HISTORY OF

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Ion. 124° 18' E. from Ferro, and lat. 51 0 N. and is distant 3676miles from Moscow, and 1025 from Pekin. The frontier Chinesetown, Maitmatfchin, is on the opposite side of the river, which is onlyabout one hundred and forty yards wide, and lies to the south ofKiatka.

The principal commodities which Russia exports to China are fursand peltry: the most valuable are the stuns of sea otters, beavers, foxes,wolves, bears, Bucharian lambs, Astracan sheep, martens, sables, er-mines, grey squirrels, &c. Cloths, English, Prussian, and French;camblets, calimancoes, druggets, white flannels, rich stuffs, velvets,coarse linen, Russia leather, glass ware, looking glasses; hardware, asknives, fciffars, locks, &c.; tin, Russian talk, camels, horses, and horn-ed cattle. The Chinese also purchase at a great price hounds, grey-hounds, barbets, and dogs for hunting wild boars.

At Kiatka, the finest Hudson’s Bay beaver has been fold at twentyroubles a skin, or about five pounds English money, and otter skins atthirty-five roubles, or eight pounds twelve shillings; and the best Canadablack fox skin has been fold for one hundred roubles, or twenty poundsEnglish.

The commodities imported from China by Russia are : Raw andmanufactured silk (the raw is prohibited in China under pain ofdeath, but it is smuggled to Kiatka) ; raw and manufactured cotton;teas of the best fort; porcelain, japan cabinets and cafes, lacqueredand varnished tables and chairs, boxes inlaid with mother of pearl, &c.fans, toys, and several small wares; artificial flowers; tiger and pantherskins; white lead, vermilion and other colours; canes, tobacco, rice;sugar candy, preserved ginger, and other sweetmeats; rhubarb, musk,&c. &c.

The Chinese transport their goods to Kiatka chiefly upon camels. It

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