becomes denser and nioie impenctmhle, Ihc spruce, llie silver-fir, and tiie cedar, as well as 

 poplars and birches beinf< predominant. In the taif^a. the trees assume cpiite f^if<antic 

 dimensions, especially the cedar, not unfrequentiy attaininjj a height of from ;}() to 40 m., 

 Willi a circumference of () lo iS m. i'his is liic so-called black or moisl taiga, characteri- 

 zed by an exceedingly great humidity, even in places in the immediate neighbourliood 

 of the steppe region, and which is especially characteristically developed hen- on the 

 northern sides of the mountains. The southern sides, althoui^h moist as well, 

 are for all that somewhat drier. The moisture is kept very long, the scarce sun- 

 rays reaching down to the ground, being but little effective. In the middle of 

 the day a sultry vapour rises from the ground, but as soon as the sun sinks 

 a little, the moist twilight among the roots of the gigantic trees prevails again. 

 People and hor.ses moving onwards among the enormous trunks a|)pear strangely 

 diminutive amidst these surroundings. Everywhere fallen or nearly fallen trees 

 lie scattered about pell-mell, in part overgrown, and frequently so rotten that 

 only a thin crust has been left, through which the traveller breaks when placing his foot 

 upon it. In the interior of the taiga, the downpour is considerable, and in win- 

 ter the snow is deep, continuing till far into the summer, and. when melting, irrigating 



p-jg. 2»i. On iiorseliack tlirougli tlie virgin coniterous forest under llu- leadership "I tin- Sayansk 

 mountains, about .'i.")0 m. above sea-level In the foreground chiefly Veralntm alhiim. 



49 



