TAGUIL 13 



of the 15th of May we reached Taguil and drove 

 to the house. 



Taguil is the head town, or rather the head 

 village, of a vast mining district in the centre of 

 the Ural Mountains. It cannot be called a town, 

 not having a municipality, but as regards size it is 

 larger than many towns, and contains over 30,000 

 inhabitants, principally workmen and engineers. It 

 lies at the foot of the " Sheleznaia Gora " {i.e. iron 

 mountain), one of the richest in iron-ore, and the 

 works are spread all round it in order to avoid 

 expenses of transport. Copper is also to be found 

 within a few miles in great abundance, and is melted 

 at the other end of the village. Platinum and gold 

 are likewise distributed in the neighbourhood. 



At the head of the village lies a lake about twelve 

 miles long, into which flows the river Taguil, yielding- 

 considerable water-power for the iron- works. The 

 country round Taguil presents the aspect of low 

 rolling hills covered with pine, fir, and birch woods, 

 which become denser as one proceeds further from 

 the inhabited districts. These woods contain a fair 

 amount of game. I have myself shot elk and 

 cariboo within fifty miles north of Taguil. Brown 

 bears abound, also the Siberian Roe-deer [Caprcolus 

 pygargus), which I have secured close to the village, 



