Author
Victor Meignan
1846-1938
Victor Meignan (1846-1938) is a public-domain author available on Rivro. Read free books, explore subjects, and discover related classics.
WikipediaSubjects
Books by Victor Meignan
From Paris to Pekin over Siberian Snows A Narrative of a Journey by Sledge over the Snows of European Russia and Siberia, by Caravan Through Mongolia, Across the Gobi Desert and the Great Wall, and by Mule Palanquin Through China to Pekin
"From Paris to Pekin over Siberian Snows" by Victor Meignan is a travel narrative written in the late 19th century. The book chronicles the author's adventurous journey from Paris to Pekin, traversing the icy expanses of Siberia, the Gobi Desert, and various parts of China. Meignan's account is rich in observations about the cultures and landscapes he encounters, presenting a vivid portrait of his experiences as a Western traveler in these remote regions. The opening portion of the narrative sets the stage for Meignan's ambitious endeavor to explore Siberia and China during winter. Initially, we learn about his preparations for the journey, including the skepticism of his friends and his resolve to experience Siberia in all its icy glory. The narrative quickly shifts to the early stages of his journey, detailing his experiences traveling from Paris to St. Petersburg, his first impressions of Russia, and the perceived challenges at the customs house. Through encounters with Russian officials, reflections on the culture and landscapes, and humorous anecdotes, the opening successfully immerses the reader into the unique atmosphere of a wintry expedition, filled with both anticipation and daunting circumstances.
De Paris à Pékin par terre: Sibérie-Mongolie
De Paris à Pékin par terre: Sibérie-Mongolie by Victor Meignan is a travelogue written in the late 19th century. It traces an overland journey from France to Beijing via Russia, Siberia, Mongolia, and the Gobi Desert, mixing practical travel detail with reportage on places and people. Expect close observations on Siberian commerce, Russian society and bureaucracy, river-and-canal schemes versus railways, and the rigors of winter travel by sleigh. The opening of the narrative sets out the author’s aim to correct Western clichés about Siberia, highlighting its industrial hubs (like Tomsk) and rich Transbaikal goldfields, and arguing that river steamers and canals, not railways, best suit the region’s trade. He then departs Paris, passes through gloomy Berlin, and endures a vexing Russian customs inspection before arriving in Saint Petersburg, where a moonlit Neva and Francophile salons contrast with his difficulty finding a companion. Securing official letters and postal privileges, he meets the border commissary Pfaffius—whose Bouriate servant pointedly invokes his rights as a subject—attends Glinka’s La vie pour le Tzar, and moves on to Moscow in severe cold to buy proper furs. In Moscow he surveys the Kremlin, notes the custom of uncovering before the Virgin at the Spassky Gate, sketches the Orthodox past, visits the fabulously wealthy Troitsa monastery, and finally finds a capable companion in the Siberian Constantine Kokcharof. The story then shifts to Nizhny Novgorod’s bustling bazaars and the logistics of sleigh travel: the hierarchy of travel permits (podarojnaia), the meticulous packing of the sled, the behavior of the fiery little horses, and the social life of post-stations. It closes this opening stretch with the first fast stages along the frozen Volga, a night of relay stops, and a tense, watery thaw on the ice before dawn breaks through thick fog.