Our time in Petropavlovsk, after the departure of the Olga, was almost wholly occupied in making preparations for our northern journey through the Kamchatkan peninsula. On Tuesday, however, Dodd told me that there was to be a wedding at the church, and invited me to go over and witness the ceremony. It took place in the body of the church, immediately after some sort of morning service, which had nearly closed when we entered. I had no difficulty in singling out the happy individuals whose fortunes were to be united in the holy bonds of matrimony. They betrayed their own secret by their assumed indifference1 and unconsciousness.
The unlucky (lucky?) man was a young, round-headed Cossack about twenty years of age, dressed in a dark frock-coat trimmed with scarlet2 and gathered like a lady's dress above the waist, which, with a reckless disregard for his anatomy3, was assumed to be six inches below his armpits. In honour of the extraordinary occasion he had donned a great white standing4 collar which projected above his ears, as the mate of the Olga would say, "like fore5 to'gallant studd'n' s'ls." Owing to a deplorable lack of understanding between his cotton trousers and his shoes they failed to meet by about six inches, and no provision had been made for the deficiency. The bride was comparatively an old woman—at least twenty years the young man's senior, and a widow. I thought with a sigh of the elder Mr. Weller's parting injunction to his son, "Bevare o' the vidders," and wondered what the old gentleman would say could he see this unconscious "wictim" walking up to the altar "and thinkin' in his 'art that it was all wery capital." The bride wore a dress of that peculiar6 sort of calico known as "furniture prints," without trimming or ornaments7 of any kind. Whether it was cut "bias8" or with "gores," I'm sorry to say I do not know, dress-making being as much of an occult science to me as divination9. Her hair was tightly bound up in a scarlet silk handkerchief, fastened in front with a little gilt10 button. As soon as the church service was concluded the altar was removed to the middle of the room, and the priest, donning a black silk gown which contrasted strangely with his heavy cowhide boots, summoned the couple before him.
After giving to each three lighted candles tied together with blue ribbon, he began to read in a loud sonorous11 voice what I supposed to be the marriage service, paying no attention whatever to stops, but catching12 his breath audibly in the midst of a sentence and hurrying on again with tenfold rapidity. The candidates for matrimony were silent, but the deacon, who was looking abstractedly out of a window on the opposite side of the church, interrupted him occasionally with doleful chanted responses.
At the conclusion of the reading they all crossed themselves devoutly14 half a dozen times in succession, and after asking them the decisive question the priest gave them each a silver ring. Then came more reading, at the end of which he administered to them a teaspoonful15 of wine out of a cup. Reading and chanting were again resumed and continued for a long time, the bridegroom and bride crossing and prostrating17 themselves continually, and the deacon closing up his responses by repeating with the most astounding18 rapidity, fifteen times in five seconds, the words "Gáspodi pomilui" (goss'-po-dee-po-mee'-loo-ee), "God have mercy upon us." He then brought in two large gilt crowns ornamented19 with medallions, and, blowing off the dust which had accumulated upon them since the last wedding, he placed them upon the heads of the bridegroom and bride.
The young Cossack's crown was altogether too large, and slipped down over his head like a candle-extinguisher until it rested upon his ears, eclipsing his eyes entirely20. The bride's hair—or rather the peculiar manner in which it was "done up"—precluded the possibility of making a crown stay on her head, and an individual from among the spectators was detailed21 to hold it there. The priest then made the couple join hands, seized the groom16's hand himself, and they all began a hurried march around the altar—the priest first, dragging along the Cossack, who, blinded by the crown, was continually stepping on his leader's heels; the bride following the groom, and trying to keep the crown from pulling her hair down; and lastly, the supernumerary stepping on the bride's dress and holding the gilt emblem22 of royalty23 in its place. The whole performance was so indescribably ludicrous that I could not possibly keep my countenance24 in that sober frame which befitted the solemnity of the occasion, and nearly scandalised the whole assembly by laughing out loud. Three times they marched in this way around the altar, and the ceremony was then ended. The bride and groom kissed the crowns reverently25 as they took them off, walked around the church, crossing themselves and bowing in succession before each of the pictures of saints which hung against the wall, and at last turned to receive the congratulations of their friends. It was expected of course that the "distinguished26 Americans," of whose intelligence, politeness, and suavity27 so much had been heard would congratulate the bride upon this auspicious28 occasion; but at least one distinguished but unfortunate American did not know how to do it. My acquirements in Russian were limited to "Yes," "No," and "How do you do?" and none of these expressions seemed fully29 to meet the emergency. Desirous, however, of sustaining the national reputation for politeness, as well as of showing my good-will to the bride, I selected the last of the phrases as probably the most appropriate, and walking solemnly, and I fear awkwardly, up I asked the bride with a very low bow, and in very bad Russian—how she did; she graciously replied, "Cherasvwechiano khorasho pakornashae vass blagadoroo," and the distinguished American retired30 with a proud consciousness of having done his duty. I was not very much enlightened as to the state of the bride's health; but, judging from the facility with which she rattled31 off this tremendous sentence, we concluded that she must be well. Nothing but a robust32 constitution and the most excellent health would have enabled her to do it. Convulsed with laughter, Dodd and I made our escape from the church and returned to our quarters. I have since been informed by the Major that the marriage ceremony of the Greek Church, when properly performed, has a peculiar impressiveness and solemnity; but I shall never be able to see it now without having my solemnity overcome by the recollection of that poor Cossack, stumbling around the altar after the priest with his head extinguished in a crown!
From the moment when the Major decided33 upon the overland journey through Kamchatka, he devoted34 all his time and energies to the work of preparation. Boxes covered with sealskin, and intended to be hung from pack-saddles, were prepared for the transportation of our stores; tents, bearskins, and camp equipage were bought and packed away in ingeniously contrived35 bundles; and everything that native experience could suggest for lessening36 the hardships of outdoor life was provided in quantities sufficient for two months' journey. Horses were then ordered from all the adjacent villages, and a special courier was sent throughout the peninsula by the route that we intended to follow, with orders to apprise37 the natives everywhere of our coming, and to direct them to remain at home with all their horses until after our party should pass.
Thus prepared, we set out on the 4th of September for the Far North.
The peninsula of Kamchatka, through which we were about to travel, is a long irregular tongue of land lying east of the Okhotsk Sea, between the fifty-first and sixty-second degrees of north latitude38, and measuring in extreme length about seven hundred miles. It is almost entirely of volcanic39 formation, and the great range of rugged40 mountains by which it is longitudinally divided comprises even now five or six volcanoes in a state of almost uninterrupted activity. This immense chain of mountains, which has never even been named, stretches from the fifty-first to the sixtieth degree of latitude in one almost continuous ridge41, and at last breaks off abruptly42 into the Okhotsk Sea, leaving to the northward43 a high level steppe called the "dole13" or desert, which is the wandering ground of the Reindeer44 Koraks. The central and southern parts of the peninsula are broken up by the spurs and foot-hills of the great mountain range into deep sequestered45 valleys of the wildest and most picturesque46 character, and afford scenery which, for majestic47 and varied48 beauty, is not surpassed in all northern Asia. The climate everywhere, except in the extreme north, is comparatively mild and equable, and the vegetation has an almost tropical freshness and luxuriance totally at variance49 with all one's ideas of Kamchatka. The population of the peninsula I estimate from careful observation at about 5000, and it is made up of three distinct classes—the Russians, the Kamchadals or settled natives, and the Wandering Koraks. The Kamchadals, who compose the most numerous class, are settled in little log villages throughout the peninsula, near the mouths of small rivers which rise in the central range of mountains and fall into the Okhotsk Sea or the Pacific. Their principal occupations are fishing, fur-trapping, and the cultivation50 of rye, turnips51, cabbages, and potatoes, which grow thriftily52 as far north as lat. 58°. Their largest settlements are in the fertile valley of the Kamchatka River, between Petropavlovsk and Kluchei (kloo-chay'). The Russians, who are comparatively few in number, are scattered53 here and there among the Kamchadal villages, and are generally engaged in trading for furs with the Kamchadals and the nomadic54 tribes to the northward. The Wandering Koraks, who are the wildest, most powerful, and most independent natives in the peninsula, seldom come south of the 58th parallel of latitude, except for the purpose of trade. Their chosen haunts are the great desolate55 steppes lying east of Penzhinsk (pen'-zhinsk) Gulf56, where they wander constantly from place to place in solitary57 bands, living in large fur tents and depending for subsistence upon their vast herds58 of tamed and domesticated59 reindeer. The government under which all the inhabitants of Kamchatka nominally60 live is administered by a Russian officer called an "ispravnik" (is-prav'-nik) or local governor [Footnote: Strictly61, a chief of district police.] who is supposed to settle all questions of law which may arise between individuals or tribes, and to collect the annual "yassák" or tax of furs, which is levied62 upon every male inhabitant in his province. He resides in Petropavlovsk, and owing to the extent of country over which he has jurisdiction63, and the imperfect facilities which it affords for getting about, he is seldom seen outside of the village where he has his headquarters. The only means of transportation between the widely separated settlements of the Kamchadals are packhorses, canoes, and dog-sledges, and there is not such a thing as a road in the whole peninsula. I may have occasion hereafter to speak of "roads," but I mean by the word nothing more than the geometrician means by a "line"—simple longitudinal extension without any of the sensible qualities which are popularly associated with it.
Through this wild, sparsely64 populated region, we purposed to travel by hiring the natives along our route to carry us with their horses from one settlement to another until we should reach the territory of the Wandering Koraks. North of that point we could not depend upon any regular means of transportation, but would be obliged to trust to luck and the tender mercies of the arctic nomads65.
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1
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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2
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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3
anatomy
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| n.解剖学，解剖；功能，结构，组织 | |
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4
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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5
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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6
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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7
ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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8
bias
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| n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见 | |
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9
divination
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| n.占卜，预测 | |
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10
gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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11
sonorous
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| adj.响亮的，回响的；adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；n.感人，堂皇 | |
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12
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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13
dole
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| n.救济，（失业）救济金；vt.（out）发放，发给 | |
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14
devoutly
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| adv.虔诚地，虔敬地，衷心地 | |
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15
teaspoonful
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| n.一茶匙的量；一茶匙容量 | |
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16
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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17
prostrating
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| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的现在分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
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18
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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19
ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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20
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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21
detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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22
emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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23
royalty
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| n.皇家，皇族 | |
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24
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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25
reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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26
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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27
suavity
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| n.温和；殷勤 | |
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28
auspicious
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| adj.吉利的；幸运的，吉兆的 | |
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29
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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30
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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31
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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32
robust
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| adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的 | |
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33
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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34
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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35
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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36
lessening
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| 减轻，减少，变小 | |
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37
apprise
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| vt.通知，告知 | |
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38
latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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39
volcanic
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| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
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40
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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41
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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42
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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43
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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44
reindeer
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| n.驯鹿 | |
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45
sequestered
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| adj.扣押的；隐退的；幽静的；偏僻的v.使隔绝，使隔离( sequester的过去式和过去分词 )；扣押 | |
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46
picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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47
majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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48
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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49
variance
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| n.矛盾，不同 | |
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50
cultivation
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| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
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51
turnips
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| 芜青( turnip的名词复数 )； 芜菁块根； 芜菁甘蓝块根； 怀表 | |
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52
thriftily
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| 节俭地； 繁茂地； 繁荣的 | |
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53
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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54
nomadic
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| adj.流浪的；游牧的 | |
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55
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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56
gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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57
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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58
herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众 | |
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59
domesticated
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| adj.喜欢家庭生活的；（指动物）被驯养了的v.驯化( domesticate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
nominally
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| 在名义上，表面地； 应名儿 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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62
levied
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| 征（兵）( levy的过去式和过去分词 )； 索取； 发动（战争）； 征税 | |
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63
jurisdiction
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| n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权 | |
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64
sparsely
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| adv.稀疏地；稀少地；不足地；贫乏地 | |
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65
nomads
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| n.游牧部落的一员( nomad的名词复数 )；流浪者；游牧生活；流浪生活 | |
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