A journey through Siberia still leaves a multitude of impressions today, and in the 19th century, these lands were even more astonishing. In his time, they amazed the writer Anton Chekhov. In 1890, he set off for Sakhalin to describe the lives of local convicts. Part of the journey was made on horseback, leaving behind many interesting notes. He was particularly struck by the sparsely populated lands. The further east he traveled, the rarer the villages became: first every 20 versts, then every 30, and finally every 40.

In May 1890, Anton Pavlovich reached the first major city, Tyumen. There, he sent a letter to his hometown of Taganrog and stocked up on supplies. However, not all local products suited his taste: "In Tyumen, I bought sausage for the road, but what a sausage! When you start chewing, it feels like you’ve bitten into a dog’s tail, smeared in tar. Ugh." Despite this, the journey was not marred. Later, Chekhov reached the Irtysh River and was impressed by the breadth of the great Siberian river, noting that if Yermak had indeed tried to swim across it, he would have drowned even without armor.

Anton Pavlovich left many pleasant memories of peasant dwellings. He described the crystal-clear cleanliness of the huts, their good furnishings, and especially the mountains of pillows on the beds, noting that the locals love to sleep comfortably. Overall, he wrote more about the people than the Siberian beauties. For example, Chekhov was surprised that among the local cab drivers, there were no former convicts, and everyone treated tourists with respect: "The drivers do not remember anything being stolen from passing travelers when leaving belongings outside; when asked if anything would be stolen, they respond with a smile."

With great enthusiasm, the writer recalled the generosity and hospitality of Siberian women. In every home, he was invariably treated to pancakes, pies, and rolls, and the local bread, baked in large batches, Chekhov called the most delicious. In the end, Anton Pavlovich was extremely satisfied with his journey. We, in turn, have seen 19th century Siberia through his eyes.