Many of the Russian officials include them with the latter, and the captain of the Ingodah was almost unaware of their existence.
A peculiar kind of fence employed by the Russian settlers on this part of the Amoor attracted my attention.

Stakes were driven into the ground a foot apart and seven feet high.

Willow sticks were then woven between these stakes in a sort of basket work.

The fence was impervious to any thing larger than a rat, and no sensible man would attempt climbing it, unless pursued by a bull or a sheriff, as the upper ends of the sticks were very sharp and about as convenient to sit upon as a row of harrow-teeth.
It reminded me of a fence in an American village where I once lived, that an enterprising fruit-grower had put around his orchard,--a structure of upright pickets, and each picket armed with a nail in the top.

One night four individuals bent on stealing apples, were confronted by the owner and a bull-dog and forced to surrender or leap the fence.