On the Silver, Guld, and Platinu, of Russia. 119 



analogies you suppose to exist between it, and the gold district 

 in Mexico. I remain, my dear sir, very assuredly yours, 



James Dickson. 



To G. W. Featherstonhaugh, Esq. 



St. Petersburg, 1831. 



" GoBOLEFSKY accompanied me next morning, and introduced 

 me to General Karnieff, director of the imperial mint, and of the 

 mines in general of all the Russias. A little, good-looking old 

 man stood at one of the windows of the saloon as we entered, 

 and on my name being announced, he came forward and welcom- 

 ed me. Our conversation turned upon the mineral resources of 

 the distant regions of Irkoutsk, on the Chinese frontiers, vs^here 

 of late, much silver ore had been obtained. The mines of 

 Ekatherineburg had long been an object of interest to the Rus- 

 sian government, and the science of mining had been particu- 

 larly patronized by the emperor Nicholas. Notwithstanding the 

 minute and scientific research which had been devoted to the 

 improvement of their mines and mining operations, their eager 

 spirit of discovery, and their almost ridiculous — from the extreme 

 to which it was carried — ideas of economy, had rendered them 

 ever restless, and eternally on the qui vive for every new invention. 



" The mines of Irkoutsk, many thousand versts from the scene 

 of their other operations, had been worked to a considerable ex- 

 tent within late years, yielding, according to the Russian ideas 

 of silver mines, a large and increasing revenue. In the silver 

 ore of these mines some gold had been met with, which, with the 

 increasing produce of those of Ekatherineburg, had rendered the 

 establishment of the French process of refining with vessels of 

 platina, necessary. Their principal source of gold, was, how- 

 ever, in the gold washings of the Ural mountains, which bade fair 

 to rival, in extent and value, the more celebrated gold alluvium* 

 of the Brazils. 



" The silver ores of Ekatherineburg were considered to be of 

 greater value than those of Irkoutsk, or the other districts which 

 had lately shown themselves productive ; although high expec- 

 tations were entertained as to the result of the exploring commis- 

 sion which had been sent northward the preceding year, since 

 reports of vast riches, embosomed in their most northern snows, 

 had been the favourite theme of discussion among the scientific 

 men of St Petersburg. 



