Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-07-15

Towards the end Of April, on n chilly and
cherries day, we left st. Petersburg on a
journey to the West Of Europe, or "a gran
itsu," beyond the boundary, rs the Russians
call it-a phrase answering to the French " a
/ stranger, or the iayoritc English expression,
" foreign parts. The "a granitsu, or sah
grdHyccisoo, as it is pronounced, has a moro
limited Specification than the corresponding
English, or the French phrase, and applies only
10 Western Europe. Those Of our English
friends who are afraid that Russia, in n more
or less remote future, will swallow up India,
annex China, and Incorporate the dominions Of
that ruler who was once known as the Grand
Turk, may find prophetic meaning in the fact
that beyond the border, " in Russia, means
the western bordor-thus leaving all the cast
as it we're within the circle Of Russia's terri
tory, or Mt least not excluding it.
But to the journey Leaving our apart
mcnts, on st. lsaac's Square, opposite the
wonderful cathedral Of the same name, and fol-
lowing the course Of the yozncscnsky Prospect,
we arrived at the depot quarter before twelve
During the previous night there had been q
light fall Of snow, which about half whtcnod
the streets and house.tops, and which, aided
by not very violent, but damp and searching
wind, caused that feeling Of discomfort which
one from time to time experiences in the North
ern climate during the Spring months This
is especially frequent 10 st. Petersburg, where
Winter, instead Of " lingering in the lap Of
May, boldly keeps the field with forces which,
though diminished and dem0ralized, still renew
the onset, and yield only when met by the
warm attack Of the first month of Summer.
Tho transition from the cold air outside to the
cheerful atmosphere Of the depot, with its
large and well furnished waiting and refresh
mout rooms, was quite relief while the num-
Der and variety Of the travellers for the west,
with their friends who had come to sec them of,
was such as 70 aiiJrd means Of observation for
more than the quarter of an hour which re-
manned before the starting of the train
1t would be impossible to find, outside OF
Russia, citizens of common country, WHOSE
homes were so far apart, and who bad all gath
cred together, without any previous agreement,
and were setting out on the same train, some
for business, others for pleasure, as thc case
might be Since 1 happened to know a few Of
my fellow passengers, and others were intro
duced, or pointed out 20 me, am able TO give
proofs Of what have just stated One gentle
mnn bought ticket for Berlin, whose home is
considerably cast of the ural Mountains, in
Southwestern Siberia, where be has gold mines
which yielded him, last year, f'ty pools weight
Of gold-t that is two thousand pounds, or one
ton. zone pood equals forty pouuds So
his gros, income was upwards Of four hundred
thousand dollars He was accompanied by
friend, who has recently returned from tho
lower valley Of the AMOR River, in Eastern
Sberia after spending threo years iu the ORGAN
ization Of extensive works for gold mining
The accounts which these gentlemen give of
the mineral wealth Of Siberia are very interest
ing, and 60 10 show that there Is probably more
gold in Siberia than in America at least, that
is the conclusion which they arrive at Ono
has been 10 California, during journey around
the world aud &. well informed about the re-
sources VI that portion Of our country, OF The
the Development of which be keeps himself in-
formed up to the present time. lie told me
that since bis return to St. Petersburg ne lad
read MIR Nlrdh.n"s book on California which
interested him much, but he was Of the opin-
ION that the accounts were too r0sc.cllorod
1t is remarkable what strange and confused
IDEAS have existed in Europe-and for that
matter 10 America to0-with regard % Siberia
Siberia has been associated, ia almost every
ones mind with cold and drcariucss to such
degree that the very mention of the name was
enough to make ones teeth chatter. In fact,
it was supposed to be just like the place ol
punishment provided by the ancient hcathcns
Of Scandinavia for impenitent sinners after
death--a place as cold as that one is hot which
modern sinners have prepared for them, in case
they fail to get properly reconstructed " be-
fore taking leave Of life and It's seductive
pleasures. When we remember that Siberia
is larger than the United States that within
its boundaries grapes, and fruits Of still more
southern climate, grow wild, and such animals
as tigers are met with, it is easy b understand
that the varieties Of climate and productions
are very great, ranging from extreme cold
ip0lar bears walruscs, reindeer and white
mossl to the climate and productions Of the
most favored temperate ones Mr. Barry, nm
Euglishman, who has lived in Russia q number
Of years MS manager Of extensive iron works in |
the province Of Nigni Noygorod, and who,
during bis stay in the country, went to the |
east Of the raj Mountains and in one of the |
two or three books which he has written about
Russia, gives most interesting account oil
Siberia, says it is a very desirable place as a |
ield Of labor for enterprsing Ens,ishmon-
specially about the Oral Mountains, where /
here is an untold wealth Of gold, nalachite, /
'opIer iron and coal, and where agriculture
IAN be carried on under favorable conditions
Since the Urd country is to be united by rail.
road to the rest Of Russia within the next two
'ears, there is no doubt that its natural wealth,
which is really very great, will receive devcl-
pment hitherto undreamed Of But if keep
N in this way, it may be thought that | wish
o send people to Siberia, instead Of going
vest myself The next passenger that caught
ny eye was gentleman from Archangel, q
ty which boasts Of latitude of about sixty
our degrees north. Next to him was rela-
i've, who was also going abroad and who had
ust arrived from beyond the Caucasus, where
le had been employed by the government, near
he Persian frontier The experiences of these
wo gentlemen must have been very different,
nd their comparison Of notes exceedingly in
eresting. 1t seems strange that city on the
White Sea, an inlet Of the Northern or Frozen
)cean, with its walruses, should be a part of
he same country as Mount Ararat, where
Noah is said to have come out Of the ark and
TAINTED the grape, Of whose juice he aiterward
'artook too freely. Such however, is the
ase. The southern boundary of Russia passes
trough the center Of Mount Ararat. On the
lain at the northern foot of the mountain is
he Monastery Of Etchmadzin, the residence of
he Catholics, or chief dignity of the Armenian
hurcb, in whose vineyard grows grape which
! claimed to be lineal descendant of that va
iety which made Noah so forgetiul of the sur
ounding world. Whether the story be true or
ot, the wine made from tho modern grape is
xcelent, and have no doubt that, If taken in
efficient quantities, it would cause a modern
atriaroh to become obliyous for the moment ,
the world with all its pomps and vanities.
BESIDES those mentioned, there were both ladies