IX.—Across Europe and Asia.—Travelling Notes

Extract

On Wednesday, the 22nd of September, I left Ekaterinburg for Tumen, where I hoped to catch a steamer going to Tomsk. For a short distance after starting, the road was bounded by tall firs. Beyond these came a few hill-like mounds covered with large grey weather-worn boulders, the appearances of which were not unlike those of some ancient terminal moraines. These boulders were the only ones which I saw during the whole of my journey across Siberia. From their similarity to the rock of the country which here and there cropped up through its covering of peat and grass, I think they must have been of local origin; but whether this origin was in any way connected with the action of ice, through not having made any close examination I am unable to form any conclusion.