NOME MARINERS
VISIT “COLDEST
SPOT ON EARTH”
(Continued from page one)
permit trading with the populace. A
licence or t#n<) (rubles was exacted for
this privilege and no citizen was* per
xnitted to purchase more commodities
from the ships than could be used 1»>
hkmsclf. Tli trading was a somewhat
unequal in :n : the resources of the
half starved people were few and
of the objects of the expedition, t’apt.
Cudmund'son frequently took ftp s . t
■nnich less than their market value a
the United States and also extended
to the government representatives a
Credit of 11.200 on their promise to
reimburse the schooner through th»
wntral governnb iM . t Moscow. Ti ,
traders were sli-o* n 1 possible ho--*,-,
tality by both officials and public. Af
ter concluding .* gen* ous exehan »e oi
commodities oi
mundson left <
to return to X<
miles further ;
also turned i>.
making passag
ice doubly h.i
difficult!* s. T
blockaded and
quently visile*
both sides. *’apt <Jml
»e but found the o n
issage through the ice
mssible. The weather
I. with heavy squalls
nlding further
ited the vessel while she
nyone. Realizing the d.f
il dangers of a winter in
pt. (Sudrnnndson consulted
with his crew
returning
to Kolyma. The crew unanmomly
rho»“ the latter alternative an 1 :h •
shorty affe.;- returning to the Kolyma
the Polar Hear was placed in winter
quarter?* in a .slough and was >• > >n
frozen in. The Melinda had alredy
been hauled up on the river hank some
70 miles below and the crew o' the
two marooned vessels prepared to
spring. However, a new development
arose which shattered further pros
pects of a peaceful winter. This came
in the shape of an order from the
Omsk government to seize all goods
and furs earned on both vessels. The
authorities of Nizhni-Kolyma were
apparently ill disposed to repay their
benefactors in this way hut were lof*
no alternative hut to obey orders. Af
ter vainly attempting to secure relief
through the officials of Nizhni and
Srednl-Kolyma. another town situated
some two hundred odd miles farther
tip ’he Kolyma rive.-. Cap-, i.ludmunil
son determined to proceed to Yakutsk,
the government seat and . apital cf
the state of Yukutsk, 2100 miles in
the interior. A journev of such
length presented no terrors to C.id
mundson. who has mushed many
thousand mil- s over Alaska Va>!s dur
ing his long residence in this section
and is thoroughly familiar with lif* on
the winter trail. Securing a dog team,
CSudmundson left the Polar Hear dur
ing the middle of October last, head
ing iij* the Kolyma, aceompanh-d I
interp/eter Olson. Proceeding
Hredne-Kolyma. some two hundred
miles above Kolyma, the two travelers
headed straight across country, cross
ing ‘hrt-i lofty mountain ranges and
passing through numerous small set
tlements. a majority of which were
peopled principally by natives. Among
the various native tribes encountered
were th*o Chuskieo, which include a
majority of the Siberian coast na
tives, the Totmutes, a fairly numerous
people who inhabit the more inland
rections of Yukutsk and the Tungus.
The last named tribe inhabit the peln
<leer country and own vast herds of
deer. All of the various tribes are no
ticably different from the Eskimo Of
North America, and in the case of the
Totmutes and Tungus the customs, oc
cupations and methods betoken a
much higher class of civilization than
is found among the Alaska coast na
tives. CJudmundson and his compan
ion were received everywhere with the
greatest courtesy, Russians and na
tives alike affording them every fa
cility and displaying great in*erest in
th*e strangers from a far land.
After leaving the Tvolma. the route
took them in an almost direct line
westward to Verkhoyausk. The Rus
sian officials along the way treated
them with th^ greatest consideration,
even to extending them special privi
leges. They were not molested at ar-v
point and even the usual custom of
inspecting the baggage of traveler*
was suspended in then- r.w The
tr**»nter parr of the distance tv: •. cov
ered by means of reindeer teams. Th:
deer in most, instances are hitched tc
the sled in pairs and the occupant nf
the sled is his own driver, as the --'fds
are huilt to hold but one person. The
deer are omewhr.t larger and sturdier
than Xl. s'iv. deer and are capable ef
covering a considerable amount of
ground. fa.pt. Oudmundsun mentioned
having 4*1 ven in one instance 1*V
versts (74 miles) in one day's travel.
No severe stoirns were encountered on
the journey to Verkhoyansk and the
weather, taken on the. whole, w is mild
throughout the entire trip, although
sev*.ie com! was encountered in the
i«a surrounding Verkhoyansk. In
'his region temperatures running :n
hiss as 58 d< siv»-s Uemur. equal to 96
degrees below zero Fahrenheit, were
not uncommon. The average temper
ature at Verkhoyansk during 4'apt.
(tiulmun.lsun's visit was around 4* de
renheit.) (’apt. Oudmundsun states
that some cun-ions effects a rep roduced
by these extreme temperatures. om >(
which is that an a cold day the con
d nsation af heat and moisture from
the bodies •>{ men or animals causes
them t nappe, r surrounded by a mist
or vapor. To obtain n dear photo
graph of people or objects even on th*
clearest day is impossible. A consid
erable number of vflews tayen by fapt.
Cndmundsun in Verkhoyansk and \ i
cinity wee without exception rendered
dull and partially obscured by the
•xtrunic
dangvi- <if Injury to the lungs
in siidi in*rust* cold, the inhabitants
• •f the district wear hoods which cover
the mouth and nose during the cold
period. • 'apt. Gudmundsun \v.- « un
unusual cold, which has mwie Verk
hoyansk known as th- coldes4 town in
he world. The town is located en the
t'.nee above *he Arctic Circle.
• i«<i a fairlx populous •<-!»: m >f broad
at Yakutsk on the waters of the
Lena ltiv<r on IVceinher 5. Yakutsk
proved to he a modern city of about
10.000 population, with splendid I rick
buildings and many fairly modern -.p
pointm* nts. The town lies i‘i thr;
hoart of a vast agricultural region,
wir ■ prior the late war was the
grain and livestock supply point of the
portion of Eastern Siberia,
Cap!. Gudmundson immediately
took up the fur seizure matter with
lengthy series of conferences ensued.
ment bureau’s was represented at the
initial conferences, which were held to
decide under which bureau the case
would come. After extended discus
matter was propertly under the juris
diction of the Commission of Foreign
Supply, assisted by and under the sup
ervision of the Chacka. The name of
the latter committee translated into
English moans "wrestling committee”
and its primary office is to suppress
the counter revolutionary and other
law breaking elements. It is the high
est power in the land and actually
constitutes a branch of the airmy, with
the entire armed service under its
command. The committee is com
posed of 9 officials and is presided
over by an army general. The meet
ings on Capt. Gudmundson’s protest
occupied three days before a decision
was reached, Capt. Gudmundson was
required to give every detail regarding
bis business and was repeatedly ex
amined as to his dealings with the
people of Kolyma. Gudmundson dis
played all his papers and explained the
guarantee given by the Anadyr Soviet
Committee to the Nome Chamber of
Commerce regarding sending a relief
ship to the North Siberian const. On
the last day of the conference, the
mail arrived from Srednl-Kolyma
beaming a letter from the government
officials of the Kolyma district urging
upon the Yakutsk authorities to treat
Capt Gudmundson with respect and
give him.all possible assistance as n
return for what he had done in re
lieving the distress of the residents of
the Kolyma section. The letter state-4
that food had l*een actually given to
those in ne*«l, together with much
needed medicines t*» the afflicted. The
Sredni officials also submitted de
tailed statements regarding the Polar
B-nr and Belinda, the cargo carried
and other data which convinced the
Yakutsk authorities that his state
ments and papers were true. 'Hie re
port of the kind treatment given by
Cupt. Gudmundson to the Kolyma
people made si decided impression in
his favor and firmly established him
in the (regard of the Yakutsk residents.
The commission at once derided in
his favor respecting the seizure of the
furs a.nd resolved to call a public
meeting of Yakutsk citizens to protest
to ihe authorities at Omsk. Matters
were going finely but almost within the
hour of the decision of the commitlee
the situation was given a new and de
cidedly unpleasant turn by the (receipt
of a wireless message signed by George
Kisibioff of the Karloff Brother* con
cern. claiming that Capt. Gudmur.d
son has misappropriated certain goods
from the farioff trains station'-- an 1
denouncing him as a “pirate." Cap4..
Gudmundson was secretly informed of
the dispatch and !ts eoi.t nts and on
appearance, boldly entered the hall
the. following morning, without await ;
Ing the fomnnJity of a request for his ^
appearance, boldly entered the ha1!
where 're committee was engaged in ■
discussing the new charges against j
himi. His unexpected appearance'
created something of a stir but no ef
fort was made to eject him. Gudmund- (
son resolved to figuratively bike the i
bull by the horns and when asked by I
one <>f the committee if he had any j
goods on his ship belonging to others, [
admitted such to be the case but
showed that hei was in possession of
certain goods belonging to the Karloff
company under a former trading
agreement between Karloff's and the '
A lask.i-Siberian Fur Company, of
which fiudmumlson was general man
ager. The goods were in no sense '
stolen and to prove the fact Capt. 1
Gudimindson was able to produce let-'
ters and receipts signed by the Karioff
agent at East Cape showing that such
goods as belonging to Karloff Brothers
were on board the Polar Bear by spe- J
cific agreement between that concern
and the Alaska-Siberian Fur Company.
This agreement i»erinitted Capt Gud
mundson, as manager for the join* firm ,
to dispose of the goods as he saw fit
A detailed record, showing where ‘he 1
goods had been said and the amount
in the evidence presented to the com
away The doubts created by the tele-j
proeeeded to send a telegram b. Vlad- |
ivostok detailing its investigations.
The .message recited Capt. CJudmund-|
sun’s assistance to ^ie crew of til-- i
Stavarpool, how be bad succored th-- I
famine threatened residents of Koly-|
m;i and of his offer to take 25 tons of |
flour from the Stavarpool to the people
of the Kolyma district free of charge.
A reply was received from the Vladi
vostok authorities later to give Gud
mundsun nil the assistance possible.
The Yakutsk officials were also in
formed that in the event of further
dispute with the Karloff's the Central
Soviet government of Moscow would
leave adjustment to the government
of Vladivostok. In the meantime
Capt. Gudmundson was patiently
waiting an answer to the tel eg'-am
4^nt to the central government at
Omsk regarding his furs. He was not
permitted to send telegrams to any
point himself and after waiting in
Yakutsk three weeks without a replv
decided to >return to the Polar Bear.
He found, however, that the Yakutsk
judiciary department reckoned other
wise and announced its intention of
detaining him until everything con-1
nected with the Polar Bear had been
j thrashed out. This caused some dis-j
sention and led to a protest by the i
commercial department. Matters were]
becoming decidedly strained again!
when the army department settled the]
controversy by siding with Gudmund-!
son. The officials of that department j
informed him that he could go if he
wished and announced they would give,
him all •ossible assistance on the jour
ney through their department. Du
ing the remainder of his stay in Ya
kutsk he was treated with great hos
pitality and given numerous privileges '
not enjoyed by citizens The curfew
regulations ware suspended in his fa
vor- and he was also declared exempt
fropi certain regulations and licenses.
He was thus enabled to go about dty
or night with the greatest freedom
and was at no time stopped or quos
tioned. In addition he was wined and
dined to the best extent the country
afforded by both private citizens and
officials. Capt. Gudmundson says it
was a. “continuous picnic” up to the
time of his departure. Horse trans
piration was again employed on leav
ing the city January 5 and the officials
along the route vied with one another
fr giving him assistance, both as to
fond and transportation The journey
was made on horse hack for a distar.ee
of 100 miles, with the government of
laBBjgKMm
ficials during everything possible to
facilitate progress, and the remainder
of the 1600 mile trail to Sredni-Koly
tna was completed with reindeer
teams.. The same ettitude «f tountry
and hospitality displayed at Yakutsk
continued throughout the Trip which
lasted 51 days. On arrival nt Srrdni
Kolyma February 25 lew troubles de
veloped »n the shape of wireless mes
sages ordering the -requisition of all
cargo from furs to t ad-* goods on
board the Polar Be -r The messages
this time were from the Central So
viet government at Moscow. A meet
ing of the Sretlni officials was called
to act upon the new orders and Capt.
tiudmundsun was again compelled to
clear himself. The officials of Sretlni
were well disposed toward the Ameri
cans and plainly regretted the neces
sity of obeying orders. After the sit
uation had been explained to them, the
committee decided on their own (re
sponsibility to give Capt. Gudmund
soq a free hand in securing an annul
ment of the -Moscow decree by lifting
the telegraphic; inhibitions. They al
so dispatched messengers to different
sections to call a meeting of delegates (
to formulate a protest to the Omsk
authorities against the contemplated
confiscation. The delegates, including I
representatives of the various native
tribes, arrived at Sredni within six
days and :tfter listening to the evi
dence* submitted by Capt Gudmund
son, voted unanimously to urge the
Omsk government to refrain from mo
lesting the furs or goods on either the
Polar Bear or Belinda. At the con- |
elusion of the meeting a telegram was
forwarded to Omsk detailing the as
sistance given to the Kolyma residents i
by Capt. Gudmundson and explaining
•he true facts regarding his ship and
cargo. Capt. Gudmundson was also
permitted to send a personal protest
to the Omsk government. He also,
wired the I'nited States consul ft
Vladivostok asking assistance and ap
pealed to the Soviet government of
Anadyr, under whose guarantee of
non-molestation he had undertaken the
trip to Kolyma. Messages of lik*
tenor were also forwarded to the head
quarters of the A la ska-Siberian Fur
Company at San Francisco; to the
Nome Chamber of Commerce, the lat
ter requesting a. wire copy of the re
lief appeal sent to that body by thd
Anadyr government. Capt. Gud
mundson also sent a message to his
wife and family in Seattle, the message
being the first they had received since
the preceding June. No answers were
received to any of the official mes
sages for n period of 42-days, dwlng
which Gudmundson and his companion
remained at Sredni-Kolyma on good
tennis with everyone. However dur
merits gave added interest to the sit
t** make further investigation of the
Yakutsk. The committee, i. was as
certained. had been appointed short
ly after the Americans departed from
Yakutsk. The members were appar
ently l>en: on reaching the Polair Bear
as soon as possible and left Sredni im
mediately after their arrival. Cnpt.
Gudmundson decided to follow them.
Interpreter Olson accompanied to a
point about 100 miles north of Sredni,
ting Gudmundson to make all possible
‘peed by traveling light. By dint of
h nd traveling, the committee was
ov« rtaken at Nishny-Kolyina, from
which point Gaptj Gudmundson ac
companied them to his ship. The
committee received him in a friendly
manner and stayed on the Polar Bear
American vessels. After thoroughly
examining the vessels, their cargoes
and papers, the committeemen ex
pressed their satisfaction at finding
that the statements made by Capt.
Gudmundson were true in every re
spect and voiced the opinion that he
would find no further difficulties when
their report had been received by the
central government. The committee
returned to Sredni. where the report
was later radioed to Omsk, after ex
pressing thei-r friendship and regard
for the Americans. "However, before
the investigating committee’s report
had been transmitted to Omsk, there
came a second and more preemptory
order from the authorities at that point
to sKdse everything found on the two
ships dmmedately. The Sredni offi
cials promptly obeyed the order, tak
ing possession of -verything found ex
cept, provisions and clothing, the last
mentioned articles being left out of
good will and in open disregard of the
order to seize everything. Dumb
founded at his unexpected turn of
events, the Americans passed the in
terval from April 5 to April 13 in al
most hopeless waiting for something
to turn up which might enable them
to escape their unfortunate predica
ment. It appears, however, that for
tune had not deserted them yet, for
in less than two weeks and before the
news of the confiscation could have
reached the central government, an
other order came from Omsk to return
■all poods .and furs to both vessels. The
latter order was undoubtedly the re
sult of the earlier protests. In addi
tion to returning the seized poods, the
Sredni officials were also ordered to
give to Capt. Gudmundson a letter to
all Soviet officials along the irnute of
his retir-n to Nome, instructing them
to .assist him in every way possible
with spare provisions and fuel oil, as
well as with the sendees of Russian
ships if necessary, and in any way pos
sible to extend fhe same kindness
shown by him to the peopkv of Koly
nu_ The sudden and highly agreeable
< hange of fortune was scarcely realized
l«efoue a second surprise occurred
which may ultimately be of gnmt
benefit to Capt. Gudimundson. This
i-jdp in the shape of a telegram signed
by Commissioner of Internal Trading
1-akasky of the Omsk government of
fering to Capt. Gudmundson without
political reservations of .any character
a contract to supply tho ontbre Kolyma
district with provisions and other sup
plies required by the residents. The
commissioner also announced the will
ingness of the Omsk government to
negotiate with Capt. Gudmundson for
similar privileges covering the entire
state of Yakutsk. The message in
formed Capt. Gudmundson that in the j
event of the conclusion of a contract
to supply the Yakutsk district, he
would be given port privileges on the
Sea of Okhotsk, as well as on the Arc
tic coast, the former permitting hiir.
to operate both summer and winter.
As Yakutsk is located only about 450
miles from the Okhotsk coast, the open
ing of direct communication with the
heart of the Yakutsk district could ’>e
easily .ah', veil. An immense com
mercial field would thus lie made ac
cessible to American trade. During
liis stay in Yakutsk. Capt. Gudmund
son frequently discusses the possibili
ties of trade between America and the
Yakutsk section and was informed by
the highest officials that the estab
lishment of trade relations with the
United States would be greatly wel
comed • »>* the Russians o' that le
gion. They told him the district is
rich in resources but mrust have mod
ern machinery, particularly farm im
plements, such as America, is lies*
able to supply, electrical machinery
and supplies, clothing, leather goods
and a vast array of other commodities,
in addition to food supplies. In the
opinion of Capt. Gudmundson. the
tirade offer was the direct result of
these conversations and of suggestions
made by himself regarding improve
ments on the methods employed by the
Russians in various lines of prod tie*
tion. Capt. Gudmundson immediate
ly radioed the trade contract offer to
the headquarters of the Alnska-Slber
i;m Fun- Company at San Francisco
rqconvnentling the closing of a deal.
Feeling that his troubles were now
but his anticipations of a pe.oceful fu
ture* were rudely disrupted by the ap
pearance at Kolyma of if. Karloff, one
of the men whom Gudmundson claims
instigated the seizure of his furs and
goods. Karloff, he says, was accom
panied by a couple of men and an
nounced his intention of making fur
ther trouble for the Americans. Pap*.
Gudmundson states that his real inten
tion was to seize and destroy the Polar
Bear and her cargo. Finding that the
populace were distinctly favorably It
the Americans. Ka.-ioff was forced to
forego any attempt to seize the vessel
by force and contented himself by
ing Gudmundson as a thief who had
stolen goods from the Knrioff station
at North Pape. The effort failed
however, as Pa pit. Gudmundson again
produced his Iette s and papers from
Karloff’s agent at East Cape showing
not only that his company was pni t
owner of the goods claimed by Karioff
hut that they were in his possession
by specific agreement. Kariofl then
brought the matter before the authori
ses and meetings were held daily for
seven days. Karioff, during the ses
sion threatened to carry the dispute to
Moscow and Washington. Failing to
sway the authorities by threats and
misrepresentations, he next attempted
to induce them to permit the seizure
of the Polar Bear’s oil supply, leaving
here without enough gasoline to re
turn to Nome. This the officials would
not permit under the contention that
such action would be an infraction of
international law. After many heated
debates the commissioners finally de
cided that Gudmundaon should give
Karloff all goods claimed by him
which were still aboard the ship and
replace such merchandise as had been
sold by similar articles. The fact that
the goods were jointly owned was en
tirely disregarded by the officials ow
ing to their inability to understand
English and unwillingness to accept
interpretation of the papers and re
ceipts by Capt Gudmundson or his
companions. The commissioners wish
ed to he fair, however, and to offset,
their arbitrary decision gave Gud
mundson a receipt for the goods turn
ed over to Karioff and also a promise
that th-e Soviet government would not
only reimburse Him for the goods but
would prosecute Karloff if it we-o
found by investigation that he had ob
tained them by amis representation.
I tup! Gudin uitdson's log book in
•vhich are recorded in detail the e.x
perielfces of the Kolyma adventure, af
ter reciting the incidents connected
With the settlement, concludes its re
ference to the. long bile of trouble with
the doubtless heartfelt phrase “At last
We are at peace." April was now well
Advanced and the> Americans were by
this time anxiously looking forward to
the Spring breakup, which commenced
about June I. Preparations were
Started t.o get the Polar Bear afloat.
The schooner was cut clear of the sur
rounding ice and cables wei-e laid in
readiness for moving the vessel at the
Brut opportunity. The crew also pre
pared bombs for bloating the ice In
ease a passage could not be found.
Everything looked favorable for a
speedy release when t.he Ice commenc
ed to move, but, as later developments
proved, Fate had other ends dn store
for the croft. The Ice broke on the
Kolyma June 3 and difficulties at once
ippenred owing to the failure of the
water to raise sufficiently high to Uf?
die schooner clear. loiter the vessel
ivies carried in the ice some distance
down the slough, but could no! get
dear owingto lack of space in which
to use the engines.. The crew work
ed continuously for three clays and
nights to get her free but could oc
Pomplish but little. Blasting was re
sorted to but had little effect. The ice
finally ended *he unequal struggle by
Jamming and forcing the schooner far
up on the river bank. With the open
ing of the main stiream. the water fell
rapidly and the an fortunate ship was
left high and dry among the willow*
ibout 100 feet from the river channel
ind some six feet above normal water.
Examination disclosed that the failure
to get ‘he vessel free was due to a
rradle of ice under ship.
!ain adequate launching equipment.
Capt. Gurtmuhdsun decided to aban
don the schoomtr and return to Nome
on the Belinda. The latter vessel liacf
been hauled up on the river bank for
the winter some 70 miles below where
the Polar Bear lay and was in good
shape. Capt. Oostel and his crew had
intended to leave the Belinda and re
crews of the two ships placed the Be
linda in shape for the trip as rapidly
ns possible and on June IS last the
plies an<l fuel were brough' from the
Polar Bear and the vessel departed for
the Arctic on June 29. The mouth of
the Kolyina was reached July 1 and
Arctic. Very little ice was encount
ered throughout, the hcnnewanl jour
ney and' no vessels were sighted until
Whalen, X miles beyond East Cape,
was reached on July 12. The schooner
touched at many points enroute but
nothing of special moment occurred.
At Whalen the Belinda met the Coast
Guard Cutter Bear with the Maud, ex
plorer Amundsen's damaged ship, in
tow. Tlio remainder of the voyage to
Nome was without special event and
the little schooner anchored safely in
the roadstead on July 15. after an ab
sence of nearly twenty three months.
Those on l>oard wore in good health
and decidedly glad to be back in the
U. S. A. The cargoe of furs and
ivory secured by the two trading part
ies was unusually large and valued
at many thousands of dollars. Capt.
Gudmundson will dispose of his por
tion on the Outside and contemplates
leaving on trie Victoria.
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