opinion. I have travelled right across Siberia without one, and had not the slightest difficulty in getting horses anywhere, and in no case was the delay longer than was necessary to get ready a cup of tea or bouillon- fleet to keep out the cold ; but, of course, I was exceptionally fortunate in having had the advice of experienced friends before starting on my journey, and all went as merrily as a wedding-bell, although 128 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN I knew but tlic merest smatteriDs; of the Russian language. The distances between the diflferent stations never exceeded twenty-five versts (about sixteen miles), and this generally took a little over two hours to do, so it may be remarked the pace was not slow. The post-station, I am informed, is usually the best house in the village (which is not always saying much), the owner being paid a certain sum yearly for the use of his largest room, which he always has to keep ready for travellers, and if necessary, for a small fee, to supply the inevitable samovar. Refreshments, also, he in most cases undertakes to provide ; but, as a general rule, these only consist of black bread, milk, and frozen eggs, so the hungry traveller who is at all fastidious does well to provide himself beforehand with aJl his gastronomical necessaries. Of course, I am now speaking of travelling on the route from Yeniseisk to Krasnoiarsk, and not the " Great Post Road," which I shall have future occasion to describe. I found these houses, in most cases, clean and comfort- ably furnished, but always heated to such a degree as to render them almost unbearable ; so stifling, as a rule, was the atmosphere that it was generally like walking into a badly ventilated Turkish bath. I never stayed a moment longer than was absolutely necessary, and was always glad to get back again into my comfortable sledge. The road was in excej)tionally good condition for TO THE YELLOW SEA. 129 sledging ; for the greater part of the way it was like travelling on a velvet-pile carpet. I never saw deeper snow anywhere, the horses at times being absolutely buried up to their withers in it, while the trees on either side of us were simply bent down with the weight of their fleecy pall. The scenery was at times very beautiful, having almost the appearance of an English park, and altogether very different to what I expected to find in the wilds of Siberia. Taking it all in all, therefore, I found sledging a very pleasant way of travelling, and when snugly tucked up in my furs, as we dashed on through the darkness of the night, I was lulled gradually to sleep by the continuous jingle of the duga bells, the Strand, the Paper, and in fact London itself, seemed but as a dream of a far distant past. Of course this sort of sentimental reverie is only inspired when one is on a good road ; if it is otherwise, well, one's impressions are not of quite so soothing a nature, more especially if they are caused by the corners of a box or the roof of the sledge ! I had reason to congratulate myself on having provided myself with quite a Siberian outfit in the way of furs, for I don't think I ever felt such cold in my life as I did on the road from Yeniseisk. If one's face was exposed to the wind for only a few seconds, one's eyes and nostrils were frozen together and one's moustache became coated with thick ice. K 130 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN The horses, also, were so covered with white frost that their colour was absolutely unrecognizable. I found from my thermometer that the cold averaged each day no less than 35 deg. below zero (Reaumur)! It will give some idea of its intensity when I mention that whilst smoking in the open air, and having occasion to expectorate, my saliva would often fall to the ground as a solid lump of ice ! On reaching Krasnoiarsk, I was much surprised, and of course pleased, to find quite a decent hotel, where I was accommodated with a couple of really comfortable rooms well furnished, on fairly moderate terms. They would, I fancy, have been considered good anywhere ; and when I add that they were fitted with electric bells, that there were sheets and bedding to the bed, and that I had a real " tub " every morn- ing, you will understand that it seemed like getting back to civilization, with the ordinary " comforts " of everyday life once more. Krasnoiarsk is decidedly a picturesque town ; and, if it be so in winter, it must be doubly pleasant in summer. Situated on one of the most beautiful portions of the river Yenisei, in the centre of an amphitheatre of high hills, every street has a sort of background of its own, so to speak, and the effect is very pleasing. It is, of course, a much more important place than Yeniseisk, being considerably larger, and is more advanced in every respect. I was struck with this on the night of my arrival, by the appearance and length of the lamp- TO THE YELLOW SEA. 131 lit streets we had to drive throiigh before reaching the hotel. The town was busy enough next morning, for it was market-day, and the traffic in the streets abut- ting on the market-place was so great that it required the services of several Cossacks, placed at different points for the purpose, to control it ; and they had IN THE MEAT MARKET, KRASNOIARSK. their work cut out for them, for there is evidently no rule of the road here, to all outward appearance, and sledges of all sorts and sizes were dashing about in every direction in the most reckless fashion. The Bolskoi Oulitza, or High Street, presents a very animated appearance on a fine afternoon, and, if the weather be not too cold, one sees many pretty faces and smart equipages. Krasnoiarsk, owin.s: to its 132 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN sheltered position, is not so cold us Yeniseisk, the average here during the winter months being only 15 deg. below zero (Reaumur). Every afternoon there is quite a crowd of skaters in the fine public gardens, and the scene is a very picturesque one, for there are usually many officers on the ice, their striking: uniforms harmonizino- well with the furs of the fair sex. Society in Krasnoiarsk is much gayer than in A TYPICAL SIHEltlAN INTlinoi;, I\ i; ASNnlA KSK. Yeniseisk. I was fortunate in having letters of introduction to the (4overnor-General Telakoffski and other officials, also to the two richest mine-owners in the place, Messrs. Consnitsoff and Mativiefi", so what with dinners and dances I never found the time hang heavily on my hands of an evening ; in fact, it was rather too much the contrary, for so .^ <^, :^^M^>rtr^i on ahead. I could scarcely believe it, so he suggested our stopping the next one we met, and he would then convince me of the truth of his statement. To him there was evidently not so much novelty in the incident as to me, for as an ex-gendarme he could probably " spot " a prisoner at a glance. I had not long to wait, for in a short time there appeared in the far distance another of these gentle- men hurrying towards us. I thought it would not be a bad idea to " take his photo," so ordered the yemschik to stop, and, getting out of the sledge, waited till the fellow got up abreast of us. Matwieff then called out to him to come over to where we were, for he was on the far side of the road, which (as is usual in Siberia) was of enormous width. The fellow, in his anxiety to get along as quickly as possible, had evidently not noticed that we Avere • stopping, for when he heard us call out to him and he looked up and caught sight of us, a most curious look came over his face, w^hicli we could not help remarking. Whether it was the sight of my revolver (which I always wore outside my coat) or the gen- darme cap Matwieff had on, I cannot tell, but he looked round wildly for a second over the snow- TO THE YELLOW SEA. 171 covered plain as tlioiigh meditating a " bolt ; " tlien realizing, perhaps, that he could not possibly get away, he seemed to make up his mind, and came slowly over towards us. When he got close up we then saw that he was simply trembling in every liml) with fright, whilst his mouth was quivering to such an extent that it was positively painful to see such a picture of abject fear. Although he was a great big hulking fellow, and had an ugly looking cudgel under his arm, he was as unnerved and cowed as a beaten dog, and evidently expected us to immediately handcuff him and take him back at the tail of the sledge to the parti he had escaped from. The delight of the poor wretch when he learnt that I only wanted to photograph him was almost curious to witness, and he offered no objection to my carrying out my fell purpose. Mat- wieff then, to prove to me that the man really was as he said, a hradiagga, coolly went up to him, and, lifting up his sheepskin coat, lo and behold, under- neath were his prison clothes, whilst hidden by his high peasant boots were the ends of his chains still attached to the anklets, which he had not yet had time to remove. His head also, he showed me by removing his cap, had been half shaved in the usual convict manner. Whatever his crime, it was certainly no business of ours to re-arrest him, so I took the photo of him and then gave him a few kopeks for standing. Before letting him go, out of curiosity 172 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN I asked liim where lie was going to. To my astonish- ment he replied, '' Moscow." The idea of his setting out, on foot, to accomplish, over three thousand miles home, in the depth of winter, struck me as being an awful task to undertake. At the next station, the staroster, on my mentioning the incident, informed me that in the village they were simply infested with runaway convicts after a convoy had passed, and that at night the barns and outhouses were always occupied ; he had known as many as a dozen men sleeping in the bath-house of the station. (The baths in a Russian village are generally in wooden outbuildings.) The peasants, he further informed me, so far from interfering with the fuyards, or thinking even of giving them up, supply them on the quiet with bread and broken victuals, so that, at any rate, there is no fear of them dying of hunger within the village commune. As a matter of fact, the men themselves know that they can always reckon on something to eat in every place they have to pass through, and it has grown to be such a regular custom, this providing of food for them, that they take it as a matter of course. The wind, which hitherto had somewhat lulled, now recommenced with renewed force. Fortunately, however, owing to the road going in a different direction, it was at our backs ; for so hard did it blow, that the country presented the effect almost of steam- ing under it owing to the driving particles of snow, THl:; JJirKltlAL MAIL. [To face 2>. 173. TO THE YELLOW SEA. 173 and one could only see a few yards ahead through the sort of white fog enveloping everything, and we should have doubtless had an unpleasant time if we had been going against it. I was much struck with the scarcity of travellers we met, either on the road or in the stations, for only on two or three occasions did we meet any one or find the waiting-room occupied. At one place the Imperial Mail, bound for Irkutsk, came up while we were there — half a dozen of the shabbiest and most ramshackle of sledges, in charge of an equally seedy and shabby individual in a dirty old sheepskin coat, and with an enormous revolver in his belt. I could not help feeling somewhat disappointed, for from what I had previously read I had expected to see a dashing courier, resplendent in green and gold, and armed to the teeth, so had my sketch-book in readi- ness as soon as I heard that the mail had arrived. At another station I found the room occupied by a family, consisting of a lady and gentleman, and no less than four children and a maid. By some accident I discovered that the lady spoke German, so we had quite a long chat together. She informed me that they had come straight away from far Vladivostock, ■and were going to St. Petersburg, a journey which, from start to finish, would probably take them ten weeJcs, that is, if they stopped nowhere on the road. Her husband, who was a Government ofiicial, she told me, had been in bad health for some time past, and 174 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN had been recommended to ^o to St. Petersburg to iret the highest of medical advice. This is the longest journey I ever heard of "to see a doctor." I saw them start again shortly after, and although there were so many of them, they had such a huge sledge that they all seemed to pack into it quite comfortably. You may imagine how refreshing, so to speak, it was, after the sort of wilderness we had come through, to find that the next station, Touloung, was quite a busy little town, its many and well-built streets actually lighted up, whilst several important-looking shops and large houses helped to give quite a lively appearance to the place. The post-house itself was also quite " up to " the towu, and not only boasted of several large and well-furnished rooms, but also a big apartment, most handsomely decorated, in w^hich, I w\as informed, the Governor of Irkutsk held receptions when he had occasion to visit the town. Touloung, though an old town, was certainly one of the prettiest and most flourishing I had passed through, and my only regret was that it was night when w^e got there, for I should like to have sketched some of the bits I saw, notably the beautiful house of the merchant, Mr. ShokounofF, which stands exactly opposite the post-station, for it struck me as being a splendid specimen of Kussian architecture. After doin<^»- a little shopping, and a look round, and a "feed," once more I got under weigh. The next few stations were wretchedly uncomfort- TO THE YELLOW SEA. 175 able, or anyway they seemed so, perhaps out of contrast to the nice one we had just left ; so there was little temptation to loiter in them longer than was absolutely necessary whilst waiting for the fresh horses. At Tiretskaya, where we had to cross the Oka, the road w^ent along the centre of the river on the ice for several miles, and the high wooded banks on either side gave it a most peculiar and striking appearance, not unlike a railway cutting. The next place of interest we came to was the large village of Koutoulik (or, rather, small town, for it contains over eleven hundred inhabitants). The post-house here was without exception the smartest on the whole road. The waiting-room, which wag really well-furnished, was not only full of plants and flowers, but actually had pictures on the walls, not the usual cheap, religious ones, but good oleographs ; whilst to add to the good impression caused by these attempts at luxury, I learnt that there was a "real dinner" ready if I cared to take of it. You may imagine I jumped at it after living on tinned food for nearly a week. The w4fe of the staroster had evidently been a professed cook in her time, judging from the result and the way I was served. After dinner I lit my pipe and had a stroll through the village, whilst Matwieff was looking after the horses. The streets presented so lively and animated an appearance that I spent more time than I had intended to, wandering about in search of subjects. 176 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN The inhabitants were evidently used to artists, for neither my sketch-book nor my camera attracted any particular attention. During; the night after leaving outoulik Koccurred the accident which I have already referred to. We had started from the station of Polovilnaya at about 1.30 a.m., and I was soon fast asleep. How long I had been asleep I know not, but I was suddenly woke up by an indescribable sort of sensation that the sledge had "changed front." I sprang up and, raising the hood, looked out, when, to my no slight dismay, I discovered that we were on a long and steep hill and that the horses had lost all control over the sledge w^hicli was "skidding" down side- ways at a rate that increased every instant. Matwieff was immediately as wide awake as myself, and we both sat and looked out and waited breath- lessly for the result, which was absolutely inevitable, for it would have been utter madness to have attempted to jump out, encumbered as we both were with our heavy furs and the stiff apron of the sledge. Although the driver urged the horses to their very top speed they could not get ahead of the heavy vehicle, which had obtained complete mastery over them and was simply dragging them along with it. Just before reaching the bottom of the hill was a slio-ht rise in the road such as one sees on a switch- back railway ; here the driver was shot off his seat as out of a catapult, and a few yards further down TO THE YELLOW SEA. 177 the sledge turned completely over into a huge drift of snow by the side of the road. The luggage was so firmly wedged in that it barely moved, and both Matwieff and I were also so firmly boxed in that we found ourselves lying on our sides completely help- less. Fortunately a large caravan was coming along at the moment, and the men, seeing our predica- ment, immediately hurried up and soon righted the sledge again. The horses, I forgot to add, stopped at once as soon as they felt the resistance offered by the deep snow. This little misadventure was evidently a usual occurrence to them, and also to the driver, who turned up unhurt and smiling a few seconds after, and soon we were ofi" again as fast as ever. For the moment 1 thouQ-ht we had oot off scot free, for the sledge was uninjured, and neither Matwiefi" nor I felt any ill effects from the spill. A few stations further on, however, when going to get out of the sledge I felt a nasty pain in my right ankle, and found, on trying to walk, that my leg was so stiff I could not use it. Here was a pretty go ! I was evidently in for a bad sprain, and I knew what that meant. Luckily Matwieff was an old soldier in every sense of the word, and rose to the occasion, for without the slightest hesitation he insisted on my not moviug, and also on his putting me on a snow compress. In the mean time it was decided that we should hurry on to Irkutsk, which was now N 178 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN only some forty versts off, without any unnecessary delay. In spite, however, of the cold compress, the pain in my foot, probably aggravated by the move- ment of the sledge, increased to such an extent that I was in positive agony when at last we came in sight of our destination, and the many golden cupolas and minarets of the capital of Eastern Siberia stood out clear and defined as a picture against the bright morning sky. The scene was a beautiful one, and I could not help enjoying it in spite of the acute pain I was sufferino'. Our road lav rio-ht across the frozen river Angara, " the most beautiful river in the world," as it has been called. It was a Sunday morning, and crowds of gaily dressed peasants on foot and in sledges were making their way towards the city in the brilliant sunshine. The air resounded with the merry ring of sledge bells, whilst the many quaint costumes and curious conveyances gave an aspect of gaiety and life to a scene the like of which I had not yet witnessed in Siberia. My only regret was that owing to my being unable to move I could not get out of the sledo'e to make a sketch or take a photograph. However, 1 promised myself not to lose sight of the subject, and to return on the very first occasion when my foot would allow me. A few minutes afterwards the driver drew up outside a large triumphal arch standing at the entrance to the city and removed the duga bells before passing TO THE YELLOW SEA. 179 through, as nowhere in Siberia are these allowed except on the high-road. My eight days' tedious journey was at last ended, and it was with a veritable feeling of relief that I found myself passing through the broad, well-built streets, w^ith the prospect of soon being once again in a comfortable and well-appointed hotel. ' '^m^' '-^-^^^ >■ ■ ; ... - ^^^^ r;, , ,. CHAPTER XVI. IRKUTSK. Unpleasaut experiences at hotel — Hospitality of Mr. Charles Lee — First impressions of the city. I WAS much disappoiuted to find, on reacliing the 23rincipal liotel, the Moshovskcda Podvorie, that its glories, of Avliich I had lieard so mucli, were things of the past, and that as a hotel it no longer existed. True, the imposing three-storied building still re- mained, but under a new designation, for it is now the head-quarters of the Irkutsk military staff, and is known as the Etat Major of the city. A few chariihres meuhleea in the upper stories are all that FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN TO THE YELLOW SEA. 181 remain of what was, two years ago, the best hotel iu Siberia. I afterwards learnt that its failure was owing to its having been got up on far too grand a scale for the place, and that its promoters had lost a "pot of money" over it while it was open. Of course there were many other hotels, so I left the matter in the hands of the yemschik, for my foot was so j)ainful that I felt absolutely indifferent as to where or how I was lodo-ed, so Ions; as I could o:et out of the sledge and lie down quietly somewhere. But it was evidently the height of the season in Irkutsk and the city crammed, for everywhere I was told they were "full." At last, however, after a lot of driving about, I found a place where they had one room just vacant. It was a really smart and imposing-looking hotel from outside, and quite a " find," as I imagined — till I got inside the build- ing, when I found myself in one of the dirtiest places of its kind I had yet seen in Siberia. The contrast between the exterior and the interior was simply startling. Much, however, as I was disgusted with it, I was so sick of hunting about for lodgings that I determined to put up with it for a short time ; at any rate, till my foot was better. With the help of Matwieff I therefore made myself as comfortable as I could on two chairs (for I did not like the look of the sofa), and composed myself for "forty winks" whilst waiting for the "something to eat" which I had ordered, for the accident to my foot had not 182 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN interfered with my appetite. But I found it im- possible to have a nap, on account of certain strange noises round the room. At first I could not make out what they were occasioned by, but I soon dis- covered after a slight inspection. The wall-paper, which was stretched over a wooden foundation, did not touch the wood everywhere, and the curious noise was produced by myriads of blackbeetles, cock- roaches, and other vermin running up and down the wall and in and out of holes they had eaten in the paper. This cheerful discovery decided me at once to clear out of the place, and chance finding some- thing better elsewhere. Suddenly an idea occurred to me. I had a letter of introduction to a Mr. Charles Lee, an English enoineer livino- in Irkutsk, a brother of the unfor- tunate man who lost his life on our way up the Yenisei, so I sent this letter to him, with a note telling him of my accident, and asking if he could recommend me some other hotel to go to. My good luck had not quite deserted me, for in a few minutes came back a message saying he would him- self be round to see me directly, and shortly after he arrived. On seeing my helpless condition, this good Samaritan insisted on my immediately leaving the hotel and going to stay at his house, to be nursed till my foot was well ; and, so as to ensure my not refusing, he gave orders for ray luggage to be forth- with removed. In a very short time I was in a snug TO THE YELLOW SEA. 183 room, surrounded by every comfort ; so, although the doctor said I should have to remain indoors and not move for a week, I felt that I should be in luck's way if my lines were always cast in such pleasant places. Under kind nursing my injured ankle got rapidly well, so much so that I was soon able to get al)out again, and with the assistance, though much against the wish, of my hospitable friend, find convenient lodgings in the city. So it was a further proof of "all's well that end's well." Containing forty thousand inhabitants, the capital of Eastern Siberia covers an enormous extent of ground, being nearly two miles in each direction — the principal street, or Bolshoi Otditza, itself over a mile in length. My first impressions on walking up this noble thoroughfare were very difi'erent indeed from what I had anticipated, for it was hard to realize how near one was to the Chinese frontier, and how far from a railway ; the whole scene was one of absolutely European character, and reminded me not a little of many capitals I have visited. It was quite a relief, after the desolate look of the streets at Kra- snoiarsk and Yeniseisk, owing to the apparent absence of shops, to see here the handsome buildings with large plate-glass windows, in which were displayed every description of European goods ; and my sur- prise was the more natural, for, from what I had read, I was led to Ijelieve that nowhere in Siberia would 1 find the streets enlivened by the shop dis- 184 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN plays which give so much life and character to a place. But what astonished me most pleasantly in this far-away Siberian city was to see the fair sex dressed in the very latest of Parisian fashions, for I saw costumes in the Bolshoi Oulitza which would have looked smart even in Bond Street or the Rue de la Paix, and, as added to which I don't think I was ever in a place which for its size could boast of more pretty faces, the eflfect on a bright sunny after- noon may be imagined. Irkutsk is not nearly so cold a place as Krasnoiarsk, for, according to Keane, the mean winter temperature is only minus 4 deg. Fahr., and the summer temperature equal to that of Melbourne, and considerably higher than that of Paris. Of course I was particularly fortunate in visiting Irkutsk in the very height of the " season," for, as is the case all over Siberia, and, I believe, Russia also, the time to see "life" is during the winter months, when the rich and fashionable classes are in town, and all sorts of festivities are going on. As at Krasnoiarsk, I found " society " here abso- lutely European in its character, for most of the wealthiest people annually pass several months in the West, so are quite cm courant with all that is going on in the world of pleasure, and manage to convey their impressions back to tlieir Siberian palaces in the shape of luxuries and extravagances of every sort. Amongst the many hospitalities I was shown I had the pleasure of dining one evening at the house of TO TEE YELLOW SEA. 185 Mr, SoukatchofF, the Mayor of Irkutsk, one of the richest and most important men of the city. His magnificent house, with its large picture-gallery (in which are over two hundred and fifty examples of AN IRKtTSK BEAUTY. the best know^n of continental artists), its immense library, and its priceless collection of curiosities from every part of the world, made my visit to this gentle- man a sort of " artistic treat " — a treat which was in 186 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN 110 way spoilt by the very excellent dinner he gave us, and the interesting people I was introduced to, many of whom spoke French and German fluently, KNTUANCE HALL OF MILLTONAIKK GOLU-MINK OWNEIl's HOUSE, IRKUTSK. and some of them English also. Here, as elsewhere in Siberia, on every occasion when I have dined out, either in Irkutsk, Krasnoiarsk, or Yeniseisk, the TO THE YELLOW SEA. 187 general " tone " and arrangements were deliglitful, I was also fortunate enough to be present at a big ball given by the millionaire, M. de Sievers, and I doubt very much if the most brilliant "crush" of a London season could present a more magnificent spectacle than did this ball — for the governor- general, with his party, and the head -quarters staff oflScers, were present in full vmiform, blazing with orders and decorations, and the rooms were crowded with as smart a crowd of people as the most fas- tidious London dancing man could have desired. The " floor " and the music were both excellent. In the gallery of the ball-room was stationed the regimental band, while, by the fountain in the huge winter- garden, which was beautifully illuminated with quaint Chinese lanterns, the town string-band played all the eveninof. It was like beino- in dreamland to wander, with some pretty girl on one's arm, through the exotic shrubberies, and my thoughts were carried far away from cold Siberia, to the sunny south of France and to gay Monte Carlo. I should have been sorry to have missed seeing this dance, for it did more towards giving me an insight into Irkutsk society than all else. Since the disastrous fire in Irkutsk in 1879, when almost the entire town was burnt to the ground, it has been forbidden to build any but stone or brick houses in the principal streets, so the result is broad thoroughfares, w^ith lofty buildings of imposing archi- II FROM TEE ABC TIC OCEAN tectural pretensions on either side, wliicli would not disgrace any Western capital. For its size, I do not think there is any city in the world which can boast of more public institutions than Irkutsk. On first driving through the city this was the characteristic STREET SCEXE, IRKUTSK. feature which struck me, for everywhere, almost in every street, was some important public edifice, many of the institutions l)eing, I was informed, the result of private munificence. I had often read of these monuments as erected by Siberian millionaires more TO THE YELLOW SEA. 189 to satisfy their personal vanity and love of osten- tation than out of any true charitable or public spirit — rather as a means of jDroving to the vulgar horde what wealth they really possess. Whether or no this is the case, of course it is impossible to say ; but, at any rate, the result is a conglomeration of public institutions which, considering the size of the place, could not be rivalled anywhere, 1 fancy. A brief list of them, in proof of my statement, may be of interest, as giving an idea of the importance of this distant Siberian city. Of public schools there are no less than nineteen, all under the supervision of a Government Educational Committee. Then there are six hospitals — namely, three town hospitals ; a foundling hospital, on the usual Russian system ; a military hospital, and a madhouse. Of " homes " for children there are at least four ; three asylums for the aged and infirm ; a monastery for men and one for women ; a convict and a civil prison ; a geographical institute ; a large observatory (with an English telescope) ; and two clubs — one military, the other for merchants — making a total of over forty important public institutions for a popu- lation of less than forty thousand. Of the handsome churches, of which there are no less than twenty- two, besides two cathedrals, many were also presented to this lucky city by its millionaire inhabitants, who, when they decide to sjDend their money, do so in no j^arsimonious manner, 190 FROM THE ABC TIC OCEAN as is evidenced by the result. The monastery of St. Innocent, a short distance from the city, is as beautiful a specimen of Italian architecture as one could see anywhere, and cost its donors, several rich merchants, I don't know how many million roubles. It is not only in Irkutsk, however, that one finds such proofs of great private munificence, for I learn that the magnificent cathedral of Krasnoiarsk was presented to the city by a rich man who made his millions out of vodka ! Irkutsk, being the seat of the Government of Eastern Siberia (a district equal in size to the half of Europe), is naturally well stocked with ofiicials of all sorts and grades, the governor- general and civil governor having each no less than three remplaqants. Considering what an important centre Irkutsk is, I was surprised to learn that it was only garrisoned by one battalion of 1000 soldiers and one sotnia (nominally 100, but actually 150) of Cossacks ; so the energies of the military governor are not overtaxed. The Chinese frontier district comes within the govern- ment of the Trans-Baikal and Amour provinces. The police arrangements struck me as being particularly good. In the daytime mounted men are continually patrolling the streets to prevent any congestion of the traffic — a very necessary measure, considering the reckless manner in which Si])erians drive. At night there is a curious and truly Eastern custom still in vogue in this important A COSSACK. ITo face p. 190. AN IRKUTSK POLICEMAN. [ To face p. 1 'J 1 . TO THE YELLOW SEA. 191 city ; watchmen parade the streets, continually agi- tating a peculiar sort of knocker which emits a sound not unlike that of the rattle our policemen used to be provided with. AVhat is the reason of adhering to this primitive custom I have been unable to learn. Perhaps Siberian thieves are known to be nervous, and this arrangement frightens them, and deters them from contemplated misdeeds. Certainly the watch- men themselves would not have that effect on any- thing but a very old woman or a young child, for they were usually aged and decrepit fellows, who looked as though they ought to have been at home and in bed instead of out all night. Fortunately the Irkutsk streets are safe enough during the dark hours. :5 ^""^-4 -^r TUE MUSEUM, IRKUTSK. THE KECREATION GROUND, IRKUTSK PRISON. CHAPTER XVir. PRISON LIFE IN SIBERIA — continued. The Irkutsk prison — Comparative liberty of prisoners — Incon- gruities of prison life — The "shops " — Prison artists. There was always so much to see and do in Irkutsk, that the five weeks I spent there were fully occupied. The prison life of Siberia has always interested me highly, for 1 had read so much of it before coming to the country that I never missed an opportunity of seeing as much of it as possible. One of my first excursions, therefore, was to the gaol here. As at Yeniseisk and Krasnoiarsk, the officials were polite- s I a In P « £ FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN TO TEE YELLOW SEA. 193 ness itself, and although the ostrog here is a really important one, containing as it does no less than twelve hundred prisoners (owing to the recent burning of the AlexandrofFsky prison), I experienced not the slightest difficulty in being shown all there was to be seen. The authorities offered me every assistance in their power, and no secret whatever was made of it ; the governor-general of Irkutsk, to whom my mission as a special artist and correspondent was well known, even goicg so far as to send me a courteous message, saying that he would be pleased to let me see all I wished of the prison life, and hoped that I would only write the exact truth about it ! So I spent a long morning there, walking round with the director, the doctor, and other officials, and saw and sketched as much as I wished, and only had to ask to be told all I wanted to know. What struck me most in the internal arrangements was the comparative liberty that existed inside the vast building ; for, with the exception of a few prisoners in solitary confinement, all seemed free to roam about in the corridors or the large quadrangle to- their hearts' content ; and although a warder with a large bunch of keys accompanied us on our round, in no case did he find occasion to use them, for all the doors were unlocked. I was informed that it is only at night the prisoners are locked in. The system is certainly a curious one. Of course the men in the " solitary " cells were not allowed this sort of liberty. o 194 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN The description I have given of the Yeniseisk prison will almost suffice for the Irkutsk one as well, with the exception that the various " halls," or " dormi- tories," there were infinitely better than those here, which — probably on account of their overcrowded state — were in a filthy condition, and little better than human pigsties. Every spot was occupied, and the stench was awful in consequence, for this is an old prison as compared with that at Yeniseisk. I was much astonished to see dogs, cats, and even pigeons and doves in some " halls," and on inquiry was in- formed that prisoners are allowed their " pets," and that each crowd had its special and distinctive favourites, fed out of the general ''mess" ! It was quite touching to see some hulking ruffian loafing about in the sunshine with a tiny kitten in his arms, or to hear the cooing of turtle-doves in some gloomy recess of a filthy cell. Although these incongruities of prison life struck me as being very extraordinary, they passed unnoticed by my companions, who were surprised when I drew their attention to them and observed how much more severe the English prison system is. After iroinir tlie round of the " halls " we next visited the workshops. As I told you in a previous chapter, work in a Siberian prison is purely optional ; a man can be as lazy as he likes, or else he can set to and earn a little money at his particular trade, if he has one, and such work is required. There are two TO THE YELLOW SEA. 195 kinds of work permitted by the Government — work in tlie prison itself in the various workshops provided for the different trades, and outdoor work away from the prison. In the Irkutsk prison almost every trade was not only represented but well employed also, for in many of the workshops I was informed the men were so busy with orders on hand that for the moment they could undertake no more. All the work being carried out was for townspeople. Of the money thus earned, a certain percentage goes to the Government, and the rest is divided equally among the men of the atelier. We visited all the " shops," and it was quite re- freshing to see the men hard at work, and working cheerfully together — as well they might, considering that it is to their mutual advantage to do so. They were working evidently under no restraint whatever, for I noticed no guards about. I was told that one could get almost anything made here — for in the " shops " were tailors, hatters, bootmakers, smiths, locksmiths, carpenters, cabinet-makers, cigarette- makers, jewellers, engravers, and even artists ; for in the prison, at the time I visited it, were two men convicted of uttering false banknotes, and who, having artistic proclivities, passed their time in paint- ing — the one, portraits from photographs ; the other, hons Dieitx, or the sacred pictures so dear to the Greek Church. I saw the portrait-painter at work in the same room as the ciojarette-makers, and much out 196 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN of place here did the easel and canvas look, almost as much so as the artist himself, in his prison garb, with a large palette and bunch of brushes and mahl- stick in his hand. The fellow spoke German fluently, so we had a talk together, as he was not at all reticent, and did not seem to feel his position a little bit. He informed me that he always had as much work to do as he could possibly get through, so he never found the time hang heavily on his hands. This work — which, by the way, was very indifferent — I further learnt, was mostly for local photographers. The other " artist," whom we subsequently visited, was quite a "swell," for he was in solitary confine- ment, and had been permitted to fit up his small cell quite as a studio. There were shelves on the walls full of half-completed pictures, a lot of the usual paraphernalia of art lay about, while in one corner hung a large framed oil-painting, a copy of a cele- brated picture I knew well through the recently pub- lished photogravures of it in London — a beautiful composition, and looking strangely incongruous in so gruesome and dismal a place, for the only light entered by a small, heavily grated window high up near the ceiling. This gentleman, who seemed quite as busy as the portrait-painter, was, however, quite a different character, and as reticent and moody as the other was talkative, for when the director asked him if he did not speak Frencli or German so that I could ask him a few questions, he curtly replied that he "l ^ 'H. N a:. TO TEE YELLOW SEA. 197 had forgotten whether he ever did or not, for he was now a "number," no longer a man. I afterwards learnt that both these men, though convicted, were not as yet sentenced, and that probably they would be sent for an indefinite number of years to hard labour in one of the Government mines, and that it was only pending their sentence that they were allowed to go on with their painting, though, my informant added, with a. smile, they would probably be able to do a little even at the mines if they behaved themselves ! With so much labour of all sorts to be got almost for the asking, it may be imagined how exploitee the prison is by local tradesmen, who thus get their work done by these " unfortunates " at probably less than a third of what it would cost them if they employed town labour, I got a large double brass seal made, and engraved at both ends, for less than 2s. 6d., and then, when it was finished, the governor ordered the prisoner who had made it to engrave my initials on my stick into the bargain, which the fellow did with- out a word of grumbling. He looked very grateful, however, when I slipped a few extra kopeks into his hand afterwards. The forged banknote which I give in facsimile was the work of a prison artist. All its elaborate pen- and-ink work represents when complete only the sum of five roubles (10s.). Yet for this small amount a long term of imprisonment was risked ! (and got). 198 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN CHAPTER XVIII. PEisox LIFE IN siBEEiA — continued. Outdoor employment of prisoners — A chat with an employer of convict labonr — The "convict's word" — An interview with a celebrated murderess — The ci-iminal madhouse — • Political prisoners in solitary confinement — I get per- mission to paint a picture in one of the cells — End of my visits to the prison. Outdoor employ- ment away from the prison is often granted to prisoners who have been re- marked for special good conduct, and they are drafted off either to Govern- ment or private works, such as salt or iron workings. Those sent to private works arc thus rewarded for exceptionally good behaviour whilst in prison ; they get well paid whilst thus employed, and they work TO THE YELLOW SEA. 199 side by side with free men, receiviDg the same pay, and enjoying the same allowances, the only difference being that of course they cannot leave of their own accord. The pay struck me as being exceptionally good, for it averages twenty-five roubles (£3) per month for foremen, and ranging down to four roubles for ordinary labourers. Besides this pay each man receives eighty pounds of flour for himself, and if married forty for his wife, and the same amount for each child from the day of its birth till it is thirteen years of age. Eight roubles per year are also allowed for boots and gloves. Housing is provided by the owners of the works, but the convicts may if they choose live apart on the works at their own expense. At the Government works (not the hard-labour ones) it is very different, for although it is a distinct rise in the prisoner's position to be sent to them, the pay is very poor indeed, being only five kopeks (a little over one penny) per day, and the men are always under the supervision of convoy soldiers. There is no military guard over men working at private works. I had an interesting interview with the owner of some salt works who largely employs convict labour^ He told me that he would far rather employ convicts than ordinary labourers, as they were " more reliable." If a convict gave his " convict's word " to do or not to do a thing, as the case might be, he could rely on his never breaking it, for it would be contrary to the recognized code of prison honour. For instance, he 200 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN told me, it would often happen, when the gang he had ordered arrived, the staroster of it would inform him that such and such prisoners were unrehable, as they had declared their intention of running away at the first opportunity. " But how about the others ? " he would ask ; " for it would be awkward to find one's self shorthanded at a critical moment." " Oh, the others," would reply the staroster, " have given me their 'convict's word' to remain and do their best, so you can rely on them." This system of thus utilizing convict labour is undoubtedly part of a huge scheme for gradually colonizing this vast continent, as round the works small villages gradually spring up. After visiting the men's quarters we went to the portion reserved for the fair sex, which, beyond being very crowded, ofi'ered but little of novelty or interest. Just as we were turning to leave the building, how- ever, the doctor said, " Let's go and see how the baroness is ; " so we went back and down a corridor, at the end of which was a door by itself. Before going in I was informed that this was the cell of the famous poisoner, Sofie de AVillup, Baroness de Sachs, whose trial, witli that of her lover, a groom, some years ago in St. Petersburg, for murdering her second husband by slow poison, was a cause celebre, for it then transpired that her first husband had also died in some mysterious manner. The case was proved to the hilt, I was told, and in England her fate, the gallows, would have been inevitable ; but in Russia it TO THE YELLOW SEA. 201 was different, for she was a scion of a noble and wealthy house, and her relatives moving in the highest circles. Still, she could not entirely escape punishment of some sort, and she was eventually sent to Siberia for life, nominally to " hard labour at the mines," where a poor and unknown woman would undoubtedly have gone ; but the governor of the province she was consigned to was a relative of hers, so she naturally never reached her destina- tion, but remained in the Irkutsk 2»i'ison as "an invalid." Her lover, being a nobody, was sent to work in chains for the re- mainder of his life in Saghalien, and is doubtless there still. In response to a discreet knock Ijy the „ „ r ^ THE BARONESS. governor, a lemale voice from within bade us enter. Imagine my astonishment, after having been told all the ladv was, to find myself in a small but comfortably furnished room, with flowers and birds in cages in the window, and books and other "luxuries" lying about in profusion ; whilst in a cupboard I noticed the usual extensive wardrobe of a stylish woman. 202 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN On a carved bedstead in one corner of this unique prison '' cell " lay the invalid, a healthy, not unpre- possessing young woman of about thirty years of age ; she was dressed in ordinary walking costume, and on hearing our knock had evidently hastily thrown herself on the bed acd covered herself with a smart travelling rug, so as to carry out fully her invalid condition. The whole look of the place was certainly the most hollow mockery of justice I had ever seen, and I could not help involuntarily con- trasting her surroundings with those of the poor wretches in other parts of the building, whose crimes were probably not half as bad as hers. The lady languidly gave us her hand to shake, and in reply to the doctor's question as to how "Madame la baronne'^ felt, said she felt a little better. " By the way," said the governor, " you speak English, or French, or German, don't you, Baronne ?'- " Oh yes," she replied, " all three." So I was formally introduced, and had my first conversation with a real live murderess. It was rather embarrassing at the commencement, for I hardly knew what to say ; but she helped me out of the difficulty by asking in very fair English how dear old London looked, and how long it was since I had left it, etc., and we ended by having quite a cosmopolitan chat together, first in English, then in French, and gradually drifting into German, as, so to speak, we wandered about Europe, talking of the TO THE YELLOW SEA. 203 different places we knew, whilst I meanwhile was making a rough sketch of the room and its occupant. She told me, to my surprise, that she hoped to he free in a couple of months, when, although she would not be allowed to leave Siberia, she could live on her means (which, I believe, were ample) in some desig- nated village or town. " After six years of ' prison ' life," she added, " any place will be an agreeable change for me." On leaving the baroness the doctor suggested that the criminal madhouse might interest me, so we all adjourned to a neighbouring building standing within a high stockade. The unfortunate inmates were evidently well looked after, for the place was as warm as toast and as clean as possible. There were no dangerous madmen there when we visited it, so the padded rooms were empty. It gave one more the impression of a hospital than a madhouse. As we entered, a wretched-looking little individual rushed up to the director and loudly complained about his being still detained there because the governor- general of Irkutsk refused to pay him what he owed him. The director agreed with him that it was very unfair his being there under the circumstances, but assured him that the matter was receivino- the attention it deserved, and doubtless in a few days he would be permitted to leave. This seemed to satisfy the poor fellow, and he withdrew, after thank- ing us all for having honoured him with our visit. 204 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN In another of the wards amongst the patients was an actor (absurdly like Willard). Immediately he caught sight of us he ran up to the doctor, and in excited tones informed him that he had not yet received the thirty thousand roubles, w^hich were owing to him for his last performance. The doctor pacified him with the assurance that the money would shortly be forthcoming, but had not yet been received by the officials, and further, to humour him, asked how the performance for his " benefit " was progressing. In reply, the fellow gave us, in the centre of the room, what evidently was part of a scene he had once acted in, and went through some extraordinary performance, alternately weeping, tear- ino^ his hair, and o;rovellino- on the floor, whilst uttering incoherent sentences, and then rushing about as though with a sword in his hand and singing- operatic airs. It was a painful rather than an amusing sight, and one which I shall not easily forget — the poor half-witted chap in the centre of the large room declaiming to an imaginary audience, and all round, sitting or standing by their beds, were the other lunatics, watching his movements in rapt amazement. We then went back to the prison, as I expressed a wish to see the prisoners in the solitary, or sekre- tene, cells. This was the only part of the building which w^as really like a prison. And very gloomy and depressing was it ; no less than three heavily barred A ■■ Pul.l 1 It AL. (From a O'vrenn/ieitt jiholuj) [ To face p. 206. TO THE YELLOW SEA. 205 iron doors had to be unlocked before we reacted the corridor where these cells were situated. A warder is on duty here, I was told, night and day, for there were several political prisoners, and the rest were the most desperate characters. In each door was a little hole about the size of a sixpence, through which could be seen the interior of the cell. I had a peep into all ; it was almost like looking at some caged wild beasts, the clanking of the heavy chains they wore on their hands and feet heightening the illusion. Some of the prisoners had, I was informed, been there for years, and only were allowed out for exercise for an hour a day, and were not permitted to mingle with the other prisoners. It was easy to distinguish which were the " politicals," for they were in ordinary civilian costume and had no chains on, as far as I could see. Most of them were quite young men, one being a mere lad, his curly hair and good-looking face not giving him the appearance of being so dangerous a political character as to neces- sitate such elaborate precautions being taken to pre- vent his escape. To my astonishment — for I had always read to the contrary — I noticed that all these political prisoners were not only allowed books to read, but in most cases were smoking also, and in every instance had their own mattresses and bedding ; so their cells, at any rate, looked cleaner and more cheerful than those of the ordinary criminals, to whom filth seemed indifferent. 206 FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN As we were crossing the quadrangle on our way out, a prisoner came up and offered to sell me a horsehair chain he had made. The fact of the governor and other officials being present did not seem to matter a bit, so as the work was curious I bought it of him, and as I had no small money about me, he took a rouble note and went and got change from some other prisoner ! This my first visit to the prison was followed by many others, and I made a heap of sketches ; in fact, I fancy I got to be looked upon as quite an habitue of the gruesome place. I even obtained permission to make a painting of a prisoner in one of the solitary cells, and had a whole day's work at it under the supervision of a w^arder, a break in the poor wretch's awful existence which he will probably remember for many a long year, whilst probably wondering what the Angliski Gospodin could have seen worthy of being painted in so dreary a place. On the morning of my last visit to the prison, when I went to fetch away my canvas and paint-box, I was rather surprised to notice as I drove up a tall, well-dressed woman walking up and down, accom- panied by a gaoler, in the sunshine, outside tlie gates, in front of the group of warders and soldiers who were always lolling about smoking and chatting on the benches against the wall. On getting nearer, I found it was my murderess friend the baroness. We sliook hands in the most unconstrained manner, and she told ,„nmi M i ii. i i ' iii.iWMii- dit^i i! ii i iji»- ! >»i ! i«ijiii ii Liji i ii|Tiijiaiiii[ i if,j|i- ! : ' ['««^^^ i: (. ' . .'-iiiiP a t i!''W l ! ! fB| YISITI>'G DAY IN THE IRKUTSK PRISON. — "SWEETHEARTS AND WIVES. [To face p. 23G. ^^^r?^ ^^^^>^^:z^^^^ ^^^^ ^'^>~^.^:^^^.^'