John Ledyard's Journey through Russia and Siberia, 1787–1788: The Journal and Selected Letters

The Siberian Journal: June 1787–April 1788

THE SmERIAN JOURNAL JUNE 1787-APRn.. 1788 BEGINNING OF THE JOURNAL FROM THE FORMAN TRANSCRIPT 1788.Journal of his Travels thro' Siberia, to the Pacific Ocean, in his attempt to circumnambulate the GlobeJune 18t 1787} After having been three months in Petersburg, I left it in company with Mr William Brown physician, who was going as far as the Province of Kolyvan to reside.-From Petersburgh to Moscow, we rode post, and arrived there the 6th. The last day's ride, overtook the Grand Duke & his Retinue: who were going to Moscow to meet the Empress, on her arrival from Cherson.1 Habitka travelling is the remains of the Caravan travelling-it is your only home-it is like a Ship at Sea. On the 8th we left 1. Catherine reached Moscow on June 27 from her Crimean trip. She was not to arrive in St. Petersburg until July 22. 142 June l'78'7-Aprll1'788 148 Moscow with hired horses and a driver, who is to carry us to Kazan and drive three horses for 34 Roubles-The distance from Moscow to Kazan is 735 versts about 550 English miles. We arrived all well at Kazan-began here first to feel the want of houses of entertainment. DESCRIPI'lON OF KAzAN2 The interior parts of Continents, as well as of Islands, are the highest. Their Lakes give rise, & their height, force to Rivers. Having staid about a week at Kazan, we set off for Tobolsk. On the 11th of July arrived at Tobolsk.8 The country between this and Tobolsk, about 50 versts and which formerly belonged to the Poles,4 must be poor indeed, if judged of by the wretched appearance of its inhabitants: this, in a greater or less degree, is observable generally of those places which are so unhappy as to be the frontiers between nations.Like step-children are they. The practice of burying among trees is hitherto uniform through the Country I have passed. Having staid at Tobolsk three days we set off for the town of Barnowl, the capital of Kolyvan, where we arrived the 23d of July. General Observations, and most remarkable Occurrences, before arriving at Bamowl. The face of the Country from Petersburgh to Kolivan, is one continued plain. The country before arriving at Kazan, is very well cultivated, afterwards cultivation gradually decreases. Before arriving at Kazan in many places, and particularly near a 2. The transcriber made the follOwing insertion at this point: "{Blanks were left here as in many other places in these Journals to be filled up when conveniency and leisure would permit: but as this did not happen to be the case, we are left only to lament such probably important deficiencies]." 3. Tobolsk, which contained 2,300 houses in 1786, was reduced to ashes the next year. See Sauer, Account of a Geographical and Astronomical Expedition, p. 7. 4. If we assume that Ledyard is speaking of the land between Kazan and Tobolsk, it is obviously incorrect that this land fonnerly belonged to the Poles. Until the mid-16th century this territory, from Kazan eastward, remained in the hands of the Kazan Tartars; then it became Muscovite. 144 THE SmEBIAN JOURNAL town called Waldivia,5 we saw large mounds of earth of 10, 20, 30,40 feet elevation: which I conjectured, and on enquiry found to be ancient Sepulchres.6 There is Analogy between those, our own graves, and egyptian pyramids; but an exact Similarity with those piles, supposed to be of monumental earth, found among some of the Tribes of North America.07 The first Tartars we saw was before our arrival at Kazan.s Their dress, the large cap &0See little Journal,9 Saw a woman with her nails painted, like the Co[c]hin Chinese, red. Notwithstanding the modern introduction of Linen into Russia, the garments of the peasantry still retain not only the form, but manner of ornamenting them when they wore skins. This resembles the Ornamenting of the Tartars: & this is but a modification of the Wampum ornamenting, that is still discernable westward from Russia to Denmark thro' the Finlands, Laplands, and Swedes. The nice Gradation by which I pass from Civilization to Incivilization appears in every thing: their manners, their dress, their Language, and particularly that remarkable & important circumstance of Colour which I am now fully convinced originates from natural Causes; and is the effect of external and local circumstances. I...