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S I B 
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The greater part of Siberia, that is, the middle and 
southern latitudes of it, as far as the river Lena, is ex¬ 
tremely fertile, and fit for every kind of produce; but the 
northern and eastern parts, being encumbered with wood, 
are destitute of this advantage, being unfit both for pas¬ 
turage and culture The whole of this part, as far as the 
60th degree of north latitude, and to the Frozen ocean, is full 
of bogs and morasses covered with moss, which would be 
absolutely impassable, if the ice, which never thaws deeper 
than seven inches, did not remain entire beneath it In the 
central parts vegetation is checked by the severe cold of so 
wide a continent. Towards the south there are vast forests of 
pine, fir, larch and other trees, among which is a kind of 
mulberry, which might thrive in many climates that are now 
destitute of it. The sublime scenes around the sea of Baikal 
are agreeably contrasted with the marks of human industry, 
the cultivated field and the garden. Many parts of Siberia 
are totally incapable of agriculture ; but in the southern and 
western districts the soil is remarkably fertile. North of Koly- 
van, barley generally yields more than twelve-fold, and oats 
commonly twenty-fold. Exclusive of winter wheat, most of 
the usual European grains prosper in southern Siberia. In 
some parts flax grows wild, and hemp is prepared from the 
nettle. Woad is found in Siberia, and saffron near the 
Caucasus. The best rhubarb abounds on the banks of the 
Ural or Jaik, in the southern districts watered by the 
Yenisei, and in the mountains of Daouria. But it is not 
possible that agriculture should flourish while the peasantry 
are slaves, and sold with the soil. Nevertheless, an in¬ 
telligent traveller was surprised at the abundance of buck¬ 
wheat, rye, barley, oats and other grain which he observed 
to the south of Tobolsk ; where the cattle were also very 
numerous, and in the winter fed with hay. The large 
garden strawberry, called hautbois, is found wild in the 
territory of Irkutsk ; and on the Altaian mountains the red 
currant attains the size of a common cherry, ripening in 
large bunches of excellent flavour. Near the Volga and the 
Ural are excellent melons of various kinds. 
Some of the largest rivers of Asia belong to the Russian 
empire; such are the Ob, of 1900 British miles in course; 
the Yenisei, about 1750; and Lena, 1570. To these we 
may add the Irtisch, the Angara, the Selinga, the Yaik, &c. 
The lakes of this country are numerous. The most consider¬ 
able in the uorth of Siberia is that of Piazinsko; that of 
Baikal, described under that article; a large lake between 
the rivers Ob and the Irtisch, 170 miles long, divided by an 
island into two parts, called the lakes of Tchang, and Soumi. 
In this quarter there are many smaller lakes, and others to 
the north of the Caspian, some of which are salt, particularly 
thatofBogdo. To these we may add the Allan Nor, or 
golden lake, and the lake of Altyn, called by the Russians 
Teletako. The mountains are the Uralian, the Altaian, 
Bogdo Alim, or the Almighty mountain, Sinnaia-Sepka, 
Schlangenberg, which is the richest in minerals, the Sayansk 
mountains, the mountains of Nershinsk or Russian Daouria, 
thechain'of Stanvooi or mountains of Ochotsk, and Caucasus. 
Siberia has hitherto been found to possess scarcely any 
genera of plants ; and even all the species of any considerable 
importance, are those trees which are common to it with the 
north of Europe. Under the head of the zoology of 
Asiatic Russia, we may enumerate the rein-deer, which per¬ 
forms the offices of the horse, the cow and the sheep ; the 
dogs of Kamtschatka, which are used for carriage; the horse, 
which is found wild, a species of ass, the urus or bison, the 
argali or wild sheep, the ibex or rock-goat, large stags, 
the musk or civet, and wild boar; wolves, foxes and bears; 
the sable, several kinds of hares, the castor or beaver, the 
walrus and the common seal. But it would be superfluous 
to enlarge. Siberia is so rich in zoology and botany, that, as 
Mr. Pennant observes, even the discovery of America has 
scarcely imparted a greater number of objects to the natu¬ 
ralist. The mineralogy of Siberia is equally fertile, and dis¬ 
plays many singular and interesting objects. The chief gold 
mines of Siberia, are those of Catherinburg or Ekatherin.- 
burg, on the east of the Uralian mountains, about north lat- 
57° : the mines of Nershinsk, discovered in 1704, are prin¬ 
cipally of lead, mixed with silver and gold; and those of 
Kolyvan, chiefly in the Schlangenberg, or mountain of ser¬ 
pents, so called by the Germans, began to be wrought in 
1748. The gold mines of Beresof are the chief in the empire; 
those of Kolyvan and Nershinsk being denominated silver 
mines. Besides the copper mines in the Uralian mountains, 
there are some in those of Altai. But the iron mines of 
Russia are of the most solid and lasting importance, par¬ 
ticularly those which supply the numerous founderies of the 
Uralian mountains. Rock-salt is chiefly found near the 
Ilek, not far from Orenburg. Coal is scarcely known; but 
sulphur, alum, sal ammoniac, vitriol, nitre and natron, are 
abundant. Siberia possesses a variety of gems, particularly 
in the mountain Adunstollo, near the river Argoon, in the 
province of Nershinsk or Daouria. Common topazes are 
found here, and also the jacint. The kind of jade called 
mother of emerald is a Siberian product; and beryl or aqua 
marinus is found in Adunstollo, and in greater perfection in 
the gem mines of Moursintsky, near Catherinburg, along 
with the chrysolite. Red garnets abound near the sea of 
Baikal. The ruby-coloured schorl has been discovered in 
the Uralian Mountains. The green felspar of Siberia is a 
beautiful stone, and carved by the Russians into a variety 
of ornaments. The Daourian mountains, between the Onon 
and the Argoon, afford elegant onyx. The beautiful stones 
called the hair of Venus and Thetis, being limpid rock 
crystals containing capillary schorl, red or green, are found 
near Catherinburg. The alliance stone consists of a greyish 
porphyry, united, as if glued together, with transparent 
quartz. Great quantities of malachite have also been found 
in the Uralian mountains; one piece of which is said to 
have weighed 107 poods, or 3852 pounds. Siberia 
affords beautiful red and green jaspers; and lapis lazuli 
is found near Baikal. The Uralian chain presents fine 
white marble; and in the nnmerous primitive ranges 
there are many varieties of granite and porphyry. The 
chief mineral waters of Russia are those of Kamtschatka. 
The islands belonging to Asiatic Russia may be distri¬ 
buted into the Aleutian, Andrenovian and Kurilian groups, 
with the Fox isles, which extend to the promontory of 
Alaska in North America. See these articles respectively. 
For further particulars respecting Siberia or Asiatic Russia, 
see Russia. 
SIBERTSWOLD, a parish of England, in Kent; 5 miles 
north-west of Dover. 
SIBFORD FERRIS, a hamlet of England, in Oxford¬ 
shire ; 7 miles west-south-west of Banbury. 
SIBFORD GOWER, a hamlet in the above county, 
nearly adjoining to the foregoing. 
SIBIDOOLOO, a town of Manding, in Africa, on the 
frontier towards Bambarra. It is situated in a fertile valley, 
surrounded by high rocky hills, and is so strong, that it has 
never once been plundered. 
SIBIDISHER, a village of Fezzan, so called from the tomb 
ol a saint to whom it is dedicated; 16 miles east of 
Mourzouk. 
SIBIL EL MULSIH, a town of Hedsjas, in Arabia; 120 
miles north-north-west of Mecca. 
SI'BILANT, adj. \sibilans, Latin.] Hissing.—It were 
easy to add a nasal letter to each of the other pair of lisping 
and sibilant letters. Holder. 
SIBILA'TION, s. [from sibilo, Lat.] A hissing sound.— 
Metals, quenched in water, give a sibilation or hissing 
sound. Bacon. 
SIBILLETA, a village of Mexico, situated on the Rio del 
Norte. It is a regular square, appearing like a large mud 
wall on the outside; the doors, windows, &c., facing the 
square. It is one of the neatest and most regular of the 
Spanish villages in this quarter. From this place the road 
passes along the Rio del Norte, through a desert, for more 
than 200 miles, as far as the flourishing town of Papa. 
SIBIRIJOA, or Sibirixoa, a settlement and mining 
station 
