Note 19 — Chapter XLVI · THE GILYAKS.

Mr. Ravenstein states that the efforts of the Roman Catholic missionaries in Manchuria may be said to date from 1838; and in May 1845 M. de la Brunière left Kai Cheu with the intention of seeking the conversion of the “long-haired” people—that is, the Gilyaks of the Amur. This was before the Russian occupation of the river, and at a time when thus to wander, without permission, was contrary to Chinese law and full of danger, to say nothing of the difficulties of locomotion.