THE ASIATIC POLE OF COLD. 



147 



though amongst the outlying portion a lingering belief in 

 Shamanism still survives. 



The town of Yakutsk has a population of about 5,000 per- 

 sons, some of whom are political exiles. All the Russian 

 inhabitants might well be considered exiles, for they are 

 over 5,000 miles from St. Petersburg. The town presents a 

 curious medley of dwellings, for there are seen the govern- 

 ment buildings, the cathedral and churches, the wooden 

 houses of the Russians, and also the less pretentious winter 

 dwellings of the Yakuts, and even their summer yourts. 



^ ^-"-i" . ' -- 



' - 'V-t. 



YAKUTSK IN OUR DAYS. 



The cathedral is built of stone, and dedicated to St. 

 Nicholas, and there are in the town some half-dozen churches 

 in which parts, or all, of the service is performed in the 

 Yakut language. The chief ecclesiastic is Dionysius, Bishop 

 of Yakutsk and Viluisk, who has in his hyperborean diocese 

 49 churches and chapels, and one monastery containing a 

 dozen monks. 



According to Sir Edward Brewster the town of Yakutsk 

 is near the Asiatic pole of cold one of the two coldest 



