34 On the influence of certain substances 



NERTCHINSlt. 



Five hundred miles east of Vercliney Udinsk, on the south east 

 confines of Siberia, over a rich country abounding in timber and pas-- 

 tures, is Nertchinsk, on a small river vi^hich flows into the Selenga, 

 through the Bunat steppe. This city is famous for its metallic and 

 mineral treasures. There are witliin its jurisdiction, thirteen silver 

 mines and six founderies, beside an iron foundery, and a considerable 

 amount of gold and copper. The silver mines are wrought by con- 

 victs, and such is the severity of the discipline and requirements, a^ 

 fully to verify the pathetic details concerning the horrors of banish- 

 ment to Siberia. There are, in these mines, two thousand four hun-^ 

 dred and fifty eight convicts, confined for life. If they desert, they 

 are liable to be shot by the wanderers on the Bratskey steppe, if they 

 take the high road they can obtain subsistence only at the post houses, 

 where tliey are immediately arrested, retiu'ned to then- prisons, and 

 subjected to additional inflictions. They are guarded by five or six 

 hundred officers, to prevent their purloining gold and gems. 



In the hills, on the river Argoon, east of Nertchinsk, are found 

 some of the most splendid minerals and gems. Among them are 

 amethyst, topaz, aqua marine, onyx, quartz crystals, and Scotch peb- 

 bles of the largest size and of singular beauty. 



In reviewing the discoveries which have been made witliin and 

 near the Arctic circle, it appears that primitive rocks compose the 

 shores of the Frozen Ocean, probably forming, in high nortliein lati- 

 tudes, an entire belt around the globe. This circuit has been, in 

 part, accurately surveyed, and reasoning from well ascertained geo- 

 logical facts, there can scarcely be a doubt that those intervals which 

 have not been examined, are continuations of ranges known to exist 

 in the same parallels, and in corresponding meridians. 



Art. 11."— On the influence of certain substances on the Peroxide 



of Hydrogen. 



Columbia, S. C. June 24th, 1829. 

 TO THE EDITOR. 



Dear Sir,— I take the liberty of sending you the following re- 

 marks on a subject, which I presume will not be uninteresting to you. 



