Travels in Kamtchatka and Siberia; With a Narrative of a Residence in China (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1830 Excerpt: ...never failed them, and they seemed never happy but when eating. Fearful lest the reader should imagine they are the descendants of those brave fellows who conquered Siberia, I must beg to undeceive him, and to inform him they are a race between the Russians and Karaikees, who have been taken into the service as Cossacks, because the colour of their skins and their high cheek-bones led to that selection. In spite of the canine appetites of my party, I felt less inquietude than before, since my guide assured me we could arrive in two days more at Toomannee, where there was food in plenty. On the night of the 2nd we were again obliged to make our road round a mountain that lined the coast; and, early on the morning of the 3rd we met a postman with two sledges, who was conducting the mail from Ochotsk to Igiga and Kamtchatka. He was a foolish talkative fellow, and told a long history to the Cossacks of the scarcity of fish and food at Toomannee and Yamsk, which alarmed them OCULAR. TROUBLES. 1'75 exceedingly. I was at length obliged to break off the conversation, by telling them I did not believe a tenth part of what he related, and ordering them to proceed without farther delay. By nine o'clock a. m. the sun became so hot, and the snow so soft, that we found it necessary to encamp. Although the postman's story was exaggerated, and embellished to suit the gaping fellows who questioned him, I could not divert myself of the anxiety it created, supposing only a small part of it to be true; and it evidently made my party very serious. However, after a good hearty breakfast, and a dram each, they seemed to cheer up, and forgot what had been related to them. I told them to be less voracious, and put their trust in God, who had already given us proofs of h...