Down the Volga. 187 



we must attribute the physical beauty of person and mental development of 

 the North Tartars to climatic influences or to Caucasian descent. Without 

 reference to the opinions of ethnological experts, we can only add that in 

 every part of the empire the North Tartar is found as a provincial governor, 

 a political leader, or a trusted adviser. 



A few miles below Kazan the river attains the width of two miles, but 

 skilled pilots and fiat-bottomed steamers are still required on account of the 

 ever-shifting sands. To Simbirsk — 150 miles — the principal change noted 

 is the increase in volume of water from the inflow of the Kama and other 

 streams, and the increased number of steamers and boats. 



As we approach Simbirsk the blutfs on the west bank grow higher, and' 

 present the singular geologic formation of chalk rock resting on loose soil, 

 with a thick deposit of black sedimentary soil on the surface, even at the top 

 of the highest knobs. This singular succession of deposits can only be ac- 

 counted for by the change in the ancient level and sediment of the waters 

 of the Caspian and Black seas, to which we will again refer. 



East of the river the bluffs have given way to an interminable dry level 

 plain, over which are seen trains of camels dragging carts loaded with wheat, 

 making their way to the wheat markets on the river. This extended use of 

 camels in a region where the winter temperature often reaches fifty degrees 

 below zero seemed out of place, but we were assured that these fine-haired 

 camels of the East were capable of enduring as low temperature as the North 

 Tartar horses, if provided with fur blankets to protect the fatty humps in 

 which the blood circulation is sluggish. That these camels would prove 

 valuable on our western plains we could not well doubt. 



The city of Simbirsk is built on the summit of the bluffs, 550 feet above 

 the river, or, in other words, it is built on the level of the rich black-soiled 

 table-land stretching away to the westward for one hundred or more miles. 

 From the observatory on this summit the magnificent view presented will 

 convince the tourist that the name " Orchard City " is well applied. In all 

 directions, as far as the vision extends, every available space is planted with 

 apple, pear, cherry and plum trees. Even a large proportion of the street 

 and park trees are fine specimens of the silvery-leaved pear that appears to 

 be indigenous to the East. It was called the orchard city 800 years ago, 

 when the Russian poet likened the bloom of the maiden's cheek to the rich 

 color of the apples of Simbirsk, and the inhabitants of the city and its vicinity 

 seem anxious to retain the ancient name and fame of the " Orchard City " of 

 the Volga. From this point was introduced our well known Duchess apple. 

 It was sent to England by a steamboat captain under the name of Borovitsky, 

 and was introduced into its new home in the northwest after it had acquired 

 its new name of Duchess of Oldenburg in France. 



The city of Simbirsk is the home of thousands of the owners of the rich 

 table-lands to the westward, and of other thousands who have made fortunes 

 out of some branch of the river trade. Hence, it is noted for its luxurious 

 homes, with every comfort and appliance known to Europe or America. In 



