The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-03-26

portance will increase tenfold, AID the
writer therefore feels hat a few details
on the subject as CLEANED from the re-
port Of a st. Petersburg journalist. a very
recent visitor 70 the island. may be
found interesting. The accompai wing IL
Illustrations are from photographs taken
during the same trip.
The island OF Sashalien stretches itself
In a parallel line to the coast of Eastern
Siberia IL was first occupied in 1853, just
prior TO the Crimean war, by Admiral
Neyelsky, acting under instructions from
the celebrated Governor OF Eastern
Siberia, General Muravieff-Amursky. The
first lost established there received the
latter's name. The Northern extremity
OF the island lies opposite the mouth Of
the Amur river. It's centre is intersected
by the fftieth parallel OF northern latitude
and its southern end reaches the forty
fifth. The island is narrow and irregular
In shape, 500 miles long. with al average
width Of 60 miles. being II miles wide at
its narrowest part and 120 at its broadcast.
ON the east Saghalien is bounded by the
Sea OF Okhotsk and on the southwest by
the Sea OF Japan. IT is separated from
the furthermost northern island Of the
Japanese Archipelago. Yesso. by the
Strait Of Laperouse. and from the Ash
attic continent by the Gulf Of Tartary,
with a minimum width of five miles.
1t was probably this complete isolation
OF the island that suggested It from the
start as an appropriate spot for the found
ing Of a penal colony. When the Rus
slams first made their appearance there
they found the country populated with a
few thousand nomads of the Monaghan
race. These people were subdivided into
different tribes. known as Suchas. AIMS,
Ghelaks. Opotchens and Tongus. The
AIMS. according TO high authority. belong
to the oldest inhabitants Of Asia. They
were for the most part fishermen, but
many gave up this vocation. soon after
the arrival of their new masters, to turn
10 agricultural pursuits. They are now
proficient in raising garden vegetables,
especially potatoes.
The Ghelaks are expert hunters. but
also fishermen. Their skill in handling
their frail craft on the angry seas around
the island has often awakened admiration.
and on shore they show equal au6acity
f. chasing their prey mid the crags,
rocks and Businesses. Besides the native
tribes the Russians found a large popula-
lion Of Japanese. the majority of whom
were fishermen that only remained on
tho island during the fishing season. To
this day they leave their camps and out
fits I'm charge Of the natives OF returning
TO Japan. There are two permanent
japanese settlements on the southern
coast. at one OF which a valuable fertili-
ger is manufactured from sea herrings.
which are caught in enormous quantities
in that region.
The population OF the island, In add
ton 10 its natural increase, owes its rapid
growth since 1853 10 the arrival of de-
ported criminals of various grades. who
at the expiration of their terms at hard
labor. are permitted to settle and support
themselves as best they can. The hrst
batch Of c~onvicts arrived in 1869, and were
detailed 10 work the newly-discovered
coal mines at Dava. Small parties OF
these unfortunates followed during the
succeeding years. In 1879 a batch of 600
criminals Of the worst description were
landed from one Of the steamers or the
s~o-called dobrovolny hott fleet of volun-
tcer cruisers) plying between Odessa ana
Saghalien. So large an addition 10 the
penal settlement naturally gave rise 10