ihe Congelation of ${uiekfilver. ^79 
parts of Siberia where they were likely to be ufed, with the 
moft laudable and exemplary zeal to ditfufelome rays of Icience 
through thofe dark and uncultivated regions 
All the particulars here mentioned are extracted from M. 
la xm Ann’s Siberian Letters; a fcarce book, becaufe, on his 
return to Europe, he bought up every copy Ire could find, as they 
had been publifhed without his con lent by Profefior schlozex 
of Gottingen. 
§ 6. The benefits accruing from the travels of learned men,, 
could not efcape the penetration of the wife Emprefs who now 
reigns in Peterfhurg. Soon after her edablifhment on the 
throne, fhc ordered an expedition of the fame nature as that in 
which Profefior gmelin had been engaged above thirty years 
before. Among the gentlemen who undertook this fecond phi- ' 
lofophical furvev of the Ruffian Empire, was Dr. peter si mom 
pallas, one of the mod eminent naturaiids and fkilful ob- 
fervers of the prefent age. The journal of his travels *is pub- 
1 idled by himlelf in the German language, and comprehends a 
rich dore of curious and ufeful information. Jn general his 
winters were not fpent in the colded parts of Alia ; twice, 
however, he redded at Krafnoyarlk lat. 56T N. long. 9 3 0 E. 
and the lad time, 1111772, had an opportunity of witnefling 
the mod remarkable indance of the congelation of mercury by 
natural cold that is yet known to the world. 
“ The winter,” fays M. pallas -f, “ fet in early this year, 
“ and was felt in December with uncommon feverity. On the 
“ 6tn and 7th of that month happened the greated cold I have 
“ ever experienced in Siberia; the air was calm at the time, 
•* Sibirifche Briefe, p. 29. 
-j- Reife durch verfehiedene Provinzen des Ruffifchen Rcichs, Theil. III. p. 4 1 7 * 
2 t; and 
