Photo by E. B. Lobdell 

 CHELIABINSK, IN THE URAE REGION: THE FAMOUS DISTRIBUTING CENTER OF THE 



IMMIGRANTS 



unsurpassed in extent, which, through a 

 large canal connecting tributaries of the 

 Obi and Yenisei, aggregate about 15,000 

 miles of navigable waterways open six 

 months in the year. In the Obi fleet 

 alone there are 242 steamers and num- 

 berless other crafts. As the area of the 

 watershed of the Obi alone is more than 

 double that of Denmark, France, Ger- 

 many, and Italy combined, the future 

 importance of the fertile region may be 

 vaguely estimated. 



The great Omsk station was the scene 

 of business activity and of railway travel 

 such as characterize the large railway 

 stations in America. The force of uni- 

 formed, self-important railway officials, 

 led by the gorgeous station-master, were 

 full of fuss and fury between the impor- 

 tant train-de-luxe, the hordes of immi- 

 grants — arriving, encamping, depart- 

 ing — and the groaning, shunting freight 

 trains which were disentangling them- 

 selves in the spacious train yards. 



Immigrants by the hundreds swarmed 

 over and around the station — men and 

 women in the flush and vigor of life, 

 gay and careless youth, the aged border- 

 ing on the verge of the grave, and the 

 tiny babe at its mother's breast. Their 



humble belongings were in bundles and 

 portable packages, among which spin- 

 ning-wheels, cooking utensils, and the in- 

 dispensable samovar were most evident. 

 There was nothing disconsolate in act or 

 face, but all looked forward hopefully to 

 the promised land. Their quiet, orderly 

 deportment was quite impressive ; no 

 quarreling or bickering, no drunkenness 

 or dissipation was to be seen. 



Here was a picturesque Tartar, there 

 a little Russian : here an assertive Cos- 

 sack, there a determined Khirgis chief. 

 The national sombreness of dress was 

 generally relieved by a bit of gay color: 

 most pioneers were equipped with the 

 Russian high boots, and their outer gar- 

 ments were of sheepskin, long since past 

 its pristine whiteness. 



THE SIBERIAN IS STOLID AND SIEENT 



As a rule — natives and pioneers — the 

 Siberian is stolid and silent, but he was 

 found to be kindly, interested, and in- 

 variably courteous. The contented and 

 satisfied appearance of the peasant was 

 generally remarked. They were well 

 fed, well clothed — though the outer gar- 

 ments were often dirty — of very decent 

 appearance, and had a self-respecting 



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