The next province through which the railway passes is that of Tobolsk, but it only skirts its southern border, which adjoins the steppes inhabited by Cossacks and nomadic tribes, whose caravans may be seen in the busy markets of Petropavlosk, which was founded in 1752 as a protection against the Kirghiz Cossacks. About one-third of its population is Mohammedan, and the Greek Orthodox Church has a mission in the province for them: the present staff of the mission consists of thirteen priests, twelve assistants, two deacons, and one Psalm reader. Last year they baptized eight Mohammedans. They have a very small educational work. The Greek Orthodox Church has various missions scattered through Siberia, and the Russian Government does not allow any foreign ones, which seems the greater pity when it is considered how inadequate in every respect are those of the Greek Church—they only number nine. Everywhere in the cities we saw the beautiful green domes and spires of the churches, but very little is done for the religious welfare of the people in the country districts, and for the most part they are in a state of profound ignorance; religion is summed up in (α) the worship paid to the ikon, (a little coloured print of our Lord, or of the Virgin, or of a saint), which is to be found, not only in all private houses, but in every waiting-room or restaurant on the railway, and in (β) certain religious ceremonies at special times of the year, and on special occasions. After leaving Tobolsk, the next important station passed on the line is Chéliabinsk, in the province of Orenburg, the first town over the border into Europe. The frontier between Asiatic and European Russia is crossed about 104 miles to the east of it, and is marked by an obelisk on the left hand side of the line at its highest point, which may be seen soon after leaving Kurgan. Chéliabinsk is a cosmopolitan centre; it is the real starting-point of the Trans-Siberian line, and is the junction where the line divides, the one going north to St. Petersburg, and the other west to Moscow. The Russian State Express runs once a week from each of these cities to Vladivostock, and also in the opposite direction.