Illustrated Treatise on the Maritime Kingdoms: Volume 56

The Northern Seas: Russia

The History and Evolution of Russia

From Narym original: 那里穆柏與 (Nalimu Boyu); a town on the Ob River and the northwest, traveling along the waters of the Ob River original: 鄂布河 (Ebu he) for over two thousand li A traditional unit of distance, approximately 500 meters, one reaches Samarsk original: 薩馬爾斯科 (Sama’ersike); likely referring to Samarovo, modern Khanty-Mansiysk. Here, the Irtysh River original: 厄爾齊斯河 (E’erqisi he) is joined. Its waters originate in the Altai Mountains original: 阿爾泰山 (A’ertai shan) and flow north into the Russian borders. It then flows northwest to the land of Tobol original: 托波兒 (Tuobo’er); referring to Tobolsk, where it receives the waters of the Tobol and Tura original: 托波士拉 (Tuoboshila) rivers.

Turning northeast, it merges with the Ob River and flows into the Northern Sea The Arctic Ocean. This river is as large as the Selenga original: 色楞格 (Selengge), but its waters are turbid and the current is swift. Its source in the Altai Mountains belongs to the northwestern frontier boundaries of China; this is the Jin Mountain original: 金山 (Jin shan); "Golden Mountain" of antiquity. Calculating its course and flow, it is equal in length to the Selenga, though its full extent spans many thousands of li.

The Old Records Referring to earlier Chinese geographical texts or maps state that the Irtysh River is near the Surgut original: 蘇爾呼波兒 (Su’erhu bo’er) River, originating from Verkhoturye original: 費雅爾土爾斯忒柏與 (Feiya’er Tu’ersite Boyu), and located over six hundred li southwest of the Tobol River. In the Vogul original: 佛落克 (Foluo ke); likely referring to the Ural/Poyas mountains range, the river flows from west to southeast to meet the Tura River original: 土拉河 (Tula he), then flows northeast into the Irtysh.

The land to the east of where it enters the Irtysh is named Tobol Tobolsk. It lies over one thousand li southwest of the Irtysh original: 薩爾齊斯 (Sa’erqisi); a phonetic variation River and is one of the eight "routes" administrative divisions or provinces they describe. Its residents number over two thousand households, with over two thousand stationed troops and a dozen or so commanders. It possesses dwellings and marketplaces and is called Sibirsk original: 西畢爾斯科 (Xibi’ersike); the former capital of the Khanate of Sibir. It is governed by a Governor original: 噶林 (Galin); likely a phonetic rendering of the Russian 'Gubernator' who oversees all the surrounding districts.

The Old Records also state that six hundred li southwest of Demyansk original: 狄穆演斯科 (Dimuyan sike) lies the land of Tobol. The Irtysh River comes from the southeast, winds around Tobol, and heads northeast. The Tobol and Tura rivers originate in the Ural original: 佛落克 (Foluo ke) mountains; the [Tura] comes from the southwest to the northern lands where they merge. Their place of origin is named Verkhoturye original: 費耶爾和 (Feiyehe), and the Tobol River meets the Irtysh there. From this point, traveling northwest to the capital city of Tobolsk original: 爾斯科 (E'ersike) is a distance of over two thousand li northwest of Samarsk.