VIII.] 



SIBERIAN GRAVES. 



Wi 



almost always a cross was erected. In one of the crosses a 

 sacred picture was inserted, which must be considered a further 

 proof that a Christian rested in the coffin. Notwithstanding 

 this, we found some clothes, which had belonged to the departed, 

 hanging on a bush beside the grave, together with a bundle con- 

 taining food, principally dried tish. At the graves of the richer 

 natives the survivors are even said to place along with food 

 some rouble notes, in order that the departed may not be alto- 

 gether without ready money on his entrance into the other 

 world. 



GRAVES IN THE PRIMEVAL FOREST OF SIBERIA. 



(After a drawing by Hj. Theel.) 



Right opposite the village Nasimovskoj is a gold-digger's 

 deserted "residence," named Yermakova after the first con- 

 queror of Siberia. The building owed its origin to the discovery 

 of sand-beds rich in gold, occupying a pretty extensive area 

 east of the Yenisej, which for a time had the repute of being 

 the richest gold territory in the world. Here in a short 

 time enormous fortunes were made ; and accounts of the 

 liundreds of poods which one or another yearly reaped from 

 the sand-beds, and the fast reckless life led by those to whom 

 fortune dealt out the great prizes m the gold-digging lottery, 

 still form a favourite topic of conversation in the region. A 



