102 
metshet, and soon after again set out 
on a journey along the south-western 
coast of the Crimea. Not far from 
Balaklava, in a plain at the foot of a 
high ridge of limestone mountains, are 
the pits whence the celebrated Keffe-kil, 
or earth of Kaffa, is procured. This is 
a very saponaceous clay of a grey co- 
lour, forming a stratum frem fifty to 
seventy feet beneath the surface, and 
‘was formerly experted in great quantities 
to Constantinople, where it was used in 
the baths by the women for washing 
their hair. At present, however, only 
a small quantity of it, about a hundred 
poods annually, is exported: because, 
during the late war, when the com- 
mercial intercourse with the Turks was 
interrupted, researches were made in 
Anatolia, where an earth was discovered 
in every respect similar to that formerly 
obtained from the Crimea, and which 
now serves as a substitute at Constanti- 
nople. 
he village of Tschorguna, the resi- 
dence of an intimate friend of our tra- 
veller, forms his next resting-place, 
whence he made several little excursions 
among the neighbouring mountains; and 
as the various strata of which the penin- 
sula is composed, are all: visible here, 
the professor takes the opportunity, in 
this part of his work, of giving a per- 
spicuous general sketch of the orology 
of the Crimea. 
The northern extremity of this pe- 
ninsula is perfectly flat, and the country 
continues rising with a very gentle and 
scarcely perceptible ascent towards the 
south, for nearly half its length: the 
surface then becomes undulated, and 
low single hilis, declining towards the 
north, begin to make their appearance, 
divided, at first, from each other by 
plains, and afterwards by narrow val- 
lies, and at length combining into a high 
connected ridge, terminated abruptly 
to the south, presenting barren white 
terraces and precipices. The whole of 
this tract consists of recent caicareous 
layers, either of foliated limestone mixed 
with shells, of chalk interspersed with 
flint, or of a calcareous marl, easily disin- 
tegrable by exposure to the air. This up- 
per stratum rests upon a compact ancient 
‘calcareous rock,insome places approach- 
ing to the quality of marble; im others 
in the state of breccia, of a bluish-grey 
colour, containing but few petrifactions 
-and ‘those corallines; sometimes of a 
greyish black-colour, and then fetid. 
‘ parable to the vales of Caucasus. 
‘which, by means of a narrow valley in the — 
VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. 
This stratum extends: beyond the first 
mentioned tract ina southerly direction, 
in some places reaching quite to the 
coast; it declines towards the north in 
a gradual manner, but forming a larger 
horizontal angle than the former, and 
like that is terminated by abrupt pre- 
cipices to the south. In some places, 
this calcareous stratum is covered with 
tubble stone, mill stone, sand stone, 
agglutinated sand, or loose pebbles: but 
the higher parts form flats of limestone, 
called by the Tartars Yaila, which af- 
ford, during the summer, a cool and 
plentiful pasturage for their flocks and 
herds. The loftiest mountains of the 
Crimea, especially the Tshatyrdag, or 
Tent mountain, which is about 1200 
feet above the surface of the sea, are, 
for the most part, composed of this 
stratum. ; 
The limestone beds rest upon slate 
clay, and almost vertical argillaceous 
schistus, in which are occasionally found 
veins and masses of hematite ; and this 
is the lowest stratum that has hitherto 
been observed. The abrupt termination | 
of the mountains upon the southern 
coast, continues even below the surface 
of the sea, the only anchoring places 
being near the promontories; while, 
for the most part, no bottom is to be 
found even a single verst from the shore. 
The valley of Baidari, which was 
visited by the late empress of Russia, 
and has been described in such glowing | 
language by Lady Craven, appears to 
enjoy a fame superior to its merits; 
Professor Pallas does not think it com- 
Its 
form is that of 
*¢ An extensive, oblong and hollow val- 
ley, upwards of sixteen versts in length from | 
south-west to north-east, and from eight to — 
ten versts in breadth. On its southern side, 
it is bounded by the woody alpine terrace of 
the rocky wall. proceeding along the sea- 
coast; *owards the east, by the steep border 
of the Yaila of Ussundsbi, which here pre- — 
sents the lofty mount Tolaka, and likewise 
by a few other ridges consisting of rock; on — 
its northern side, by similar ridges and emi- 
nences, that separate it from ‘hewiata watered 
by the brook Usenbash, as well as from the | 
woody mountains of Kokulos and Aithodor; — 
lastly, on the western side, by the above- — 
mentioned ridge towards Varnutka. The © 
central part of this large valley is hilly, and 
well provided with wood: from its hallow 
grounds, the springs, brooks and ditches 
collect their waters into the Kasikly-Ousehen; 
€ 
