A Broken Journey: Wanderings from the Hoang-Ho to the Island of Saghalien and the Upper Reaches of the Amur River

In Short

First published in 1919, Mary Gaunt’s travelogue chronicles her solitary journey through China’s Shansi province and across Russia, navigating regions destabilized by warlord uprisings and the outbreak of World War I. Accompanied only by local guides and her small Pekingese dog, James Buchanan, she travels by litter, train, and river steamer from the ancient walled towns of the Hoang-Ho to the Amur River. Enduring hostile crowds, bureaucratic chaos, and the uncertainties of a world sliding into global conflict, Gaunt captures a vanished era with sharp observation, unyielding grit, and enduring literary charm.

The Story

Mary Gaunt begins her journey driven by "wander fever," an inherent family trait that resists the quiet comforts of domestic life. Leaving the familiar world behind, she travels into Northern China, making her way to Shansi province. Here, she encounters a landscape defined by rugged mountain railways, ancient walled cities like Ki Hsien and Fen Chou Fu, and communities caught between centuries-old traditions and the pressures of modern reform. Gaunt observes the daily lives of the local population, paying particular attention to the severe hardships faced by women, who are often treated as mere property, bound by physical limitations and social isolation. She engages with both Western missionaries and local officials, documenting their attempts to introduce modern education and sanitation to towns frequently threatened by seasonal floods, warlord factions, and political unrest.

As Gaunt presses deeper into the countryside, her path crosses regions where Roman Catholic missions have established self-sufficient, heavily fortified agricultural communities. She watches local industries at work, from brick-floored architecture to strawboard manufacturing, while reflecting on China's shifting political landscape and the looming influence of foreign powers. Upon reaching Tientsin, she encounters a bustling, multi-cultural port city adjusting traditional Chinese craft to European tastes, yet the heat and restrictive urban life soon drive her onward toward the Russian border.

Transitioning from China into the Russian Far East, Gaunt boards trains and river steamers along the Ussuri and Amur Rivers. Accompanied everywhere by her loyal Pekingese, James Buchanan, she documents the changing landscape, passing frontier towns like Kharbarosvk, Nikolayeusk, and Blagoveschensk. The journey grows increasingly perilous as the outbreak of World War I destabilizes the region. Friendly encounters with local officials and fellow passengers give way to sudden hostility; at various stops along the river, local crowds turn suspicious, confiscating her camera and harassing her and her dog.

Despite mounting tensions, rumors of war, and constant warnings about rampant lawlessness, Gaunt pushes westward on the Trans-Siberian Railway. She survives grueling train conditions, erratic schedules, and luggage scares with the assistance of occasional sympathetic travelers, including a Russian naval officer who offers her help in Petrograd. Navigating through Finland and Norway amidst the confusion of mobilization, she eventually secures passage back to England. Safe at last in her English garden, where she buries her faithful dog, Gaunt finds temporary peace, yet knows her fundamental longing for open horizons remains unbroken.

How It Unfolds

The call of the road Gaunt leaves comfort behind, moved by an inherited desire to explore remote regions, and boards a mountain railway engineered through the steep precipices of Shansi.

Inside the walled cities Exploring ancient communities like Ki Hsien and Fen Chou Fu, she observes local missionary work, traditional architecture, and the severe societal limits placed upon Chinese women.

Borderland encounters Navigating past fortified Roman Catholic missions and bustling temple fairs, she makes her way to Tientsin before crossing into the Russian Far East.

Sailing the Amur Aboard river steamers along the Ussuri and Amur Rivers, Gaunt and her dog experience both stunning wilderness scenery and growing hostility from local populations as World War I erupts.

Across wartime Siberia Travelling by train under constant warnings of thieves and political instability, she receives unexpected kindness from a Russian naval captain who offers her aid in Petrograd.

The final refuge After navigating a chaotic transit through Finland and Norway, Gaunt returns to the quiet English countryside, reflecting on her travels and her lingering desire to wander again.

The People

• Mary Gaunt: An adventurous, observant Australian writer who seeks out remote corners of the globe despite physical discomforts; she wants to experience the unknown, contends with harsh travel conditions and wartime hostility, and returns home with a continued passion for travel.
• James Buchanan: Gaunt's faithful Pekingese dog and constant travel companion; he provides comfort and connection in isolated places, endures rough journeys and hostile crowds, and ultimately rests in Gaunt's garden.
• The Oberlin and Inland Missionaries: Devoted Western Christians in Shansi who aim to spread their faith and introduce modern education; they struggle against local corruption, environmental disasters, and political volatility while offering hospitality to Gaunt.
• The Progressive Shansi Magistrate: A Japan-educated Chinese official who seeks to reform local government and education; he struggles against entrenched traditions and sticky-handed bureaucracy to modernize his community alongside foreign missions.
• The Russian Naval Captain: A courteous, helpful officer met on the train to Petrograd; he offers Gaunt financial guidance, warm hospitality, and contacts in Russia before rushing off to his military command.

In Its Own Voice

"Wherein lies the call of the Unknown? To have done something that no one else has done--or only accomplished with difficulty?"

Gaunt reflects on the underlying motivation behind her lifelong compulsion to leave comfortable civilization behind.

"Looking up the principal street between the eastern and the western gate was like looking up a dark tunnel in whole fluttered various notices, the shop signs, Chinese characters printed on white calico."

She describes the dense, atmospheric interior of the high-walled mountain city of Yung Ning Chou.

"Take me by the hand, he led me into a carriage and, shutting the door and drawing down the blinds, placed in my hands change for my ten-pound note."

A helpful railway official ensures her safety and finances amidst constant warnings of thieves along the Siberian line.

What It's Really About

Beneath its narrative of remote travel, the book examines the friction between traditional societies and modern influences, alongside the human drive to explore despite inherent vulnerability. Gaunt evaluates the stark realities of women’s lives in early 20th-century China, contrasting their absolute lack of legal standing with the emerging education efforts brought by foreign missions and progressive local rulers. Simultaneously, the text captures a world on the brink of profound geopolitical upheaval. As Gaunt transitions from imperial China to pre-revolutionary Russia, her account exposes the fragility of autocratic regimes, the rapid spread of wartime paranoia, and the shared vulnerability of travelers trapped in shifting political tides.

Why Read It Today

A Broken Journey offers readers an unvarnished, authentic glimpse into East Asia and Russia at a pivotal historical turning point. Gaunt writes with a sharp, matter-of-fact clarity that avoids exoticism, replacing romantic hype with keen social observations, practical detail, and a candid sense of humor. Her perspective as a lone woman traveling with a tiny dog through volatile borderlands brings an unusual intimacy to early 20th-century travel writing.

Readers should note period-specific vocabulary and attitudes regarding race, international politics, and imperial spheres of influence, which reflect the early 1900s Western perspective. Additionally, the narrative pacing slows during detailed descriptions of regional geography and railway logistics. However, those who appreciate classic travel literature, historical memoirs, and resilient narrators will find Gaunt’s story deeply engaging. Her enduring curiosity and ability to find warmth amidst chaotic, hostile environments remain genuinely compelling.