SIBERIA. 



SIBERIA. 



a immense country, UM language of the most distant 



tribe* of UM Toangu*** it aud to agree very nearly with that of the 

 oo. The Yakut**, the most populous of the nations of Eastern 

 except the Buriate*, are a Turkish tribe, who are almost 

 occupied with the care of their herds of cattle and horses 

 aad UM dairy. They appear also to have attained a considerable 

 degree of skill in tanning, and in working iron, which they get from 

 UM mine* on the upper course of the river Vilui. The Yookahires 

 an only found north of the Polar Circle, and mostly in parts where 

 UM wooded regions border on the tundras. They only live east of the 

 Lena, and a far as the vicinity of Choun Bay. The Tshooktshes 

 occupy UM most north-eastern peninsula of Asia. To the west this 

 tribe is met with as far as Choun Bay, and southward they are in 

 inietroiiiii of the whole basin of the Anadyr River. The Russians do 

 not consider them as subjects of their emperor, and the Tshooktshes 

 are very jealous of their independence. On this account they do not 

 easily permit Europeans to enter their country. The Koriakcs inhabit 

 UM northern pert of the peninsula of Kamtchatka and the country 

 about the gulfs of Penshinsk and lahiginsk, as well as the mountains 

 of Stamnovoi Khrebet The peninsula of Kamtchatka is inhabited by 

 KamUihatdalm. [KAMTCHATKA.] 



Population. The population of Siberia is now estimated at more 

 than three millions and a half, exclusive of the Middle Horde, or 

 Orda, of the Khirghis Cossaks, which is computed at more than a 

 million of individuals. [RUSSIA, voL iv. coL 378.] But this popula- 

 tion is very unequally distributed over the surface of the country. 

 Even the most populous districts, namely, the agricultural region in 

 Western Siberia, the vale of the river Yenesei in Central Siberia, and 

 the plain of the Lower Angara, would be considered very thinly 

 peopled in any part of Europe, but they are thickly inhabited when 

 compared with other parta of Siberia, where several tracts occur 

 extending over a surface of from 20,000 to 30,000 square miles, 

 which ara entirely uninhabited, as for instance the country south and 

 north of the Verkhnei Yansk Mountains. In other places a few 

 families live at the distance of one or two days' journey from one 

 another. The majority of the present inhabitants are Russians ; all 

 the other tribes do not much exceed one million. 



Political Uirisioiu and Towns. The administration of Siberia is 

 divided into two general governments, those of Western and Eastern 

 Siberia. Western Siberia consists of the governments of Tobolsk and 

 Tomsk and the province of Omsk ; and Eastern Siberia of the govern- 

 ment* of Yeneseisk and Irkutsk, and the provinces of Yakutsk, 

 Okhotsk, and Kamtchatka, to which are added the Russian settle- 

 ment* on the western coast of North America as far as 56 N. lat, 

 and 141 W. long. All these divisions are governed by separate 

 officers, who receive their orders from the governor-general, and can 

 only apply to the court of St. Petersburg through him. A small but 

 very important portion of Siberia is not subject to the authority of 

 the general governor, but ia united to the European governments of 

 Perm and Orenburg. 



That part of the government of Perm which ia on the east of the 

 Ural Mountains extends along their base from 55 30' to 61 N. lat., 

 and is the most populous, best cultivated, and most industrious por- 

 tion of Siberia. Nearly all the numerous mines of the mining district 

 of the Ural are included in this division. Besides Ekatarinburg, 

 which is the seat of administration for the mines, it contains several 

 remarkable places, as Berezow, with 2000 inhabitants ; Newansk, with 

 10, 000 inhabitants; Alpayewsk, with 2000 inhabitants ; Nishnei Tag- 

 hilsk, with more than 20,000 inhabitants, in a district noted for its 

 rich iron- and copper-mines and its washings of gold and platinum. 

 In this place there are also extensive manufactures of lacquered-ware. 

 Kushwinsk, farther north, with about 6000 inhabitants, is built in the 

 centre of a district rich in iron-mines ; in its vicinity is the iron-moun- 

 tain called Bladogat, which rises to 1370 feet above the sea-level. 

 Verkhoturye has 3000 inhabitants, and is considered the most northern 

 point where the alluvial beds that contain gold particles occur. They 

 have been traced southward to the source of the Ural River, a distance 

 exceeding 600 miles. 



Only a smaU portion of the government of Orenburg lies east of the 

 Ural Mountain* It is partly inhabited by Russians and Choowashes, 

 and partly by Bashkirs. IU wealth consists chiefly in cattle. The 

 largest town is Chelyabinsk, on the small river Mias, not far from the 

 bue of the Ural Mountains, with 5000 inhabitants. North-east of 

 Chelyabinsk is Miaek, the most southern place where gold is obtained 

 by washing. Troitzk, on the river Ooi, with 3000 inhabitants, is a 

 place of *ome trade, but its commerce is now limited to trade with 

 the Khirghis Conaks who inhabit the country south of the Ooi. 



The government of Tobolsk comprehends the whole of Western 

 Siberia north of 60 N. lat. and the western half of it south of that 

 parallel, exclusive of the country of the Khirghia Cossaks. In this 

 government no metals are found except some bog-iron ; but salt is got 

 from several lakes. The wealth of the southern districts consists in 

 the produce of agriculture and the herds of cattle ; that of the northern 

 consists of the produce of the fisheries in the river Obi, and the nume- 

 rous wild animals that inhabit the forests. In the southern districts 

 wood is scarce, except along the base of the Ural Mountains. 



The capital ia Tobolsk, where the governor-general of Western 

 Siberia resides. [TOBOLSK.] In the comparatively populous district 



which extends south-west to the boundary of Perm are Tuorintt, on 

 the river Toora, with 7000 inhabitants, mostly Tooralinzes, who carry 

 on a considerable trade in furs, and have many tanning-pits ; and 

 Tioomen, with 10,000 inhabitants. Tioomen is the oldest city in Siberia, 

 having been founded by Tartars in the time of Genghis Khan. On 

 the banks of the river Tobol are the towns of Yalootorovsk, with 2000 

 inhabitants; and Kooryan, with about 1000 inhabitants. In the 

 vicinity of the last-mentioned place there are numerous ancient tombs 

 in the form of small hills ; they are called ' koorgani.' One of them, 

 called by Pallas a royal mausoleum, is nearly 500 feet in circum- 

 ference. East of Tobolsk is Tarn, built on the west bank of the Irtish, 

 with 3600 inhabitants. Vessels of 300 tons burden go from here to 

 Tobolsk. Surgut, north-east of Tobolsk, on the river Obi, is a small 

 place with 1500 inhabitants. Jicrezow, on the west bank of the Obi 

 (63 56' N. lat.), has 3000 inhabitants, and a considerable traffic in 

 furs and fish. It is the most northern place in which rye and barley 

 succeed. 



The province of Omsk consists properly of two lines of fortifications 

 and of the country of the Khirghis Cossaks. The capital, Omsk, is 

 built on the east bank of the Irtish, at the point where the two lines 

 of fortifications meet. It is a well-fortified place, with 7500 inhabit- 

 ants, and contains a military school for the Cossaks and a college for 

 those who wish to learn the languages of Western Asia. From this 

 place, as well as from two of the fortresses, Petropawlawsk on the 

 Ishini, and Semipalatiusk on the Irtish, caravans depart for Toshkend 

 in Kokan, and for Bokhara, traversing the steppe of the Khirghis 

 Cossaks. Ust Kamenogorsk, on the Irtish, has about 2000 inhabitants. 

 The new agricultural colony of Kar-Karaly, with the steppe of the 

 Khirghis Cossaks, belongs to this province. 



The government of Tomsk is rich in metals (silver, copper, lead, 

 iron), and in grass in the mountainous part; the steppe abounds in 

 wild animals, and the eastern districts in agricultural products, but 

 cultivation does not extend much beyond the bottoms of the rivoiv. 

 The capital is Tomsk, a town containing from 8000 to 9000 inhabit- 

 ants, on the banks of the river Tom, and on the great road leading 

 from Western to Eastern Siberia. It is rather a well-built town. 

 Kooznesk, on the river Tom, with 3500 inhabitants, lies in a district 

 which abounds in iron- and copper-mines, the produce of which ii 

 brought to this place. Sernaul, on the west and elevated banks of 

 the river Obi, ia the centre of the mining industry in the Altai Moun- 

 tains, as the ore of most of the mines is brought to Bernaul to bo 

 smelted, owing to the want of fuel in their neighbourhood. It con- 

 tains between 8000 and 9000 inhabitants, extensive furnaces, and u 

 school of mineralogy. Many Germans are employed in the town and 

 vicinity, and a German church and school have been erected : there 

 is also a public library. At Kolywan, which stands in a valley of 

 the Altai Mountains on the small river Loktef ka, there is a manufac- 

 tory in which many objects are made of porphyry. Biysk, a fortress 

 on the river Biya, not far from its confluence with the Katunga, has 

 2000 inhabitants. 



The government of Yenese'isk is 1800 miles in length. Agriculture 

 does not extend north of the town of Yenese'i (58 N. lat.) ; but it is 

 in a prosperous condition in the vale of the Yenesei, south of Kras- 

 noyark, though even there cattle constitute the principal wealth of 

 the inhabitants. Iron-ore abounds in the mountains that inclose the 

 vale, and it is worked in a few places. North of the town of Yene- 

 seisk the inhabitants live chiefly by fishing. The capital of this 

 government is Krasnoyark, on the Yenesei, with 3300 inhabitants. 

 This town carries on a considerable commerce. Yeneseisk, farther 

 north, was formerly the capital, and is still the most populous place, 

 having between 4000 and 5000 inhabitants, and possessing an active 

 and extensive commerce. The fair in the month of August is much 

 frequented. Atihiwk, west of Krasnoyark and the Kachooga moun- 

 tains, contains between 1500 and 2000 inhabitants. The river Choolym 

 is here navigable for large river barges. Toorookhansk (near 66 N. 

 lat.), on the Yenose'i, is small ; but at certain seasons of the year it is 

 visited by the neighbouring nomadic tribes, who exchange their furs 

 for tobacco, flour, and other necessaries. 



The government of Irkutsk ia chiefly agricultural. Cattle, horses, 

 camels, and sheep constitute the principal sources of wealth. The 

 capital is Irkutsk, the residence of the governor-general of Eastern 

 Siberia. This town is built on the east bank of the Lower Angara, 

 opposite the mouth of the river Irkut, from which its name is derived, 

 and contains about 20,000 inhabitants. The streets are straight and 

 wide, but are not paved; most of the houses are built of timber. 

 The palace of the governor-general, the medical institution, the gram- 

 mar school, and the hall of the American Company, are good buildings. 

 There are also a public library, a museum of natural history, a 

 military school, and a school for navigation. Irkutsk is the centre 

 of the commerce of Eastern Siberia. The town is 1240 feet above 

 the sea-level, and the climate is very cold; but it is healthy and 

 pleasant, owing to the dryness of the atmosphere. At Telma, north- 

 west of Irkutsk, is a considerable manufacture of cloth, a smaller 

 one of linen, and some glass-houses. Kotshuga, on the river Lena, is 

 1503 feet above the sea-level. In the country south of Lake Baikal 

 is Verchnei Udinsk, on the river Uda, not far from its confluence with 

 the Selenga; it has about 4000 inhabitants, who are engaged iu com- 

 merce with Kiachta and Nertshiusk. At Scknginak, a small place, 



