TRAVELS IN ASIATIC EUSSIA. 373 



CHAPTER II. 

 TRAVELS IN ASIATIC RUSSIA. 



Proposal and Negotiations Journey from Berlin to St. Petersburg Visits 

 to St. Petersburg and Moscow Line of Route Distance travelled 

 Personal Adventures Diamonds in the Ural Mountains Return and 

 Reception of Honours. 



COUNT CANCRIN, the Minister of Finance in the Russian 

 cabinet, addressed a letter to Humboldt on August 15, 1827, 

 consulting him as to the employment of platinum of which 

 a considerable quantity had recently been discovered in the 

 Ural Mountains for purposes of coinage, and requesting in- 

 formation as to the proportionate value of that metal with 

 respect to gold and silver. In the communication it was 

 casually mentioned ' that the Ural mounlains would well repay 

 a visit from a man of scientific eminence.' Humboldt, in his 

 reply, dated November 19, 1827, treated the subject from a 

 truly scientific point of view ; he discountenanced the project 

 of instituting a platinum coinage, on account of the impossi- 

 bility of its maintaining an unalterable value with respect to 

 gold and silver, and concluded his letter with the courteous 

 assurance, that he hoped some day to have the pleasure of 

 paying his respects in person to the Minister at St. Petersburg. 

 6 The Ural Mountains, Ararat now soon to be included within 

 the Russian dominions ; yea, even the Lake of Baikal, present 

 images before my mind, which awake my keenest interest.' 

 These expressions were hints that fell not unheeded. On De- 

 cember 17, 1827, Cancrin wrote to express the wish of the 

 Emperor Nicholas, that Humboldt should undertake a scien- 

 tific expedition to the east of Russia, the cost of which was to 

 be borne by the emperor. This flattering proposal was eagerly 

 accepted by Humboldt, with the proviso, that he was not to 



