218 



THE POLAR WORLD. 



longing to Messrs. Golubdow and Kiisnezow, produced 81 pouds 19j lbs. of 

 the raiich-coveted metal; in the year 1843 the mine of Olginsk, belonging to 

 Lieutenant Malewinsky, yielded 82 pouds lbs.; and in 1844, the labor of 

 1014 workmen, employed in the mine of Kresdowosdwishensk, belonging to 

 Messrs. Kusnezow and Schtschegolow, produced no less than 87 pouds 14 lbs. 

 of gold. But even Kresdowosdwishensk has been distanced by the mine of 

 Spasky, situated near the sources of the Peskin, which, in the year 1842, 

 yielded its fortunate possessor, the above-mentioned Counsellor Nikita Maes- 

 nikow (one of the few men who were already extremely rich before the Sibe- 

 rian auriferous deposits were discovered), the enormous quantity of 100 pouds 

 of gold! From 1840 to 1845, Maesnikow extracted from this mine no less 

 than 348 pouds 6 lbs. of gold, worth 4,135,174 silver roubles, or about £640,000. 

 Still more recently, in 1860, the Gawrilow mine, belonging to the house of Rja- 

 sanow, produced 102|- pouds of pure gold. 



But in Siberia, as elsewhere, mining operations are frequently doomed to 

 end in disappointment, particularly if the space destined to be worked in the 

 following summer has not been carefully examined beforehand, as the ore is 

 often very unequally distributed. A speculator, having discovered a gold-mine, 

 examined four or five samples of the sand, which gave a highly satisfactory re- 

 sult. Delighted with his good-fortune, he made his arrangements on a grand 

 scale, and collected provisions for 500 workmen ; but when operations began, 

 it was found that he had, unfortunately, hit upon a small patch of auriferous 

 sand, the vicinity of which was totally void of gold, so that his 500 workmen 

 produced no more than a few pounds of ore, and he lost at least £10,000 by 

 his adventure. 



The entire gold produce of East Siberia amounted, in 1845, to 848 pouds 

 36 lbs., and in 1856 to about 1100 pouds ; but latterly, in consequence of the 

 increasing wages and dearness of provisions, which has caused many of the 

 less productive mines to be abandoned, it has somewhat diminished. In 1860, 

 31,796 men, 919 women, and 8751 horses and oxen, were employed in the Si- 

 berian gold-mines. 



As may easily be imagined, the discovery of these sources of wealth in the 

 desert has caused a great revolution in the social state of Siberia. The riches 

 so suddenly acquired by a few favorites of fortune, have raised luxury to an 

 unexampled height, and encouraged a senseless prodigality. Some sterlets^ 

 having been offered for 300 roubles to a miner suddenly raised from penury 

 to wealth, " Fool !" said the upstart, with the superb mien of a conquering 

 hero, to the fish-dealer, " wilt thou sell me these excellent sterlets so cheap ? 

 Here are a thousand roubles ; go, and say that thou hast dealt with me 



The small town of Krasnoyarsk, romantically situated on the Jenissei, is the 

 chief seat of the rich miners. Here may be seen the choicest toilettes, the 

 most showy equipages, and champagne (which in Siberia costs at least £1 a 

 bottle) is the daily beverage of the gold aristocracy. Unfortunately, Krasno- 

 yarsk had, until very recently, not a single bookseller's shop to boast of; and 



* A species of sturgeon highly esteemed by epicures. 



