474 Instances of the Ffficts 



to Prussia, and, at the treaty of Tilsit, to Russia, but never 

 actually belonging to any government in the empire, and 

 existing as a separate arrondkscment), which every where pre- 

 sents fertile plains, well-built villages, and carefully cultivated 

 fields, with but little wood, the traveller is struck by the 

 aspect of an enormous forest, which he sees for the first time 

 from the summit of the hills which overlook the town of Orla. 



This is the forest of Bialowicza, which to the west offers 

 an immense extent, and loses itself in the horizon to the 

 north and south. Wheresoever the eye ranges, it sees no- 

 thing but wood and sky.* The hamlet of Haynowczyna 

 is on the edge of the forest, and on the old frontier between 

 Poland and Lithuania. From this place the forest extends 

 seven geographical miles in length, and six in breadth, having 

 a circuit of twenty-five miles. It is situated between 52° 29' 

 and 52° 51' n. lat. and between 41° 10' and 42° e. long, 

 from Ferro (23° 18' and 24° 8' e. of London). It contains 

 22-67 square miles, besides portions which, belonging to pri- 

 vate proprietors, are not included, amounting, it is supposed, 

 to 7*51 miles in extent. The whole forest, therefore, covers 

 a surface of more than thirty geographical miles. 



The surface of the forest is nearly flat; there is scarcely a 

 hill, though the natives talk of their gora (or montagne, as the 

 French denominate an acclivity). The soil varies much. 

 Sand, however, is the principal element, which, connected 

 with the numerous lakes of the country, and the thick gravel 

 which every where appears at a depth of 10 ft. or 12 ft., 

 induces the idea that, if not formerly at the bottom of the sea, 

 it has been subject to frequent inundations. In the midst of 

 the sand there are spots where clay is mixed with it, which, 

 being more moist, encourage a more vigorous vegetation, 

 and, consequently, a deeper vegetable soil. It appears that 

 the area of this soil (humus) is, in proportion to the sand, as 

 1 to 4 ; and in this latter four fifths the Pinus sylvestris, and 

 the ^4 v bies Picea, absolutely reign as lords of the soil, occu- 

 pying 18*136 miles of the whole area. 



The names of the trees occupying the other 4*534 miles 

 are as follows : — 



1. 7axus baccata (in Polish, Cis ; which word being found 

 in the names of many Polish villages, together with remains 

 of ancient roots, proves that this tree was formerly more com- 

 mon than at present). 2. Quercus /?6bur (pedunculata). 3. 

 Carpinus Z?etulus. 4. Zfetula alba. 5. v4'lnus glutinosa, 

 A. incana. 6. Malices. 7. Pilia parvifolia (in Polish, Lipa, 



* At sea, to use the words of Ovid, it is " nil nisi pontus et aer." 



