CHAPTER IV 



NOVO-NICOLAEVSK— TOMSK— ALTAI 



A stroll through Novo-Nicolaevsk — A Siberian tool-smith — 

 Travelling and travellers in Russia — A "Taiga" — A convict 

 train — Railway construction extraordinary — ^We visit Professor 

 Sapozhnikoff — He discourages my intention to climb Belukha — 

 Further particulars of the Altai range — A visit to the Governor 

 of Tomsk — Tomsk University — Other educational and scientific 

 institutions — Commercial establishments — An interview with 

 an American gold miner — Importing machinery — Siberia and 

 Klondyke — Gold in Siberia — Silver — Coal production and coal- 

 fields in the Altai — Methods of working Siberian gold deposits 

 — Criminal and political convicts — The student Tiots at Tomsk 

 — Siberians and the Government. 



I HAD hitherto been favoured with glorious skies and 

 in every respect delightful weather, and the morning 

 following my arrival at Novo-Nicolaevsk was no ex- 

 ception to the rule. Being desirous of seeing some- 

 thing of the settlement, I took ^n early stroll through 

 the broad streets, which I noticed were laid out in 

 squares like those of St. Petersburg. At convenient 

 corners there were sentry-boxes painted with diagonal 

 bands of black and white, the Government colour. 

 In one of them" the watchman was asleep, which is 

 scarcely surprising as his duties last from nine o'clock 

 till twelve each night and from four to six in the 

 morning — provided he does not oversleep himself, 

 I presently emerged on the frozen river near the 

 Great Bridge, and from there I had a magnificent 

 bird's-eye view of the whole of the settlement, which 

 is rapidly becoming a very important centre. 



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