096 USTKAMENOGOKSK. 



doff, a son of the old blacksmitli of Tula. With the 

 permission and assistance of the government ae formed, 

 in 1728, the great smelting establishments of Koly wansk 

 and Bjelaja, and in 1739 laid the foundation of the town 

 of Barnaul. 



Leaving Barnaul on the 4th, the travellers journeyed 

 southward across the steppe of Platowskaja to the upper 

 districts of the Obi. They visited the porphyry works 

 of Kolyvansk, and the silver mines of Kiddersk and the 

 Serpent Mountain. This mountain, which derived its 

 7 ame from the great number of serpents found upon it 

 when it was discovered, was an immense mass of ores, 

 the most important of which was silver. Two versts be- 

 yond Eiddersk there was a comical hill, called Kruglaja 

 Sopka, or the Round Mountain. The vegetation of this 

 hill, which was destitute of trees, was so dense and lofty 

 that it prevented the travellers from seeing each other, 

 when they were a few steps apart. 



On the 18th they reached Ustkamenogorsk, a fortress 

 on the frontiers of Chinese Mongolia. Leaving their 

 baggage at this post, which was guarded by a company 

 of Cossacks, who went through their military exercises 

 for them, they continued their journey to the gold and 

 silver mines of Syranowsk. Beyond Syranowsk they 

 came in sight of the ranges of Cholsun and Katunja. 

 They saw at a distance of thirty miles the Stolbrowucha, 

 and still further to the eastward the untrodden summit 

 of Bjelucha, or as it was called by the Calmucks, God's 

 Mountain, the highest peak of the Altai. In this region, 

 near the source of the Berel, in the valley of Rachman- 

 owka, the travellers saw some remarkable hot springs. 

 A few feet distant from one of these springs was one of 



