Kamchatka Khronicle

The story of the great Danish explorer, Vitus Bering, has been well-documented. What hasn’t been told in sufficient detail is the story of two natural scientists who were instrumental in not only the success of the expedition, but the documentation of the journey. In fact, it is how the lives of a German, Georg Wilhelm Steller, and a Russian, Stepan Krasheninnikov, came together at the peninsula of Kamchatka and then took separate journeys of exploration. From Kamchatka, Steller would accompany Bering on the ship St. Peter to discover Alaska as well as numerous new species of plants and animals. Steller’s knowledge of plants helped save many of the sailors from dying from scurvy. Krasheninnikov was disappointed to not be on the ship with Bering, but instead relegated to explore Kamchatka. It was there that he discovered over twenty new plants and encountered a tribe of native Kamchadals from whom he learned their bizarre customs and beliefs. Both of their lives ended way too soon, what but they accomplished was really extraordinary.     
Uddrag af bogen Kilan summons his daughters and asks them to dance for his guests. I continue to chew on another mushroom and realize the women never eat of it, but their merriment consists of dancing, singing, and flirting. Katirka spreads a mat on the floor near us whereupon Ketentina and Kalkina kneel down upon it and face each other. At first, they begin to sing very softly, weaving their hands and shoulders in the air as is they are writing some invisible script; then by degrees, they raise their voices in hypnotic conjunction with their bodies; after a lengthy spell, they finally run out of breath and collapse on the floor. This strange, uncouth performance, Steller informs me, greatly delights Kamchadal men. I cannot disagree. Then Kalkina recovers and dances towards me, the fire behind her is illuminating her hair and body. Her thin fishnet dress becomes almost transparent. I cannot look away. My senses have been stripped.         
Om forfatterenAllan Vorda was born in Evanston, IL and lives in Sugar Land, TX. He received degrees in English from Creighton University (BA) and the University of Nebraska (MA). Previous publications include Talk Talk: Interviews with Writers (TCU Press) and Psychedelic Psounds: Interviews from A to Z with 60s Psychedelic and Garage Bands (Borderline Productions/UK). Forthcoming is a novel titled The Babel Hiking & Book Club.