GLIMPSES OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE 



1045 



the sea. Soundings have disclosed a 

 depth of 6,500 feet, and a remarkable 

 fact connected with this inland sea is 

 that it is the only body of fresh water 

 in the world in which seals thrive. 



A ride of 60 miles brings us to 

 Irkutsk, one of the largest of Siberian 

 cities. Its future importance as a rail- 

 road center is assured, for when the 

 present air line from Peking to Kalgan 

 is extended to this city it will cut the 

 distance hundreds of miles and save 

 several days over the present Mukden 

 route. The depot is the most preten- 

 tious seen on the line thus far. A few 

 miles northwest of Irkutsk is located 

 one of the largest Siberian prisons, with 

 a capacity for many thousand convicts, 

 and incidentally it may be noted that 

 there is a department store in this same 

 city in which are confined more than 

 200 employees. 



A PLEASANT LANDSCAPE 



From the car windows we observe 

 among the forest trees many large white 

 birch, the same variety from which the 

 American Indians obtained bark for 

 their canoes. 



After dinner one must not depend on 

 the approach of darkness to give warn- 

 ing of bedtime, since we are so near the 

 latitude of the midnight sun that if we 

 sleep only when darkness prevails we 

 will get scant rest. The sun disappears 

 after 9 o'clock, followed by twilight until 

 II, and about four hours later the sun is 

 again attending to business at the old 

 stand. 



Each of the towns we pass through, 

 however small, has one or more Greek 

 churches within its borders, neatly 

 painted in v\'hite ; the shingled roof 

 tinted a delicate pea green and crowned 

 with peculiar double turnip - shaped 

 domes, some of them in brilliant colors. 



Further west one can almost imagine 

 he is traveling through Holland, so 

 numerous are the windmills, extending 

 their great wooden arms to embrace any 

 passing breeze ; they make a pleasing 

 iDreak in the monotony of these vast 

 prairies. 



At the stations among the Ural Moun- 

 tains numbers of the natives are selline 



souvenirs characteristic of the region, 

 specimens of different-colored rock from 

 the mines. It is from this region a large 

 portion of the world's supply of mala- 

 chite is secured. When cut into thin 

 small pieces, polished and matched to- 

 gether like the recent popular jig-saw 

 puzzles, it is used to veneer the surface 

 of columns in the great cathedrals as 

 well as in the finish of urns, vases, and 

 table tops, which are so frequently 

 chosen as the state gifts of Russian 

 royalty. 



As we approach the western boundary 

 of Siberia, the ascent to the pass through 

 the Ural Mountains has been so gradual 

 that we do not realize our altitude until 

 the summit is reached. Here is the line 

 separating Europe from Asia, marked 

 by the white marble triangular pyramid, 

 which, if significant to the hopeful emi- 

 grant, is doubly so to the unfortunate 

 exile, who through his tears catches a 

 final glimpse of that land which contains 

 all that is dear to him and where from 

 now on he is counted as dead. How 

 pathetically suggestive is the name of 

 this stone, "The Monument of Tears !" 

 To us, passing the gateway into Europe, 

 it marks a long stride homeward and 

 fills our minds with pleasant anticipa- 

 tions. 



Eight and one-half days of our jour- 

 ney from Peking is accomplished, but so 

 interesting have been the sights and ex- 

 periences, so comfortable and restful the 

 train accommodations, and so courteous 

 the employees of the road, together with 

 that all-important factor which deter- 

 mines for or against the pleasure of 

 travel — agreeable companions — that we 

 feel the time has passed all too quickly. 



The reputation for ill luck sometimes 

 attributed to number 13 was not sus- 

 tained in the case of our Transiberian 

 party, since the absence of any one of 

 them would have been a distinct depriva- 

 tion in point of pleasure to the remainder. 

 The acquaintance of our several groups, 

 formed while crossing the Pacific, or 

 traveling in Japan or China, naturally 

 produced a feeling of warm fellowship 

 when we assembled on the "train de 

 luxe," and, it is a pleasure to add, this 

 feeling: still continues. 



