The Placer herald., 1863-01-03
The Great Russian Steppes.

in the southern part of Russia lie vast
tracts OF country, unnhabited and solitary
save by wandering bands of Tartars: these
are known as 'steppes," name by which
all plains and sterile flats in Russia are desl
gnated. They form one of the distnouisb,
lng features Of that Wild and semi civilized
empire. DR.. Hamm, celebrated European
scholar, has recently iourneyed over them
and embodied the results of his travels in =
most interesting volume. The emotions
which thrilled him upon viewing those
| plains for the first time, and their appearance
he thus Describes: "What a prospect the
sun had just appeared on the horizon and
the Sieppe extended measureess, in all dn
rectlons. 1t produced the same effect upon
me as felt when standing for the first time
upon the deck Of a vessel with nothing bu,
the sea and air around me; the few houses
were all that reminded me of man in the
Or at, silent desert in which the eve lost
itself The Irownish yerdure was here and
there rlppled by the breeze, and the spark
ing dew drops on the grass resembIed the
spray OF the sea. la lieu of sea gulls pre-.
dacious birds circled above their huntino
grounds, but there was no other living thing
far or wide; in vain did the eve seek an
object on which to rest, the plain stretched
out monotonousIy in all directions; not a
bush, rock, a tree or smoke from a friendly
chimney, revealed the presence of man; on
y steppe and that alone. The effect upon
the mind is awfuIly grand, nor does it pail
upon one with the daily contemplation of
it," The whole of Southern Russia is sup
posed to have been at one time huoe lake.
whose shores were the Hindu kush and
Carpathlan mountains. When this mighty
sea broke its way out, it left behind a mass
Of slime which is now known as the Tchernl
azon or black earth, lying upon mummular
limestone at depth varying from few
inches to fifteen feet, and from which region
the greater part of Europe is supplied with
cereals. Moisture is, however, an important
factor, as the sun soon burns up the young
crops If they have not been previously satul
rated with the Spring rains; in the latter
case vegetation bursts forth with unparaleIll
ed luxuIiance, the whole steppe is covered
with grass often reaching as high as a mans
head, out of which grow flowers; these are
called steppe gardens, and the traveller plucks
with delight plants growing in the open air
which at home plned in hot houses. BY the
side OF these, however, through these freaks
which nature seems to delight in, grow the
most noXous weeds. Such is the burian.
generic title for all rank and useless growth.
the steppelneedIe, penetrating through skin
of cattle into their hearts, 50 that they per
ish mlseraby; the dumb weed which causes
lameness IN horses, though harmless to oxen:
the cholera burr which appeared with that
plague and for which it is said to be a rene
dy, and lastly the common saltlwort. which
is ofien rolled up by the Wild in large mass
es and preserved by the natives for fuel.
These weeds spring up in some places al
most AS high as trees. Graceful flower COW
cred torch weeds grow among them, while
fox gloves, artemiSas and blooms produce
virgin forest on a small scale Here the
she-wof has her lair, and hther she flies to
hide her progeny from their numerous foes.
at the head of which is their father here
too is the uncanny schetopusik, a species of
lizard, whose size and folm starte the traveller
who has heard of poisonous snakes in these
wiIds; and though the steppe appears emp
ty and barren of life it contains abundance
of it. Long trains Of ants cross it in all d.
rectlons, bees, flies and other insects fit
about, while huge spiders spin their ,reach
erous webs from stalk to stalk till whole
patches are covered with their nets; locusts
and grass hoppers fit through the yerdure;
moles and mamots sun themselves before
their burrows, the hare comes eaping up
devoid Of fear, and hawks and kites dart
along eagerly seeking their prey. A these
Area ian sights and sounds and many 9th.
ers the Doctor describes. His DAYS were
spent in the chase, or eIse surveying districts
devoted to the herd, of which he says, speak
ing of horses: "One almost fances himself
on the South American plains when
tuban of half wild steppe horses come dashl
ing along, driven by Tartar half-breed,
clothed in garb of raggedness; in front
the leader charges on, despising danger.
The colts, bounding from side to side, re-
ceive warning bites to keep them from
straying, and the wild eyes and tails reach.
ing to the ground perfect the impression
received" DR.. Hamm also depicts with
graphic skill the arts practiced in taking
horses, which are similar to those in use
among our own herdsmen in the West, and
aludes to the vast herds of whitish gray
oxen which roam these wilds, which, while
they put on bold front and are fierce look.
ing, yet bound away like stags upon the APP
pearance of danger. The chief staple is
wool, of which he says: "a German colo.
mist who began short time since with no
possession but his strong arms and head,
has now 100000 merinos. AS each fleece
averages five pounds unwashed, owing to the
want of water in that country, this man has
an income Of 225,ooo roubles IA rouble
being seventyltive cents) from the hocks
alone. The native sheep is the fat tail,
descendent of the Syrian breed. Unfortu
nately, sheep breeding here is attended with
many dangers not known in Europe, the