bread purchases assigned to him by the governor's office. In 1819, Mikhail Speransky (governor general of Siberia) paid a visit to Irkutsk as part of his Siberian tour and exposed many instances of official misconduct by local authorities. On 20 February 1820, Matvei Gedenshtrom was removed from his post for his autocratic style of management, embezzlement, extortion, and fraud. Speransky's report on his findings was examined by a special committee, established on 28 July 1821. The committee divided all of the offenders into ten categories. Gedenshtrom found himself in the third category, which meant he could never again be admitted to hold any public posts and had to be banished to an inner guberniya (European Russia). However, it was soon decided not to send him away from Siberia and settle him in Tobolsk. Willing to take advantage of Matvei Gedenshtrom's skills and experience, the administration of Western Siberia managed to obtain permission for him to join the public service. In 1827, Gedenshtrom was allowed to return to European Russia and then employed by the Medical Service Corps (Медицинский департамент) as a section chief. In the 1830s, Matvei Gedenshtrom was appointed a postmaster in Tomsk. Upon his retirement, he moved to a village of Kaidukovaya near Tomsk and spent the rest of his days drinking. Matvei Gedenshtrom died in extreme poverty on 20 September 1845, at the age of 65. He was interred in Tomsk three days later. Works Matvei Gedenshtrom published his scientific findings in several separate works and articles: Gedenshtrom’s Journey Across the Arctic Ocean and its Islands, Which Lie to the East of the Lena’s Estuary (Путешествие Геденштрома по Ледовитому морю и островам онаго, лежащим от устья Лены к востоку; 1822) Description of the Arctic Ocean coastline from the Yana estuary to Cape Baranov (Описание берегов Ледовитого моря от устья Яны до Баранова камня; 1823) Notes on Siberia (Записки о Сибири; 1829) Skehes on Siberia (Отрывки о Сибири; 1830) Islands Between the Lena and Kolyma (Острова между Леною и Колымою; 1838) New Siberia (Новая Сибирь; 1838) Heads of Unknown Animals Found in Northern Siberia (Головы неизвестных животных, находимых в Северной Сибири; 1838) On Baikal (О Байкале; 1839) Material for the Description of Siberia (Материалы для описания Сибири; 1841) Siberia (Сибирь; 1842). References 1780s births 1845 deaths Estonian explorers Explorers from the Russian Empire Explorers of Asia Russian and Soviet polar explorers Russian writers New Siberian Islands Baltic-German people