Lucy Atkinson (1817-1893) was an English Atkinson was an English nanny working in Russia. In 1848 she set out with her new husband on a six-year exploration of Siberia and Central Asia, by foot, camel, boat, horse, reindeer… their son Alatau was born in a yurt; they met with chieftains, brigands and Decembrists. This account, based on Lucy’s diaries, was first published in 1863, soon after their return to England.