ZAISSAN SEMION 85 



Owing to this want of bridges, goods are often 

 carried away and lost in the river. A small raft was 

 soon ready, the Ispravnik having warned us of the 

 difficulty, and sent orders in front to bring' down 

 to the river all the timber that could be found. Our 

 crossing was effected without accident. As for the 

 luggage, it was brought in late in the evening", 

 thoroughly damped. The village consists of a few 

 wooden buildings used as shelter for goods, of two 

 or three houses, one of which was inhabited by a 

 Russian Customs official, and of a small missionary 

 church. We were put up in a fair room. Weather 

 cold and rainy. The whole of the next day was 

 spent in drying our baggage and stores. The 

 custom-house yard presented a curious sight. It was 

 strewn all over with our wet clothes, bedding, rope, 

 flour, potatoes, salt — everything" drying in the sun, 

 which luckily peeped out at the right moment. Here 

 we made acquaintance with the Zaissan Semion, an 

 energetic Kalmuk chief, who had been summoned 

 by Mr. Meyer in order to superintend our expedition 

 in procuring for us the best horses he could muster 

 in the country, and the most reliable men. He was 

 a christened native, and a great deal above the 

 average of Kalmuk intelligence. As I have said 

 before, the Zaissan, the elected chief of a tribe, is 



