The author records an extended journey across Siberia by rail and river, combining vivid travel impressions of harsh winter landscapes, slow trains, and frontier stations with reportage on colonization efforts and the local gold‑mining industry. Sequential chapters describe crossings of the steppe, visits to provincial towns, river voyages, mountain camps, and a trip toward the Chinese border, noting everyday hardships, railway life, mining techniques, and camp routines. Practical observations about routes and infrastructure are interwoven with reflective commentary on settlement, economic prospects, and the rhythms of life in the region.