Note 10 — Chapter XXXIX · THE HISTORY OF THE AMUR.

At that date they had brought to the region about 40,000 colonists, most of them from the Trans-Baikal and Irkutsk governments, who walked with their cattle to the Shilka, and then proceeded on huge rafts, like floating farm-yards. The cattle were turned on shore to feed at night, and marched back in the morning to travel by day. By these means the banks of the river became populated, though scantily, this region covering an area of 361,000 square miles, or twice as large as that of Spain. The Russians, by 1861, had established military posts along the whole course of the Amur, on the Ussuri, and at various harbours on the sea-coast, the whole military force, up to 1859, being about 15,000 men. Simultaneously while strengthening her forces on the Amur, Russia reinforced her navy in the Pacific; and in 1860 she had there 19 steamers, mounting 380 guns, and manned by between 4,000 and 5,000 sailors and marines. There were also, in 1861, 12 steamers on the river, nine of which belonged to the Government.