AVATCHA BAY AND MOUNTAIN.
289
CHAPTER XV.
AVATCHA BAY, IN KAMTCHATKA.—ATTACK UPON PETROPAVLOVSK BY THE ALLIED FLEET. DOGS AND DOG-DRIVING.—RAPID TRAVELLING WITH A DOG-TEAM POPULATION AND RESOURCES OF KAMTCHATKA.—REINDEER AND THEIR USES.—THE AMOOR RIVER.—NATIVE TRIBES AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS.—TIGERS IN SIBERIA. NAVIGATION OF THE AMOOR.—OVERLAND TRAVELLING IN SIBERIA—RIDING IN A TARANTASSE.—A ROUGH ROAD.—AN AMUSING MISTAKE.—FROM STRATENSK TO NERTCHINSK.—GOLD-MINING IN SIBERIA.
"MY first visit to the Russian Empire," said Mr. Hegeman, "was made from San Francisco across the Pacific Ocean. I sailed out of the Golden Gate in the direction of Kamtchatka, and after a voyage of thirty days we sighted the summit of Avatclia Mountain, a magnificent volcano that serves as a landmark to vessels approaching Avatclia Bay. This bay
A SIBERIAN VILLAGE.
is one of the finest I have ever seen. I do not think it surpassed by famous bays of Naples or Rio Janiero."
Doctor Bronson nodded assent to Mr. Hegeman’s opinion. He had
19
