TOBOLSK, the capital of the above government, and of all Asiatic Russia, is a large city, and is situated at the confluence of the river Irtysh with the Tobol. It was originally, in 1587, a wooden fort, which was burned to the ground in 1643, and in its stead was erected the present city, which is composed of two parts, the high and the low town; the former built on an elevated ridge running parallel to the Irtysh at a little distance, while the latter fills the level space between it and the river. The high town contains the residence of the governor, the tribunals, public offices, and the magazine of foreign merchandise. These, along with two churches and a convent, are built of stone; the remainder are of wood. The elevated situation of the town, the whiteness of the buildings, and the gilded cupolas, give it a fine appearance from a distance. There was formerly the Kremlin, built of stone, and flanked with towers, now gone to ruin; while to the south of it is the great market-square, enclosed by stone buildings, forming two stories of merchants' shops. This part of the town, from its elevation, is secured from the risk of inundations; but seldom a year passes without the low town being overflowed. This may be considered a sort of suburb, and is built entirely of wood; and it is connected with another large suburb, formerly inhabited by Tartars, who have been removed to another and a separate quarter. The crowded manner in which they built their houses renders them extremely liable to fire. These Tartars consist of the original inhabitants mixed with some Bucharians. The other residents are descended from exiles sent thither by the Russian government. The largest colony ever transported thither consisted of Swedish prisoners taken at the battle of Pultava, who, being much better informed and more polished than the European Russians, greatly improved the Siberian society of Tobolsk, by opening seminaries of education, in which were taught ancient and modern languages, geography, mathematics, and drawing. Provisions are extremely cheap in this city; and the neighbouring woods and rivers afford the finest hunting and fishing in the world. Society and manners are also greatly improved, so as, according to Dr Clarke, to equal these in any other Russian city. Tobolsk is the commercial emporium of Siberia, in which centres all the trade that is carried on in this quarter. The most important branch of it is that which traverses an immense
tent of land and river carriage between European Russia and China. The merchants from Europe arrive in spring, and return with the produce of the east at the end of summer to Moscow and St Petersburg; and those from Tartary and Bucharia arrive in the beginning of winter, which they spend at Tobolsk, and return in spring. All the furs collected as tribute from the tribes who wander over the immense desert of Siberia are brought to Tobolsk, which are large magazines for depositing these various goods. Population 16,269. Long. 68. 15. E. Lat. 58. 2. N. (F.)