378 The University of California Magazine. 



it seemed a wonder that it was profitable. The scene was ren- 

 dered picturesque by the crowds of workmen and women, (Bas- 

 keeri and Tartars,) who stood about in their ragged, clumsy 

 looking garments and straw sandals. The carriages took us up 

 again as evening fell, and a dusty ride of two versts brought us 

 to the town where we had to run the gauntlet again — bowing 

 to left and right of a staring crowd who lined the streets. Our 

 dignity was rather lessened by the village herd of several hun- 

 dred scrawny cattle which was meandering through the main 

 street at the same time with us. We were landed at the main 

 house of the town, which proved to be a sort of theater, where, 

 amid garlands of evergreens the tables were set for supper — 

 the hospitality of the mine owners. The full moon lighted us on 

 our way to the station. 



This morning we made an early start to visit the famous 

 mineral localities near Miass, chiefly in a range of hills known as 

 the Ilmen mountams, and all day long my hammer has been 

 going incessantly. It has been far the most interesting day for 

 the mineralogists, and as I was in luck and made some of the 

 best finds of the day, I felt well repaid for my hard work. 



Kychtym, Asia, Aicg. //, i8gy. 



We awoke this morning to find a lowering, clouded sky and 

 rain. We were up early, and after "tchai" were sent off in 

 batches of thirty at half-hour intervals for a twenty-verst ride 

 to and through a gold mine. The rain had pleasantly laid the 

 dust, and the ride in the fresh damp air with the jingling bells 

 and rapid motion was pleasant. Our way lay for several miles 

 out of Tchliabinsk along the great Siberian road, over which so 

 many exiles have plodded their weary way. It is a broad road, 

 fully one hundred feet wide, rather winding and slightly undu- 

 lating, but in this part fairly level. The roadbed of granite 

 sand is smooth and good, the first good road we have been on. 

 It runs for long stretches through forests of white birch, and a 

 double row of especially large ones is planted all alon^i, giving a 

 charming effect. 



