6l6 



Cochrane' s Journey to the Frozen Sea and Kamtchatka. 



are of the Baslikire race. I could not 

 help observing the perfect cleanliness of 

 their houses, the civility of the people, 

 and the good economy of their lands. 

 1 slept most contentedly in these 

 dwellings ; feeding upon milk and cakes. 



The dress of the Tartar women is 

 light, if not neat; being merely a plain 

 white shift, with a sash round the waist 

 to support the bosom ; besides this they 

 have not a vestige of apparel, except 

 the handkerchief on the head. The 

 young girls had the hair plaited and 

 hanging down like the Biscay girls, or 

 brought np under the left arm, and 

 fastened to the fore part of the shift by 

 a riband. Such is the simple summer 

 dress: the winter, or gala one, is, how- 

 ever, more tawdry. Their features ap- 

 pear delicate, but their limbs are strong, 

 and their complexion very dark. 



At Kamenski I quitted the great Si- 

 berian road, not far from Tara, passing 

 several neat Tartar villages, whose 

 white plastered chimneys and ovens re- 

 minded me a little of those in my own 

 country. The furniture consists of a 

 few earthenware utensils, and a set of 

 tea-things: one half of the room is ele- 

 vated above" the other about fourteen 

 inches, and that half serves them alike 

 for sitting, sleeping, and store-room. 

 They are particular in having clean 

 bedding, and many pillows ; the latter 

 of which are always presented to a 

 stranger to raise and soften his seat, as 

 they have neither chairs nur stools. A 

 Tartar dwelling has always, if possible, 

 attached to it the conveniiiice of a ve- 

 getable garden. The «omen, I ob- 

 served, never presume to eat or drink 

 till their belter or worse half has finished, 

 and then but seldom while in their pre- 

 sence. 



The country is open, and laboriously 

 cultivated, and the neighbourhood po- 

 pulous. Much fine wood, and some 

 fisliless lakes, are also to be seen. I 

 overtook a party of unfortunates exiled 

 for misdemeanors, and compelled to live 

 in this district, which is hence the ge- 

 neral rendezvous of pick-pockets, &c. 



Through a succession of happy villages 

 I reached Tukalinsk, over an uninte- 

 resting level of pasture land; The 

 wretched external appearance of the 

 cottages is more than counterbalanced 

 by tiie neatness within ; and if half a 

 dozen healthy and beautiful children be 

 any indication of content, then are the 

 inhabitants of this «iisfrict most happy. 

 The pric« of bread is uuo flbilliog, and 



of meat three, for forty pounds. The 

 road is, in general, ve'ry good. 



OMSK. 



Omsk is placed at the junction of the 

 Irtish and ihe Om. The military college 

 is a noble foundation upon ttie Lancas- 

 tcrian system, and was established im- 

 mediately on his imperial majesty's 

 return from his visit to England. Won- 

 derful proficiency has been attained by 

 sc\eral of its pupils, now young men, 

 and the general improvement reflects 

 credit on all concerned in its manage- 

 ment. The youth are instructed, be- 

 sides reading, writing, and arithiVirtic, 

 in drawing, mathematics, fortification, 

 and algebra, and in some of the oriental 

 languages. The barracks for the boys, 

 their food, clothing, bedding, &c. are in 

 excellent order ; and every praise is dire 

 to the attention and benevolence of the 

 commandant. Col. Ivanoff, who is con- 

 sidered by them as a father. They are 

 composed of the children of the military 

 forming the army of Siberia. The 

 school for the children of the cossacks 

 is on a similarly benevolent plan, al- 

 though not quite so forward, from the 

 want of good masters. Omsk was one 

 of the strong places of the Tartars, and 

 successfully withstood the attacks of 

 the great Yermak. The country round 

 is fertile as to its soil, though not ex- 

 tensively cultivated. 



MELONS. 



In theeveningi reached Poyanoyarsk, 

 and here first saw melons in this country. 

 These, which are of a prodigious siz?, 

 form, with encumbers and bread, the 

 general summer diet of the inhabitants. 

 They sell at one copec each, that is, ten, 

 for a penny, — a price which certainly 

 does not render to the grower any thing 

 beyond the barest subsistence ; for five 

 guineas I might have loaded a ship with 

 them. I received a great many as pre- 

 sents, but left them as useless to one in 

 my situation. The cucumbers are al«o 

 very fine, and equally cheap, being one 

 hundred for a penny ; and good whole- 

 some.brown bread at five-pence for forty 

 pounds. Whether from perfect hospi- 

 tality or abundance I know not, but I 

 certainly never was better entertained. 



CHANGE OF COUNTRY. 



I reached Uvarova, whence I again 

 began to enjoy my travels ; for that un- 

 productive and almost endless flat which 

 extends from Ubinsk to Tobolsk and 

 the Frozen Sea, and from the Ural 

 chain far eastward of Tomsk, is now 

 succeeded by a beautiful variety of hil^ 

 country, 



