GENERAL ASPECTS OF MAI-MAI-CHIN.--DINNER WITH A CHINESE GOVERNOR.--A THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE.--LAKE BAIKAL: ITS REMARKABLE FEATURES.--A WONDERFUL RIDE.--IRKUTSK: ITS POPULATION, SIZE, AND PECULIARITIES.--SOCIAL GAYETIES.--PREPARATIONS FOR A LONG SLEIGH-RIDE.--LIST OF GARMENTS.--VARIETIES OF SLEIGHS.--FAREWELL TO IRKUTSK.--SLEIGHING INCIDENTS.--FOOD ON THE ROAD.--SIBERIAN MAILS.--ADVANTAGES OF WINTER TRAVELLING.--SLEIGHING ON BARE GROUND.--A SNOWLESS REGION.--KRASNOYARSK. 354 CHAPTER XIX. POSITION AND CHARACTER OF KRASNOYARSK.--A LESSON IN RUSSIAN PRONUNCIATION.--MARKET SCENE.--SIBERIAN TREES.--THE "OUKHABA."--A NEW SENSATION.--ROAD-FEVER AND ITS CAUSE.--AN EXCITING ADVENTURE WITH WOLVES.--HOW WOLVES ARE HUNTED.--FROM KRASNOYARSK TO TOMSK.--STEAM NAVIGATION IN SIBERIA.--BARNAOOL.--MINES OF THE ALTAI.--TIGERS AND TIGER STORIES.--THE "BOURAN."--ACROSS THE BARABA STEPPE.--TUMEN AND EKATERINEBURG.--FROM EUROPE TO ASIA.--PERM, KAZAN, AND NIJNI NOVGOROD.--END OF THE SLEIGH-RIDE. 377 CHAPTER XX. DOWN THE VOLGA AGAIN.--RUSSIAN RECEPTION CEREMONY.--SIMBIRSK, SAMARA, AND SARATOV.--GERMAN SETTLERS ON THE VOLGA.--DON COSSACKS.--ASTRACHAN.--CURIOUS POPULATION.--VOYAGE ON THE CASPIAN SEA.--THE CASPIAN PETROLEUM REGION.--TANK-STEAMERS.--INTERESTING FACTS AND FIGURES OF THE NEW PETROLIA.--PRESENT PRODUCT OF THE BAKU OIL-FIELDS.--EXCURSION TO BALAKHANI, AND VISIT TO THE OIL-WELLS.--TEMPLES OF THE FIRE-WORSHIPPERS.--ANTIQUITY OF THE CASPIAN PETROLEUM REGION.--MARCO POLO AND OTHER AUTHORITIES. 403 CHAPTER XXI. A GLANCE AT CENTRAL ASIA.--RUSSIAN CONQUEST IN TURKESTAN.--WAR AND DIPLOMACY AMONG THE KIRGHESE TRIBES.--RUSSIAN TAXES AND THEIR COLLECTION.--TURCOMAN AND KIRGHESE RAIDS.--PRISONERS SOLD INTO SLAVERY.--FORTIFIED VILLAGES AND TOWERS OF REFUGE.--COMMERCE IN TURKESTAN.--JEALOUSY OF FOREIGNERS.--TRAVELS OF VÁMBÉRY AND OTHERS.--VÁMBÉRY'S NARROW ESCAPE.--TURCOMAN CHARACTER.--PAYMENTS FOR HUMAN HEADS.--MARRIAGE CUSTOMS AMONG THE TURCOMANS.--EXTENT AND POPULATION OF CENTRAL ASIA. 428 CHAPTER XXII. FRANK AND FRED IN THE TURCOMAN COUNTRY.--THE TRANS-CASPIAN RAILWAY.--SKOBELEFF'S CAMPAIGN, AND THE CAPTURE OF GEOK TEPÉ.--ENGLISH JEALOUSY OF RUSSIAN ADVANCES.--RIVERS OF CENTRAL ASIA.--THE OXUS AND JAXARTES.--AGRICULTURE BY IRRIGATION.--KHIVA, SAMARCAND, AND BOKHARA.--A RIDE ON THE TRANS-CASPIAN RAILWAY.--STATISTICS OF THE LINE.--KIZIL ARVAT, ASKABAD, AND SARAKHS.--ROUTE TO HERAT AND INDIA.--TURCOMAN DEVASTATION.--THE AFGHAN BOUNDARY QUESTION.--HOW MERV WAS CAPTURED.--O'DONOVAN AND MACGAHAN: THEIR REMARKABLE JOURNEYS.--RAILWAY ROUTE FROM ENGLAND TO INDIA.--RETURN TO BAKU. 451 CHAPTER XXIII.