Feb, 17, 1876] 



NATURE 



313 



trae dog-tracks are formed, and the boat, which requires only a 

 moderate depth of water, is kept afloat at a sufficient distance 

 from the bank by the rudder, which is managed by a person 

 sitting in the stem of the boat. The boats are often hollowed 

 out of a single tree stem, and may be notwithstanding, thanks to 

 the dimensions the trees attain in these regions, of very beautiful 

 form and very large. The dogs have a strong resemblance to 

 the Eskimo dogs in Greenland, which are also employed as 

 dmught animals, which may perhaps be considered a proof that 

 the same climatic circumstances and a similar method of employ- 

 ing a species of animals create like races. Most of the natives 

 who come into intimate contact with the Russians at the present 

 time, we are informed, profess Christianity. That many heathen 

 customs still, however, cleave to them is shown by the following 

 incident. At a "simovie " where we landed for some hours on 

 Sept. 16, we as usual came upon a burying-place in the wood 

 near the dwelling-houses. The corpses were laid in large coffins 

 above ground, with a cross in nearly every case raised over them. 

 At one of the graves there was a consecrated picture fixed to the 

 cross, which must be considered an additional proof that a 

 Christian reposed in the coffin. Notwithstanding this, several 

 garments, which had belonged to the deceased, were found hang- 

 ing on a bush near the grave, together with a bundle containing 

 food, principally dried fish. At the graves of the richer natives 

 we are informed that the survivors place, together ".vith food, 

 some rouble notes, in order that the departed may not be alto- 

 gether destitute of ready money on his entrance into the other 

 world. But that fine clothes are not considered any special 

 recommendation with St. Peter was evidenced by the exceedingly 

 shabby, tattered, and patched condition of the garments hung up 

 at the grave in question. 



Hitherto we had during our journey from Dudino up the 

 Jenisei for the most part very fine, often warm, autumn weather. 

 The first frost occurred south of Saostrovskoi on the night before 

 Sept. 20, and from that date the temperature of the nights was 

 generally under the freezing point. The days, however, con- 

 tinued to be warm and fine. The fall of rain was slight 



On the 20th we anchored at the mouth of one of the largest 

 tributaries which fall into Jenisei firom the east, viz., Podkam- 

 mennaja Tunguska. Immediately below a welcome opportunity 

 offered of taking soundings right across the river, which is here 

 over a kilometre broad. A little distance from the western bank 

 the lead showed four fathoms, afterwards the depth again dimi- 

 nished to 24 fathoms, but afterwards increased anew to seven 

 fathoms. At a number of other places also soundings were 

 taken, which are believed to confirm the statement of the pilots 

 that tlie depth of the river as far up as Jeniseisk is sufficient even 

 for large vessels. However, in order to establish this with 

 complete certainty, and to discover the most convenient channel 

 for navigation, much more complete hydrographical sur\*eys are 

 required than those which we had an opportimity of making in 

 passing. 



As I have already mentioned, productive potato land and 

 cabbage plots are to be found at the Skcptists' Colony, north of 

 the Arctic circle, and the farther south we came, the more such 

 patches of cultivation increased in size. No proper cultivation 

 of grain is met with until we reach Sykobatka, situated in lat. 

 60', but in the future it is quite certain that luhen the woois and 

 morasses ate diminished, a profitable agriculture may be car- 

 ried on much farther north. Already from this point to the 

 southern boundary of Siberia, or more correctly to the steppe 

 lands of Central Asia, we have at most places more than icx) 

 Swedish miles (1,000 kilometres), and if we consider that a belt 

 of land of this breadth, for the most part covered with excellent, 

 easily cultivated soil, extends right across the whole of Asia from 

 Ural to the Pacific Ocean, we may form an idea of the immeasur- 

 able field of conquest for the plough of the cultivator which 

 these regions offer, and the future which some time must open up 

 for it. 



Immediately south of Sykobatka we passed the church village 

 Nasimowskoi, and a deserted gold- washer's "residence" lying 

 right opposite, named after the first conqueror of Siberia, Jerma- 

 kova. The " residence " originated in the discovery of beds of 

 sand rich in gold in the pretty extensive territory of a tributary 

 of Jenisei on the east of that river, which before the Califomian 

 discovery was renowned as the richest gold district of the globe. 

 In a short time many colossal fortunes were made here, and the 

 stories of the hundreds of pouds which one or another yearly 

 washed, and the reckless, riotous mode of IL'^e of those whom 

 fortune allowed to win the great prizes in the gold-washing 

 lottery, still forms a favourite subject of conversation in the 



r^on. Heightened rates of labour and diminished supplies of 

 the noble metal have, however, of late, led to the abandonment 

 of a number of the washings which formerly were most profit- 

 able, and the others scarce pay for the working. Many of the 

 gold washers who were formerly rich, have, in the attempt to 

 increase their wealth, been ruined, and disappeared ; and others 

 who succeeded in retaining their /5<7Wi/ of gold — that is the mint- 

 unit that the gold washers prefer to employ in conversation — 

 have removed to Paris, Petersburg, Moscow, Omsk, Krasno- 

 jarsk, <S:c. All the "residences" are therefore now deserted, 

 and form on the eastern bank of the river a row of half-decayed 

 wooden ruins surrounded by young trees, after the disappearance 

 of which in a short time only the tradition of the former era of 

 prosperity will be found remaining. In one respect, however, 

 these gold-washers have exercised a lasting influence on the 

 future of the country ; for it was through them that the first 

 pioneers were spread in this desolate land, the first seed sown of 

 the cultivation of the region. 



At many places along the river there is to be seen besides 

 another peculiar memorial chiefly from the time when thousands 

 of labourers were collected at the gold-washings, viz., colossal 

 flat-bottomed boxes formed of logs, which are here called 

 " barks," which lie drawn up on the banks, more or less decayed. 

 They were used for the transport of the necessaries of life on the 

 river from Southern Siberia, and an idea may be formed of the 

 calm flow of the Siberian rivers and their suitableness for water 

 communication, from the fact that in this way goods were trans- 

 ported as far as the most northerly "simovies" on the Jenisei, 

 on the main river, from regions situated south of Minusinsk, near 

 the Chinese frontier and along its tributary the Angara from 

 Lake Baikal ; in fact, still farther, for even the river Selenga, 

 which falls into Lake Baikal from the south, is navigable for a 

 good part of its course. In order, however, to sail up these 

 rivers from Jeniseisk there are required, as I have stated before, 

 some operations for clearing the channel, but they are inconsider- 

 able in comparison with the importance of the object. " Barks " 

 of average size, built for the carriage of grain from Minusinsk, 

 cost 300 roubles, load up to 130 tons, and are managed during 

 the voyage down the river by fifteen men. After reaching their 

 destination they are sold, in case a buyer can be found, for a few 

 roubles. Notwithstanding their awkward shape they are well 

 adapted for the river communication in question, and they would 

 be still more so if during the down voyage of a considerable train 

 formed of twenty or thirty of such craft, a small steam-tug could 

 be had like those that are employed in the Archipelago of Stock- 

 holm. In this way the crew on each "bark" might be reduced 

 to one-third ; and the freight, which is already low, be farther 

 reduced. 



Since Sept 20 night frosts had often occurred, which naturally 

 considerably diminished the results of our excursions at the 

 steamer's stopping places. We became therefore more impatient 

 to reach our nearest destination. The strong current and the 

 frequent stoppages delayed our journey, so that it was not until 

 Sept. 30 that we could anchor at the town Jeniseisk. Here we 

 stayed some days for the purpose of getting news from Europe, 

 examining the fine collections made in several branches of natural 

 history by Herr M. Marks, an exile, and settling our affairs ; ia 

 connection with which I ought specially to mention that the 

 owner of the Alexander, Herr Balangin, declined to receive any 

 payment for our long voyage in the steamer, on which I made 

 over instead, as a memorial to him and the excellent master ot 

 the steamer, Herr JarmeniefT, the Nordland beat, in which we 

 began our river journey, and which had afterwards been brought 

 hither in tow. 



We then proceeded on our return journey by land through 

 Krosnojarsk, Tomsk, Omsk, Tjumen, Ekaterineburg, Tagilsk, 

 Perm, Kasan, Nischni-Novgorod, iloscow, Petersburg, and 

 Helsinfors to Abo, and thence by steamer to Stockholm. 



With the exception of some short stoppages in the large 

 towns we travelled day and night, and a sketch of this latter 

 part of our journey would therefore be occupied principally with 

 the agreeable and friendly reception which we uniformly me: 

 with, and the interest which was universally felt in our polar 

 journey. The correspondence which has appeared on this sub- 

 ject in the newspapers may perhaps free me from the obligation 

 of saying more on this subject. 



Before I finish this letter I ought finally to mention that the 

 large collections in natiiral history made by the expedition both 

 in Novaya Zemlya and the Kara Sea, and during our river 

 journey on Jenisei, all, with the exception of a large collection 

 of fish from Siberia sent by caravan, have come to hand in good 



