PART III. CONTINUED.

I SHALL now ſpeak of the Jugrian and Obdirian Samojedes; Mr. Surjef having had an opportunity, in the above northern tour, of ſeeing a good deal of them: yet the accounts he brought are, in ſome mea⯑ſure, imperfect; as but few Samojedes live in the diſtricts of Obdorſkaja; and the reſt, having partly mixed them⯑ſelves with the Eaſtjaiks, by marriage.

[4]The Samojedes, who call themſelves Chaſowa, or Ghoſovo, that is, men, were made tributary to the Ruſſian empire ſo early as 1525; whereas, the other nations of Siberia, were not conquered till the 17th century. They inhabit the coaſts of the frozen ſea, from the 65th degree of north-latitude, to the ſea⯑ſhore; that is, all the northern diſtricts of Ruſſia and Siberia, as far as to the Jeniſei, but are within this diſtrict, divided into many tribes, different even in their dialects. Probably all thoſe, to whom the Ruſ⯑ſians give the name of Samojedes, are not of the ſame origin. What is ſaid here, is meant of thoſe Samojedes who live between the river Ob, and the Jugrian mountains.

Nothing more probable can be concluded, but that the whole of this people muſt originally have been one nation, expelled by war from their abodes, and who ſettled on the extreme boundaries of the northern he⯑miſphere. This nation muſt long have inhabited a cold and mountainous country, and have there lived a wandering life; otherwiſe, they would have been un⯑able to have continued in ſo rude a climate, where others can hardly bear the winter, ſheltered in commo⯑dious dwellings; neither could they have preſerved the uſe of moveable huts, if they had not originally been wanderers. Add to this, there are, in the eaſtern parts of Siberia, about the Jeniſei, where the country, ac⯑cording to every appearance and token, has been once [5] more populous, a poſterity of that nation in the neighbouring Sajanian mountains, in the Koibals, Kamatſchinzes, Matores, Sojetes, and Karagaſſians, who all ſpeak the Samojede language. This na⯑tion, indeed, does not recollect that it came from the eaſt; but it is natural to ſuppoſe, that their trouble⯑ſome and dangerous mode of living, may have ef⯑faced, in a few ages, ſuch a remembrance from their memory.

The moſt northern part of the diſtrict of Bereſowa, inhabited by the Samojedes, is divided by the gulph of the river Ob, into two diſtricts; of which the weſt⯑ern, or Kamennaja, is bounded by the diſtrict of Puſ⯑doſerſkaja, lying from Archangel to the ſource of the river Sob, along the Jugrian mountains, Karſkoi. The other, called Niſowaja, runs eaſtward from the gulph of the Ob; and is bounded by the diſtrict of the Juriakian Samojedes, dependent on Mangaſei.

"The European Samojedes," ſays Tooke, ‘extend from the White Sea, or rather from the river Meſen, to Mount Ural. The Aſiatic Samojedes occupy the countries between Mount Ural, and the environs of the Lena, to beyond the Jeniſei; thoſe of Euro⯑pean Ruſſia, live ſeparately; thoſe of Siberia, are ſettled partly in the vicinage of the Eaſtjaiks, or mixed with them. The countries they occupy are marſhy, and full of rocks; ſo that, from the 67th [6] degree of latitude, there are no trees of any kind; and that cold which prevails in theſe climates, pre⯑vents vegetation to ſuch a point, that even the little bruſhwood here and there to be ſeen, dwindles away to nothing, as we advance towards the north. Al⯑though they do not inhabit Nova Zembla, ſituated over againſt the mouth of the Ob, nevertheleſs, to the eaſtward of the Jeneſei, the ſhores, along which their little ſettlements extend, reach to the 75th de⯑gree of north latitude; for which reaſon, their vaſt territories are the thinneſt of inhabitants, the rudeſt, and the moſt barren and wild, of any of the known regions of the terreſtrial globe.’

The Samojedes are, in appearance and language, entirely different from the Eaſtjaiks; the latter being, in phyſiognomy, more like the Ruſſians, and moſt like the Finlanders; but the Samojedes have almoſt the look of a Tunguſe, round, broad, and flat faces (very fine in the women); pouching, broad lips, a flat and open noſe, little or no beard, and black, coarſe hair. Their ſtature is rather ſhort than middling; but well-propor⯑tioned, and more nervous and fleſhy than the Eaſt⯑jaiks. In their manners, they are much more ſavage, more uncivilized and ungovernable, in their open and diſtant wilds, than the Eaſtjaiks, who are much improved, by their frequent intercourſe with the Ruſſians.

[7]The man's dreſs differs but little from that of the Eaſtjaiks. Some ſhave their heads partially, ſome wholly, and ſome not at all. Some wear but one whiſker on one ſide, and others on both ſides, the chin. The women's dreſs is ſingular. They go always bare-headed, and bare-faced; and are, in other reſpects, very impudent. Their hair is braided into two treſſes, which hang down behind, and are never opened. In their ears they wear ſhort, bead pendants. The breaſt and back-pieces of their garments, are made of the furs of young rein-deer; and the reſt, pieces of cloth ſewed together; the whole bordered with fur, and made to lap over before, and there tied with a girdle. Inſtead of a breaſt-pin, they have a large, iron ring, on which both ends of the girdle are tied. They alſo wear breeches, of died, rein-deer ſkins; but they do not follow the ridiculous cuſtom of the Eaſtjaik women, which I have mentioned, and wear the willow-tent, and worop. In this dreſs, the Samojede women re⯑main day and night; but the men ſleep, without any cloaths; and, but for theſe breeches, would be quite naked.

As the Samojedes live an unſettled life, both in ſum⯑mer and winter, and are always roving about with their tents, covered with rein-deer ſkins, in woodleſs plains, their uncleanlineſs is not ſo obſervable in winter, as among the ſtinking Eaſtjaiks; yet they are in no wiſe leſs filthy in their perſons, and manner of eating. [8] Each Samojede keeps his own rein-deer, and he and his family, watch them themſelves; the more wealthy ones hire poor people, as ſhepherds. Theſe domeſtic animals are chiefly employed to tranſport their tents and effects, on ſledges. They do not know how to milk them, and their numbers are too ſmall to kill them; indeed, their poſſeſſors are too covetous to do it. Their chief living is hunting, like many nations of North America; eſpecially that of wild rein-deer, which they catch in many different ways, as ſhall be mentioned below. The wild rein-deer furniſhes the Samojede with every neceſſary he wants, viz. food, roofs, ſpades which they make of the horn, clothes, and ſinews for thread, &c. &c. When they live near the ſea, they have ſufficient ſubſiſtance from the ſea-bears that come on ſhore, dead whales thrown up by the waves, and other animals, which they eat indiſcrimi⯑nately. ‘Dogs, cats, ermines, ſquirrels, and ſnakes; in ſhort, whatever they can kill, or find dead: no⯑thing comes amiſs to them.’ They ſometimes fiſh in the gulph and lakes, with ſmall nets made of wil⯑low-baſt, and ropes of willow-rods. In autumn, they hunt ice-foxes, which are not only caught by the men in traps, and ſometimes purſued, but even dug out of their holes by their wives, and killed. There are wealthy Samojedes, who, for the ſake of fiſhing, will take up their ſummer-abode on the river Ob, and leave the care of their flocks to their children, and ſhepherds; yet, when the time of hunting approaches, will return [9] to their old way of living. When a Samojede has killed a rein-deer, nothing is loſt. They firſt cut off the animal's ears, (this is done on the ſpot where he is killed) and throw them away, as an offering to their gods, to obtain, future, good luck in hunting; the leg bones are taken out, ſplit with a knife, and the marrow is eaten raw: ſo do they eat raw the warm and bloody brains, and con⯑ſider them as a great dainty. The eyes are buried in a certain ſpot; and no woman or girl is ſuffered to paſs over this ſpot, leſt it ſhould deſtroy their ſucceſs in hunting. In the ſpring, when the rein-deer has new horns, which are knotty and rough, they will eat theſe horns, only ſingeing off the hair, and even the old horns they will bruiſe and boil, and make ſtrong glue of, by mixing it with the blood of the ſame animal. When more families are boiling, for they have but one kettle among four or five families, the reſt of the meat is boiled, and every one eats his portion of in his own tent. The wife, however, cannot eat with her huſband, but is contented with what he leaves.

The female ſex is in general uſed worſe by the Sa⯑mojedes than the Eaſtjaiks. They have every domeſtic buſineſs to perform, to put the luggage on the ſledges, &c. and notwithſtanding they are quite ſlaves to their huſbands, the latter are continually ſcolding and curſ⯑ing them except a few evenings in the year, when love, [10] for a moment, ſoftens their ſavage breaſts. Nothwith⯑ſtanding this, the women are conſiderd by their huſbands as impure creatures. When a woman has erected a tent ſhe dares not enter it, till ſhe has ſmoked herſelf and every thing ſhe ſits on, and even the ſledge ſhe car⯑ries into the hut, with rein-deer hair. When ſhe unloads the ſledge by untying the cloths upon it, ſhe cannot do it from above, but muſt creep under the ſhafts and do it. So on a journey, no woman can croſs a train or row of rein-deer ſledges following each other, but muſt either run round the whole, or creep underneath the ſhafts. Even in the hut a ſtaff is erected behind the fire, the limits of which ſhe dares not paſs, for they deem the fire ſacred, and think a woman going round it would profane it. To do her domeſtic work, if ſhe wants to go from one ſide of the hut to the other, ſhe muſt go round about. For the Samojedes abſolutely believe, that if a woman is at liberty to go about the whole tent, a wolf will certainly devour a rein-deer the ſame night, and the Eaſtjaiks who keep rein-deer have adopted the ſame ſuperſtitious notions. For no woman or marriageable girl is ſuffered to eat of the head of a rein-deer. In the time of their menſes, they are plagued beyond meaſure. They muſt often under⯑go purification by ſmoking themſelves with rein-deer hair, or caſtor, nor are they ſuffered at ſuch times, to dreſs any food for their huſbands, or hand them the leaſt thing. It is the ſame after lying-in; the huſband does not cohabit with his wife for two months. At this pe⯑riod, [11] ſhe is not to eat any proviſions freſh-killed, but muſt put up with old proviſions; but the worſt of all cuſtoms is this: the leaſt pain in child-birth cauſes an immediate ſuſpicion that ſhe has had ſome illicit connection with other men, and ſhe is therefore left to ſuffer, in order to extort a confeſſion from her. A European dame would deſpiſe this, but the poor Sa⯑mojede, in order to have aſſiſtance, will confeſs an intrigue, ſhe was, perhaps, never concerned in. This confeſſion however, has no bad conſequence. If the delinquent be a near relation, the woman does not name him, but the huſband immediately gueſſes the perſon, and makes him accountable whether innocent or guilty. If it be any one elſe, ſhe names him, and he is called upon to defray the conſequent expences of that aſſiſtance, he put his friend to, without being ap⯑plied to for it.

When a Samojede wants a wife, he looks for one in ſome other family than his own: he never cares for beauty, but choſes one equal to himſelf in rank and property. Having appointed a negociator of the bu⯑ſineſs from among his own friends, whom it is cuſtomary to reward with a rein-deer for his trouble; with this man and his relations he goes to the habitation of the girl's father, and being arrived, no one pre⯑ſumes to enter the hut, but ranging all their ſledges in a row, each man ſitting on his own, while the negociator waits upon the father of the young wo⯑man, [12] and enquires whether the young man can have her. If the father refuſes, which is but ſeldom the caſe, he gives the negociator a baſket, which is the token of refuſal and nothing more is ſaid, the whole ſuite return as they came; but if the fa⯑ther accepts the propoſal, the negociator ſettles the kalym or price to be paid, which is attended with more difficulty than among the Eaſtjaiks, for ſuch ſhall be the covetouſneſs of the father, that he will keep the whole train a long time on their ſledges, that he may get as much for his daughter as he can. The kalym generally conſiſts in a variety of clothes, houſhold neceſſaries, rein-deer, and little matters purchaſed from the Ruſſians. The father indeed can keep but part of this kalym to him⯑ſelf, it being uſual to give ſome of it to his re⯑lations.

As ſoon as the youth has paid the kalym, the father-in-law loads him and his company with rein-deer meat, and during the feaſt, the young man and the bride's father ſing to each other, the father adviſing in his ſong the ſon to love his wife, and the ſon recommending himſelf as well as he can to his new father. It is then ſettled, when the bride's portion is to be paid, and when the bride ſhall be ready to give her hand. For a father always gives with his daughter in marriage, a certain quantity of clothes. On the day appointed, the bridegroom [13] waits on his bride with a number of ſtrange wo⯑men to fetch her. On this occaſion, ſmall preſents are demanded from thoſe relations that ſhare the kalym. The bride is then forcibly placed on a ſledge by theſe women, tied on, and all the ſledges with the preſents and gifts (the firſt three or four of which, the father muſt cover with good cloth, and the reſt with rein-deer ſkins) then ſet off; the bride's ſledge firſt, and all the reſt following, and return to the young man's hut, where it is the buſineſs of the bride to make his bed, in which ſhe ſleeps by her huſband, but undiſturbed for the firſt month. Both Eaſtjaiks and Samojedes make the bride's mo⯑ther a preſent, if it turns out that her daughter when married, was a virgin.

Some time after marriage, the young wife pays a viſit to her father, and ſtays with him a few weeks, during which time, ſhe has the liberty to receive her huſband. At their taking leave, the father muſt make her a number of preſents, and do the ſame at every viſit; ſo that the young wo⯑man for a length of time ſhall have no occaſion to apply to her huſband for any thing. In caſes of divorce, the kalym is returned. Should the woman die ſoon after her marriage, the widower claims a return of the kalym, if reſpect to the deceaſed does not prevent it.

[14]The Samojedes have very eaſy labours. The af⯑ter-birth is either buried, or placed in ſome remote place, where no cattle, or wild animal, can approach it. At the time of a woman's delivery, her huſ⯑band keeps a good knife ready, with which the attendant on the mother cuts the navel-ſtring of the child, and keeps the knife as a reward. All preſent take the child as ſoon as born, and careſs it. Like the Eaſtjaiks, they lay it upon rotten wood or ſoft moſs, and ſo tie it, that the mother may readily carry it at her back.

When a boy is two years old, his father gives him a name, which he keeps till he is fifteen, then gives him another of his own chuſing, or borrows one from ſome friend, after the death of their re⯑lations; for the names are ſacredly kept in the family, and ſhould a Samojede give his ſon the name of another perſon, without the conſent of that perſon's relations, it would expoſe him to bloodſhed. A girl never has any money. When married, her huſband calls her Ne, that is, wife; and ſhe calls her huſband, Choſowa; that is, man.

The names generally given to boys, have ſome ſignificant meaning, as for example: Chanchara, ſledges and larchwood; Nerme, opening in the ice; Laatſcha, hillock; Lakeer, hilly-land; Naemale, broken bones; Warpts, light-headed; Eptukai, gooſe foot; and the like.

[15]The Samojedes inter their dead very ſoon, have no certain burial-ground, but carry the corpſe to a height or hill. They dreſs the body in as many of its new clothes as they can put on, laying what is left about the corpſe, and put the head into a boiler, from an opinion that, after the head is de⯑cayed, the ſoul will there remain: all this done, they wrap up the body in the cover of a tent, of rein-deer ſkins, bind it round with ropes, and drag it out of the tent, head-foremoſt; not out at the door, but from under the covering of the tent the man inhabited, which they raiſe for the purpoſe; for they idly think, if it is taken through the door, the deceaſed will return, and ſoon fetch away ſome other of the family. When brought to the place of interment, if in ſummer-time, they dig a very ſhallow pit, not above eighteen inches deep, cover the corpſe with wild buſhes, and then throw the ground upon it. In winter-time, they erect a hut with timber and buſhes, place the deceaſed in it, give him an axe, knife, bow and arrows, tobacco, a pipe, ſpoon and cups, and then leave him. The rein-deer that drew the corpſe are killed, and put, with all their furniture, into the grave. Rich people kill alſo thoſe rein-deer with which the deceaſed uſed to hunt, and the whole, in winter, is covered with ſtraw; in ſummer, with moſs and ſtraw. Of courſe, Samojede graves are a banquet prepared for ice-foxes, hyenas, and other wild beaſts.

[16]During the interment, they ſend for a magician, who is often fetched from a great diſtance, in ho⯑nour of the deceaſed. On ſuch occaſions, theſe ma⯑gicians have recourſe to the drum, and put on a par⯑ticular kind of robe, ornamented with figures, in iron-plates. Their buſineſs is, to perſwade the ſpirit of the dead not to moleſt thoſe he has left behind him, nor fetch them away; but to leave his lucky hunting-days to his relations. At theſe times, they ſacrifice a rein-deer, and dreſs it on the ſpot; but neither the wife nor huſband of the deceaſed is at liberty to eat out of the common boiler, without being firſt purified by waſhing and ſmoking them⯑ſelves with caſtor. Should a Samojede paſs the grave of an ear relation, even ten years afterwards, he muſt ſacrifice a rein-deer, in memory of the deceaſed, and eat it with his attendants, leaving the head and horns upon the grave. The name of the deceaſed is no more to be mentioned, but by alluſion or circumlocution; he that would pronounce the name, would become a declared enemy of the relations: but, after a length of time, the ſame name may be revived in the ſecond or third generation, and given to children, to keep up its remembrance.

Mourning for the dead, conſiſts in not tying up their fur-boots, nor girding their bodies with wil⯑lows; undoing the treſſes of the hair, letting it go diſhevelled for ſome time, and afterwards braiding it, [17] for life, into three treſſes, letting the third hang on one ſide over the ear.

I muſt not omit to mention, that many Samojedes, eſpecially magicians, are occaſionally panic-ſtruck, partly owing to lax fibres, the effects of a northern climate, and their manner of living, and partly to fancy, weakened by ſuperſtition. We ſee this alſo among the Laplanders, Tunguſe, and the inhabit⯑ants of Kamſchatka. Major Iſlenief aſſured me, he had heard this among the Jakutes; and, in a leſs degree, I met with it among the Tartars, about the Jeniſei, and the Buſcats.—We have read of the ſame among the Laplanders. An unexpected touch, a ſudden call, whiſtling, or a fearful and ſudden ap⯑pearance will throw theſe people into a ſtate of fury. The Samojedes, and Jakutes, who ſeem more to be affected in this way, carry the matter ſo far, that, forgetting what they are about, they will take the firſt axe, knife, or other offenſive weapon that lies in their way, and would wound or kill the object of their terror, if not prevented by force, and the weapon taken from them; and if ſo interrupted, will beat themſelves about the hands and feet, ſcream out, roll upon the ground and rave. The Samo⯑jedes and Eaſtjaiks have an infallible remedy to bring ſuch perſons to themſelves; which is, to ſet fire to a rein-deer ſkin, or a ſack of rein-deer hair, and let it ſmoke under the patient's noſe: this oc⯑caſions [18] a faintneſs, and a quiet ſlumber, often for the ſpace of twenty-four hours.

In the diſtrict of the river Ob, Mr. Surjef ſaw a fe⯑male magician, who had quitted her way of life, on account of her advanced age. This woman was not only terrified by whiſtling, but even by the noiſe of the wind. There was alſo, among the Samojedes who ac⯑companied him on his journey to the frozen ſea, a woman, who was terribly frightened at every trifle. In 1772, in their travels through Mangaſei, they met with a young Samojede ſorcerer, whom Mr. Surjef no ſooner approached, than he imagined he was going to be killed; and, on holding a finger out to him, he ſeized it with both hands, and took that opportunity to run off: however, after many perſwaſions of the interpre⯑ter, that no harm was deſigned him, he recovered him⯑ſelf. They then put on him a black glove, and imme⯑diately his eyes rolled; he ſtared ſtedfaſtly at the glove, and fell into ſuch a fit of madneſs, that he would have committed ſome murder, with an axe that lay in his way, had it not been ſecured. Diſappointed of his weapon, he ran about raving, ſcreaming, and ſhaking his hand, in order to get off the glove, which he took to be the claw of a bear, and which he was afraid to touch with the other hand, till the bye-ſtanders laid hold of him forcibly, and pulled it off, on which he recovered.

[19]The Samojede magicians are ſkilfull in their art: beſides the drum, which they uſe as do the Lapland⯑ers, they wear a particular dreſs. According to Mr. Gmelin's account, they are tolerable jugglers. Some have the art of plunging a knife into the body, without making a wound; and apparently wringing off their heads, by faſtening a cord round their necks, and ſuf⯑fering two perſons to draw it tight, and afterwards ſet⯑ting it on again. But theſe tricks are ſeen only among thoſe magicians who require but little art to deceive their countrymen; and, indeed, to ſpeak ſeriouſly, ſuch a Siberian juggler, would cut but a very indifferent figure at a European fair.

I could learn nothing authentic about their idols; yet I know that each man has, in his houſe, a pagod, which is often ſome particular ſtone, or ſome other in⯑animate body, which the Samojede ties upon his ſledge, and conſiders as ſacred.

I will ſay a few words about their amuſements, and then leave them. When many aſſemble, upon any joyous occaſion, they divert themſelves with fighting, and running over certain limits. They alſo dance with their wives, by couples, in circles; throw them⯑ſelves into a variety of attitudes, and make a number of grimaces, all to muſical meaſure; and often, for want of muſic, will keep time by ſnorting, and other [20] naſal ſounds; in which the women, in the ſame way, bear a chorus, and reply.

I will proceed to their fiſheries, and manner of hunt⯑ing, about the river Ob; equally practiſed by Eaſt⯑jaiks and Samojedes.

Tooke, who ſpeaks from Gmelin, is a little more particular reſpecting the perſons of the Samojedes. He ſays, ‘The men are about five feet high; ſome few are ſeen, only four feet. They ſeem all of a heap; have ſhort legs, ſmall neck, a large head, flat noſe and face, with the lower part of the face projecting outwards, large mouth and ears, ſmall black eyes, but wide eye-lids, ſmall lips, and little feet; their ſkin is of a deepiſh yellow hue, and they have ſeldom any beard at all; their hair grows in very ſmall quan⯑tity, but, ſmall as it is, both ſexes take great pains to eradicate it every where, except on their heads, where it is black, and has the appearance of ſilk. The women are ſhorter than the men; have a more ſlen⯑der ſhape, and are ſofter in their features. At the ſame time, they are far from handſome; and a pretty female is as extraordinary as a fine man; their breaſts are ſmall and flat, and their maturity very early; many of them being mothers at twelve years of age, and ſometimes at eleven: they are not, however, very prolific; and, after thirty years of age, ſeldom bear children.’

[21] ‘The conſtitution of this country has always been, and ſtill is, that of the infancy of the world. They never had an idea of any prince, or ſuperior, except the elders of their branches. Their hiſtoric ſongs perpetuate only the remembrance of ſome anceſtor, who gloried in his courage and ſkill in hunting, or who was the founder of their families, or, of their magic prieſts. Since their conqueſt by the Ruſ⯑ſians, little forts, or places of confinement, have been built in their territories, to keep them in order, and receive their tribute; and, at firſt, they were bold enough to oppoſe theſe eſtabliſhments; but they now pay their tribute, or taxes, with great chearfulneſs, and at the places deſtined for that pur⯑poſe. This moderate tribute is left to themſelves to proportion, and conſiſts of the ſkins of wild beaſts.’

Having now deſcribed the perſons of the Samojedes, let us ſpeak of their fiſheries, and manner of hunting, in and about the river Ob; in which the Eaſtjaiks and Samojedes agree.

There is no large river in all Ruſſia and Siberia, where ſuch a quantity of all kind of fiſh of paſſage comes up from the ſea, as in the Ob Of whitings (Coregoni), it contains ſeveral unknown ſpecies; but trout, ſalmon, and ſeveral other ſorts of fiſh, caught in other large rivers of Ruſſia and Siberia, are wanting [22] here; which may be aſcribed to the nature of the water, its ſlow courſe, and the ſlimineſs of the ground. The Siberian omul (Salmo autumnalis), found in the Jeniſei, Angara, Baikal, Tubal; and the lake Mad⯑ſhour, is not ſeen here, though it is common in the frozen ſea; nor is the little trout (Salmo eriox), abun⯑dantly caught on the Jugrian coaſt, and on the river Petſchora, to be found in the river Ob; but the ſtur⯑geon, and huſo, who like a ſoft ground, are larger, and more abundant, yet of a worſe taſte in the Ob, than in ſuch rivers as are ſtony.

The fiſhes of paſſage peculiar to the Ob, and ſeen no where elſe, are, the mukſun (Salmo lavareto affinis), the ſoroch (Salmo wimba), the nelma, large quabs, pike, perch, ſhad, and barbel. The mukſun, nelma, and ſome others, crowd up the Ob in ſpring, as ſoon as the ice is diſſolved, reach Bereſowa about June, and then proceed further into the Jeniſei and Tom; but, in September, chiefly return into the ocean, before the river-water, under the ice, begins to ſtink. This diſ⯑agreeable change of water, only happens in little, ſlow-flowing rivers; not in the larger ones, in the diſtrict of Bereſowa, nor even in the Ob, after the month of December. Some rivers, which flow from the moun⯑tains into the Ob, and have ſtrong and rapid ſtreams, as the Sob, and others, are free from this defect; and, of courſe, are fuller of fiſh in winter-time. But, in the Ob, fiſh commonly live in ſuch places, where the ſweet [23] water rivers empty themſelves, and where freſh and ſtrong rivulets run into it. In ſuch places, the finny tribes aſſemble ſo plenteouſly, that they are caught, in quantities, during the whole winter. Where there is foul or dead water, it does not freſhen and be⯑come ſweet till ſpring, when the melted ſnows adds to it.

The ſpring-fiſhery in the Ob does not begin before June; when the river opens again, and ſhoals of fiſh puſh their way up, and fill all its branches. Juſt at this period, the Ob is too deep and broad to be fiſhed; and, it has been known that at ſuch flood-times as happened in 1770 and 1771, the Eaſtjaiks, who have made no proviſion, have been almoſt ſtarved. Thoſe who are prudent, make a greater proviſion than merely for the winter; and find themſelves very well rewarded for their care.

Beſides drag-nets, made uſe of from June to October, the Eaſtjaiks have Various, other ways of fiſhing. One is, with a net, called Kylidan. It is like a bag, ten feet broad, and ſeven long: its lower edge is ſtretched upon a pole, at the middle of which a ſtone is fixed, in order to ſink it, flat on the ground. Near the ſtone is faſtened a rope, which goes through a ring faſtened on the upper edge of the net, which the fiſherman row⯑ing takes hold of, and drags the net after him. A few inches below the upper edge of the net, are ſome [24] ſtrings faſtened to it, which the man holds between his fingers, and hereby feels when any large fiſh ſtrikes againſt the net; when he immediately lets go the ſtring, and pulls the rope tight, which draws the bottom and top of the net together, and impriſons all that is with⯑in the bag. With theſe nets they catch, from June to September, ſturgeon, white ſalmon, quab, mukſun, and ſchagur.

Through the ſummer, they alſo catch a quantity of fiſh, with garths and baſkets; and alſo, in winter, when the ice is ſolid; and they uſe ropes, with hooks on them, called ſnaſts, as in the Wolga. They fiſh, at night, with fiſh-prongs, in the ſide-rivers, by the light of kindled birch-bark, erected upon poles; and, when the rivers are ſhut up, will make openings, with huts over them, and let down baits, cut out in wood, and made to reſemble ſmall fiſhes; in doing which they are cle⯑ver, and, when theſe baits draw fiſhes towards them, catch them with their prongs. Such a quantity of ſturgeon is caught at Bereſowa, that a pud weight will not ſell for more than 40 copecs, and the fat at 50, per pud; and never for more than a ruble.

There is a kind of dolphin met with in the gulph of the river Ob, and is occaſionally ſeen at certain diſ⯑tances up the river, in purſuit of fiſhes of paſſage. Theſe are the fiſh, which the Ruſſians call Bjelugas; which Mr. Gmelin has given ſome account of; and [25] which are mentioned by Muller; and alſo, by Profeſſor Kraſchenini, in his natural hiſtory of Kamſchatka. An⯑derſon and Crantz, in their accounts of Greenland, give a particular deſcription of this dolphin, which they call the White Dolphin; and what they ſay of its teeth, correſponds with what I have myſelf obſerved in the head of this fiſh. Nothing is more true, than the ſup⯑poſitions in Muller's Collection; that the ſea bjeluga, is no other than the white dolphin of the Greenlanders. Mr. Surjef, four miles beyond Obdorſkaja, found ſeveral heads of this fiſh, in a pagan place of ſacrifice. From a variety of accounts, which I have collected from thoſe who are well acquainted with the ſea-bjeluga, and from a head which I received quite entire, I am capable of reſolving every doubt reſpecting this animal; and I take upon me to aver, that this marine bjeluga belongs to the genus of dolphins; having, like the whale, two heart-pits, lungs, warm blood, external genital parts, and teats; and that it cannot have any communication with the bjeluga of the Caſpian, and Black ſeas; nor have any ſimilarity to it, but in the name, form, and white colour. The white dolphin reſembles a qua⯑druped ſo much, particularly the ſea-dog, that the Samojedes take it rather for a water-animal, than a fiſh. It is never above 21 feet in length; its head is oblong; and, in reſpect to the body, very ſmall, conically flat above, and about the ſnout obtuſe, ſoft, and round. It's eyes are ſmall, round, and project from the head. It has no noſtrils in the ſnout, but has a vent-hole in [26] the forehead, through which, when it ſwims on the top of the water, it throws up a great deal of water, as a ſpout. Its ear-holes are very diſtinguiſhable; its mouth, with the lips, not much wider than a rein-deer, which, if it wants to bite, it can open wide, and both jaws have, on each ſide, a row of ſhort, and very blunt, teeth. The diſtinguiſhable mark of this fiſh, from all other of its genus, is, that it has no gills. When it ſwims, it bends its tail like a crab, beats the water impetuouſly back, and thus darts forward, as rapid as an arrow. Its ſkin is white, moiſt, without hair, as ſoft as human ſkin. Underneath its belly, the female genitals are very viſible, and cloſe by are two teats, like thoſe of a cow, full of white milk. The penis of the male is about ten inches long, without cartilage or bone, thick as one's arm, and pointed at the end like that of a bul⯑lock. The Samojedes ſay, its fleſh is as black as ſoot; and the whole body is covered with a white ſward: the young ones are more black, or grey, than the mother, and follow her ſwimming. In general, white dolphins gather, in little flocks, together; and when they are obſerved in the gulph of the Ob, the Samojedes aſſem⯑ble, in large numbers, drive them on the ſhallows, and kill them. Dr. Baden, reſident-phyſician of the re⯑gency of Tobolſkoi, diſſected one, and compares its inteſtines to thoſe of a calf.

Hunting is very general in all the diſtricts ſituated north of Bereſowa. The animals that abound moſt in [27] the woodleſs wilds, the fartheſt north, are blue and white ice-foxes, common foxes, white and grey wolves, hyenas, and rein-deer. In the adjacent, woody parts, elks, lynxes, ſables, ermines, otters, beavers, and a few black bears; and, on the ſea-coaſt, white bears, but not ſo abundant as on the ice-fields of the ocean. About Obdorſkaja, they are very rare; but not ſo rare about the Jeniſei, as far as Mangaſei. It having been obſerved, that ice-foxes follow the mice, in certain years, to eaſtward; they are at ſuch times found, in great quantities, in Mangaſei; and the hunting then has not been ſo good upon the Ob.

Their methods of catching theſe animals, are the ſame as thoſe practiſed in Ruſſia and Siberia. Beſides ſhooting-inſtruments, and catch-clefts, they have ſelf-ſhooting bows, for bears, lynxes, wolves, hyenas, and the common game. Wolves and foxes are caught with poiſonous baits of crow's-eyes and ſublimate; and, by fall-traps. Of the latter, the Eaſtjaiks make a kind, which they call Kuromſeſs, ſet up with a block, on which the bait is tied; and the animal endeavouring to move the block, to take off the bait, is killed by its fall. Such traps as are uſed in Ruſſia, for ermines and pole-cats, are made uſe of by the Samojedes, but of a larger ſize for ice-foxes; and ſometimes they fix ſelf-ſhooting bows, on forks, in the deep ſnow, againſt ſnow-hills, in which ſuch foxes hide pieces of fiſh.

[28]Sables are of little value here; and are either ſhot by the peaſants with arrows, or driven into nets. If found ſleeping in their holes, a bag-net is placed before them, into which the ſable is driven, and en⯑tangled.

Beavers are ſometimes ſeen in crowds, about the un⯑inhabited diſtricts of the rivers; but, in general, are ſound ſingle, in woody borders. Hunters go in ſearch of their holes in winter; and, having found them, en⯑compaſs them with pales on the water-ſide; then open the vent-hole, large enough to let a dog in, who takes the beaver by the teeth, and he is then drawn out by the hunter, by the hind-legs. Others are purſued and killed, ſometimes by dogs, and ſometimes by ſpring⯑bows, placed by the water-ſide, that go off and ſhoot the animal, when the bait fixed on it is touched. They encompaſs woody places with pales, leaving here and there a way out, and fix ſnares, and ſpring-bows, at ſuch openings. They catch elks, and rein-deer, by the ſame method; but in the marſhy plains, near the ſea, where this cannot be done ſucceſsfully, the Samojedes have found out another method of getting at the wild rein-deer, who rove there in winter, in herds of ten, a hundred, and two hundred at a time. When there are many Samojedes together, and they ſee ſuch a herd of wild rein-deer, they place ſome tame ones, and ſledges, at a diſtance, upon a piece of flat, high land, to windward, and ſtick from thence in the ſnow, [29] towards the herd, long ſticks, with gooſe-wings tied on them; and which the rein-deer eaſily move, at the diſtance of ten fathoms from each other: and, on the other ſide, to leeward, or under the wind, about 50 fa⯑thoms from the ſledges, they ſtick poles as before, and continue them on till they have paſſed the herd, which are all this time ſearching for food underneath the ſnow, too attentive to look about, and prevented from that by their great beams. When all is ready, the Samo⯑jedes divide; part hide themſelves behind the ſledges, and part, called Wardar, lie concealed, with bows and ar⯑rows, in the opening on the lee-ſide, near the ſledges; others, at the ſame time, run, and drive the herd towards the winged poles, which, ſhaking in the wind, alarms them, and, impelled by fear, they run among the tame rein-deer ſtanding by the ſledges. They are ſoon, however, driven from this place; and, ſeeing no winged poles where the Wardar lie, attempt to force their way through, and there many of them meet their death. But as ſuch a mode of hunting requires a great number of people, they have other inventions, to de⯑ceive the rein-deer. Having trained up four or five of their tame, female rein-deer, ſo as to walk in order with the huntſman, he faſtens a long cord about each of their horns, and ties the other end to his girdle, that he may have the command of them, in caſe of confu⯑ſion, or diſappointment. Theſe female rein-deer have the fawns running about them; the hunter is thus ſur⯑rounded by the whole, and, with this cavalcade, can [30] approach the wild deer, near enough to ſhoot the one he likes.

In autumn, at rutting-time, the Samojedes will take a ſtrong buck, and go with it in ſearch of wild herds; and, meeting one, will wind a cord about the buck's beams, or horns, extending it from one horn to the other, and there faſten it: ſo armed, he is turned looſe. The hot animal ruſhes among the herd, and is there attacked by the wild buck, who, during the conteſt, is entangled by the horns, in the ropes faſtened about thoſe of the tame one; when the huntſman runs in, and kills him. They catch their deer alſo with great eaſe, when they come down, in ſummer, to the cool brooks; and, in winter-time, in deep ſnows, by purſuing them in their ſnow-ſcates.

When on the ſea-coaſt, the Samojedes employ them⯑ſelves in catching ſeals, or ſea-calves, that prowl about the cliffs, or ice; and ſea-dogs, that come up from the water, through ſmall holes which they make in the ice, by conſtantly lying on one ſpot. The Samojedes lay a board near ſuch holes, to which they faſten a rope, and hiding themſelves behind the large pieces of ice, till the ſeal comes up out of the water through the hole, they draw the board over the hole, which prevents its return, and of courſe it is ſoon killed. (See plate Samojedes.)

[31]Having deſcribed their fiſhing and hunting, I muſt not omit their fowling, which begins in ſpring, in the diſtrict of the river Ob. As the ſnow melts, they look out for ſuch ſpots, where the ſnow-water forms little lakes. As the fowls arrive, with the firſt thaw, and ſettle in ſuch lakes, they erect ſmall huts near them, where they can lie concealed, and within reach of a ſhot; and, in order to decoy geeſe and ducks, they ſtuff out the ſkins of geeſe and ducks with hay, and fix them near this hut; and it is curious to ſee how wild ſwans and geeſe will ſoar over theſe ſtuffed baits, and unfeather them with their bills.

Later in ſpring, they catch them in flying-nets, hung up in an avenue made through a wood, as I have al⯑ready deſcribed elſewhere: nay, they catch them here in broad day, as the fowlers conceal themſelves in huts, erected for the purpoſe. They catch wild geeſe, alſo, on the flat ſand-banks, with ſuch a net as fowlers uſe in England, to catch ſmall birds; for in theſe northern countries, the people take no notice of ſmall water-fowl, they catch only the larger kind; and the quan⯑tity here is ſo great, that the Ruſſian inhabitants might provide themſelves well with it for the whole year, and have plenty to throw away in the enſuing ſpring, which brings freſh ſupplies.

I came back to Kraſnojarſkaja to winter, on the 28th of February, 1772; Mr. Georgi, aſſiſtant to Profeſſor [32] Falk, arrived from Tomſkoi, with three other gentle⯑men, ſent by him to accompany me; his infirm ſtate of health, not ſuffering him to travel on. In return, I was to ſend one of the gentlemen I had with me, who was to go on from him to Peterſburgh. He ſet off for Tomſkoi, on the 4th of March; and, by him, I ſent to Peterſburgh beſt part of the natural curioſities I had collected in the courſe of the laſt year. There being nothing now to prevent my proſecuting my in⯑tended journey, into the eaſtern parts of Siberia, and my health being reſtored, I ſet out, on the 7th of March, from Kraſnojarſk, on my road to Irkuzkaja, a diſtance of 544 miles; where I removed on the 14th of March. This road is tolerably paſſable; ſometimes we travelled on ſledges, and ſometimes on waggons. Poſt-ſtations are here erected, at proper diſtances, with horſes, and good warm and white, painted rooms, for the reception of travellers; and the country is all along inhabited by Siberians, or Ruſſian coloniſts. That I might miſs nothing worthy notice, or obſervation, I left Mr. Kaſchkaref at Kraſnojarſk, to explore the ve⯑getable kingdom, in the neighbouring mountains, as the ſpring opened; and ſent Mr. Surjef, as he was more accuſtomed to travelling in the north, to Jeniſeikaja, and from thence, by water, to Mangaſei, and further northwards, to get all the knowledge he could of the Siberian productions in the frigid zone.

We reached the town Irkuzkaja on the 14th at eleven at night; our horſes being very much fatigued. The [33] many curioſities I had here to ſee, the many uſeful accounts I had to collect, reſpecting the unknown di⯑ſtrict on the oppoſite ſide of the Baikal; and the kind attention of his excellency Lieutenant-general De Brill, governor of this town, ſo engroſſed my time for the whole week I ſtaid, that I could not think of giving a deſcription of this fine place; of courſe, left it to the pen of Mr. Georgi, who was to ſtay here till the ice left the Baikal, which would at leaſt be two months longer; firſt giving him my inſtructions, to guide him in the journey he was to take, along the coaſts of that ſea.

Through the favour of General Brill, I ſhared an uncommon curioſity, which richly deſerves mentioning. During the winter, the inhabitants of this town, being out a hunting, found, on the river Wilui, the body of an unknown, large animal, and brought the head of it, with a fore and hind foot, well preſerved, to this place. The perſon who ſent it and the annexed account, dates his letter, Jan. 17, 1772; and mentions, that the car⯑caſe of the animal had been found in December, about 30 miles up the river, on the ſandy borders, about 7 feet from the water, and 28 feet from a higher and ſteeper border, half-covered with ſand; that it was meaſured on the ſpot, and found to be 7½ feet long, and its height 5 feet. The whole body had ſtill its natural, thick, leather ſkin, but had been ſo decayed, that nothing could be taken off whole, but the head [34] and feet, which he had ſent to Irkuzkaja, as a curi⯑oſity. On the firſt appearance, theſe parts ſhewed, that they belonged to a rhinoceros. The head was ſtill covered with its natural ſkin; and, therefore, the more diſtinguiſhable. On the ſkin was, on one ſide, ſhort hairs; and, almoſt every where, the external organiza⯑tion of the ſkin was well preſerved; even the eye-lids did not appear to be decayed. Underneath the ſkin lay, here and there, a loamy ſubſtance, the remnant of ſome decayed, ſoft parts. About the feet were, be⯑ſides the ſkin, ſtrong remains of joints and ſinews. The horn of the mouth, and the hoofs of the feet, were wanting; but the ſituation of the former, and the border of the ſkin round it, were like the cloven hind and fore-foot—unqueſtionable marks of this animal.

Having written a ſpecial treatiſe on this wonderful diſcovery, which may be found in the writings of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, I ſhall not repeat the cauſe, that may have brought ſuch an animal to the moſt northern diſtricts of the Lena; and ſo many other remains of ſtrange animals, all over Siberia. I ſhall only mention ſome circumſtances which occurred to me, and acquaint the reader with the diſtrict where theſe remains were found, and preſerved for ſuch a length of time. The country about the Wilui is mountain⯑ous, and contains either ſtrata of ſand, or limy ſlates, with ſome ſoft layers of loam. Upon the banks are [35] alſo broken ſtone-coal; of which there muſt be ſome bed, higher up the Wilui. The brook Kemtendoi, on which is a whole mountain of ſelenites, and rock⯑ſalt, in the neighbourhood of an alabaſter mountain, lies 225 miles higher up the Wilui, from the ſpot where the rhinoceros was diſcovered. Right towards that ſpot lies, upon the Wilui, a ſandy mountain, whoſe height is near 15 fathoms; near which the body of the animal was found, tolerably deep in gravel, and was preſerved by the froſt, as the ground never thaws about the Wilui, to a conſiderable depth. The warmeſt, ſandy, and elevated tracts, are indeed ſoftened by the rays of the ſun, to the diſtance of ſome feet under⯑ground; but in the vallies, where the earth is mixed with loam and ſand, we find, even at the end of the ſummer, every thing freezes, at a foot deep. But for this, it would have been impoſſible that the animal ſhould have been ſo far preſerved, whoſe tranſpoſition from a ſouthern, native ſoil, into the frigid zone, can⯑not be of later date than the general deluge; as the oldeſt annals of men ſpeak of no later change of the earth; and to this change, may probably be aſcribed this variety of contents in the earth; the remains of the rhinoceros, and the bones of elephants, diſperſed throughout Siberia.

On account of the warm weather, we ſaw now, about Irkuzkaja, the laſt paſſage of the ſnow-larks (Alauda alpeſtris), and black ſparrows (Fringilla flavi-roſtris); [36] and there was alſo arriving, a kind of parti-coloured jackdaw, which ſpends the winter in China, or the warmer part of the ſtates of the Mogul (Corvus Dau⯑ricus).

The winter-road we were to travel, was over the fro⯑zen lakes, and ſhore of the Baikal; and, in our way, on the 23d of March, a moſt violent, frigid ſtorm blew behind us, ſo that the ſledge-leaders could not keep their ground, but were blown many fathoms about the ſledge, on the ſlippery ice; and nothing could fix them, or ſave them from the danger of being blown into the deep chinks between the ice, and being frozen to death, but ſticking their knives into the ice, and holding faſt by them. Theſe chinks are, in many places, ſo large, and ſo deep, that no one durſt venture to croſs the ice in ſuch weather. As the ſtorm increaſed, we were obliged to halt, and take up our abode in this cold ſpot, till the next day, not daring to croſs the lake before us. Several perſons were here, preparing to catch ſea-dogs, which prowl up from the Baikal, to theſe warmer places, to ſleep, baſk in the ſun-ſhine, and en⯑joy themſelves. They come up to theſe animals, rea⯑dily, in little ſledges; before which they extend a white ſail, which the ſea-dogs take for a piece of ice, and are thus ſurrounded, and ſhot with balls. There is gene⯑rally a beaten road over theſe lakes, and the ſea-coaſt, in winter; and men will travel it, in preference to one that is leſs dangerous, but farther round: nay, will even [37] paſs chinks, by putting boards acroſs; over which the horſes and ſledges will paſs.

Approaching nearer the ſhore of the Baikal, I ſaw a particular kind of fiſhing-baſket, conſiſting of a little encloſure of buſhes, extending from the ſhore ſome feet into the water; at the end of which was another en⯑cloſure, that formed two rooms; whoſe entrance is the angle which each room forms with the encloſure. When any fiſh approaches the encloſure, they go into theſe rooms, or places, from which they cannot return. Here I ſtopped, to put one of my waggons upon wheels, for they were ſo contrived as occaſionally to be converted into ſledges, for the purpoſe of travel⯑ing over the ice and ſnow. We travelled on, at the rate of about 25 miles a day, but with difficulty; ſome⯑times on ſledges, ſometimes on wheels, but without any material accident; paſſing many villages in our way, till we reached the town of Selenginſkaja, on the 31ſt of March, where I met Mr. Sokalof, whom I had ſent forward in the beginning of the year.

The diſtrict about this place is encompaſſed by ſandy mountains; and ſo warm, that ſpring begins here ſooner than in the mountains about the Baikal. On the 20th of February, the air was very temperate; and, towards the end of this month, the ſnow melted en⯑tirely upon the hills; and all ſorts of birds of paſſage were arriving. On the 20th of March I ſhot the firſt [38] water-wagtail; and a great many little birds now en⯑tered the woods.

On the 3d of April, the ſnow being entirely melted, I made a little tour, to the diſtance of 60 miles, up the brook Tſchikoi, to ſee the Mongalian pagoda that was erected here about 12 years ago. I choſe this time, being informed, that the three days of prayer, ap⯑pointed monthly by the Mongols and Burats, are on the 13th, 14th, and 15th days of the new moon; ſo that I might ſee here the idolatry of the Lamas, and compare it with that of the Kalmucks. I reached it on the 5th of April. This pagoda is ſituated in a ſandy plain, and is the largeſt belonging to the Ruſſian Mon⯑gols. Beſides the chief pagoda, and ſix ſmaller ones, there is here erected a good manſion, belonging to the chief of the clergy of Lama in this diſtrict, whom they call Bandidi-Chambo-Lama; and two houſes, one inha⯑bited by a military clerk, and the other by a chriſtened Mongol, in the ſervice of the Coſſack regiments. There are alſo, about the north, weſt, and eaſt ſides of the pagoda, ſeveral encloſures, in which the principal clergy, if they come here to the ſervice of the temple, erect their felt tents; ſome on the ground, and others, on a platform, raiſed with planks above the ground. All the buildings are of wood, and built by Ruſſian carpenters, according to the direction of the high⯑prieſt, Chambo-lama; who endeavoured to imitate the form and ornaments of the pagodas of Thibet, which [39] he had ſeen in his youth. It would be a ſuperfluous repetition, to enter here into a circumſtantial deſcrip⯑tion of theſe temples; as I preſerve theſe, and other accounts, for a particular treatiſe on the manners, cuſtoms, and religion of the Mongols and Kalmucks, which I mean to publiſh hereafter.

Kjachta. Twenty-ſeven miles from this place ſtands Kjachta, which is the frontier fortreſs, and centre of all commerce between Ruſſia and China; where there is a guard of cuſtom-houſe officers, to prevent ſmug⯑gling. This place is ſituated in an even, elevated plain, in a wide valley, interſected by the brook Kjachta, and encompaſſed with high, rocky, and woody mountains; the moſt conſiderable of which is called, by the Mon⯑gols, Burgultei (eagle-mountain); it lies ſo cloſe to the fortreſs, on the ſouthern ſide, as to command the ſame; and yields a fine proſpect in every ſtreet, and part of the fortreſs; and alſo of the Chineſe fortreſs, adjoining it. Since the laſt marking out of the boun⯑daries, the Chineſe, probably conſcious of the advan⯑tage the mountain may afford, have claimed it as their own; under the frivolous pretence, of its containing ſome holy ſepulchres of their anceſtors; for the Ruſſian frontier-line formerly ran acroſs it. The whole moun⯑tain, however, is now left with them; and the boun⯑daries are drawn more to the north, over the bottom. On a weſtern and adjacent mountain, ſtand the Ruſſian and Chineſe marks of boundary. The former is a heap [40] of ſtones and earth, with a croſs; the latter, of ſtones only, ſet up, one on another, ſo as to leave a hollow place within, ſomething like a Kalmuck tent, or Tar⯑tarian jourt.

The fortreſs conſiſts of a quadrangle of palliſadoes, fortified on the curtains with four wooden, corner ba⯑ſtions, and batteries. It has three gates; one on the northern ſide, one on the ſouth, towards the Chineſe frontier-town, which I am going to deſcribe; and a third on the weſt, on the brook Kjachta. Within the fortreſs, is a fine wood-built church with bells, a ſpa⯑cious bartering-houſe, with 60 ſhops, which is to be made ſtill more extenſive, on a new plan, and built of ſtone; in the centre of which is laid the foundation of a little chapel, which is to be built alſo of ſtone. Here is alſo a houſe for the commander, a cuſtom-houſe, an old guard-houſe, and a great number of offices and houſes belonging to merchants; beſides dwellings for the ſoldiers. The ſuburbs which are encompaſſed with a wooden wall, have not more than about 120 houſes, very irregularly built; the gates, however▪ to this place, are guarded, as are the gates of the fortreſs.

Kjachta is ſupplied with nothing ſo ill as with water; for the brook is, in ſummer-time, ſo ſhallow, as ſcarce to be above the ſhoes; and the water ſo thick, as to be unfit to drink. Many wells have been ſunk, but [41] they are ſo impregnated with lime, and a bitter ſalt, that all the inhabitants, who are people of property, and fond of tea, ſend for water, with leave of the Chi⯑neſe, to a ſpring in their territory.

Their ſoil is equally bad; and conſiſts moſtly of ſand and rocks, quite unfit for gardening. Had the line of boundary been placed a little further, towards China, by a neighbouring brook, as appears to have been marked out by nature, the ſituation of this fortreſs would have been better; there would have been abund⯑ance of good water, plenty of fiſh, and a fertile plain behind it,—advantages which the Chineſe, at preſent, enjoy.

The garriſon conſiſts of a company of ſoldiers, and a number of Coſſacks, ſettled here. The commander is an officer of rank, who decides all little quarrels and diſputes, that ariſe among the principal Ruſſian and Chineſe merchants; and who, in caſes of more im⯑portance, appeals to a neighbouring court of limits, and the governor of Irkazkaja.

The moſt opulent inhabitants of Kjachta, are Ruſſian merchants, and commiſſioners of conſiderable houſes at Peterſburgh, and other Ruſſian places of note; and are as civilized and hoſpitable as in any town in Si⯑beria, except Irkazkaja. Their company would ſtill be more pleaſing, if they did not trouble ſtrangers with [42] ſo much drinking of tea; for every merchant prides himſelf in producing as many ſamples of boiled tea, as he has in poſſeſſion.

The boundaries, between theſe two countries, are carried on a conſiderable way, from eaſt to weſt, with chevaux-de-frize, which prevents cattle being ſmuggled into either country. Every guard-ſtation weſtward, as far as the regency of Tobolſkoi, and five other ports eaſtwards, are ſubordinate to the commander of Kjachta; but thoſe beyond the mountain, are under the com⯑mander of Aſchinſkaja. It will not be unuſeful, nor unpleaſant, to thoſe who are fond of geography, to know where the line of partition runs: I will, there⯑fore, point it out. Weſtwards, from Kjachta, towards the regency of Tobolſkoi, follow the frontier ports, in the following order:

Utſchinſkoi-Karaul, 23 miles from Kjachta, upon the Selenga, in an open mountainous diſtrict.

Zagan-Uſſunſkoi, five miles from the latter, alſo on the river Selenga.

Boſſinſkoi, 19 miles further on the river Dſhida, which the line follows upwards.

Silturinſkoi, 23 miles; where, on the right, the brook Silturna falls into the Dſhida, and the country grows more mountainous.

[43]Chuldazkoi, 19 miles further.

Charazanſkoi, 23 miles; to which are ſeveral roads, and where there are many fields in the vallies, which the villagers on the Dſhida do not uſe. Now the moun⯑tains become, on the right of the Dſhida, eſpecially towards Mongalia, ſo very wild and high, that no one can go to the following ports, but on horſeback, and this in ſummer only, eſpecially in wet weather, with⯑out danger of their lives.

Zeſkinſkoi, 23 miles from Charazan; where, on the right, the brook Sodſki falls into the Dſhida.

Modenkolſkoi, 57 miles; Natſchitunſkoi, 50 miles, and thence to Dotoſhinſkoi, nine miles, a wild diſtrict; after which follows an unhabitable, impervious ſnow⯑mountain, between the ſources of the Dſhida and Dſhonmurin, that to a diſtance of 150 miles, to Tunkinſkoi-Oſtrog, between Dſhonmurin and the bay of Baikal, or Kultak, not a place could be found for a frontier-poſt; and, from Tunkinſkoi-Oſtrog, the moun⯑tain continues ſo high and ſteep, as far as to the Jeniſei, that they could place but two guard-ſtations, in the diſtance of 50 miles; and from thence it is 120 miles, to the firſt frontier-poſt in the regency of Tobolſkoi.

Eaſtwards of Kjachta, the ſtations are ſituated along the Tſchikoi; the firſt Kiranſkoi, 12 miles; the [44] ſecond Kudarinſkoi, 21 miles; the third, at the diſtance of 34 miles from the latter; the next, at 18 miles diſtance; and the laſt, at 10 miles; where the Tſchi⯑koi leaves the frontiers. The line thence runs on the river Manſa; and the next ſtation is Monſhinſkoi, at a diſtance of 112 miles: then follow the high moun⯑tains that divide the rivers of Baikal from thoſe of the Amur; from whence it is 120 miles to the next poſt on the Balſkikan, dependant on Akſchinſkaja.

I will now give as complete a deſcription as I can of the Chineſe frontier and commercial town, which is called by the Ruſſians Kitaiſkaja Sloboda (the Chineſe borough); the place having, properly ſpeaking, no name of its own. The Chineſe name is Maimutſchin, compoſed of Nikanian and Manſhurian words, Maima, and Tſchin, or Tſchen; the former of which implies commerce, and the latter, a place ſurrounded with walls. The town lies not more than 60 fathoms from the ſouthern wall of the fortreſs Kjachta, on a fine and even ſpot, quite ſequeſtered from the brook Kjachta, and conſiſts of 200 dwellings. In the middle, between the two towns, ſtand two boundary-poſts, 10 feet high; one with a Ruſſian inſcription, and the other with a Manſhurian. The Chineſe borough has no other for⯑tifications, than a ſquare, wooden wall, which, in 1756, during the laſt Kalmuck war with the Choitian prince Amurſaran, when this frontier-place was threatened with fire and ſword, by a Mongol, who revolted againſt [45] their prince Schadir Wang, was erected in haſte, with a ditch ſcarce three feet broad. This fortification, if it can be ſo called, is flanked by a long ſpace, from eaſt to weſt, whoſe longeſt ſide is 350 fathoms, and the ſhorteſt 200 fathoms. Each wall has, in the middle, a principal gate, opening into the chief ſtreets. Over each gate is a wooden centinel-box, where part of the Chineſe garriſon, which conſiſts of ragged Mongols, with clubs, ſtands on guard at night. Before the gates, on the Ruſſian ſide, are wooden walls, erected in the Chineſe way, 28 feet from the gates, to prevent any perſons looking into the town. The houſes are built in regular, direct lines, and compoſe two principal ſtreets, from 21 to 28 feet wide, croſſing each other in the centre of the place; and two other ſide-ſtreets, running from north to ſouth. They are not paved, but gravelled; have drains in the middle, and are kept very clean.

The houſes are ſpacious, and each occupies a long oblong place, covered with gravel, and kept very clean; having, to the ſtreet, a large long portico, or paſſage, leading to the yard, with ſide-doors and ſtore-rooms: the reſt of the houſe conſiſts of dwelling-rooms, ſtore-rooms, and a kitchen. All the buildings are uni⯑form, not more than 14 feet high, without ſtories, built of wood, plaſtered with loam, and painted white. The roofs are flat and boarded, and ſupported by pil⯑lars; but the roofs of the common houſes, are made [46] with croſs poles, and covered with turf. In all build⯑ings, the windows are large, and made in the European way; but, as glaſs and iſinglaſs are too dear, are co⯑vered with paper, except a few of the dwelling-rooms, of which the windows are glazed. Paper-windows are commonly ornamented with little pictures. One of the rooms ſerves as a ſhop, and contains ſamples of every merchandize the proprietor deals in. The floors are bricked, and the walls papered, as in England; and within are proper ſcreens, to keep off the duſt. Round half the room is a broad, painted bench, two feet high, on which the family eats and ſleeps. On this bench is alſo a ſquare, brick oven, two or three feet high, with a perpendicular, cylindrical opening, like a fire-place, in which they burn wood. The ſmoke from this fire-place, is carried from above, downwards, by a pipe, un⯑derneath the bench, and conveyed out of the room into the ſtreet, and there carried up in a perpendicular chimney, not raiſed higher than the roof. This fire-place makes the bench and walls ſo warm in winter, that if the head is laid next the wall, the perſon cannot ſleep. Within the room is no other furniture than two little, low tables, ſtanding on a bench, on which is al⯑ways placed a pan of burning coals, which emits no vapour, and ſerves to light their tobacco-pipes. In a particular niche, ſcreened by ſilk curtains, are ſome elegant pagods, drawn on paper, before which, on feſ⯑tivals, they place burning lamps and candles, and a curious cinder-box, made of metal or ſtone, in which [47] the aſhes and droppings of the incenſe-candles are pre⯑ſerved, with many little ornaments, and bouquets of artificial flowers.

Their kitchens ſurpaſs the beſt European ones, in cleanlineſs and order; and have, beſides the broad bench on which the ſervants ſleep, and the fire-place, upon it, two other fire-places, in which iron, or ſtone-boilers, are fixed. They have nothing particular in their kitchen-furniture, but broad knives, with which they mince and preſs their meat into moulds, before it is ſerved up. The blades are near ſix inches ſquare, made of poliſhed ſteel, with a wooden handle, whoſe cutting edge is as ſharp as a razor: the cook takes one of theſe knives in each hand, minces the meat without touching it, and then preſſes it into moulds.

This is all I can ſay of the Chineſe houſes. The pub⯑lic buildings of their towns on the frontiers, are no other than the manſion of the Surgutſchei, or chief of the merchants, and a little Mahomedan metſched, in thoſe places where the Bucharians live.

One of the pagodas of this frontier-town, is built in the middle of the place, where both the principal ſtreets croſs each other; it is in the form of a Chineſe tower, through which paſſengers can paſs into both ſtreets; the opening being-in the form of a croſs. Above this [48] portico, the building is ſquare, with a covered gallery round it, the roof ſupported with pillars. In another ſtory, above this, the building is octangular, and has eight bells, which are eaſily moved with the wind, and give a pleaſing ſound, and round this part is an⯑other gallery, like the one below. In the lower ſtory of this building, ſtands the image of the god Tjen, which, according to the accounts given me by the moſt enlightened of the Chineſe I met with, reigns over 32 heavens. The Manſhours call him Abcho, and the Mongols, Tingeru; that is, heaven, or a god of heaven. It ſits, with nothing on its head but hair, encompaſſed with a glory, like the images of Chriſt, a ſtraight ſword in his right hand, and his left lifted, as if giving his bleſſing. This figure of the pagod, with the Roman-Catholic images of the Redeemer, is perhaps the cauſe of the Chineſe Surgutſchei (through whoſe favour I got a ſight of this temple), aſſuring me, that the Jeſuits, and their ſectaries, who lived in ſo great reſpect and authority at the court of Peking, worſhipped it equally with the Chineſe. Probably theſe holy fathers may have given the reſemblance of the Chineſe Tjen to their repreſentations of Chriſt, to excite more the devotion of their new converts. Near this idol Tjen ſtands, on one ſide, two youths; and, on the other, a girl, and an old man. In the upper ſtory of the building, is another idol, in a black and white chequered cap, alſo accom⯑panied by a venerable, old man, and three young peo⯑ple. Neither in this, or the other part of the building, [49] are any altars or ornaments, but theſe round the pa⯑godas. Their temples are only opened on feaſt-days, and ſtrangers cannot enter without permiſſion; yet the Chineſe ſhew theſe idols no more reverence than thoſe in the greater pagoda.

The great pagoda is far more ſplendid and ſpa⯑cious, and ſtands near the ſouthern principal-gate, before the manſion of the Surgutſchei. Strangers may ſee it almoſt every hour of the day, by ap⯑plying to an under-prieſt, who reſides for this pur⯑poſe in the fore-court, the entrance to which, is for⯑tified with Cheveux-de-frize. We are conducted through two, little, elegant gates, divided by a ſmall building. Oppoſite theſe gates ſtands a little, painted theatre, near which are erected on each ſide two, high poles, on which they ſpread, on feſtivals, large flags with Chineſe characters; and, on ſome peculiar feſtivals, on this theatre are exhibited little burlettas in honour of the idols, where the merchants' clerks are the principal actors, the ſpectators ſtanding in the ſtreet.

In the little building between the gates of the firſt court of the temple, within grates, are two ſaddle-horſes moulded in clay, as large as life, and turned towards the South. One is a ſorrel bay, repreſented as leaping, and the other of a dun colour with a black mane and tail, walking: each as led by two men, dreſſed like grooms, [50] and ſculptured with great ſkill. Near each horſe ſtands a yellow, ſilk-flag, painted with ſilver dra⯑gons, but no further ornaments. Juſt within the gates of the firſt court, are two covered ſcaffolds encompaſſed with a gallery; on one hangs a large bell of caſt iron, pulled by a wooden club, and on the other, two enormous tymbals, like thoſe in Kal⯑muck pagodas. There are alſo, here two other front buildings, that ſerve as dwellings for the ſervants of the prieſts.

From this outward court, we enter through one large and two little painted and carved gates, into the inner⯑moſt temple, which has ſmall buildings on both ſides, divided into pagodas, like alcoves with grated doors, whoſe walls within are ornamented with pictures repreſenting the actions of the Gods; thence we go to the hall of the temple, which, like the temple itſelf, is ſurrounded with pillars, varniſhed, gilt and carved with an elegant, Chineſe roof, a gallery, and little bells hanging round it. This hall repreſents an armory. In it, along the walls, on ledges or ſcaf⯑folds, are all ſorts of gigantic and ancient arms, and warlike emblems, as ſpears, ſcythes, broad blades faſtened on many ſpear-poles, morning-ſtars, ſhields, banners with hinds and dragon's heads, elegantly gilt. Oppoſite the fore-door is an enormous, yellow flag embroidered with ſilver dragons and leaf-work, under⯑neath which, ſtand all kinds of altars ſkreened, and [51] ſeveral oblong tables ſtanding on pedeſtals, with Chi⯑neſe inſcriptions. From the gate behind this place, paſſing a court about ten fathoms long and five broad, we come to the temple itſelf, through a ſhort, uncovered gallery, decorated with flower-pots. In the gallery before the temple, ſupported by a row of pillars, ſtand, right and left of the entrance, at ſome diſtance from the gates, two bordered tables, of black ſlate, ſeven feet high, on which, is en⯑graved a long detail of the foundation of the tem⯑ple. Before the pedeſtal of the weſtern table, there is, in a ſmall caſe, a little, frightful image, about ſix inches high. The temple within is beautifully ornamented, and exhibits, on the walls, many warlike adventures and marches of the chief idol. All the idols are modelled in clay, ſkilfully executed in gigan⯑tic ſhape, and placed on pedeſtals four feet high, on three niches, which occupy the whole northern wall. The niches are decorated with a great deal of carving and gilt ornaments. The chief idol that occupies the niche in the centre between two pillars, wreathed with gilt dragons, is Gedſur or Geſſur Khan, called by the Chineſe Coujil, or the firſt and eldeſt, by the Manſhours Guanloe (the chief god), and to his hiſtory the above-mentioned horſes allude, This figure, repreſented ſplendidly ſitting and dreſſed, has a gilt beard, a crown on his head, and is in ſize four times as large as a man. His cloaths are not modelled in clay, like the reſt of the idols, but are [52] made of ſilk, and elegantly formed. He holds, in his hands, before him a board, as if reading with earneſtneſs. On his right and left are two little, fe⯑male figures, repreſenting children of thirteen years of age, one of whom, holds a paper roll. Before this figure, which repreſents nothing more than ſome peaceable prince or judge, lie, on the right, ſeven golden arrows, and on the the left a bow. The Mongols and Kalmucks, do not worſhip it as an idol, but acknowledge it to be ſome great hero, who lived near the ſource of the river Choango, and who, like the Bacchus and Hercules of eaſtern Tar⯑tary, vanquiſhed many monſters: and they have in their language a long hiſtory of his heroic deeds. Before this idol, is a ſpacious place encompaſſed with ſhrines and in the midſt ſtands an altar with ſtrips of narrow ſilk, hanging over it, as in Monga⯑lian temples. About the altar, are four, ſtanding figures in couples, turning their faces to each other, repreſenting ancient counſellors and generals of the deified Geſſur Khan. All the figures are of Coloſſal ſize, but not ſo large as the idol itſelf. Thoſe that ſtood next theſe Pagodas, were dreſſed like judges, and held boards in their hands, like the Geſſur Khan; one had a white beard, and ſeemed as if ſinging, and of the two others, one on the left was dreſſed in armour, wore a kind of turban, and carried a large ſheathed ſword on the left ſhoulder, the handle upwards; the other was cloathed alſo in warlike dreſs, [53] very corpulent, with a horrid, red-brown face, having in his right hand, a ſpear-pole with a broad blade at the end.

In each ſide-diviſion are two idols ſeated, one in a military dreſs, and one in that of a Mandarin. All four ſhorter than Geſſur Khan, but ſtill of gigan⯑tic ſize.

The warlike figure on the right, repreſents the god Maſuang or the Otſchirboni of the Mongols, whoſe very look is frightful; it is habited in armour, and has a looking-glaſs on its breaſt, one eye in its navel, and on the head three faces of ſuch a dark-brown colour, as to be almoſt black. It has ſix arms, two of which, hold bent ſwords acroſs the head. The next figure on the right, has alſo a looking-glaſs; the next on the left, ſomething ſquare, reſembling a piece of ivory, but in its hands, a bent bow, as if going to ſhoot.

The god that ſits near him, is called by the Chineſe Zauſching, or the gold and ſilver god, and by the Mongols Zagan-Dſambola. It has a black cap on the head with two obtuſe corners, in its hand a box filled with jewels, and is dreſſed in rich, Chineſe robes of ſtate. On one ſide ſtand two ſmall figures, one of which held a branch of a tree. Two ſimilar figures accompany alſo, the former, one having an [54] arrow in his hand, and the other an animal. In a diviſion on the left, is the god Chuſko, or in the Manſhour dialect Chua-aſchan, whom the Mongols call Galdi or Fire-god, with a frightful, fiery face, in com⯑plete armour, holding in his hand a drawn ſword, and, though ſitting, appears as if ſuddenly riſing. One of his ſatellites is repreſented as if crying out, the other, bearing in his hand a bird like a duck. Another idol on this ſide, is the god of bullocks, Niu-o. He is repreſented as quietly ſitting in Mandarine robes, a crown on his head, and, like all the preceding ones, with a round looking-glaſs on his breaſt. The Chi⯑neſe take him to be the ſame with the Jamandaga of the Mongols. His Manſhour name is ſaid to be Chain-Killowa, but the Mongols call him Bars-Batir, (Tyger-hero). The Chineſe are ſo ſuſpicious, that the moſt affable will refuſe to give you the names of their idols, and if, they ſee any one attempt to write them down, will give them a fictitious name; of courſe, I cannot take upon me to warrant all the names I here give, particularly thoſe of the Chineſe.

The idol Niu-o has his table alſo, on which they ſerve him on feſtivals, with all ſorts of baked meats, dried fruits, and other dainties, beſides other vic⯑tuals, even meat, and whole carcaſſes of ſheep. Be⯑fore him are placed urns, frankincenſe, wax-candles, and lamps, ſome of which, before the principal pa⯑god, are kept burning night and day. Among other [55] things we ſee a veſſel reſembling a quiver filled with a great many long, flat ſticks made of ſplit canes, upon which are written little, Chineſe mottos, which fore⯑tell the fate of any one the enſuing year, that ſhall draw out an arrow from the quiver, on new-year's-day. At the eaſt end of the table lies a hollow, wooden, black, varniſhed helmet, on which thoſe who aſſemble for the ſake of devotion in the temple, knock with a beater. No ſtranger dare knock this helmet, though he is allowed to touch every other thing on the pa⯑goda, and examine the idols as near as he pleaſes.

There is very little to be ſaid of the reſt of their pub⯑lic buildings. The houſe of the Surgutſchei or director of the merchants, ſtands on a great deal of ground, and is very neatly furniſhed, but has nothing peculiar, except two flag-poles erected at the gate, which are its diſtinctive marks, and the ſolemn tribunal which ſtands in the hall. The quarter where the Bucha⯑rians live, is in the ſouth-eaſt corner of the town, where they have a little, plain metſched or chapel, built of wood. The Bucharians, who imitate the Chineſe in their dreſs, are badly and ſhabbily lodged, notwithſtanding their conſiderable commerce with the court of Peking, which is ſupplied by Bucharian mer⯑chants, who come here annually for that purpoſe. Whatever goods ſuch a Bucharian merchant or com⯑miſſioner from Peking wants to buy, cannot be ſold to any other Chineſe merchant, on pain of ſevere [56] puniſhment, till the former has accompliſhed his pur⯑chaſe; though the other ſhould offer a much higher price.

We will now ſpeak of the Chineſe themſelves, and of the trade of that nation. The merchants who reſide here, are chiefly Nikanians, or natives from the northern provinces of China, eſpecially from Peking, Santchuen, and ſome other cities. They dwell here like travellers, without their families, for in the whole Chineſe market-towns, no woman is to be ſeen. Thoſe however, who feel their Oriental blood, are very ga⯑lant cuſtomers to the women in Kjachta, who to the prejudice of their national honour, are frail to an ex⯑ceſs. The Chineſe are alſo charged with unnatural crimes, at leaſt they are remarked for keeping young, fine-made ſhop-men, with whom they are very fami⯑liar. Some, alſo, ſpend large ſums in the Mongalian quarters, with females of that nation, of whom I ſhall ſay more hereafter.

All the Chineſe merchants here reſiding, trade in partnerſhip, two or more together, relieving each other by turns, one conducting the buſineſs a whole year in Kjachta, whilſt the other goes home for freſh merchandize; on the arrival of the latter, the former ſets off with the goods bartered for, and returns the next year with a new cargo. The Sur⯑gutſchei preſides, with the power of a magiſtrate, over [57] the merchants here reſiding; and not only keeps up a rigid police, but directs the trade, and gives orders reſpecting it, that no advantage in commerce may be loſt. He is generally a man of rank and abilities, but it ſometimes happens that Mandarins who have com⯑mitted, in other places, certain miſdemeanors, are ſent here to undertake this office, for their puniſhment and reformation. His characteriſtic mark of diſtinc⯑tion is a cryſtal button on his cap, and a peacock's fea⯑ther behind. The Chineſe give him the title of Amban, (commander in chief). No one dares approach him, but bending his left knee, in which poſture he re⯑mains the whole time he is ſpeaking, and until he receives the Amban's anſwer. This magiſtrate has a ſalary, but far inferior to the preſents made him by the merchants. In China, it is the privilege only of high rank, to ride in a four-wheeled carriage. The Surgutſchei rides in a covered cart, with two wheels only.

The perſons of the Chineſe are ſufficiently known; they are well formed, and many young perſons have ſweet, fair faces, to which their ſmall black eyes and jetty hair give an agreeable turn: yet we frequently meet with broad Manſhourian-like maſks, high cheek-bones, broad noſes between the eyes, and extraor⯑dinary large ears, which ſeems to be national to this people. Elderly men ſuffer their black beards to grow, but all ſhave their heads in the Manſhourian [58] way, leaving only one thick, lock on the crown, which is univerſally black, and which they braid into a treſs. Hence they are good cuſtomers to the barbers, whoſe houſes are diſtinguiſhed by little flags hung out at the door.

Their dreſs is very uniform, and ſuited to the ſea⯑ſon; they have particular clothes for the ſummer and winter, and others for the intervals of theſe ſeaſons. This difference is moſt remarkable in their caps. In ſpring and autumn, they wear little, round covers, which barely hide the crown of the head, whoſe ſtanding border is covered with the ſkin of a ſea-dog, or ſea-bear, or with velvet; having at the top, a little button, and a taſſil of twiſted, red ſilk, which overſpreads the whole hat. In ſummer, they go about with wide ſtraw-hats, reſembling a bowl, which ſhade the face; theſe are neatly made, coſt often from four, to ſix rubles, each, and have an elegant fringe of long, red ſhining hair, taken from wild, Tangutian cows, the bos grunniens of Linnaeus, which the Chineſe call Sinija, the Mongols, Sarlikukyr. In winter they wear flat caps edged with fox-ſkins, and fringed at the top: theſe do not cover the ears. All European nations take off their hat, in the preſence of perſons of rank; but it would be a ſin againſt Chineſe politeneſs and reſpect, to do the ſame. Their garments vary, in every ſeaſon, in the thickneſs of the linen and ſtuff of which they are made. Merchants of all ranks, [59] wear the ſame dreſs, which is chiefly ſhining, cotton ſtuffs (Kitaika) generally black, but ſometimes dyed of a deep blue. This is their dreſs from ſpring to autumn, and conſiſts of a garment which reaches to the ancles, with narrow ſleeves. Behind, it is ſlit open to the waiſt, and ornamented before with but⯑tons the whole length. Over this they wear ſomething reſembling a woman's jacket, without ſleeves, paſſing the arm through a hole, and above all, a ſhort waiſt⯑coat, whoſe ſleeves reach to the elbow, made of ſilk, and lined with the fur of the paws of ſable, fox, or ſea-bear, with the hair outwards. Perſons of diſtinc⯑tion wear their waiſtcoats made of curled, black ſheep-ſkins, ſables, or the ſea-bears of Kamſchatka. The latter articles are of importance, are part of the Ruſ⯑ſian trade, and worn by the whole court of Peking. They wear alſo wide boots covered with black ſilk, the ſoles of which are heavy, half an inch thick, and made of coarſe, cotton ſtuff (Daba) glued together, and are ſaid to laſt ſeveral years. On their girdle, which faſtens their under-garment, they carry, conſtantly, long, ſilk tobacco pouches and pipes, and a caſe containing knives and the little chop-ſticks, which they uſe as forks. They are always ſo dreſſed, both at home and abroad. Their perſons and houſes are kept with great cleanlineſs, which ſeems the more ſurpriſing, as all the domeſtic buſineſs is performed by men. They are inured to cold, of courſe, their rooms are ſo little heated in winter, that an European would [60] be chilled in them. Many, eſpecially opulent mer⯑chants, who do not meddle with packing and unpacking of their goods, let the nails grow on their fingers to the length of half an inch. I ſaw ſome whoſe nails were rolled up and grown into the fleſh. A European would not be able to imitate this odd cuſtom without difficulty, and would often loſe his nails, before they attained their proper ſhape and ſtrength.

Their food is clean, very nutritive, and ſuited to the ſeaſons. They are remarkably fond of garden-fruits, vegetables and ſweet-meats, and eat a great deal of garlick. In ſummer they ſupply Kjachta with cole⯑worts, girkins, radiſhes and French-beans, and cul⯑tivate for their own uſe ſpinach, celery, parſley, yellow-parſnips, and a kind of colewort, ſplit like endive. As other productions of European gardens do not ripen here, they bring with them rice, ſeveral ſorts of peas, alſo dried, and, in winter, frozen fruits. Among their peas I remarked an oblong, little, green ſpecies, called Lodou, which appears to be the Phaſeolus radiatus of Linnaeus, and which they ſuffer to attain their full growth, during winter, in water which they often change, and then eat them raw inſtead of ſallad. The moſt common, freſh fruits which may be had of the Chineſe, are water-melons, apples, (Pinſa) like green Pommes de Rennette, pears, a ſpecies of oblong quinces, (Mugha), citrons, ſweet and ſour oranges, wild cheſnuts (Kidſa), large walnuts, a little, red pen⯑tagonal [61] medlars, which grow wild in the northern parts of China, and of which, with ſugar, they make a cheap jelly, called by the Ruſſian merchants poſtila. They have alſo a fruit called alema, which ſeems to be nothing more than a Tkaſchu apple, and brought from the ſouthern provinces. They have alſo a very peculiar ſpecies of citron, (fuiſchu,) divided like a lily-root into 12 parts, without kernel, and uncommonly fragrant; but theſe are only diſtributed as gifts, by the Surgutſchei. Of dried fruits the Chineſe have long raiſins, with a large kernel; ſmall, black, ſour⯑iſh raiſins; little fruits of a ſpecies of elaeagnus, with a peculiar kernel, called by the Bucharians dſhigda, by the Mongols zagda, and by the Chineſe ſazuſa; a ſpecies of reddiſh, ſmoked prunes, (ſchuptuga,) with a kernel like a roller; little, black plums, dried apples, oranges ſqueezed and boiled in ſugar, pre⯑ſerved ginger, black, ſweetiſh fruits with many flat kernels, (choder,) ſome of which are brought from Perſia, and are called gorokum; a ſhell-fruit, with a large, round kernel, encompaſſed with a ſweet ſub⯑ſtance, exquiſitely mellow: This ſubſtance is preſſed together into flat cakes, wrapt up in bamboo leaves, and uſed as a cordial ſweetmeat; it is brought from the ſouthernmoſt provinces, and ſold by the name of gaklo. They have alſo other fruits, with one or two nut-like kernels; whole flat nuts, in form of an apricot-ſtone, with a bitteriſh, purgative kernel, (lanſu, or boigo); common almonds, pimenti and other cheap [62] ſpices. Among their other eatables the Chineſe have crabs, brought from the ſea-coaſt, and ſalted, which they eat with rice; ſea-ſnails, dried on ſtrings, (holo⯑thuria tremula Linnaei, in Chineſe chairſan,) and a griſtly, ſea production, called dſhileng. With the lat⯑ter they alſo brought me ſome particular dried flowers, (tſchentſcheng,) which they boil in ſoups, and are brought from the ſouthernmoſt parts. They have ſometimes alſo ſpongy roots of a water-plant, con⯑ſiſting of members an inch long. The Chineſe bring alſo, in winter, frozen pheaſants to Kjachta, which they find on this ſide the Chineſe wall, on the ſouthern parts of the mountains which ſeparate the rivers Amur and Choango; but are moſtly met with about the latter river. They are ſaid to be fond of dog's fleſh, and that it is publicly ſold in the markets at Peking; but the Chineſe here will not admit it. They alſo carefully conceal their eating, as a dainty, the legs of frogs, and a ſpecies of large wingleſs graſſ⯑hopper, common about the river Selenga, probably becauſe they have been laughed at for it by the Ruſſians.

The uſual drink of the Chineſe is tea, which they keep almoſt the whole day on the fire, and drink it whenever they are dry; they boil it a ſecond time, make it very weak, and uſe little or no ſugar. Their ſtrong liquors are, the taraſur, which may be com⯑pared to Engliſh beer mixed with brandy, and a kind of brandy, called in Mongol Chantſchina. Many of [63] the Chineſe are ſo much addicted to the free uſe of this and other Ruſſian, ſtrong liquors, that we com⯑monly ſee the lower claſs going about the town with chains on their legs, the uſual puniſhment for fighting and other exceſſes committed by people in liquor: it is probably owing to this policy that a drunken Chineſe is ſeldom ſeen abroad.

They cannot exiſt without ſmoaking tobacco. If at leiſure, they will never let a quarter of an hour paſs without taking a pipe; ſo that they are conſtantly ſmoaking in the ſtreets. As the bowls of their pipes are not much larger than a thimble, they have the pleaſure of filling and lighting them often.

The Chineſe of this place are affable and hoſpita⯑ble; and though they never like to treat a ſtranger with any thing but tobacco and tea, they are in this liberal to every viſitor. To acquaintances they will preſent ſweetmeats, and various ſorts of fruits. When they viſit the Ruſſians, let them be ever ſo ſtrange, they are impetuous, and without paying any regard to rank, very bold, and often unpolite: they will enter houſes uninvited, with their pipes in their hands, ſit down unaſked, and continue ſitting as long as they pleaſe, let the people of the houſe take it as they will. It ſeems the Ruſſians have led them into this unman⯑nerly conduct by their too great indulgence; for in pre⯑ſence of their own ſuperiors they always keep a reſpect⯑ful [64] diſtance. They are fond of games; and when they have no buſineſs to employ them, are generally ſeen playing at draughts at home, in their own way, or with little Chineſe cards in their hands.—To gratify this paſſion, they frequently buy many Ruſſian copper and ſilver coins to game with, and purchaſe, from the Ruſſians, eatables and other little neceſſaries the cheaper.

Perſons of diſtinction play, in their hours of leiſure, with a roſary in their hands; and ſome of the middle claſs carry ſuch roſaries made of larch reſin, conti⯑nually along with them, which the ſweat of their hands renders as hard and tranſparent as yellow amber, and will fetch a good price among the Mongols.

In their trade and conduct with the Ruſſians, they are exceedingly crafty, ſecret and intereſted, and hereby have a great advantage over the perſons they deal with, who are not a match for them. The Ruſſians are ſtrictly punctual and exact in trade, and are kept to this by the Surgutſchei, who ſtrives all he can to advance its ſucceſs; but the Chineſe too often render the beſt regulations fruitleſs, by their ſelfiſh, gid⯑dy and chattering mode of dealing, if not kept within bounds by the ſevere inſpection of ſome commercial chief. This has made the Chineſe well-acquainted with the value of Ruſſian productions, and enables them to keep their own in a proper balance; for the [65] Surgutſchei puniſhes thoſe who attempt to ſpoil ano⯑ther's bargain by underſelling him; he alſo takes care that the markets are not overſtocked; for as the gene⯑ral rendezvous of the caravans from all the towns and cities of the Chineſe empire aſſemble in the Mongalian court-quarters on the river Tola, 375 miles from Kjachta, they are only ſuffered to come from that place in moderate numbers to this frontier town, in January, May, and autumn. For this leave they pay a duty of five per cent. for all Ruſſian goods on return. This ſmall duty is what gives the Chineſe the prin⯑cipal advantage over Ruſſian merchants.

The goods are moſtly brought here on camels; yet the Chineſe make uſe of a bad kind of cart with two awkward wheels, having two croſs beams, and a third paſſing the centre, through which the axle-tree is fixed, and which turns with the wheels. When the merchant caravans travel in winter through the ſtep, they carry with them felt tents, which they erect at night. In ſummer they have fine hut-frames made of cane, which they ſold up together like a fan, and put into wooden caſes, occupying no more room than ſeven inches in length, and four inches in height and breadth, and yet, when ſpread out and covered with a ſail-cloth or mat, two perſons may ſit and ſleep therein, and be entirely ſheltered from the ſun and rain. They are uſually 46 days on their journey to the next town, ſituate on the great wall, called Ziſongku or Schanſ⯑chiacho, [66] by the Mongols Kalgan or Kalcha, (new gate,) and from thence to Peking four or five days, and from Kalgan to Santſchuen about a fortnight.

The Nikanian tradeſmen on the frontiers all under⯑ſtand the Mongalian language, in which the Ruſſian merchants talk to them, either themſelves, or by ap⯑pointed, ſworn interpreters. Many ſpeak broken Ruſs; but their pronunciation is ſo ſoft and defective, that a Ruſſian can ſcarcely underſtand them. They cannot pronounce the letter r at all; but ſound it as an l. They alſo divide by vowels ſuch ſyllables, which, if joined together, have more than one mute letter, wherein the Ruſs language is very rich. Theſe two defects are never obſerved in Tartars, Mongols, Kalmucks, and other Aſiatics, who learn the Ruſſian language.

The trade with the Chineſe is chiefly carried on by barter or exchange of goods. The Chineſe come to the Ruſſian mart, where ſamples are laid out, and they chuſe what they like. Contracts for goods are ſometimes made in the market; but the Chineſe gene⯑rally go home with the Ruſſian merchant to his houſe, and there make the agreement. At firſt it is ſettled what goods the Ruſſian merchant can and will take; then the quantity and reſpective value of the goods to be mutually exchanged are agreed on; and after having drank tea, and both parties having finiſhed their [67] bargain, they go to the warehouſe, where the Chineſe dealer marks all the bales of goods and other articles he has agreed for, which is ſometimes the contents of the whole ſhop; this done, the Ruſſian merchant goes to the houſe of the Chineſe dealer, and inſpects his goods, enquires into the value, and particularly if they are all perfect, and having fixed on what he likes, ſeparates them from the reſt, and leaves a perſon in charge of them, and to take care they are not altered or diminiſhed, till an opportunity ſuits to ex⯑change the goods mutually, according to agreement. In this exchange the Ruſſian merchant rates the value of moſt Chineſe goods at a half, a third, and often at a quarter of the price at which he values his own, which he can the readier do, as Siberian furs may always be bartered at double the price they are fre⯑quently bought for, and are in goodneſs and value a very arbitrary merchandize. Without this advantage it would be impoſſible for the Ruſſian merchants, who are at ſo great an expence for tranſporting them, to pay a cuſtom-houſe duty of 20 to 25 per cent. for moſt of the goods they ſell to and buy of the Chineſe; hence it ſeems evident that a wholeſale trade of cur⯑rent Ruſſian money would be injurious to the ſtate; and for this reaſon the court of Peterſburg has prohi⯑bited it. The greateſt diſadvantage the Ruſſian trade labours under is, that ſome merchants who arrive from the diſtant parts of the Ruſſian empire, ſell to the Chineſe at a lower valuation, in order to be able to [68] make their bargains, and return the ſooner; yet there is a commercial eſtabliſhment formed by a com⯑pany of Ruſs merchants in Kjachta who, by autho⯑rity, fix the prices of merchandize among themſelves, inſtruct the travelling merchants of this, as ſoon as they arrive, and endeavour to perſuade them into what is right; yet, in ſpite of all this, there being no ſeverity of puniſhment inflicted on tranſgreſſors, they cannot always prevent it. Beſides, there are many young, Ruſs merchants who, by babbling, when half-drunk, will let the Chineſe perfectly into all thoſe circum⯑ſtances which the reſt would wiſh to have concealed.

Here follows a liſt of the prices and ſorts of ſome kinds of goods exchanged by the Ruſſians and Chi⯑neſe, according to a late regulation of the chief com⯑miſſioner of the frontiers. This liſt contains the high⯑eſt and loweſt prices from 1770 to 1772.

The chief article of Ruſſian goods are furs. The chief, Canadian furs imported by ſea, and brought to Kjachta, are as follow:

• Canadian beavers from ſeven to 10 rubles each; each ruble 4s. 6d. Engliſh.
• Otters, of the beſt ſort, from ſix to 25 rubles.
• Black foxes from one to 100 rubles each.
• Common foxes three rubles and a half.

[69]Moſt of the rich furs which the Chineſe buy, are productions of Siberia, in the newly-diſcovered, eaſtern iſlands, and a ſmall part in the uninhabited diſtricts of Ruſſia. Thoſe which come into trade at Kjachta are valued as follow:

• Sea-otters from Kamtſchatka, or what they call ſea-beavers, are much ſought after by the Chineſe, and are valued at between 90 and 140 rubles each.
• Sea-beavers tails from two to ſeven rubles each.
• Common beavers from the Syſran, Ob, and Tſchu⯑lym, without bellies, four rubles to ſix and a half each.
• Bags of beavers bellies ſewed together, 25 to 44 rubles.
• River-otters 30 copecs apiece, each copec a half-penny Engliſh.
• Bear-ſkins from two to four roubles each.
• Wolf-ſkins, the worſt under two, and the beſt to eight rubles.
• Young wolves cut out from the belly of the dam, 30 copecs each.
• Wolf-paws, according to the goodneſs, 30 to 70 co⯑pecs each.
• Lynx-ſkins, four to ſix rubles each; lynx paws one and two eighteenths to three and a half rubles a couple.
• Hyena-ſkins eight to four rubles each; hyena paws, 25 to 50 copecs a couple.
• [70]Foxes quite black, or with hoary hair in a dark bot⯑tom, from four to 180 rubles.
• Hoary foxes, 10 rubles.
• Fine red foxes from 80 copecs to nine rubles.
• White foxes, two rubles.
• Fox-bellies, 75 copecs to one ruble the couple.
• Fox-tails of the common ſpecies, 4 copecs.
• Bags of red fox-backs, ſewed, 26 to 60 rubles.
• Fox-bellies in bags, 20 to 28 rubles.
• Whole ſables of the meaner ſpecies, two and a half to 10 rubles each.
• Bags of ſuch mean ſable-backs, ſewed together, 120 rubles.
• Sable-tails 25 to 50 copecs each; ſable-bellies 58 copecs the couple; bags of ſable-paws ſewed to⯑gether, 20 to 50 rubles.
• Marten-furs, 90 copecs to three rubles each; mar⯑ten-paws nine copecs to three rubles; and bags ſewed together of marten-necks, ſeven rubles; marten-tails 20 copecs each.
• Furs of the iſlanders, conſiſting of martens and cheſnut-brown ſables, brought through Ana⯑dyrſkja, 25 to 40 rubles each.
• Ermines of various value and ſhape, which was formerly a very dear article, and ſold by weight, (till the Chineſe found out that the ſellers im⯑poſed on them by ſewing lead in the paws) are ſold now from 20 to 60 copecs each.
• Bags of ermine ſewed, 15 to 25 rubles.
• [71]White weaſels two to 10 copecs.
• Fire-yellow weaſels, 25 to 27 copecs.
• Common ferret furs, 11 to 15 copecs.
• The tails of both former animals, two to three co⯑pecs each.
• Bags of ferrets ſewed, ſix to 15 rubles.
• Bags of grey fur backs, three to 20 roubles.
• Bags of ſquirrel-heads ſewed, caught on the river Lena, three rubles.
• Flying ſquirrels, two to ſix copecs each.
• Striped ſquirrels, two to three copecs each.
• White hare furs, 11 to 12 copecs each.
• Bags of hare-bellies or backs, from one ruble to 70 copecs, and four rubles to 35 copecs.
• Bags of hoary hare furs, about ſeven rubles.
• Bags of ſewed hare-paws, two rubles and a half.
• Bags of dyed white hare-ears with black points, three rubles.
• Rabbit furs, from three to 10 rubles.
• Wild ſtone cat, one ruble to 74 copecs.
• Muſcus rats from the diſtrict of the Wolga, 28 to 34 copecs each.
• Bags of brown and black water-rats, ſewed, collect⯑ed in the Lena, four to 10 rubles each.
• Common or blacked marmot furs, 15 to 25 copecs each.
• Bags of the ſilver white bellies of plovers, ſewed, on the Baraba, 12 to 13 rubles.
• [72]Sea-dogs, partly from Archangel, partly from Bai⯑kal, one ruble, 40 copecs, to two rubles.
• Young ſea-bears, black and grey, from one and a half to ſix rubles.
• Large portmanteaus of grey ſea-bear ſkin, four to 20 rubles.
• Mattreſſes of ſea-bear ſkins, 89 rubles.
• Jakutina young rein-deer ſkins, four to five rubles and a half.
• Saigak horns, of which the Chineſe make ſome very tranſparent lanthorn panes, 60 to 80 copecs the couple; ſingle, 27 to 35 copecs.

To theſe wild animals the following domeſtic ones may be added, as productive of gain in the Ruſſian trade with the Chineſe.

• Common cats furs of various colours, 14 copecs each.
• Fine black lamb ſkins, from 30 to 110 copecs each.
• Vari-coloured and white common lambs ſkins, from 20 to 58 copecs.
• Large black and white common ſheep ſkins, 25 to 80 copecs.
• Goat-ſkins, which are common Mongalian furs, 12 to 40 copecs.
• Dog-ſkins, 50 copecs to one ruble.
• Black and red Ruſſia hides, or Jufts, two and a half to four rubles.
• [73]Cordovan and Turkey Cordovans, 90 copecs to two rubles.
• Living ſheep, one to two rubles.
• Bullocks, 17 to 28 rubles.
• Beef, 130 copecs per pud, or 36 pounds.
• Mutton, one ruble per pud.
• Geldings, 20 rubles and more.
• Horſe fleſh of old ſlaughtered, or otherwiſe periſhed animals, 16 to 18 copecs per pud.
• Beef and mutton tallow, two rubles per pud.
• Sea-dogs fat, two and a half to two rubles per pud.
• Fiſh fat, one ruble, 20 copecs per pud, to three rubles.
• Common glue, 15 to 30 copecs the pound.
• Fiſh glue, 18 rubles per pud, 40 to 80 copecs the pound.

The following, inland manufactures are brought by the Ruſſians to Kjachta, and rated at the under-men⯑tioned prices.

• Common ſoldiers cloth, one ruble per ell; or 2 feet.
• Common Ruſſian ditto, 40 copecs per ell.
• Dyed and undyed peaſant's cloth from the Lena, and other places, 12 to 35 copecs per ell.
• Felts made of ſheeps wool, two to three rubles each.
• Demi Camblet from Moſcow, 30 copecs per ell.
• Ruſſian callimanco, 25 to 50 copecs per ell.
• Ruſſian draget, 50 copecs per ell.
• [74]Common Ruſſian Drell, 39 to 60 copecs per ell.
• Coarſe linen, 15 copecs ditto.
• Printed linen, 35 copecs ditto.
• Common linen, ſix to ſeven and a half copecs per ell.
• Napkin ſtuff, 15 copecs ditto.
• Striped coarſe ſtuff (Tik) 30 to 50 copecs per ell.
• Common linen handkerchiefs, 2 copecs each.
• Paper to hang rooms, 16 rubles per quire.
• Braſs tea-kettles, one to two rubles.
• Green glaſs bottles and gaſs veſſels from the glaſs-houſes of Irkuzkaja, 50 copecs.
• Mock gold, 25 to 40 copecs the piece.
• Looking-glaſſes of all ſhapes and kinds, in various frames, from the ſmalleſt chamber-glaſſes to the meaneſt pocket-glaſſes, from 10 copecs to four rubles, and ſometimes 40 rubles.
• Axes, 50 to 115 copecs.
• Scythes and ſickles, 33 to 8 copecs.
• Common pocket-knives, two rubles and 40 copecs.
• Common knives in caſes, 25 copecs, to three ru⯑bles a dozen.
• Common ſciſſars, five to 20 copecs.
• Locks by Pawloff, 10 to 42 copecs.

Among other articles which the Chineſe are eager to purchaſe, I muſt mention the iſinglaſs, which ſells at preſent at 27 rubles the pud; but formerly, when the trade between Ruſſia and China was in an infant [75] ſtate, a pud of large iſinglaſs was ſold at Peking for from eight to 10 rubles only.

Of foreign manufactures the Ruſſians import the following articles:

• Engliſh, Dutch, French, and German oiled linens, from two to ſeven rubles an ell.
• Camblets, 70 copecs to one ruble an ell.
• Callimanco, 30 rubles each piece.
• Draget, a half ruble to two rubles an ell.
• White flannel, 60 to 100 copecs an ell.
• Gold ſtuff, 20 to 30 rubles an ell.
• Gold gauze with ſilk flowers, 15 rubles an ell.
• Tin, 15 to 31 copecs per leaf, and all ſorts of fo⯑reign looking-glaſſes of the leſſer ſorts.

Next follow the Chineſe goods bartered for the above articles, and tranſported throughout Ruſſia. The ſilk ſtuffs, which the Chineſe bring to Kjachta, are now much inferior in goodneſs and value to thoſe they uſed to bring formerly: their ſatins and damaſks are alſo ſo thin and ſlimſy, that they will ſcarcely do for Ruſſian cities. Rich and thick ſatins, and other good ſtuffs, are now ſeldom ſeen. Their thin taffeties, if made of good ſilk, and not oiled, and their Kitaika, or Nankeen, may be conſidered as the beſt of all the woven goods in China. Even tea is not ſo fine, and yet dearer than it was formerly; the Ruſſian mer⯑chants [76] however always chuſe the beſt ſorts. The ar⯑ticle next in importance is their porcelain, or China⯑ware, in which they have evidently imitated the Eu⯑ropean porcelain in its ſtrength, fine forms and paint⯑ing, probably from patterns they muſt have received from Canton. I have taken notice of figures painted on their porcelain and on paper, habited in European dreſſes, and ornamented with repreſentations of Ro⯑man idols, and regular copies of known copper-plates. At the houſe of a Chineſe I ſaw painted in colours Pygmalion, et l'oiſeau en cage, two original French prints. Merchants, who ſometimes bring German and very indifferent copper-plates to Kjachta, find numberleſs purchaſers among the Chineſe.

I. The chief articles brought from China are as follow:

• Fine ſilver in pieces, caſt and ſtamped, which the Chineſe uſe inſtead of large pieces of money. Their form, which reſembles the hoof of a horſe, was in days of yore introduced into China, be⯑cauſe a horſe, by ſcraping up with his foot ſome pieces of maſſive ſilver, diſcovered the firſt mine of this metal. A pound weight of this ſilver, in barter, is valued at 16 rubles.
• Raw ſilk, a capital article; not brought in ſuch quantities as the Ruſſians wiſh for: a pud of the beſt ſort is valued at 150 rubles, or three rubles [77] and a half the pound; the inferior ſort is ſold at 75 rubles per pud.
• Raw and very pure cotton, uſed by the merchants to pack their porcelain in, from four rubles 80 copecs the pud to 12 rubles.
• Spun ſilk of various colours, from two to four ru⯑bles the gin.
• A ſtronger ſort of ſpun ſilk (polutarnaja) from four and a half to ſix rubles ditto.
• Mongalian ſpun ſilk, an inferior ſort, in all ſorts of high colours, from two to three rubles the gin.

The Chineſe wove ſilks and cottons are at preſent valued at the following high prices:

• Plain velvet, of very looſe texture, in pieces of nine ells, from nine to 12 rubles apiece.
• Flowered velvet of a better texture, nine ells in a piece, from 18 to 25 rubles each piece.
• Stuffs from 25 to 30 rubles a piece.
• Satins, or Kanfa, flowered and plain, the largeſt and broadeſt pieces, containing 20 ells, between 25 and 40 rubles; middle ſort of bad ſilk, in pieces of 16 ells, from 15 to 25 rubles; the ſmalleſt from 10 to 20 rubles; what they call Smaſlanki from 10 to 18 rubles.
• Damaſks, or Gooli, brought by the Bucharians, large pieces from 12 to 20 rubles; ſmaller ones from 11 to 13 rubles. Damaſks brought by the Chi⯑neſe; large pieces, of 15 or 16 ells, from 12 to 16 rubles; ſmaller ones from 10 to 11 rubles.
• [78] Gros de tours, with or without flowers, from 10 to 30 rubles each piece; what they call Rezet, of different lengths, about one ruble the ell, from 10 to 20 rubles.
• Baiberek, 10 rubles the piece.
• Uſſi, a kind of ordinary, ſilk ſtuff, that ſhines like ſatin, from ſive to 10 rubles the piece.
• Thin taffety, or ſanſa, the beſt ſort in large pieces, of 20 to 22 ells, from 10 to 12 rubles; middling ſort, of 16 ells, from ſix to eight rubles; ſmaller ones from three to four rubles; and the worſt ſort from two to four rubles.
• Silk gauze from two to 10 rubles the piece, and 25 to 30 copecs per ell.
• Silk lanſa, from one and a half to two and a half rubles; demi-ſilk, from one to two and a half rubles the piece.
• Bucharian Kudna, a cotton ſtuff, with ſilk and ſa⯑tin ſtripes, three rubles.
• Oiled, ſilk gauze for dreſs in rainy weather, two and a half to five rubles the piece.
• Oiled taffety, for the ſame purpoſe, ſmall pieces from three to ſix rubles; ready made, rain cloaths, three to five rubles.
• Second-hand Chineſe cloaths, ſimilar to a man's morning gown (aſami) of ſatin, damaſk, lanſa, and gauze; the firſt from three to 15 rubles, and the latter from 45 copecs to one ruble.
• Silk curtains, from 10 to 20 rubles.
• [79]Silk counterpanes from five to 10 rubles; of lanſa and cotton, half a ruble to two rubles.
• Silk fringes for caps, 44 copecs.
• Cotton flannel, whoſe rough ſide is curled like the fleece of ſlunk lamb-ſkins, from 10 to 25 copecs per ell, and 50 copecs to three rubles per piece.
• Bucharian cotton, at two to four rubles the piece.
• Daba, or white, narrow cotton, coarſe woven; large pieces from 50 to 20 ells, at one and a half ruble; middling ones, from 14 to 15 ells, at one ruble; ſmaller ones, from 10 to 18 ells, at half a ruble to one ruble.
• Dalemba, a ſmall; cotton ſtuff, at one and a half ru⯑ble the piece.

II. The ſecond chief diviſion of Chineſe goods are ornaments and veſſels of porcelain, enamels, &c. with numberleſs trifles. I will mention ſome of the prin⯑cipal; for it would be as tedious to give a liſt of the whole, as it would of the French faſhions; for the Chineſe are full as trifling as the French nation, or the people of Nuremberg in Germany; and they find plenty of inſipid purchaſers.

• Common porcelain diſhes, with cups and covers, at four rubles the dozen; coarſer ones, with or without covers, at three to 50 copecs the pair.
• Plates and diſhes from five copecs to one ruble; ſweetmeat diſhes at two and a half rubles; ſweet⯑meat plates, two to 15 copecs.
• [80]The whole materials of a tea-table, with cups and ſaucers, from five to 12 rubles; tea-pots from 10 copecs to one ruble; punch-bowls, with a diſh to ſet them on, one ruble; milk-cans 50 copecs.
• Waſh-hand baſons from ſix to 50 copecs; with un⯑derſets, 25 copecs to one and a half ruble.
• Earthen baſons, teapots, waſhing baſons, pots, &c. from four to 30 copecs; ſtone plates, bowls; tea⯑pots, &c. &c. 10 to 25 copecs; large; ſtone waiters three rubles.
• Enamelled waiters or boards, with ſix bowls, from 25 copecs to one and a quarter ruble; tea⯑pots from 15 copecs to one ruble; ſugar-boxes and tea-caddies, from 25 copecs to one and a half ruble; fruit-plates two and a half to four rubles; ſmall ſweetmeat-plates from 44 copecs to three rubles; not to mention ſalt-boxes, vi⯑negar veſſels, goblets, &c. whole ſweetmeat ſets at three rubles.
• Lacquered tea-boards, &c. from 25 copecs to one and a half ruble.
• Wooden cups varniſhed, made in this place, from five to 40 copecs.
• Little, braſs bowls of various ſizes, from five to 15 copecs.
• Large, copper bowls, at 50 copecs; ladles at 20 to 50 copecs, &c.
• Iron ladles and ſpoons, from four to 30 copecs; ba⯑ſons of caſt iron, of different ſizes, 50 copecs to [81] 2½ rubles; iron ſtrakes for wheels, and caſt-iron axletrees; two of the latter, with boxes, 50 co⯑pecs, and 25 copecs per cwt. for the ſtrakes.

The Chineſe would not be able to get rid of theſe wretched goods, and other kinds of iron work, if iron, after the abolition of the manufactory of Irkuzkaja, was not become ſo dear, that it was ſold in Selenginſ⯑kaja at three copecs per pound, and dearer ſtill at Irkuzkaja. The Chineſe have begun, at the diſtance of 37 miles from Kjachta, to ſmelt raw iron in hand-blaſts. They do not forge any; on this account buy their ſteel very dear from the Ruſſians, but ſell their caſt-iron more advantageouſly.

• Lacquered ſhrines, with the beſt varniſh, from 90 to 150 rubles, and more; common ones, lac⯑quered on wood, 30 rubles, and upwards.
• Little, ivory boxes, five rubles.
• Boxes inlaid with mother-of-pearl, or ſnail-ſhell, 25 to 66 copecs.
• What they call Chineſe bibles, exceedingly well paint⯑ed upon ſoft ſtones, ivory, or with figures on ſilk, five to 30 rubles.
• All ſorts of porcelain figures, of various prices, according to the workmanſhip.
• Lacquered watch and dial caſes, 75 to 120 copecs.
• Tea papers, 100 ſheets from 25 copecs to one ruble.
• [82]Colours, at half a ruble to 11 rubles per hundred weight; ſold by the pound for 40 to 100 copecs.
• White lead, in boxes, from one to five copecs.
• Red lead, a little box at one ruble.
• Red colour, box at 25 copecs.
• Varniſh, a ſmall bladder, at two to five copecs.
• Paper to paint on, from half a ruble to two rubles the cwt.
• Frankincenſe candles, the bundle, from, one to 10 copecs; the box, at 3½ rubles.
• Denſui, an earthy medicine, in little cylinders, of a red, yellow, or black colour, ſimilar to the ſtone of Goa, at 1½ ruble to eight copecs the piece.
• Cane walking-ſticks, 19 to 50 copecs; wooden ones lacquered, 30 copecs.
• Ganſa, or little Chineſe tobacco-pipes, of iron, at two to ſix copecs each; more elegant ones of the ſame kind, of tutaneg, or braſs, four to 50 co⯑pecs.
• Tobacco-purſes, 15 copecs; fire-ſteels, and files, at 10 to 15 copecs.
• Burning-glaſſes, at 10 copecs; ſpectacles, in caſes, at 40 copecs; bad, Chineſe compaſs-watches, in a hollow, braſs globe, with a little looking-glaſs, eight copecs.
• Glaſs lamps, with chains, two copecs.
• Needles in parcels, one thouſand, from 20 copecs to one ruble.
• Glaſs beads, 25 copecs to one ruble the thouſand.
• [83]Red beads, made of glue ſoaked in oil, and always elaſtic, from 25 copecs to two and a half rubles the thouſand.
• Poliſhed ſtones, 10 copecs each.
• Round, blown-glaſs pearls, one ruble the thouſand.
• Flat, falſe pearls, one ruble the thouſand.
• Serpent-heads (cyproea nodoſa), 15 to 50 copecs.
• Flowers made of marrow, of very lively colours, the bouquet from half a copec to two copecs.
• Tyger-ſkins, ſeven rubles; leopard-ſkins, two ru⯑bles.

III. The third diviſion of Chineſe merchandize comprehends all ſorts of tea, eatables, and a variety of dainties.

• Good green tea, or ſhulan, one ruble per pound; large boxes, 59 to 80 rubles: the beſt bohea, or ladſumei, two rubles per pound: the tea tair-za, 40 to 50 copecs per pound: lonchowoi tea, 16 ru⯑bles per pud: bohea, called baichowoi, five to eight copecs per pound; and a variety of other teas at proportionate prices.

They have a kind of tea called kirpitſchnoi tſchai, or brick tea, becauſe this tea is preſſed into tables, or cakes, eight or nine inches long, four or five broad, and one inch thick. It is prepared in the moſt northern provinces of China for the Mongols, who, like the [84] Burats and Ruſſians beyond the Baikal, cannot do without it. Being an aſtringent, and mixed with bloody water to form it into cakes, it is very cloying, if taken with milk and butter; or, as the Ruſſians do faſting, w [...]th oil and flour. On theſe cakes the Chi⯑neſe print, or impreſs the name of the place where it is prepared, and an encomium on it. The tranſlation of one that ſell into my hands is as follows:—‘From the manufactory Jun-zen Zedſi, in the government of Randſhin, in the ſecond month of ſpring, col⯑lected when the dew falls; freſh, delicate, and ſalu⯑brious tea, ſurpaſſing the beſt ſpecies of tea ſuulu, pejean, contan, fynſu, jiupan, ljuidſan.’ An inhabitant of Selenginſkaja endeavoured in vain to counterfeit this tea with the leaves of the dwarf elm, the ſaſifragae craſſifolia, et pyrola rotundiſolia; for his tea was directly known not to be genuine, becauſe he had not given his cakes a proper ſolidity.

• Chineſe, yellow tobacco, or ſcharr, at 15 copecs per pound.
• Sugar-candy, from 10 to 15 copecs per pound.
• Millet, from 60 copecs to two rubles per pud.
• Wheat-flour, from 50 copecs to two rubles 40 co⯑pecs the pud.
• Preſerved ginger, from two rubles eight copecs to eight rubles the pud.
• Oranges preſerved in ſugar, ¾ to three copecs each, or four to ſix rubles the pound.
• [85] Star anis, or badjan, ſix and a half to 12 rubles the pud.
• Water-melons, 15 copecs each; apples, or alema, 10 copecs the pound; pears, one and a half copec each; apples, at 20 copecs to three rubles the cwt.; dried ones, five to 10 copecs the pound; cheſnuts, 5 to 15 copecs the pound; walnuts, 10 to 30 copecs per hundred; confectionary and fruit jellies, in ſugar and honey, from five to 30 copecs per pound, &c. &c. &c.

Hence we may ſee, that furs, hides, ſome coarſe manufactured goods, lacquered wares, glaſs, and great cattle, are tranſported into China; and that raw and manufactured ſilk and cotton, tea, tobacco, porcelain, ſmall-houſe furniture, and toys, are the objects of com⯑merce with that nation. Eatables and flour were much dearer formerly than at preſent, and much more ſought after by the Chineſe.

Some of the poorer Mongols have begun to grow wheat about the river Orchon. They buy ſtill a great many horſes, and large cattle; for the Mongols are but yet poor in cattle, and their horſes are far inferior to the Ruſſian horſes. They buy up terriers, maſtiffs, and all kinds of large dogs, with avidity, and pay very dear for them. The watch-trade will no longer do with them, as they ſeem to have been plentifully ſup⯑plied with this article through the European ſea-trade [86] at Canton; they even ſell thoſe watches that are out of order at a very moderate price, to the Ruſſians at Kjachta.

The greateſt advantage which Ruſſia reaps from the Chineſe trade, is its being able to make a good uſe of thoſe natural productions of the remoteſt parts of Si⯑beria, which would not be worth bringing to Ruſſia, eſpecially thoſe ſea-beaver ſkins, which will not ſell in Europe, and are now the very life of Kamſchatka commerce; by ſelling them at high prices to the Chineſe, and getting from them thoſe neceſſaries which the Ruſſians would be otherwiſe obliged to pur⯑chaſe at an expenſive rate, and to the diſadvantage of their balance in trade. The revenue of Ruſſia is very much increaſed by the Kjachta trade, by the duties on goods ſold into China, and brought from thence. In the year 1770, the cuſtom duties at Kjachta amounted to no leſs than 550,000 rubles, 128,750l. ſterling; and in both enſuing years, not much leſs. The principal goods are ſettled by a tariff; thoſe not ſo ſettled, are ſome, few furs, cattle, and victuals, which pay 23 per cent.; Ruſſian manufactured goods, 18 per cent.; all forts of ſables, 19 per cent.; looking-glaſſes, 16 rubles per cwt.: and beſides this, all goods pay one ruble per cwt. to ſupport the cuſtomhouſe and its officers, and ſome articles 7 per cwt. for the ſaid purpoſe. The fol⯑lowing goods are free of cuſtoms in going out of the kingdom, writing-paper, Ruſſian lacquers, colours, [87] fruit, brandy, and all its preparations; and the follow⯑ing are admitted into the kingdom duty free, raw and coloured cotton, glaſs beads, falſe pearls, white lead, fans, needles, preſerved ginger, and other confectiona⯑ry, rice, dogs, muſical and other inſtruments, china, earthen wares, enamelled things, and a variety of fur⯑niture and ornaments.

Formerly there was a private trade carried on by the crown in caravans, which carried into China all fine furs, ſables, black and grey foxes, blue and black ice-foxes, otters, beavers; and, among other arti⯑cles, brought back tobacco; but theſe caravans that formerly went to Peking, are diſcontinued, and the Ruſſian merchants may deal in all the above articles, carrying them out, without interruption, from any private trade, except ammunition, gold and ſilver, ſtallions, mares, rein-deer, elk-hides, tanned leather, horſe-ſkins, beaver-hair, pot-aſh, reſin, and linen yarn; and may bring in every thing, except ſalt, brandies, poiſons, copper-coins, and rhubarb, which are pro⯑hibited. Of the laſt article, whoſe purchaſe the crown has reſerved as its prerogative, nothing has been brought in from China theſe two laſt years; but a commiſſion has been lately ſigned for its introduction in future. The contractor is a Bucharian, called Ab⯑duſalam, and his ſon Abdaula. Abduſalam's father was the firſt importer of it at Kjatchta, and monopo⯑lized the whole. This Bucharian family are from the [88] town Selin, ſituated ſouth of Kokonoor (Blue-ſea), towards Thibet, and is with all the towns of little Bucharia, ſubject to China. The diſtrict conſiſts of high, barren mountains, on which the rhubarb grows, northwards from Selin, as far as Kokonoor, out of the clefts of the rocks. The old, good roots are known by their thick ſtalks; are moſtly dry in April and May. Having dug them out, they ſcrape off the earth, and hang them about on trees in the neighbour⯑hood, till the gathering ſeaſon is over, when the Tan⯑gutians (who are the chief rhubarb-gatherers) take them down, and carry them home. The leaves are ſaid to be round, and to have no very deep inciſions; of courſe, by this deſcription, the rheum palmatum, is not the genuine rhubarb, but the rheum compactum; for I enquired of the Bucharians reſpecting the for⯑mer, and they were unacquainted with the leaves. Perhaps the rheum undulatum, which grows with rot⯑ten roots on ſome of the cold and moiſt moun⯑tains of Siberia, may grow alſo on the ſouthern, free and drier mountains of Thibet, and make the nobleſt rhubarb-roots; and perhaps this, with care, might be properly cultivated in ſome parts of Dauria, or on the Jeniſei, by frequent tranſplanting.

Exportation of the beſt rhubarb is prohibited in China (the Mongols call ſchara modo, yellow wood, the Chineſe doncko), of courſe the trade is a kind of ſmuggling one, effected by bribing the ſuperior offi⯑cers, [89] and mixing the good roots with the bad. It is brought on camels, in woollen bags, containing rather more than five puds. Its brokage, reception, and pay⯑ment, is under the regulation of a penſioned apothecary, in commiſſion at Kjachta. All the rhubarb is there brought, and bored through by ſworn workmen, in preſence of the Bucharian merchants, ſcraped, and the refuſe thrown aſide: the ſpongy, hollow roots are of no value, theſe are not taken; but the good, ſound roots are received, weighed, and paid for, as by contract. The refuſe is burnt; though it might ſerve to make extracts and preparations of rhubarb, for the hoſpitals.

The Bucharians, at no ſmall expence of the Empreſs, have already twice preſerved rhubarb-ſeed, but it is unknown to me what ſpecies of Rheum was produced from the firſt ſeeds. The laſt time when a Greek officer of the rhubarb-commiſſion at Kjachta, one Simon Ma⯑nuelofsyn Skerletof attained ſeeds from one of his friends a Bucharian, they produced the known Rheum palmatum; but ſome perſons, who have ſeen the rhu⯑barb in its native ſoil, deſcribe its leaves quite dif⯑ferent, as I have mentioned above. Perhaps this me⯑dical plant comes from more than one ſpecies of this genus, which may be readily found out by experi⯑ments. In the laſt parcel ſent, were ſome pieces of milk-white rhubarb, whoſe efficacy was equal to the beſt, but its taſte ſweetiſh. A ſelection is deſigned [90] to be made of this, and its true nature and properties enquired into.

But notwithſtanding this, I do not ſee that the Chi⯑neſe pay any great reverence to their idols, except that on the days of ſupplication, which are appointed on the days of the new and full moon of every month, every Chineſe goes once into the temple, and with⯑out taking off his cap, lays his hands together be⯑fore his face, bowing five times to every pagod, and touching with his forehead the pedeſtal on which the pagod or Burchan ſtands, and then goes away. On high feſtivals, ſuch as their new-year's-day, which, like the Mongols, they call the white day, and which is that which falls on the new moon in February, and con⯑tinues the whole month, they hoiſt flags before their temples, ſerve up on the pagod-tables, a great deal of proviſion, which the prieſts conſume at night, in the ſide-rooms of the fore-court, and in honour of the idols, exhibit daily, on the theatre I have mentioned [92] a comedy, ſatyriſing generally unjuſt judges and magiſ⯑trates. They have alſo, at this time, many other en⯑tertainments, but nevertheleſs do not neglect their bu⯑ſineſs; indeed, this month is allowed by the Ruſſian merchants to be the beſt of the whole year for trade, becauſe the Chineſe are then very eager to buy and ſell, on account of the happy prophecies with which their almanacks are filled during this month.

On the 8th of April a Mongalian Taiſcha, or prince, arrived at Kjachta, as an ambaſſador (boſchka), or commiſſioner. His arrival was made known the night before by the Chineſe Surgutſchei; for Kjachta has alſo ſuch a chief director of the Ruſſian merchants, and called by the ſame name. The Surgutſchei of Kjachta received him early in the morning at his houſe, where he equipped him, after breakfaſt, with a proper eſcort of ſoldiers and horſes to conduct him ſafe to Selenginſkaja. He came from the Mongalian head-quarters, Urga, on the river Tola, and was ſent merely to ſurrender ſome poor Tangutians, who were under the protection of the Ruſſian empire, and had tranſgreſſed the limits in winter, to a diſtance of 15 miles, for the ſake of hunting, and had the misfor⯑tune to fall into a crowd of Mongalian hunters, who took them priſoners. Trifling as this offence may ap⯑pear, the Chineſe think ſo much of it, that they will on ſuch occaſions ſend a legate, or deputy, as far as Irkuzkaja, to make heavy complaints for ſuch an uſur⯑pation, [93] of right, in encroaching on their boundaries. This legate, his ſecretary, and two other Mongols who accompanied him, wore, as badges of diſtinction, and being on public buſineſs, a peacock's feather hang⯑ing down from the hind part of their caps. The but⯑ton of the legate's cap was white chryſtal, thoſe of his companions red glaſs.

On the 9th of April I leſt Kjachta at night, and re⯑turned to Tſchikoi, where the Mongalian high-prieſt promiſed to meet me, and ſhew me the temples. I reached that place the next morning, and ſaw here a ſpecies of duck, not yet deſcribed by naturaliſts, with beautiful, vari-coloured, ſcythe feathers in their wings (anas falcata), which ſpend the winter in China, and the ſummer on the Daurian rivers, building their neſts on the Lena, and Jeniſei, and ſoaring in little flocks, with a whiſtling and ſhrilling noiſe.

On the 10th, in the afternoon, I was enabled to con⯑tinue my return to Selenginſkaja. On the road we were benighted; the unexperienced drivers having driven us out of our way. On my arrival at Selen⯑ginſkaja, the river Selenga was almoſt free from ice; but it ſhut up the Tſchikoi and Chilok, which laſt river was not open till the 20th of April. The ſun, how⯑ever, was ſo warm, as to cover with green and bloom the heights ſituated in the ſouth. On the 13th of April we ſaw the firſt wind-flowers (anemone pulſatilla), [94] which ſprung abundantly from the ſand, and increaſed amazingly. On the 20th appeared the firſt flowers of Potentilla ſubacaulis, which is the moſt abundant plant in the ſandy plains, whoſe leaves under the ſnow, con⯑tinue green, and become the firſt food of the hungry flocks of the Burats. Their ſheep devour in equal quantities the dry leaves of Veronica incana, and both ſpecies of the ſharp wind-ſlower, which have a purga⯑tive property among the cattle, and often cures them of the winter itch; but their effect on the ſkin of the human body is the reverſe, and ſeems to be ſo corro⯑ſive as to raiſe bliſters.

Leaving a ſtudent in Selenginſkaja to collect the vernal plants, I purſued my way to Udinſkaja, ac⯑companied by Mr. Sokolof, my draughtſman and huntſman; but did not go the uſual road to this place along the Selenga, and the mountains that run along the ſide of that river, but choſe a bye-way, in order to take a view of the iron ore diſcovered on the Kui⯑tun, with which the ſmiths of this place ſupply the whole diſtrict of Selenginſkaja, with iron and ſteel. I met in my way there with a number of ſine, ſky-blue magpies (corvus cyanus) with black heads, and very long tails, who come with the approach of ſpring from Mongalia and China, and build their neſts on the Se⯑lenga, Onon, and Argun. Common as this bird is we were not able to ſhoot one, out of the numerous crowds we ſaw, owing to their wonderful and frequent [95] change of flight. Stretching away from the Selen⯑ga, we croſſed a ſtony ſand-mountain, and reached, on the 23d of April, in a deep valley, the river Chi⯑lok, which had been only two days free from ice, and was very much ſwolen. Whilſt they prepared the ferry, we paſſed the night upon the ſhore, near a good fire; a dark night, and a little rain and wind, rendering our paſſage over the river impracticable till the next day, when my waggons were brought on barges, one after the other, to Chilokſkaja, which conſiſts of 30 habitations, of which two thirds are co⯑loniſts of Polanders, ſettled here about ſix years ago. They cultivate buck-wheat; have their land given them, and grow plenty of water-melons; the ſituation to the ſouth being warm, and the ground ſandy. The river Chilok, which is here very broad, is ſo ſhallow in ſummer, as in many places to be fordable. There are a number of villages erected along this river, and colonized with Poles, who have mixed with ſome few of the natives.

We left the Chilok, croſſed a mountain, and came to Tarbaganteiſkaja, on the river Tarbagantei, paſſing ſeveral villages in our road. The population of this diſtrict amounts to 309 peaſants and 466 new Poliſh coloniſts, all governed by Wybornei or elders choſen by the villages, and reſident in Targaban⯑teiſkaja. From this place we travelled up the Kuit⯑tun, which ſprings from wild, barren mountains, truly [96] deſerving this appellation; for there is not a green leaf to be ſeen in the whole diſtrict. The hollow places or depreſſions had almoſt every where flowers. Probably the ſaltneſs of the ſoil may be the real cauſe of its cold nature, increaſed by an adjacent woody and high mountain. Though there are coloniſts here alſo, they cannot bring either ſlax, hemp, buck⯑wheat, peas, or wheat to ripen; but the induſtrious Polanders try every means, and are not diſpirited.

Dunging the land on theſe mountains is of no uſe; ſome Polanders have tried it on turnep-fields, but it was found to wither the corn. Some of the inhabi⯑tants keep a great many ſheep of the Mongalian breed, with black heads; the ewes without horns. They alſo keep a great number of goats, whoſe furs are here an important article. The flocks of theſe people ſeed in ſummer with thoſe of the Burats, who will not ad⯑mit a horned he-goat among the females, that the off⯑ſpring may not have horns to wound each other. Some of the Burats aſſured me, incredible as it is, that one he-goat was able to ſerve 60 females in one day, and render them fertile. The Kalmucks here told me the ſame. Among their lambs, many have fine, curled ſkins; and many of this breed are fold at a great price to the Chineſe. The Poliſh coloniſts, according to a cuſtom in their own country, in order to curl their ſleece, lace the lambs, as ſoon as dropped, tight up in linen, and wet them the next day with [97] warm water; in which condition they leave them three or four weeks under the ewe, till they think their tender ſleece is ſufficiently curled; letting the ſtrings looſer at different periods, as they find them grow; and when the lamb becomes too big to keep it thus ſwathed up, they kill it for the ſake of the ſkin.

The woods about the Kuitun conſiſt of fir, and on the higheſt parts, of larches, quite covering the ad⯑jacent mountain, which abounds with elks, and other game, and is full of iron ore. In the neighbourhood of this place, near the brook Katſcherga, are the re⯑mains of a gold-mine, conſiſting of ſome, tolerably deep ſhafts; but as the lode ſoon diſcontinued, it has been deſerted theſe 10 years. About five miles from this mine runs another mountain eaſtward along the Kat⯑ſcherga, where the ground is richly coloured with ochre, the vicinity of iron ores. The iron-mine has been worked, but, not finding the ore in any great quantities, has been left to private ſmiths, who have never been moleſted, nor the duty of 10 rubles for each hand-blaſt, demanded of them. Theſe ſmiths here dig iron, ſupply the whole diſtrict of Selenginſka⯑ja with it, and get near a ruble per pud at the firſt hand. Quantities of ore lie above ground, and is gathered by the peaſants in autumn, before the ſnow falls, when the ground is frozen, and carried to their [98] houſes. One man will often collect more than 50 puds in a day.

We croſſed the Uda on the 26th of April in the ſame ferry-boat in which we paſſed the Selenga, and arrived early at Udinſkoi, where, on account of ſome buſineſs, I ſtopped till next day. This place is ſi⯑tuated on a point of land, formed by the union of the Uda with the Selenga, and has now a new-built ſtone church and two wooden ones. It is fortified with a timber wall, has four towers and one gate. Behind the town is a fine, new-built granary, which ſupplies the Daurian ſilver-huts with corn. Here live ſome ſubſtantial merchants, trading chiefly in cattle, Bura⯑tian lamb-ſkins, and Daurian grey furs, of which they ſend annually 3 or 400,000 pieces to Kjachta. Udin⯑ſkoi, and other, little adjacent places, are well ſituated for the tranſport of ſalt and corn to the Daurian huts, and the lead brought here from thence.

Near Udinſkoi begins the great, high road to Nert⯑ſchinſkaja, that has a verſt-ſtone (every verſt is three quarters of a mile) like our mile-ſtones; but has no where any hedges, and is entirely left to nature, be⯑cauſe this road is chiefly uſed in winter for tranſport⯑ing goods, and other public buſineſs, when the brooks are frozen over. From Udinſkoi we rode through a ſandy fir-wood to the brook Bereſofka, and then came to a dry, narrow ſlope, above 150 miles in length, [99] with little variation, except that of being ſometimes intercepted with brooks, which flow into the Uda, has the Uda on the left, and a chain of mountains on the right. The ſtations from Udinſkoi to Tſchitin⯑ſkaja are well ſupplied by the Chorinzian Burats. Each is obliged to keep 50 horſes and ſome camels in readineſs, for the uſe of thoſe who travel on the buſi⯑neſs of the ſtate, and for the tranſporting of goods. Here and there is a Coſſack officer, to command and regulate theſe poſt-ſtations; and the intendant-general of the whole reſides at Udinſkoi. Here I ſaw, for the firſt time, the manner in which the Burats broke in young horſes for draught. They have but few, tame horſes, one of which they put into the ſhafts of each waggon; but ſhould they have more waggons than they have horſes uſed to harneſs, they will force wild horſes to draw. The tame one being put into the ſhafts, a wild horſe is placed on each ſide, and girt over the ſaddle with a double rope, in which there is a ſhort club; then laſhing another double rope on the waggon, they mount the horſe, and place him ſo near the waggon, that they can wind the rope fixed to the waggon round the club on the ſaddle; thus will the young, wild, horſe run along-ſide the tame one till he is tired, when they have others, following the waggon, ready to relieve him.

Near the ſecond Buratian poſt is a lake, on whoſe ſandy borders lies a great deal of white, nitrous, bitter [100] ſalt, which the Burats fetch under the name of chudſhir, and boil it in their tea, to make it thicker. Not every bitter ſalt will pleaſe them for this purpoſe, but that only whoſe taſte is urinous and alkaline; and thoſe who inhabit the mountains, and cannot get this ſalt, uſe ſharp birch-aſhes (ſchulta) as a ſubſtitute.

In a Buratian tent, of which there were ſome here, was a young, Chorinzian ſorcereſs (Udugun), whom I ordered to attend me in her magic dreſs; but I found her ſo unſkilled in her art, that the tricks ſhe played are not worth repeating: her dreſs ſhall be deſcribed below. Her magic drum was carried after her by her huſband, whoſe office was to beat it. When ſhe re⯑turned, the proprietor of the habitation took her crutches from her, and placed them over the door by raiſing the felt roof.

After travelling about 76 miles further, where the river Onon branches into three arms, and where I ſtopped on the 29th at Loſſiowo Simowic, and ſent for fome ſorcerers; I viſited the Damba, who reſides in the neighbourhood, and is the head of the moſt nume⯑rous, Chorinzian tribe. No ſorcerer would appear, un⯑der a pretence that they were gone to ſome diſtant parts to practiſe their magic art. The Chorinzian Burats, who inhabit the country between the Chilok and Bai⯑kal, and beyond the mountains, on both ſides the In⯑goda to the Onon, conſiſt of eleven tribes belonging [101] to the regency of Nertſchinſkaja, and pay their Jaſſak, or tribute, in furs. Moſt of them are rank heathens, devoted to their magicians; yet the prieſts of Lama, whoſe zeal for converſion is uncommonly great, en⯑deavour to ſpread among them their better ſuperſti⯑tion, which contains, however, ſome moral doctrine. They have already among them a Geſhul, with 26 common Lamas, or prieſts, ſome nobles or Saiſſangs, and a Taiſcha or prince, followers of Lamaiſm.

In my way to a mine, at the diſtance of 11 miles, on the 30th of April, I ſtopped at the tents of the Buratian ſaiſſang, Schantan, to aſk him for a guide; but in hopes, at the ſame time, of meeting with a famous, Chorinzian ſorcerer. Diſappointed of my latter object, I went directly to the metallic mine about ſeven miles fur⯑ther on, called the Mungut mine. The ores here con⯑ſiſt of compact, maſſive lead-blinde, containing per pud about ſeven pounds of lead, and one dram of ſilver, and alſo an alloy of copper, of which more than 12,000 puds have been dug.

It is deſigned to erect, by degrees, in this whole road to Nertſchinſkaja, Ruſſian ſtation-villages, in order to releaſe the Burats from the obligation they at preſent lie under of furniſhing horſes to travellers. About a mile north-weſt of the village Pogromna is a mineral ſpring, which, if largely drank of, cauſes a kind of deafneſs and vomiting, and is uſed by the [102] Burats againſt various, inward complaints with great ſucceſs: but it has proved mortal to ſome Ruſſians who have immoderately uſed it in ſevere diſtempers. I rode to the place, with an intent to examine into it, but the ſpring being frozen over, I was obliged to de⯑fer it till my return. About the ſpring were many dry buſhes ſtuck in the ground, and left by the Burats, after having drank the water.

Six miles from the Pogromna, the Burats of the tribe of Scharazkaja have a poſt-ſtation. Here I or⯑dered a Chorinzian ſorcereſs, who lived in the neigh⯑bourhood, to be ſent for, in order to ſee ſome of her magic arts. Her name was Labantſika; ſhe came, ac⯑companied by her huſband and two other Burats, each of whom carried a magic drum. She told me ſhe had not the full number of her drums, for that on feaſt-days ſhe uſed nine. She herſelf carried two crutches, (ſorbi); each of which was ornamented at top with a horſe's head, and had many little bells (holbuga) about her. With the ſame kind of bells in bunches was her leather-garment full. From her ſhoulder to the ground hung down about 30 black and white ſerpents (nutchal) made of vari-coloured pieces of fur, and furs of weaſels and ferrets faſtened one to another, like rib⯑bands. Among the ſerpents, one at the end was di⯑vided into three parts, which ſhe called Mogoi, and which above all things muſt not be omitted in their magic dreſs. Her cap was covered with an iron [103] caſque, with three branching horns on each ſide, like thoſe of a deer. She was at no loſs to play off ſome pieces of witchcraft, though it was broad day, and ſeemed ſkilled in her profeſſion. She began with di⯑vinations, ſlow in the beginning, but violent after⯑wards; and began to leap and roar in her incanta⯑tions, at the ſound of the magic drums, in which ſhe was accompanied by the Burats, who formed a circle round her. During the invocation the ſorcereſs ſeem⯑ed to be convulſed, half-ſwooning, and putting often her hand over her face, and thus concluded. During her firſt ſongs ſhe feigned to run out of doors, but was prevented by two Burats, who ſtood at the door. After many other ſuch-like fantaſtic ravings, ſhe ran always ſinging towards three Burats, who were ſitting with their drums on the left ſide of the hut. Once ſhe took her crutches in both hands, and jumped, leaping as it were out of the ſmoke-hole, as if ſhe wanted to draw the aerial ſpirits with her crutches into the hut. Afterwards ſhe ſeemed gay, and begged to have queſtions put to her, which ſhe anſwered ſinging, and ſwinging herſelf backwards and forwards. At laſt ſhe aſked for ſome brandy, and propheſied, from be⯑hind the liquor, that I ſhould be happy, and travel much farther by ſea, and with this ſhe ended.

I have given this woman as an inſtance of the pre⯑ſent art and dreſſes of Buratian ſorcereſſes, in order that my readers may compare them with thoſe of [104] other nations, whoſe ſorceries have been, or may be related. (See the Lapland magician, &c. and judge between them.)

On May the 5th, at day-break, a great deal of wet ſnow ſell, which, with the ſtony and miry roads, made our way almoſt impaſſable, and extremely toil⯑ſome. We could ſcarce travel half a mile without ſtopping to give the Buratian horſes, which ſeemed to conſiſt only of hair and bones, time to recover breath and ſtrength. With the greateſt pain, however, and loſs of time, we paſſed the Uda, and crept over ano⯑ther mountain, covered with larches; and late in the afternoon found ourſelves at the diſtance only of 12 miles from the place we left at break of day. We were fortunate, however, to meet here with a deſerted winter-hut, with a ſlove, but without roof, door, or window, where we ſlept, and were ſheltered from the ſnow; but our greateſt pains were to find wood under the ſnow, which lay an ell deep. We collected all the ſuperfluous wood of the hut, and thus made a fire; but it occaſioned ſo inſupportable a ſmoke, that we were obliged to ſtay without in the ſnow, till the wood was nearly burnt out. Two of my waggons were not ſo happy as to reach this wretched ſmoke-hole, but were obliged to paſs the night in different places of the wood, though we ſent back all the horſes we had which were able to move.

[105]Next morning, after a chilling night, our deſart-habitation looked like a field of battle. Near it ſtood our horſes and waggons, of which we had 20, but 11 of them having died in the night, with the froſt and hunger, lay ſtretched out on the ſnow, and had at⯑tracted all the crows and ravens of the foreſt, whoſe cawings rendered the place ſtill more dreadful. A ſpent horſe was ſet at liberty from a waggon, and it fell without looking out for a birch-buſh, which is the winter-food of the Buratian horſes in this diſtrict. In our wretchedneſs, however, the birds of the foreſt, which, ſtimulated by hunger, gathered about our hut, gave me no little pleaſure. We threw rubbiſh out of the hut, which ſtill further decoyed them, ſo that we could ſhoot a great number of rare birds through the window-holes. Here I got ſeven, new ſpecies of unknown birds, ſome of which I never could meet with afterwards, as they inhabit the innermoſt and thickeſt part of the foreſt, and are very ſhy. Theſe were, Turdus ruficollis, & Alpinus, Motacilla Cyanura, Em⯑heriza minuta, ruſlica, Chryſocilla et Spodocephala. To⯑wards night we found ſeveral, little birds in the ſnow, killed by hunger and the froſt, and a little ſpecies of blue-tailed hedge-ſparrow (Motac. Cyanurus) which, though extremely ſhy, flew into our hut for ſhelter, and hopped boldly about.

It was a joyful circumſtance that the change of the moon on the 6th of May brought a ſerene day, which [106] gave us hopes of deliverance from our wretched her⯑mitage, where we were blocked up by the ſnow, and whoſe cold and dripping waters became more and more inſupportable. I diſpatched early in the morn⯑ing an interpreter on horſeback to get freſh horſes from the next poſt-ſtation, ſituated on the great road, at the diſtance of 11 miles. They were brought in the evening, but almoſt as poor and miſerable as thoſe which lay dead before us. We were able, however, this day to fetch the waggons left behind us; and, lying another night in this hovel, very ſcarce in proviſions, the next morning we proceeded on, up to our knees in ſnow, dirt, and water, in order to leſſen the load of the horſes through the mountainous wood. Not⯑withſtanding this help, we could not get further with the empty waggons than four miles and a half, and were obliged to put them out at the next birch-ground, to give them time to refreſh themſelves with birch-twigs. But with all this, we ſhould not have been able to have got much further, had not the Bu⯑rats ſent us from Schaſcha-noor freſh horſes and ca⯑mels. The latter, in caſe of neceſſity, are put before the waggons, and a felt, rolled up, and tied between the poles or ſhafts, is to lie as a yoke betwixt the ca⯑mel's neck and the hunch on his back. Thus did the camels draw us, though ſlowly, yet without ſtopping, through the vallies overflown with mud and ſnow-water. Some camels, however, are ſo obſtinate as not to draw in different ſpots; nor can they be made [107] with the greateſt blows, nor with the rope drawn through their noſes. This day we croſſed the Schi⯑birtu, and two brooks which flow into the Konda. From the Schibirtu to the Konda, the wood is inter⯑cepted by a ſteep track of rocks, from which the ſnow-water rolled in ſuch torrents, as to reſemble ſo many rivers, and ſwelled the Konda ſo much, that we could not paſs it without a bridge; and as we could not conſtruct one that day, and our poſt-horſes and ca⯑mels longed for reſt, we ſtopped at ſome Buratian tents that were there erected.

As ſoon as the bridge was finiſhed next day over the deepeſt arm of the river, I ordered the waggons to croſs, and we did the ſame on the camels; but ſcarce⯑ly had we reached the oppoſite bank, but the riſing water dragged away the bridge. With much diffi⯑culty we travelled on; every thing ſeemed overflown with a general flood; the ſmalleſt brooks were ſo deep, that we durſt not paſs them, had we not con⯑trived a peculiar kind of bridge of diſtreſs, which was many times afterwards very uſeful to us. We ſought, for example, for a ſpot where the brook was the nar⯑roweſt, and its banks ſteep; then felled down two ſmooth fir-trunks, and ſome Burats, who were to ford the brook on horſeback, dragged them acroſs with ropes; and as theſe reſted on the two oppoſite banks, our waggons could paſs expeditiouſly on them; the axle trees, which in this country go round with the [108] wheels, turning on theſe trunks, with the wheels and horſes in the water. After having croſſed ſeveral, frozen rivulets in this manner, we came at laſt to more even ground, and got on pretty well: but I muſt not omit mentioning a new ſpecies of ducks which I met with in this road (Anas hiſtrionica) which inhabit the eaſt of Siberia only, on the mountain-lakes and torrents; and as they ſeek for the wildeſt rock-waters, the Ruſſians call them Kamenuſchki, that is, Cliff-ducks. They ſwim quite plunged in the water, ſo that nothing but their necks and breaſts appear. They diſlike flying, but dive when apprehenſive of danger, and do this wonderfully.

On the 9th of May we reached the bottom of the partition mountain, which divides Dauria from Sibe⯑ria. This mountain riſes gradually with a gentle aſ⯑cent, till we come to that ſteep, rocky part, which, by the name of Jableni-Daba, ſeparates the brooks of the Baikal and Lena from thoſe of the Amur. This mountain, which is 15 miles broad, conſiſts of granite rock, and extends itſelf from the Mongalian boun⯑daries, beyond which it runs between the Tſchikoi and Onon, with many windings, uninterrupted to the Eaſtern ocean. Its height appears moderate, for there are here and there ſide-mountains, which ſur⯑paſs it in loftineſs; Come whoſe ſummits during the whole ſummer are covered with ſnow, though it melts very ſoon on the partition-mountain; but the rapid [109] ſtreams of the waters which run from it to ſeas ſo re⯑mote, are an evident proof of its loftineſs. It is pe⯑culiar that no regular rock-ſtratum is to be met with in the white mountain. The pieces of rock lay, with⯑out regularity, large and ſmall together, moſtly over-grown with moſs, in which, between the cliffs, ſome few trees grew, and the wheels of our waggons re⯑ceived great damage. It would be in vain to mend this road, as the ſnow-waters, which have deprived theſe ancient mountains long ago of their earthy co⯑vering, would ſoon ſpoil the whole. The whole mountain is burnt up, and the trees, which are larches and birch-buſhes, grow only on the eaſt ſide, with a few pines and furs along the brooks. We paſſed this mountain fortunately; but, it being eight miles from the top to the next poſt-ſtation, could not reach it be⯑fore night; and as at the bottom the road was bad, and our horſes fatigued, we took up our lodging in the wood, and reached the ſtation the next morning, where I waited till the 10th of May for ſome of my people, who had ſtopped in Schakſcha-noor, for the ſake of hunting.

On the 11th I continued my journey for Titſchin⯑ſkoi. The country here became more open and agreeable; and only the higheſt mountains are cover⯑ed with wood. The vallies are gravelly, and among the ſmall ſtones is a great deal of quartz and milk-white Chalcedon-like pebbles. I ſtopped at a village [110] on the river Ingoda, five miles ſhort of Titſchinſkoi, and ordered a raft to be conſtructed, in order to ride down the river, as the road along-ſide of it was quite overflown. On the warmer mountains about the In⯑goda, the larch-trees began to put out their leaves; the birches were dropping their juice, and the Rhodo⯑dendrum Dauricum ſhewed its purple bloom.

On the 13th we got upon the rafts, paſſed Titſchin⯑ſkoi, and on the 14th landed 37 miles below it, near the village Charamangut^*, having ſlept on ſhore the preceding night. The number of field-mice on all the plains and even grounds between the Ingoda and the Argun is incredible. They are of a particular, black ſpecies, found in the ſtep of the Jeniſei (mus oecono⯑micus) make, juſt underneath the turf, ſpacious neſts, with ſide caves and paths within, where they ſtore up winter-proviſions, filling them with various cleaned roots. It is ſcarce comprehenſible how a couple of little animals (for there are ſeldom more than two mice in one winter-habitation) ſhould be able to dig out ſuch a quantity of roots from the dry turf, carry them [111] to their cells; it being often found that one proviſion-cave has contained eight or ten pounds of cleaned roots; and each neſt has three or four or more ſuch caves. Theſe mice often dig their neſts at a great diſtance from the cave; and where they are in great numbers, we ſee little holes in the turf, from whence they took out the root. They clean them on the ſpot, and then drag them to their home. In order to convey them the eaſier, they make flat, little paths in the turf, on all ſides, from the opening of their ſub⯑terranean magazine. The roots they collect are the Sanguiſorba (in Tunguſe Schuddu); the Polygonum vi⯑viparum, (in Tunguſe Mykir); and a kind of a mea⯑dow-plant, with flowers ſimilar to the wind-flower, Chaerophyllum temulum; which, from its ſtupefying poi⯑ſon, and dangerous effects, cannot be eaten by any human being. The Tunguſe ſay the mice gather theſe roots, in order to intoxicate themſelves on their feaſt-days; and indeed this pernicious, little root, re⯑ſembling a turnep, is devoured by the mice with the other roots. In the higher ſteps of Dauria is a light-grey ſpecies of mouſe, ſmaller than theſe, the mus ſo⯑cialis; which I have deſcribed about the Jaik. It leads an almoſt ſimilar life, and makes cells about its neſt, which it fills with the onions or roots of a cin⯑nabar-red lily (lilium pomponium) and a ſmall taſteleſs leek, (allium tenuiſſimum) which grows on the ſand. Thoſe about the Jaik ſtore up the tulip-root.

[112]No where does the induſtry of theſe little animals become more uſeful to men than in Dauria, and ſome other diſtricts in the eaſt of Siberia, where the pagan nations, without agriculture, act with theſe poor, little creatures, as do unjuſt lords with their tenants. They are the peculiar object of the Tunguſe, who, by plun⯑dering the cells of theſe field-mice, often live during a whole winter. When theſe animals have filled their caves in autumn, the Tunguſe go in ſearch of their holes, which they call Urgan, and feel with their foot, or the handle of their ſpade, where the turf is ſoft, and ſeldom fail to hit upon the neſt, or ſome provi⯑ſion-cell. They immediately know all forſaken holes; and when they ſee the little paths not recently made hollow, the earth-holes not cleaned, and no traces of digged roots in their neighbourhood, they paſs them by, looking for the well-ſtored caves of the fugitive mouſe, and, pulling out the poiſonous roots, carry away the remainder. The Sanguiſorba root is in form like the former, but not ſo tough, nor ſo white, and, may eaſily be diſtinguiſhed from the black Sangui⯑ſorba, which the Tunguſe are fond of drinking, as tea. The mice ſave their lives at leaſt from theſe robbers; but the wild boars, who live on roots, as do the Tun⯑guſe, and are their rivals in this reſpect, ſearch dili⯑gently for theſe Urgans or neſts, and often devour their benefactors and proviſions together.

[113]Mr. Gmelin relates ſomething ſimilar of the mar⯑mots, which abound in Dauria; but theſe neither make their holes flat beneath the turf; nor do they fill them with roots, ſpending the winter in a ſtate of lethargy.

Along the whole courſe of the Tura, as alſo, in ge⯑neral, in the mountainous country between the Ingoda and the Onon, are no Ruſſian habitations, except a few villages on the former; nor is any agriculture going forward, though the place is fit for it. The Chorinzian Burats wander about here in ſummer with their ſlocks, and ſome poor, Tunguſe tribes; not only poor individually, but poor in people, wiſhing to get a livelihood about the Ruſſian villages, are conſtant inhabitants of this diſtrict.

None can conceive a more magnificent ſight than the woodleſs and ſteep mountain along the Onon, whoſe ſouthern ſide was enamelled with the peach-coloured bloom of the wild, Siberian apricot; and its north ſide with the deep-purple bloſſoms of the Rhodo⯑dendrum Dauricum. Through my whole travels I never ſaw ſo romantic a region. On the 19th of May I rode along ſuch mountains to Akſchinſkaja, where I found a ferry-boat ready to carry me acroſs the Onon. This is a fortreſs, erected in 1756, contain⯑ing one church, the regency, ſome ſtore-houſes, offi⯑cers houſes, and eight caſerns. The houſe of the [114] commanding-officer was burnt down laſt year, and is not yet rebuilt. As the number of the working garri⯑ſon is but ſmall, the fortifications are not yet com⯑pleted. The common dwellings, of which 10 new houſes for coloniſts make the greateſt number, will, according to the plan laid down, when they are in⯑creaſed, form a regular ſuburb without the fort, which was erected to quarter a number of light troops, to keep the country free from ſeveral gangs of fugitive Mongols, famous in this country for robberies com⯑mitted by them as far as the Ruſſian boundary. At that time 400 Tunguſe entered the Coſſack ſervice, who, with as many Coſſacks from Nertſchinſkaja, oc⯑cupy the frontier guard on the Onon and Argun, and on the weſtern ſide of the partition-mountains. The poſts are guarded with Coſſacks from Selenginſkaja and Irkuzkaja, and a party of Mongols, ſubject to Ruſſia; of which, in caſe of neceſſity, 1700 men muſt perform regular, military duty. On the Daurian line half of theſe troops are divided on the frontier guards, each commanded by a corporal of militia; the other half is together in troops; and have their quarters, at proper diſtances, in order to be ready, and in motion when required. By degrees, theſe frontiers, like thoſe of the Irtiſh and the Ob, will be guarded by a line of fortreſſes and poſts, wherever the ſituation of the coun⯑try will admit of it, the plan being at preſent regular⯑ly laid out.

[115]I ſtopped at Akſchinſkaja till the 25th, in order to acquire ſome knowledge of the country, and of the rattle-chace againſt the ſtep-goats or antelopes. Theſe chaces are the chief delights of the Mongols and the Daurian-ſtep Tunguſe. The Mongols call it Ablachu, and the Ruſſians Oblawa. They are chiefly perform⯑ed in an open diſtrict, towards a mountain-river or wood; eſpecially in autumn, when the horſes are ſtrong. Parties of 100 or 200 men, who ride well, and have ſeveral horſes, are all armed with bows and arrows, and each has a ſkilful hound, thus making a pack. They elect a chief, who regulates the chace as long as it continues; diſpatching in the morning, where they mean to throw off, three or four ſharp-ſighted men, who are to look out for game; then fol⯑low them, and if theſe ſee it in flocks, they ſtop till the whole body of hunters join them, giving ſigns, by turning their horſes to the ſide where the game is feeding, and ſhewing them in the ſame manner how they are to divide. After this ſignal, the body divides into little parties, diſpoſing themſelves into the form of a large bow, one man not more than 60 or 80 fathoms from another. The end of this moving-bow ap⯑proaches the place where the game is ſaid to be, and the hunters hide themſelves as much behind the heights as they can, till they have encloſed it. Then the whole circle draws nearer together, and as ſoon as the game is aware of their danger, and takes flight, the whole body ruſhes after it, full-gallop, drive it to⯑gether, [116] and ſhouting, kill it with whizzing-arrows ^*. With this weapon the Daurian ſtep-nations perform regular, equeſtrian exerciſes. If, in the courſe of the chace, there is any river, or woody mountain, the ſport is the greater; for the antelope of this diſtrict will never croſs any water, let the hunters with their hounds be ever ſo near: they will rather try to ſave themſelves by jumping. They are almoſt as ſhy be⯑fore a wood. As ſoon as they are driven among the trees, they become ſo bewildered and frightened, that they will not run 100 fathoms further, but knock their heads and bodies againſt the trees, and ſink down breathleſs. The hunters are no loſers in either caſe; ſometimes wolves, and other animals of prey, are by chance within the circle, and their ſkins add to the gratification of eager purſuers. If the diſtrict be all open, the whole party muſt ſtrive to conceal them⯑ſelves, until ſome have brought the game within the circle with their whizzing-arrows.

[117]The Bird-Cherry was now, May 20th, juſt entering into bloom, which will lead my readers to judge of the influence of the Daurian climate upon plants.

All the rivers which flow through Dauria, and empty into the Amur, are plentifully ſtocked with fiſh, and particularly thoſe fiſh that are rare in ſome Sibe⯑rian rivers. There are two ſorts of ſcale-fiſh, one un⯑commonly delicious, called by the Ruſſians Kon, be⯑cauſe it ſaves itſelf, by its incredible ſwiftneſs, from the nets. Small barbels, met with throughout Sibe⯑ria, are alſo here; the Ruſſians call them Sſan; and their little ſhape and bitter taſte only diſtinguiſh them from the Wolga carp. Here is alſo a ſmall ſpe⯑cies of ſhad (Som,) and a ſpecies of bjeluga, which comes ſingly through the Amur into the Onon and Ingoda, and is called here Kaluga. Common pikes are here gold-coloured, and variouſly ſpotted, like Indian fiſh. Beſides theſe, the Onon has common ſturgeons, Lenki, Taimeni, and a ſpecies of large ſalmo oxrynchus, known in the Baikal by the name of Morſkoi Sig; crabs, and a variety of ſmall fiſh. The com⯑mon ſlime-muſcle is found here, on the lakes, of an enormous ſize. I received ſome ſhells above half an ell ^* long, and between three and four inches thick. The Onon, which flows here over a more ſtony ground, throws out, on the banks, cornelian and onyx pebbles, [118] which would be of great value, if large, or cleft-leſs pieces could be found. Pieces of green, yellow, and ſtriped jaſper are quite common, of which there muſt be ſome in the mountains, which the Onon breaks through. The above cornelian and onyx ſtones are ſaid to be more abundant and finer about the Argun. The wilds of Gobei, in Mongalia, are moſt famous for ſuch ſtones, and are conſidered as their native place.

On the 23d of May they brought me, from the Tunguſe chace, antelopes (Decren) of various breed and age; and I buſied myſelf the whole day in diſſect⯑ing and deſcribing them. What is moſt particular in theſe animals, and which no other ſpecies of antelope has, is, that with the bucks horns the larynx alſo grows to ſo enormous a ſize in all its parts, that the old ones look as if they had a large wen. They have alſo un⯑derneath the fore-ſkin of their bellies a wide, oval bag, with a peculiar opening, exactly ſimilar to the purſe or bag of the Moſchus, except that the antelope's is quite empty. Perhaps it may be filled with ſome matter in the brimming ſeaſon; but the above ſeaſon is late in autumn, and they get their young only in June, when the Sanana, or purple-lily is in bloom. Their young, if brought up in houſes, become ex⯑ceedingly tame, ſo as to run about the houſe, or a⯑broad, as they pleaſe, and will never go away; but, if purſued by a dog, will fly to the houſe. On the [119] open ſteps, however, they are very wild, and ſwifter than the Saiga, and will not ſuffer the huntſman's approach.

The Daurian ſheep are inconteſtibly the largeſt in the world, and far ſurpaſs the Kirguiſian; they grow and fatten by feeding ſolely on the rods of the buſh Robinia Caragana, which the Tunguſe call Altagana.

I meant to ſleep, on the 27th of May, in Kubuchai⯑ku; but, having received intelligence, by an inter⯑preter I ſent on before, that the Tunguſe had killed a ſtep-horſe, I determined to ride the whole night, to ſave this rare animal from the corruption of the pre⯑ſent, hot weather. My guides took this night a wrong way on the ſtep, on which there is no road, but where travellers direct their way by the ſun. We were al⯑ready ſeven miles from the fortreſs, towards the Mon⯑galian frontiers, and, ſeeing the error of my guides, I took out my compaſs, and ſhewed them the direction we were to ſteer. Before day-break we arrived at Saſ⯑ſutſchinſkoi Karaul, where I ſtopped to breakfaſt; then haſtened to the guard-ſtation, Kuluſſutai, a diſ⯑tance of 60 miles, ſince I laſt ſlept. Here Mr. Sokolof and I parted, for I diſpatched him on a tour along the Argun to make his obſervations on the vegetable king⯑dom of that diſtrict.

[120]In the wild ſteps about the Tarei are continually ſeen, at a diſtance, that ſpecies of wild ſtep-horſe, called by the Mongols Dſhiggetei (long-ear). In the Mongul country, particularly in the wide, waterleſs ſtep of the Gobei they are ſaid to be met with in large herds; but that within the Ruſſian frontiers, ſince ſo many guard-poſts have been erected, ſeldom any ſuch herd, headed by an old ſtallion, and conſiſting of from 10 to 30 mares is to be met with; but only a fugi⯑tive, young ſtallion or mare, which has run ſingly from the Mongalian ſide, purſued by the old ones; and theſe are only found on the ſteps about the Tarei, and the utmoſt corner of the diſtrict of the Argun, near Abagaitu.

Theſe Dſhiggetei can neither be called horſes nor aſſes; they are, like mules, between both. Hence it was, that Meſſerſchmed, who firſt obſerved this ani⯑mal, came to call them fertile mules (Mulus Dauricus faecundus). Mules they are not, but a genus of their own, and have a much ſiner ſhape than a mule. That kind of ſtep-aſs, called by the weſtern Kirgueſe Kulan, is not to be taken as ſuch; for the latter, according to the trueſt accounts, are but wild aſſes of Onagorſof, which inhabit the mountainous ſteps of Weſtern Tar⯑tary, as the Dſhiggetei do the Mongalian deſarts. The latter has certain beauties, which render him far pre⯑ſerable to the aſs. An uncommon, light body, ſlen⯑der limbs, a wild, fugitive appearance, and fine-co⯑loured [121] hair, are his advantages over the aſs. The ears alſo are better proportioned than thoſe of a mule, and, being livelily erected, ſuit him well; and, with theſe beauties, it may be over-looked that his head is rather heavy, and his hoofs like thoſe of an aſs. The ſtraight, angular back, and the ugly cow-tail, are it's only de⯑formities. It's head is clumſy, it's breaſt large, cor⯑nered below, and ſomewhat preſſed together. The back-bone is not like that of a horſe, hollow and round, nor as ſtraight and angular as an aſs, but calf-like, bent outwards, or riſing in the middle, and ob⯑tuſely angular. The ears are longer than thoſe of a horſe, and ſhorter than a mule's. The mane is ſhort, wild, and perfectly like that of an aſs; and ſo are the tail and hoofs. The breaſt and ſhoulders are narrow, and not ſo fleſhy as thoſe of a horſe, and the flanks and hind-quarters are rather lean and thin; the limbs ſlight, and tolerably high. The colour is a light-yellow brown; the noſe, and the inſide of the legs of a ſallow-yellow; the mane and tail blackiſh; and along the back-bone runs an elegant brown and black ſtripe, broad along the croup, and ſlender towards the tail. When the animal ſtands, it carries its head high; and if running, ſtretches its noſe in the air. That which I had an opportunity to diſſect and deſcribe at Kuluſſutai, was a mare, three years old, which was catched ſingly, and killed upon the ſtep. Two young ſtallions were killed a little be⯑fore by the Tunguſe, and their fleſh, which they [122] eſteem as the greateſt dainty of all game, was eaten. This animal had now its long and woolly, winter-hair, which looked ſomewhat more ſallow, and was very ſmooth and ſhining. The ſwiftneſs of the Dſhiggetei ſurpaſſes all imagination, and is therefore become a proverb among the Mongols—No horſe, ever ſo ſwift, can overtake it; it can therefore be only killed from a hidden retreat, where the wind is againſt the huntſ⯑man, and when the animal comes within reach of his arms. The moſt numerous rattle-chace would be incompetent to catch them. No ſooner does a herd of theſe animals ſee any thing ſuſpicious, for inſtance, a huntſman lying, or creeping, on the ground, at a diſ⯑tance, than the ſtallion and guide of the herd runs in a large circle twice or thrice round the object of his fear, and then, with the whole herd, takes his flight. Hence it happens that mares are more ſeldom killed. If the mares loſe a ſtallion, the whole herd ſcatters and divides, and thus often fall a prey to the hunters.

Were there a poſſibility of taming theſe animals, there would not be better courſers in the world; but their wildneſs is not to be overcome. If there had been any means of taming them, the Mongols, and other Aſiatic nomades, into whoſe hands ſo many colts fall, would have effected it. It is remembered that on theſe frontiers, many years ago, a Coſſack of Nert⯑ſchinſkaja fed a captive Dſhiggettei colt, and endea⯑voured, for ſeveral months to tame him; but it re⯑mained [123] wild, and at laſt killed itſelf by forcibly jump⯑ing. Yet, with proper prudence and care, other at⯑tempts might be made with very young foals, caught a few days after they are dropped, which, perhaps, might not be in vain. It would be worth giving a premium to thoſe that ſhould ſucceed, as it would be obtaining a new, domeſtic animal, that, by its ſpeed, might be very uſeful.

Mr. Sokolof left me at Kuluſſutai, but I remained here till the 31ſt of May, and was ſo buſy in deſcribing the various, natural curioſities, eſpecially of the animal kind, that were brought me, that I had ſcarce time to eat or to ſleep. The richer the little diſtrict towards the Argun is, in little lakes and marſhes, the more it abounds in water-ſowl. There are a great many, not only common, but alſo Indian crows (Ardea Antigone) and what they call the Numidian Virgin (Ardea virgo, Demoiſelle de Numidie); alſo buſtards of an enormous ſize, and cocks, which are called by the Mongols Sachaltu, on account of their fine-feathered beards, and having, under the tongue, the opening of a wen-like water-bag, the ſize of a large gooſe-egg; the bird often weighing above 30 pounds.

In theſe ſteps reſides alſo a very remarkable, little animal, which is even more abundantly to be found on the Selenga, known in Dauria by the Mongalian name of Ogolona. It has the greateſt ſimilitude to the [124] ſmalleſt earth-hare (Lepus puſillus); and with the cliff⯑hare (Lepus alpinus) which I have deſcribed. The difference between theſe three little animals is much more than between the common hare and the rabbit. The Daurian earth-hare is about the ſize of the cliff⯑hare, but of a pale-yellowiſh, grey colour. Its ears reſemble both the other ſpecies; are large and round, the head obtuſe; ſhort feet, with the uſual diviſions, and no tail. It burrows in the ſand, like a rabbit, and leaves its holes only about noon or night to feed, which it does on the bark of the Daurian (Pyrus baccata) on which account it inhabits the iſlands and banks of rivers. In the morning and at night we may hear their ſhrilling and whiſtling voice, where they dwell. Towards autumn, they gather, about their holes, little round heaps, of about one foot in diame⯑ter, made of all ſorts of plants; and, with the grey, mountain-ſpeedwell, ſtuff up all the paſſages to their holes, but fill them again if conſumed, and the wea⯑ther be ſevere. This animal is the uſual prey for the ſtep-cat, ſo common in Dauria.

I had now, on the 13th of June, an opportunity of enquiring into the nature of the mineral ſpring men⯑tioned before on the brook Pogromna. This well has not been dug more than four or five years, and is ſimilar, in quality, to the Seltzer water. I ſhall not determine, from any experiments I made myſelf, as the well was not now in perfection; but from the experiments of Mr. Georgi, made the autumn fol⯑lowing, at my recommendation.

[127]From a variety of experiments then made, by this gentleman, it may be collected, that the mineral ſpring of Pogromna contains a great deal of aether, a ſtrong mineral alkali, a ſmall degree of iron, and a ſtill ſmal⯑ler quantity of chalk, ſuch as may be met with in all pure waters, and a very little ſelenites, which the ſul⯑phureous ſmell of the reſiduum on coals demonſtrates. To the firſt three ingredients the known efficacy of the water ought to be aſcribed; and it may ariſe from the ſuperabundance of aether, that the Ruſſian pea⯑ſants who drink this water, as do the Burats, (but im⯑moderately) as a cure for diſorders, or whenever they paſs this way, feel a certain heat, and giddineſs of head, which has given to this ſpring the name of Pja⯑naja woda, i.e. intoxicating water. This effect nei⯑ther I, nor my people perceived, who drank of it; but afterwards we felt an irritation of the noſe, like that excited by wine, or beer, rich with aether.

The Burats uſe it againſt all diſorders, and even to cure lameneſs; and come here, annually, to bleſs the well with prayers, for ſeven days, three or four times a day. Drinking it renders them very weak, and ſomewhat ſeveriſh; but many find a cure in all kinds of diſorders. They know nothing of any per⯑nicious, or mortal effect it has; and we may readily ſee in two caſes related by the Ruſſians, that it is only by an immoderate uſe of it, preceded by ſome diſor⯑ders, that makes it fatal. Round about the wells have [128] been hung, on buſhes, all ſorts of rags, and ſhoulders of ſheep and oxen-ſkins, on which were written the names of thoſe who had received benefit from the wa⯑ters, their cure, and the bleſſed day of their recovery. Near one well (for there are three or four) ſtood a long ſtaff, with two croſs ſticks, on which hung little boards, with Tangutian prayers, which turned with the wind.

On the 20th of June, at night, I reached Selen⯑ginſkaja, which lies on the right border of the Selen⯑ga, quite encompaſſed with ſand mountains. In all the Iſlands of the Selenga, of which there are many, the little, ſand-bare (ogelona) was ſeen in great abun⯑dance. The Mongol boys, who are fond of roaſting theſe little animals, are peculiarly ſkilled in catching them, and call them alakdaga (ſpeckled colt). Both Mongols and Burats told me, that theſe rare hares do, as they ſay the common hedge-hog does in Eng⯑land, and the large houſe-toad in Ruſſia, reſpecting cows, and the night-ſwallow reſpecting goats; that is, ſuck their udders at night. This, however, is certain, that they are ſeen, at night, among the ſheep-flocks whom they frighten by their jumps.

I now determined to return to Kjachta, partly to give them an account of what I had met with on the frontiers between Ruſſia and China, where I had been, and partly to examine into the beautiful, ſouthern diſ⯑tricts [129] about the Selenga and Tſchikoi in this ſeaſon, and to collect the plants that had attained their perfection. I took, therefore, the uſual road to Petropaulofſkaja-Krepoſt, where is eſtabliſhed on the upper fron⯑tier, a cuſtom-houſe, that collects a duty on all goods carried to Kjachta, and examines all goods and bales brought from thence, that nothing may be carried away without being ſtamped. For this reaſon the ſide-roads are ſtopped againſt merchants; and the corner be⯑tween the Tſchikoi and the Selenga has a barrier. To reach the fortreſs, the Tſchikoi is to be croſſed, which, a little farther downwards, falls into the Se⯑lenga, from whence the fort took its old name, Strjel⯑ka, which implies a cape between two united rivers, and agrees well with the former ſituation; for it was formerly ſituated in the very corner, where both rivers meet. The goods which are brought from Kjachta by land, paſs before this place in barges, and are car⯑ried down the Selenga, over the Baikal, and then far⯑ther on, on the Angara and Tunguſka, into the Je⯑niſei; and thoſe barges arriving from the Angara, over the Baikal, are drawn up the Selenga to this place.

On the 24th of June I left Poworotnoi, the firſt ſtation on the road to Kjachta, at 15 miles from Selen⯑ginſkaja, on the left, and went ſtraight towards the Se⯑lenga, to ſee a Mongalian houſe of prayer, erected at the common expence of the three Tabungutian tribes; and then went on to Kjachta, the road to which is [130] fenced in on both ſides with hedges, and where I ar⯑rived on the 26th. I left it again on the 28th, in order to go to Selenginſkaja, which I reached on the 30th of June Two days before, I was a ſpectator of an extraordinary, pagan worſhip, ordered by the ſupe⯑rior Chambo-Lama, out of compliment to me. It conſiſted in a formal, ſolemn bleſſing, which he per⯑formed himſelf, and aſſembled on the occaſion a great number of his clergy.

I was employed ſome days in Selenginſkaja in col⯑lecting ſeveral things relative to natural hiſtory, and arranging what I had hitherto collected. In the mean time I ordered every thing to be ready for my return to Kraſnojarſkaja, and was thus able to ſet out for the Baikal on the third of July.

Mr. Bykof, whom I had left in ſpring about Selen⯑ginſkaja, to collect plants, I ordered to remain, and, if poſſible, to go up the Dſhida, along the frontier guard-poſts, as far as to the high mountains of Tun⯑kinſkaja, to gather every remarkable plant he could find, make other obſervations, and wait in Selengin⯑ſkaja the arrival of Mr. Sokolof from Dauria, and re⯑turn with him, in autumn, to Kraſnojarſkaja.

Before I take my leave, however, of this diſtrict, I will add ſome general obſervations on it.

[131]I muſt own, that upon the whole Siberian line, from the Uralian mountains, which may be conſidered as the line of boundary between Europe and Aſia, quite to the Baikal, I have not been able to collect ſo many new and curious animals and plants, as in that track of land bounded by Mongalia, and on the north by the Baikal. It is certain, that on the Jeniſei, eſpecially its upper and ſouthern diſtricts, which are by nature ſi⯑milar to thoſe of Dauria, many natural curioſities are to be found, eſpecially in the botanical line, which are not to be met with in the weſtern parts of Siberia, or on the loftier parts of the Altai mountains; but theſe productions are no where ſo copious, ſo perfect, and genuine as in Dauria, and all the mountains ſituated beyond the Baikal. I ſay mountains, becauſe the whole country is mountainous; for even the plains may be conſidered as broad vallies, and are ſituated on heights, towards the weſt of Siberia, as the gene⯑rality of Siberian mountain-plants, which grow even in the loweſt vallies, inconteſtibly prove, without mak⯑ing any obſervations with the barometer. Beſides, the very high, woody mountains, which have their greateſt breadth from the Baikal to the ſource of the Selenga, forming, with the Sajanian mountains about the Jen⯑dred, a mighty chain, which ſpreads more towards the eaſt, and joins in one part with the weſtern bay of the Baikal, but turns, with its principal track, towards Mon⯑galia, and goes on over the ſources of the Jeniſei, Se⯑lenga, and Tola, and then divides into thoſe branches, [132] which ſeparate partly the brooks of the Amur from thoſe of Siberia; partly its principal rivers, Naun and Scharamurin among themſelves; and partly the brooks of the Amur from the Choango: beſides theſe tower⯑ing, chief mountains, full of numerous cupolas, cover⯑ed with ſnow, and cold, woodleſs ſummits; all the ſpace between the Baikal and the frontiers is moſtly full of dry, open, torn, and very ſteep mountains, in⯑terſected with ſandy vallies and plains; on which it is clearly evident that the ſand originated in the withered, ſmall particles of the matrix, and was carried away and ſpread by winds, rain, ſnow-water, and other ſtreams. For moſt mountains in theſe parts conſiſt of decayed granite-rocks, and other very ancient matrices; and, in ſome few places, ſtrata are to be ſeen; the ſtratum of all the mountains firſt appearing north⯑wards from the Baikal, and in the upper diſtrict of the Lena.

As the mountains, both in the diſtrict of Selengin⯑ſkaja and Dauria, are very ſleep and rocky, and are often nothing more than projecting cliffs and towering pieces of rock, they exhibit an awful ſight, and fine, magnificent proſpects. Such a country muſt afford abundance of curious buſhes and ſhrubs, peculiar to ſuch ſoils; and a variety of mountain-plants, as well growing on the mountains themſelves, as in the vallies beneath; ſome of which are ſhady, cold, and nar⯑row, and others open, warm, and ſandy; and in many [133] places, depreſſions and low grounds, often enriched with ſalt-ſpots. Hence alſo muſt be aſcribed the great difference of the warmer and colder ſituations, in diſ⯑tricts adjacent to each other, and in the ſame latitude. For example, about Selenginſkaja and Kjachta, all ſorts of garden-ſtuff, even water-melons, will proſper in the free and open ground; and many rare plants are common, which are generally the product only of warm rocks; whereas in the country, and more to the north, ſituated on the Uda, not even corn will-ripen; ſo again upon the Baikal, under the ſhadow and cold of the ſouthern, adjacent mountain, plants grow even to the borders, which otherwiſe are only common to the frigid mountains. Alſo trees bud later, ſnow falls ſooner, and the winter is longer, than 100 miles fur⯑ther up the Selenga^*. This influence of the high ſi⯑tuation, unſheltered againſt the cold, in the climate of the mountainous diſtricts I have mentioned, muſt be conſidered as the principal cauſe of the caſt of Sibe⯑ria, eſpecially the diſtrict ſouth of the Baikal, being colder than the weſtern countries, ſituated under the ſame latitude. All Dauria enjoys a mountain-air; it lies alſo expoſed to the northern winds, which ſend [134] their chilling blaſts from the glacial ſea, even in ſum⯑mer-time, through Siberia, where they cauſe uncom⯑mon cold. Is it then any wonder that the weather is much ſharper here than in the more weſtern parts of Europe, encompaſſed by ſeas, which alone renders the air much ſofter?

Firs are the moſt common wood in Dauria, on the Selenga, on account of the ſandy ſoil. The higher and colder mountains have larches, white firs, red and white pines, birches, and aſps, promiſcuouſly; and the underwood conſiſts of birch-buſhes, the Bagulnik, (Rhododendrum Dauricum) and various ſpecies of wil⯑lows. The higher cliffs, ſnow-clad throughout the year, had on their ſummits ſome few, creeping trees, or none at all; perhaps ſome little ſhrubs of pines, ce⯑dars, larches, dwarf-birches, and ſome ſpecies of the plane and ſavin-trees, and ſome particular ſmall willows.

The conſequence of this general deſcription is, that Dauria, and the diſtrict of Selenginſkaja will never be⯑come ſo populous, or ſo general a corn-country as the reſt of Siberia, ſituated not ſo much to the north; there being every where, even in the vallies and plains, many tracks, nothing but rock and ſand, which no other people but the Mongols and Burats can turn to advantage. But as theſe nations will ſoon ſcarce find ſpace enough to ſupport themſelves, owing to their [135] increaſe, as is evident about Selenginſkaja, it would be policy, in order to bring agriculture to its higheſt pitch, to remove ſome part of this people into other diſtricts; for example, to the ſandy-ſalt-deſarts about the Irtiſh or the Baruba, theſe places being now left to the treacherous Kirgueſe, who never will become huſbandmen.

Selenginſkaja.—I will now ſay a few words of the town of Selenginſkaja, and its dependencies. It lies chiefly on a ſhallow, ſandy arm of the Selenga, fordable in many places. Behind the town are ſome high, ſand moun⯑tains, from whence the ſtreets now begin to be over⯑flown with ſand. Theſe mountains are at the ſame time richly cloathed with timber and underwood, quite down to the river. From the river's-ſide the place makes a good appearance, with its three churches, and the houſe of a commiſſioner of ſtate, now uninhabited. The place is fortified with four, timber ramparts, and towers within the angles. Within the walls is a court of Waywodes, and a court of boundaries; a houſe for the commanding-officer, another for the preſident, and a guard-houſe, all within a ſquare. At the upper end are gardens, and a corn-mill, worked by horſes.

Though this town is advantageouſly ſituated for the Chineſe trade, here are but few, ſubſtantial merchants. Moſt of the inhabitants are of the middling claſs; the cauſe of which probably is, their careleſſneſs, and in⯑clination [136] to extravagance. Many of the citizens ſcatter themſelves, and live in other places, in order to be duty-free, and lead a more indolent life, in agri⯑culture and breeding of cattle. Farms, nay villages, founded by people of this deſcription, may be ſeen juſt oppoſite the town, on the left bank of the river. Many of the towns-people, and thoſe of the country round the town, ſhew a great mixture of Mongalian blood; the moſt ſubſtantial of them having long been in the habit of marrying Mongalian and Buratian wo⯑men; and, to make an advantageous alliance with theſe people, ſome Mongols will have their daughters chriſtened. There have been inſtances about this place, of the Burats themſelves embracing the chriſtian faith, in order to eſpouſe the daughter of ſome wealthy Ruſſian. From ſuch mixed-marriages ſpring many mulatto children; theſe retain ſomething of the Mon⯑galian face, and have black, ſhining hair, but have, at the ſame time, the moſt regular features, and the ſweeteſt countenance, called, in Ruſs, Karymki; of courſe the Buratian manner of living is almoſt as much in uſe in this diſtrict, as the Mongol, or Mongalian language.

Under the juriſdiction of the court of Waiwodes in this place are the following towns: Baicharozkaja, Urluzkaja, Muchorſchibir, and Tarbagantei; alſo the following places, with their diſtricts: Itanzinſkai Oſtrog, with 20 little villages, moſtly ſituated on the [137] little river Itanza, and containing 371 peaſants; Arch⯑angelſkai, to which belong ſix villages, Jlinſkoi Oſtrog, and Pokrosſkaja, all together ſituate in the neighbour⯑hood of the Selenga, and its little brook, and con⯑taining 141 peaſants; Kudarinſkaja, at the mouth of the Selenga, with ſeven villages on the adjoining ſtep, containing 293 peaſants; Kubanſkoi Oſtrog, with its five villages, and 296 peaſants; and, laſtly, the diſ⯑trict of Dſhidenſkaja, containing ſeven villages, be⯑ſides Bainchuſſun, ſituate on the river Dſhida. Alſo ſix other towns on the Dſhida; one on the Selenga; one on the Ira, of 95 peaſants, coloniſts, compre⯑hending all together 279 peaſants. To theſe villages may be added 2520 old inhabitants of the towns, and 1534 coloniſts, 102 peaſants dependant on the con⯑vent of Terizkaja, on the Selenga; and 138 depend⯑ing on that of Polſolſkaja; alſo near 100 citizens, and ſomewhat above 900 Burats and Mongols, which is the whole population of this diſtrict encompaſſed by the Baikal, the Chineſe frontiers, and the great par⯑tition-mountains. Barguſinſkoi Oſtrog is alſo reckon⯑ed in this diſtrict, which contains 1600 Tunguſe, pay⯑ing tribute. If to this is added the diſtrict of Nert⯑ſchinſkaja, properly Dauria, ſubject to the Ruſſian ſceptre; which, except 16,000 Burats and Tunguſe, 10,000 of whom live in huts round the Argun, ſcarce contains 11,800 men; near 3000 of whom are colo⯑niſts, ſent here within theſe 15 years, the whole po⯑pulation of the country beyond the Baikal, which is [138] 525 miles in length, and from 150 to 375 in breadth, amounts only to about 43,000 full-grown men.

The diſtrict of Selenginſkaja, like all others ſituated about the Baikal, is ſometimes ſubject to little earth⯑quakes. In 1768 two were obſerved in Irkuzkaja; one on the 18th of March, at four in the morning; another on the 5th of Auguſt, at four in the afternoon. On the 13th of October, 1769, at eight in the morn⯑ing, they felt a double ſhock, the laſt pretty ſtrong; in 1771, July 28, about nine in the morning, they had a ſtrong earthquake at Irkuzkaja; and at 11 o'clock the ſame morning, in Selenginſkaja, which was felt alſo in many places. The ſphere of theſe earth⯑quakes are generally not very extenſive. They are never felt in Dauria, and the northern parts of the Lena; ſo that the cauſe of them muſt be hidden in the mountains ſituated cloſe about the Baikal, and their warm ſprings; peculiar pebbles, and the bitumen which the lakes throw out, are evident proofs that there is no want of materials to occaſion ſuch ſubterranean heat and motions. Probably the earthquakes obſerved in the Altai mountain originate from that ſpot where the Noor Saiſſane is encompaſſed by mountains.

It was noon, on the 3d day of July, before all the horſes required for our departure could be brought together, and my waggons could croſs the Selenga. I did not take the uſual poſt-road, but went ſtraight [139] towards the lake Guſinoi oſero (gooſe-lake) to which the deep and ſandy valley Tojon leads, and which commences at the hut-mountain behind the Selenga. We reached the lake juſt before dark, during a vio⯑lent tempeſt and deal of rain, and took our lodgings at the north end of the lake. A number of rare plants decorated the ſands, which I gathered the next morning; and, among the reſt, a peculiar ſpecies of Robinia, hitherto unknown to botaniſts (Rob. ferox) which ſhot into high buſhes and thick branches, often ſeven feet high. This ſpecies of the falſe acacia⯑thorn deſerves cultivation in Europe, on account of its uſefulneſs; it being very ſhort, with long thorns, and ſpreading on the ground, would make exceeding good fences, through which neither man nor cattle would be able to penetrate. The ſoft points and leaves are alſo an agreeable food for ſheep; and its pods, which are without number, would at leaſt an⯑ſwer the purpoſe of vetches. It is remarkable that this fine buſh, which diſplays in ſpring its numberleſs ſulphur-yellow flowers, ſhould no where be met with in all the diſtricts beyond the Baikal, except in the great valley, which, from the Temnik and Guſi⯑noi Oſero extends itſelf with the Selenga as far as the brook Ubukun, and ſome vallies, as far as the Oren⯑goi. The Mongols and Burats give it no other name than what they give to the ſmalleſt acacia-thorn (Robinia pygmea) viz. Charagana. It grows as well on the moiſt and ſalt-depreſſions, or low places, as on drier [140] and ſand-ſpots, though it prefers the former. It is ſaid to be very common about Peking, where all the level country is ſomewhat moiſt and ſalt. It was well known to the Ruſſians, who went there with caravans, becauſe the Chineſe planted this hedge againſt the walls which ſurrounded the caravan-houſe, it being as good as ſo many centinels, to hinder any one from climb⯑ing them.

This lake is deep, and if the wind blows ever ſo little, carries large billows. They ſay it was much ſmaller formerly; but that, about 15 years ago, in the month of May, the river Temnik, which is at a con⯑ſiderable diſtance, ſwelled by a ſudden ſlow, blocked up its own bed with ſand and floating wood, and made itſelf a freſh channel, changing a neighbouring valley into a great lake, part of whoſe waters have added to this lake. The new channel which the Temnik made is called by the Mongols Zagan, i. e. white or holy, from an awful reverence, at having deſtroyed ſome of their fine paſtures in the low grounds. Few great Mongalian Lamas (for prieſts ſeldom make a bad choice) have fixed their reſidence in this delightful vale, and built two fine temples, one at the north end, and the other at the ſouth. A deſcription of theſe temples, and the holy offices performed therein, and what I ſaw when they were going to erect a ſacred monument on the mountain, on the 4th of July, will accompany my other accounts collected reſpecting [141] the Mongalian idolatry. The whole valley is ſo flat, that when the Temnik ſought a new channel, they feared a general inundation as far as the ſalt-lake Solunoi Oſero.

Round about this lake, which is not above a mile and a half from the one where we took up our night's lodging, the ground is white, with a bitter ſalt, and full of ſalt-plants; its length is about half a mile, its form oblong, and its greateſt diameter lies from eaſt to weſt. Many freſh-water rivulets flow from the north ſide into it, which leſſens its ſaltneſs, and ren⯑ders the ſalt unfit for boiling in ſummer-time. The ſalt-veins ſeem to be within the lake itſelf; for, when the water freezes in autumn, we ſee ſpots where no ice will ſettle, and there the ſalt-water is ſtronger. They tried an experiment on ſuch a ſpot in 1762, and put down a pipe into ſuch a ſalt-water ſpring; and, at the depth of more than ſeven ells, found no⯑thing but ſlime; but, having felt ſomething hard under this ſlime, they applied a bore, and brought up a piece of pure ice; and, obſerving afterwards that freſh water iſſued from the place, they left it to itſelf, to ſeek for the real ſalt veins on the borders of the lake. They have made many unſucceſsful attempts, and wherever they bored, freſh water has iſſued out.

The bottom of the lake conſiſts of a blue ſlime, on which, when the froſt comes, a ſcum, ſeveral inches [142] thick, will ſettle, conſiſting of pure Glauber-ſalts, which, when dried in the air, crumbles into a white, farinaceous ſubſtance. Continual, dry weather, and ſummer-heats, will divide this ſcum from the ſalt-wa⯑ter, and it will then ſwim in tender ſcum on the ſur⯑face of the lake, which, at a diſtance, in the ſun⯑ſhine, has a red appearance, and, by the motion of the water, will ſink to the bottom. The water is otherwiſe clear; has no red appearance, but in ſum⯑mer-time will ſmell like foul mire. It is not ſuffici⯑ently impregnated with ſalt, ſo as to be fit for boiling till autumn, when it has an ice-cruſt upon the ſurface. They begin to boil in November, and continue till the middle of March, when the ſnow-water from the mountains diminiſhes its ſtrength. In theſe four months they procure but 20,000 puds of ſalt. There are at preſent two ſalt-houſes, with proper pans, where they boil ſalt; and they are preparing to erect a third. Within 24 hours a pan is completed, and yields 600 pails full, equal to 1200 common pails, or about 100 puds of ſalt. The boiled ſalt is fine, white, granu⯑lous, and very pure, but is not to be compared in ſaltneſs with that of Angarſkoi. Even what they ſcrape from the pans is pure ſalt; this they throw away as rubbiſh, but why, I know not. The Imperial treaſury pays, on the ſpot, 10 copecs to the boiler for every pud of ſalt, deducting a duty of 11 per cent. When proper agree⯑ments are made, the ſalt is tranſported to the ſtore-houſes, or wherever it is wanted. The wood they [143] uſe, in boiling, is felled at the diſtance of three or four miles from the lake, and 16 miles from the Selenga, paying 15 copecs per ſtack for felling, and 20 copecs for carriage. This would not make the boiling dear, but the iron for the pans is brought from the ſmithery at Kutunſkaja, at 70 copecs per pud, and a pan will not laſt a whole winter, without mending.

In 1728 there was a boiling-houſe, with one pan, at the expence of the crown, which was ſoon after ſold to a private perſon. From this firſt proprietor the ſalt-works became the property of the family of the preſent poſſeſſor, Michael Pacholſof, who has, beſides the boiling-houſes, two neat houſes for his own reſi⯑dence; a ſtore-houſe, in which at preſent are 15,000 puds of ſalt, ready to convey away; and alſo ſome houſes for his workmen.

When I had viewed theſe works, I made the beſt of my way to the poſt-road, behind which flows the brook Ubukun, on which there is a poſt-ſtation, about 30 miles from Selenginſkaja, and ſeven from the ſalt-lake. I did not ſleep here, but three miles and a half lower down the Ubukun, in a village of ſix houſes erected on it. The road to it is over a moderate mountain, where a ſtone-ſearcher had dug ſome try⯑ing-pits on account of a demi-tranſparent, greeniſh and amethyſt-coloured, flaming ſpar, which breaks above ground. In the ſpar lay kidnies of yellowiſh and [144] greyiſh agate. This ſpot, and the whole mountain, deſerves a ſtricter examination.

At the diſtance of nine miles from this, the river Orongoi is paſſed by a flying bridge. At Udinſkoi, 30 miles further, where I ſlept on the 7th of July, I received a number of letters, ſent to me to the Onon, but which there miſſed me; and from this place I ſent back my Mongalian interpreters, having no further oc⯑caſion for them.

Beyond Udinſkoi are ſeveral little villages, and the ſtep, about the lowermoſt part of the Selenga, is very fertile and populous; indeed, one of the moſt populous diſtricts beyond the Baikal, containing from 8 to 900 peaſant families, and two convents. On the 8th of July I reached the Baikal ſea, where I met with a number of plants peculiar only to cold mountains; for inſtance, C [...]mbra Empetrum rignum, Campanula rotun⯑difolia, Fumaria impatiens, Polygonum divaricatum, anguſtiſolium, et ſericeum, Scrophularia ſcorodonia, Dracocephelum nulans, Lycepſis v [...]ſicaria, and many others. The Pyrola rotundifolia, which grows ſo very large in Siberia, is often here gathered, in caſe of need, by the peaſants, and uſed as tea. Theſe moun⯑tain-plants, which are ſo generally to be met with on the low ſhores of the Baikal, ariſe from the cold and foggy air in ſummer, from the adjacent, high moun⯑tains, and the effect of the ſnow-clad cliffs, which the [145] lofty mountains ſtanding round the Kuluk, or weſtern bay of the Baikal, raiſe above the clouds.

Baikal.—When I arrived at the convent of Poſolſ⯑koi, the Baikal was covered with ſuch a thick and cold fog, as is only to be ſeen in high mountains, which attract the clouds, or in ſea-coaſt countries, during autumn and winter. It reſembled clouds encloſed within mountains, had already continued eight days, and laſted till the 20th of July, during calm weather, amid the breeze of weſtern winds. In the mean time, there fell ſuch a rain in all the high mountains of Dauria, alſo north of the Baikal, and about the Jeni⯑ſei, which never had been remembered in theſe diſ⯑tricts, and which continued, with very little ſerene intermiſſion, till late in autumn, and deſtroyed the hay and harveſt. The ſpring, and the firſt half of ſummer, had been, in theſe parts, uncommonly dry, and without rain.

The weſtern winds, which uſually continue ſome time in the Baikal, gave me but little hopes of croſſing over to the mouth of the Angara; and tho' the Im⯑perial galliot, which ſerved here as a packet-boat, ar⯑rived here from the other ſide, almoſt in the ſame hour that I did, yet the paſſage ſeemed almoſt impracticable for a long while. This galliot, called the Boris-O-Gleb, is navigated by a pilot from Ochozkaja, and is, at preſent, the only veſſel that ſails in the Baikal, the [146] merchants uſing their dangerous doſtſchenicks, which go with ſails, before tack winds only, or elſe with rudders. A galliot was here ſtranded, in autumn 1770, not far from the mouth of the Selenga, and was loſt. Indeed, galliots are not fit for this ſea, which is ſo nar⯑row; veſſels with rudders, or demi-gallies, would be of more utility.

I occupied myſelf therefore with collecting of plants, and viewing the fiſheries uſual in ſummer, in the ſtraights of Poſolſkaja, till the weather was finer. There is a duty on this fiſhery, as on other conſider⯑able ones, and the convent here receives a certain number of tons, as a privilege. The fiſhery is carried on, through the whole ſummer, with drag-nets, 200 fathoms long, which, as the ſea is not very deep on this coaſt, they let out from a barge, with a tackling 300 fathoms in length, which is afterwards taken in, by means of a reel fixed on the ſhore. In ſpring, as ſoon as the ice breaks, they catch abundantly the Sigi morſkye (Salmo oxyrhinchus) and Lenki, which come upon the ſands to ſpawn. In ſummer, this fiſh ſeeks the deep, and is not caught here, but on the northern ſteep and rocky coaſt, which is very deep. At pre⯑ſent they caught nothing but what is called the Omul, which ſtrays, at this time, in great quantities, on the ſouthern banks, and towards autumn ſeeks the mouth of the rivers on this ſide. This fiſh, about the mouth of the Selenga, is not more than eight or nine inches [147] thick; it is theſe only that are caught annually in the bay of Tſchiwirkui, are remarkable for their ſize, and are caught no where elſe on the coaſt of the Baikal. This is a new proof, that fiſhes, like birds of paſſage, return annually to the place of their birth, and do not readily ſpawn, or enter any other river, than where they firſt received life. The paſſage of the omuls is known in all diſtricts ſituated on the oppoſite ſide of the Baikal; or the inhabitants of thoſe places, whoſe ſlimy rivers do not abound in fiſh, would otherwiſe want food for faſt-days. They generally come at the Aſcenſion of the Virgin, and as they advance but ſlow, arrive, about the latter end of September, near Udinſkoi Prigorud.

They never enter the Uda, or Chilok, though plen⯑tifully caught at the mouth of theſe rivers, but abun⯑dantly viſit the Dſhida, the Tſchikoi, paſt Irluzkaja, and the Selenga, up to the Orgon; and when the ice breaks, return quite ſpent, and exhauſted, to the Bai⯑kal, and many loſe their life without reaching it. The milder the autumn, the later they enter the rivers; and if the ice breaks ſoon, return early, and do not go up into the upper diſtricts. The omul comes origi⯑nally from the glacial ſea, and not only enters the Jeniſei, but all the rivers of Kamſchatka. Through the Jeniſei it comes into the Baikal, not only by means of the Tunguſka and Angara, but alſo by the Tuba, and the large lake, Madſhar, on the Sajanian mountains. [148] Having found a wide and deep water in this ſea, at its return from the upper river, it would not go back in⯑to the ocean, but breeds in this enormous ſpace of water, ſheltered from all fiſh of prey.

The preſence of the ſea-dog in the Baikal is much more wonderful, as theſe animals never leave the ocean ſo far as to enter the rivers; and, at this time, is not obſerved in the Jeniſei, nor the lower Angara; there⯑fore muſt have come here by ſome great change in the ſurface of the earth, or by ſome extraordinary and rare accident. More rare ſtill is a ſpecies of fiſh, quite natural to the Baikal, called by the Ruſſians Go⯑lomjanka, which is ſaid to have been diſcovered but a few years ſince, though here before, and, perhaps, un⯑diſcovered by negligence. This fiſh (Callyonymus Bai⯑kalenſis) has no more ſolidity than a piece of fat, and are abſolutely full of an oily ſubſtance, which, if the whole fiſh is put on a gridiron, will melt away to the bones. They are never caught in nets, nor alive. It is ſuppoſed, and with ſome probability, that they reſide only in the deepeſt receſſes of the Baikal, which in the middle, and not far from the northern, ſteep, mountain-coaſt, cannot be fathomed with lines of three to four hundred fathoms. What cauſe or change in the ſea brings them ſo high is hard to tell. They arc com⯑monly thrown out by violent, northern ſtorms, on the coaſt of Poſolſkoi, and about the mouth of the Selenga, in ſummer-time only, when a calm ſucceeds a ſtorm. [149] They are ſeen in many hundreds ſwimming and plough⯑ing the ſurface of the ſea. For many years they were thrown out ſo abundantly, as to lie in heaps on the ſtrand, like a rampart, and the inhabitants turned them to profit, by boiling train-oil from them, which the Chineſe bought up at a great price. In June, this year, but few of them were driven aſhore. I re⯑ceived ſome of them twice, by means of meſſengers diſpatched occaſionally to Poſolſkoi; ſome dried, and ſome preſerved in brandy. They appeared for the laſt time on the 24th of June, and were neither touched by inſects, nor crows, probably on account of the rank⯑neſs of their fat, which melts in a few hours, and ſome⯑times in the hand.

On the 10th, the maſter of the galliot gave notice, that whoever wiſhed to make his paſſage muſt go on board. Every thing to be ſhipped was put that night on board; but during the whole night the wind blew ſo hard, weſt, that the thoughts of croſſing was almoſt deſpaired of. Thoſe who navigate the Baikal have a particular compaſs, which marks only three winds; thoſe that blow between the north, eaſt, and ſouth, called Barguim, with which the paſſage from the mouth of the Selenga over the lake is eaſy and rea⯑dy, as they blow all from the ſame place. All the winds between the north-weſt and ſouth-weſt, which apparently come out from the large Baikal-Bay, are called Kultuk; and thoſe that blow ſtraight north, from [150] the mountainous, northern coaſt, have the general name of Gornoja Pagoda (mountain-winds), laſt but a ſhort time, but are the more dangerous, and common⯑ly, ſudden-raging hurricanes, which ſtrand the veſſels, or drive them to pieces on the ſouthern, ſhallow coaſt; and ſometimes, if the ſails are not expeditiouſly taken in, will overſet the veſſel, or diſmaſt it. Other winds are not ſo dangerous, as the Baikal has no ſand-bank, or ſhoals, between the mouths of the Selenga and An⯑gara, except a ſingle one (diſcovered by trading-boats), around which the ſea is deep. The depth of the Baikal in the middle, and in the northern borders, is unfathomable. This lake, or ſea, is like a huge cleft opened by the torn mountains, in which the ad⯑jacent rivers took their mouths. The mountainous coaſt itſelf ſhews everywhere marks of the moſt violent changes, and, at the ſame time, of the higheſt anti⯑quity.

About 11 o'clock at night roſe a good, ſouth-weſt wind, by which a ſkilful ſeaman could have eaſily reached the mouth of the Angara, or pretty near it. Our maſter thinking he could do the ſame, the anchor was weighed by his order, whilſt he lay in bed, and a ſailor, who ſteered the veſſel, carried us over, but fur⯑ther from the mouth of the Selenga than we were when at Poſolſkoi. When the maſter awaked, and ſaluted the morning, we found ourſelves in the Peſtſchanaja-Guba (ſand-bay), above 75 miles above Liſtweniſchoe [151] Simowje, to which it is but 71 miles from Poſolſkoi, meaſured upon the ice, and paid for in the packet⯑boat. The wind grew more violent, and would not ſuffer us to quit the coaſt; ſo that our maſter, without further attempts, ordered his men to caſt anchor, and wait for a better wind.

This beginning of our unſucceſsful navigation was not ſo diſagreeable to me, as I had enough to employ me in collecting plants on the rocky coaſt, which were now in full perfection, and ſome of them very rare. They alſo fiſhed the whole day on the ſands of the bay. On the bareſt parts of the barren rocks grew, plenti⯑fully, the delicate ſtone-leek (allium Altaicum) which was greedily eaten by the ſailors. Of all the plants, the polypodium fragrans deſerves to be mentioned. This rare, fine, and moſt fragrant fern, is collected from the higheſt rocks, where it grows out from the clefts, and is called by the Burats ſerlik, and is drank by them as a remedy in moſt ſcorbutic and paralytic com⯑plaints. It may as well be drank for its fine taſte, as if two or three leaf-ſtalks are added to it, it flavours the common, green tea to the higheſt degree of perfection. Its ſmell is ſo powerful, that it will communicate its fragrance to whole bundles of herbs, and boxes full of paper.

As a ſmall, eaſt wind roſe towards night, we weigh⯑ed anchor, and ſpread ſail; but this was ſcarce done, [152] before a weſt-wind blew again, and we were obliged to ſeek a new anchoring-place, at the lower end of the bay.

On the 13th our captain got out his drag-tackling, and thus hauled the veſſel on about 10 miles, where we anchored again. It was a fine ſight about the rocks of the Baklanye, to ſee the innumerable crowds of ra⯑vens that were building their neſts, and the whole rock covered with their white dung. Some of the crew went towards the rock in a boat, when the old ravens ſluttered above the rock, and the young ones, that could not fly, threw themſelves from the rock in⯑to the ſea. On the 14th we advanced a little on, and a gentle gale ſpringing up about noon, we got about 14 miles further, where horſes were employed to drag the veſſel all the next day, when we anchored afreſh. This miſerable vovage now became irkſome to me, and I would certainly have gone to Irkuzkaja by land, if there had been any paſſable road: but there being no ſuch thing, I got from the maſter of the pacquet his ſmall, flat-bottomed boat, which he had in the gal⯑liot, and ordering a little poſt-waggon I had with me to be placed acroſs it, ſo that its wheels almoſt touched the water, I manned it partly with my own people, and partly with paſſengers, whom I encouraged with a promiſed reward, left the veſſel, with our baggage on board, and rowed for the mouth of the Angara. This expedition almoſt proved my laſt. The wind [153] blew weſt this morning violently, and the billows raged ſtill more. The ſailor who ſteered our boat, and who had croſſed a bay and reached the next cape, wiſhed to ſhorten the labour of the rowers; inſtead, there⯑fore, of keeping round by the ſhore, he attempted to croſs a bay more than ſeven miles over; but we had no ſooner left the cape, than the wind blew ſo violent, and we were carried ſo far off the coaſt, that it was with the utmoſt danger and difficulty we could reach the next cape; for my part, I expected every inſtant to have been a prey to the waves. In order not to be expoſed to a ſimilar danger, we took a tackle, faſtened it to the boat, and had it dragged along the coaſt. We had ſtill great trouble to get paſt the projecting rocks of ſome high mountains, which, from top to bottom, had been apparently ſoft, and ſeemed kneaded together, cemented by large and ſmall peb⯑bles, carried all round, in the water, by a ſandy and limy ſpecies of ſtone, and convinces me, that there muſt have been ſome mighty change in the mountains of the Baikal. Theſe rocks could not otherwiſe have been formed, than by pebbles rolling underneath the water horizontally, and afterwards, by violent con⯑vulſions of the earth, changed into mountains of more than 100 fathoms perpendicular height.

After a good deal of anxiety and labour we reached the mouth of the Angara in good time, and in good condition. On the 16th I ſet out in the evening for [154] Irkuzkaja, a diſtance of more than 40 miles, in the road to which there are way-houſes every four or five miles, and arrived there early on the 17th. I ſtopped at this place as long only as it was neceſſary, and, on the 22d, purſued my journey to Kraſnor⯑jarſkaja, a diſtance of 614 miles, the road to which I deſcribed when I paſſed it before.

On the Oka, juſt below the higheſt mountain, lies Okinſkoi Karaul, the outermoſt guard-ſtation of the diſtrict of Udinſkoi, ſubject to the regency of Irkuzkaja. It is 121 miles from the laſt frontier-guard of the diſtrict of Kjachta, and from the frontier-mark on the mountain Gurban, 103 miles, but from another, ſituate on the Choin-raban, 105 miles. Meaſured from the weſtern frontier-guard of Winſkoi, it is 115 miles. In almoſt all villages, from Irkuzkaja, 200 miles forward, I found children inoculated with the ſmall⯑pox, in this month, July, by the ſurgeon of Irkuzkaja. This ſalutary operation has the moſt proſperous event in this regency. Trials have already been made among the Burats, who reſide about Irkuzkaja, whoſe diet and way of living is ſo unwholeſome, and by this means the ſmall-pox will ſoon become leſs dangerous among the heathens, whom it frequently carries off.

Udinſkoi.—About half way from Irkuzkaja, to Kraſnojarſkaja, is Udinſkoi Oſtrog, where I arrived on the 27th of July. It lies on the river Uda, and [155] though it is a place of little importance, has a gover⯑nor and two frontier-guards, under the command of the governor of Tomſkoi. Here is alſo an inſpector of the diſtrict of Udinſkoi. In this diſtrict, which con⯑ſiſts of 553 men that pay tribute, they reckon 16 little tribes of heathens, ſome of Tartarian, ſome of Buratian origin. Theſe little tribes, ſcattered about on the wild mountains, are the offsprings of fugitives, the relicks of ſeveral hordes, driven from their poſſeſſions in Siberia, and who have flown here for refuge. Some ſeem to be of different origin, ſpeaking a mixt lan⯑guage, between Mongol and Tartarian. The moſt remarkable is the tribe of Karaſkoi, which, like the Koibales and Matores, on the Jeniſei, have preſerved the Samjoede language, with little mixture, though there are only 22 men. There are ſome, ſmall tribes on the mountains, who ſpeak their own language, but I could gather no accurate account of them. The Karaſkaſſians live, like the reſt of the mountain-Tar⯑tars, by hunting, and have no other domeſtic cattle than a few rein-deer, with which they remove their houſhold-ſtuff from one place to another. Their ſu⯑perſtition, which, though baptized, they keep up, is the moſt ſimple to be met with. They have neither idols nor magicians, but worſhip the heavens, and the ſun. They are ignorant of ſacrifices, except that when they have killed a bear, or ſome other game, they raiſe his head and heart, on a piece of bark, to⯑wards heaven, and beg for a good chace in future. [156] They alſo ſhew a kind of reverence, like other Si⯑berian pagans, to certain rivers and mountains, feed⯑ing the former, and carrying on the latter a little rice, or tobacco, and leaving it on the place. They bury their dead on a ſcaffold of forks and buſhes, or upon trees, with the head toward the eaſt, or only cover them with buſhes. Thoſe whom they affec⯑tionately love, they burn. Their wretched jurts are covered with hides, and they dreſs themſelves in ſkins, ſeldom continuing more than two or three days on the ſame ſpot, wandering about in ſearch of the Sarana, or hilly onion, which makes a chief part of their food. Two bags of ſarana, or ſome good cedar⯑nuts, which contain about three and a half puds, they conſider equal in value to a rein-deer; and after this manner they formerly calculated their tribute, which made about 20 rein deer for the whole tribe. But at preſent they do military duty, in the frontiers of Udinſkoi, and pay alſo their jaſſak, or tribute, which amounts to about two rubles a man. Their women wear, in ſummer, broad, round hats, made of twiſted reed, but no caps, and inſtead of ſtockings, they wrap their legs round with the outer bark of Lonicera pyre⯑naica. I ſhall give a ſpecimen of their language further on, when I ſpeak of their dialects.

Eight miles from Udinſkoi, we were obliged to go down from the heights to the brook Kamenka, through the narrow dale, in which a waggon has ſcarce room [157] to paſs, and on the brook we ſee fine, lofty banks, where ſand-rocks are ſo tender, that they may be reduced to powder, by ſqueezing them in the hand.

On the 29th of July, I ſtopped at Rybinſkoi, chiefly to view the Siberian melting of iron by hand-blaſts, performed by a ſmith from the Jeniſei. The ore he uſes is one of the moſt remarkable things in the whole empire, and was diſcovered by a fox that dug up the ground, and was caught at that time by a peaſant. It conſiſts of large and ſmall pieces of petrified wood, changed into a rich, ſolid, brown, iron-ſtone, and ſhews even marks of the bark. The ſmith of this place has diſcovered this wonderful ore in two ſpots adja⯑cent to his ſmithery. The one at three miles diſtance, on a flat mountain, covered with birch-trees, lying in whole trunks, extending north and ſouth, in a ſandy-matrix, much mixed with iron-ochre; the other at the diſtance only of three quarters of a mile, and lying in the ſame nature. The metalized trunks, though of the ſame appearance, will not yield any iron for melt⯑ing, but the ſmith got a ſpecies of raw iron out of it, which, being coppery, is of little value.

I reached Kraſnojarſkaja the firſt week in Auguſt, and though the bloom, in this diſtrict, was on the decline, and moſt plants in ſeeds, yet, through the induſtry of Mr. Kaſchkaref, who was here ſome time before, and had made many little excurſions to the river Mana, [158] and the Sajanian mountains, I received a complete collection of the plants which the mountains of the Jeniſei yield in ſummer; but theſe were chiefly rare plants, anſwering, in ſome degree, Mr. Gmelin's account, who ſays, that eaſtward of the Jeniſei nature changes at once, and has an Aſiatic bloom of its own. My curioſity, however, was much deceived by this flatter⯑ing account. Indeed, the diſtrict of Kraſnojarſkaja, as a dry, open, and mountainous country, has, for this very reaſon, ſeveral rare mountain-plants of its own, and ſome ſtill more rare to be met with in the more ſouthern mountains, between the Yjus and Jeniſei, &c. but no ſooner is the Jeniſei croſſed and left, than the whole country, between the Tunguſka and the boundary-mountains, is covered with woods and meadow-grounds, where the bloom is little different from that about the Ob, Irtiſch, and even the Uralian chain, reſembling thoſe of the European Alps.

I was detained in arranging my obſervations on the natural curioſities of a five months collection, and in the unexpected arrival of Mr. Surjef, till the 19th of Auguſt. He had not purſued his journey from Man⯑gaſei to the Frozen Ocean, but had returned from Selakino, ſituated 475 miles beyond Mangaſei, and about 240 miles from the main-ſea. His journal con⯑tained nothing curious, except a heavy deſcription of the navigation. I ſhall therefore abridge it, in order not to tire my readers: preſenting only ſuch things as are moſt remarkable.

[159]In the vicinage of Mangaſei reſide chiefly the baptized Jakutians, whoſe number amounts only to 127 men. The Tunguſe in the Jeniſei make out, in general, a nation of 2000 men; 1282 of whom are within the juriſdiction of Mangaſei, and the reſt of Jeniſeiſkaja. In the diſtrict of Mangaſei are 640 Samojedes, 351 comprehended under the name of Eaſtjaiks, and 479 men immediately from Jeniſeiſkoi.

Beyond Mangaſei the river Jeniſei is of a vaſt breadth, particularly towards Selakino, where it be⯑gins to form bays. In ſome places, where there are no iſlands, its breadth is more than eight miles, ſo that the oppoſite ſhore is ſcarcely viſible. The right border of the river is every where mountainous, yet the mountains are not high; the left is free from mountains, yet very elevated, and, like the mountain-ſide, covered with woods. The ſnow and ice on the border does not melt till the end of June; and in the narrow vallies, excavated by the ſnow-water, and on the land of the free, open heights, it thaws only to a ſmall depth: for we found often underneath the moſs and roots of the little willows, which grew on that moſs, bare ice, or hard, frozen ground. Alders, larches, willows and birches, generally bloom there about the end of June; other plants ſhew their bloſſoms much earlier; and this is in the 66th degree of latitude. Beyond Plachina were found ſome petrified muſcles, and above Selakino, a tooth, and ſome other remains of elephants.

[160]The river Jeniſei, in its lower diſtricts, is much more peopled with Ruſſians than the Ob, as being more fertile. Chantaiſkoi Pogort, 225 miles beyond Mangaſei, has, beſides a church, only four dwellings, three of which are the habitations of ſome Ruſſian prieſts; but there are a great many ſcattered, ſingle houſes, all along the banks of the river, as far as the fro⯑zen ocean.

On the 19th of Auguſt I left Kraſnojarſkaja, and the ſame afternoon directed my journey to the Sa⯑janian mountains; and as I was to travel a road that had not been trod for 20 years, and was marſhy, and entirely overgrown with wood, I ſent people before, to clear the way, and prepare me paſſages over ri⯑vers and brooks. Some days I could get on pretty well, and ſome others, I could not travel more than about 20 miles.

On the morning of the 21ſt of Auguſt we had a very difficult road indeed to paſs, through a bewildered foreſt, many marſhy defiles and bogs, rendered worſe by a two-months rain. We could not croſs the mires, but by placing faggots every ſtep before us, to prevent our ſinking; yet, with all this difficulty, we made ſhift to advance 30 miles. We ſlept in a foreſt; it thundered and rained all the night, but the darkneſs of the night added ſomething to the pleaſure we received in the ſight of a number of glow-worms, which were collected [161] in heaps, in rotten leaves and ſprays, which ſhone every where with great brilliancy. They are ſcarce ſix lines long, ſomewhat thicker than a horſe-hair, and look like cheeſe-maggots. Theſe woods are alſo re⯑markable for a ſpecies of nightingale, with cinnabar⯑red throats (Motacilla Calliope.)

On the 26th I croſſed the Yjus, and continued my way up the river, to Kokowo Uluſs, where I ſpent the night. From this place we ſee, higher up on the weſt, ſide of the Yjus, a mountain of a peculiar form, called by the Tartars Anlo; it is ſituated about eight or 10 miles from this place, about three miles from the left banks of the river, and near 27 miles from Karyſchkoi Rudnick. The mountain riſes gently on one ſide to the top, and there forms a wide cleft, with a ſquare, rocky precipice, and from the center of the cleft pro⯑jects a ſmall rock.

This ſquare rock is what is properly called Aulo, and is worſhipped by the Tartars. Orix Dmittrei, Waſſilief, from Tomſkoi, who was exiled in his youth from Ruſſia to the huts of Barnaul, has begun a regular mine-work, on a weſtern, adjacent mountain, either from whim, or ſome impoſing view; under a pretence of ſome trea⯑ſures being here buried by an ancient Mongol khan, called Altyn. According to his own account, one Samet Arſchanof, a Tartar of Katſchinſkaja, who had been often ſent with Imperial diſpatches from [162] Ruſſia to the Mongols, under the protection of the Chineſe, had often heard it ſaid, and that indeed it was an old ſaying among them, that Altyn-chan had formerly reigned in the diſtrict about the Yjus, and having been obliged to retire, had concealed all his riches and jewels in ſome hidden cavern in the envi⯑rons of the rock Anlo. This ſaying is the only reaſon of their digging. His impoſtures go ſtill farther, pre⯑tending, that on the river Tſchulym live ſome Mongol women, who poſſeſs Mongol manuſcripts, deſcribing all the acceſſes to the cavern in which the treaſures are concealed.

Hence it muſt be concluded, and from the character of the man, that he is an able impoſtor, who, by the above pretexts, has perſuaded ſome credulous peo⯑ple, and ſome of his own children, who are ſubſtan⯑tial perſons, to advance him money on this project, which allows him to lead an indolent life. He has ordered ſhafts to be dug in two places, where this mountain has clefts, to the depth of many fathoms, and has employed people ſeveral winters in this work, and ſtill goes on with hired workmen, digging into this hard rock, and blowing it up with gunpowder. A large, white-headed vulture, who once lighted on the top of this mountain, after hovering a long time above it, and looking down on the ſpot, he took for a meſſenger ſent to point out the treaſures. On ſome places are the remains of bones, and the teeth of ani⯑mals, [163] and ſome dead ſerpents were found in the clefts. Theſe are, he ſays, the remains of ſacrifices offered to the evil ſpirits, when the treaſure was depoſited, and thus given to them. Theſe goblins, he pretends, play him a number of tricks, throwing ſtones at the work⯑men, and extinguiſhing the light brought to fire the powder, and often deceive him and his men, by call⯑ing and other means, and by this method colours his enterprize with the appearance of importance, and captivates the belief of the Siberian peaſants. As he writes expeditiouſly, he keeps a journal of ſuch-like hardſhips, of which whole quires were laid before me.

I thought it not worth my attention to inſpect any part of the works of this wrong-headed fool, but ſent Mr. Surjef there on this object, employing my time in botanical reſearches, and viewing the bitter, ſalt-lakes in the neighbourhood, where large quantities of ſalt are prepared, and the place guarded by Coſſacks.

On the 28th of Auguſt, I reached the mines of Karyſchkoi Rudnick, and ſtaid ſome days to examine them. Theſe were firſt worked by a private perſon. This man did not dig very deep, being contented with the day-ores, the chief of which were very irony, and not knowing how to ſmelt them, he was diſcouraged, and a barge-load of the beſt ore being ſunk in carrying it along the river Jeniſei, he gave the mine up. In 1759, Counſellor Kleopin came here, and ſet ſome [164] men to work, but he was tired in the courſe of one ſummer. Some noble metals, however, breaking into lazuli-pebbles, called the attention of the crown, who ſent Captain Mettich, of Brunſwick, and he began working it in 1764, and continued it till laſt year. In the ſeveral trying-pits made by this gentleman, the richeſt ore broke neſtwiſe, and was uſually better in the day than in the depth. It conſiſted of fine, vio⯑let, or lazuli-like, and alſo pale-green and yellow pebbles, partly ſprinkled in with, and partly breaking into, compact and rich nodules, with veins of verdi⯑gris, in a wild and ferruginous matrix. At the depth of from eight to nine fathoms, this matrix prevailed ſo much, that the works, though continued to 10 fa⯑thoms, were ſo dull, that they are now ſuſpended. Many thouſand puds of ore, however, have been here dug, eſpecially of the above-mentioned, rich pebbles, which, on an aſſay, yielded, in one way, in a hundred pud weight of ore, 22½ puds of copper, and three pounds, 62 drams of ſilver; and in another, 20 pounds raw-ſtone, 15 pounds of refined copper, and nine drams of ſilver per pud, with many gold marks. In the depth, the meaneſt iron-ore yielded 15 puds of raw-iron, 20 pounds of copper, and 25 drams of ſilver per cent.

Another mine adjoining has been opened this year, and is now working. Here is a quartz lode, more than ſeven feet broad, which runs towards midnight. [165] In it lies a brown ochre, in clefts and in nodules, and yellow mulm, with ſome verdigris, which, on an aſſay, yielded from two to three drams of ſilver per 100 puds. No mark of gold has appeared, and from the ſmall quantity of ſilver, &c. no great things are expected.

The beſt mine is about 13 miles further off, up the Jurba, in the granite mountains. They work there on a quartz lode, with copper-green, one fathom ſtrong, to which adheres a brown mulm of gold alloy. Here they extract from 100 puds two and a half to three drams of gold-duſt: the vari-coloured quartz contains 23 pounds of copper, and ſix drams of ſilver; the green, mixt ochre yields 25 drams of ſilver, and the ferruginous ochre, two drams of ſilver, per 100 puds.

Between the Yjus and Jurba are many other try⯑ing-pits; but this mountain has not been ſo ſtrictly examined as to give any great hopes.

An interpreter, whom I wanted for the continua⯑tion of my journey, being now arrived, I left this place on the 1ſt of September, taking the ſame road as laſt year, travelling ſtraight to the ſouth, towards the Jurba, where there are ſome Tartarian Jurts of the tribe Kaidan-Aimak. This tribe, and that of Arinſkoi has one and the ſame governor, called Baſchlyk. Part of theſe tribes has ſettled among the [166] Tartars, about the brooks Teſs and Jurba. The tribe Kaidan-Aimak reckons 30 bows, and their elder (Kaſ⯑nez) reſides upon the Uybat. The tribe Buk Tjin Aimak. conſiſts of 39 bows, whoſe Kaſnez lives on the brook Koma. The tribe Kaſan Kaidan-Aimak has but 16 bows, and dwells high in the mountains on the river Kyfir. Theſe Tartars and the Koibuls are chiefly employed in hunting of ſables in the moun⯑tains ſituate about theſe rivers and the Oi. Other Tartarian tribes may hunt there, but with the permiſ⯑ſion of theſe, and on certain terms.

The little, river Uybat, which empties into the Abakan, ſerves as a frontier-line to the Katſchinzy Tartars, and thoſe of the Sajaian mountains; the former are under the juriſdiction of Kraſnajarſkaja, and the latter pay their tribute at Kuſnezkoi. As the ſtep on both ſides the Uybat is not only very warm in winter, on account of the mountains, but has ſcarce any ſnow; the richeſt of theſe Tartars drive their flocks and herds here in autumn, and look on this diſtrict as their beſt winter-paſture. The Sajaian Tar⯑tars dwell on the right ſide, and the others on the left. The ſtep, full of old graves, is an evident proof that the Nomades firſt ſettled here, and found the diſtrict an advantageous ſituation.

On the 4th of September I continued my journey farther on the Uybat, and directed it thro' the Sajaian [167] ſtep towards the Little Syr. On the high fields in Dauria the Stellaria dichotoma was uncommonly abun⯑dant. It was now moſtly dried up, in globular, round buſhes, and rolled every where by the wind; for the calyxes of this plant, when dry, encloſe the thick ſeeds, ſo as not to be ſhed; and nature has, by a particular foreſight, ſo diſpoſed the flower-ſtalks, (pedunculi) that they bend backwards like a leg, after it has done bloſſoming, that they may not break, when the plant rolls upon the ground.

About 27 miles from the Syr, lies the Ruſſian vil⯑lage Synowina, inhabited by peaſants; and eight miles from this is a high mountain, called by the Tartars Temir (Iron) which, like the Kujum, two miles further towards the brook Dſhakdſhul, is full of ochre-neſts, in a white matrix, where the antient miners (Tſchudaki) ſeem to have been very diligent. Many new attempts were made to work this mine, for the reſt of the ochres are moſtly ſerruginous, and the copper and ſilver ore of little value. During the modern works, they diſco⯑vered an adit ſo narrow, that a boy could ſcarce creep through: this narrowneſs muſt be aſſiſted by time, which has ſqueezed the ſides together.

Between the Nyna and Syr, we left a remarkable lake, on our right, called by the Tartars Bulanny Kul, who ſay, that in winter, it makes a certain roar before [168] it freezes. As they paſs it, they leave ſome ſpray or ſtone upon an adjacent mountain as a ſacrifice, a uſual, ſuperſtitious ceremony of the Siberian pagans.

On the greater river Syr are ſeveral Tartarian jurts, where I learned they had among them a famous Kahm, or ſorcerer, whom the ſpirits had deprived of one foot, and yet he jumped well. As this man was not at home, or had, probably, concealed himſelf, to avoid the trouble of making his exorciſms before me, I ordered his magic dreſs to be brought to me; his drum was uncommonly pretty, more than an ell in diameter, and was painted green and red. Except the drum and its beater, the whole dreſs conſiſted only of a cap made of red cloth, edged with fox-ſkin, and or⯑namented with ſerpents' heads, having in the top a buſh of owls' feathers, and about the borders were ſeveral ornaments of ſtriped ſtuff, ermine-furs, &c. For in Sagai, ſorcerers wear their uſual clothes, when perform⯑ing their incantations ^*. They brought alſo, with the drum and cap of this wizzard, a bundle of 46 little ſticks, of an equal ſize, four inches long, burnt at both ends, and, made of a ſpecies of reed, a prophetic inſtru⯑ment of the magicians of the place, which they call Sugge. When they propheſy, they take theſe in the left hand, ſitting before a fire, mutter ſome words over [169] them, hold the ends of them in the fire, and with loud invocations lift them into the air, then divide them ſuddenly into three parcels, between the fingers of the left hand, and, by ſuch of the ſticks as do not paſs between the fingers, they preſage good or bad luck.

Fifteen miles further on, whilſt we changed horſes, we were entertained with another Sajan ſorcerer, called Stepan. He would have kept his art a ſecret, had not my people found out his drum, which he had concealed in another jurt. This was a briſk, young fellow, who beat his drum, firſt kneeling, and then ſitting before the fire, and ſung his incantations in a very harmonious tune. Soon after this they grew more terrible, his motions were violent, and continued more and more ſo, till he was ſeemingly in a fit; he then bent backwards, with his heels and head to the ground, making a bow of his body, beating his drum at the ſame time, which paſſed inceſſantly under this bow from ſide to ſide. This difficult exerciſe he re⯑peated ſeveral times, and was the beſt part of his per⯑formance.

I rode this day, the 4th of September, to the mouth of the Akyſch into the Abakan, where is an open diſtrict. A church has been built within the laſt year, of which the baptized, Sajan Tartars are the pariſhio⯑ners. Here is no building but the church, the mi⯑niſter's houſe, and that of the Baſchlyk, or head of the [170] tribe, who has embraced the chriſtian faith ſome time. The prieſt of this place is under the juriſdiction of Abakanſkoi, tho' the tribe of Saja belongs to the diſtrict of Kuſnezkoi. Theſe chriſtian Tartars con⯑tributed to the building the church, and the ſtipend of the miniſter, whilſt thoſe who remain pagans adhere to their pagan cuſtoms. Some of them had commenced huſbandmen. Others wander, in ſummer-time, with their flocks and herds, along the brooks into the cool mountains, and return in winter to the ſnowleſs ſteps about the Abakan. The whole conſiſts only of 150 men, who pay a tribute, or jaſſack, of three rubles per bow. Their complexion and conſtitution is not at all ſimilar to thoſe of the Tartars of Katſchinzkoi, but are more like the Beltirs, and other Tartars who inhabit the mountains of Kuſmezkoi. Few of their faces are like the Kalmucks, but their features are truly Tartarian. They are very hairy about the chin and body, and their limbs and body are larger and ſtronger than the Katſchinzians. It ſeems that theſe men, who inhabit ſuch a wild, mountainous diſtrict, have taken care not to mix their progeny with Mon⯑galian blood.

The firſt is the dog's-tooth root (Erythronium) called here Beſs. It is the principal buſineſs of the women to dig this root in the month of May; hence this month is called, by the Beltir and Sajan Tartars, Beſs⯑ai. As theſe roots lie four or five inches under a tough turf, they uſe a particular, pointed ſpade for digging them. They force the ſpade into the ground with the foot, and the root is then eaſy to come at; having cleaned them, they put them in water to ſoak, then wind them round with baſs, and dry them. When dreſſed, they are boiled gently in water, till they are ſoft, and eaten with milk or cream. They reſemble in taſte the rawneſs of wheat-flour, mixt up with water and eggs, and are very indigeſtible. Another root eaten by the Katſchinzkoi Tartars, is that of the common Siberian Piony. This is dried for the win⯑ter, and is moſtly eaten, ground in ſoup with meat, and [172] is called Ure. The uſe of the common, and deep red bunch-lilies, the former of which, Lilium Martagon, is called Sary (yellow) Schep, the latter Lilium Pom⯑ponium, Aſchep (white); and the Beltirs call the month July, in which it is collected, Aſchep-ai. What they do not eat raw, they keep, and eat, roaſted in the cinders, like cheſnuts, or boiled in water, with milk and butter. The Sajan Tartars collect a great quantity of the red lily-roots from the proviſion-holes of the grey ſtep⯑mouſe (Mus ſocialis) or elſe dig it with the above⯑mentioned ſpades.

They alſo dig roots of the ſanguiſorbia, the knotty fumitory, the large bell-flowers (camp. lilifolia), certain thiſtle (carduus ſeratuloides), the viper herb (polygonunt viviparum); alſo a kind of herb called ſoſack, which ſcarce a wild boar will touch. I heard of another plant, called uſkum, but had not an opportunity of ſeeing it; nay, I have been told that the poor Tar⯑tars, if very hungry, will eat the bark of the white pine-tree.

A dainty which they alſo dreſs for winter-food is the bird-cherry, which they grind, kernel and all, and eat the coarſe meal in milk as a deſert. It would be idle to mention all the berries they eat in ſummer-time. The freſh roots of hips, or wild roſes, they chop and boil for tea. They make alſo a diſh with milk and the groats of buck-wheat, which I was told they did in the following manner: after waſhing the grain in [173] water, and taking off ſuch as is light, and ſwims at top, which is thrown away, they put the reſt; into a wet bag, and let it lie 10 or 12 hours to ſoak, then dry it a little over an iron ſtove, till it becomes rather hard, which they try by the teeth; if quite dry, when pounded in their mortars, which is a hollowed trunk of a tree, it would become flour; but being a little moiſt, when pounded, it becomes groats; for having dried them on a ſtove, the huſks get looſe, and, in beating, come off from the body, and are cleared from the body of the grain by the hand or a winnow. The grain thus prepared, is ſomewhat tranſparent, of a yellowiſh colour, and is much improved in taſte.

Of medicines, and other plants for domeſtic uſe, I obſerved the following: the Lychnis Chalcedonica, which grows in the vallies. The flowers of this plant are uſed as ſoap, and the Ruſſians call it Tatarſkoi muilo (Tartar ſoap). The onoſma echioides, which grows in the ſteps about the Abakan, the Tartar girls uſe as paint for their cheeks. The ſavin-tree, and the rho⯑dodendron chryſanthum, which will be mentioned more particularly below, are medicines known for the ſame uſe among the Tartars and Ruſſians in the Jeniſei. The Tartars alſo dig the rhaphontic for internal uſe. The moſt common tea-plant here is the ſaxifraga craſſi⯑folia, and the aſtringent decoction of the roots is ſuc⯑ceſsfully uſed by the mountain-Tartars for looſeneſs of the belly and feveriſh complaints.

[174]Amongſt the plants of ſome utility in the Pagan, Tartar economy, are the hemp-nettle, and little ro⯑binea pygmea. Of the former they make a coarſe yarn, for ſtrings of ſelf-ſhooting bows, which they ſet out in Autumn, and the tough roots of the latter they uſe as baſt. They alſo gather the Autumn leaves of the he⯑merocallis, to make ſoft mats and ſaddle-cuſhions, which they twiſt together in a very pretty manner.

It is not that all theſe roots and plants are uſed by one and the ſame tribe of Tartars; but I have thrown them together, as uſed in general by ſome or other of the Tartar tribes, for any uſeful purpoſes my readers may pleaſe to try them.

On the fifth of September I continued my journey up the Abakan, more to the South, and to the moſt remote Ruſſian dwellings on the Taſchtyp. As ſoon as we croſs the watry Aſkyſch, we are in the diſtrict of the Beltirs, whoſe paſtures are along the Abakan, and who claim the right bank of it. Six miles from this is the winter-reſidence of Eptiſch, the preſent Baſchlyk of the Beltir Tartars and the Birjuſſes.

The Beltirs conſiſt at preſent of 150 tributary men, who altogether pay a Jaſſack of 300 rubles. Like the Saja-Tartars, they are under the juriſdiction of Kuſnezkoi, and have a ſtrong reſemblance to them in countenance, manner and language. Many of them [175] are rich in cattle and ſheep, and moſt of them follow huſbandry. September is their harveſt-month, which, like the Germans, they call Orgok-ai. They threſh their corn abroad in the field, and burn the ſtraw on the ground. Their chief crops are ſummer-corn (aryſch), particularly barley (aſch) of which they make groats. The ground is turned up with a pick-axe, called by them abyl; but ſome have begun to make uſe of a plough, which they call ſalda. In autumn, when they have plenty of milk, from which ſome neighbour or other is always diſtilling brandy, they are ſeldom to be found ſober but in the morning.

Like the Katchinzkoi Tartars, the Beltirs have a cuſtom of hanging up little rags and ſkins of animals about their tents. Among ſome I met alſo with the Buratian rag idols (ongon) conſecrated by the magi⯑cians at ſacrifices.

In this diſtrict up the Aſkyſch, begins that remark⯑able ſtep which extends between the mountains and the low grounds of the Abakan, and is covered more than any diſtrict on the Jeniſei, with old tombs and monu⯑ments of an extraordinary ſize and appearance. Among theſe graves, which are ſurrounded with a ſquare wall of granite rock and raiſed with the walls, partly like a flat, earth hillock, and partly paved with ſmall granites, are many ſtones ornamented with a rough ſculpture of human faces, deſerving a more particular deſcription, which, with other ſtone images on the ſteps of the Jeni⯑ſei, have been erected long before the time of the Kir⯑gueſe. A mile and an half above the winter-habitation of the Beltir chief, ſtood two, very narrow ſtones, ſeven feet high, flat on both ſides, narrower at the top, and truncated, which now lie along upon the ground. Both have, at the upper end, the features of a human face, quite flat, cut out on them; one of which is about [178] half an ell higher than the other, and called, by the Tartars, Kuſs Taſch (the daughter), and has, on the edge of the border, on the right of the face, carved figures of the two-bunched camel, from top to bot⯑tom; and, on the other edge, the ghaſtly image of a child.

The Beltirs call the other ſtone, Kuſi Taſch (man-ſtone). On its right edge, below, is cut a man on horſeback, with his lance before him, on which a flag hangs; and, a little higher, is carved a bent bow, with an arrow on it, tolerably large and plain. On the other edge are different figures, rendered undiſtinguiſhable by time; on the top is a lance, with a triple flag; and farther below, ſome ſquare lines and the form of a boat; and, at the bottom, the figure of a child.

Some hundred fathoms from theſe ſtones, on the weſt ſide of a large tomb, encompaſſed with granites, and ſurrounded with many others, ſtands a piece of large granite-rock, as high as a man, ſo edged at the top that its point and carved ſide turns eaſtwards to the tomb. Near the point of this granite is a large female face, much more relieved than on other ſtones, having its mouth wide open, and very much worn and decayed by time. On the middle of the ſtone, on the ſame ſide, are ſome ſquare lines, and elegant carved drawings, but quite inſignificant. This piece of rock is known, among the heathen Tartars of this diſtrict, by the [179] name of Kurtejak-taſch (woman's ſtone), or Ulu Kurte⯑jak (the big woman); and is induſtriouſly invoked for good luck in ſable-hunting, by the heathens that paſs this way. They feed it devoutly, by ſmearing and filling its mouth with fat or butter.

But, a mile and an half higher up the Abakan, is the fineſt monument I have ſeen among all Siberian antiquities. This is a tomb, four fathoms high, and 150 paces in circumference, raiſed upon an eminence, ſo as to be ſeen at a great diſtance. Four other tu⯑muli lying about, north-weſt and ſouth-weſt, at a good diſtance, form a triangle with the great one; in the opening of which, weſtwards from the largeſt tumulus, at 200 paces from it, three long ſquare-ſided ſand-rock ſtones, rather narrower at the top, are ſo placed, that their flat ſides face the north and ſouth, each ſtone ſtanding about four feet from the other. On the north⯑ernmoſt of theſe ſtones, on the edge that faces the eaſt, a very long but diſtinguiſhable face is ſculptured out, and much relieved, which takes up the length of the ſtone. This is called, by the Tartars, Kitſchi Kurtejak (the little woman). Neither of the other ſtones have any thing remarkable, but their eaſtern edge being hewn like the ſcales of a fiſh. On the flat ſide of the ſtone, ornamented with the face, are ſome drawings. A very large ſtone, ſtanding on the weſt of the above-mentioned grave, more than three ells high, and one and an half wide, has a great many figures on the ſouth-ſide, [180] which, as far as I could diſtinguiſh, are a kind of Tartar hieroglyphics, as inſcriptions, drawn or ſcratched on their tomb-ſtones. Some of theſe pieces are probably the ſign-manual of the deceaſed; for the pagans in Siberia, like the common people in Ruſſia, who cannot write, have a particular ſignature, which they uſe to writings inſtead of their name, and which is acknowledged as valid by their courts of ju⯑dicature.

Among the great number of tombs of the fine win⯑ter-plains on the Abakan, there are few but what are injured: however, as I obſerved ſome not dug into, and deſirous of knowing ſomething of their internal ſtruc⯑ture, I ordered a tent to be erected near the Kurtujak Taſch, determining to paſs the night here, and wait the opening of one of theſe hills. All the monuments about the Abakan are ſo ſimilar externally, that they muſt have been tombs of the ſame nation. The only difference is, that ſome have the ground flat within the ſquare walls, and others raiſed, which may be a diſtinction only of rank, or tribe. The granite ſtones that border theſe graves lay moſtly along, with one edge on the ground; none ſet up an end, but in the north-eaſt, ſouth-eaſt, and ſouth-weſt angles. Thoſe graves which have the largeſt ſtones, are not wholly ſurrounded with them: ſome have only a long ſtone, like a pilaſter, inclining over the grave. On thoſe graves which lie near the mountains, there is ſcarce a [181] ſtone to be ſeen, as the ſnow and rain from the moun⯑tains have waſhed the earth over them. In ſome, the ſpace within the walls is divided into two or three parts, by rows of ſtones placed on end, and running from eaſt to weſt; one of which is generally larger, and ſtands higher than the reſt. Theſe are apparently graves in which ſeveral perſons of one family are buried. The chief difference in theſe tombs is, that ſome are paved on the top with granite-ſtone, and others only filled up with earth. I ordered one of the former, which ſeemed to be one entire hill, to be opened, but no regular coffin was found, only a mixture of decayed bones of ſeveral bodies, laid with the legs towards each other. Theſe relicks were found at the depth of four feet and a half, and in viſible diſorder. With the bones were found broken pieces of earthen veſſels, various large cooking-baſons, a bead of a greeniſh-white, ena⯑melled ſubſtance; and, among the bones, a cheek-bone, with teeth of moderate ſize; but no other parts of the head, or other ſmall bones, were to be found. In an⯑other grave, only filled with earth, and quite flat at top, were found, at the depth of not quite four feet and a half, ſome large granite-ſtones, lying flat, but the earth filled up beneath them; yet it was plainly to be ſeen, that there was a long, ſquare ſpace, made with ſtones, running eaſt and weſt. Here were found the bones of a man, in ſuch order, as to ſee that he was laid with his head towards the eaſt; but of the ſcull and teeth nothing was remaining; and every other bone [182] was very imperfect and ſoft. About the head were ſome ſingle horſe and ox-bones; on the right, an ear⯑then boiling-veſſel, ſqueezed to pieces by ſtones laid on it, and within it a brown duſt was perceptible. On the left, the undiſtinguiſhable remains of ſome piece of crooked wood; but, in the very middle, near where the head lay, a very thin round piece of leaf-gold, as big as half a ruble, bent over a raiſed copper button, quite rotten with verdigreaſe, perhaps the button of a woman's cap. The great decay of theſe bones, in ſo ſandy a ſoil, is an indiſputable proof of the high anti⯑quity of theſe tombs. Though we diſcovered but little that was curious, yet I wiſhed to open other tombs; but having no good diggers, or grave-ſearchers, among the peaſants that attended me, I was obliged to give it up.

It is ſaid, by the Ruſſian grave-ſearchers here, that the common graves contain ſmall gold and ſilver veſ⯑ſels; but are not ſo rich in other pieces of inſtructive antiquity as the raiſed earth-tombs. Indeed, I was more pleaſed with the antiquities found with the bodies of the firſt tomb we opened, than with the piece of gold in the other. Perhaps, thoſe interred in the raiſed tu⯑muli, were of that ancient nation who have left ſo many traces of their knowledge in metallurgy. Contented, therefore, with what I had ſeen, I went, on the 6th, towards the Taſchtyp. At the diſtance of four miles, I croſſed the brook Iſſe, and changed horſes at the [183] Kobynzian jurts, on the brook Tye. Here I met the elders of three Tartarean tribes, Kobyn, Kargin, and Kain, who are under the juriſdiction of Kunezkoi, and who, like the Beltirs, received me with great aſfability. The tribe Kobyn conſiſts of 53 bows; that of Kargin, of 40; which laſt, with ſome other tribes of mountain⯑eers, bear the common name of Birjaſſes. The former once inhabited the mountains, and lived wretchedly on hunting; but ſince they have ſettled on the Tye and Abakan, in the territories of the Beltirs, they are grown rather ſubſtantial, by adding the breeding of cattle to their employ of hunting. In their language, make, man⯑ners, and way of living, they do not differ from the Beltirs; and live, like all the Tartars about the Jeni⯑ſei, in jurts, covered in ſummer with birch bark, and in winter with ſheep-wool felts.

There was here, in the ſouthern parts of the more open mountains, an incredible number of partridges, who, in winter, find abundance of food in the warm and ſnowleſs meridional parts of the rocky mountains, and who run about in crowds very tame, and not the leaſt ſhy.

Taſchtypkaja is the moſt remote Ruſſian village on the waſte part of the Mongalian frontiers, which, from the Ob to the Jeniſei, is not yet provided with for⯑treſſes and regular troops. It is ſituated at the bottom of the high mountains, where woods begin to cover [184] their tops. On the left of the Taſchtyp are five dwell⯑ings, inhabited by Coſſacks from Kraſnojarſkaja, who voluntarily offered to do the frontier-duty, which uſed to be done by Tartars. This people have found the place excellently adapted for agriculture, breeding of cattle, and hunting. Sometimes the corn ſuffers by early, white froſts, and ſometimes by caterpillars; but, on the whole, the harveſt is uſually a good one. For breeding of cattle, they have the fineſt meadows; and it is a rich place for hunting. There are indeed but few ſables; but theſe they can procure from the poor Tartars, by giving them bread and groats in exchange. In fact, this diſtrict well deſerves numerous population. The Taſchtyp is a large brook which, in ſpring and rainy weather, flows ſo plentifully, that, on the ſhal⯑loweſt ſpots, it is ſcarcely fordable by horſes. It flows here between two, high, chalk mountains, which extend further up and down the Abakan, are from hence co⯑vered with larch-trees and fir-woods, interſected with fine, open vallies. From the village, to its mouth in the Abakan, it is about 22 miles. On the other ſide of the frontier, which is Chineſe Mongalia, no Mongols live, but a people called Sojet, that ſubſiſt on hunting, keep rein-deer, and, in language and blood, ſeem related to the Motores, on the Oi and Tuba, and of courſe to the Koibales and Samojedes. Before the Chineſe had any guards on their frontiers, there was always here a road of communication between Siberia and Mongalia.

[185]Beſides the frontier-mark of this place, there is an⯑other eaſtwards, on the Jeniſei, at the mouth of the Kenitſchuk, into that river; but there is no getting to it, except over the ice, in winter.

About the Taſchtyp are Tartars of the tribes of Kain and Kobyn. The former has but 25 military men; but the tribe Schors, further down the Maſna, has 50. As theſe have no opportunity for agriculture, and are poor in cattle, their ſubſiſtence conſiſts in wild roots and hunting, living in wilderneſſes inacceſſible to others, and being rank heathens. In winter they wan⯑der, with their little cattle, down the Taſchtyp, where the ſnow does not fall too deep. The ſables being ſcarce in this diſtrict, they go to the wild moraſſes, on the oppoſite ſhore of the Jeniſei, in the diſtrict of Kraſnojarſkaja, to catch this animal, in order to pay their tribute. But the Koibales, who pretend to claim that diſtrict, will not ſuffer them to hunt with nets, but often take their inſtruments and toils from them.

I continued at Taſchtyp on the 7th of September, and ſpent the whole day in climbing the mountains along the brook, in ſearch of plants. Underneath a ſteep rock, after having had the good luck to climb up, a young bear, by the rattling of a falling ſtone, was moved from his abode, took flight, and as we, by hal⯑looing and ſhouting, frightened him ſtill more, he ſwam through the Taſchtyp, in order to hide himſelf in an [186] adjacent wood. I ſent a Tartar, with this intelligence, to the next jurts; and, in leſs than half an hour, a num⯑ber of armed Tartars, on horſeback, haſtened on all ſides, purſuing the bear cloſe through an open field, over which he wanted to take refuge in a diſtant moun⯑tain. They killed him in this field, and we had the pleaſure of ſurveying the chace from the high mountain; and were much aſtoniſhed at the courage of a Tartarean horſe, which overtook the bear firſt, and beat him down on the rocky ground with his fore-feet, previous to his being killed.

The plants here are common to the diſtricts of Dauria, and the mountains in the eaſt of Siberia. On the chalky mountains grows, in many places, the ſavin-tree (Juniperus Sabina). This tree is occaſionally con⯑veyed to Kraſnojarſkaja and Tomſkoi, as a famous, do⯑meſtic remedy; the knowledge of which ſeems to have originated from the Tartars; and the name they give it, Artſchin, the Ruſſians have adopted. They uſe its branches, not only ſuperſtitiouſly to ſmoke off malicious ſpirits, but the ſame is alſo ſerviceable to ſick children; and, in diſorders of the head, to grown people: and, if the ſmoke will not operate with efficacy, they ſwallow ſome of it. It is alſo ſaid to be of great ſervice for various diſorders of the belly.

The river Abakan, where we croſſed, is more than 80 fathoms broad, very deep, as rapid as an arrow, and difficult to paſs; however, having prepared a ferry, we effected it; and in my way to Sajanſkoi-Oſtrog, a diſtance of 82 miles, I paſſed the night of the 9th of September in the jurts of the Koibales, about four miles from the Jeniſei, and eight from Sa⯑janſkoi-Oſtrog.

The Koibales, with whom I got acquainted this day, are a very different ſet of people from all the pagan Tartars hitherto mentioned; not in their perſons, manner of living, and dreſs, but in appearance and language, and, of courſe, in origin. Their language is much like that of the Samojedes; and, though rendered confuſed by a ſtrong mixture of Tartar, yet it may probably be concluded, from the conſiderable re⯑mains of the former language among the Koibal hordes, Motores, &c. that this, and other ſcattered tribes, muſt be a remnant of the Samojede nations, driven from their ancient abodes, as far as the Dolar countries. The following liſt of words is a ſufficient proof of the reſemblance of the languages of thoſe na⯑tions; [190] and that of the Motores ſeems to be moſt like the Samojede.

Of the Koibales, round the Jeniſei, they reckon 14 tribes, all which contain only 384 men who pay tri⯑bute. They are almoſt all baptized, and have laid their pagan cuſtoms aſide, at leaſt publicly. Aged and full-grown people they bury in the ground; but children, when dead, they expoſe on trees, as do the Beltirs. They are not very opulent in cattle, but live to⯑lerably well by hunting and agriculture; yet ſome of [191] them will poſſeſs a hundred horſes: they uſe the Ruſſian plough Saban; ſow more grain than they want, and ſell the overplus to the Tartars. They ga⯑ther alſo more wild-flax and nettles than the Tartars, and make ropes of them. Many have wooden, win⯑ter-dwellings; and even thoſe who wander about in tents, keep poultry. They hunt in large companies, and kill a great many ſables, beavers and otters, which they claim an excluſive right to: their firſt hunting-ſeaſon is at the end of Auguſt. In Decem⯑ber and January they catch ſables, beavers, otters, lynxes, and other ſcarce and dear animals; but in March they hunt elks and ſtags in their ſnow-ſcates. Their furs are moſtly conveyed by commiſſion to Kuſ⯑nezkoi; but they pay their tribute in the hides of elks and ſtags, and make up any deficiency in money. They catch the hyena in the following manner. This animal is ſaid to follow the track of foxes, in order to ſhare their prey; they, therefore, fix traps and ſelf-ſhooting bows about ſuch tracks, to which the hyena falls a victim firſt. When the Koibales are hunting in the winter-time, on the mountainous wildnerneſſes, where their horſes cannot feed on account of the deep ſnow, they ſearch for thoſe ſtores of hay, laid up, in conſiderable heaps, under the rocks, or about the trees, by the little cliff-hare (lepus alpinus). Theſe heaps conſiſt of the moſt juicy plants, and, among the reſt, a great deal of wolf's-bane; but it does not hurt the horſes. About theſe heaps are many deep paths, [192] in which theſe little, induſtrious animals run up and down.

There are but few, old cuſtoms remaining among the Koibales. Their women wear treſſes, hanging to the ſhoulders; and caps like thoſe of the Mongols. They are delivered of their children kneeling, and ſupported by ſome man, but a female friend performs the office of the midwife. The lying-in woman is fed with a great deal of butter and fat meat, and is not ſuffered to drink any thing cold for the firſt three days, at the expiration of which time ſhe returns to her bu⯑ſineſs; but during her ſtate of impurity, which is ele⯑ven days, or a fortnight, ſhe muſt not dreſs any vic⯑tuals for her huſband. In the firſt ſeven days ſhe is waſhed thrice; and, after this, once a month for ſome time; but her laſt purification is being ſmoked with the Irwen, which is the Sabin of Linnaeus.

I will ſay a few words here of the Motores in parti⯑cular. There are ſcarce 10 families of them, the ſmall-pox having twice raged among them. Formerly there were about 30, who paid tribute, and theſe re⯑ſided about the mountains beyond Sajanſkoi-Oſtrog, till they were removed from the frontiers towards Abakanſkoi, and beyond the Tuba. Their dreſs and cloaths ſtill differ from the Koibales. They are poor, poſſeſs but little cattle, and live chiefly by hunting, and ſerving the Ruſſians. The few there are, were [193] baptized about 30 years ago, and formerly placed their dead, between three boards, upon trees. To keep their tents warm, they cover them in winter with hay, at other times with birch-bark. Their doors are made in the eaſt ſide, and they either cannot or will not remember their former ſuperſtitions.

Here is a mine alſo in this neighbourhood, that contains ſilver, but theſe works are at preſent ſuſ⯑pended. On the 11th of September, having pre⯑pared every thing for croſſing the Jeniſei, which is here only 200 fathoms wide, we got our waggons over, but with difficulty.

In the village where we ſlept, I met with an old peaſant, who was not a ſearcher of ore, but an ex⯑perienced digger of hidden treaſures. He made no ſecret of his art; and to him and his aſſiſtants am I indebted for ſeveral good accounts of the nature of the ancient tombs on the Jeniſei, and am therefore leſs ſcrupulous of committing them to paper, con⯑vinced, by viewing freſh-opened tombs, of the truth of what he told me.

The ancient tombs, he ſaid, might be divided into two kinds; the firſt of which conſiſted of tombs of ſtone, the other of earth-hills, ſurrounded with ſtone. In ſtone-graves bodies are often found, deſcribed as above; their head to the eaſt, in a ſepulchre, or caſe, [194] made of ſtones. The bones of the head are chiefly mouldered into duſt. On the right ſide of the head are generally found large, earthen baſons, and relicks of common, wooden houſehold-furniture. In the principal graves of this kind, which differed not ex⯑ternally from the reſt, except in the ſize of the ſtones made uſe of, have been found elegant, ſilver veſſels, gold plates, buttons, and other hornaments; horſe-furniture, made of iron, inlaid or plated with gold and ſilver, and ſometimes, though very rare, copper-furniture. Sometimes the bones of burnt bodies have been found in a little ſpace caſed with ſtone.

The large grave-hills, made of earth only, are ſtill more remarkable, and ſeem to belong to a very diffe⯑rent nation. Theſe are in diſtricts ſeparate from thoſe where the ſtone-tombs are, raiſed on certain heights and level ground, as numerous and cloſe together as in a church-yard. In theſe are found plain and com⯑plete timber-work, large, but decayed. Hence it ap⯑pears that the bodies in theſe graves were laid in a place lined with thick beams, laid upon each other, ſomething like the houſe of a Ruſſian peaſant; and the whole apparently covered with birch-bark, and other wood, which broke in the cover of the ſepulchre by its weight. In theſe places have been found the bones of two or three bodies; and at the feet ſeveral, little toys, interred with the corpſe; earth and cop⯑per veſſels, remnants of wooden veſſels and ladles; [195] copper tools of all ſorts, daggers and knives; with traces of ſcabbards, and other ſmall inſtruments. About the head are found buttons, buckles, plated with gold, and other appearances of dreſs. Occa⯑ſionally, in the beſt-preſerved tombs, have been found viſible pieces of gold and ſilk ſtuff, and remains of fable-hair. In ſome were found bones of large and ſmall animals; and ſeveral little, angular pyramids of various figures, in caſt-copper, repreſenting cheſs⯑men, or ſomething ſimilar. Remains of lances, and ſtaves of honour are alſo met with, where men have been buried; and crutches of caſt copper, ſome⯑times wreathed with ſtripes of hammered-gold. Nay, ſometimes, ſolid plates of gold have been found, pro⯑bably the ornaments of the neck or arms; girdles, and the handles of daggers, decorated with gold. In other ſepulchres, beſides whole bodies, are ſome burnt, whoſe bones lie in a heap together, commonly near the ſides of the tomb; and in ſuch heaps of aſhes often lie ſmall plates of gold, and other little things. In other graves again are ſeen things whoſe uſe or mean⯑ing cannot be deviſed. An old digger of theſe graves, however, aſſured me he once found a man's head, made hollow, of fine porcelain-earth, almoſt as large as life, painted with green and red leaves; and ano⯑ther once found a duck, carved in the bark of aſpen, and thinly covered with gold. Another made me a preſent of a wild ſheep, caſt in copper, ſtanding on a round pedeſtal, the produce of ſuch a grave. They have alſo found many buttons, formed like bells, on [196] which the figure of a chamois was engraved, as I have mentioned once before. Every thing in copper was caſt. Some traces of iron have been found. One of theſe men ſaid, he once met with a ruſty piece of an axe in iron, but ſuch metal is very rare.

They are of opinion that moſt of theſe tombs have been opened and plundered long ſince, as the bones are often ſeen lying in the greateſt confuſion, and in theſe graves nothing of any value is found. In large tombs are ſkeletons of horſes, with remnants of ſad⯑dles, and other horſe-furniture, without the wooden caſe, but beneath the earth. The human bones found are generally of the common ſize; yet they aſſured me they have found gigantic ones.

In the diſtrict about the Schuſch, and other places, eſpecially eaſt of the Jeniſei, are graves, containing a great quantity of confuſed bones, rare lances, and the copper points of arrows; evident proofs of battles.

Four miles up the Schuner, on the Jeniſei, lies Sa⯑janſkoi Oſtrog. It is a fortreſs, 50 fathoms' ſquare, the walls timber, with towers in the angles, and two gates, encompaſſed with a ditch, and cheveaux-de⯑frize. Within are five caſerns, a proviſion ſtore⯑houſe, a powder magazine, and ſix cannon: the gar⯑riſon conſiſts of ſeven coſſacks and a corporal. As the rocky ſoil of this place will not admit of huſ⯑bandry, [197] the houſes of theſe men are in the adjacent villages, and two men only, at a time, mount guard here, to take care of the powder and cannon; ſo that the place looks empty, though the buildings are in a good ſtate.

I made an attempt to go further up the Jeniſei, by leaving my light-waggon, and going on horſeback, but could get no farther than about ſeven miles, to the fortreſs Omai-Tura, which lies in a very rocky cor⯑ner, cloſe to the river, under the mountains that join the Jeniſei, and ſtop all further paſſage by land. This place is called by the Tartars Logina Oſida (the ſiege of Login); but why, no one can tell. Before the Ruſſian ſettlement, a Kirgueſe Horde is ſaid to have taken refuge here in winter, to be free from their perſecutors, till they went on further, in ſpring, in the mountains of Mongalia. When the trying-pits on the Oi were worked, here was a paſſage on the river for the workmen, the mouth of the Oi being juſt oppo⯑ſite this ſpot.

In my way, I ſaw an innumerable quantity of par⯑tridges and quails; the adjacent mountains are croud⯑ed with them. Theſe birds ſpent the winter here, underneath the ſnow. The cauſe that prevents their wandering to warmer, ſouthern climes is, the high mountains, which are much ſooner covered with ſnow; and which, as the autumn drives them here from [198] the low-lands, blocks up their paſſage ſouthwards into Europe.

On the night of the 13th, roſe a violent ſtorm from ſouth-weſt, which continued next day, and then changed to north-weſt, and cauſed a great froſt. However, I continued my journey, early in the morning, down the Jeniſei, towards Kraſnojarſkaja; and at the diſtance of 23 miles from where I ſet out, my two waggons were paſſed over the Oi, which is here 60 fathoms wide, but not without danger, as the ſtorm continued. The village Uſ⯑toiſkaja, on both ſides, lies not far from its mouth into the Jeniſei. Beſides the peaſants of the place, Coſ⯑ſacks here reſide, who do the frontier-duty. Hence we are naturally led 58 miles up the Oi to Oi-Kebeſch Karaul, which lies on the very ſpot where the Oi and Kebeſch unite, and which is the middle, and moſt re⯑mote frontier-poſt. The next poſt is 39 miles further up the Oi, and is diſtant from Abakanſkaja 145 miles. The poſt next following is 21 miles; but the diſtance from that to the firſt frontier-guard of Winſkoi, on account of the wildneſs of the mountains, is not known. The frontier-marks are viſited by three guard-ſtations, each of which has garriſons, and are diſtant from Oi-Kebeſch-Karaul 83 miles. From the guard-poſt, laſt-mentioned, the line runs up the Ke⯑beſch, over a high mountain, to the brook Taradanu; and then down the brook, along the mountain-track Uſimarga, to the river Us, from whoſe borders the [199] ſnow-mountain Choin-Taban riſes ſleeply to the ſkies: hence the boundary runs eaſt, over the Us; ſo that the loftieſt mountains about its ſource, which run along the north-eaſt arm of the Jeniſei, giving the Selenga its ſources, belong to Mongalia. This moun⯑tainous diſtrict is ſo wild and dangerous, that it cannot be ridden over in the beſt of ſeaſons. We were obliged to travel on foot, driving our horſes before us, not to run the riſk of falling every moment down the rocks.

Being aſſured that on the high rocks, about the Us, were many of theſe large Chamoiſes, called by the Tartars of this place Toghe, and by the Mongols Takja, which are not now found farther within Sibe⯑ria; I had obtained orders for the Tartars of Udin⯑ſkoi to endeavour to catch me one in the month of January, 1773; but I was lucky enough to receive two frozen ones from Udinſkoi before I left Siberia. They had been killed between the Uda and Birjuſſa by ſome Karagaſſians. The one was very old, and had loſt his left horn, probably by a fall; and the other was a young, but full-grown animal. The Mountain-Tartars call the buck Toghe, the ſhe-goat Hima, and the young ones Bitſchinja. The ſize of the Siberian Chamois is the ſame in proportion to the Helvetian one, as the Siberian ſtone-ram, or Argali, is to the Muſlon of Corſica. His colour may be com⯑pared with the Cabrit of Guinea, and ſome deer-like Kirguiſian ſhe-goats. The young buck was more [200] light-coloured, and leſs black than the old one. The general colour is a light-brown grey. On the body the hair is not much longer than that of the ſtag, but more like goat's-hair. The fore-part of the belly is long-haired, and ſo is the neck, hind-part of the head and forehead. The longeſt hair, which is rather above four inches, is on the breaſt. It has a ſhort, deer's-tail, black above, and white on the ſides. A ſtripe along the breaſt, ſhoulders, thighs, and fore-feet, and a ſpot between the eyes. The beard, which was about ſix inches long in the old Chamois, was all black; but the young one had only ſome black ſpots on the feet, the joints of the fore-legs; and the beard, the breaſt, belly, and feet were otherwiſe white. The horns were bent, in form of a ſcythe, very ſtrongly preſſed together ſideways; ſhorter about the upper edge, and ſtrongly knotted; or elſe flat, wrinkled, and ſtriped. The left-horn of the old one was four inches long, and had 13 knots. The feet of this ani⯑mal are uncommonly ſtrong and ſolid, and the ſhoul⯑ders much more fleſhy than the thighs, owing to the animal's leaping on it's fore-feet, when it jumps from rock to rock. Betwixt the hair the Chamois has a rich, grey fleece all over the back and neck, exactly like that of the tame-goat.

I ſhall ſay nothing of the old ſmelting-ſurnaces and bing-places met with here, and about the Tuba, but now deſerted, under the pretence of ore being ſcarce, [201] Mr. Gmelin having mentioned and deſcribed them in his tour. All I ſhall obſerve is, that there was found near theſe bing-places an old, iron plough-ſhare, of a peculiar form.

My road led me over the mountain Kuna, where the way down on the north ſide is ſteep. On the back of this mountain are two tombs, or heaps of ſtones, one near the other, to which every Tartar, who paſſes this way, adds one, or throws a buſh. Theſe tombs are ſaid to have been made when the Kirgueſe inha⯑bited this diſtrict. The common ſtory, among the Tartars, is that a rich Kirgueſe Bey had two fine wives, ſo jealous, that he was obliged to have two jurts for them, one on each ſide of the mountain, and that he lived on each ſide himſelf by turns; but it unfortu⯑nately happened that theſe two met together, when changing of paſtures, fought, and killed each other, and are buried under theſe heaps of ſtones.

Near this place are ſome Tartarian jurts, where I remained all night, but could not ſleep, owing to a Kuſnez of the Aimak of Tubinſkoi, remarkable for having a large ſpot on his head, overgrown with white hair, which grew ſo, after a ſore he had in his head was healed. Theſe white ſpots are always the effect of ſores. Some Jakutian and Tſchulym Tartars are born ſo. This man was perfect maſter of the lute, and a real Troubadour in telling and ſinging tales, which, [202] according to their interpretation, were ſimilar to thoſe of Arioſto. He ſung each ſtanza firſt to the lute, and then repeated it in a droll, declaiming tone. The harmony of the voices of the Katſchinzy Tartars is much like that of the Kalmucks, and delightful in the open air. Their young people ſpend whole eve⯑nings in ſinging to the lute, not ſongs, but ſome ſtrange, inſignificant notes; for example, Oido-ido, ti⯑dum-dido, and with great enthuſiaſm.

Katſchinzian Tartars.—I ſhall here add ſome ob⯑ſervations on theſe Tartars, to complete what has been ſaid of them in the preceding year. The remark I made of their beardleſs, Mongol faces, was now more confirmed; and herein is this horde diſtinguiſhed from all other Siberian Tartars. Being very rich in cattle, they neither profeſs agriculture nor chriſtianity. Yet they ſow a little Siberian buck-wheat and barley, to make groats. Like the Mongols, they are ſatisfied with one wiſe; often court for three, four, or five years; on which account parents ſuffer their children to be courted early: but ſome have already aboliſhed the Kalym, or marriage-price; and thoſe who do receive any thing for their daughters, get it by inſtal⯑ments. The ſuitor is never ſuffered to be alone with the bride, before the nuptials have been celebrated; as it would be highly diſgraceful to the lady to have any prior intimacy with her intended huſband. This, however, is quite contrary to the cuſtom of the Mon⯑gols [203] and Kalmucks. The firſt nuptial-feaſt is given by the bride's father; the next by the bridegroom; and for their ſecond feaſt the bridegroom's father erects a jurt for the young couple; but the houſe⯑hold-furniture, and garments of the bride are pro⯑vided by her father. After the firſt courtſhip, the father-in-law never ſees his ſon's wife again, nor does he enter his ſon's jurt; and ſhould the father-in-law meet her by chance, cuſtom enjoins her to throw herſelf proſtrate on her face, till her father-in-law paſſes, which he does with the utmoſt preci⯑pitation. The mother-in-law and the bride's father may have free acceſs to the young couple's tent when they pleaſe. The bride is often richly preſented with cattle on her marriage, by her parents; and ſhould her huſband grow tired of her, and ſend her home, after an interval of ſome years, he only returns the num⯑ber of cattle ſhe brought with her. All the children, and the increaſe of her flocks and herds, are his own. This blameable cuſtom induces many to court rich girls, merely to enjoy the produce of her fortune; and, after ſeveral years cohabitation, the unhappy fe⯑male is repudiated. Should ſhe wiſh for a divorce on her own account, without having had a ſon, ſhe has no return; and her parents are liable to refund the huſband's kalym. Both parties are at liberty to marry again after ſuch a divorce. Daughters are made equal in patrimony to their brothers; and, where there is no brother, the father can give, verbally, his whole property to his daughter. Women do not cohabit [204] with their huſbands after delivery for one whole month; and during the continuance of their impurity, which is at leaſt 10 days, ſhe is not ſuffered to do any domeſtic buſineſs. At the time of her delivery many women of the neighbourhood aſſemble at her jurt, but her father does not leave it. The child receives either the name of the firſt ſtranger that comes into the jurt after its birth, or the father gives it one himſelf; and hence many pagan Tartars have Ruſſian names.

The chief feſtival celebrated both by the Katſchinzi Tartars, and other heathens of that nation, is the feaſt of ſpring (Tun) when they begin to milk their mares. This feaſt is not celebrated by all at one time, but by degrees, one family after another, through the whole neighbourhood. It conſiſts in tippling, and the hoſt preſerves his milk for three days, to diſtill a ſufficient quantity of brandy or ſpirit. After the firſt feaſt, ſeveral neighbouring tribes meet together, go up on a hill, and there perform a ſolenm ſacrifice, with prayers (Chudeiga Baſheraga) directed towards the eaſt. At other times, as in caſes of ſickneſs and neceſſity, they offer to their Tus, or houſe-god, called alſo Aima, little animals, ſkins, fleſh, &c. At their pub⯑lic ſacrifices a Kham, or ſorcerer, muſt be preſent, who conſecrates a horſe, which they call Yſik, and which, according to the injunctions of the Schamans, muſt be either a grey, fox-coloured, or black gelding. Such a conſecration is only performed when a magician thinks proper to bleſs the flocks of his countrymen. [205] This Yſik, or conſecrated horſe, is waſhed, every ſpring, during the feaſt of the Tun, with milk and boiled wormwood (Irwen); and alſo incenſed with that herb, decorated with red and white rags about his mane and tail, and then turned looſe. The owner durſt not ride him, unleſs ſome ſnow has fallen, then he is obliged to ſaddle him; and, when the ſnow diſappears, to turn him looſe again. When the animal is too old to ride, the owner may ſell him, and get a young one conſe⯑crated as his ſucceſſor. If its owner dies, the ſacred horſe is not ſlaughtered, but becomes the property of his heirs.

The Katſchinzi Tartars are great cooks, and dreſs their food in the French faſhion. At preſent, they have two magicians of their own, but formerly were obliged to borrow thoſe of the Tomſkoi Tartars of Kyſil Ai⯑mak, reſiding near the black Yjus. I ſaw the dreſs of a Katſchinzian ſorcerer, at Karyſch, which had been made many years before he entered the holy profeſſion; or, at leaſt, before he wiſhed to paſs for a ſorcerer. His dreſs, as a beginner, was but moderate; he jobbed about without a cap, with parti-coloured, leather ſtock⯑ings, and, on his body, a narrow, dirty, great coat, of printed callico; over his ſhoulders, he wore a red piece of cloth, like a collar, from which 13 ribbands (Syſim) hung down, of various colours, green, yellow, red, blue and black, ſewed together; and various co⯑loured ſilk and cotton rags, ſome worked through with [206] mock gold, ſo as that no one was like the other. In⯑ſtead of the magic drum, he held a piece of wood in one hand, round in the middle, flat at both ends, like an oar, and ornamented with a little bell, on which he tinkled very briſkly, ſtriking it alternately on each ſide with a wooden beater. Many other ſorcerers uſe the ſame magic inſtrument, ſaying, they are obliged ſo to do, till their Spirits will ſuffer them to beat a drum; but the truth is, they cannot afford to purchaſe one, and wait for the ſlaughter of ſome, good horſe, whoſe ſkin they can get to make one; for ſuch a ſacrifice is re⯑quiſite, to furniſh them with a drum.

Of late years, a kind of rage has unhappily ſeized many girls, at the time their menſes firſt makes its ap⯑pearance, and continues for ſeveral years. It is ſo vio⯑lent, that they often run out of their tents, make frightful faces, pluck out their hair, and would either hang, or kill themſelves, if they were not prevented. Theſe fits laſt but a few hours; but they have an irre⯑gular relapſe, weekly or monthly. I ſaw ſuch girls, between the fits, very rational and well-diſpoſed.

The venereal diſeaſe is alſo become common of late years, and breaks out at firſt in boils, on the head, body and groin. The Tartars call it, Kotur.

The ſmall-pox (Tſchetſchiak) is here only occaſion⯑ally, ſometimes not heard of for many years; but when [207] once it prevails, makes great ravage, eſpecially among children and young people; when a fear of catching it, a bad attendance therein, the uncleanlineſs of the diet and abode, and impurity of the blood, ſeldom fail to carry the patient off. It raged here about 10 years ſince.

The Katſchinzy Tartars occupy the fineſt diſtrict of the regency of Kraſnojarſkaja, which is all the land between the White Yjus and the Jeniſei, to the Uybat and Abakan. They are divided into ſix aimaks; each has a preſiding kuſnez, confirmed by the regency of Kraſnojarſkaja, who collects the tribute, decides little cauſes, and maintains good order; but he has no ſa⯑lary, and pays his head-money equally with the loweſt of the tribe. They amount to 1155 tributary heads, or families, and pay annually a Jaſſak of 2196 rubles. In this diſtrict are alſo ſettled four other hordes of Tartars, amounting to 222.

They live, like all ſubſtantial Tartars on the Jeniſei, in felt-tents, in winter only, which they ſtow away in ſummer in cavities of rocks, known only to themſelves, in order to preſerve them dry, to cover their jurts again the next autumn. For this purpoſe, they collect birch-bark, about the end of June, a ſeaſon when it is in the beſt ſtate to keep out wet. By boiling, they clear it of all gummineſs, preſerving only the reſinous parts, which renders it ſmooth, and not liable to rot. [208] Hence the month of June is called Toos-ai (birch-month).

I obſerved, among theſe Tartars and Beltirs, a par⯑ticular manner of making milk-brandy, different from that of the Tunguſe, and the Mongol Kalmucks; yet more like the Tunguſe brandy, or ſpirit, and better than both. The ſtill which they uſe is different; and they put a ſheep's head into the milk, which, after diſtillation, is boiled, with ſmall, minced meat, as a ſoup, and which they greedily devour as a great dainty. They alſo pour milk into the curds, which they will ſometimes eat freſh, and ſometimes dry, in pieces, called Biſchro; and take it with them as a proviſion, when they go a hunting.

On the 16th I croſſed the brook Kokſa, and rode down the Jeniſei, along the limits above-mentioned, to the place where we croſs for the Abakan. Here I copied ſome of the inſcriptions already ſpoken of, that were moſt preſerved. Three of them I laid before Major Wolaſſof, a gentleman of great erudition, and verſed in antiquities, who was commiſſioned on frontier-buſineſs at Selenginſkaja; but the interpreters of this place could not make them out, not being written in Mongol, or Manſhurian language; but with an ancient, current character, uſed by ſome Chineſe.

[209]I had now 38 miles to Karyſhkoi-Rudnik, where Mr. Surjef waited for me, having acquitted himſelf of the charge I had entruſted him with, that of inſpecting ſome bitter ſalt-lakes on the Abakan.

The autumnal ſeaſon, which every day grew more cold and bad, determined me to go back to Kraſno⯑jarſkaja, where I had enough to employ me. I returned, therefore, on the 18th, and arrived there on the 23d, by the ſame road I paſſed laſt year. In order to return from Siberia, I was obliged to wait for the ſledge-ſea⯑ſon, and the arrival of Mr. Georgi, and ſome gentlemen ſtudents I had left behind me in Dauria.

At Kraſnojarſkaja, on the oppoſite ſhore of the Jeni⯑ſei, they often find elephant bones; and I took up, my⯑ſelf, a grinder of this animal, from under a high ſand-bank, a mile or two from the town; but could find no mark, or traces of marine bodies, ſouth of this place, to the Sajanian mountains.

‘Profeſſor Pallas has frequently ſpoken of ſome great change in the earth, evident from the number of ſuch bones found, and the marine ſubſtances, ſo frequently met with in the low lands of Siberia. It will be rather interrupting his narrative, but I per⯑ſuade myſelf it muſt be gratifying to every philo⯑ſophic reader, to know his opinion on this ſubject. Buffon, and others, have thought that mountains owe [210] their origin to convulſive motions of the earth, being thrown up by ſubterraneous fires. Pallas was of the ſame way of thinking, till he traverſed the extenſive wilds of Siberia and Tartary. But, on a minute ex⯑amination of the contents of theſe mountains, and thoſe of the plains below them, he is now convinced that the hypotheſis is an erroneous one. Theſe moun⯑tains are a continued chain of ſolid, granite rock, extending over a vaſt continent, from ſea to ſea; not found in layers, but in blocks and lumps, or at leaſt in maſſes, heaped one upon another; not diſ⯑covering the ſmalleſt trace of petrifactions, or organic impreſſion; of courſe, it appears to have been formed prior to all organized nature. The higheſt eminences theſe rocky mountains form, whether in ridges, or ſharp pikes, do not ſeem to have been co⯑vered again by clayey, or calcareous layers, originally from the ſea, but to have been there from the earlieſt periods of time, or ever ſince they obtained their elevated and landed ſituation, above the level of the ſeas; of courſe, we are to ſuppoſe, that this granite ſubſtance, which forms theſe mountains, and is alſo the core of the vaſteſt Alps of the known world, is the principal materials, or ſubſtance, of the interior of our globe.’

‘Leaving theſe chains of mountains, we perceive the calcareous beds rapidly tending to the plain, tak⯑ing a horizontal poſition, and becoming abundant in [211] all manner of ſhells, madrepora, and other ſpoils of the ocean. The ſame are met in the loweſt vallies at the foot of the mountains; the whole extent like⯑wiſe of Great Ruſſia is filled with them, appearing no leſs on the hills, than in the flat countries; ſome⯑times ſolid, as if ſown with marine productions; at others, altogether compoſed of ſhells, and broken madrepora, and that calcareous gravel always found in thoſe latitudes where the ſea abounds with ſuch productions.’

‘As ſoon as, from the marſhes of Ingria, which form, towards the Baltic, a ſort of gulph, in low lands, we begin to aſcend the elevated ſoil of Ruſſia, whoſe declivity makes what is commonly called the moun⯑tains of Valdais, and continually meet with ancient traces of the ſea, over a country which has viſibly ſuffered from an inundation of the greateſt violence; theſe are terrene layers of a depoſitum, ſtrewn with blocks of granite, broke from their original rocks, vaſt banks of rolled flints and gravel, mixed with petrifactions, and even the bones of animals. A ſimilar inundation may be traced, as far as the lake Onega, where the mountains, from the Lapland and Swe⯑diſh Alps, begin to riſe. It is ſufficient to caſt the eye over the map, to ſee, in the great number of lakes, between the gulph of Finland and the White-Sea, in the iſles, the rocks and the broken ſhores of theſe latitudes, the effect of a deluge, which has run [212] that way; of courſe, it may be concluded, that the Baltic and White-Seas, thoſe great breaches of the continent, have been excavated by the ſame violence.’

‘Hence it follows, that all thoſe vaſt plains of the Ruſſian empire, were formerly the bottom of the ocean; and that the elevated grounds, and high chains of mountains, have always been iſlands and continents, much leſs extenſive than at preſent; and that owing, probably, to the ſucceſſive effects of volcanoes, other ſubterranean powers, and a deluge, the ſeas may have left it.’

‘In the ſandy, and other ſlimy depoſitums, are found trunks of trees entire, and fragments of wood petrified, and often mineralized, by copper, or iron. Petrified wood is often found in the ſand-hills on the plains, nay, in the ſandy heights of the Syſran on the Wolga, changed into very fine hone, which has pre⯑ſerved the original texture of the wood, and is re⯑markable for the veſtiges of thoſe gnawing worms that attack the bottom of ſhips, and other timbers laid in water, and whoſe proper origin is from the Indian ſea. Here are alſo interred the remains of the larger animals of the Indies: the bones of ele⯑phants, of rhinoceroſſes, and of monſtrous buffaloes, are frequently dug up in numbers, and are the ad⯑miration of the curious. Theſe great bones, laid in [213] beds, mixed with little calcined tellinae, bones of fiſhes, &c. prove ſufficiently that they have been tranſported by inundations; and was what convinced Dr. Pallas of the reality of a deluge, that had hap⯑pened on our earth. But the carcaſe of a rhi⯑noceros, which Pallas has depoſited in the cabinet of the Academy of Sciences at Peterſburg, and which was found with the ſkin entire, the remains of the tendons, ligaments and cartilages, in the frozen lands, near the banks of the Uli, is another convincing proof, that it muſt have been a moſt violent and ra⯑pid inundation, which could formerly have carried ſuch carcaſes towards theſe frozen climes, and, be⯑fore putrefaction had time enough to deſtroy their ſofter parts.’

‘It muſt then have been that deluge of which almoſt all the antient people of Aſia, the Chaldeans, the Perſians, the Indians, the Thibetans, and the Chi⯑neſe, have preſerved the tradition; and fix it within a few years of the general deluge of Moſes; to which ſubſequent inundations may have added their influence.’

The greateſt curioſity in mineralogy, diſcovered in the diſtrict of Kraſnojarſk, is an enermous maſs of pure iron, weighing 40 puds, or near 1500lb. on which I ſhall expatiate a little. This moſt curious maſs was diſcovered in 1750, on a mountain where they made a [214] trying-pit for iron-ore, and where it lay on the ſurface, but not then thought worthy of notice. Among the miners who made the diſcovery, was a Mr. John Mettich, who gave me the following account of the ſituation of this iron-maſs, in writing. "In 1749, a reformed Coſſack, an inhabitant of Ubeiſkaja, an⯑nounced a hard iron ore at the top of a high mountain (deſcribing that where the maſs ſtood). This iron-ore ſtood lode-like, on a little rock-ſhelf, turned to the north. I was ſent to examine it, and found it on an aſſay, to have gold alloy. The lode ſtood in a hard, chertz-like, grey matrix, of which the whole mountain ſeemed to conſiſt. About 150 fathoms ſouth-weſt from this ſpot, I obſerved, at the top of the mountain, thinly over-grown with red and white firs, a lump of iron, apparently above 30 puds in weight, full of yellow, hard, little ſtones, of the ſize of a cedar-nut, which could not be knocked out. This, and the ſound, appeared to me remarkable; yet I cannot ſay it grew thus natu⯑rally, or whether it was brought there, as it was lying, on day, on the ſurface of the ground. On a ſtrict exa⯑mination, I found no traces of old mine-works, or ſmelting-hearths, throughout the whole extent of the mountain. I know, that this Coſſack afterwards car⯑ried the lump away; but what is become of it, I can⯑not tell."

All theſe circumſtances were found true, after the mountain had been ſtrictly examined. The iron ore is [215] a ſolid, blue-black, with here and there a magnetic quickſtone metal, yielding on aſſay, a 70th part of raw iron. The Coſſack, who is now a blackſmith, could not tell the exact ſituation, or place, where this iron lump lay; but what he ſaid, was probably agreeable to what Mr. Mettich wrote down. He averred, that it lay quite on the ſurface, on the top of the mountain, without being encompaſſed with any other cliff or ſtrata. He alſo aſſured me, that he never found any mark of an old ſmelt-hearth, or work, neither on this, nor on the oppoſite mountain. But as the malleability and white⯑neſs of the iron, and the ſonorous found of the lump, made him ſuſpect it might contain ſome more noble metal than common iron; and his ſuſpicions being ſtill increaſed by the Tartars, who conſidered it as a ſacred thing fallen from heaven, he endeavoured, as no works were ordered, after having announced this one, to con⯑vey it to his dwelling, at 32 miles diſtance, which he did with the greateſt difficulty.

I received information of this piece of maſſive iron, in November 1771, by a Tartarean ſoldier, who was very uſeful to me in collecting matters relative to na⯑tural hiſtory. This ſoldier entered by chance the houſe of the above. Coſſack who found the iron, and ſeeing it in his yard, it ſtruck him as a curioſity. Knocking off, with great trouble, a few, little pieces, he brought them to me for an aſſay; but as this aſſay, though im⯑perfect, ſeemed very ferruginous, I ordered the ſoldier [216] to go, without delay, to the village where this man lived, which was 170 miles diſtant from Kraſnojarſkaja, and bring me the whole maſs, which weighed above 42 puds.

The whole ſeems to have been encompaſſed by a raw, ferruginous cruſt, which was loſt by hammering it, to knock off ſome pieces. The whole, internal part con⯑ſiſts of a ſlender, white iron, interſperſed with little holes, or cells, like a ſea-ſponge; and the interſtices filled with round and oblong drops, of a yellow, tranſ⯑parent and pure glaſs, or hyacinthus-flux. Theſe drops have various, oblong, round ſhapes, and a very ſmooth ſurface, with one, two, three, or more flat ſides, about the truncated part of their rounded bodies, which flow often together, with other drops. This texture and drops are from the ſize of a grain of hemp-ſeed, to a large pea, and either of a pure yellow, or a yellow-brown, or greeniſh colour; and are uniform throughout the maſs, without any appearance of ſmelting, or ar⯑tificial fire. The iron is ſo tough, that three or four ſmiths were working a whole forenoon, to knock off a piece from one of its corners; though ſuch piece weighed ſeldom more than a pound or two, except one piece that weighed a pud, and was ſent, for aſſay, to the Academy of Sciences at Peterſburgh. By the blows, the flux is reduced into a kind of glaſs-duſt, and often falls out in whole drops, with which glaſs might be cut. In ſhort, the whole maſs, and each piece cut out from [217] it, proves inconteſtibly that this huge production came out of Nature's lap. But he whoſe eyes cannot be con⯑vinced by the ſight of it, will find the following remarks not quite uſeleſs.

It appears, that the ancient miners, whoſe bing-places and ſmelting-hearths are to be met with in the me⯑tallic diſtricts about the Jeniſei, never worked any iron, nor had any knowledge of it; as all tools, even their military weapons and knives, were made of caſt copper; but wherever theſe trying-pits are ſeen on ferruginous ochres, they had gold alloy in view. Their bing-places conſiſt of raw ſtone, and melt-copper peb⯑bles; and wherever any iron bing-places are found, it is known, that their proceedings were ſo poor and imperfect, probably on account of their unſettled and vagabond way of living, that they would never have been able to melt a lump of four puds, much leſs one of 40 puds, which would require a very, high blaſt; and ſhould this be conſidered as poſſible, againſt all probability, yet there could be no cauſe why ſuch a huge maſs, unfit for ſmith's work, on account of the ſlux with which it is mixed, ſhould have been conveyed from the place where it had been ſmelted, to the lofty and ſteep top of a mountain, deſtitute in itſelf, and its vicinage, of all marks of works, or ſmelting.

That ſuch a large maſs of iron muſt have been melted by a very, high blaſt, has been the opinion of Monſ. de [218] Engelſtrom, in a diſcourſe he held, on the 4th of May, 1774, in the Royal Academy of Sciences at Stock⯑holm, occaſioned by the deſcription here given of this maſs of pure iron, publiſhed in the Peterſburgh, and other foreign gazettes. Before I had ſeen the whole maſs, I was almoſt of the ſame opinion; but afterwards was very particular in enquiring and examining, whether there were any traces of ſmelting-hearths on the moun⯑tain where the lump was found, or its environs; though its huge ſize alone, ſhewed the inconteſtible impoſſi⯑bility of its being ſo produced; which I found con⯑firmed by my ſearch. Monſ. de Engelſtrom ſays, ‘The tranſparent flux intimates a previous ſmelting.’ He muſt certainly mean, a ſmelting in the boſom of Na⯑ture, or his reaſoning deſerves no aſſent of mine; though I never ſaw any mark of ancient volcanoes in the Siberian mountains. I would not have him, how⯑ever, pin his faith on my credit; but on the credit of the whole Academy of Sciences at Peterſburgh, and many others, who have ſeen bunches of this maſſive iron, not containing the leaſt appearance of coals melt⯑ed in, nor the leaſt mark of fire, produced by human hands; and the whole maſs, which weighs ſtill more than 39 puds, and has been brought to Peterſburgh, will be an eternal proof of it, in the Imperial cabinet of natural hiſtory. The want of natural iron, in the moſt metallic mountains of Sweden, is ſo little a proof againſt the exiſtence of it elſewhere, as againſt the truth of there being red-lead ſpar in Siberia, becauſe there has [219] not been any found in foreign mines; or of the tin ores in Ruſſia, becauſe they have not yet been diſcovered in the Uralian and Siberian mountains.

The true account above given, and the following ar⯑guments, muſt inſure the belief of every one; becauſe, if all other circumſtances were unfavourable, and con⯑trary to fact, the following reaſons muſt prove, that the lump of iron in queſtion is natural, and no pro⯑duction of artificial fire. Iron melted in fire, looks blackiſh, dry, and not tranſparent; but the flux, in the maſſive iron we have been ſpeaking of, is pure, tranſ⯑parent, looks fattiſh, and falls to pieces, if the bunch is put into the fire. Had the grains been mixed with iron in artificial fire, the whole maſs would not have ſo cloſely been filled up, but the iron muſt have been im⯑pure, and full of holes. There is no artificial fire that can give iron ſo regular a form, reſembling a ſponge; it would have been in grains, and rough pieces, blown together, like impure bings, when taken out of the blaſt. All theſe circumſtances put it beyond the ſha⯑dow of a doubt, even to thoſe who have not ſeen the lump; and thoſe who have, muſt be convinced by ocu⯑lar demonſtration.

Winter began very ſoon in the preſent year, and ſpread, in December, its uncommon, chilling blaſts throughout the country. On the 6th and 7th of De⯑cember was the ſevereſt cold I ever yet felt in Siberia; [220] the air was ſtill, and, as it were, thickened by it; and, in the ſerene ſky, the ſun looked as if enveloped in a fog. The 6th, in the morning, I looked at my hair-tube thermometer, acknowledged to be an excellent one, and it pointed but at 235 degrees; the mercury had retreated into the little globe which this inſtrument has, and ſome little columns ſtuck in the tube, and ſtood faſt; a circumſtance I never obſerved in my thermometer, for the eight years I had uſed it. The warmth of a moderately heated room, to which I car⯑ried it from the gallery of the houſe, occaſioned the ſtopped column of quickſilver to drop inſtantly, and the quickſilver in the little globe roſe, after the ſpace of half a minute. I repeated this experiment different times, and always with the ſame ſucceſs; ſo that ſome⯑times but one, and ſometimes more than one, little piece of mercury, ſtuck in the tube. When the globe was warmed by the fingers, the quickſilver roſe, and we ſaw plainly that the frozen, ſticking columns made a long reſiſtance, and were finally drawn up by a kind of ſudden impulſe. During this, I put into an open ba⯑ſon, about a quarter of a pound of mercury, which had been thoroughly cleaned by vinegar and leather, and alſo well dried, and ſet it in the cold, in the gallery on the north ſide of my lodging; and, in leſs than an hour, I found its borders and ſurface faſt frozen; and, in a few minutes more, the whole was condenſed, by natural cold, into a ſoft and little maſs, whilſt the part beneath the ſurface was not frozen. The frozen part exhibited [221] all ſorts of branch-like wrinkles; but the moſt part re⯑mained ſmooth. The frozen part of the mercury was more flexible than lead; but bent ſhort, it was more fragile than tin, and, in thin plates, was ſomewhat gra⯑nulous. When ſtruck with a hammer, if the hammer was ſufficiently chilled, the quickſilver fell into drops at every blow; ſo it did with the finger, whoſe end, when touching the mercury, felt, as if benumbed. In a temperate room, it thawed, like wax, over the fire, drop by drop, from the ſurface, not melting at once. If the frozen maſs was broken in the cold, the broken pieces ſtuck to each other, and to the baſon wherein they lay. Though the froſt ſeemed to abate a little be⯑fore night, yet the frozen mercury lay unchanged; and the ſame experiment, with the thermometer, could be always repeated. On the 7th of September, I had an opportunity to make the ſame obſervations, during the whole day; but, a few hours after ſun-ſet, aroſe a north-weſt, wind, which raiſed the thermometer to 215 degrees, and here the maſs of quickſilver began to diſſolve.

Shortly after, Lieutenant-general De Brill, governor of Irkuzkaja, aſſured me, he found there, on the 9th of December, at four in the morning, that all the mercury in a thermometer and barometer, made by the moſt ſkilful hand of Profeſſor Laxmann, during his re⯑ſidence in Siberia, was hard frozen. In the barometer, it ſtood at 28 inches ſeven lines, and was in ſmall pieces [222] of five-lines each, to the top. Towards 11 in the morn⯑ing, it was fluid again; and, at one o'clock, the baro⯑meter was 29 inches ſeven lines high; and at nine at night, 29 inches. The thermometer was chilled to 213°, and beneath 226° was an empty ſpace of nine degrees; about 11 o'clock all had entered the globe, and about 10 o'clock next morning, when it thawed again, it roſe, and pointed 254°; and, at three o'clock, and ſome minutes, 194°: all, according to De Liſle. The air, the whole day, was calm and ſerene.

From Mr. Sokolof's tour along the Daurian frontiers, which he undertook, in purſuance of my directions, in the courſe of the laſt ſummer, I muſt not omit men⯑tioning a hot well, which he viſited on the 25th of July, famous, among the Tunguſe Tartars, for its ſalubrious qualities. It lies ſtraight north from the frontier-guard, on the banks of the Balyra, at the diſtance of two good day's journey, or 112 miles. The water is perfectly clear, but a little bluiſh, has the ſmell and taſte of gunpowder, or rotten eggs, and is ſo hot that one can ſcarce bear the hand in it. On account of the great heat, thick vapours riſe from it in ſummer-evenings. Many rich people come here and bathe in it, and are very often radically cured. The Tunguſe adore this ſpring, drink the water with a ſacred awe, and dare not bathe in it with any part of their cloaths on. There are other hot baths, in this diſtrict equally ſalubrious.

[223]Not far from Altanſkoi-Karaul, is one of the higheſt mountains of Dauria, called, by the Ruſſians, Tſcho⯑konda, and, by the Tunguſe, Sochondo. Mr. Sokolof travelled on it from the 3d of July to the 3d of Auguſt; it is very ſteep, wooded with cedars and larch-foreſts, and the underwood conſiſts of birch-buſhes. Near the ſource of Aguzakan, on this mountain, is a very ſteep cupola, or tower, where the huge, bearded vultures an⯑nually build their neſts; cloſe by, is a level ground, encompaſſed by the foreſt, from whence one may over⯑look every thing below; and beyond it we view, with awful amazement, the ſteep, rocky clifts, whoſe ſnow⯑clad, blue ſummits are veiled by the clouds. It rains here almoſt every day, and the air is in continual mo⯑tion. In the middle, the north-wind cauſes ſnow, and white froſts; the trees, at the ſame time, cloathed in their beſt green. The ſnow-covered clifts occupy a great ſpace below, and between which are the ſources of brooks that flow down into the rivers beneath. There are alſo, two principal clifts, running from ſouth-weſt to north-eaſt, with a dreadful, deep valley between them, in which the river Aguza has its origin. The nature of theſe two clifts, or ſummits, is extraordinary; they conſiſt of enormous, bare ſtrata of mouldering granite, towering up, one over another, into the ſkies. Mr. Sokolof was the whole day aſcending that at ſouth-weſt: it riſes, like the other parts of this mountain, with huge, ſteep rock-ſhelves, of which he counted ſix, reſembling broad ſtairs. Over each ſhelf, the rocks form a flat ſpace [224] of ground, near half a mile broad, on which various ſprings riſe, and tumble down the cliffs with a fright⯑ful roar. The utmoſt ſummit of the clift, which cannot be aſcended without danger, is very horizontal and flat. Upon it are two frightful abyſſes, encompaſſed by ſteep-rock walls; at the bottom of each is a little lake, formed by the ſnow-water from the rocks, gathering and flowing into them through clefts; and thus into the middle of the valley, in which the Aguza ſprings. The ſuperſtitious Tunguſe worſhip this mountain, as the ſhrine of the offended gods; and, for this reaſon, they do not attempt to climb it, ſuppoſing the aſcent im⯑poſſible: of courſe, they ſtood amazed at Mr. Sokolof's journey on it, and his ſafe return.

As no remarkable part of the ſouthern diſtrict of Siberia was now left unexplored, and it would have been uſeleſs to have travelled over the diſtrict of the Lena, and the eaſtern parts of Siberia, Meſſrs. Gmelin and Steller having gone before me; and as it was im⯑practicable to penetrate into Mongalia, or China, I re⯑ſolved to return this winter, in ſledges, at half the ex⯑pence I came here; and, if poſſible, to go as far as to the Kama. I had now fulfilled my commiſſion, and travelled over all the ground pointed out to me by the Academy of Sciences; and having diſpatched Meſſrs. Sokolof and Bykof, in December, to the Wolga, there to wait, to collect the vernal plants on the opening of ſpring, my own departure from Kraſnojarſkaja was fixed [225] for the beginning of January, my plan being to wait at Tura, for the arrival of Mr. Georgi; but receiving, from this gentleman, a propoſal to wait for him at Kraſnojarſk, he being detained longer in his tour than he expected, I conſented to it. Mr. Georgi having ſailed round that immenſe lake, called the Baikal, as far as to the mouth of the Selenga, which he reached in au⯑tumn, he went out here, partly on account of the ſtormy weather, and partly to ſee the Daurian mine, at a good ſeaſon of the year; and ſent his veſſel back to the mouth of the Angara. Mr. Georgi, and his attendant, arrived in Kraſnojarſkaja, the 22d of January; and hav⯑ing ſettled with him our plan of future proceedings, I left that place the ſame night, and made the beſt of my way, in ſledges, to Tomſkoi, a diſtance of near 500 miles; travelling, night and day, for that purpoſe, and arrived there on the 26th.

The colonies about Tomſkoi, are in the moſt wretched ſtate, as to people. There is, every where, a want of women; ſo that the young men abandon them⯑ſelves to all ſorts of vice. The better claſs of people, who have the firſt choice, are moſt unreaſonable. Among the number of new coloniſts, I ſaw many ſick and infirm people, ſeveral madmen, and married perſons without children, and a great many old people. Of courſe, this muſt be very unfavourable to population; but what is ſtill worſe, they have taken many fathers from their wives and children, and ſent them, heart-broken, [226] broken, into theſe places of wretchedneſs; and thoſe who can forget their families, have been conſtrained to take other wives, in order to ſolace their hours, in their employment here. Many of them told me their ſtories, bathed in a flood of tears, and their hearts bleeding, at the recollection of having left their children be⯑hind, under the moſt intolerable yoke of tyrannic deſpotiſm.

I remained in Tomſkoi till the 29th, that I might not follow my baggage too cloſely, when I ſet off, in the evening, for Tara, or Tura, a further diſtance of 480 miles.

The Tartars on the Barabynian ſtep, where, on oc⯑count of the number of lakes, there are vaſt quantities of water-fowls, &c. are much employed, in catching plovers (Colymbi); the ſilver-like, glittering, breaſt-ſkins of which, they ſell to paſſengers, at from three to five copecs a-piece; and, alſo, in collecting the beau⯑tiful, violet-bluiſh throats of ſea-plovers (Colymbi arctici) and the gloſſy, green heads of the wild March-ganders, which, when ſewed together, have a beautiful appear⯑ance, and make very ſplendid muffs for the ladies.

In this country, particularly about the fortreſs Kain⯑ſkoi, where the brook Kainſka flows into the river Om, are numerous colonies, ſettled on account of the great fertility of the ſoil, which yield plenty of corn and flax.

[227]I reached Tara, during the nights of the 3d and 4th of February, and Mr. Georgi a few days after me. He brought with him a rare collection of plants, minerals, and other curioſities, which were to be ſent on to Pe⯑terſburgh, on ſledges; and we choſe this city for bu⯑ſineſs, as we could be here well accommodated: and I continued here till the 23d.

Tura. The city of Tura, or Tara, lies on the ele⯑vated, left border of the Irtiſch; and is two or three miles in extent, along the bank of the river. This place is to be built, by degrees, with geometrical ex⯑actneſs; and has already above 100 new houſes, which give it a gay appearance. They are encreaſing theſe buildings every year. The number of houſes, in all amounts to 669; and the male inhabitants, are 1715, of which 252 are of Bucharian extraction, and one de⯑ſcended from the Siberian Khan Kutſchum. The place has five churches, and a cathedral now building with ſtone. This laſt, with a court of waywodes, ſome Im⯑perial ſtore-houſes, the treaſury of the fur tribute-office, and the gunpowder-magazine, are encompaſſed with a wooden wall; otherwiſe, there are no partitions, except the veſtiges of ſome old paliſadoes and baſtions.

Tara has a governor, a ſmall garriſon, and a court of waywodes, ſubordinate to Tobolſkoi; to which alſo belongs the towns, Omſkaja, Tſchernoluzkaja, Tat⯑myzkaja, Tjukalinſkaja, Bergamatſkaja, Ajefſkaja, [228] Uſt-Tartaſkoi-Paſs, 103 Ruſſian, and 138 Tartarian villages. The number of tributary Tartars in this diſtrict, including a few Coſſacks, is 5,248; among which there are 2344 Barabynian Tartars, and 574 citizens, of Bucharian origin.

As the diſtrict of Tara has very extenſive wilderneſſes, and, in its northern parts, ſome dark vallies, it a⯑bounds with game. The ſables here are not even ſo valuable as thoſe of Tomſkoi; and, of courſe, are very bad. The other animals are bears, wolves, foxes, martens, ermines, ſquirrels, beavers, otters, lynxes, and hyenas. In the northern woods, they catch rein-deer; and, in the Barabynian ſtep, elks, deer, and wild boars.

This diſtrict is alſo rich in fiſh; and the Irtiſch abounds with ſturgeon, huſos, nelma, taimeni, and lenki; and the lakes of the Barabynian and Iſchimian ſteps are crowded with pike, barbel, and whitings, plentifully caught during the whole winter. Notwithſtanding the land lies low, it contains ſome remarkable, mineral earths.

Our buſineſs being completed, on the 23d of Fe⯑bruary, Mr. Georgi left me, according to a plan agreed on, and took his road to Tobolſkoi. He travelled in ſledges, as far as the Iſet; and, in ſpring, went up the mountainous ſide of that river, as far as Catharineburgh; [229] then down the Tſchuſſowaja to its mouth, in order to take a view of the habitations betwixt the Sylva and Kama; and then along the Ufa and Djama, to the Jaik; and ſo, by a new road, through the Jaikian ſtep, to the Wolga. I went the ſtraighteſt road, through the Iſchimian ſtep, the province of Iſetſkaja, and the north⯑ern part of the country of the Baſkirians, intending to go, the next ſpring, from the Kama towards the Jaik, and through the ſouthernmoſt part of the deſarts, ſituated between that river and the Wolga, in order to collect ſuch vernal plants as I miſſed the time before.

Having travelled the chief part of this road in 1770 and 1771, and given my readers every thing worth notice, it would be idle to repeat it. After travelling over 1100 miles of ground, we reached Sarapul, on the 11th of March; and having, in this journey, met with the Wotiaks and Tſcheremiſſes, I will here give ſome account of them.

Among all the little nations, of Finniſh origin, for ſuch are the Tſcheremiſſes, Wotiaks, Eaſtjaiks and Mordvines, the Wotiaks are the leaſt diſperſed in the Ruſſian empire, and ſtill inhabit their ancient abodes. According to their own account, their princes had for⯑merly, in the place where Aſkoi Priſgorod now ſtands, a fortified reſidence; but the Tartars obliged them to quit the ſame, and take refuge in the thick foreſts, [230] towards the Wjatka, and Upper Kama, which has its name from them; Kam, in Wotiak, meaning a large river.

The Wotiaks, or Oudmurt, as they call themſelves, which ſignifies Man, have ſome characteriſtic marks which diſtinguiſh them from their neighbours, the Tſcheremiſſes. They are more lively, more gay, and leſs obſtinate; both men and women are addicted to tippling, which muſt be attributed to the liberty they formerly had of diſtilling ſpirits, without any impoſt; being very little mixed with Ruſſians, or other ſtran⯑gers. There are not many tall and well-formed people among them; the women, in particular, are little, and of mean appearance. No nation is ſo red-haired as this; yet there are ſome few with black hair, and ſome men have light-coloured hair on their heads, and red⯑diſh beards. They are not ſo cleanly as the Tartars, yet more ſo than the Mordvines, and Finlanders; and, in their houſes and cloaths, are ſimilar to the Tſchere⯑miſſes. As their veſſels and victuals are moſt diſguſt⯑fully naſty, ſo is their ſtrong liquor diſagreeable to the taſte; though, in the diſtilleries, they ſpare neither malt, nor honey.

Their cloaths are alſo ſingular. Their upper-garment is long, made of cloth, or linen-ſtuff, with long ſleeves, [232] and open, like thoſe of the Polanders; through which they put their arm, faſtening the narrow end to their girdle behind. About the neck is a ſquare fall-down cape, like a collar. They wear ſhifts, embroidered with needle-work about the neck and wriſts, and breeches quite tight to the limbs.

Girls, like the Tartars, wear round bonnets, orna⯑mented with beads and coins; with this difference, that they hang an embroidered cloth, floating down behind, with a kind of bead-necklace, hanging looſely from one ear to the other, acroſs the neck before, braiding their hair behind, and concealing it beneath theſe cloths. From the girdle hang ſtrings and fringes.

The architecture of the Wotiaks is but little diffe⯑rent from that of the people of Tſchuwa. Their houſes are ſcattered, without pales, or encloſures; and contain large, ſleeping benches, and Tartar furniture. They are good huſbandmen, keep bees in hollowed trees, hunt all the winter, and are able ſhooters.

I can ſay but little of their religion, but what has been ſaid in the Collections of Ruſſian hiſtory. There are but two heathen villages remaining among them; and though the chriſtian Wotiaks, in the regency of Caſan, chiefly profeſs paganiſm clandeſtinely, yet they are afraid to be noticed, in ſo doing, by the Ruſſian clergy that reſide among them. I gathered, however, [233] the following account of theſe pagans, who inhabit the regency of Orenburg. Beſides the great god, called, by them Inmar, they worſhip the god of earth and pro⯑ſperity, Mu Kalzin; the god of water, Wu-Inmar; alſo, the ſun, as the throne of the Supreme Deity; and other ſubordinate divinities. They call upon theſe, in the hour of neceſſity, eſpecially on their annual feſtivals, and at their ſolemn ſacrifices, where an old, ſacerdotal man, called Tona, ſays prayers.

Their keremets, or places of ſacrifice, are in pine⯑woods, eſpecially on a well ſituated and elevated ſpot (Kuſs), ſurrounded with white firs, and encloſed. They celebrate four, general feaſts in the year: the firſt, Butſchun-nunal, is, in the Ruſſian eaſter-week, at which time begins their new year, with feaſtings; the ſecond, or Tulys-nunal, falls after ſummer ſeed-time, at which they offer prayers, and victims, to the god of the earth. Wiſſaſko-nunal, is a day of ſupplication for a good harveſt, celebrated in one, or more, houſes, of a village; and in which they ſacrifice ſparrows (Kutſcho), caught in ſnares, and fed for that purpoſe. Theſe they burn in a fire, to obtain good weather, and eaſy work. Keremet-nunal, is their greateſt feſtival; this is cele⯑brated after harveſt, by the whole village, in its kere⯑met, with ſolemn ſacrifices. On this occaſion, they conſume a horſe, of any colour except black, a bul⯑lock, a ſheep, a gooſe, and a duck. The horſe is the laſt ſlaughtered animal; and this, by an aſſiſtant of the [234] Tona; and all are dreſſed for a ſacrificial meal. The fat and blood are burnt; but the head of the bullock, and ſheep, with the whole ſkeleton of the horſe, are ſuſpended on a fir-tree, in the keremet. The ſkins are taken home, and ſold. The prayers, repeated during theſe ſacrifices, are directed towards the meri⯑dian ſun, never towards the eaſt.

Tooke tells us, from this Collection of Ruſſian hiſto⯑ries, ‘that the dreſs of the Wotiak men, is like that of the Ruſſian boors; only that it is commonly made of coarſe, white cloth; that their winter-caps are of cloth, with a border of a different colour; that they tie a knife to their girdle, and a caſe, for a hatchet.’

He ſays, ‘they are honeſt, peaceable, hoſpitable, and ſober; but ſuperſtitious, of cold complexion, and extremely ſimple. The women have winking eyes, and ſmile, even to uglineſs. They are ſhort, timid, very modeſt, chaſte, laborious, and complaiſant.’

‘Theſe people ſpeak a language of their own, de⯑rived from the Finniſh language, but have no writ⯑ings, or letters. In reckoning, they make uſe of little ſticks, which they call Pos, a kind of tally, which they notch. Inſtead of a ſignature, they uſe certain marks, called Hand-marks. They do not reckon their time by years, but give different names [235] to the months, in conformity to natural events. Thus the month of March is named, Silpron Talis; i. e. the month of the breaking-up of the ice; the like of the reſt. Friday is their ſabbath, or day of reſt. With them, as with other nations of Aſiatic Ruſſia, Wedneſday is called the day of blood; on which day they never undertake any thing of importance.’

"The Wotiaks, or Votiaks," as Tooke calls them, ‘never compoſe large towns; but live in villages, and are always ready to tranſport their habitations from one place to another, as appears eligible. The in⯑terior diſpoſition of theſe villages, the houſes, the oeconomy of the people, their food, taxes, and ge⯑neral conſtitution, are like the Tſcheremiſſes, which will be treated of. To the chief of villages, they give the name of Ellir; and to their ſtaroſts, or el⯑ders, that of Kartlik. They are a very retired, re⯑ſerved people, and ſuffer no ſtrangers to come among them; and it is very ſeldom that any litigation is brought before the tribunal of the province.’

‘They are aſſiduous in rural oeconomy; and, at their leiſure hours, employ themſelves in turning cups, ſpoons, ſhuttles, &c. and varniſhing all kinds of bowls and cups. The women employ themſelves in ſewing, making linen, coarſe cloths, and felts, making cloaths, and embroidery. There are not many rich among them, neither are they poor; he [236] who poſſeſſes from 15 to 25 deſettines of land (which is a piece of ground 560 feet long and 280 broad), with 30 horſes, and other cattle in proportion, paſſes for a rich man, of the firſt claſs.’

‘Their manner of ſalutation is to give hands, and ſay, Dieſban; that is, Health, or Proſperity! The women, inſtead of embracing, ſtrike one another with both hands on the ſhoulders. Abuſive terms among them are, Schoü ourdam! Thou walking carcaſe! Viſtan ſchaïtan! Thou ſtupid devil! Schaïtan med baſtos! The devil take thee!’

‘Every village has a number of baths; here the women lye-in. On the birth of a child, the father ſacrifices a white ram, to the genius, or tutelary angel of the new-born infant; at which time, they feaſt, and make merry. The names of men, pecu⯑liar to this people, are, Iſchmak, Danabaï, Kamaï, Eltemir, &c. that of women, Daliſch, Bidelet, Beke, Akſton, Tſchanga; which laſt ſignifies a crow.’

‘Wives are purchaſed: ſome pagan Wotiaks buy as many as they can; but they ſeldom have more than one or two. The marriage-contract is called, Yeraſchou; the price paid Yerdoun, and which is ge⯑nerally from two to fifteen rubles; and the dowry of the bride, is always in proportion to the marriage-price. They never marry their ſons under ten years [237] of age; nor their daughters, till they are 15; and it is always intereſt that determines the choice.’

‘On bringing the Yerdoun to the father-in-law, the young man takes back his bride, who is delivered to him veiled. On his return home, he finds gueſts aſſembled, at his father's houſe, to whom the bride is preſented, after being previouſly taken aſide into an⯑other room, and cloathed in the dreſs of a married woman, who, whilſt the Torkai, or prieſt, makes the oblation of a cup of beer to the gods, ſits in the door-way, on a piece of cloth, laid there for that purpoſe. The object of the offering, is to procure bread, riches, and children, to the new-married cou⯑ple; who drink of the beer, bleſſed by the prieſt, which act may be called, the ſacerdotal benediction of the nuptials. This done, one of the bride-maids preſents beer, or mead, to all the gueſts, and the bride kneels down before every one of them, till he has drank off the goblet; they then eat and drink, as much as they can, and dance, till the young peo⯑ple are put to bed.’

‘Some weeks after, the bride's father pays her a viſit, examines into the houſe-keeping, and pays her huſband the remainder of her fortune; or, in lieu of it, gives ſome pieces of houſhold-furniture, and takes back his daughter with him, whom he keeps from her huſband two or three months, and ſome⯑times [238] even a whole year. During this time of ab⯑ſence, ſhe dreſſes like a virgin, and is employed at work for her parents and herſelf, occaſionally. At the expiration of the determined time, the huſband comes to demand his wife, who ſhews as much re⯑pugnance at following him, as ſhe did on the day of her marriage, cries as much at leaving home, and goes to bed to her huſband with the ſame reluctance. She ſoon, however, ſuffers herſelf to be perſuaded, and eaſily admits of conſolation. The friends of the family are again regaled, and make even greater mer⯑riment than they did on the wedding-day. A widow's wedding is conducted with much leſs ceremony: they dance, to the found of the pipe, called bys; of the Ruſſian balaleika, a kind of guitar, with only two ſtrings; and of another inſtrument, which they call, oumkreſs.’

‘Before they bury their dead, they waſh the body, and cloath it in complete apparel; and, as they al⯑ways carry a knife, faſtened to their girdles, ſo they give one to the deceaſed, taking care, however, to break off the point. They lay a cake upon his breaſt, and fix a lighted torch by his ſide. At the interment, they throw ſome copecs into the grave, and pronounce theſe words, Yougt inti ſot ſoui! O earth, make thou room for him! The body is laid in a kind of coffin, with ſome ſkillets and hatchets, laſts for making mat-ſhoes on, and other [239] uſeful implements; As ſoon as they have filled up the grave, they ſtick ſome lighted torches on it, then, throwing three eggs, boiled hard, and cut into ſmall pieces, on it, they ſay, Tiogafet medou ſos! There, keep that for thyſelf! On coming from the burial, the friends walk over a fire made before the houſe of the deceaſed, rub their hands in aſhes, bathe, and change their clothes, and then make merry. Theſe ceremonies are always the ſame, to people of every condition, age or ſex.’

‘On the ſecond day after the interment, they ce⯑lebrate the firſt, commemorative feſtival called, Pe⯑miouka. At this feaſt, inſtituted in honour of the dead, his friends aſſemble in his houſe, and partake of cakes and beer, a portion of which they carry out into the yard, and repeat, as before, Tiogafet medou ſos! The words are addreſſed to the deceaſed; but the dogs take care of the proviſion. On the ſeventh day, they ſacrifice a ſheep; on the fortieth, a horned beaſt, or a horſe. All the victims are eaten, in memory of their departed friend, to whom they ſend his ſhare. On the Thurſday in Paſſion-week, they celebrate a general, commemorative feſtival; at which they aſſemble, every one, at the tomb of his relation, light up torches, eat cakes and the fleſh of ſome victim, leaving a portion on the grave of his family.’

[240] ‘It will readily be conceived, that amongſt ſuch a people, there is as much ſuperſtition to be met with, as among European nations. Some of the nations of the Wotiaks think, that Wedneſday and Friday are unlucky days; that the flight of a blackbird, or a crow, a-croſs their path; a cuckow perched on the top of a houſe, and the meeting of a hedge-hog in motion; are ſo many preſages of death, or at leaſt of dangerous ſickneſs. He who dares to kill a ſwallow, a lapwing, a pigeon, or a water-wagtail, ex⯑poſes his flock to all ſorts of misfortunes. They even build neſts for the ſwallows. They ſuppoſe that a bear, that has been wounded in the chace, knows his ene⯑my, and ſeeks and purſues him all his life. They take great care not to call a bear by his name, but Maka, that is, old man. If a tree is ſtruck by light⯑ning, it was to deſtroy a devil which had there taken its abode. Noon is a dangerous time with them, from the firſt appearance of roſes, to the end of Auguſt. At every eclipſe of the ſun, or moon, they fancy it a metamorphoſe to which theſe bodies are ſubject. Among the chriſtian Wotiaks, they attribute the cauſe of bad harveſts to their making no offering to the gods. Whoever would be ſure of croſſing the water in ſafety, muſt firſt throw a handful of graſs into it, and ſay, Ero koul monae, Do not hold me. They have an aſtoniſhing number of ſimilar, ſuper⯑ſtitious opinions, too tedious to relate. They have alſo, among them, Vedirs, or magicians, who they [241] conceive hold correſpondence with evil ſpirits, and have even the power of metamorphoſing men into animals. They call him Oubir, who has been thus metamorphoſed; and imagine, that, after he has un⯑dergone this ideal change, he muſt for ever be a va⯑gabond, and a wanderer.’

‘Among the malevolent deities, Schaïtan, or Satan, is the chief. He lives in the water, and is hence called Vou-mourt, or watery-man. They have a god, named Palas-mourt, or Alida; the former ſignifies half-man; the latter expreſſes the idea of a ſatyr, or daemon of the foreſts. This god dwells in the woods, has but one leg, and one eye, which is very large, and a monſtrous nipple to his breaſt, with which he ſtifles men, by thruſting it into their mouths. The Albaſte of the Wotiaks is much the ſame as our Ignis fatuus, or jack-a-lanthern; he plays his tricks, holds his wanton revels in deſerted houſes, in bathing-rooms, and uninhabited villages; on which account they burn all the houſes and villages they abandon, that they may not become a retreat for theſe wicked phantoms.’

‘They imagine a two-fold exiſtence after death. The firſt is, Dounja yougguit, a reſplendent life, the inheritance of the good, wherein they enjoy every kind of happineſs a Wotiak is capable of conceiving in this world; the other, Kouratzin inli, or the abode [242] of bitterneſs, containing a vaſt number of caul⯑drons of pitch, in which the wicked are for ever boiling.’

‘Whenever any epidemic ſickneſs rages among them, they ſacrifice a black ſheep to Inmar, that he may prevent the devil from doing them harm. The ceremonies of this ſacrifice are performed on the bank of ſome river; and whilſt the fleſh of the victim is making ready, every father of a family goes with a ſtick into all the rooms of his houſe, and beating about him, at every ſtroke, cries, Get out of my houſe! This done, they fire off a fowling-piece, or ſhoot an arrow, at a dog, or cat, of the village; which, when killed, they drag with a cord to the place of ſacrifice, always going down the ſtream to it; then leaving the animal, with the cord faſtened to it, every one throws his ſtick into the river, and proceeds to the ſacrifice, to which they give the name of Orvas.’

‘In general, the Wotiaks are very zealous in their religious obſervances; are very deſirous to obtain the approbation of the gods, and uſe every means to deſerve it: in a word, they are devout, and very pious idolaters; but, notwithſtanding this, in 1774, there were reckoned 27,228 males, and 27,169 fe⯑males, who had been baptized, in the kingdom of Caſan alone.’

[243]My account of the Tſcheremiſſes, who chiefly inhabit the diſtricts about the Wjatka, and the Kama, will be much ſhorter, as I could not meet with an opportunity of being better informed. They are of a middling ſize, with light, fair, or red hair, eſpecially their beards, which are thin. Their faces are fair, with ſtrong fea⯑tures. They are weak, ſlothful, timid, very roguiſh and more obſtinate than any people I ever ſaw. Some of their women have fine faces, but far inferior to the Tartars; and their common dreſs is very unfavourable to beauty. Their hair they twiſt into two tails, one on the crown of their head, the other on the back part; the reſt of the hair is formed into knots; and, after all, the head is covered with a ſmall cap, embroidered with various coloured needle-work. This is the head-dreſs of the married women; and, when they go abroad, they tie a cloth, worked in the ſame manner, over the head, and under the chin. Girls, who generally go bare⯑headed, braid their hair behind, in two floating tails; and, when they go out, tie the ſame kind of embroider⯑ed handkerchief, or cloth, about their heads; but mar⯑ried women are aſhamed, particularly before their fa⯑ther-in-law, to go bare-headed. All the women wear breeches, and ſhifts of coarſe linen, and a long outer garment of cloth, or linen, with cloſe ſleeves, and a fall-down cape, like that of the Wotiaks. The lower ſeam of the garment is embroidered with various co⯑loured thread, and ornamented with coloured croſſes. The ſhift, on the boſom, is embroidered in the ſame [244] way, and kept together with two or three large braſs buckles. They often wear armlets, or rings, on their arms; and wrap up their legs to an enormous thick⯑neſs, like the Mordvine women.

Their houſes are richer than thoſe of the Mordvines, Wotiaks, or Finlanders; they are ſcattered about, but without encloſures, and generally conſiſt of a winter and ſummer apartment, with a portico and ſtairs. Their inward conſtruction is wholly Tartarian.

They are induſtrious huſbandmen, rich in corn, and in no want of horſes or horned cattle. They keep alſo a quantity of bees. The Tſcheremiſſian heathens, of which there are many, celebrate ſome of the Ruſſian feſtivals; ſuch as the week after Chriſtmas, and the Carnival, but only by banqueting and drinking. They have alſo a ſtrong belief in ſome Ruſſian ſaint, and in the Mahomet of the Tartars, whom they call Piambar (Prophet). Their own great ſolemnities are thrice a year; the feaſt of ſpring, ſimilar to the Saban, a field-feaſt of the Tartars, is celebrated a little before Midſummer; every one then cleans himſelf in a bath, puts on clean under-garments, and aſſembles for the general ſacrifice, when a red-brown horſe, and a white cow are ſolemnly ſlaughtered in the keremet, the fat, blood, and bones of which are burnt, and their ſkins ſuſpended on poles during the general ſuppli⯑cation. Their ſecond feſtival, like that of the Wo⯑tiaks, [245] is called Uginda, and celebrated before hay-har⯑veſt, its principal object is Agebaren, the god of Plenty, and to ſupplicate his bleſſing on the harveſt. The third is the feaſt of general thanks after harveſt. They begin their new year with the Carnival week in March, and this is the commencement of ſpring.

"The Tſcheremiſſes" ſays Tooke, ‘call themſelves Mai, men, and are ſettled in the government of Caſan and Ninei-Novorogod on both ſhores of the Wolga, but chiefly along the left ſide of that great river, quite into Permia. They are of Finniſh origin, and ſpeak a language peculiar to themſelves, but have no books or writings. During the ſov⯑reignty of the Tartars, they were like the Wotiaks, ſubject to that people.’

Though I ſpell, the word Tartars according to the old pronunciation; yet the original word is Tatars, and the French and German writers have within theſe few years adopted this orthography; but, as it will re⯑quire a better authority, than mine, to change the ſpel⯑ling, I have continued it according to the old method, as I have in calling the city Moſcow, which ſhould be pronounced Moſkva.

‘The Tſcheremiſſes, though formerly they had princes of their own, now have neither princes nor nobles, and tho' in early times they led paſtoral [246] lives, being confined to a ſmall diſtrict, they are obliged now to turn their thoughts to agriculture.’

‘Their farms conſiſt of a hut of only one room for the family, a few ſtables and outhouſes in the yard, detached from each other, and ſeveral, little magazines built each on a perpendicular bank, which ſerve them alſo for chambers in the ſummer-ſeaſon; all theſe buildings are of wood, forming a ſquare, the area of which, between the different huts, is all open. Their rooms for winter are built at the height of about 4 or 5 feet, over a cellar, to which you aſ⯑cend by a few clumſy ſteps, under a covering of planks. Each room contains, beſides an oven, a hearth for culinary purpoſes and a broad bench for the family to ſleep on; ſometimes the kitchen is in the dwelling-houſe, and often is called the Black⯑room, and black enough, in truth, it is, from the ſmoke which has no chimney or vent; the doors of, their rooms are very low, and inſtead of a window, a hole is made about a foot and a half ſquare, covered with a bladder, or linen, as a ſubſtitute for glaſs. Their furniture is like that of the Ruſſian villagers. The woman are employed as are the Wotiaks, and in⯑deed the two nations reſemble each other in their perſons, manners, and way of living.’

‘The dreſs of the men is nearly like that of the Ruſſians, excepting that they comb their hair ſtraight [247] down from the crown, and then cut it all round near⯑ly cloſe to the head. The collar, waiſtbands and boſoms of their ſhirts are embroidered with colour⯑ed worſted; their coat is made of a coarſe Ruſſian cloth, compoſed of black-wool, and the cape like that of an Engliſh ſurtout, and an opening in the ſkirts on each ſide; ſuch alſo is the dreſs of the Wotiak men.’

‘The dreſs of the married women is the ſame with that of the unmarried, only better worked; they wear trowſers, and inſtead of ſtockings, wrap their legs in linen rags, and often when they ride, with hay-bands, faſtening them on with a ruſh, or a piece of packthread, wound ſeveral times round the calf. Their ſhoes are made of the bark of trees, cut into ſlips and matted. In ſummer they wear only a ſhift, which is not tucked into the trowſers, but hangs looſe all round them. It is alſo at the neck and wriſts cut into a ſhape and comes down to the knees; the neck, wriſtbands and ſeams all covered with a whimſical embroidery of different-coloured worſted. A large buckle holds it together on the boſom, and a girdle round the waiſt. When they would be more dreſſed, they put over this ſhift a habit like a morn⯑ing gown, made of various coloured cloths and toler⯑ably fine, and edge it with brown fur. Their caps are in the ſhape of a cone, made of birch-bark, covered with linen or ſtuff, and ornamented with [248] glaſs-beads, little, white ſhells, and flowers. From this cap, a ribband, three inches broad, ornamented as the cap, falls down the back. Some wear a broad ribband on the forehead, covered with pieces of money and beads, inſtead of the conical cap. Others wear a number of rings, thimbles, and all ſorts of jingling pendants, at their girdles, which ornaments reach down to the joint of the knee be⯑hind; and as they walk, thus curiouſly adorned, theſe trappings are offenſive to the ear.’

‘The women, like the Ruſſian country-women, generaly chuſe to lie-in, in the bath-rooms. The firſt man that viſits her, after her delivery, names the child, if it is a boy, and the firſt woman, if a girl; the child⯑ren call ſuch perſons afterward Atai, Name-father; and Abai, Name-mother. Common names of males are, Sengoul, Kiſpelat, Erbaldi, Ilmet, &c. of females, Pide⯑let, Aſtan, Naſouke, &c. huſband and wife they call Mari and Vata.’

‘On the day of marriage, the bridegroom, ac⯑companied by his friends, goes to the bride's houſe; and as they have muſicians playing before them, numbers of people join the proceſſion, as it paſſes through the villages. The bridegroom then pays the reſt of the purchaſe money, diſtributes preſents, and after this, the whole company ſits down to eat and make-merry; the next day, the bride, being covered with a veil, he takes her home, notwithſtanding all the tears ſhe ſheds, and all the reſiſtance ſhe makes.’

‘In the houſe where the nuptial ceremonies are per⯑formed, a Kart, or prieſt rehearſes a prayer before the Idol of the houſe placed on a table; the prayer ended, a feaſt and diverſion ſucceeds, with ſongs and [250] dances, and the ſound of the Gouſli, the Schibber and the Kobaſch. During theſe different amuſements, they take the bride apart and transform her into a woman; that is to ſay, they dreſs her as a married woman. The huſband then conducts her into the eating-room, when the Kart repeats another prayer, the bride kneeling before him. After this ceremony; ſhe diſtributes preſents, often beer or mead, to every gueſt, and then returns into her hut. In the evening, the bride undreſſes herſelf, but it is not without a deal of reſiſtance, that ſhe ſuffers the bridewomen to put her to bed. On the entrance of the bridegroom, the door is barricaded, and the next morning, he that repreſented the father of the bride enters the nuptial chambers with a whip in his hand. If, after proper enquiries, there appear no token of virginity, he ſhows the bride the whip in a threatning manner, and, in a day or two after, makes her feel the laſh of it. In this manner, according to the degree of crimination, they puniſh the levities and miſconduct of their wives, and their negligence in the duties of marriage. The morrow of the wedding-day is ſpent, alſo, in jollity, and every one, on returning, throws into the laſt cup he takes, ſome copecs, as a preſent to the new-married folks. Among the chriſtian Tſcheremiſſes, almoſt all the weddings are preceded by this pagan marriage, and often a long time prior to their ſolemnization by the chriſtian prieſt. Nor is it uncommon for a Tſcheremiſſian-rake [251] to take the liberty of diſpenſing with this cere⯑mony; he lays hold of the girl, takes her home, and as ſoon as ſhe is with child, gives her father as much for her as he thinks proper.’

‘Interring the dead, they dreſs the deceaſed in his beſt cloaths, and put him into a Schupar, or cof⯑fin. The burial is performed on the day of the perſon's death, and the proceſſion conſiſts of perſons of both ſexes. The grave is dug eaſt and weſt, and the head of the corpſe is laid to the weſt. As they believe, with the generality of the Pagans, that the exiſtence after death, is but a prolongation of their actual life, a few particulars excepted, the friends of the deceaſed put a number of copecs into his girdle, and furniſh him with certain, other things that have been necceſſary to him in life; ſuch as a laſt for making ſhoes upon, a ſtick to drive the dogs from him, and a little bunch of roſe-tree twigs for repel⯑ling evil ſpirits. As ſoon as the grave is filled up, every one of the company places a little torch on the grave of each of his departed friends through⯑out the Sulugartla or cemetery, repeating ſeveral times, Live in harmony and friendſhip; he then takes a cake, and having eaten part of it, near each of the lighted torches, lays three pieces of it on every grave and ſays, This is for thee. The ceremony cloſes with placing over the grave a ſheet of linen faſtened to a pale, like a flag. On their return home, [252] they bathe and change their cloaths, throwing away the old cloaths of the deceaſed, and hanging out the ſerviceable ones, to be purified in the air. Like the Wotiaks, they honour the dead with commemoration-feſtivals, and the whole village, every year, cele⯑brates a general one.’

‘Their religion is idolatry, and in the performance of it, they implicitly follow the precepts of their prieſts, who are alſo magicians, the interpreters of dreams, and the foretellers of fortune. Every com⯑munity replaces the Kart, or prieſt, by its own elec⯑tion, and they take care to beſtow the charge on a man reputed for diſcretion and reſpectable for his age and irreproachable manners. To every prieſt is given an Oudſchou or ſub-preſbyter, as an aſſiſt⯑ant.’

‘Youma, in their language, is the general name for God; and that the Almighty may be completely happy, they give him a wife, called, Youmon-ava, mother of the gods. They have inferior divinities and conceive them to be the offspring of the two ſupreme deities, and that the government of the world is their proper inheritance, as the ſons of god; ſome of whom are married, and others live in celibacy. The men addreſs the gods, and the women the goddeſſes. With them the devil, whom they call Schaitan, is the parent and origin of the malevolent god. He [253] hath his dwelling in the water, and diſſeminates ca⯑lamities, misfortunes and diſaſters. But the object of their greateſt fear is Koudortſcha, the god of thunder, to whoſe power they aſcribe the fertility of the earth and plenteous harveſt: they repre⯑ſent him under the figure of a puppet, cloathed in Tſcheremiſſian garments, put him into a box made of the bark of birch, and place it a corner of the houſe. They, like the Wotiaks, keep feſtival days, on which they ſacrifice animals, and with ſimilar ceremonies.’

‘In the government of Caſan, the number of bap⯑tized Tſcheremiſſes is calculated, from 1724 to 1774, to be 6,580 males and 5,951 females; but the greater part of theſe new converts, celebrate ſecretly the pagan feſtivals, or at leaſt aſſiſt at the ceremonies of their heathen brethren, as much as they can, without being diſcovered by the clergy, and puniſhed for their obſtinacy.’

Soon after my arrival in Sarapul it began to thaw, and as I had planned my ſummer's tour, to be by wa⯑ter on the Kama and Wolga, and this place was un⯑favourable for the preparations neceſſary; I ſet out the 12th of March for Caſan, a diſtance of 200 miles, and proceeded from thence on my return to Sarapul on the 7th of April. As this is not a journey of obſer⯑vation, that having been done by profeſſor Falk, who [254] ſpent his winter here, I forbear ſaying any thing on the ſubject.

Sarapul. Sarapul, which was my reſidence in ſpring, is ſo populous a village, as to ſurpaſs many market-towns. It lies along the high border of the Kama, chiefly at the bottom of a height, in which there is ſtill a decayed, wooden fortreſs, which is ſaid to have been erected during the Baſkirian troubles, a pa⯑riſh-church, a houſe for the bailiff, a court-houſe, and a comptoir, two wooden churches, and 343 dwel⯑ling houſes, built in very narrow, winding ſtreets, which are amazingly dirty in ſpring and autumn. Through this place flows a brook into the Kama.

The villages under the juriſdiction of Sarapul are moſtly inhabited by huſbandmen, and contain 2640 tributary heads. The Kama ſupplies the inhabitants with plenty of fine fiſh, particularly the white ſalmon, (Eriox) and the inhabitants call it Kraſnaja Kyba, which is uſually caught from one and a half archines to two archines long.^* The only remarkable, ſmall fiſhes in this river are fiſhes of paſſage, which come annually up from the Wolga, among wich is the gold-fiſh (Clupea aloſa) and the Tſchechon (Cyprinus cultratus).

Between 50 and 80 miles above Sarapul, are two large iron-manufactories, belonging to the crown, in [255] which more than 7000 Caſanian peaſants and 600 forge⯑men are employed, and where they forge annually from 130 to 150,000 puds of bar-iron, which is conveyed down the Kama in barges, and from thence on the Wolga to Aſtrachan, and ſo to Peterſburgh. Both theſe manufactories are ſo ſituated, as to have inexhauſtible woods for fire, and great plenty of water. I ſpeak here from actual knowledge, having viſited their works myſelf.

On the 21ſt of April, I left Sarapul. The peaſants about the river Kama begin now to increaſe among themſelves the linſeed, or hemp-ſeed of Wallachia, the firſt ſeeds of which were brought there by the coloniſts from Poland. It is now planted with ſuc⯑ceſs in the ſouthern parts of the diſtrict of Selengin⯑ſkaja. On the Kama it grows three feet and a half high, and yields a far finer yarn then that of the common flax.

After travelling 380 miles, I reached the river Sama⯑ra, at Sorotſchinskaja, on the 5th of May, 1773. The bridge here, being not in a proper ſtate to paſs over, I ſent an expreſs to Buſuluzkaja, in order to get proper aſſiſtance in this place, according to the order I had received for this purpoſe from the go⯑vernor of Orenburgh. I therefore pitched my tent in the plain and diſpatched ſome of my people, and they not only brought with them on the 7th at night, the [256] aſſiſtance I wanted, but a live, wild colt, which had been caught about eight days before, near Tozkaja-Krepoſt.

The tarpans or wild-horſes have encreaſed much within theſe few years in the ſteps of this diſtrict; for as the wild country between the Jaik and the Wolga has been uninhabited for a conſiderable time, theſe animals uſed commonly in ſummer to advance as much towards the north as they could, in order to ſhelter themſelves from the troubleſome inſects, ſcorching heat, and avidity of paſture. I am ſtill more and more of opinion, that the wild horſes, found roving in the ſteps of the Jaik, Don and Baraba, are chiefly the produce of ſome bewild⯑red Kirgueſe and Kalmuck horſes, or of the ſtallions of the Nomades belonging to this diſtrict, with either ſingle mares or whole herds which they carried off. Hence the variety of colour and breed in theſe horſes, tho' the chief are yellow, brown or yellowiſh. The colt brought to me was one of this colour, and was taken from its dam a few hours after it was dropt. If com⯑pared with a tame colt of the ſame age, it bore the following diſtinctive marks. It was taller, ſtronger limbed, a larger head, with more hair about the mouth, the ears conſiderably longer, and the points bent more forwards; he carried his ears generally backward, like a biting horſe, and the forehead was much vaulted, the mane appeared to be thicker and extended further on the withers, the tail was blackiſh and not much [257] different: the back was leſs, roſe a little curved, the hoof ſmaller and more pointed, and the fetlocks curled; the colour was a fallow-fawn with a ſtripe down the back, a blackiſh mane, and aſs-coloured about the mouth. It looked like a mare-colt; or filley; and the mother, ac⯑cording to the accounts I received from the perſons who caught it, was in company with ſeven other mares, that compoſed the ſuite of a wild ſtallion of the ſame colour. (See the repreſentation in the plate, with Sajan Tartar digging Beſs).

As far as I could learn, that wild ſpecies of horſe or aſs, called by the Kirgueſe and Kalmucks Kulan or Chulan, and which was never yet tamed, is not only different from theſe horſes naturally wild, and called by the Kalmucks Takja, but alſo from the Dſhiggetei of the Mongols. Moſt people deſcribed them to me as bluiſh, or aſs-coloured, with a common aſs-croſs on the ſhoulders. Others report that they are of a yel⯑low-brown colour, with a black ſtripe down the back and a double croſs ſtripe over the ſhoulders, with ſhorter ears than thoſe of aſſes, and a cow-tail like the Dſhiggetei. The laſt deſcription I received from an old Coſſack, who had eſcaped from Kirgueſe captivity, is, that the Chulan is a medium between the Dſhiggetei and the aſs. According to the firſt account they ſhould be the Onagri of the ancients; and all agree, that the Chulan is ſo wild as not to be tamed, and ſwifter than the fleeteſt horſe. Theſe animals go in [258] large troops, eſpecially in ſpring, when they wander northwards from the Ural to the mountains Tumada; and when they return in autumn to the warm diſtricts of Perſia and India.

On the 14th of May I arrived at Jaizkoi Gorodok, and found the condition of the Jaikian Coſſacks much changed ſince I was there, and by their own fault. The former liberty and conſtitution of their court of waiwodes was no more, but Lieutenant-Colonel Sima⯑nof governor of Jaizkoi, commanded them, and had two of the firſt Starchins or elders, whom the fury of the people had ſpared in the troubles of 1771, for his aſ⯑ſeſſors. Four battalions of light troops, and a certain number of irregular regiments were quartered in forts before the city and within, alſo, to keep the peace. Many Coſſacks, even of the rank of Starchin, to avoid puniſhment, were obliged to leave their effects and fly, and ſome few, who eſcaped from priſon, were roving in the ſtreet, and living upon a miſerable ſubſiſtence, which they obtain by hunting, or privily from their friends. Though matters were not yet ſettled, they were under proper regulations reſpecting the fiſheries, and one battalion was quartered on the Kirguiſian ſide, to prevent any hoſtile ſurprize, and another, as uſual, at⯑tended the fiſheries, commanded by an officer they called Jertaul.

[259]The horſes and guides being ready for my departure, on the 19th I ſet off at noon, with an eſcort of twelve coſſacks for Sundaef, in order to meet Mr. Surjef, whom I had ſent before to gather the vernal plants on the mountains of Indeſkoi, and arrived there the 21ſt. On the 24th, we left Sundaef, and took our farewell of the Jaik for good, directing our journey ſouth-eaſtwards, through the deſart ſtep, and the next day, in theſe wilds, I met with an interpreter in his wayfrom Aſtrachan, ſent with diſpatches to Orenburgh. This was the ſame perſon I had met at Stauropal in 1769; he was over⯑joyed to ſee me, and we ſpent the night (with his eſcort, conſiſting of four Kalmucks) on the ſame ſpot.

On the ſteps of the river Kuſchum, the Saigaks, or ſtep-goats were ſeen, ſometimes ſingly and ſometimes in large flocks. The Coſſacks, in ſummer, when they have nothing elſe to do, go out in ſmall parties to hunt theſe animals, and being unable to conſume the fleſh or carry it home, ſkin the beſt of them, and carry off ſuch ſkins and their horns. They had alſo many horns of thoſe that have been killed by wolves or other ac⯑cidents, which they ſell to the Chineſe merchants. On the Jaik a couple of Saigak horns are ſold from ten to fifteen copecs, but on the Chineſe frontiers for four times the price. The Coſſacks of the Jaik, who kill annually a great number of theſe animals, aſ⯑ſure me that there ſome with three horns; and two or [260] the Coſſacks, in my eſcort, declared they once killed two, that had but one horn each.

Every where on this ſtep, where the titmouſe makes a hole, is a quantity of muſcle, and other ſea-ſhells, calcined by the weather, by lying on the ſurface of the ground; but underneath the ſoil, in dry, loamy ground, they are found entire, having been ſo preſerved a great number of years, ſince the time that the Caſpian ſea covered this diſtrict. The whole ſtep along the Kuſchum is arid and dreary, and the ſoil ſalt; of courſe unfit for any kind of huſbandry, or even for rearing of cattle. The loweſt ſpots are ſcarce green in ſpring, and there is not a tree to be ſeen. On this ſtep we took up our night's lodging.

Whilſt we were ſtopping on the 30th of May, on one of the ſteps to feed our horſes, ſome one of our company had kindled a fire; and the wind being high, blew it among the high graſs and ſet fire to it. It burſt out with great rage, and the flame ran like wild-fire, ſo as to ſet the whole ſpot in a blaze, and we had ſcarce time to ſave our waggons, and avoid the fire by running from it. This day we met ſome armed people on horſeback, who were undoubtedly vagabond Coſ⯑ſacks, from the Jaikian diſtrict of Umno. We were obliged to lie all the next night under arms. No in⯑terruption however enſued, and the next day we travelled on, reached ſome quickſand hills, and met [261] with, between them, the firſt water-pit we had ſeen, and indeed the firſt water for many days. Yet, notwith⯑ſtanding we had water with us, and a great number of young toads were ſwimming in theſe pits, we were induced to make our tea with it, and found it excellent. This ſame evening we were ſaluted near the water-pits, by that ſcarce, black ſtep-lark (Alauda Tartarica), which I have ſpoken of before. They flew here either ſingly, or in couples, and may be compared in flight and ſong to the Alauda Calandra. Here alſo in this ſandy deſart was plenty of thoſe venemous ſerpents I have mentioned, Phalangium araneoides, and a large ſpe⯑cies of beetle (Carabus bucida). If it be true, as the Kalmucks ſay, that the bite of theſe beetles of prey is ſometimes mortal to cattle, they may be ſaid to be the bupreſtis of the ancients. This ſand-deſart, which we had juſt got upon, is called by the Kalmucks naryn (the ſmall ſand). It begins at 49 deg. N. latitude, between the Great Uſen and the ſalt-lake Altannnor, joins a tract of hills, and continues uninterrupted in the middle diſtrict, between the Wolga and the Jaik, as far as the Northern coaſt of the Caſpian ſea. There it forms a cape. This ſandy deſart, in general, conſiſts of large, green ſand-layers, which riſe flat above the ſalt loams, and ſcattered with high, quick-ſand hills, like little mountains.

Though this ſand ſeems very unfavourable to the growth of vegetables, yet the plains are full of green, juicy, and fine plants, the cauſe of which is the [262] wonderful nature of this diſtrict, being ſo full of ſalt⯑ſprings. By digging, the Kalmucks have found large water-pits. This ſandy deſart has ſome rare and cu⯑rious plants. The high, quickſand hills are full of elymus, arundo, et carex arenaria. Inſtead of trees, na⯑ture has provided theſe ſand heaps with buſhes. Among them is the moſt rare, wonderful, and leafleſs long, thin-limbed Calligonum polygonoides (^*), which has [263] no where been diſcovered except by me here, upon ſome ſand-mountains on the Southern Wolga, and about the mouth of the river Kama, and by Tourne⯑fort, at the bottom of Mount Ararat. It had now, on all it's branches, full grown-fruit, which gave a beautiful appearance to the buſh, ſeemingly created for a ſandy ſoil, and whoſe roots extend often to the depth of many fathoms. As abundantly grew here the Artemiſia ſantonicum, with thick and woody ſtalks, which riſe in autumn to the height of ſeveral fathoms. Here grows alſo the Prenanthes Chondrilloides, changed into a buſh.

The oldeſt and beſt water-pits, in the vallies between the hills, are ſometimes delightfully ſhaded with fine narrow-leaved willows, and the wild olive-tree (Elae⯑agnus), or ſmall, white poplar-buſhes, whereof the for⯑mer become often fine and tall trees.

The plants that cloath this ſandy deſart are many, "but not being entertaining to a general reader, I will not enumerate them." Of animals, this diſtrict abounds with wolves, foxes, antelopes, and in reedy vallies, wild boars, little titmice, and race-hares. Of birds, none (except near ſome ſprings and ſalt-marſhes) but the Bergander, common ſmall larks, large black ones, ſparrows in great numbers, and ſtep-hawks (Falco lanarius), which build their neſts on low trees in the vallies. I met with but few ſerpents, except the [264] lizard-ſerpent, in low, graſſy vallies (Lacerta apoda), and ſtill fewer vipers.

We were ſeveral days travelling in this deſart, en⯑camping on it every night. One day we met with ſome pretty partridges, with long, pointed wings; they have uncommonly ſhort feet, and fly almoſt like pidgeons; as they drink often, they are ſeldom ſeen far from the water-pits, and when theſe are dried up, they retire about the Southern Wolga. Their food is the feeds of the Aſtragalus cicer & alopecuroides, but in autumn the ſalt-plants. They generally fly ſingle, and in pairs, but, in autumn, in whole coveys. When they ſoar, they ſqueak, but fly without noiſe. Their fleſh is good, but tough. They probably came from more Southern diſtricts, becauſe they had but juſt began to breed, laying large white-eggs, like pullets eggs.

On this deſart is a mountain of rock-ſalt, diſcovered by the Kalmucks many years ſince. I went to ſee it. It is about ſix miles in circumference, and divided by a ſalt-valley, making various windings, befet on each ſide with ſtony hills. In a ſalt ſpot in this valley, Mr. Gmelin, when he was here, dug a trying pit, and found the rock-ſalt pure as chryſtal, and reaching quite to the day or ſurface of the ground. It cannot be aſcer⯑tained how far the ſalt penetrates into the mountain, but there is no doubt of its advancing a great way.

[265]Our journey, on this ſcorching, ſandy ſtep, took us ten days, and having nothing to drink but the water we carried with us, which became foul in the veſſels, and abſolutely ſtunk, I ſcarce know how to ex⯑preſs the pleaſure we enjoyed at reaching a river on the further ſide of the ſtep, where we hung over the ſtream, men and horſes, for a conſiderable time. On the road I had the pleaſure of being an eye witneſs of the gipſey, or Egyptian-like way of living of a tribe of Tartars of Cuban extraction. They have about one thouſand tents, and have at preſent obtained per⯑miſſion to travel with their flocks along the river Ach⯑tuba, from Tſchigit to near the ſea-ſide; they call themſelves Kundurau, and are, like moſt Cuban Tar⯑tars, what the ancient geographers call Hamaxobites.

We ſaw three of their wandering tribes. Their jurts or tents are in form and ſtructure different from thoſe of the Kalmucks, and other Nomades. They cannot be taken to pieces, "being ſo interwoven with buſhes," but being of much lighter ſtructure, "and ſcarce twelve feet in diameter," can be put upon a large cart. The round wall of ſuch a tent is a lattice-work of very ſlender rods, and the roof a flatted vault of bent rods, one end of which is faſtened to the lattice-work, and the other to a hoop that forms the ſmoke-hole, re⯑ſembling [266] our chicken-rips. The walls of this tent are covered with a reed-mat, and over the whole a light felt; ſo that this covering needs not to be re⯑moved. In order to tranſport theſe tents, they put them on a cart, with two high wheels, ſo as that the wheels are within the tent; on which they alſo load their timber, furniture, women and children, and thus wheel off all together. Rich men have two, or more, ſuch tents, and carts, according to the number of their families; and they have alſo another cart covered, in which they ſleep, with their wives. If they do not remain for a length of time in one place, they do not remove their tents from the cart, but fit under⯑neath it, and perform their work in the ſhade of it; and, to prevent their young cattle from doing the ſame, they hurdle it in; but if they wiſh to make ſome ſtay, they unload their carts, and hang in the ſmoke-hole, on the windward ſide, a felt, embroidered with the needle in coloured worſted, partly to prevent the ſmoke's beating down into the tent, and partly by way of or⯑nament. Their appearance is wild, and many of them are ſoon ſmoke-dried, and ſo much ſcorched with the ſun, that they look like Indians. Their women, how⯑ever, when young, are pretty. In horned cattle they are rich; "they ride them in preference to horſes;" and draw their carts by two or three oxen, yoked in ſhafts, one before the other. They formerly paid a ſmall, annual tribute to the khan of the Kalmucks, in cattle, butter, and other proviſions; but are now free [267] from every tax, and yet are continually robbing the Ruſſian inhabitants and travellers. ‘In manners, dreſs, way of living, &c. they are like the Baſki⯑rians.’ Thoſe who cannot afford to keep cattle, maintain themſelves by following the trades of ſhoe-making, tanning, and other handicrafts; whilſt ſome alleviate their poverty, by ſheep-ſtealing, and other kinds of rapine, which they exerciſe to advantage among their neighbours, and the nearer hordes.

At Selitrenoi-gorodok, on the river Achtuba, are the remains of two magnificent buildings, the moſt ſplen⯑did of which has been cleared from the rubbiſh, in which it was buried, partly for the ſalt-petre found therein, and with which the ſalt-petre-works adjoining are ſupplied, and partly with the view of finding hidden treaſures. The extent of this heap of rubbiſh, which marks the extent of the ancient, Nogayan city, which here ſtood, is a mile and an half. The other ruin, is ſuppoſed to have been ſome manſion, from the many little diviſions of rooms in it. The former, from which has been dug out many valuable things, and coffins plated with ſilver, ſeems to have been the mauſoleum of ſome khans, and a temple. The whole appears to have been erected in form of a long qua⯑drangle, from N. N. E. to S. S. W. and is about 12 fathoms long; and, on the ſouth front, 9½ fathoms broad. I remarked a judicious proportion in the divi⯑ſions, and the burial-vaults under the northern one; [268] but the more ſouthern front, whoſe foundation-walls are ſtill the higheſt, and are now 14 feet above-ground, and have their foundations three-quarters of a yard thick, was embelliſhed with Gothic pillars and arches, the remains of which are ſtill to be ſeen. Throughout all the remaining buildings, reigns a moſt regular mag⯑nificence; of which I never ſaw an inſtance in any Tartarean ruins. The outſide of the wall is not only ornamented with colours of green, yellow, white and blue, in triangular forms; but, in the chief points of the building, are the remains of Gothic carving, and Moſaic workmanſhip. Time, however, and the cove⯑touſneſs of the people, have many years ſince converted theſe relicks of antiquity, into heaps of ſtone and rub⯑biſh. Formerly, they loaded whole veſſels with the bricks and tiles of theſe ruins, and conveyed them to Aſtrachan; and, in ſo doing, for every 100 bricks they took away; they reduced, at leaſt, 2000 into uſeleſs rubbiſh. It is reported, that many coins, and valuable jewels, have been here found; but I doubt whether any of theſe objects have fallen into the hands of real amateurs; or into that treaſure of inland anti⯑quities which the Academy of Sciences at Peterſburg has eſtabliſhed.

A quarter of a mile to the north of this place, is a large tumulus that has been dug into; and to which the Kundurau, and other Tartars, when in this neigh⯑bourhood, come and ſay their prayers on it; from an [269] opinion, that a ſaint of their religion (Mahomedan) was here buried. The Tartars aſſert, that this ſaint ſtill performs miracles, cures the ſick, and ſometimes appears to them in their ſleep; the effect of a weak imagination, among many other people in un-enlight⯑ened ages.

Not being more than about 65 miles from Aſtrachan, I reſolved to viſit that place, accordingly paid off my eſcort, and ſet off on the 10th of June, with poſt-horſes. The road to that place is bad and difficult, owing to the number of quickſand-hills we are obliged to paſs. The next ſtation (eight miles) is Krugloi-go⯑rodok, or Dſhamjanowa; ſo called from the Kalmuck prince Dſhamjanowa, who lately died here in a fine wood-built palace, with a chapel and adjoining ſtables, erected for him at the expence of the Empreſs; and whoſe widow and ſucceſſors ſtill reſide in it, attended with a life-guard of Coſſacks. This whole diſtrict is rich in ſalt-petre; but I ſhall not ſay more on that ſubject, it having been long ſince deſcribed by pre⯑ceding travellers.

I remained in Aſtrachan till the 10th of June, and took leave of Profeſſor Gmelin, who was preparing to take his ſecond tour into Perſia, which ended ſo fatally to him. He was ſeized by a Tartar prince and con⯑fined, under an idea that many Tartars were ſlaves in Ruſſia, in which confinement he died. In my way back, [270] I paſſed through the fortreſs Jenataefſkoi, or Schina Balgaſun (the new city), ſituate on an arm of the Wolga, 100 miles from Aſtrachan. It is a place badly peopled, being inhabited only by eight merchants, ſome reformed ſoldiers, Coſſacks, and a few private per⯑ſons. It is a quadrangle, with good earth-walls, and four baſtions. Within the fort are only Imperial build⯑ings, a houſe for the governor, a manſion formerly de⯑ſigned for the khan of the Kalmucks, and a houſe for the Priſtaf, or chief officer of the Kalmuck hordes. The manſion of the khan is now inhabited by a Kal⯑muck prince, of Torgutian extraction, who has been baptized by the name of Alexei Dondukof, was brought up among the Imperial cadets at Peterſburg, and is advanced to the rank of colonel.

Near Zarizyn (the environs of which are become famous by the laſt and total overthrow of the traitor Pugatſchef, and his wretched followers, in Auguſt, 1774), is a kind of loam, which ſeems to be fit for pot⯑ter's work, and becomes, in calcining, almoſt as red and tender as the Chineſe ſealing-wax. Some Turkiſh priſoners at Zarizyn, make of it a variety of little veſſels, ink-ſtands, tobacco-pipe-bowls, &c. Many pieces of ſelenites are found in the ſame loam.

Colony of Sarepta. Within 30 miles of this place, on the brook Sarpa, is a fine colony of Moravian bre⯑thren, eſtabliſhed within theſe eight years, and called, [271] by the founders, Sarepta. It was erected in the year 1765, and has been endowed, by the Empreſs, with many diſtinguiſhed privileges. It was begun by five of the brethren, deputed by the reſt to make choice of a proper ſpot, and to mark out the ſcite of the chief houſe. Since this time it has been annually increaſed by families of the Unitas Fratrum, who voluntarily came here, as coloniſts from Germany and Holland; ſo that now, in 1773, it amounts to 250 perſons of both ſexes, and is yearly increaſing by new comers. The place is not yet finiſhed, according to the plan laid down; yet conſiſts of a conſiderable number of well-built houſes, ſome of wood, and ſome of birch.

The largeſt and fineſt building, is a new ſtone-built chapel, conſiſting of two ſtories, and a turret, with a clock. Near it ſtands two large edifices; one occupied by the unmarried brethren, and the other by the virgin ſiſters. They are all obliged to maintain themſelves by their own labour; and, every week, to depoſit a certain product of their labour, in the hands of their ſuperior. Theſe cannot marry, without the conſent of their ſuperior; who ſeldom grants them this liberty, till they are advanced in life. Among the brethren in the former houſe, are a number of good artiſans, as taylors, ſhoemakers, ſtocking-weavers, tanners, up⯑holſterers, blackſmiths, bakers, ſkinners, ſilverſmiths, &c. alſo, a manufactory, where they make half-ſilks, cotton, and coloured linens, ſtuffs and handkerchiefs, [272] and all of quality; but, according to the cuſtom of all Moravian eſtabliſhments, they aſk a high price for their goods. Young women earn their living by needle-work, ſpinning cotton, bleaching and knitting. Both buildings have conſiderable out-houſes belonging to them, for the various purpoſes of houſhold buſineſs, ſtables, cow-houſes, &c.

The other public buildings are, an inn, with a brandy-diſtillery, a tallow-chandlery, a ſoap-manu⯑factory, a place to make ſnuff and tobacco, a diſpen⯑ſatory, with a ſaw-mill, a corn-mill, &c. for which the Sarpa is dammed up. There are no more than ten principal houſes, to each of which is a ſmall kitchen-garden; and one houſe for the phyſician of the colony. Without the place, along the Sarpa, are ſeveral plantations of tobacco, which turn out very pro⯑fitably.

The town is fortified by a rampart, ditch, and che⯑vaux-de-frize, with ſix batteries, of two pieces of ar⯑tillery each; and it is otherwiſe fortified by nature. A ſmall garriſon of ſoldiers is quartered here in barracks, and relieved from Zarizyn.

Contiguous to the colony, they have eſtabliſhed a farm on an elevated plain, where they breed a great quantity of cattle; and, cloſe behind this, is a plen⯑tiful ſpring of water, which, by pipes, ſupplies the [273] town: a village is likewiſe begun in the neighbour⯑hood. The ſoil is a ſandy one, and, to all appear⯑ance, no plant can be cultivated to ſo much advan⯑tage, as flax. The colony has a ſhare in the fiſheries of the Wolga; and the Sarpa ſupplies it with plenty of common fiſh. The ſpring-ſeaſon yields them river-game in abundance; and winter, a number of hares and partridges. In 1774, this colony had the misfor⯑tune to be plundered by the Beſarabian Tartars, who inhabit the ſtep of Kuman; and the people thus loſt great part of their property; but the Empreſs has determined to repair their loſs, and protect them in future.

All the buildings here have been erected at the ex⯑pence of the community, and out of the general fund; and the proprietors of the houſe pay a yearly rent of ſix per cent.; and, as the principal fund conſiſts of a capital of 40,000 rubles, advanced by the Crown, with⯑out intereſt, for ten years, theſe annual rents will nearly, in the ſaid ten years, repay the ſum advanced. At the end of 30 years, they are to pay a quit-rent of 25 copecs for every deſettine of land aſſigned them, of which they have about 4,000; each deſettine, 560 Engliſh feet long by 280 wide; ſo that the whole will amount to no more than 1,000 rubles, or 250£. ſterling. Such of the coloniſts as wiſh to return to their own country, before the expiration of the ſaid ten years, are obliged to re-imburſe the ſum of 32 rubles [274] each, which the Crown advanced them for their journey here. After the ten years, this 32 rubles is conſidered as a preſent to them.

Beſides theſe advantages, the colony of Sarepta en⯑joys, beyond all other German colonies eſtabliſhed in this empire, the privilege of holding immediately of the chancery-wards at Peterſburg, without being dependent on any other province. To promote internal harmony, and order, they have choſen preſidents from among themſelves, and allowed them a handſome ſtipend. Their prieſt has the title of a biſhop; and the phy⯑ſician, and other officers, have annual ſalaries, from the general fund. They have, likewiſe, a male and female warden, to preſide over the choirs of the unmarried brethren and ſiſters, and maintain that ſtrict diſcipline, for which the ſect is characteriſed. To theſe overſeers are given a certain number of aſſeſſors, ſelected from their own body, who are called counſellors; theſe, with the paſtors, adminiſtrator, and warden of the bachelors, compoſe an aſſembly, called, the college of wardens; whoſe office it is to attend the temporal intereſts of the community, to decide diſputes, and inflict eccle⯑ſiaſtical diſcipline; in ſhort, they have a power, ſubject to very few limitations. Beſides this, they have a ſe⯑condary council, called, the aſſiſting conference, before whom matters are brought, prior to their being laid before the college. Laſtly, there is alſo an aſ⯑ſembly of grown-up men, that have been admitted [275] to the communion, and called, the great common-council. Theſe aſſemble once a month, when every one is at liberty to propoſe what he pleaſes; and all is de⯑termined by a plurality of voices. Nothing can be altered that is once eſtabliſhed, but with the con⯑currence of this other houſe; and the overſeers, or wardens, are obliged to give an account of their adminiſtration, to the great council, at the end of every year.

I mention theſe things, only for the information of thoſe readers who are unacquainted with the regulations of this ſect of people, made by Crantz; and to amuſe them further, I will add a ſhort account of their ſeveral ſpiritual meetings.

The ſettled order of their religious aſſemblies is never interrupted, or changed, unleſs for very cogent reaſons. They are ſometimes held in public, with the doors open to every comer; and ſometimes in private, for the communicants, or for the choirs of unmarried brethren, or ſiſters. This private meeting is ſtiled, the congregation of the choirs. By an eſtabliſhed order, two aſſemblies are held every week-day; and three, or even four, on Sundays. In winter, the week-day aſ⯑ſemblies do not commence till ſeven in the evening; and when it is public, it is called, the hour of lecture, becauſe they then read aloud ſome chapters from the bible, or a ſermon. Sometimes, alſo, the miniſter [276] preaches, particularly on Wedneſday, and ſometimes on Friday. But this aſſembly is not always general; for twice a week, and, at certain times, thrice a week, the fraternity of the holy ſupper hold their aſſemblies of devotion, in which a hymn is conſtantly ſung. At times, likewiſe, any accounts particularly intereſting, that may have been received from the brethren ſpread abroad in other countries, are read aloud. In ſummer-time, this firſt aſſembly is transfered to eight in the morning; but the ſecond, is always at nine in the even⯑ing, and is called, the hour of ſinging, becauſe verſes from ſacred canticles are ſung. The Sunday aſſemblies have their order: namely, the litanies at eight in the morning; that is to ſay, one public and ſolemn prayer, at ten a ſermon, and at eight in the evening another ſermon, called, the hour of commons.

The Lord's Supper is celebrated every four weeks, and is preceded by a ſpecial and very rigid confeſſion, and ſubſequent abſolution. This private confeſſion, is termed, the ſpeaking; and is heard by the adminiſtrator in each of the choirs, who exerciſes, in this office, the utmoſt of his authority. All the communicants receive the ſacrament at the ſame time; and the adminiſtering eccleſiaſtics, who are choſen for every aſſembly, by the biſhop, from the adminiſtrators and wardens, are then cloathed in white ſurplices, whereas, at other acts of d [...]votion, they preach in a ſecular habit of any colour, ſitting at a table.

[277]What is called, the congregation of choirs (for the men and women are divided into different choirs), is their hours of prayer, or the extraordinary prayers of the unmarried brethren and ſiſters. This is held at the diſcretion of either diviſion; or as the adminiſtrator directs. The ſignal for theſe private aſſemblies, is made by the ſound of a horn, or trumpet; whereas, that of public aſſemblies, is, by tolling a bell.

Beſides theſe meetings, they have another, called, a love feaſt. At theſe times, they meet in the hall, that ſerves for a church, and are preſented with white bread and tea, the diſtribution of which is accompanied by muſick, and ſpiritual ſongs. Excluſion from theſe agapae, is looked on as the ſecond degree of eccleſiaſt⯑ical puniſhment, and is commonly preceded by a pro⯑hibition from the communion, on the eve of which ſa⯑crament they are held; as, alſo, on thoſe of the prin⯑cipal feaſt days. In theſe baptiſms they uſe no exor⯑ciſm. The child is brought to the font, god-fathers and god-mothers anſwer for it, as in other churches, and the infant is ſprinkled three times on the breaſt. Who would not ſuppoſe that theſe repeated exerciſes of piety, ſhould enable a man to conquer his paſſions, de⯑ſtroy every vicious affection of the heart, and render the members of ſuch a ſociety, patterns of true and exemplary holineſs! Yet they often give way to human frailties, corrupt manners are but too viſible among them; and the excellent rules of this ſect are always the moſt favourable ſide, in which it can be viewed.

[278]The burial of their dead is attended by no cere⯑monial rites: no ſighs, no complaints are to be heard, nor any mourning ſeen; on the contrary, they dreſs themſelves with more than ordinary care on theſe occa⯑ſions, to indicate the ſatisfaction they have, that an⯑other perſon has run his career of duty, and is gone to lay hold of the crown of everlaſting life. Early in the morning, on Eaſter-day, the whole community meets in the church-yard, and celebrates an office, in honour of the reſurrection.

The Caſpian ſea. On the left, or weſtern ſide of the river Sarpa, there extends to the ſouthward, into the ſtep, a ridge of ground, deſcribing a number of bays and promontories, and which, ſeen from below, has the appearance of a chain of hills, when, in fact, it is no more than the ſlope of a country very much ele⯑vated. This high bank extends from Sarepta, along the Wolga, and thence towards the north, as far as the middle Elſhenka, which runs nine miles, above the co⯑lony, into the above river. Now, this ſudden elevation of ground, the bay and creeks which it forms, and eſ⯑pecially the ſaline quality of the low loam-ſtep below, whoſe ſurface is mixed with vaſt quantities of muſcle-ſhells, gives birth to the moſt probable, geographical conjectures, not only about the antient ſtate of the Kuman, the Kalmuck and Jaikian ſteps, which are ſo thoroughly like each other, but alſo, concerning the extent of the Caſpian ſea, in the remote ages of the [279] world; and on the communication it may have had with the Euxine ſea: conjectures which coincide with the opinion of M. Tournefort, who has been ever ac⯑knowledged an accurate obſerver, though he might advance and ſay a great deal, with great appearance of truth, on the ancient ſeparation of the Euxine from the Mediterranean; on the riſe of the waters of the former above the level of the latter, and of the influx of this water into the Mediterranean; probably in the deluge of Deucalion.

That multitude of ſhells ſcattered over all the ſteps of the Jaik, the Wolga, and the Kalmucks; ſhells ſimilar, in all reſpects, to thoſe found in the Caſpian ſea, and never met with in rivers; that uniformity of ſoil, in all parts of theſe ſteps; conſiſting of nothing elſe (except in places covered with a flying ſand) than a pure ſand, connected with ſuch ſlime as is ſound at the bottom of the ſea, or a yellowiſh clay, without the ſmalleſt appearance of turf, or any layers of mineral earth, till we come to a bed of clay, at a very con⯑ſiderable depth; that general, ſaline quality of the ſoil; the innumerable flats, and lakes of ſalt-water; and, above all, that continued equality of country, in all theſe vaſt deſarts, are ſo many inconteſtible proofs, that they muſt have been covered formerly by the waters of the Caſpian ſea: and, though theſe plains have been forſaken by the ſea, for a great number of ages, yet, whether by the effect of the aridity of a hot climate, [280] whether in conſequence of the ſaltneſs inherent to them, and maintained by the clayey nature of the in⯑ferior ſtratum; in ſhort, whether by an effect of that property, they have only produced plants, requiring a ſaline earth and water, and which, by their decay, make but little earth, and a great deal of ſalt; from whatever cauſe it be, yet theſe plains have never hi⯑therto been cloathed with vegetable earth, or turf; or by any kind of wood whatever.

It is then plain, that the elevated ground, between the Don and Wolga, as well as the high lands between the Wolga and the Jaik, have been the ancient banks of the Hyrcanian ſea; for it is in theſe high lands, that the diſpoſition of the earth, in ſtrata, is firſt diſcovered, that the general ſaltneſs of the ground firſt diſappears, that its ſurface is covered with black mould and turf, and that the marine productions peculiar to the Caſ⯑pian ſea, are no where to be met with; and if we meet with whole banks of ſhells and corals higher up the Wolga, where the lands begin to be more mountain⯑ous, they muſt neceſſarily ariſe from an inundation of the globe, ſo much the larger, and the more remote, as all the marine productions contained in theſe layers, are of a nature not to be found, either in the Caſpian ſea, or in the Euxine; but only in the depths of the ocean.

After ſaying thus much, it may naturally be aſked, how the Caſpian ſea, which acquires, from the rivers [281] conſtantly running into it, as much water as it is ſup⯑poſed to loſe by evaporation, for no ſenſible reflux has been obſerved in it for many years; how this ſea could have loſt, at one time, ſo great a body of water, as to leave dry a ſpace of country, doubtleſs more than 15 fathoms higher than the actual bed of that ſea, and of ſo vaſt an extent as the plains of the deſarts from the Lower Don to the Jaik, thence to Lake Aral, and behind this lake to the Uralian mountains, which are a ſouthern prolongation of the Moguldſharian moun⯑tains? If we admit Tournefort's ſuppoſition, which he has rendered probable, namely, that the mountains of the Thracian Boſphorus were in perfect contact, and formed a boundary, which divided the Euxine from the Mediterranean; ſo that the former, which received into it ſuch great rivers, as the Danube, the Dnieſter, the Don, and the Kuban, was an immenſe lake, whoſe le⯑vel was above that of the Mediterranean ſea, or the ocean; but by a rupture of this mighty dam, occaſioned either by the ſucceſſive action of the waters, or by an earthquake, the waters of the Euxine, ruſhed into the Mediterranean ſea, to gain its level; and that the firſt influx of this enormous torrent, was the reaſon of theſe inundations; which, according to the moſt ancient re⯑cords of hiſtory, deluged a part of Greece, and the iſles of the Archipelago; we ſhall be able not only to account for this diminution of the Caſpian ſea, but the viſible traces that ſtill ſubſiſt of the ancient elevation of the Caſpian, will corroborate the opinion of Tournefort.

[282]It appears, that the eaſtern ſteps, which ſhews the traces of the retiring of the Caſpian ſea, has an open communication, by low diſtricts, with the Crimean ſtep, and others, ſituated towards the Black Sea; which ſteps, as far as I could learn, are of the ſame nature with this eaſtern ſtep. And hence, if the level of the Black Sea was many fathoms higher, before the waters burſt through the channel of Conſtantinople, than at preſent, to which, perhaps, the rivers which flowed in thoſe times, from wild, woody, and moiſter diſtricts, might have much contributed; it is a plain probability, that the ſteps of the Crimea, Kuman, Wolga and Jaik, and the low countries of Great Tartary, till we paſs the lake Aral, has been one common ſea, which, by a narrow and ſhallow ſtreight, whoſe marks the river Manytſch exhibits, flowed round the northern angle of Mount Caucaſus, and formed, by the preſent Caſpian and Black Seas, two vaſt deep bays. At this time, the ſea-dogs, the ſeveral ſpecies of ſturgeon, and other fiſhes of the Black Sea, the atherina, the ſyngnathus pelagicus, and the ſhells called combs, might have been carried into the Caſpian ſea; which, by its actual ſitu⯑ation, is too remote from all other ſeas, to permit us to ſuppoſe, that theſe different, living animals could have come from them.

That as ſoon as the Black Sea could diſcharge itſelf, through the Propontis into the Mediterranean, the firſt fall of its level converted a great part of the flat and [283] ſhallow ſides into ſalt deſarts: and the Caſpian ſea having been joined by the Euxine, or Black Sea, by a ſhallow ſtreight, was, in a little time, detached from it; the level of the Euxine being much more lower than the bottom of that ſtraight, and, of courſe, the Caſpian ſea muſt have then become a lake, confined within the land; but as it did not receive ſuch an acquiſition of water, as the Black Sea, by not having ſo many and ſuch large rivers emptying into it^*, and as, for want of communication with the Euxine, it received none of its waters, this, with the natural evaporation, muſt contract the waters of the Caſpian, and leave more land bare; and it was at this time, perhaps, that the com⯑munication it had with the lake Aral ceaſed. The ſand-banks which the waters had left, now changing into quickſands, which by the wind accumulated into ſuch hills as are met with in the ſandy deſarts of Naryn, and the Wolga; old iſlands appearing in the dried bottom of the ſea, as ſo many little mountains; ſuch, for ex⯑ample, as are thoſe of Indeſkoi, and others, and many depreſſions of the lands, after the ſea had left the level ground, remaining as lakes, or ſalt-pits, many of which are to be ſeen upon the ſteps; are all corro⯑borating arguments of the viſible decline of the Caſ⯑pian ſea.

[284]In vain is the objection, that travellers relate what they have obſerved near Baku; that the ſea gained upon the land, and had already ſwallowed up part of the town; for if we conſider the phlogiſtic nature of the ſoil in thoſe parts, we ſhall find infinitely greater reaſon for admitting a ſinking of the earth, and of the moun⯑tain, than an increaſe of the ſea, which could not any way be the caſe; whilſt, on the contrary, a bare inſpection of all the countries that ſurround the northern part of the Caſpian ſea, leaves no room for doubting that it has undergone a diminution, much more conſiderable than the Mediterranean, or any other known ſea; nay, it is highly preſumable, that it is ſtill decreaſing every day. But even without ſuppoſing, as we do, that the Euxine ſea was never ſeparated from the Mediter⯑ranean, might we not, from the diminution merely, which every ſea experiences in its waters, attribute the ſeparation of the Caſpian ſea from the Euxine, and from the lake Aral, as well as the drying-up of the ſtraight of communication; and may we not conceive, that this communication once ſtopped, the ſole diſpro⯑portion between the body of waters that entered the Caſpian, by the rivers that run into it, and what it loſt by evaporation, might produce the ſame effect, and ſink its level much beneath the general plane of the ſeas?

In the extracts of Stritter, from Byzantine authors, I find a paſſage, which would make it credible, that the [285] low lands, or depreſſions, at the northern bottom of Mount Caucaſus, through which, according to my opi⯑nion, both the Euxine and Caſpian joined, were not quite dry, between the fourth and fifth century, Priſcus, who was accompanying an embaſſy ſent by Theodoſius II. emperor of the Eaſt, in 449, to Attila, king of the Huns, relates ^*, from the mouth of a de⯑puty ſent from the emperor of the Weſt, whom he met with in his road, that which the Scythians and Huns uſed to take, when they made their inroads into Perſia; ‘that they travelled part through a waſte country, or ſtep; then croſſed a marſh (which the Roman has undoubtedly confounded with that of the Maeotis); then went over a mountain, which was to be tra⯑verſed as far as into Media.’ But let this be men⯑tioned only as an accidental, doubtful conjecture; the natural marks of the decreaſe of the Caſpian, are more infallible.

On the 26th of June I went to Tzaratzin, or Zarizyn. Here I met Mr. Bykof, whom I had ſent, in winter, from Siberia to the Wolga, and who had ſpent his ſpring uſefully, in collecting remarkable plants and inſects. Mr. Sokolof, who came here with Mr. Bykof, [286] in the beginning of ſpring, made a tour up the Sarpa, through the Kumanian ſtep, and was not yet returned. Mr. Kaſhkerof, who had gone by water on the Kama, arrived here with the waggons juſt before me.

I choſe this place for my autumn abode; as this diſtrict affords many obſervations in natural hiſtory. The remainder of this month, and the next, I was buſy, in the vicinage of the Don and Wolga, among the Kalmucks, which gave me an opportunity to examine my account of that nation, and ſet it to rights. At the end of July, Mr. Sokolof joined me, who, during his ſpring-tour, through the Kumanian ſtep, came, not with⯑out danger, to the Coſſack town Moſdak, ſituate at the bottom of Mount Caucaſus, and from thence thro' Kirlac to Aſtrachan, and ſo to Zarizyn.

There is nothing remarkable in the Kumanian ſtep, which Mr. Sokolof travelled over, but Mount Caucaſus, on one of its borders, whoſe ſnow-clad ſummit was wrapped in the clouds, and which begins to riſe on the oppoſite bank of the river Terch; and the ruins of a conſiderable city, ſituate in the very angle, formed by the like Baibalinſky, with the river Kuma, and well known in the regency of Aſtrachan, by the name of Madſhar; a proof that this diſtrict once was well peopled, and deſerves population now, being a warm climate, and favourable for every ſort of culture. I had requeſted Mr. Sokolof to viſit, and deſcribe par⯑ticularly, [872] the above-mentioned ruins, which the Kal⯑mucks call Zaghan Balgaſun (white town), and alſo, Madſharan-ka-Balgaſun (the fine city of Madſhar); and illuſtrate, with many fables of their own invention: but the eſcort which attended him from Zarizyn, was ſo ſmall, and the danger of vagabond parties of Tar⯑tars, ſo great, at this time, in the diſtrict of Madſhar, that he was as much afraid to approach them, as the Coſſacks that eſcorted him.

‘This city is thought to have been the reſidence of Achmet, king of Grand Tartary, or the capital of the Golden Horde, and was called, by the Ruſſians, Tzarevi Podi: but there are no remains of any con⯑ſiderable edifice to be found entire, the whole being a heap of ruins. Here and there we met with ſeveral kurzans, or elevated tombs, built with brick; and, by the ſide of a freſh water-lake, at the foot of a hill, is a place where the wife of ſome king is ſaid for⯑merly to have reſided. On the ſummit of the higheſt hill in all that country, they ſhew you the ſpot whereon, they ſay, the palace of their kings ſtood; which the vaſt extent of its ruins, and the great cir⯑cuit of its court-yards, as well as the delightfulneſs of the ſituation, ſeem to confirm. The ruins of this antient reſidence, extend to the length of no leſs than 29 miles, taking in all along the edge of the ſtep; whilſt, in breadth, they are only three-quar⯑ters of a mile. The Tartars, however, relate, that [288] as they proceed in the ſtep of the Jaik, to the river of that name, they meet with numberleſs other ruins of ſmall edifices, built of brick. We know, from hiſtory, that this capital of Grand Tartary, was de⯑ſtroyed, in 1462, by the great-duke Ivan Vaſſillie⯑vitſch, grandfather of the Czar of that name; and that, ſome years afterwards, it was razed to the very foun⯑dations, by the Nogayan Tartars. In theſe ruins, we can ſcarce paſs ten ſteps, without ſtirring up a ſer⯑pent; indeed, they are general all over this diſtrict, whoſe ſoil is ſalt and nitrous. Their hiſſings are heard all round; but they are only harmleſs ſnakes, and the black, aquatic ſerpents.’

‘Whilſt I am on the ſubject of Mount Caucaſus, I will ſay ſomething, from the authorities of Meſſrs. Schloetzer and Guldenſtadt, of the ſettlements about this chain of mountains, which fills the ſpace between the Caſpian and the Euxine ſeas, extending from the weſt, eaſtwards; bordering on Perſia, to the ſouth, and on Ruſſia, to the north. It is a territory which the Ruſſians are now contending with the Turks for; and contains a greater diverſity of nations and lan⯑guages than any other country, of the ſame extent, in the world. Here are Greeks, whoſe anceſtors have dwelt here from the earlieſt periods of hiſtory; here are the deſcendants of thoſe Genoeſe who held poſſeſſions, with ſo much authority, on the ſhores of the Euxine, about the 13th century: and here are alſo, Moravians, Perſians, and various colonies of Tartars.’

[289] ‘According to the geographical deſcription of theſe countries, Georgia, and its provinces, occupies the ſouthern ſide of Mount Caucaſus, the Kabardines (among whom the Tſcherrkeſſians, commonly called the Circaſſians, are a part) the ſouthern, the Leguiſtans and Troughmenians the eaſtern, and the mountaineers in ſubjection to Turkey, the weſtern ſide, that is to⯑wards the Euxine, or Black Sea, called the Crimea. According to my general plan, no notice ſhould be taken of countries not under the protection of Ruſſia; but as they lie ſo contiguous, and the Ruſſians claim this territory, it may not be improper to ſay ſomething of it.’

‘The Troughmenians are the antient Turcomans, and occupy the eaſtern part of the ſouth ſide of Caucaſus, from the weſtern ſhore of the Caſpian ſea, as far as the province of Kaghetia in Georgia. Se⯑veral of them have their particular princes; and others are in ſubjection to their neighbours.’

‘This tribe is unmixed; the people from whom they ſprung, wander ſtill about, in their ancient country, on the eaſtern ſhore of the Caſpian; their poſſeſſions extending to the lake Aral, and touching the frontiers of Perſia on the ſouth. It is now above 40 years ſince the hordes of this nation fell under the [290] Kalmucks of Ayouh, and being then out of humour with the Perſians, in 1743, they determined to put themſelves under the protection of Ruſſia, to the number of 30,000 families; but the Perſian Schah prevented them: however, a conſiderable number joined themſelves to the Tartars of Orenburgh, Ufa and Aſtrachan; but, at the time, a party of the Kal⯑muck horde, in 1770, fled into Dſungaria, the Troughmenians of the river Ural obtained their liberty by the ſword, and are at preſent free ſubjects of Ruſſia, leading a retired life, about the mouth of the Kuma. The reigning khans are brothers, and ſaltans; that is, ſons, and princes, of Nour Hali, khan of the Kirgueſe.’

‘In their figure they reſemble the Tartars; are as well made, polite and brave; acting, like the Swiſs, in time of war, and entering into the ſervice of any neighbour that will take them; and, as they aſk no leave, they often fight againſt each other.’

‘In ſhort, the people of Caucaſus are but ſo many different remains of many European and Aſiatic people, which, by a ſucceſſion of many generations, have acquired a great reſemblance to each other, in perſon, conſtitution and character, which border very much on that of the Tartars, who predominate among them, though they are, in many reſpects dis⯑tinguiſhable. Generally ſpeaking, the people of [291] Caucaſus, are large, well-made, not corpulent, of a tawny complexion, ſtrong features, ſmall noſe, ſmall eyes, and lively, thin eye-brows, and their hair red or black. They are active, poliſhed, bold and reſolute, voluptuous, very oſtentatious in dreſs and feaſts, generous, and given to diſſipation, through pride; and, at the ſame time, ſevere, unjuſt, per⯑fidious, and addicted to rapine and revenge.’

‘They ſhew great attention to their women, who are well-made, more frank and open, and more agreeable than Tartar women in general. The Cir⯑caſſians enjoy, with juſtice a preference, their beauty, vivacity, eaſe, and refinement of their manners; and the juſtneſs of their taſte, have rendered them famous. Red hair is thought ſo great a beauty, that ſuch as are not ſo bleſſed, colour their hair with red pomatum. The lan⯑guages ſpoken here are as various as the people; and we find ſome villages ſo inſulated, as to have a language of their own, not in the leaſt underſtood by thoſe of the next village. Theſe languages are, however, ſo guttural, ſo harſh and diſſonant, that we have no letters to expreſs the ſounds by.’

‘All the nations of Caucaſus, together, may be able to furniſh 100,000 cavalry; notwithſtanding, ſome of them would find it difficult to raiſe 50 men to march againſt an enemy. All theſe ſocieties together [292] form a kind of irregular ariſtocracy, compoſed of many ſmaller ones. Every chieftain looks on all the males of his territory, capable of bearing arms, as his ſoldiers; each of whom is obliged to equip him⯑ſelf, and attend his chief when called on. Some of theſe people ſcarce pay any tax, whilſt others give a fourth of what they poſſeſs; a tenth is the uſual tri⯑bute, with a certain number of horſes and cattle, ac⯑cording to the circumſtances of the poſſeſſor. Mer⯑chants, and artiſans, furniſh different ſorts of mer⯑chandiſe, ammunition, &c. The adminiſtration of juſtice is conducted in the Turkiſh manner; an ar⯑bitrary ſentence is pronounced immediately, often without enquiry, and ſometimes without crime, or any proportion to the fault.’

‘Many of the Caucaſians lead a wandering life; but the chief part live in villages of from 20 to 50 houſes. Each village has a ſtone tower for defence, in caſe of attack, in which women and children are ſheltered from the firſt aſſault. Their ordinary houſes are but poor, wooden huts; and there are many fa⯑milies that dwell in jurts, or tents, of white felt. The manſions of their princes and nobility, are built of wood, ſome few of ſtone, all of them badly built, and badly furniſhed; and ſurrounded by the tents and huts of their domeſtics and attendants, ſta⯑bles, &c.’

[] ‘Agriculture and paſturage are their principal oc⯑cupations, though ſeveral follow trades and com⯑merce. Some have plantations of cotton, and breed ſilk-worms. Vines grow on theſe mountains, without culture; but they turn their grapes to no account.’

‘Cattle thrive abundantly with them; but their flocks are not numerous, their villages being too near each other. The horſes of Caucaſus are little inferior to thoſe of Arabia, and one, if properly broke in, will fetch 100 ducats; for which reaſon, princes and nobles have fine ſtuds. They are taught to underſtand and obey different words of com⯑mand, to kneel down for the rider to mount, diſ⯑mount, &c.’

‘Beſides the common trades, theſe people are ex⯑cellent workmen in iron. They make ſabres, plain and damaſked, and angular poignards, for piercing coats of mail at the joints, and to render the wounds they give mortal, they make them of arſenical ſteel: they make alſo all kinds of armour. They trade by barter; but take the coin of every country by its weight.’

‘It is eaſy to ſee, that none but the rich can make ſuch purchaſes; ſo that theſe victims to voluptuouſ⯑neſs, ſtand a fair chance of being better provided for, than they would have been at home. This kind of traffic appears ſhocking to thoſe of refined ſenti⯑ments, who ſeek, in marriage, for a faithful and in⯑ſeparable companion, the equal ſharer of their good or bad fortune; but, in other ſocieties, leſs civilized, we find they are conſidered in no other light, than as miniſtering to the pleaſures of ſenſe.’

‘All the Kobardines, and Circaſſians of Caucaſus, when well dreſſed, wear a ſhirt of fine linen, large trowſers, Morocco-leather boots, a long caſſock, tied by a ſilk ſaſh, and a long upper garment, of fine cloth, or ſilk, with open ſleeves, in the eaſtern ſtile. They ſhave the head, and wear muſtachios, and the beard [296] pointed at the chin; the head covered with a ſcull⯑cap, of ſome rich ſtuff, and over that a cap flattened at top, and wider there than at bottom. They ſel⯑dom go abroad without a poignard, and a ſabre; the former in the ſaſh, and the ſabre in a leather belt. The poor wear cloth, or cotton ſtuffs, of their own making.’

‘The female dreſs is a ſhift, trowſers, a veſt, and a gown, ſometimes with ſleeves, and ſometimes with⯑out. In winter, they put on furs, reaching to the feet. They always wear ear-rings, and a necklace. The head is covered with a taſtar, or Tartarean veil, which is brought over their faces, when they go abroad.’

‘They eat, like the Tartars, but their viands are made more reliſhing. At meals, they ſit on chairs, round a table, are very fond of ſtrong liquors, con⯑fining the interdiction of the Prophet to wine alone, for they are all Mahomedans. Their common drink is mead, and a kind of Engliſh ale, brewed by themſelves.’

‘Polygamy is allowed among them; the firſt wife having many more privileges than the ſecond, or third: few, however, have more than one wife, and ſhe winks at her huſband's intrigues. They are too proud to confeſs that they purchaſe their [297] wives, but call the price paid, a nuptial preſent; which they will fix, however, with as much pre⯑ciſion as a Tartar.’

‘As to their funerals, they wrap up the dead in large winding-ſheets, and bury them without a coffin. In different places, about Caucaſus, we meet with epi⯑taphs, croſſes and inſcriptions, which indicate them to have been made by chriſtians. Probably, theſe are the remains of the Greek empire, when the ſeat of it was at Byzantium; or elſe of the colony of Moravians, who quitted their country about the end of the 15th century, to which they were expoſed, and ſought an aſylum here, though they are now en⯑tirely degenerated, and mixed with others, preſerving only their name and language; or, they may be veſtiges of the zeal of Ivan Vaſſillievitſch, the great Tzar of Ruſſia, for the converſion of the Cau⯑caſians.’

‘As I ſhall, probably, have occaſion to mention the Circaſſians again, I will ſay no more of them here.’

On the 4th of Auguſt, continues Dr. Pallas, I made a tour up the Wolga, in order to viſit the German co⯑lonies; and ſaw, on the heights, along the road, a great number of water-melon gardens, in the open ſtep, where this fruit grows very large and fine, without watering. The water-melons of Zarizyn, ſurpaſs almoſt thoſe of [298] Aſtrachan. The ſame high grounds, and many others, as far as Dubofka, are excellently ſituated for vine⯑yards; and the garden of Colonel Zipletof, governor of Zarizyn, which has been made but four years, is a proof of it; as it yields, annually, near 20 puds of fine grapes.

This garden was planted on the ſpot where there was formerly a wild orchard, and is at preſent not only in⯑creaſed, but prodigiouſly improved. It contains va⯑rious ſpecies of fruit-trees and vines, of Hungary and Aſtrachan. The upper corner of this garden exhibits a handſome flowers of Glauber's, which viſibly ſpring from ſome inviſible ſources; and the adjacent heights have, perhaps, the ſame vitriol layers, as are obſerved upon the Etſhenka.

This diſtrict, between the upper and lower Met⯑ſchetna, near the Wolga, is remarkable for the remains of an old Tartarean city, which has been almoſt levelled with the ground. Among the ruins, are the foun⯑dation of a great, ſtone building, which has been either a caravanſera, or a mart. It is a large ſquare, with ſeveral alleys, and diviſions, like ſmall chambers. Here are but few bricks among the rubbiſh, but great quan⯑tities of free-ſtone. It is ſaid, that on the ſpot where the governor's villa ſtands, was originally a metſched; and that ſeveral valuable things, and ſome golden ſad⯑dle-plates, were dug up in the foundations. Probably [299] the whole has been a ſuburb of that Tartarean metro⯑polis, whoſe remains are found a little lower down than Zarizyn, on the Achtuba.

At Dubofka, about 40 miles from the laſt place, is a fine ſtone-built, ſpacious manſion, erected in the Gothic taſte, formerly belonging to Ataman Porſizky, who lived to the age of 120: he founded this town. The proprietor did not live till it was quite finiſhed, and it now ſtands waſte, his ſucceſſors liking rather to live in their wooden dwellings. The Coſſacks of Du⯑bofka were ſelected, in the beginning of this century, from thoſe about the Don. At firſt they conſiſted of 1,017 heads, but at preſent they are reduced to 500; yet have ſtill their ataman-djak, ſtarchines, and ſtanix⯑atamans. They poſſeſs a great deal of horned cattle, and a great extent of arable land along the Wolga; and trade much towards the Don, in boards, reſin, brick, tar, timber, barges and waggons. They fix great veſſels on rollers, and drag them to the place of ſale, with 15 or 20 yoke of oxen. In ſummer-time, many of them will leave their town, and travel to the upper diſtricts of the Wolga, through the Kama, with all ſorts of materials for ſhipping, in order to ſell them.

About 90 miles higher up, is the fortreſs Dmitreſs⯑kaja, or Kamyſchenka, lying in the lower angle, which the brook Kamyſchenka forms with the Wolga, in a [300] low and moiſt ſoil. The firſt fortreſs erected here, in the laſt century, had a far more healthy and advan⯑tageous ſituation; the remains of which are ſtill to be ſeen, on a height in the neighbourhood. The preſent, new fortreſs is quite commanded by that height, and conſiſts of a wooden wall and baſtions, &c. The works encloſe a ſtone-built cathedral, a well-built town-houſe, the governor's manſion, and ſome other dwellings of note. The city lies in length down the Wolga, in long, parallel ſtreets, of which the principal one conſiſts of of moveable ſhops, and extends from the fortreſs to the ſalt-magazines. This city has alſo two, wooden churches. The ſhop-keepers here ſell a great deal of proviſions, and waggoner's-tools, on account of the ſalt that is con⯑veyed through this place. Formerly a great trade was carried on here, with the Kalmucks, and would be now, if that canal was made from this river to the Don, which Peter the Great planned. I found here Profeſſor Lowiz, and his aſſiſtant, Mr. Inochodzof, employed in taking the level of the country, through which this road is to paſs. It was begun in the reign of Peter the Great, by Captain Perry, an Engliſhman. The ſoft nature of the high grounds, which ſtand in the way, and the rivulets of Ilowla, to which this canal is to run, give the greateſt hopes to the execution of this project.

In order to reach the river Jeruſlan, or Uluſtan, about 13 miles from the river Targun, we paſſed over the [301] ſtep of Targun, which is arid and barren to the extreme. The ſlime which covers the ſoil, becomes fine duſt in ſummer-time, riſes in the air with the leaſt wind, and is very troubleſome to travellers; add to this, the whole diſtrict is very unſafe, on account of ſeveral gangs of Kirgueſe, who live by the plunder of incautious tra⯑vellers that fall in their way. The Jeruſian runs pa⯑rallel with the Wolga, a conſiderable way; but, where the road leaves it, there is a umet, or way-houſe, where they ſell bread and hay, and where there is a bridge, if the water is high. It is juſt 75 miles from this place to Saratof, and as far to the lake. Some of our people careleſly let ſome fire drop on the ſtep, which kindled the parched graſs, and the fire ſpread with ſuch ra⯑pidity and violence, as to become inextinguiſhable, and we had a great deal of trouble, as before, to bring off the waggons through the fire, which had made a circle round us; ſo that we were in danger of being burnt alive, or ſuffocated by the vapours and ſmoke; yet we ſaved every thing, and got off without any material damage.

Eleven miles from the Jeruſlan, we pitched our tents on the ſide of a brook, and took up our lodging for the night, on the 12th of Auguſt. From the heights ſituated about this brook, we could deſcry, weſtward, the high mountains of Selotofſk, beyond the Wolga; and as, in this diſtrict, are ſituated the lowermoſt Ger⯑man colonies I intended to viſit, we had theſe moun⯑tains [302] for our land-mark, it being 23 miles to the neareſt colony, Kotſchetnaja.

This village, conſiſting of 49 houſes, moſtly Roman-catholic families, from the biſhopricks in Tranſylvania, belongs to the circle of Warenburg, well colonized, under the direction of one Le Roi & Pictel. The above circle contains 16 colonies, planted along the Wolga; of which the lowermoſt lies ſix miles fur⯑ther down the ſaid river, and at 60 miles diſtance from Saratof. They have taken Ruſſian names, and the people ſpeak the Ruſs language, with uncommon eaſe and purity. Theſe 16 colonies conſiſt of 874 families, or 3,850 perſons, from almoſt all parts of Germany; and are of different, and partly of mixed religions. They have, amongſt them, one Lutheran miniſter, and two Romiſh prieſts. The houſes, throughout all the colo⯑nies, are wood, and built on a new plan, ſo as to unite two habitations under one roof. Each coloniſt has a good chamber, parlour and kitchen; and ſometimes a little cloſet beſides. Theſe villages are ſituated along the Wolga low-grounds, which ſupply them with plenty of hay and wood; but they are too near each other, to afford them all a ſufficient quantity of good, arable land; and though they are rapidly increaſing, they cannot proſper well, unleſs ſome change is made, and they are ſeparated farther from each other.

[303]All round Saratof, to the diſtance of 50 or 60 miles, along the banks of the Wolga and Karaman, there are a number of colonies, either erected by the Empreſs herſelf, or by the agents of Le Roi, Pictet, and the Baron de Beauregard, 85 in number, beſides the 16 al⯑ready mentioned; compriſing 5,125 families, and 20,162 perſons, of different countries, Germans, Dutch, French, &c. and different perſwaſions, with Lutheran and Romiſh clergy; all properly eſtabliſhed, under cer⯑tain chiefs and regulations.

Between Saratof and Aſtrachan, there are ſeveral more colonies, pretty near each other, in which are manufactories of cloth, linen and ſtuff. That of Roſſoſ⯑chi, conſiſts only of French families, and belongs to 11 others, erected by Governor Boſſe, and are imme⯑diately under the command of the Empreſs. The houſes here are all built with ſtone; but the inhabitants are dull and ſlothful.

Here is alſo a Holſtein colony, though moſt of the inhabitants come from the Rheniſh countries. The Noah of theſe coloniſts, or the perſon who firſt intro⯑duced the plantation of vineyards, is one John Philip Peiler, from Meſſingen upon the Rhine; he has, in two gardens belonging to him, upwards of 2,000 bear⯑ing vines, which yielded him, laſt year, more than 20 puds of grapes. He does not water his vines, though they ſtand upon a very dry ſoil. It muſt be aſcribed to [304] the ſaltneſs of the ground, that the grapes, though un⯑like thoſe of Aſtrachan, in ſize, beauty and taſte, yields far better juice, which, if ſuffered to ſtand long in caſks, becomes a high, red, light wine, equal to ſome French wines, and a nectar compared with that of Aſtrachan.

That I might collect a proper account of theſe co⯑lonies, I went to the colony of Catherineſtadt, and ſtaid there a whole day. The plan of this place was pro⯑jected for 300 families (though it has only 163, con⯑ſiſting of 615 people); the chief part of whom ſeem to be mechanics. Here is a fine Lutheran church, which has its own preacher; alſo, a Calviniſt and Romiſh chapel, but they have no miniſters appointed to them: to the latter, a prieſt came, occaſionally, to ſay maſs. The dwellings are all built of wood, in regular ſtreets. No colony has better, mechanical profeſſions than this, and ſome acquire a good living, by its being ſo near Saratof, from which it is diſtant 39 miles. It has at preſent an upholſterer, an able turner, ſome hatters, dyers, clothiers and weavers, carpenters, cutlers, lock⯑ſmiths, and watch-makers; and ſome of more common trades, as taylors, ſhoe-makers, bakers, millers, butch⯑ers, &c. even ſome miners came here, but finding no employ, they are turned huſbandmen. If there was more buſineſs for theſe people, Catherineſtadt would ſoon be a ſubſtantial place. Formerly, the planting of tobacco was the beſt ſubſiſtence of the coloniſts; and [305] the Kalmuck hordes, who uſed to paſs this diſtrict in ſummer, purchaſed almoſt all they grew; but now this commerce is on the decline, though connoiſſeurs eſteem the tobacco raiſed here, not inferior to that of Vir⯑ginia. In the diſtrict of Catherineſtadt, there were more than 20 deſettines of land planted with tobacco. They attempted here to plant mulberry-trees, but the young plants were entirely devoured in winter by the hares. An attempt has alſo been made, with ſucceſs, to make Dutch and Swiſs cheeſe. But before I quit theſe colonies, I muſt mention a kind of vinegar, pre⯑pared by the inhabitants of Catherineſtadt, from curds, for want of a ſtronger acid. They take, for this pur⯑poſe, the curds of turned milk, put them into a little barrel, with the addition of leaven, or ſour dough, or without, until they have finiſhed their fermentation, when they yield a very ſtrong and pleaſant vinegar.

Saratof. From Catherineſtadt I went, on the 15th, to Saratof, and arrived there on the 18th of Auguſt. This city was firſt ſituated on the left ſide of the Wolga, on the brook Saratofka, where the veſtiges of it are to be ſeen. The preſent city was built about the end of the 16th century, and is now a conſiderable place, increaſed, within theſe ten years, by the eſtabliſhment of the German colonies. It lies along the ſteep bor⯑der of the Wolga, at the bottom of ſome high moun⯑tains, which form a chain along the Wolga, Ilawla, and Don. The place is divided by a deep cleft, and an [306] old wall, into city and ſuburbs. The low part of the city lies chiefly on level ground, has broad and regular ſtreets, ſeven churches, one convent of friars, and an⯑other of nuns. Here is alſo a court of waywodes, a ſalt-office, a court of tuition which ſuperintends the co⯑lonies, and a court of police.

The court of waywodes is a ſtone building; and, oppoſite to it, are ſeveral ſtone-built comptoirs. The city has many ſubſtantial inhabitants; and ſome lords of adjacent manors, have here ſome fine manſions. The great market is built of wood, and contains a great number of ſhops. Among the inhabitants are about 100 German citizens, ſome of very lucrative trades. Three miles from the city, one Verdier has an extenſive mulberry-plantation, but his ſucceſs in ſilk-worms has not been very conſiderable. Saratof receives great be⯑nefit from the ſhips that are here moored, laden with hides, tallow, fiſh, ſalt, and Perſian goods, bound from Aſtrachan, and other lower diſtricts, to the upper parts of the empire, and returning from thoſe parts to Aſtra⯑chan, with corn, wood, earthen and wooden veſſels; and alſo, from the carts and waggons, thouſands of which paſs this town every week, eſpecially in winter, conveying ſalt and fiſh to the eaſtern parts of the empire.

On the 24th of Auguſt, we went to the Elton ſalt-lake, called, by the Kalmucks, Altan-nor (the golden [307] lake), on account of its red luſtre under the ſun. The ſalt, in this lake, is dug by volunteer workmen, who come here in ſpring, and work the whole ſummer. This year there were employed only 550 men; but other years they have ſeldom been leſs in number than 1,768; at times, 4,000 have been employed.

At preſent, the lake was very ſhallow, and digging of the ſalt very difficult. They broke it, at two miles from the borders; and even there the water was not more than three quarters of a yard deep: the ſalt-rinds are broke with heavy bars, ſimilar to thoſe uſed in Ruſſia, to break the ice in rivers. Having broke it into ſmall pieces, they waſh off the ſlime with the ſalt-water, and then carry it on ſhore, to a place encloſed with pales. Each ſet of ſalt-breakers ſell the ſalt they dig to the ſalt-conveyers, dear or cheap, according to the nature of circumſtances. Formerly, when there were many workmen, and the work was eaſier, the ſalt-conveyers paid them for a waggon-load, drawn by two bullocks, which carries about 120 puds, from 25 to 30 copecs only; but, during the preſent year, the price roſe to 50 or 60 copecs. The waggoners, or conveyers, when arrived at the mart, get the carriage paid by the pud. The diſtance from the lake to Saratof, is com⯑puted to be 135 miles, and the carriage is generally ſix copecs, or three-halfpence per pud, or 36lb.; but the diſtance to Dmitreſskoi, being only 85 miles, the car⯑riage is only four copecs per pud. From this ſum, they [308] deduct one denuſchka, for the repair of bridges, and freſh-water wells. A waggon cannot go more than five or ſix journeys in a ſummer, to Saratof; and does not get more, for each load, with two bullocks, than be⯑tween ſeven and eight rubles; therefore, the more beaſts of draught a waggoner has, the better. A ſalt-dew very frequently falls about this lake; I found it on the 23d of Auguſt, in the morning, upon the reeds, in a kind of milky drops, very ſalt to the taſte. It has been obſerved, that the ſeeds of water-melons, expoſed one night to this dew, will never grow. The borders of the lake, are full of all ſorts of ſalt-plants.

On the 25th of Auguſt, we had to travel over a parched ſtep, where no freſh water was to be had; it was more than 38 miles over. Our horſes were ſo ſpent, that they could ſcarce lift their feet; and though we were within ſight of the Wolga, one of our horſes fell from thirſt, and died the next morning, though im⯑mediately after he fell, it rained a heavy ſhower, which would have relieved him. When we reached the river, we were told, by ſome fiſhermen, that we were within ſeven miles of Dubofka, from which the lake Elton lies directly weſt. The next morning, the 27th, we rode to Dubofka, but found the commander of the Coſſacks ſo drunk, that we were obliged to wait till the next day, for horſes to convey us on to Zarizyn.

[309] Zarizyn. As I paſſed the following winter in Za⯑rizyn, where I met with Mr. Georgi, I will give my readers ſome account of this city, the diſtrict, the weather, and its natural productions.

Next to Aſtrachan, Zarizyn is the moſt ancient, in⯑habited and fortified place in the lower diſtrict of the Wolga. It lies juſt beyond the mouth of the brook Zariza, on the right-hand bank of the Wolga. The town belongs to the government of Aſtrachan, is 278 miles from it, and lies in the latitude of 48° 20 min. N. latitude. As there is no circle dependent on Zarizyn, it has only a commandant's chancery. The fortreſs is an antique ſtructure, and conſiſts of a high rampart and baſtions, The works, decayed by age, were lately repaired by the Turkiſh priſoners of war; and it was ſo well done, that, in 1774, when a numerous body of rebellious peaſants, under Pugatſchef, attempt⯑ed an attack on this place, they found themſelves ob⯑liged to raiſe the ſiege, without injuring the fortreſs at all. The heavy cannon in the place were of the greateſt ſervice.

The buildings within the fort are mean. There are but few, good dwelling-houſes; every thing in the city being built of wood, except the three churches. The market-place is extenſive, has many ſhops, and here live many ſubſtantial merchants, who carry on a great trade with the Kalmucks, and the numerous travellers [310] that paſs this way. The ſmaller number of the inha⯑bitants live by breeding of cattle, and raiſing cucum⯑bers, melons, and water-melons; alſo, by fiſhing, and carrying goods from place to place. Good trades are very much wanting; and, of courſe, this is a great advantage to the neighbouring colony of Sarepta. The garriſon conſiſts of a batallion of light-horſe. The commander of the fortreſs was formerly the chief of the citizens, and the whole diſtrict; but, in 1773, the Empreſs eſtabliſhed a court of waywodes.

Quitting the fortreſs, there is a ſuburb belonging to this place, inhabited by Coſſacks. It is irregularly built, but has a ſtone church, lately erected; it was found neceſſary to ſet fire to the place, when threat⯑ened with an attack by Pugatſchef's party. The Zari⯑zinian line, or boundary, conſiſts of a ſtrong wall, on the ſouth ſide, with palliſadoes, beginning near the fortreſs, and continuing uninterrupted as far as the river Don, which lies at the diſtance of 45 miles from the Wolga. On this line are four redoubts; and be⯑tween theſe, at proper diſtances, a guard-houſe, en⯑compaſſed with chevaux-de-frize. The whole is guarded by Coſſacks of the Don, who receive a pay of 12 rubles a year: and commanded by the governor of Zarizyn.

"Six hundred Coſſacks of the Don," ſays Gmelin, who was there in 1769, ‘quartered at Zarizyn, are [311] diſpatched regularly every year, in conjunction with ſome regular troops, to guard this line. At ſuch guard-houſe, 24 Coſſacks, commanded by a ſotnik, are lodged in miſerable, ſubterranean barracks. Theſe poſts are only relieved every four months; and the ſervice of the line, laſts for one or two years.’

‘Their advanced poſts are likewiſe charged with furniſhing travellers, that have paſsports, with relays; and, when they go in boats belonging to the Crown, the Coſſacks are obliged to perform the office of rowers. If the reader could picture to himſelf, the idea of the moſt wretched of the human ſpecies, he would form that of a Coſſack, employed in the lines of Zarizyn. None are ſent there but the pooreſt and moſt deplorable of all their race; and ſuch as have no condition in life, and, deſtitute, of either friends or money, have no means of avoiding this painful ſervice. From the inſtant they arrive, their treatment is ſuch as a pitileſs and unfeeling peaſant would ſcarce ſhew to his beaſt. Though the un⯑happy Coſſack can ſcarcely obtain a ſmall allow⯑ance of bread, very hard and very black, to aſſwage his hunger, he muſt yet endure all the extremity of heat, and ſeverity of cold, with no other covering than the few rags he brought with him; or ſhut him⯑ſelf up, in ſome cavern of the earth, with the com⯑panions of his wretchedneſs, where it would be im⯑poſſible [312] for any man, not trained to hardſhip, and accuſtomed to diſtreſsful ſituations from his birth, to exiſt for one minute, and brave the putridity of the air. As to his horſe, or two horſes, which is all his property, they muſt be ſatisfied with much leſs pro⯑vender than the unhappy maſter can allow them for performing the harraſſing ſervice of his landlord, to whom every horſe of the Coſſacks is bound. When the term of this ſlavery is expired, he goes home with his ſtarved beaſts, if, perchance, he has been happy enough to preſerve their lives, with his own, in a poorer plight than he went away. If, among the number of theſe poor wretches, ſome ſhould be diſ⯑covered to have a ſmall matter of money about them, the fate of ſuch as are pennyleſs is perhaps leſs to be pitied, for the money is ſure to increaſe the re⯑venues of the officers of Zarizyn; and it is well known, that every Coſſack who has any coin, how⯑ever ſmall in value, commonly diſappears before the expiration of his term. Their difficult ſervice as rowers, may be collected from what Mr. Gmelin further relates: He ſays, That when his two companions got into one of the government-boats, on the 20th of September, and had only proceeded a few miles on the Wolga, there aroſe ſo furious a tempeſt from the weſt, that the waves went over the veſſel, and the boatmen, unſkil⯑ful in their buſineſs, knew not how to get forwards. Whilſt they were in the greateſt diſtreſs imaginable; they ſtruck, perhaps to the ſaving of their lives, on a [313] ſand-bank, from which they could not get looſe till towards midnight; and this relief of mind did not continue long, for ſoon freſh hurricanes and ſqualls threw them, alternately, on the two ſhores of the river; ſo that, before they reached the advanced poſt the next morning, they had been caſt on ſix ſand-banks, and had delivered themſelves from each with the greateſt difficulty.’

This diſtrict enjoys plenty of every thing, and ſur⯑paſſes the whole country, farther down the Wolga. It is not only excellent, as has been before obſerved, for the culture of water-melons, but for all ſorts of fine fruits. Here grow wild many productions, not to be met with higher up the Wolga, and in other parts of Ruſſia. Wild pears are in great plenty near Dubofka; mulberry-trees abound in the low grounds of the Ach⯑tuba; tamariſks begin to grow near Zarizyn; and wild plums are abundant towards the Mantyſch, and the river Kuma. I ſowed, in a water-melon garden near Zarizyn, ſome ſeeds of phaſeolus, which I received from China, and which in Sweden will not grow but in the warmeſt hot-houſes; and they yielded, in Auguſt, the fineſt bloſſoms and ſeed.

The weather of this country is as follows. Heavy froſts generally in January, which lower the mercury to 180°, and to 200°, equal to 13° and 23°, below the freezing-point of Rheaumur's, thermometer. When [314] at 200°, the weather is ſtormy, and the froſt leſs ſen⯑ſible. February is variable; has calm froſts, ſome⯑times ſtormy from N. W. attended with ſnow, and ends with a thawing wind from W. S. W. In 1774, I was able to obſerve the whole winter, and February was ex⯑ceedingly delightful and ſweet. About the middle of the month, arrived little birds of paſſage; and, towards the end, ſwans, ducks, and other water-fowl. Febru⯑ary the 25th, the Wolga was freed from ice: the ſame day we had thunder; but, on the 28th, to the 11th of March, we had ſuch continued, ſharp cold, as froze the river again. The month of April is inconteſtibly, in this climate, the moſt ſettled and fineſt of all months. No rain falls, but the rivers overflow, and water the land. At this time the water-melons are ſown, and the wind, which blows conſtantly from one diſtrict, viz. the eaſt, mitigates the heat. During the latter days of April (in 1774, on the 18th of April), or the mid⯑dle of May, the wind changes to the ſouth, or ſouth-weſt, and brings thunder and warm, nightly rains. This fine weather laſts generally three or four weeks, when the wind changes to ſouth, and ſouth-eaſt: then begins the dry weather, which continues ten or twelve weeks. In June it is more ſupportable; as, during the time when the water ſtands high in the Wolga, which is al⯑ways higheſt this month, the night-dews are moſt co⯑pious, and refreſh the earth exceedingly. The reſt of this month is generally ſo ſerene, that ſcarce a cloud, the ſize of a man's hand, is to be ſeen.

[315]The hotteſt and moſt intolerable of all the ſummer-months, is July, when it blows conſtantly from the arid ſtep and ſea, S. S. E. or E. After this ariſe the hot winds, which, though they blow irreſiſtibly, ſo as to ſweep off all the duſt from the ſtep, and carry it through the air, are yet as hot as if they came from a fiery fur⯑nace. Theſe winds uſually commence about two in the afternoon, and continue till paſt midnight; they ſel⯑dom laſt longer. During their blowing, ſheep often drop down dead, like flies, froth, bleed at the mouth, or ſwell, and become ſo ſuddenly puffed, that even their ſkins are of no uſe. This hot, glowing wind is often owing to the burning of the ſtep, and is then of longer duration. In July, 1774, the mercury roſe as high, in the ſun, as 60°, in De Liſle's thermometer, this is to 56 in Rheaumur's; and a thermometer-glaſs, filled with ſpirit of wine, burſt. In the river Sarpa, ſo great a number of fiſh and crabs died, that the ſtench was intolerable. Soon after, it was known that this inſupportable hear, had riſen from the burning of the Kumanian ſtep, which was ſet on fire, to the circum⯑ference of ſeveral hundred werſts, each werſt three-quarters of an Engliſh mile: great numbers of people fell ſick by it. At other times, however, it is not un⯑common to ſee the quickſilver, in the thermometer, riſe, in this month, in the ſhade, up to 90 and above (above 27.° in the thermometer of Rheaumur higher than the heat of Pondicherry); and it was obſerved by Dr. Wier at Sarepta (for it is from him I had this information), [316] to riſe in the ſun, in 1773, on the 18th of July, and the 1ſt of Auguſt, to 75°; and, on the 28th of July, in the ſame year, to 74°; and, in 1767, it was ſeen, on the 12th of July, to riſe all at once to 60°. The air, during the ſultrineſs of July, is generally ſo thick, that we cannot ſee far before us on the even ſtep, though we imagine, by optic error, that we ſee a great way. This error, or deception, is produced by certain, undulating vapours viſible to the eye, ariſing on the ſtep, hills and high graſs, and giving the appearance of diſtant, high mountains and woods, and repreſenting all objects larg⯑er than they are. Shaw, Niebar, and other oriental travellers, tell us that, in the great deſarts of Arabia, trembling vapours will obſcure the horizon, and lead the eye to ſuppoſe every thing at a diſtance to be larger than it is. In the diſtrict of Zarizyn, during this ſultry month, it often appears from far, as if we ſaw a hill encompaſſed with water, when we have only an arid ſtep in view. The beginning of this month ripens the water-melons; and the latter half of it, the grapes.

In Auguſt, thunders are frequent, ariſing from S. and S. W. drawing northwards over the Wolga, and fall⯑ing away about the ſea, eaſtwards; ſo that they deſcribe a ſemi-circle. Sometimes, they are accompanied by ſo violent a hail and rain, as to cauſe inundations: ſome⯑times, ſuch tempeſtuous whirlwinds riſe as raiſe the duſt from the bloſſoms of the ſeveral ſpecies of wormwood, [317] ſo as to darken the air, and leads one to ſuppoſe it to be a thick, brown, yellow ſmoke, or fog. I was eye⯑witneſs of ſuch a whirlwind in Zarizyn, and was aſto⯑niſhed at the wonderful phenomenon. After ſome thunder-clouds had obſcured the ſereneneſs of the day, and ſhook the whole diſtrict with a dreadful hurricane, which only laſted for a quarter of an hour, and with⯑drew, with a wind-column like a cloud, over the Wolga; my tent, which was pitched in the open ſtep, was ſuddenly enveloped in a thick, brown ſmoke.

September is generally ſerene, clear and temperate; the wind changing to S. S. E. and N. E. October re⯑mains always temperate, the winds blowing from N. E. to W. which cauſes a great deal of fog and moiſt wea⯑ther. In November, which they here call the rain-month, in temperate years, the rains change, towards the end, into north-eaſtern ſtorms, and ſnow. Froſt and ſtorms often prevail, even in the beginning of this month, and the Wolga ſoon drives ice. In 1773, the thermometer fell, on the 5th, to 190 degrees; and, in the night of the 13th and 14th, the ice became quite fixed.

When the year is mild, the Wolga is not frozen till December; then after a driving of ice, for a week or a fortnight, an eaſt wind, falls in, and fixes it. During this month reign continual ſtorms, with flakes of ſnow, that continue ſix or ſeven days.

[318]December and January can be called only, in ge⯑neral, the winter-months of this diſtrict; and they are often ſo mild, that ducks will remain the whole winter in the open water-ſpots beyond Zarizyn. Larks, and partridges, will not leave the place, but to go to ſuch ſalt-ſpots as are not covered with ſnow, where they can feed on the ſeeds of plants. Partridges, which gather here in greateſt quantities in September and October, are caught, in the ſaid months, in nets, and till December.

As ſoon as a violent froſt begins in November, the ſnow larks come into this diſtrict, as the laſt birds of paſſage from the northern zone, and reſide, during the whole winter, in the loweſt Wolga, among the field, and tuft, or creſted larks. The black ſtep-larks (Alauda Tartarica), come from the ſtep, when the ſnow and winter ſtorms rage, and take up their re⯑ſidence in the vicinage of villages, but never leave the diſtrict.

Other ſmall birds of paſſage, that ſpend the winter in remote countries, come here in September, re⯑main whilſt the weather continues mild, and grow fat, by feeding on the ſeeds of plants. The northern duck (Anſer Erythropus), arrives, at the end of September, in large flocks; and, after a ſhort ſtay, draws away ſouthwards. Thoſe water and ſtrand-fowls which do not wander far to the north, as the ſea-raven, and ſtep⯑hen [319] (Charadrius gregarius), hie to their winter-abodes about the end of Auguſt. "In September," ſays Gmelin, ‘the bee-bird (Merops apiaſter), paſſes, by thouſands, into other countries. We may judge of the quantity, by the number of their neſts. This bird builds in the clay, hence it is that the hills which riſe one above another, along the weſtern bank of the Wolga, from Zarizyn, are ſtuck as thick with them as the cells in a bee-hive.’

In ſpring, the birds of paſſage begin to ſwarm here, in the middle of February. In the beginning of this month, ſnow-larks, and ſnow-ortolans, draw abun⯑dantly to the north. About the 25th, one ſees, in the Sarpa and Achtuba, every ſpecies of ſwan, and the firſt wild geeſe; and the dry ruſhes are plentifully crowded with tom-tits (Parus biarmicus et coeruleus). At the end of the month, the ſteps are every where on fire.

When the month of March has froſt, as it had in this year, the birds of paſſage hide themſelves. This was the ſeaſon in which during the preſent year, the wagtail, and black and white rock-nightingale, did not appear, till the 28th. On the 3d of April arrived the firſt ſwallows; and, about the ſame time, the inſects burſt into life, notwithſtanding a cold eaſt-wind blew very ſharply.

[320]Between the 6th and 10th of April, we ſaw, about the Sarpa, whole flocks of the Anſer pulchricollis, or red-necked geeſe; but theſe left the diſtrict very ſoon. Next we ſaw, for the firſt time, the male of the bull-finch, fringilla [...]lebs, with the linnet, fringilla petronia; and, afterwards, the woodcock, and great numbers of various other ſpecies of birds of paſſage.

This ſhews how early the birds of paſſage arrive in this diſtrict; and, of courſe, the warmth of the climate. On the oppoſite ſide of the Wolga, are a great many ſaigaks and antelopes, which draw northwards in win⯑ter; alſo, little mountain-foxes, or korſaks. There is plenty of common, red foxes in the heights, between the Wolga and Don; and a great many hares, which re⯑main alſo grey during the winter. Wherever there are any roots, there are found the great blind mole, and the leſſer mole. Common ermines and weaſels, are here in plenty; and, where oaks and hazels grow, the field-mouſe, Quercinus; alſo, a great number of race, or jumping-hares, with three toes.

Of inſects, they have the ſcorpion-ſpider; but the pain, and ill effects of its bite, are ſoon relieved by the application of oil. They have, alſo, a very large kind of millepedes, or ſcolo pendia; and fleas engender to ſuch an enormous degree, that all the flocks and herds, and half the human race, would not ſuffice to furniſh them with room. If a man ſtops a while, in ſummer, [321] on the low grounds about the Wolga, and in the houſes, he immediately ſwarms with theſe vermin; and they faſten to the noſes of the unhappy horſes, in ſuch vaſt quantities, that they ſeem all black. Other domeſtic inſects, as crickets and moths, are here, as in other places; and the Blatta Aſiatica, or little moth of Chi⯑na, which begins to be general, extends from Aſtra⯑chan to the towns above, and will, it is feared, be ſhortly troubleſome to all Ruſſia.

There are a number of chalybeate ſprings about Za⯑rizyn, ſome of which are much frequented by the in⯑habitants, on account of their cooling quality and promoting urine; but, by the uſe of them, I and my company had all our teeth looſened.

The diſtrict of Zarizyn is richer in plants than all the ſtep below; but yet only in vernal plants; for, in May, all the graſs and herbs on the hills, begin to wither; and, in the two enſuing, ſummer-months every vegetable production is burnt up. ‘Our author enumerates all theſe plants; but I have omitted them, as they would only ſwell the work, and be no enter⯑tainment to a general reader.’ They have a good deal of wild aſparagus, very fine, and good-flavoured. The natives, who are not Ruſſians, are very fond of it; but the Ruſſians never notice it. Very fine tulips, of different ſpecies, grow wild in the ſtep; and boys ſearch for, and get their bulbous roots, with avidity. [322] I muſt obſerve here, that the elm of this country (Ulma campeſtris), has a purgative quality. Water, in which the gummy leaves, gathered in ſummer, or autumn, have been ſome time ſteeped, if drank, will open the body, like manna.

The ſilk-manufactory, belonging to the Crown, is one of the moſt uſeful eſtabliſhments in this neighbourhood. Mulberry-trees (Morus Tartarica), grow in ſuch quan⯑tities, that there are whole foreſts of them, mixed with other trees. Theſe ſupply the ſilk-worm; the only in⯑convenience is, that at the time the chryſalis burſts, and the worm is in want of food, the rivers here over⯑flow the country, and they are obliged to gather the leaves in boats. No one can remember the planting of theſe trees; but the ruins of ſtone-edifices, all over the ſtep, render it eaſy to conjecture, that they were planted by thoſe Tartars, who formerly inhabited theſe deſarts, and whoſe tribe was known by the name of the Golden Horde.

It was now the 24th of April, and, notwithſtanding the frequent robberies committed in the wild ſtep by the Kirgueſe, which rendered the diſtrict of the Wolga unſafe, all the laſt winter, I determined to make a tour along the Achtuba. The fruit of the wild mulberry, which grows along this river, is little inferior to that which grows in gardens. It ripens in the month of June, and may then be gathered, in large quantities; [323] and its juice has been found, by fermentation, to yield a very ſtrong ſpirit, which has nearly the ſmell of Hun⯑gary water. The Achtuba had not yet received the waters of the overflowing Wolga; and it was ſo ſhallow, that we could croſs it without wetting the axle-trees of our waggons. Mulberry-trees grew along the banks of this river, to the diſtance of 15 miles; and Coun⯑ſellor Rytſchkof has eſtabliſhed here a very flouriſhing ſilk-manufactory.

Towards night I reached Niſhnoi-Achtubinſkoi-Go⯑rodok, which conſiſts of two villages of that name, celebrated for their ſilk-manufactories. On the 25th, I travelled down the Achtuba, with an eſcort of 20 Coſſacks from the Don.

On the 28th, we went partly over ſand-hills, partly through vallies, to the Salt-lake, and the mountain Bogdo; and though we travelled with the ſame horſes, they ſeemed quite freſh and in ſpirits, even after a diffi⯑cult and heavy journey of ſeveral days. One of our ſuite, who accompanied the laſt waggon, met with a fall, and was ſo much bruiſed, that he died four days after, in ſtrong convulſions; and the weather being warm, I ordered his interment on the ſtep.

This remarkable mountain, Bogdo Oata, as the Kal⯑mucks call it, (Bogdo implying, royal, or ſublime) has a high eminence, which, at a diſtance, the Kalmucks [324] compare to a lion couchant, and, from this, ſometimes; called it, Arſlan ula, or, lion's mountain. It's ſtrata may be eaſily counted from its top, which has about 50 or 55 fathoms perpendicular height. The lime⯑ſtone ſtratum, at top is grey and hard, and breaks away in great ſtones, full of petrifactions of ſhell-fiſh. Under this lime, it moſtly conſiſts of loam, mixed with marle, or ſand, 22 fathoms deep; and its top layers are much impregnated with common ſalt. The drains have, in ſeveral places, deeply excavated the loam, and formed many, ſubterranean holes; ſo that, as I was climbing up the ſide, the ground ſunk under me, and I fell into a pit, up to my arms. Into theſe holes, the Kalmucks are accuſtomed to throw coin, cloaths, arms, &c. as gifts, or offerings. The cleft, generally fed thus ſuperſtitiouſly, is ſaid to have broke in a little before the Kalmuck horde left this diſtrict; and was filled with water, to the depth of ſeveral fathoms; but, at preſent, there are no ſigns of it. On the loam layers, is often found felenites, and pieces of common ſalt, as pure as cryſtal, and as large as a man's fiſt. The eaſtern ſhelf of the mountain has a very pe⯑culiar appearance. Owing to the tenderneſs of the ſand-ſtone, probably, ſeveral little round holes, and grottos, have been formed, by the rapid daſhing of the billows, whilſt this ſtep was covered by the ſea, for theſe excavations are not to be ſeen to the whole height of the ſhelf; and, on its level, towards the ſalt-lake, lay alſo ſome bruiſed rocks, ſcattered, which appear to [325] have been wholly covered by the water; and near them we find, rolled balls, of different ſizes, which, if beaten to pieces, are partly hollow, and contain ſand. From theſe circumſtances, and the mountain being entirely inſulated, and full of petrified bodies, that could have lived no where but at the bottom of the ſea, it is evi⯑dent, paſt a doubt, that what is now land, was for⯑merly covered with water. If eaſt-winds blow violently againſt the grotto-work of this ſhelf, to one that ſtands at the top, a noiſe is heard, ſeemingly the diſtant mut⯑tering of many hundred people, with various voices, ſounding more or leſs at different times. I obſerved this plainly to-day, as a violent eaſt-wind blew. The prieſts of the Kalmucks told the people, that the wiſe, old man, Zaghan Ebughan, or ſpirit of the mountain, has his reſidence beneath it, where there is an aſſembly of the bleſſed, who are conſtantly praying, and ſinging hymns.

Underneath the ſand-ſtone, is a high-red ſtrong-co⯑loured bole, encompaſſing a ſand-ſlate. The ſuper⯑ſtitious Kalmucks fetch this bole, conſidering it as the moſt ſacred colour, and paint their tents with it. On the ſouth ſide of the mountain, is a field of ala⯑baſter, with gypſeous rocks, and a number of holes, ſunk by the ſubterraneous paſſage of ſnow-waters. On the higheſt part of the mountain, where it conſiſts of ſand-rocks, the Kalmucks have erected monuments, conſiſting of high, ſquare, ſtone-pillars, which may be [326] ſeen at a great diſtance. Otherwiſe, we ſee here, but very few traces of their ſuperſtition; and I examined the whole of the mountain very particularly. But four miles and a half from it, towards the Wolga, is an old Kalmuck altar, erected of reeds and earth, the remains of a feſtival there celebrated.

The Tartars have the moſt extravagant notions reſ⯑pecting this mountain; and, among others, ſay, that Bogda ſtood originally on the ſide of the Jaik; but that two Kalmuck ſaints took it into their heads to remove it to the banks of the Wolga. However, pre⯑vious to their undertaking this painful work, they paſſed a conſiderable time in faſting and prayer: this rather weakened them, but they ſoon got it on their ſhoulders, and, when they had brought it as far as where it now ſtands, a ſinful thought came into the mind of one of them (other traditions ſay, that he fell in love with a Kalmuck woman, and had carnal know⯑ledge of her), which ſo enfeebled him, that he could no longer bear the weight, which fell on him, and cruſhed him to death; and, that his blood being ſhed on the ground, produced that red colour, viſible in the mountain. As the other was not able to carry it alone, it has ſtood where it fell.

The ſituation of this ſingle ſtrata-mountain, though peculiarly remarkable, has yet, within a quarter of a mile of it, a no leſs remarkable object; viz. an inex⯑hauſtible [327] ſalt-lake, called Bogdoin Dabaſſu. Its form is oblong, from weſt to eaſt, and 12 miles long; towards the weſtern bay, its breadth is about five miles, and its circumference thirty miles. Its diſtance from the next place, on the Achtuba, in a direct line, which is to the lower Priſtan, or ſalt-lake, is reckoned twenty-eight miles; and to the fortreſs Tſchernojarſkaja, over all the arms of the Wolga, 32 miles. Carriages, drawn by oxen, go and return in five days; and, drawn by horſes, in three days. The weſtern, wide part, on the weſt ſide of the mountain, forms a ſmall bay, ending in a wide, round bay, which the ſalt-diggers call Kultuk, or ſea-gulph. Beneath the high border of the lake, near the mountain, are ſeveral little bitter and freſh-water ſprings, overgrown with reeds. The whole lake is very ſhallow; ſo that, even when the wind blows and raiſes billows on the ſhore, any man may croſs it, and not be up to his waiſt. Standing near it, in the ſun-ſhine, it has a fine, greeniſh colour; but, at a diſtance, glitters with a ſilvery white. The water is exceedingly pure, without any bitterneſs; and even about the ſprings, it has no bad ſmell. The bottom is a ſandy ſlime, which ſinks in, here and there, but annually covered with ſalt-rinds, or cruſts, as white as ſnow, being a ſediment from the water. The ſalt, ſettled this year, was not yet become firm; it was, however, an inch thick, very pure, white, without ſmell, or any mixture of bitter ſalt; and, conſequently, far better than that of the lake Elton. By autumn, the year's cruſt is ſaid to grow full [328] three inches in depth, or thickneſs. There are ſeveral of theſe layers, one upon another, but always ſeparated by a layer of mud. The lower kinds are as hard as ſtone, and, therefore, the ſalt-breakers, to ſave trouble, will only take the ſalt from the ſurface, which is not cruſted.

This lake has long ſince been made known to the Ruſſians, inhabitants of the Wolga, by the Kalmucks; who, as long as the ſalt was free to be collected, ſup⯑plied themſelves with it. After it became a prerogative of the Crown, it was conveyed, in 1771, to the Imperial ſalt-marts at Aſtrachan, and other places. They firſt eſtabliſhed a ſalt-mart on the Achtuba, at the diſtance of 24 miles; but this mart was afterwards removed to a much more diſtant place, 37 miles; for which the car⯑riers received three copecs a pud. The chief ſalt-factor is a merchant of Tſchernojarſkaja, and pays, at pre⯑ſent, only two and a half copecs per pud, which the carrier muſt pay. The ſalt is far better than that of the lake Elton, and more productive to the public revenue.

The Kalmucks relate, in their ridiculous legends, that, one day, their Delai-Lama having taken his dinner in this place, and thrown on the ground what remained of his ſallad-ſauce, it produced this lake, which has gradually increaſed ever ſince; and that the mountain has been alſo enlarged to its preſent ſize, from Delai-Lama's, taking his reſt thereon by night.

[329]Immediately at the foot of Mount Bogdo, on the edge of the deſert, at Saikol, the Troughmenian Tar⯑tars, ſubject to the Kalmucks, have their habitations. They are ſaid to have been firſt ſettled in this country, by Saiſſin Chorlin, who came firſt into the territory of the Moguls in Ruſſia, in 1593, with 50, 000 Kibitkas, or families, and 300 Troughmenian families, whom he picked up on the way: others think it was later.

The round-leafed rhapontic, or rhubarb, grows plen⯑tifully on the eaſtern precipice of this mountain, and on the whole alabaſter rock. The Kalmucks ſeek ea⯑gerly for the roots, which grow on this ſacred ſpot; and often take ſecret journies to collect them, particularly as the plant is not be found weſt of the river Wolga. They uſe it as a tea, and take it as a medicine. There are, alſo, a number of other fine plants, too tedious to mention here.

Not far from this mountain, the Coſſacks of my eſcort, who were moving the ſtones lying about on the ground, brought me the firſt ſcorpion that has been ſeen in the Ruſſian empire. Theſe conceal themſelves among the dry ſtones, are ſmall, and of a peculiar ſpecies; but exactly like thoſe I have ſeen brought from Perſia.

Mr. Bykof, in a botanical excurſion he made eaſt⯑wards, from this diſtrict to the deſart Naryn, in 1773, [330] at 11 miles from Tologoi Kol, met with, in the ſtep, a pyramid, built with bricks by the Kalmucks, but much decayed, called, by them, Schorolgün-Balgaſun (the earthen city).

Having now fulfilled the deſign for which I was ſent out, and nearly completed my ſix years tour, I determined to go the neareſt way home, and make the beſt of my road to Moſcow; of courſe, the reſt of my journal will not contain any thing remarkable, having been travelled over and explored by Profeſſors Gmelin and Guldenſtadt. Mr. Georgi having returned with the laſt ſnow through Caſan, I ſet out for Moſcow, with all my ſtudents and attendants, on the 4th of June, 1774; and reached the city of Tambof, on the 20th. Tam⯑bof is ſituated on the Zna, is an epiſcopal ſee, or pro⯑vincial regency, contains 16 pariſh-churches, 10,000 inhabitants, an important, annual fair, cloth manu⯑factories, and excellent tradeſmen: here I continued three days. Between this, and Moſcow, the country is embelliſhed with the ſeats of the nobility and gentry. In my way, we ſhot a milk-white bird, of that ſpecies called blackbird; and one black, ſpotted with white. On the 3d of July, I reached Moſcow, and having received my recall, by a mandate from the Empreſs, ſent by the Imperial Academy to all its abſent members, then on their travels, in queſt of phyſical or geographical know⯑ledge, I ordered my waggons to be ſpeedily repaired, that I might reach the end of my career; which I did on [331] the 30th of July, though with an infirm body, and a hoary head, at the age of 33, yet in better health and ſpirits than I was whilſt in Siberia; and full of grateful acknowledgments to Providence, who had preſerved me to this day, amid the numberleſs dangers to which I had been expoſed.