"Mr. Hegeman heard our wish, and said he would tell us all about the trip across Siberia as soon as we were under way again. As the Nadeshda steamed down the Volga he gave us an account, which we have tried to preserve as nearly as possible in his own words."
[CHAPTER XV.]
AVATCHA BAY, IN KAMTCHATKA.—ATTACK UPON PETROPAVLOVSK BY THE ALLIED FLEET.—DOGS AND DOG-DRIVING.—RAPID TRAVELLING WITH A DOG-TEAM.—POPULATION AND RESOURCES OF KAMTCHATKA.—REINDEER AND THEIR USES.—THE AMOOR RIVER.—NATIVE TRIBES AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS.—TIGERS IN SIBERIA.—NAVIGATION OF THE AMOOR.—OVERLAND TRAVELLING IN SIBERIA.—RIDING IN A TARANTASSE.—A ROUGH ROAD.—AN AMUSING MISTAKE.—FROM STRATENSK TO NERTCHINSK.—GOLD-MINING IN SIBERIA.
"My first visit to the Russian Empire," said Mr. Hegeman, "was made from San Francisco across the Pacific Ocean. I sailed out of the Golden Gate in the direction of Kamtchatka, and after a voyage of thirty days we sighted the summit of Avatcha Mountain, a magnificent volcano that serves as a landmark to vessels approaching Avatcha Bay. This bay is one of the finest I have ever seen. I do not think it surpassed by the famous bays of Naples or Rio Janeiro."
A SIBERIAN VILLAGE.
Doctor Bronson nodded assent to Mr. Hegeman's opinion. He had been in Avatcha Bay, which he briefly described to the youths while Mr. Hegeman was lighting a cigar.