RETURN TO ST. PETERSBURG. 409 



They made a short excursion to the mouths of the 

 Volga and the Caspian Sea, for the purpose of analysing 

 its waters, obtaining specimens of its fish, and making 

 barometric measurements. They then proceeded to visit 

 Sered Dschab, a noted Calmuck prince, who resided near 

 the Volga, fifty miles from Astrachan. He sent car- 

 riages and a large cavalcade to meet them at the land- 

 ing-place, from which they were conducted to his resi- 

 dence, where he received them with great state, and 

 entertained them royally. He showed them his temple, 

 his horses, his orchards and gardens, and the distilleries 

 where he manufactured brandy from mare's milk. 

 Besides Sered Dschab himself, they met at his residence 

 a neighbouring prince, Dschangir, the young Khan of 

 the Inner Horde of Khirgises. They would willingly 

 have spent some time at Astrachan, but as the weather 

 was cold, and winter was drawing near, they were 

 obliged to hasten their journey homeward. The day 

 after their departure the country was covered with 

 snow. 



They retraced their route along the Volga to Zarizyn, 

 and then crossed over to the Don, where Humboldt 

 made his last barometric observation on the relative 

 height of the Caspian Sea. They reached St. Peters- 

 burg on the 13th of November, after an absence of six 

 months, during which they had travelled between eleven 

 and twelve thousand miles. 



On the 28th of December they were back in Berlin. 



18 



