From the Arctic Ocean to the Yellow Sea

by Julius M. Price

In conclusion, I must candidly confess I arrived in Siberia with foregone conclusions derived from the unreliable information and exaggerated stories so current in England about this part of the world. How far my subsequent 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 was further from my thoughts, when I undertook the journey, than to make 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 resources, 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.

	PAGE
CHAPTER I. FROM BLACKWALL TO SIBERIA.
The object of the expedition—The steamer Biscaya and its passengers and cargo—Across the North 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 Crowther—We sight the coast of Siberia—The village of Kharbarova—The entrance to the Kara Sea	[1]
CHAPTER II. THE KARA SEA.
In the midst of the ice-floes—Tedious 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-office—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 once more—A fresh 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 OF KARAOUL AND ITS INHABITANTS.
The tundras of Northern Siberia—The Samoyedes—Arrival of the Phœnix—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 experience of Russian hospitality—The return of the Phœnix—Departure of the Biscaya	[48]
CHAPTER VI. THE RIVER VOYAGE OF THE PHŒNIX 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	[60]
CHAPTER VII. THE RIVER VOYAGE—continued.
An awful fatality—Misfortune follows misfortune—M. Sotnikoff—Selivanaka, the settlement of the Skopti—A visit from the village “elder”	[70]
CHAPTER VIII. TURUCHANSK.
Visit to the monastery—Werchneimbackskoi—Our first visit from official Russia—The police officer of the district—The village priest	[80]
CHAPTER IX. THE KAMIN RAPIDS.
A whole chapter of accidents—First touch of winter—Arrival at Yeniseisk	[88]
CHAPTER X. THE CITY OF 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	[107]
CHAPTER XII. YENISEISK—continued.
The hospital—Siberian houses—Their comfort—The streets of the city	[117]
CHAPTER XIII. FROM YENISEISK TO KRASNOIARSK.
My first experience of sledging—A delightful adventure—Krasnoiarsk—The market-place—The High Street	[123]
CHAPTER XIV. KRASNOIARSK—continued.
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 Matwieff—The Great Post Road—The post-houses—Tea caravans—Curious effect of road—Siberian lynch law—Runaway convicts—A curious incident—The post courier—An awkward accident—Arrival at Irkutsk	[156]
CHAPTER XVI. IRKUTSK.
Unpleasant experiences at hotel—Hospitality of Mr. Charles Lee—First impressions of the city	[180]
CHAPTER XVII. PRISON LIFE IN SIBERIA—continued.
The Irkutsk prison—Comparative liberty of prisoners—Incongruities of prison life—The “shops”—Prison artists	[192]
CHAPTER XVIII. PRISON LIFE IN SIBERIA—continued.
Outdoor employment of prisoners—A chat with an employer of convict labour—The “convict’s word”—An interview with a celebrated 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 prison	[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 experiences	[221]
CHAPTER XXI. FROM IRKUTSK TO THE MONGOL CHINESE FRONTIER—continued.
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 extraordinary—A pestilent farmyard—Exciting incidents—A forced encampment—An awful night’s experiences—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 OF OURGA.
The Russian consul, M. Feodroff—Hospitality of the Consulate—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 desert settlement of Tcho-Iyr	[301]
CHAPTER XXV. THE GOBI DESERT—continued.
Sport in the desert—The “post-station” at Oud-en—The last of the desert—Saham-Balhousar—First impressions 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 hearty 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]