an extensive government of Russia, comprehending all the eastern part of Siberia or Asiatic Rus- sia. It is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean, or, more properly, by its gulfs called the Seas of Kamtschatka, Okhotsk, and Anadyr; on the north by the Fro- zen Ocean; on the west by Tobolsk; and on the south by vast chains of mountains, continued from the Altai chain, by which it is separated from Chinese Tartary. It extends about twenty-eight degrees from east to west, and twenty-five from north to south, and comprises 126,460 square geographical miles. It was erected into a separate government in 1763, being formerly included in the go- vernment of Tobolsk; and, in 1783, the Empress Catha- rine conferred on it the privileges of a state. It was con- verted into a separate government, owing to the great ex- tent of the country, and the same cause occasioned its sub- sequent division into four separate districts, namely, Ir- koutsk Proper, Nertschink, Yakantsk, and Okhotsk; the first comprehending the southern and fertile districts si- tuated round the Baikal, and near the sources of the Lena and its tributaries. Yakantsk extends as far as the Arctic Ocean, comprehending the vast and frozen plains which extend northward to that sea. Okhotsk extends along the eastern shore of Asia, and includes not only Kamtschatka, but the Aleutian and Kurile isles, thus bordering on one side with America, on the other with Japan. It is traversed by the Lena and its tributaries, throughout its whole extent from north to south. There are also the Olonek, the In- digirka, and the Kovyma, which are large rivers, and fall into the icy sea. An imperfect census has been made of the population, according to which they were reckoned at between 400,000 and 500,000, and they have been con- siderably increased. Russians and Cossacks form a consid- erable proportion of the inhabitants. These are com- posed of colonists, merchants, and of those who are em- ployed in the civil and military establishments of the state. Great part of the province is occupied by the native tribes, who lead a wandering and pastoral life, or gain a living by hunting and fishing. The most numerous of these are the Tunguses. There are also the Mongols, who occupy the southern parts; the Juraki, a Samoide tribe, who inha- bit the northern districts in the Icy Sea; the Yaksantes and Koriaks, who dwell on the eastern coast, and derive a very precarious living from pasture and the chase; the Tschu- chi, who occupy the north-east point of Asia; and the rude inhabitants of the Aleutian and Kurile islands.

the capital of the above government and district, containing 1500 wooden houses, with two houses of stone. The streets are unpaved, though, owing to the fineness of the weather, they are seldom dirty. It con- tains thirty-three churches and two cloisters, and is also the seat of an archbishop, and the station of the officers of the government and a considerable body of troops. A se- minary is maintained here by government, a popular school, and, since 1762, a school has been established for the Ja- panese language and navigation. An hospital was also es- tablished in 1772 for the small-pox. Irkoutsk is also a commercial mart of considerable importance, and is the re- sidence of many merchants engaged in the trade between Russia and China, which is carried on at Kiachta. It has in a good degree the aspect of a Chinese town, from the quantities of porcelain, enamelled and lacquered ware, and Chinese articles of dress and furniture, with which the houses are filled. Long. 103° 30' E.; Lat. 52° 16' N.