May 24, 1858.] IMPERIAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF RUSSIA. 
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and the Araxes ; and another line from Astrakhan to the month of 
the Terek, Danaya-bashi, and the month of the Kur. A comparison 
of the altitudes of these two lines is curious ; for while all points of 
the Astrakhan line, as far as the mouth of the Terek, are below the 
level of the ocean, the former line passes over the Elbrus, 18,604 
feet, and the Great Ararat, 16,965 feet above the sea respectively. 
Imperial Geographical Society of Russia , — Under the Presidency of 
the Grand Duke Constantine, the Vice-Presidency of that eminent 
navigator Admiral Liilke, and aided by the zeal and intelligence 
of its Secretary M. Lamansky, this Society is truly the centre of 
many of the best scientific explorations of Russia ; whilst by its 
activity we can best measure the remarkable progress of geogra- 
phical knowledge in this vast empire. 
The most important of its recent labours is the exploration of 
Eastern Siberia, commenced in 1854, and to which I alluded last 
year. This great work is still in progress, and will probably be 
completed this year. The vast region beyond the Lake Baikal, and 
in particular the north-east angle formed by the course of the river 
Lena and its affluent the Vittim, being a country very slightly 
known, most attracted the attention of the members of the expedi- 
tion ; whilst other explorations were also extended to the south- 
eastern frontiers of Siberia, and particularly to the course of the 
great river Amur. By the arrangements for the survey of the Trans- 
Baikalian tract, M. Smiriaguin explored the valley of Vittim from 
its central part to the Lena ; M. Ussoltzoff visited the valley of the 
Nertscha and the superior course of the Vittim ; whilst the course 
of the Bargousine in Northern Angara and its affluents was to be 
traced by M. Orlof. The object of this expedition was not only to 
develop the physical geography of this region, but also to collect 
natural history products and ethnographical materials ; the members 
of the expedition being directed to acquaint themselves as far as 
possible with the domestic life of the nomadic population, and 
with their means of subsistence and of communication. At the end 
of 1855 two of the members (Ussoltzoff and Orlof) returned to 
Irkutsk with successful results ; but Smiriaguin, whose mission was 
the most important, was assassinated, and all his collections lost — a 
deplorable event, which deprived the expedition of some of its most 
important results. Again, it unfortunately happened that the 
destined successor of Smiriaguin, M. Sondhagen, died of apoplexy 
before his departure for Siberia. But, notwithstanding such un- 
toward circumstances, some results of the expedition are very inter- 
