Across the Roof of the World. 



the inmates and such goods and chattels as they could recover 

 from the burning building. 



After leaving Chistunika I pressed on witli the utmost speed 

 throughout the night, at dawn reacliing Barnaul, a large 

 town of 40,000 inliabitants on tlie left bank of the Ob River, 

 some 200 miles south of the Trans-Siberian Railway. It is the 

 chief centre of the mining industry of the Altai, and a rising 

 place, mainlj- due to the trade with Mongolia, which is on the 

 increase. 



A SIBERIAN FISH MARKET. 



Trade with Mongolia is carried on with Kosh Agach, on the 

 frontier south-east of Barnaul, through Kobdo to Uliassutai, 

 the route thither from Russian territory having in recent years 

 been greatly improved, with the result that large quantities of 

 Russian made goods arc imported, and every facility afforded 

 traders by the Government. 



The larger villages in Siberia boast a market place, where 

 fish all frozen stiff and hard are sold in solid blocks, the 



422 



