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$40 COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.
From Krafnojarfk Pallas departed on the 7th of March 1772, and proceeded by Tre
kutfk, and acrofs the Lake Baikal, to Udinfk, Selenginfk, and Kiatka, which is the prin-
cipal mart of trade between Ruflia and China. Having penetrated into that part of
Dauria which is fituated in the fouth-eaftern region of Siberia, he journeyed between
the rivers Ingoda and Argoon, at no great diftance from the Amoor; thence tracing |
the lines which feparate the Ruffian empire from the Mongol hordes dependent on
China, he returned to Selenginfk, ,and again wintered at Krafnojarfk. In the fummer
of 1773, he vifited Tara, Yaitfk, and Aftracan; and concluded that year’s route at
"Tzaritzin, a town upon the Volga; from whence he continued his journey in the:
enfuing {pring, and arrived at Peterfburgh on the 3oth of July 1774, after an abfence
of fix years. ,
The account of this extenfive and interefting tour was publifhed in three parts’*, con-
taining two thoufand and four pages, in five volumes quarto, which has greatly con-
tributed to extend his fame and eftablifh his character. Pallas, in this valuable work,
has entered into a geographical and topographical defcription of the provinces, towns,
and villages which he vifited in his tour, accompanied with an accurate account of their
antiquities, hiftory, producttons, and commerce. He has difcriminated many of the
tribes who wander over the various diftri€ts, and near the confines of Siberia; detailed,
with peculiar precifion, their cuftoms, manners, and languages ; and rendered his tra-
vels invaluable to the naturalift, from many important difcoveries in, the animal, vege-
table, and mineral kingdoms. Thefe travels are written in the German language; but
the author has added to each part an appendix in the Latin tongue, which contains
near four hundred fcientific defcriptions of feveral quadrupeds, birds, -fifh, infeéts, and
plants. He has alfo greatly contributed to encreafe the utility of his performance by
charts, and engravings of various antiquities, of feveral tartar-dreffes and-idols, and of
many animals.and plants.
Expeditions of this kind into inhofpitable regions, among vagrant and almoft bar-
barous :nations, are full of danger; as was fufliciently experienced by Muller, and
Gmelin the elder, in the reign of the Emprefs Anne; and nothing but the moft intenfe
ardour for fcience can ftimulate men to fuch hazardous undertakings. In that expe-
dition De I’Ifle and Steller perifhed and, as if thefe fchemes were deftined to ill fate,
Dr. S. Gmelin, after having loft many of his papers and collections, funk under grief
and difeafe, and expired in a fmall village of Mount Caucafus, in 1774. ‘Falk died in
the courfe of the journey, and profeflor Lowitz was wantonly maflacred by the inhuman
Pugatchef.
Pallas fortunately returned, but from the manner in which-he finifhes his travels, not
without enduring many hardfhips, and narrowlyefcaping from the moft imminent dangers.’
* On the 3oth of July I reached Peterfburgh, with an enfeebled body and grey hairs,
though only in the three and thirtieth year of my age; but yet much ftronger than’
when I was in Siberia; and full of grateful acknowledgments to Providence for having
preferved and delivered me from numberlefs perils.”
Pallas, known to the generality of the Englifh readers only as a great naturalift, des”
ferves a confiderable place among thofe writers who have fucceeded in developing the
complicated hiftory.of the roving tribes feattered over thofe extenfive regions which
ftretch from the heart of Siberia, to the northern limits of India. In a recent publica-
tion, intitled Colteétions upon the Political, Phyfical, and Civil Hiftory of the Mongol
Tribes +, he has thrown new light upon the annals of a people, whofe anceftors con-
* Reife durch verfchiedenen Provinzen des Ruffifchen Reicks. A- French tranflation-of this interefting
work has alfo been publifhed.
+ Samlungen Hi/}. Nachwichien ueber Mongolifchen Volkerchaften,
8
‘quered
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