222 Biographical Memoir of Peter Simon Pallas. 



Bailly attributes to the ancient northern tribes, in liis opinion 

 the first inventors of the arts and sciences. Pallas proves, on 

 the contrary, that these works were carried on by the ancestors 

 of the Hungarians of the present day, who, it is known, derive 

 their origin from a nation that arrived in these countries in the 

 seventh or eighth century. This journey terminated at Krasno- 

 yarsk on the Jenissei. 



The year after, our traveller, always proceeding eastward, 

 crossed the great Baikal Lake, and passed through the moun- 

 tainous country, known by the name of Daouria, which extends 

 to the Chinese frontiers. It was only here that he began to ob- 

 serve the productions of nature, to assume an appearance entire- 

 ly different from those of Europe. The plants exhibit singular 

 forms ; animals of genera unknown to us, clamber among the 

 rocks, or sometimes straggle thither from the great deserts of cen- 

 tral Asia. 



Pallas, after viewing a multitude of half savage tribes, at 

 length came once more upon a civilized nation, the civilization 

 ol which, however, in none of its forms resembles that of Europe. 

 He could not help considering the Chinese as a race which has 

 been separated from us, at least since the last catastrophe of the 

 globe, and which has followed in its development an entirely 

 isolated course. 



After retracing nearly his former steps, and passing the win- 

 ter a second time at Krasnojarsk, our traveller returned in 

 1,773, to the Jaik an^ the Caspian Sea, visited Astracan, and 

 examined the Indians, the Buchanans, and the other inhabi- 

 tants of the centre and south of Asia, who were mingled with 

 the heterogeneous population of that city. He approached the 

 Caucasian chain, the native country of the white race of men, as 

 the mountains of Daouria appear to be of the yellow race, passed 

 another winter at the foot of the branch of mountains which se- 

 parates the Wolga from the Tanais, and at length returned to 

 Petersburg, on the 30th July 1774. 



While thus pursuing the^principal route, he sent off in various 

 directions pupils who were under his direction. 



Pallas employed the leisure of his winter quarters m drawing 

 up his journal ; and , according to the plan prescribed by the 



