The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-12-16
From Russia to Pekin.


North China Herald rambling account of
an overland trip from the Russian frontier
to tho city of Pekin, in China, which fur.
nishcs somo interesting though not alto.
gothor satisfactory information, concerning
that region Of country. and tho great Chi.
neso Capital. Tho writer selected Kiakta,
which lies duo south from Lake Balkal, in
Russia. for his point Of departure, instead of
Nortchinsk. somo distance to the north. oast.
where tho postal road from st. Petersburg
terminates, but for what reason does not ap.
pear. From Kiakta TO Urga, tho capita, of
the Chinese province of Mongolia, and which
is located near tho northern border of that
province, tho country is very mountainous !;
from Urga to tho frontier of China proper
is u level, hard, sandy desert, without drop
of wator or u house, but poopled by hospi.
table Mongols. who 1.-Two in tents, furnish
horses, camels mutton. water preserved in
cistcrns, aud will divide all thoy havo with
tho weary traveller. Here the cold in winter
is terrific. tho wind blowing in hurricanes
while during tho short summer tho heat is
quite African. and tho sand storms will tear
tho skin off and bliGd tho traveller. OF tho
way iheucoforward to the imperial city. and
of the city itself, We have the following ami.
mated sketch:
AT tho frontier Of China proper, 900 miles
from Kiakta, tho desert stops short in such
an extraordinary manner us to make this
ono of tho most remarkable spots on tho
earth. After a gradual ascent 1000 feet
from Urga, it is sudioniy broken hko u
cliff facing tho south an immense amph-
theatre of mountains, rivers. trees. and farm
houses suddenly bursts upon the view, all
bathed in sunlight and smoking as it were,
with hoat, ut u great depth below, but
twenty miles off and not yet visible lies tho
great town of Clouan Hua fou, called Call.
gan by the Russians, and beyond it, bound.
ing the horizon on the south, 10 four-fold
range of precipitous mountains yiso far into
tho air; tho first range is of IL chocolate
color, tho two next have a violet and scarlet
hue. and the last, scarcely visible. and ovor
hanging tho plain of Pckin on tho north, is
of u light and hazy blue. Haro. where We
now stand. is largo wall built of loose
stones. and kind of monument which mark
tho actual frontier China, aud this ia most
enormously marked upon all maps as the
great wall, although the latter is one hun.
dred miles further south and is crossed at
twenty. miles from Pekn. From Call
gan to Pckin tho country NAV DO called a
chaos of mountains, and, wherever house
can stand. an agglomcration of towns. all
surrounded by high walls, somo of which
have begun to yield under tho weight Of
twenty centuries, and others have beon
buried 10 tho top under tho sand Of the
MOngolian desert.
Attor passing under tho Great Wall.
whence tho viow is truly magnificent tho
! road suddenly goes down into deep and
narrow gorge all choked with huge blocks OF
granite fallcn from tho broken mountains
above. and hero tho descent, for eight miles.
is so preciptous that tho Mongo.s thnm-
solves have to disinount. Five or six minor
walls arc now passed and they might equally
DO called work of giants. for no matter
what tho slopes of the mountains NAV he
they ariso from tho bottom of prccipices to
their very submits, and arc still fastened TO
them like so many serponts, Wher the
traveller omorges from this gloomy defie
his heart must beat within him rs he directs
his eyes towards the great city of Prkin ;
but there lie will 500 nothing but boundless
plain Of sand, with few scattered farms
woods Of cypress. little rivers and not a
patch of green, whilst every other point OF
tho horizon is shut up by an unbrokcn and
majestic range of blue and drcary peaks
rising like IA barrier between two worlds. to
tho height Of fvo thousand feet. However
as you approach tho city. Of which nothing
at all can be seon until you have passed
under its very wall, tho buzzng, kissing
moaning Of men. asses, women, camels
gongs. and birds of prey. of monster kitos
and pigeons with melodors instruments at.
tachod to them and carrying back to heaven
the extravagant inspirations of Chinese mu
sicians; in fact all the noises and smells tha,
| A.. al Al
wall, as if all tho animal creation were
breathing within it, arc things so strange tc
u traveller just arrived from Paris, that h,
cannot describe them. Onco he has Dasset
undor the ponderous northern gate. meas
ured the thickness of tho stupendous wall
and is fairly in Pekin. he will be utterl,
bewildered; all before him is confused anc
dusty mass of colors. mon, mules. cabs hun
drods of camols with the weary Mongols ir
their once rcd gown. enthroncd and tas
asleep on their highest summit an immen
sity of wide. perfectly straight and endless
streets; q living ocean os tho most degraded
beggars. of cooks. BARRIERS, blind men beat
ing upon kettle drums. orators delivering
speeches then. right and left. brilliant shops
cafes and hotels surmounted by long pole,
of all colors, wooden walls beautifully carvet
and gilt over. in fact il is a sceno so nniqu,
in tho world, that no dream could over be S,
eccentric.
After travelling due south for four miles
leaving on tho left the splendid Tien. .Tsir
street and it's noblo gate towering like az
other Babel in the misty horizon. and OF
the right tho eastern wall of tho lmperia
city, shutting out from profano oyes. hu
over which tho Imperial hills, lakes. kos
quos. temples and cedars may be seen a
intervals, we como at length to the north
ern limit of tho Chinese town.
Too ANXIOUS AN amusing affair hap
pened latoly between a coal doaIer and {
purchaser. Tho latter was very anxious Il