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21

reindeer) according to the character of the country. 5" To take in consideration the maximum of the rise of waters in rivers every spring.

It was a difficult task to select a practicable route in a country traversed by the "Stanodoi" range, the highest  mountains in Siberia, being entirely clear of timber in some places and thickly wooded on others and having generally a morassy and swampy soil.

I have mentioned before the impracticability of the Great Circle route, the coast line, except very few points, has equally proved to be impossible and I had to select another route advancing in the interior between the principal mountain range and the coast range. In following this route we avoid the mountains entirely except  two points where the line will have  to cross the coast range and come out on the sea coast. Both mountains are of easy access with fine timber on their sides and can present no difficulty.

We cannot avoid, in different localities, considerable work in clearing woods. The travel of land fom Shijiga to River Viliga is almost entirely clear of timber fit for telegraph poles - a distance of 350 verists. the wooded parts begin south of the Viliga ( The river is not indicated on our maps, but you will find Cape Viliginski in 61° N. Lat, the mouth of the river is a little to northward of the Cape)

The timber is generally of excellent quality