Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - XXI. Up the Yenisei
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has been proofread at least once.
(diff)
(history)
Denna sida har korrekturlästs minst en gång.
(skillnad)
(historik)
importance. It is situated in a marshy and unhealthy region,
and is soon to be moved to the village of Monastyrskaya,
20 miles further to the south.
A Russian author has given an interesting description of
this “city” in a Russian periodical, from which I make
the following quotation:—
"It might be a matter of controversy,” says he, “whether
a small place with 22 little wooden huts really
constitutes a city; but I will not only state the fact that it is
really a city, but will even call it a capital, for it is the
administrative, ecclesiastical, and economic centre of a
country as large as France, and rules over various peoples,
such as Ostiaks, Yuraks, Dolgans, and Tunguses. Moreover,
it has everything that a city requires to justify its right
to the title. Here is the highest official of the whole
region—I do not know what to call him: king or president—
who within the town bears the humble title of local chief
of police, and who every year makes a round through his
tundra-kingdom in order to collect the taxes and uphold
the prestige of the Government. Here also is a postmaster,
who regularly once a month, excepting for two or three
months in spring-time and in autumn, when all
communication with the rest of the world is cut off, forwards
information to the local officials. Here, too, is a missionary priest,
who, like the chief of police, makes a trip over the tundra
once a year, to educate the savage natives in the orthodox
faith, baptising and marrying those whom the tundra during
the past year has been able to give birth to or bring
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
