Note 8 — Chapter XLII · THE MIDDLE AMUR.

The first large town up the river is San-sin, which Mr. Maximowicz the naturalist, in 1859, endeavoured to reach, but he was compelled to return on account of his hostile reception by the jealous and exclusive Chinese villagers. I met at Khabarofka a Russian merchant, who had proceeded up the river some distance to purchase corn; an attempt, however, in which he only partially succeeded,—and that little, I understood, through the mediation of a Roman Catholic missionary. By the Chinese treaty with Russia the Sungari is declared to be open for the purposes of commerce. It thus presents an unoccupied field for some enterprising pioneer who will thus push his way into Manchuria.