276 CENTRAL SIBERIA. 



Monofols attracted the merchant, who built him wooden 

 houses on the banks of the Chuya river. Now there 

 are ten merchants, forming a little colony on the edge 

 of the bleak plateau, pushing their trade into Mongolia, 

 and buying the produce of that country in return. 

 Manufactured and millinery goods, iron and copper 

 wares, tanned leather and maral horns pass into Mon- 

 golia, and in return furs, wool, skins, brick tea, silk 

 stuffs, and small wares of Chinese manufacture are 

 brought into Russia. This trade, which has so far 

 attained a value of only a few hundred thousand 

 roubles, is likely to show an increased development 

 before long, since the authorities have been engaged 

 during the past two years in constructing a road, at a 

 cost of 65,000 roubles (roughly £6500), from Onguidai, 

 which is now sufficiently near completion to admit of 

 the passage of light vehicles for the whole distance 

 to the frontier, whence a caravan route leads to Kobdo, 

 Uliissatai, and Urga, the chief centres of Mongolian 

 trade. ^ At present Mongolia can only be described as 

 a poor country ; but a great future lies before it when 



^ Since writing these words, I learn from Siberia that the road has 

 already given a considerable impetus to Eussian trade with Mongolia, 

 whence increasing quantities of sheep's wool, camel hair, prepared felt, 

 hides, and skins are being obtained. Trade with this country is also being 

 stimulated by the opening up of a water route via the lower Irtish, the 

 Nor-Zaisan Lake, and the Black Irtish river, up which steamers and barges 

 have now been run for three years in succession by three merchants of 

 Semipalatinsk, who have established a station at the mouth of the Kaldjir 

 river, a tributary of the Black Irtish. In the course of last season 8000 

 tons of merchandise were thus carried, and two new steamers are being 

 built with a Grovernment subsidy, to be launched in the present year. The 

 present station at the mouth of the Kaldjir river is 45 miles from the 

 Russian town of Zaisansk, 150 miles from the Mongolian town of Tchu- 

 gutchak and 375 miles from Kobdo. A party of surveyors and scientists 

 were under orders to proceed on an expedition of exploration with a view 

 to finding the best I'oute to this latter town ; but owing to the outbreak of 

 war and the consequent withdrawal of all extraordinary expenditure on the 

 part of the Government the expedition has been postponed. 



