Shanghai, June 20.
The arctic; antarctic and tropical adventures: of explorers form a subject of inexhaustible interest. "Yet While the world has read much of non-Russian explorers, it knows practically nothing of "Russian ones. Scott, Amundsen, Shackleton, Sven Hedin, Admiral Byrd and Sir 'Hubert 'Wilkins occupy their niche in every geography school-book, but only since the names of Otto Schmidt, Ivan Papanin and other members' of the Soviet North Pole Expedition were flashed across the world's headlines last year, did the world begin to Yok Russian "names "with "exploraion, Long before this achievement the Soviets, however, Russia knew the names of such outstanding ex-lores og Admiral Kruzenstern, Admiral Nevelskoy (the 80th anniversary of whose death occurred recently), Peter P, Semeneff, given the title of "Tien-Shansky" for his discoveries in the Tien-Shan range near the Himalayas, Col, V,. P. Kozloff, who excavated "an ancient city buried beneath the sands of Mfongolia, Prof. V, V. Sapojnikoft, who explored and charted the ' Altai Mountains, and G. N. Potanin, his famous teacher. "Admiral A.V. Kolchak, well-known for his political activities during the Civil War, was likewise a heroic explorer. - In 1903 hho set out in a small boat in search Of the lost polar expedition of Baron Toh ice-bound somewhere in the Arctic Ocean, Hunters Use Fire Another explorer, whose book of memoirs has just been republished in Soviet Russis, was Prjevalsky, who started on the frst of his two famous. trips in 1897, exploring the Ussurivsky region, the southern part of the Maritime provinces that had recently been annexed to Russia, The rich flora and fauna of this belt where the south met the north seemed to have stirred the imagination of the explorer, Certainly there is a. strain of poetry running throughout his accounts of hunting in the almost impenetrable forests abounding—with ear, sable and tiger, of Ashing in the Hanka lake so teeming with fish that they were killed by a ship's wheels and often jumped on to its very deck, and even of the insects near the Sungacha river that were 20 plentiful that "in walking through field they swarm about the feet in clouds that can be compared only to swirling snow-storm." In summer tall grass overgrow the plains and folds, and to facilitate hunting the natives set fire to the limitless sea of dry grass, The mighty fire spread with terrific speed, and the awesome picture of hundreds of animals and Eirds fleeing before the columns of smoke is, once seen, says Prievalsky, forever inscribed inthe memory.
'The first time he saw this sight was on his way to Vladivostok, then a newly established Russian town of soldiers' barracks, five foreign houses, approximately ten Chinese huts and a number of stores where goods of the most inferior quality shipped from Shanghai and Hamburg were sold to the Chinese lat outrageous prices by four astute foreign merchants, The native population of the Us-sur sky region was composed of, Chinese, the "Goldi," a tribe of hunters and Ishermen, Koreans, and the "Orochi"—a primitive tribe of nomad huntsman in the evolutionary stage of savages. There were also 15,000 Cossacks who lived in little military villages, or "stanitzas," sie tuated" 10 to 25 versts from one another and forming the outposts of Russia, 'They were sent here from the Transbaikalia by lot, and regarded their new neighbours as enemies ud themselves as exiles, Accompanied by his young companion Nicolai Yaginoff and two or three Cossacks, Prjevalsky travelled by. water, on' horseback, of, along narrow perilous trails, by foot, He slept on the snow, with a log fire the only proof against a cold that made it impossible to touch anything, made of metal, and, again, in a climate that vied' with the tropics.
In New Guinea account of the exploits of Russian explorers would, of course, be complete without a mention of N, N. Cal 'Miklukha-Maclay, the man who want ed to present "Russia with New Guinea, In 1866 he visited the Madeira Island, the Canary Islands and Morocco, 'In 1869 he' traversed the shores of the Red Sea and made scientific tour of the Near East 1871 he visited Patagonia, Chihli and several islands of Oceania on naval brig "Viliaz," and in the September of the same year demanded that he be left, with only' the bare necessities of life and_his two servants—a Polynestan and. Swede—in the Bay of Astrolinbic particularly wild corner of New Guinea. In spite of the dissuasions of the captain and the crew, Miklukha-Maclay was adamant in his wish, and it was finally decided that in a' year's time another ship would be sent to take him back. It was the general opinion, however, shared by the Imperial Geographic' Society in Petersbourgh—that with the savages that were known to inhabit newly-discovered New Guinea, in a year's time there would not be much left of him or his servants to take back.
Miklukha-Maclay's account of his!
among the aborigines makes thrilling reading. 'Time and again he barely. escaped death from poisoned, Jarrows, and once was seriously down with fever, Finally, however, the natives decided that "the man' from the moon," as he was to them, was harmless enough, and friendly relations ensued. Ho was able to carry ut all his selentifte and ethnological observations, and when the "Izumrud" sailed despondently into harbour Inext year, ready to search for his re~ rains, he was found occupying the ofice of "moon-god" in the natives? inter-tribal wars.
In the following years Miklukha-[Maclay mode many other trips, often visiting territory completely _un-Known' to the natives themselves.
After' his death his works—16 in Inumber—were translated into Engish, German and Dutch, Combatting Mliteracy Methods of combatting illiteracy Jamong local Russian youth were discussed at a meeting of Russian-language teachers in the premises of the Russian Women's League 'Thursday, June 9, It was decided that the various local Russian schools will be asked to include grammar-_ courses in all classes, even the highest. The walls of classrooms should, it was further' resolved, be hung with charts and pictures' of educational value. As there is a dearth of good reading material in the local Russian book-market, a member of the Teachers' Union leaving for Harbin was asked to see into the possibilities of books being purchased tin that city, The next meeting was [set for not inter than September 2nd. In spite of the fact that this Union is of fairly short standing, having so far met for only six times, a study, by specialists, of such questions as the fight against illiteracy, the imrovement of the standard of writing, fend the using of education to forestall de-nationalization of Russian youth, has already had beneficial effects.
Lovers of the Ukaranian Theatre were given a rare treat when Gogol' "Viy" was produced at the Hall of the College Municipal Frangais Jast week. 'The size of the audience, the hearty laughs which followed each.comie situation, and the applause after the vocal' numbers all testified to the success the Ukrainian actors enjoyed. Of these the" principals were Miss, Kisilieva, Mr, IGaldarov and" Mr. 'V. Dubrovsky. Enhancing the effectiveness of the presentation was the excellent chorus jand the accompanying. symphonic orchestra conducted by Mr. D. Zaks.
A troupe of local actors and actresses at present in Harbin are piling success upon success, Harbin newspapers and letters received from that ely state unanimously, Especially have Harbin audiences been won over by the talented actress Miss V. V, Panova. The troupe, headed by Mir, V. 1. Tomsky, has so far given four performances, taking in the sum of $3000.
Russians in India The Russian colony also watches with Interest the fortunes of members of local Bohemian circles in India, After an absence of six months, Miss L. Nikitina and Mr. N._ Svetlanov, popular ballet-dancers, have returned here from India and fell of their meetings with Russian Shanghailanders in that country. Colombo the artist A. Safronoft is painting the murals of the Halifax Hotel." His work is highly valued, ud he finds time to do a considerable amount of painting on Indian themes. In Colombo, also, the dancers met the well-known impresario M. A. Karpl, where he is managing the Viennese orchestra of Gabor Radic. In Madras they met the ballet-duo of Fokin and Krav. hen ko, who, however, shortly left for gutta, in Bombay they came] across the ballet-duo of Vladimir and Nina Artinelli, who were touring the summer resorts. While in Singapore, they spent much time with the artist YV. Zasypkin, who has his studio and pupils and is the centre of the ar fistical life of that city. Connoisseurs are showing merest over his work, and there is a chance that he will leave for England. The young Shanghai artist Mr. V. Tretchikott is fplso in Singapore, working in a British advertising firm, The famous allet-dancers Hira and Boris Lisane-Vitch are apparently staying permanently in Calcutta, where Boris is the. secretary of the fashionable Commandant Commandant lo Premier Bataitlon "Three Hundred Club." "Musicians," says Mr. Svetlanov, "have little difficulty in finding' work in India, They are valued highly." As regards themselves, Miss Nikitina and Mr. Svetlanoy have little to say, That, however, is done amply by cuttings from Indian papers which tell of their highly successful tour of the principal cities of India.
An interesting meeting of the Russian Medical Society was held in the premises of the Russian Confraternity Hospital on Friday, June 17. Dr. 1. Rozenzwelg demonstrated X-ray pictures of a man sick of Candia equine and Conus medullaris, and of one aMicted with several intestinal Giseases. Dr. A. V. Tane then talked of the latest progress in the eld of chemical ter apathy.
Community Gossip Mrs. Z. M. Markhinina Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Russian Women's League, is shortly leaving for Australia. 'A meeting Road, devoted to her was held at the League premises recently, in the course of which a short play written for the occasion by Miss Fuller, the English teacher of the League's, school, was staged, Dances produced' by Mrs. 0. N. Malinina also formed part of the programme, which culminated in tea being served to all present and a valuable token of gratitude being presented to Mrs. Markhinina by the League's Chairman, Mrs. E, L. Unterberger.
'A' requiem service in memory of Khoren' 1, the recently-deceased Kalikatos of all Armenians, was held. in the Russian Cathedral last week, 'Many followers of the Armenian-Georgian faith were present at this, service, being met at the church portals' by Mr. M. G. Mfelik-Nubarov, one of the leaders of the local Armenian colony, Mr. N, N. Tazikoff, a well-known, journalist, left recently for per~ manent residence in the United States, Mr, Iazikoff arrived here from Serbia over six years ago, and since then hes worked on various Russian newspapers, Last week's meeting of the literary' club "Monday" was something of a gola affair, being attended by various, representatives of the colony's Boheeftcles. During the meeting a lotter received from Prague was read out to the audience, asking the local club to collect material dealing' with the life of Russian emigration in the Far East, and to send it to the Rus-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.