298 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [chap. 



rise in the value of labour and a diminished production of the 

 noble metal have, however, since led to the abandonment of a 

 large number of the diggings that formerly were most produc- 

 tive ; others now scarcely pay the expense of the working. 

 Many of the gold-diggers who were formerly rich, in the 

 attempt to win more have been impoverished, and have dis- 

 appeared ; others who have succeeded in retaining their "pood 

 of gold " — that is the mint unit which the gold-diggers prefer 

 to use in their conversation — have removed to Omsk, Krasno- 

 jarsk, Moscow, Petersburg, Paris, &c. The gold-diggers' resi- 

 dences stand, therefore, now deserted, and form on the eastern 

 bank of the river a row of half-decayed wooden ruins surrounded 

 by young trees, after which in no long time only the tradition 

 of the former period of prosperity will be found remaining. In 

 one respect indeed the gold-diggers have exerted a powerful 

 influence on the future of the country. For it was through 

 them that the first pioneers were scattered in the wilderness, 

 the first seed sown of the cultivation of the region. 



In 1875 there were only two steamers on the Yenisej. These 

 were neither passenger nor cargo boats, but rather movable 

 commercial stores, propelled by steam. The fore-saloon formed 

 a shop provided with a desk, and shelves on which were to be 

 seen cloths, iron wares, guns, ammunition, tobacco, tea, matches, 

 sugar, brightly coloured copper engravings or lithographs, &c. 

 In the after-saloon was enthroned, among brandy casks, pur- 

 chased furs, and other precious or delicate wares, he who had 

 the command on board, a kind and friendly merchant, who evi- 

 dently did not concern himself much with the work of the 

 sailors, but rather with trade and the making of bargains, and 

 who was seldom called by the crew captain (kapitan), but gene- 

 rally master (Jiosain). After the steamer, or floating commercial 

 store, there was towed one or two lodjas, which served as maga- 

 zines, in which meal and salt and other heavy goods were stored, 

 the purchased fish were salted and looked after, fresh bread baked 

 for the numerous crew, &c. And as there was not a single jetty 

 to be found the whole way between Yenisejsk and the sea, both 

 the steamer and the lodjas, in order to be able to load and deliver 

 goods at any point, had a large number of boats and lighters 

 in tow. No place was set apart for passengers, but travellers 

 were received in a friendly and hospitable manner when they 

 came on board, where they were then allowed to look out for 

 themselves as best they could. The nautical command was 

 held by two mates or pilots of a stately and original appearance, 

 who, clad in long caftans, sat each in his watch on a chair at 

 the wheel, generally without steering, mostly smoking a cigarette 

 made of coarse paper and, with the most careless appeai'ance in 

 the world, exchanging jests with those who were going down the 



