Pioneering in the Far East; And Journeys to California in 1849 and to the White Sea in 1878 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1882. Excerpt: ... 329 CHAPTER IX. THE WHITE SEA. Five years had passed since my departure from Borneo, and, having satisfactorily terminated a harassing law-suit, 1 was desirous again to find occupation, and was therefore ready to look into a scheme which had been put before some of my friends, and which seemed to combine great possibilities with a touch of romance. A collection of old German manuscripts was sent me for perusal, and from them I gathered the following. The field of the proposed enterprise appeared, to an old Indian like myself, somewhat forbidding. It was in the Arctic Regions, on the coast of Lapland, in the White Sea; and the story was this: --In the early part of the last century, about 1732, when the Empress Anna reigned in Russia, the attention of her Government was attracted to certain mining adventures undertaken by Russian subjects, upon the coast of Lapland. Silver, copper, and lead had been found, and the Government became desirous to profit by the discovery. As yet there was no organized mining department, and the mineral wealth of the already vast empire had remained almost untouched. Under these circumstances an application was made to the Saxon Government by that of Russia, for scientific and practical miners to open up the mineral resources of the empire; and, in response, a certain Baron Schonberg, a Saxon mining-official was sent, with about forty miners. These all went to the White Sea, where extensive mining operations were commenced, both on the extreme eastern coast of Lapland, for copper, and on the western shores of the White Sea, for silver and lead. The manuscripts contained full accounts of the doings of these men, giving even plans of the mines. One marvels at the hardihood of these old Saxons in undertaking such a journey as that ..