Observation and Activity
Activity
The agricultural activities of the Decembrists had a huge impact on Siberia: the Decembrists not only provided the region with a lot of new vegetables, they also introduced the local inhabitants to the agricultural economy. So, for example, the Decembrist Bechastnov "had an unprecedented crop of unfamiliar hemp in the vicinity of Irkutsk", V.K. Tiesenhausen "set up an orchard at his own home (in Yalutorovsk),” and thanks to the Decembrists in many parts of Siberia, there appeared many other things: potatoes, cucumbers, watermelons and corn.5 In some cases, a plentiful harvest helped "provide many poor people with potatoes, beets and other things," and the Decembrist D.I. Zavalishin noticed that "the number of vegetables used in the region was very limited".6 After the stay of the Decembrists, especially in Chita and the Petrovsky factory, "gardening, horticulture, floriculture developed significantly in the province" and many local residents learned more about this.7 Several Decembrists developed poultry and cattle breeding, but this did not become a large part of the Siberian economy. Most importantly, the Decembrists were crucial to the agricultural development of Siberia, and “the name of the Decembrists was connected with the first attempts to rationalize the agricultural economy".8Observation
Science
Many of the educated Decembrists found satisfaction in scientific and naturalistic studies. Finding themselves in a foreign unknown land, some Decembrists changed their point of view when, as Yevgeny Obolensky tells us, "The rich flora of this region attracted our attention and aroused surprise to the beauties of Siberian nature, so generously distributed and so little known in that time".9 Interest in naturalistic research grew in settlements, and so interest in collections of various types also grew. Decembrists Yevgeny Obolensky and D.I. Zavalishin remembered the work of the Borisov brothers, who "were most engaged in collecting flowers, as well as in zoological research; they collected a multitude of insects of various species and of unusual beauty, stored and protected them and subsequently made up a rather respectable collection of insects,” and the eldest Borisov "came up with a new classification himself, completely identical with that which was later proposed in the Paris Academy and accepted by it".10 Siberian N.A. Belogolovy, who was a student of P.I. Borisov, said that Borisov had "collections of Siberian birds and small animals, as well as a great many of his own drawings",11 but the location of these collections is disputed. Maria Volkonskaya was also interested in naturalistic observations; she supported her own small garden in her house and "collected herbarium of the Siberian flora, selected mineralogical collections".12 Another active naturalist was I.D. Yakushkin, who was engaged in botany, geography and meteorology, and Zavalishin recalled that "observations of ten years were presented to the Berlin Academy of Sciences and were highly appreciated by it".13 These studies and observations were made in Chita, the Petrovsky factory, and also in Selenginsk, where Nikolai Bestuzhev established "an entire observatory where he made not only meteorological and astronomical but also seismic observations".14 The widespread interest in naturalistic observation expanded upon the little knowledge about Siberia.Ethnography
The ethnographic work of the Decembrists was progressive and comprehensive. Some Decembrists, namely A. Bestuzhev (pseudonym Marlinsky), M.I. Murav’ev-Apostol, N. Chizhov, Rosen, Belyaev and Nick. Bestuzhev, "who fell into a land new to them... did not remain indifferent to it and with ferfor began to study the harsh land and the unknown people, their customs, legends... they do not remain scattered observers, but strive to understand and comprehend what they saw",15 but in general they wanted to pass on all those who wanted to learn about the Yakuts. Marlinsky and Chizhov were interested in folklore studies, but Nick. Bestuzhev was "one of the first collectors of Buryat folklore",16 in the form of Buryat fairy tales and songs. M.I. Murav'ev-Apostol, Rosen, and Belyaev wrote a large number of significant and relevant ethnographic material, including "observations and studies about the type and character of the Siberian peasant, as well as his everyday situation".17 A. Bestuzhev (Marlinsky) was especially interested in studying Yakut culture, which can be seen in some of his written works: "The essay ‘Siberian customs,’ dedicated to the description of the Yakut holiday ‘Ishik’ - the ritual preparation of koumiss; ‘Sketches and narratives about Siberia’ are somewhat unsystematic but interesting and truthful essays on various issues of the life of the far north of Siberia: trade, hunting, ways of communication, travel by dogs, rapport of Russians with the local indigenous population, characteristics of Russians and natives, reasonings about the future of Siberia, etc.".18 A. Bestuzhev wanted to study the Yakut language and everyday life more, and he depicted many features of the Yakuts in his drawings. For the Decembrists, artistic creations were often a way of demonstrating their ethnographic interests; for example, "A. Bestuzhev's ballad ‘Saatyr’ reflected some Yakut legend of an unfaithful wife; N. Chizhov in poetic form gave a story about the punished spirits of the Russian mountains – ‘Nucha’".19 Thanks to the interests and work of the Decembrists, Siberia has become better known and perceived as a place with unique nature and different cultures, and not just a place of exile and suffering.1 "Декабристы в Сибири," Отдых на Байкале, туры 2018 - Байкал Профи Тур, Иркутск, http://www.baikalvisa.ru/irkutsk/dekabristy_siberia/.
2 M. K. Азадовский (1991), Страницы Истории Декабризма, (Иркутск: Восточно-Сибирское Книжное Издательство), 95.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid., 96.
5 Ibid., 90.
6 Ibid., 89-90.
7 Ibid., 89.
8 Ibid., 90.
9 Ibid., 97.
10 Ibid.
11 Ibid.
12 Ibid., 98.
13 Ibid.
14 Ibid.
15 Ibid., 100-101.
16 Ibid., 102.
17 Ibid.
18 Ibid., 101.
19 Ibid. 101-102.
