373 



RUSSIA. 



RUSSIA. 



of Okhotsk. [SIBERIA. 1 The geology of the Ural Chain is given 

 under URAL MOCSTAISS. (MurchUon, 'Siluria.') 



Russia is rich in minerals. Gold occurs near the Gulf of Onega, 

 and also on the western declivity of the Ural Mountains [URAL 

 MOUNTAINS] ; but the chief gold-mines of Russia are on the eastern 

 or Siberian side of the Ural Mountains. Platinum was discovered on 

 the western declivity of the Ural in 1823, and six mines are success- 

 fully worked near 67 40' X. lat No silver is found in European 

 Russia, though it occurs in Siberia. But the greatest mineral wealth 

 of Russia ""**"* in its mines of copper and iron. Both these metals 

 frequently occur on the western declivity of the Ural Mountains, from 

 66* to 60 N. lat, and they are worked in many places. The govern- 

 ment of Perm, where the mines an moat extensively worked, has 

 300 mines of different kinds in operation, more than 7200 furnaces, 

 and above 180,000 men directly or indirectly employed in different 

 branches of metallurgy. The mines belong, some to the crown, some 

 to private persons. The governments of Viatka and Orenburg are 

 also important mining districts. Iron-ore occurs also on the southern 

 declivity of the Uwalli, and on the table-land which extends about 

 the sources of the rivers Oka, Don, and Desna. It is then found in 

 the clay in layers, sad sometimes only in lumps. Frequently it occurs 

 in bogs and morasses. The extensive manufactures of Tula hardly 

 use any other iron. Quicksilver, arsenic, nickel, cobalt, antimony, 

 and bismuth exist in several places. 



Salt is an important article. Besides the vast sources for the supply 

 of this article before mentioned, the salt-formation extends along the 

 western declivity of the Ural Mountains, to the source of the Kama, 

 and thence westward on both aide* of the Uwalli. In all thaw 

 districts salt is made from numerous salt-springs. The greater number 

 of these saltrmanufactnres an contained in the governments of Perm 

 sad Viatka; but several of them occur farther west Salt is imported 

 into the Baltic province, from foreign countries cheaper than the 

 native article, owing to the heavy expenses of transport 

 * Marble and granite are quarried near the village of Tivdia, at the 

 northern extremity of the Lake of Onega, and at Serdobol, on the 

 northern shores of Lake Ladoga. The marble is of good grain ; some 

 is white, and some has a reddish culour with white stripes or spots. 

 The granite is worked with gnat activity ; all the public edifices and 

 private mansions in 8t Petersburg an built of it 



r-L-i^ o s i, inhabit*! by . greater number of nations, 



difleffef in language, character, and civilisation, than any other country 

 of Europe. The inhabitants belong either to the "mrnsMa or to the 

 ' race. The Caucasian however is by far the most numerous, 



Mongol 



ss the n 



nations of Mongol origin do not form one-hundndth part 

 of the whole population. 



The Csasssisa no* in Russia annaiats of individuals lulmsjlin * 

 Slavonians, T.hndes or Fins, Turks or Tartan, Germans, Jews, and 

 Greeks. Nine-tenths of the population an of the Slavonic race. 

 They an divided into Rnssisas, Poles, tathnsnians and Lettes, and 

 WalUcbians and Servians. The Russians constitute more than two- 

 thirds of the whole population, and their number is iiliiinlil by 

 Uuthaoeen at about 60 maiioea. They inhabit, to the exdasion of aU 

 other nations, the oantral provinces of the ampin between the Dnieper 

 and the Volga. They likewise constitnte the mas, of the inhabitants 

 in the northern provinces between the Ural Mountains and the White 

 Sea, and in the southern between the Don and the Dniester. They 

 an divided into Great and Little Russians. The latter inhabit the 



eonntry called the Ukraine. The Cossaks are properly descendants 

 of the Little Russians, and an intermixed with Poles, Tartars, and 

 k'almix*. (CoasAU.) The Gnat Randans, with the exception of a 

 comparatively small number who have obtained their freedom, an 

 bondsmen to the numerous body of rich nobles which exists among 

 them. Among the Little Russians a considerable number of families 

 an not subject to any master; and the Cossaks an all free, 



Tbe Poles, together with the Russians, inhabit the government* 

 described under POLARIS those of Volhyaiaand Podolia, and almost 

 exclusively that of Grodno. Their numbers amount to about six or 

 even millions. 



Tbe Pole* are said to be of i 



,. 



the Russians ; but in the arts of civilised life, especially in manufao- 

 tures, and all branches of industry, they an behind the Russians. 



The IJthnsariaas inhabit the goternaaamt. of VUna and Minsk. Their 

 number doss not exceed one ailiioB and a halt Their language is 

 very different from the common Slavonic dialects in its material and 

 form*, but is intermixad wish many Russian term>. They are agricul- 

 turists, bat othsrwiM they bat* aot made muoh progress in civilisation. 

 North of the Lithuanians, in Couriaod sad Livoaia, an the Lettes, 

 whose number probably does aot much exceed half a million. They 

 speak a language different from that of the Russian* and the Lithu- 

 anians. They an exclusively oneupied with the cultivation of the 

 giniul Those who live in Coin-land an frequently distinguished by the 

 tofKooo. Both nations, the Lithuanians and L 



so to the German nobility established in their country, till the reign 

 of the empsror Alexander, who partially affected their enaoorpatka. 



The Visas**, or Wsllachians, live in the government of Bessarabia, 

 between the rivers Dniester and froth. Their number does not 

 aasssd half a million. They speak a language which is mainly com- 

 posed of Latin, Greek, Italian, snd Turkish. They are industrious 

 cultivators of the land. They wre formerly slaves to the boyars, or 



nobility, but they ceaaed to be so nearly 100 years ago. Among the 

 Vlaches there are a few families of Servians or Raizes, and a few more 

 are settled in the government of Ekatariuoslaf. 



The Tahudes, or Fins, were formerly considered to beloug to the 

 Mongol race ; but their light hair and their blue eyea have of late 

 procured them a place among the Caucasian race, in spite of their flat 

 nossi and flattened countenances. They inhabit two separate portions 

 of Russia. The majority of them are settled on both sides of the Gulf 

 of Finland. Two of these nations, the Fins and the Laplanders, occupy 

 the country north of the gulf. The Fins, who inhabit FINLAND, are 

 agriculturists and breeders of cattle. The Laplanders live north of 

 65 N. lat, and are mostly occupied with their reindeer. Their 

 number does not exceed a few thousands. On the south of the Gulf 

 of Finland are the Esthes or Esthouians, whose number is above half 

 a million. Their language is similar to that of the Fins. They are 

 almost exclusively occupied with the cultivation of the ground, and 

 were serfs to the nobles until 1818, when the emperor Alexander 

 effected their emancipation. South of the Esthoniaus, in the country 

 lying on both sides of the small river Sails (near 68 N. lat.), is the 

 small tribe of the Livis or Livoniana, who have given their name to 

 Livonia. They speak a dialect of the Finnish language, and are exclu- 

 sively agriculturists. 



The eastern members of the Tshudic family are separated from the 

 usUim by an immense tract of country upwards of 500 miles in 

 width, which is now inhabited by Russians. When and how the sepa- 

 ration took place is not on record. The eastern Tshudic tribes live on 

 the western declivity of the Ural Mountains, and on the banks of the 

 middle Volga, and are eight in number : Syrianes, Permians, Vogules, 

 Yotiakes,Chuvsshes,Cheremisses,Mordvines or Mordwi, and Teptiarea. 



The Syrianes, the most northern of these tribes, inhabit the woody 

 country between the upper course of the Kama and the Vychegda, an 

 affluent of the Dwina, and particularly both banks of the Vychegda, 

 as far west as the mouth of the Syssola. Their principal occupation 

 is the chase of the wild animals with which their country abounds. 

 Their language differs very little from that of the I'ermians, which has 

 a great affinity to the Finnish. 



The Permiaus occupy the country south of the Syrianes, between the 

 riven Kama and Viatka. Though agriculture has made more progress 

 among them than among the Syrianes, they derive their principal sub- 

 sistence from the chase, and more especially from the fisheries in the 

 Kama and Viatka. Both of these tribes generally speak also the 

 Russian language. 



The Vogules (who resemble the Kalmucks) occupy both declivities 

 of the Ural Mountains between 68* and 60 N. lat. They are short 

 in stature, have round faoes with projecting cheek-bone*, and very 

 little beard. Their language shows that they belong to the Tshudes ; 

 it exhibits also a great affinity to the Magyar. The Vogules live 

 entirely on the produce of the chase. They live in small societies, 

 consisting only of five or six huts, and lead a wandering life. A small 

 number have been converted to the Greek Church; tuo remainder are 



The Votiakes an settled west of the Permians, on both sides of the 

 upper course of the river Viatka, and in the country about the source 

 of the Kama. In language and bodily formation they resemble the 

 proper Kins mon than any other of then eastern Tshudio tribes. They 

 an diligent agriculturists, and also rear cattle and bees. They aro 

 allowed to chose their own magistrates. They pay only a capitation- 

 tax. Moat of them have embraced Christianity. 



The Chuvasbes and ' 'hrmmiurn live in the neighbourhood of Cos in, 

 on both sides of the Volga. The Chuvashes who dwell chiefly west of 

 the river have become members of the Greek Church. In their personal 

 appearance they resemble the Turkish or Tartar tribes, to whom they 

 an said to be akiu in language, though this has been also pronounced 

 to be a dialect of the Finninh. The Chuvashes cultivate the ground, 

 and rear cattle and bees. The Cheremisses speak a language which 

 contains a large number of Finnish roots intermixed with a large 

 number of Turkish origin. The conformation of their body likewise 

 shows some mixture with the Turkish race. They aro very diligent 

 and intelligent agriculturists, and have large herds of cattle. The 

 majority have adopted the religion of the Greek Church ; they observe 

 the festivals both of the Greeks and the Mohammedans. 



The Mordwi, or Mordvines, an settled west of the Chuvashes, in the 

 country on both rides of the river Sura, which falls into the Volga 

 from the south, between Nischnei- Novgorod and Casan. On the west 

 they extend to the Oka. They live intermixed with the Russians, 

 whom they resemble in feature and form, but their language is Finnish. 

 They an all Christiana They cultivate their lands with great care, 

 and their fields an not inferior to the best-cultivated grounds in 

 Russia. They pay great attention to bees, and as they live in a country 

 abounding in forests of lime-trees, their honey is preferred to that of 

 any other part of Russia. 



The Teptiares, the most eastern of the Finnish tribes, am settled on 

 the banks of the Bialaya, an affluent of the Kama from the east. 

 Though the Finnish element prevails in their language, it contains 

 also a large number of Turkish words. They rear cattle and beef, 

 and pass a gnat part of their time iu hunting wild anirnaU. They 

 an partly heathens and partly Mohammedans. 



The third great branch of the Caucasian family which inhabits 



