X 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



SIBERIA — FUR-TRADE AND GOLD-DIGGmOS. 



Siberia. — Its immense Extent and Capabilities. — The Exiles. — Mentschikoff. — Dolgorouky. — Miinich. — 

 The Criminals. — The free Siberian Peasant. — Extremes of Heat and Cold. — Fur-bearing Animals. — 

 The Sable.— The Ermine.— The Siberian Weasel.— The Sea-otter.— The black Fox.— The Lynx.— 

 The Squirrel. — The varying Hare. — The Suslik. — Importance of the Fur-trade for the Northern 

 Provinces of the Russian Empire. — The Gold-diggings of Eastern Siberia. — The Taiga. — Expenses 

 and Difficulties of searching Expeditions. — Costs of Produce, and enormous Profits of successful 

 Speculators. — Their senseless Extravagance. — First Discovery of Gold in the Ural Mountains. — 

 Jakowlew and Demidow. — Nishne-Tagilsk . . Page 204 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

 middendorff's adventures in taimurland. 

 For what Purpose was Middendorff's Voyage to Taimurland undertaken ? — Difficulties and Obstacles. — 

 Expedition down the Taimur River to the Polar Sea. — Storm on Taimur Lake. — Loss of the Boat. — 

 Middendorff ill and alone in 75° N. Lat.— Saved by a grateful Samoiede.— Climate and Vegetation of 

 Taimurland. 220 



CHAPTER XIX. 



THE JAKUTS. 



Their energetic Nationality. — Their Descent.— Their gloomy Character.— Summer and Winter Dwell- 

 ings. — The Jakut Horse. — Incredible Powers of Endurance of the Jakuts. — Their Sharpness of Vis- 

 ion. — Surprising local Memory. — Their manual Dexterity. — Leather, Poniards, Carpets. — Jakut 

 Gluttons. — Superstitious Fear of the Mountain-spirit Ljeschei. — Offerings of Horse-hair. — Improvised 

 Songs.— The River Jakut 228 



CHAPTER XX. 



WRANGELL. 



His distinguished Services as an Arctic Explorer, — ^From Petersburg to Jakutsk in 1820. — Trade of 

 Jakutsk. — From Jakutsk to Nishne-Kolymsk. — The Badarany. — Dreadful Climate of Nishne-Ko- 

 lymsk. — Summer Plagues. — Vegetation.— Animal Life. — Reindeer-hunting. — Famine. — Inundations. 

 — The Siberian Dog. — First Journeys over the Ice of the Polar Sea, and Exploration of the Coast 

 beyond Cape Shelagskoi in 1821. — Dreadful Dangers and Hardships. — Matiuschkin's Sledge-journey 

 over the Polar Sea in 1822. — Last Adventures on the Polar Sea. — A Run for Life. — Return to St. 

 Petersburg 233 



CHAPTER XXI. 



THE TUNGUSI. 



Their Relationship to the Mantchou. — Dreadful Condition of the outcast Nomads. — Character of 

 the Tungusi. — Their Outfit for the Chase. — Bear-hunting. — Dwellings. — Diet. — A Night's Halt with 

 Tungusi in the Forest. — Ochotsk 24A 



CHAPTER XXII. 



GEORGE WILLIAM STELLER. 



His Birth. — Enters the Russian Service. — Scientific Journey to Kamchatka. — Accompanies Bering on his 

 second Voyage of Discovery. — Lands on the Island of Kaiak. — Shameful Conduct of Bering. — Ship- 

 wreck on Bering Island. — Bering's Death, — Return to Kamchatka. — Loss of Property. — Persecutions 

 of the Siberian Authorities.— Frozen t@ Death at Tjumen 248 



CHAPTER XXIII. 



KAMCHATKA. 



Climate.— Fertility, — Luxuriant Vegetation. — Fish.— Sea-birds. — Kamchatkan Bird-catchers.— The Bay 

 of Avatscha, — Petropaylosk. — The Kamchatkans. — Their physical and moral Qualities. — The Fri- 

 tillaria Sarrana. — The Muchamor. — Bears, — Dogs ,,,,<..., ..o ... . 254 



