WILLIAM CONN.
CONTENTS.
| [CHAPTER I.] | |
| FROM PARIS TO ST. PETERSBURG. | |
| PAGE | |
| En route by rail—Berlin—Annoyances at the Russian Custom House—First aspect of European Russia—An evening on the banks of the Neva | 1 |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
| ST. PETERSBURG TO MOSCOW. | |
| Letters of recommendation for Siberia—M. Pfaffius, frontier commissary at Kiachta—Russian music—Arrival at Moscow | 19 |
| [CHAPTER III.] | |
| MOSCOW—NIJNI-NOVGOROD. | |
| The Kremlin—Equipage and visits of the Virgin of Inverski—Origin of Christianity in Russia—A few words about Troïtsa—A travelling companion—Purchase of furs—Passage of the Oka in a sledge—Feeling of terror on first travelling in a sledge over a frozen river | 30 |
| [CHAPTER IV.] | |
| FROM NIJNI-NOVGOROD TO KAZAN. | |
| The Volga in winter—Varieties of podarojnaia—What is necessary for a long sledge journey—Departure from Nijni—Posting relays—A momentary thaw—The snow—Arrival at Kazan | 51 |
| [CHAPTER V.] | |
| KAZAN—JOURNEY TO PERM. | |
| The Virgin of Kazan—Russian manner of expressing disapproval—Dining with a grandee—His description of the enfranchisement of the serfs—The Tartars—Journey in a sledge—Caravan of exiles—The Votiaks—Aspect of European Russia | 73 |
| [CHAPTER VI.] | |
| PERM—THE ROAD TO CATHERINEBURG. | |
| Hotel accommodation in Siberia—A councillor—Opinions and examples of Russian administration—National music—The passion for aggrandizement of territory—Entry into Asia | 98 |
| [CHAPTER VII.] | |
| OUR PARTY ON THE ROAD TO TUMEN. | |
| Trade and manufactures at Catherineburg—Carolling cherubs—Christmas at Kamechlof—Grand gala at a posting stage—Tumen—Its situation—Its gipsies—Fruit preserved in ice | 113 |
| [CHAPTER VIII.] | |
| A PERILOUS NIGHT ADVENTURE ON THE STEPPE OF OMSK. | |
| An ostentatious Siberian custom—The steppe—The cemeteries—Omsk—Its situation—Its society—The emancipation of the serfs related by a citizen—M. Kroupinikof—Visit to an encampment of Kirghiz—Masquerade at Omsk | 128 |
| [CHAPTER IX.] | |
| THE COLD ON THE WAY TO TOMSK. | |
| The intense cold—Its inconveniences—The fine effects of light at a very low temperature—The baptismal fête of Christ on the Obi—Tomsk—Its commerce—An evening on the banks of the Tom | 156 |
| [CHAPTER X.] | |
| THE GOVERNMENT OF YENISSEISK AND KRASNOIARSK. | |
| Wretched aspect of the villages of this province—The country at last becomes hilly—The night watchers at Krasnoiarsk—M. Lovatine’s three collections—A Polish exile’s ball | 171 |
| [CHAPTER XI.] | |
| KRASNOIARSK TO IRKUTSK. | |
| Social position and education of the country people and citizens—Uselessness of Siberian forests—Journey to Irkutsk—A pack of wolves—Cleanliness of the villages—Congelation of the Angara—The government of Irkutsk—The college—The prison—The fire brigade | 184 |
| [CHAPTER XII.] | |
| IRKUTSK. | |
| The gold miners—Their luxury; their wealth; their wives—A few words about the clergy, and the code of religion—The Polish exiles—Travelling maniacs—A dinner en famille | 202 |
| [CHAPTER XIII.] | |
| ATTEMPT AT ESCAPE BY A POLISH EXILE. | |
| Why the Polish exiles cannot escape—Narrative of an attempt by M. Bohdanovitch—Encounter with a bear—Sanitary arrangements in Siberia—Wolf hunts—A blue fox—Different values of furs—A few words on the passion for displaying riches | 222 |
| [CHAPTER XIV.] | |
| IRKUTSK TO LAKE BAIKAL. | |
| The natives—The Olkhonese—Shamanism—The Buriats—The Tungus—The Samoyeds—The Carnival at Irkutsk—Pablo—Adieu to Constantine—Another perilous night on the ice of Lake Baikal | 244 |
| [CHAPTER XV.] | |
| LAKE BAIKAL TO KIACHTA. | |
| Observations on Eastern Siberia and its inhabitants—Their dream of independence—Motives that might contribute to independence—Example of the Chinese—The Yakuts and the inhabitants of Kamtchatka | 266 |
| [CHAPTER XVI.] | |
| KIACHTA TO MAIMATCHIN. | |
| The tarantass—Tea merchants—Their competition—The Sienzy—Aspect of Maimatchin—A dinner at the Chinese Governor’s—Preparations for crossing the Gobi desert | 285 |
| [CHAPTER XVII.] | |
| MAIMATCHIN TO URGA. | |
| First Stage in Mongolia—The Mongols—Their tents; their life—How they steer their way in the desert—The Caravan—A Sacrilege—The Russian Consul at Urga—The Koutoukta | 304 |
| [CHAPTER XVIII.] | |
| URGA AND THE ENTRY INTO THE DESERT OF GOBI. | |
| Urga—Mongol religion—Praying wheels—Burial ceremonies—The Holy Mountain—My travelling companions in the desert—Departure from Urga—First halt—A Mongolian repast—Easter Eve | 321 |
| [CHAPTER XIX.] | |
| CARAVAN ACROSS THE DESERT OF GOBI. | |
| A Mongolian Prince and his Court—Prayer turning—Our life in the desert—The sandy plain—Want of water—Lunar mirage—Three executions—A traveller astray in the desert—Arrival at Kalkann and the Great Wall of China | 341 |
| [CHAPTER XX.] | |
| FROM THE GREAT WALL TO TCHAH TAO. | |
| First view of China proper—Last Russian hospitality—The Palankeen—The streets of Kalkann—Travelling along the Great Wall—The Secret Societies—Chinese art—How order is maintained—Origin of the tress—How the titles of Chinese nobility become extinct | 362 |
| [CHAPTER XXI.] | |
| TCHAH-TAO TO PEKIN. | |
| An exciting incident—The Pass of Nang-kao—Picturesqueness of the gorge—A young married couple—The levy of taxes—Toun-cheh-ouh—The last solitude—Entry into Pekin—Arrival at the Legation | 379 |
| [CHAPTER XXII.] | |
| PEKIN—DEPARTURE. | |
| The Marble Bridge—The Tartar City—Objects of Art—Japanese lacquering—Interments—The Observatory—The Imperial Palace—The Temples—The four harvests—Kinds of tea—Departure from Pekin—Tien-tsin—The sea at last | 395 |
| [Notes] | 417 |
MAP TO ACCOMPANY “FROM PARIS TO PEKIN OVER SIBERIAN SNOWS.”
London: W. Swan Sonnenschein & Co.
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