CONTENTS. IX 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Preface Ill 



Preface to the English Translation V 



Russian weights and measures ■ . . . . XI 



CHAPTER I. Historical sketch 1 



Geographical and administrative division of Siberia; its occupation, exploration 

 and settlement; the first contact of the Russians with Siberia; their appearance 

 upon the Amour; struggle with China; beginning of permanent colonization: 

 surrender of Russo-American possessions to the United States Government: 

 scientific explorations in the Amour country; occupation of the Kirghiz steppe; 

 annexation of Semirechinsk and Zailisk; necessity of building a great railway; 

 visit to Siberia of His Imperial Highness the Grand Duke Tsessarevich: 

 foundation of the Siberian Railway Committee. 



CHAPTER II. Geographical Review of Siberia 22 



Western Siberia: its component parts; review of the Altai slopes; the lowlands: 

 their division into three zones; their climatic conditions; flora of the Altai 

 slopes and valley; fauna of Western Siberia; its population; distribution of 

 domestic animals. 



CHAPTER III. Eastern Original Siberia . 34 



Its Sayan borderland; the division of Eastern Siberia into three zones; clima- 

 tic conditions of each; the flora and fauna of Eastern Siberia; its population; 

 distribution of domestic animals. 



CHAPTER IV. The Yakutsk Frontier Country 44 



Orographic and hydrographic review; division into two zones; their climatic 



conditions; vegetation and fauna; composition of population; natives of Yakutsk 



borderland; Arctic ocean, its islands, flora and fauna. 

 CHAPTER V. The Amour-Littoral Borderland ' . 55 



Division into four regions; the contours, climatic conditions, flora, fauna and 



population of each of them; Okhotsk and Behring seas. 

 CHAPTER VI. The Kirghiz steppe Region 76 



Its division into the mountain and steppe teiTitories; orography and hydrography 



of each; flora; fauna; population, its composition and distribution in the 



mountain and steppe zones; importance of cattle breeding. 

 CHAPTER VII. Tenure and use of land 86 



Foundations of land tenure; dividiug Siberia into districts and their general 



character; agriculture; production of bi'eadstuffs; raising of cattle; live stock 



industry among the Kirghiz. 



