Maimatfchin,
the Chinefe
Frontier-
ToWn.
merchants, and the agents of the Ruffian trading company,
are the principal inhabitants of Kiachta.
The limits Weftwards from this fettlement to the
river Selenga, and Eaftwards as far as Tchikoi, are
bounded with chevaux de frize, placed there to prevent
a contraband trade in cattle, for the exportation of
which a confiderable duty is paid to the crown. All
the outpofts along the frontiers Weftwards as far as the
government of Tobolfk, and Eaftwards to the mountains
of fnow, are under the command of the governor of
Kiachta.
The molt elevated of the mountains that furround
the valley of Kiachta, and which is called by the Mongols
Burgultei, commands the Ruffian as well as the
Chinefe town ; for this reafon, the Chinefe, at the con-
clufion of the laft frontier treaty, demanded the ceffion
of this mountain under the pretext, that fome of their
deified anceftors were buried upon its fummit. The
Ruffians gave way to their requeft, and fuffered the
boundary to be brought back to the North fide of the
mountain.
The Chinefe town is called, by the Chinefe and Mongols,
Maimatfchin, which lignifies fortrefs of commerce.
The Ruffians term it the Chinefe Village (Kitailkaia
i Sloboda)
Sloboda) and alfo Naimatfehin, which is a corruption o f
Maimatfchin. It is fituated about an hundred and forty
yards South of the fortrefs of Kiachta, and nearly parallel
to it. Midway between this place and the Ruffian
Fortrefs, two polls about ten feet high are planted in
order to mark the frontiers of the two empires; one is
infcribed with Ruffian, the other with Manfhur characters
*.
Mainatlchin has no other fortification than a wooden
wall, arid a fmall ditch o f about three feet broad ; the
latter was dug m the year 1756, during the war between
the- Chinefe and the Calmucs. The town is of.
an oblong form t its length is feven hundred yards,
and its breadth four hundred. On each of the four
fides a large gate faces the principal ftreets; over each
of thefe gates there is a wooden guard-houfe for the
Chinefe garrifon, which confifts of Mongols in tattered
clothes, and armed with dubs. Without the gate,, which
looks to the Ruffian frontiers, and about the diftance of
eight yards from the entrance, the Chinefe have railed
a wooden fcreen, fa canftru&ed as to intercept all view
of the ftreets from without.
* Upon .rife- mountain to the Weft o f Kiachta, the limit is again
marked, on the Ruffian fide by an. heap o f ftonea and earth, ornamented
on the top. with a crofs; and on the Chintfe by a pile o f ftoneS, in. the
f c p v o f a. -pyramid. P a lto R eife, P. M p. t
This