The Express.
London, England, 1857-12-07 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Oriental and Western Siberia : a Narrative of
Seem Years Explorations and Adeentwres sa
Siberia, Mongolia, the Kirghis Steppes, Chinese
Tartary, and part of Central Asia. By THOMAS
WILLIAM ATKINSON. Landon: Hurst and
Blackett. 1858.
Mr. Atkinson has pared several yean in wander-
ing over the plains of Siberia, investigating the great
mountain chainsof Central Asia, the Kirglus Steppes,
and Chinese Tartary. He has travelled where It is
believed no European has been before. He has
seen nature in the wildest, sublimest, and also in the
mat beautiful aspects the Old World can present.
These he has depicted by pen and pencil. He has
done both well. Many a fireside will rejoice this
winter in the determination which converted the
artist into an author.
Mr. Atkinson is a thorough Englishman; brave
and accomplished, a lover of adventure and sport of
every kind. An artist, he perceives the beauties of
nature with an educated eye, and conveys them
v,uvidilpencil
yto his page by his pen, when the
l,
altogether have failed. He knows enough
of mineralogy, geology, and botany, to im-
part a ectentifio interest to his drawings
and descriptions. Possessing a kiss relish for
humour, he tells many a racy story. The lover el
.aissetuas. whether by Mid at rued, will Jai
ample stores in his stirring tales; and English
sportsmen, who have nearly exhausted the glum
treasures of Europe, India, Africa, and America, will,
we doubt not, be tempted by these pages to seek fresh
fields in Western Siberia, Mongolia, and the Eirghis

Steppes.
Our author's range of travel has been sufficiently
extensive. To use the words of his preface :
Mine bee ism a tolerably wide Yid. extending from
Lathan es the west to the swim and of the &Lira, and
es hr swath aides Masse tams of Taida-el; 'winding that
inane chola Sprat" army hike tea by say Euro-
rail ; se well es a Wipe pram a la wawa put of the
Osbi, owe which Ore& lbw mmulted by wild hordes
toward the wan--essass en which no paned it previously
bass employed—ccesprising • distance haveses of shoat
32,000 memo la awriera, 7,100 la koi?ooad 90,800 on
howiebeek—ta ell, b 9,400 iamb Mostell, mho), is the
coursed wren years. Neither the el sashes ace the
Jematt priests could have whited them reesers—dmr travels
having been far the math; we aware that hey
brought beak say *Wel repmentedees al the amuse
through which they wemlemd. 1.11• the mond annalists,
Hoc and Nebel, who visited "the bed ef. grass" (the
plaina to the south of the great Desert of Gobi) did mot pene-
trate into the country of the Kam; and the Illintrations to
their works were evidently Merkantil is Perk.
He was enabled to perform this long j
without any official impedimenta, having obtained
from the late Emperor. Nicholas a special passport,
which allowed him to visit any portion of the Rus-
sian dominions, to cross the frontier, and to re-enter
the Empire at any place* where he found it con-
venient.
The first chapter of his books devoted to a brief
description of the journey from St. Petersburg to
Ekaterineburg,the capital of the Oural, and the grand
centre for the collection of the metallurgic treasures of
this portion of Russia. Taking Ekatenoebnrg for his
starting point, Mr. Atkinson made excursions among
the Oural mountains both to the north and tenth,
visiting all the principal mines and other places of
interest. The description of these adventures, and
the state of Russian society in these distant pro-
vinces, occupies eight chapters of the work. Two
chapters lead us from Ekaterinburg the capital of
the Oural, across the border lands of 'Asiatic Russia
to Bantsoul, the great centre of the mining ope-
rations of the Altai Mountains.. Taking Bannon'
an his starting and resting place for exploring this
part of Asia, Mr. Atkinson made several excursions.
In seven chapters we have the description of the
ascent of the Cholsoen portion of the Altai rangwp
the passage along the frontier of the Chinese Em-
pire ; the descent of the river Irtish, and rambles in
the Kirghis Steppes. Four chapters are devoted to
another excursion among the Kalmuck', the lakes
and chains of the Altai, and the ascent of the
Bielouka. A third excursion leads us through the
country of the Kellm, ancient Mongolia, along the
plains of Mongolia and Chinese Tartary to within
sight of the Chinese town of Thin-Si, then ranges
about among the mountains of Spin-Shan and back
again through the Kirghis Stepped to Berneoul. To
thiajourney five chapters are devoted. The hut
chapter of the book leads us from Barneoul to the
Salm Mountains and through Oriental Siberia to
the Lake Baikal, the eastern limit of our author's

•
wanderinggsa
Mr. Aiinson's descriptive powers may be well
exemplified by his description of a thunderstorm
when nearing the Altai, during his journey from the
Orval to the Altai range.
The storm was following the move of this river, and was
now not Ime from na. The thunder which bad hitherto been
growling la the distance, bellowed forth in magnificent pada
every twee or three minutes, bringing the dark mar of vapour
Wehal reached the edge of the valley, and beheld the
village flee sr six verde distant, just being obscured in the
falling rain. Not a drop had yet reached us, but we saw
that oar turn was coming. Aftm• descrading into the valley,
we were going over some very rough ground, when a
dream of lightning sad • tremendous croak of thunder bunt
over um ; at the mane moment the clouds divided, and rolled
off in opposite directions. It was like opaemg the curtails
to some mighty and fearful sone, aa the heavy dark magma
were carried up, and off, at either side, leaving re thin vapour
between them hanging like • veil. The sun was netting,
mating a pale red tinge on the vspoury curtain, which pro-
duced a wonderful effect. I stopped the carriage to watch
the clangs; end observed the opening gradually extend into
• larger specs, which become • deeper and deeper red as the
vepoury curtain expanded more and more. The hills were
now dimly seen through it, much magnified, and resembling
mountains glowing with fire ; not bright, but more like red-
hot metals losing their white heat, and changing Into a dark
red.
The vapour gradually rolled off and separekd. At length
a dull red tinge spread over all the under parts of the clouds,
extending high up into the heavens, giving the entire some
• supernatural sppearance. The sun wad now inking tai.
Gradually the clouds loot their colours; and in a short time
all had paired away, leaving me bewildered and fakinated by
the grandeur and sublimity of the fleeting vision. This wan a
/OM never to be forgotten. Unfortunately it was one my
pencil could not paint or my pen describe ; I only profess to
be able to shadow it forth demly. Before we reached the
village, the dark grey of evening was _spread over the whole
country, and all wee calm and quiet.