Travels in the Regions of the Upper and Lower Amoor and the Russian acquisitions on the confines of India and China ... With a map and numerous illustrations

Front matter

TRAVELS IN THE REGIONS OF THE UPPER AND LOWER AMOOR LONDON FEINTED BT SPOTTISWOODE AND CO. NEW-STEEET SQTTABE THE AM T RAVELS IN THE REGIONS OF THE UPPER AND LOWER AMOOR AND THE RUSSIAN ACQUISITIONS ON THB CONFINES OF INDIA AND CHINA. WITH ADVENTURES AMONG THE MOUNTAIN KIRGHIS; AND THE MANJOURS, MANYARGS, TOUNGOUZ, TOUZEMTZ, GOLDI, AND GELYAKS THE HUNTING AND PASTORAL TRIBES. BY THOMAS WITLAM ATKINSON, E.R.G.S., E.G.S. AUTHOR OF "ORIENTAL AND WESTERN SIBERIA." WITH A MAP AND NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS. LONDON: HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS, SUCCESSORS TO HENRY COLBURN, 13 GREAT JIARLBOKOUGH STREET, 18GO. T/ie Eight oj Translation it reserved. TO HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY YICTORIA, QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND SOVEREIGN OE THE VAST INDIAN EMPIEE etc. etc etc. ©kis J&'olum* BY SPECIAL PERMISSION Is §U"*ruHi,e& WITH PEELINGS OF DEVOTION AND GRATITUDE BI HER MAJESTY'S MOST HUMBLE AND OBEDIENT SERVANT THE AUTHOR a3

Preface

. Mt former work was published for the purpose of intro ducing to the English reader scenes in a remote part of the globe, of which no other descriptions were available, and I attempted nothing beyond a narrative of incidents and observations as they were noted down from day to day, such as I considered would suffice to explain and illustrate my pictorial representations. In the present work the higher interest of the subject has induced me to attempt to pro duce information of a more elevated character, intended to satisfy, in some respects at least, the wishes of the Geo logist, Botanist, Ethnologist, and other scientific scholars, who invariably expect to find in an account of a new country materials likely to extend the circle of their favourite study, or strengthen the truths on which it is founded.

There were other demands to satisfy, to which, it will be found, I have tried to pay the same deference. Our commerce, prodigious as are its operations, is, it is well known, capable of infinite expansion, and I have laid open a field of almost incalculable extent, where enterprise, skill, and industry are sure to find a profitable investment. Having suggested the establishment of a Fair on the Indian frontier, I may be per mitted to say that this was not made without a knowledge of what is passing in another part of Asia. The " Yermak " at Irbit, on the frontier of Siberia, has within the past ten years A

PREFACE.

. risen from one of comparative insignificance to great im portance. Its commercial transactions in February last amounted to more than 12,000,000Z. For those of my compatriots who have been alarmed by the approaches of Russia to our Indian Empire, I have faithfully stated every step that has recently been made in this direction, and afforded them an opportunity of learning her present position on the north of the Himalaya. Her existing relations with China, now that we are engaged in a war with its Government, will doubtless give increased interest to the facts I have been enabled to coUect respecting the several advances she has skilfully made into Chinese territory, and the consequent extraordinary development of her own. I am indebted to several of the Russian officers who were employed in the great expedition into Manjouria for facilities in acquiring information during my travels, and I beg them, and numerous Asiatic friends, to whom I am under similar obligations, to accept my grateful thanks.

With regard to the Illustrations, it is here necessary to state that to the numerous landscape series, engraved from my own drawings, I have added a few characteristic por traits, copied from a work recently published by the -Russian Government. I have only to express an earnest hope that the efforts 1 have made to render this second production more valuable than the first, will be accepted as a proof that I am not insensible of the indulgence I have received from my critics. Br-ompton, July, 1860. CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I. FLIGHT OP CIRCASSIAN PRISONERS 1 II. RUSSIAN POSTS AMONG THE KIRGHIS 26 III. HOW TO CROSS THE DESERTS OF ASIA .... 49 IV. SILVER MINES IN THE STEPPE 67 V. RUSSIA'S FIRST ADVANCE INTO THE GREAT HORDE . . 85 VI. THE KORA AND TRADITIONS . . . . . .116 VII. INCIDENTS IN KOPAL 152 VIII.

DEPARTURE FROM KOPAL . . . . . . .183 IX. A MOUNTAIN LAKE DRAINED BT AN EARTHQUAKE . . 209 X. KIRGHIS EMIGRATION TO THEIR SUMMER PASTURES . . 244 XI. CARAVAN AND COSSACK ROUTES 273 XII. SULTAN TIMOUR AND DJAN-GHIR KHAN .... 298 XHI. A KIRGHIS ELOPEMENT 327 XIV. CARAVAN ROUTE AND MAI-MA-TCHIN 354 XV. TRANSBAIKAL AND THE SOURCES OF THE AMOOR . . 380 XVI. THE KEROULUN, THE PRINCIPAL SOURCE OF THE AMOOR . 405 XVII. THE UPPER AMOOR 429 XVIH. THE MIDDLE AMOOR 456 XIX. THE LOWER AMOOR X CONTENTS. PACE

Appendix

. MAMMALIA IN THE VALLEY OF THE AMOOR 499 BIRDS IN THE VALLEY OF THE AMOOR . . /. . . . 502 TREES, SHRUBS, AND FLOWERS IN THE VALLEY OF THE AMOOR . 508 MAMMALIA OF THE KIRGHIS STEPPE, KARA-TAU, ALA-TAU, AND TARBAGATAI 521 BIRDS OF THE KIRGHIS STEPPE, ALA- TAU, KARA-TAU, AND TARBAGATAI 523 TREES, SHRUBS, AND FLOWERS FOUND ON THE KIRGHIS STEPPE, ALA-TAU, KARA-TAU, AND TARBAGATAI 525 MAMMALIA OF THE TRANS-BAIKAL AND SIBERIA .... 534 BIRDS OF THE TRANS-BAIKAL AND SIBERIA ..... 536 TREES, SHRUBS, AND FLOWERS FOUND IN SIBERIA AND MONGOLIA . 541 INDEX LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. NO. PAGE 1. A View on the Amoor, west of the Khingan Mountains . To face Title 2. Ruins near Semipalatinsk . . . . .3 3. Ferry across the Irtisch at Semipalatinsk . . .7 4. Troops crossing the Obi at Goubena . . . .13 5. Exiles departing . . . . . . .17 6.

A View on the Bea . . . . . .22 7. Caravans on the Irtisch . . . . . .27 8. Shaitan and his Legions . . . . . .30 9. Tombs of the Genii . . . . . .39 10. Starting to cross the Desert . . . . .45 11. On the Desert ....... 53 12. Marauders at the Aoul . . . . . .61 13. Funeral Sacrifice . . . . 64 14. Kirghis Horses harnessed to a Tarantas . . .71 15. Silver Mines near Tchingiz-tau . . . . .75 16. Kirghis Cemetery, and Tomb of Tursun in Tchingiz-tau . 81 17. Lake and Kara-tau . . . . .87 18. Route over which the Artillery marched, and Kirghis Tombs . 91 19. Valley of the Lepsou . . . . . .96 20. Argali ........ 101 21. A Torrent into which a Horse leaped with his Rider . . 109 22. The Chasm over which the Maral leaped . . . 1 12 23. The Maral's Leap . . . . .114 24. Tombs of the Genii on the Kora .... 120 25.

Glacier and Snowy Peaks of the Ac-tau . . . 127 26. Glacier in the Gorge . . . . . .132 27. Curious Rocks, and Kirghis making Ai-ran . . . 141 28. Bearcoots and Wolves ... . . . . 147 29. Tumuli near the Karkarella . . . . .151 30. Kopal before the Winter set in . . . . .157 31. A dangerous Ride ...... LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. NO. PAGE 32. The Proto-Pope on his Rostrum . . . . .173 33. A large Tumulus and Altars near Kopal . . .179 34. Byan-ja-rouk from the North . . . . .186 35. Gorge of the Ac-sou ...... 193 36. Basaltic Rocks . . . . . . .199 37. A Lake near the Bascan ...... 206 38. Ac-tau ........ 214 39. The Great Gorge . . . . . .219 40. A Mass of Granite Rocks, with Natural Arches . . 226 41. Shaitan's Cavern . ...... 230 42. Looking down on to the Kirghis Steppe .... 236 43. Ala-tau from the Steppe ...... 247 44.

Kara-tau and Aouls . . . . . .251 45. March through the Gorge ..... 258 46. Waterfall . . . . . . .266 47. Sand Pillars on the Desert ..... 278 48. Mirage on the Steppe ...... 284 49. Sand Storm on the Desert ..... 295 50. A Valley in the Mus-tau ..... 304 51. A Kirghis attacked by a Tiger . . . . .310 52. The Charge . . . . . . .314 53. A Mountain Torrent in the Mus-tau .... 323 54. A'i-Khanym sets free her Hawk ..... 334 55. Falls near the Source of the Kara-sou .... 341 56. The Race and Escape ...... 344 57. The Bearded Eagle and Steinbock .... 347 58. The Tiger and his Victim ..... 352 59. Tombs and Tumuli ...... 357 60. A Man at his Trade From a Chinese drawing . . 363 bl. Ancient Remains ...... 370 62. A natural Arch on the Baikal ..... 373 63. Part of Irkoutsk ...... 373 64. Kolo-kolnia on the Baikal ..... 382 65.

Caverns on the Baikal ...... 386 66. Boklan, on the Baikal . 390 67. A curious Geological Formation ..... 397 68. Bouriat Encampment ..... 405 69. A Mangoon in his Fur Coat . 412 70. Manyarg Boy and Girl ...... 423 71. Manyarg Overseer ...... 430 72. Manyarg Woman ...... LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS. XIII N0' PAGE 73. Long-tor . . . . . . .438 74. Manjour Officer and Lady ..... 448 75. Touzemtz ....... 455 76. Manyarg . . . . . . . . 461 77. A Goldi . 471 78. Above Ouk-se-me ...... 475 79. A Group of Goldi Children . . . . .481 80. A Goldi Man and Woman . . . . .484 81. A Group of Mangoon Children ..... 490 82. Gelyaks ........ 492 83. A Group of Hunting Dogs . . . . .499 Map, by J. Arrowsmith. THE UPPER AND LOWER AMOOR.