EN ROUTE FOR SIBERIA 43 



shuts oflf steam and the train rushes down the sides 

 of the mountains at the rate of from forty to forty- 

 five miles an hour by its own weight, entering Asia 

 by a zig-zag route. The Orenburg Government, 

 in which we now found ourselves, is larger than 

 the British Isles, and is situated partly in Europe 

 and partly in Asia. While the western slopes of 

 the Ural range are rich in iron ore, those on the 

 east are noted for their gold-fields. The total 

 quantity of gold procured from the Urals is over 9 

 tons per annum. Of this quantity 40 per cent., or 

 10 per cent, of the total production of the Empire, is 

 found in this one Government. Several varieties of 

 precious stones are also found in this region, which 

 is hilly and very fertile. 



It was not long before we emerged once again 

 into the steppe land, this time in the Cheliabinsk 

 district, which is noted for its numerous lakes. The 

 station at Cheliabinsk is about 3 miles from the 

 town itself, which has a population of about 19,000. 

 The town was founded in 1658 and has been the 

 scene of a rising of the natives. For some time it 

 has been an important etape, or station for convicts 

 and emigrants, the emigrant station being situated 

 just outside the town and containing accommodation 

 for from 1,500 to 2,000 persons. Over 1,000,000 

 emigrants, or one -eighth of the total population of 

 Siberia, have passed through this centre during the 

 last five years. There is an important branch line 

 from Cheliabinsk to Ekaterinburg. 



Passing through the forest regions, we practically 

 leave the iron industry behind us and enter the agri- 

 cultural and cattle-breeding districts, while 133 miles 

 east of Cheliabinsk we cross the administrative 

 frontier of Siberia and enter the Government of 

 Tobolsk. We are now speeding over a vast plain, 

 the beginning of Siberia proper. There is no 



