Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1858-09-25
CHE 1)olnuesiau.
Explorations of the Amoor River in North
Asia.
The Official Report Of Mr.. Collins, United States
Commercial Agent TO The State Department.

| The Official Report Of Mr.. Collins, United &ates
| Commercial Agent TO The STATE Department.
WASHINGTON, April I, 1858.
! The report called for by Mr.. Scott, of Califor-
MA few days since, in relation to the explora-
tions of Major P. NJ. D. Collins of the Amoor
River, will be submitted to the house in few DAYS
1t was sent to the State Department to-day. to-
gether with two maps-One of the Amoor river,
and the other showing the relative position of North
ern Asia and our Pacific coast.
The Amoor, it will be recollected, is river sec
ond only to the Mississippi, which flows from the
centre of Northern Asia into the Pacific Ocean not
far north Of Japan. The report will give gener-
al view of the interior commerce of Russia pre-
paratory to the grand development of her Asiatic
commerce and policy.
| Mr. Collins obtained the appointment of COM
mercial agent from President Pierce for the purpose
of making the exploration of the Amoor and test
| ing the practicability of its navigation.
| In order to do this, he was compelled to proceed
to ST. Petersburg, to obtain permission of the Rus
sian Government to enter the Amoor country.
To have attempted its exploration from the sea,
without the assistance of steam, and alone, would
have been worse than folly therefore, the necessi
ty of entering Russia by way of the Baltic. This,
of course, rendered the land journey across Europe
and Asia necessary; nor was this without policy
or aim-it was to witness that great inland trade
of Russia concentrating at Mime NorgorOd in Eu-
I
line of commerce from the Baltic to the Pacific
Ocean.
If the Amoor could be assembled by steamers,
this vast country could be opened to American
commerce, and the very heart of Northern Asia
made accessible to our merchants.
Having obtained the appointment. he proceeded
early in the spring of 1856, via England aud Dem
many circumstances, Mr.. Collins was detained in
St. Petersburg and Moscow until after the corona
tion of the present Emperor 1T was not till after
that event that he could obtain the necessary for
NAL permission to prosecute his voyage.
1t was now too late to cross the two continents
in order to reach the AmoOr before winter would
fairly set in, and the roads rendered good by
a sufficient coating Of snow.
His detention was not without Its benefits, be-
cause it gave him an opportunity to become tamil-
lar with the vast interior trade of Russia; the
wealth Of its great cities and the internal resources
of a vast empire all of which was regularly COM
municated to the Department of State, and in the
meantime to make himself familiar with the Sla-
vonc language.
Mr. Collins passed overland from ST. Petersburg
to the head waters of the Amoor, where he await
ed the approach Of spring, and then In small boat
with oars and FIVE COssack soldiers furnished him
by Gen. Mouravief, the Governor-General of Eas
tern Siberia, proceeded down the three rivers Ing
adah Schilka, and AmOor, to the ocean, distance
DIV water Oh some -,0UU IulleS AS lie pTOceeue0
entirely under the auspices of the Russian Govern
ment, he had every facility granted him in OBJ
tanning information and for exploration. Starting
from Moscow in mid-winter, Mr. Collins had the
rare opportunity of testing all the terrors of
Russo-Siberian winter upon an American constitu-
tion.
Major Collins now proceeded in sleigh with
post-horses by way of Ylademir, Mine N0rgorod, |
Kazan, crossing the Ural Mountains at Ecatherine-
burg, and thus on by Omsk, TOmok, and kramo- |
yank to Irkoutsk, the capital of Eastern Siberia,
four thousand miles east of st. Petersburg. Spend
ing some time at Irkoutsk, and being Hospitality !
entertained by Gen. Mourayief Mr.. Collins then /
visited the cities of Kyachta and Ma-matTschin. |
These places are, by treaty between Russia and
China, the only points where commerce can be con-
Quoted by the people of the two empires. They
are situated about $50 miles southeast of Irkoutsk
and 900 miles northeast of Pekin, on the from
tiers of Mongolia and Siberia.
Mr.. Collins had the rare opportunity of witness
ing the opening of the great fair at the full or
''white moon,' in February.
Grand feasts and entertainments were given in |
honor of the occasion the town of Mai-mat-Tsehn
was filed with feasting, and illuminated with Ian
terms at night.
The trade concentrated here is very important, /
said TO be 20 900 900 of dollars annually. After
finding its way on the backs of camels and by bull
locks from Pekin, it is taken up by the Russian
merchants in winter on sledges, and in the sum- |
mer By the rivers and wagons, and finds its way
across Siberia to the foot of the Ural mountains,
crossing which, it concentrates at the great fair of
Mine Norgorod, where the commerce of 1856 sum-
med up to 300 ,O00, 600 Of silver roubles.
Upon the approach of spring, Mr.. Collins cross
ed the Stounvey mountains, and fell upon the |
head waters of the AmoOr. Navigation not yet
being opened, he made a full exploration of the
gold and silver country of Nerchnsk, the mines of
which are worked by the convicts from European
Russia.
The country is very rich in silver and gold.
Returning from the tour, he awaited at Chetah
the breaking of the ice in the IngOdah, whence he
proceeded on his downward course to the sea.
The country along the AmoOr is fully described, |
of vrbicb 10 susaantihie of and