20 On the Salt Lake Inder, in Asiatic Russia. 



to the upper sepal. There can be little doubt, if circumstances 

 would admit of a thorougli investigation of the shores of the lake 

 at any future period, that great botanical treasures might be ex- 

 pected. 



An officer in the Russian service told me that he was at the 

 lake in the month of May, and saw large herds of antelopes 

 on the sand hills, likewise quantities of snipes near the salt 

 pools ; and swans, cranes, ducks, and flamingos, which seemed 

 to resort to the lake to drink the water. He also said that he 

 had a servant who was bitten there by the minute worm of the 

 marshes, called the Siberian Plague, which can be no other than 

 the Furia iiifernalis, of the existence of which some naturalists 

 doubt. Ivan, the servant, had been out all day, and in the 

 evening, when he returned to the tents, his master observed 

 that there was a red spot on his cheek, and that it was slightly 

 swelled. His master knew what had happened, and told him, 

 that, if he did not take care, he would be dead in three days ; 

 and that the only i-emedy was to perforate the skin of the cheek 

 diagonally, and in different directions, with an awl, and to rub 

 snuff into the wounds. Now, Ivan was a Kirzack, or Russian 

 of the old faith, who cross themselves in a different manner from 

 the others — have a number of superstitious rites and ceremonies 

 — ^have no priests, the laity officiating by turns, and each man 

 carries with him his own plate, knife and spoon, as they will 

 not eat out of the vessel of another. Among other things, they 

 will not touch snuff, consequently Ivan made up his mind to 

 die ; and next morning his head was swelled to an immense size. 

 But his master did not wish to lose him, so, pretending to pre- 

 pare some herbs for him, he got an awl, and pierced his cheek 

 in a slanting direction, under the skin, and rubbed in snuff, 

 and repeated the operation ; and though the servant was in a 

 high fever for two days, yet at last the swelling and fever sub- 

 sided together, and he recovered. Children frequently die from 

 the bite of this vprm, which, in Siberia, is greatly dreaded. 



St Petehsbukgh, 

 SOthJutie 1829. 



