m 



AZOF. 



A20RKS. 



of fishermen. ID thin low, marshy country pelicans in great numbcni 

 woe observed by Bishop HcU-r. 

 The two pminmlM, which form the Strait of Yenikole', hare some 



peculiarity ; that to the cant of the strait is a part of the island of 

 Taman [Ki'iux). and consists of small strips of low land which 

 atumrnti* MTeral Halt-lake* of considerable extent from one another ; 

 thsm salt-lakes occupy the greater part of its surface. The Peninsula 

 of Kert*ch in the west of the strait once formed a part of the Grecian 

 Taurica Chersonesna. It exhibits at some distance from the shore a 

 range of high land, which rises to 500 feet and upwards ; on it* 

 northern low shores it likewise has salt-lakes. On both peninsulas 

 numerous springs of petroleum are found, to which Pallas attributes 

 the mod volcano* which exist here. From the existence of these 

 nit-lakes and the general depression of the surface of the steppe to 

 eastward, some hare inferred that the Sea of Azof was once connected 

 by a long strait with the Caspian. 



The uninhabited shores of the Siwash are low, and the land above 

 them is a dreary steppe. 



No considerable place is situated on the shores of the Sea of Azof 

 except Taganrog. On the strait of Yenikalo' stands the town of 

 Kertach, which is considered as having been the residence nf the 

 great ICithridates of Pontus in the latter unhappy part of his life. 

 Kertach is the quarantine station for the Sea of Azof; its export 

 trade is said to have increased of late years at the expense of Taganrog, 

 owing to the greater depth of water in its harbour, which varies from 

 and 11 feet close in shore to 14 feet [TAOAKBOO ; KERTSCH.J The 

 trade of the Sea of Azof is very considerable, consisting of the pro- 

 duct* of the adjacent Russian provinces, especially of those drained 

 by the Don. The exports comprise wheat, linseed, rapeseed, wool, 

 salt, hides, tallow, caviar, Ac. The import trade, which is also 

 very important, chiefly embraces such articles as olive-oil, wine, dried 

 fruits, colonial produce, nuts, carrots, 4e. 



(Pallas; Captain Jones; Rennell's Allot of Water* Aria; Strabo, 

 Casaub. p. SOS, Ac. ; Journal of the Royal Geographical Society.) 



AZOF, called by the Turks Assak, a town of southern Russia, 

 and once a fortress of great celebrity, gives its name to the Sea 

 of Azof. It is situated nearly opposite Taganrog, in the govern- 

 ment of Ekaterinoslav, on an eminence washed by one of the prin- 

 cipal arms of the Don. at a distance of 20 miles from the mouth 

 of that river. In ancient times it is said to have been known to 

 the Oreeks under the name of Tanau; and in the 12th century 

 was under the dominion of the Poloftzian princes from whom it wax 

 wrested by the Genoese in the 13th century ; the Genoese, who called 

 it Tana, were driven out of it by Timur-leng in 1392. Azof and its 

 domain fell into the possession of the khans of the Crimea ; and 

 80 years afterwards were reduced by the Ottomans. The obstinate 

 contests for this important post, which took place between the Turks 

 and Russians in the 17th and 13th centuries, terminated in its cession 

 to the Russians in the year 1774. It has now lost all traces of its 

 former importance ; the town is become a cluster of filthy miserable 

 cabins, its fortifications are gone to decay, the branch of the river is 

 choked with sand, and its onoe buy port has sunk into a deserted 

 haven. The only attraction which it possesses at the present day is 

 a fine and extensive prospect of the surrounding country. 



Strabo (p. 493) says that Tanais was a colony of Oreeks from the 

 neighbouring Bosporus : it was ruined by Polemon before the time of 

 the Oreek geographer. Strabo also describes it as being at one time 

 the common market of the European and Asiatic Nomadic tribes of 

 this part of the world : the barbarians gave slaves and skins in ex- 

 dung* for articles of dreas, wine, and other commodities the products 

 ofcivilisai 



AZOItKS, |,r..|*rly ACORE8, a group of islands situated in the 

 North Atlantic, between 86' 60' and 89* 60' N. lat, 24 30' and 

 81* 20' \V. long., about 800 miles from the west coast of Portugal. 

 They consist of nine Islands in three distinct groups, lyini? in the 

 direction of W.X.W. and E.8.K., and extending about 330 miles. 

 The north-western group contains the small islands of Corvo and 

 Fiona, distant about 114 miles from the central group, which inrliides 

 Terceira, 8k George, Pico, Fayal, and Oraciom. The third group, 09 

 miles to the S.K. of the second, is composed of the two islands of 

 Si. Michael and 8t Mary, and the Formigw Rocks. Doubt* still exist 

 with regard to a small island seen by Pimento, the Portuguese navi- 

 gator, who calls it T<>| : it is supposed to be about four miles north 

 of the 8.K. point of St <;,-., rv-' (l'.>nt .1. T..po), and to be about 

 even or eight miles in circumferetwe. This island is not lai<l do n 

 hi our present charts, but is said to have been seen by an English 

 shin f late yean. 



The Azores have sometimes been called the Terceiras, from the 

 name of that island ; by some geographers they have been clawed 

 among the African islands, though there can be no doubt that they 

 belong more properly to Europe, from their latitude and proximity to 



..... 



The inlands appear to have been discovered in the first half of the 

 1 Sth century by Joshua Vanderberg of Bruges, who in a voyage to 

 Lisbon was driven thus far to the westward by strew of weather. 

 The Portuguese governrnrat on In-ing informal .'.f the matter fitted 

 oat an axpedHioa iindrr Cahral, who in 1432 sighted St. Mary's; in 

 1449 Prince Hmry of Portugal proceeded in person to take a more 



'ormiJ possession of the islands, and by 1457 they wore all known to the 

 Portuguese, who gave them the name of Acores from the number of 

 'goshawks' found on them. The inlands were then entirely destitute 

 of inhabitants, and of every animal except birds, which were numerous 

 and of various species. So much importance was attached to the 

 acquisition of these islands that in 1460 they were given by 

 Alphonso V. to his sister the duchess of Burgundy, and colonised 

 by Flemings, who however appear always to have recognised the 

 authority of the king of Portugal They fell together with Portugal 

 under tie dominion of Spain in 1580, and continued so till the 

 restoration of the house of Braganza in 1640; since which time they 

 have remained in the undisturbed possession of the Portuguese. 



All the islands are of volcanic origin. Though there is no visible 

 volcano now in operation, the effects of internal heat and disturbanca 

 are seen not only in the caldeiras, or fountains of boiling water that 

 exist in many parts, but in the frequent and disastrous earthquakes 

 to which the islands are subject. The most formidable on record 

 occurred in 1591 ; it continued twelve days without intermission, and 

 entirely destroyed the flourishing town of Villa Franca in the island 

 of St. Michael. The last eruption that took place was in 1808 in the 

 island of St George : on the 1st of May a dreadful volcano burst out, 

 and a large crater, rising to the height of about 3500 feet, was formed 

 in the centre of the island, amidst fertile pastures; it continued 

 raging with terrific fury till the evening of the 2nd, when a second 

 small crater was opened, and subsequently from 12 to 15 others. On 

 the Sth its force began to fail ; and a few days afterwards it ceased 

 entirely. Although it had given timely warning, yet about 60 persons 

 lost their lives, and numbers of cattle were destroyed. The lava 

 inundated and swept away the town of Ursulina, with many cottages, 

 farms, and country-houses ; and this beautiful island, before rich in 

 cattle, corn, and wine, became a scene of ruin and desolation. 



In connection with these islands there are also instances of the moro 

 extraordinary phenomena of submarine volcanoes, throwing up rocks 

 and islands from the bottom of the ocean. The first on record is that 

 mentioned by Kircherin 1538; another in 1720; and in 1811 a vol- 

 cano burst forth off the west end of St Michael's, throwing up from 

 the depth of 40 fathoms a very dangerous shoal. This took pi 

 February ; on the 18th of June, after raging several days, and ejecting 

 ashes, cinders, and stones, the crater made its appearance above the 

 surface of the water, increasing so rapidly that in two days it had 

 attained the height of 150 feet, and ultimately rose to near 300 feet, 

 forming an island about a mile in circumference. Subsequently it 

 sunk gradually into the sea, and by the middle of October in the same 

 year no part of it was visible above water, but a dangerous shoal still 

 B in.'iin '. 



The soil, which is formed entirely of volcanic substances, is very 

 prolific : the lava districts are cultivated with vines, oranges, and 

 lemons ; but where decomposition has afforded richer land, it yields 

 wheat, Indian corn, beans, Ac. Both European and tropical fruits 

 arrive at the greatest perfection ; and the face of the earth is so diver- 

 sified as in many places to exhibit within a small extent gardens of 

 aromatic flowers, pastures, vineyards, orangeries, &c. The islands, 

 though still abounding in uncultivated lands, produce much more 

 than sufficient for the supply of their present jMipulatinn, not only "f 

 the necessaries, but also of the luxuries of life. Vessels touching at 

 any of them can procure an abundant stock of refreshments ; and the 

 cattle are equal to any in the world. During the period of Spanish 

 possession, the Azores were very much frequented by the fleets both 

 in going to and returning from their American colonies ; and were the 

 scene of many of the exploits of Raleigh, Howard, and other British 

 commanders. 



The general character of thn island* is mountainous, the mountains 

 being of a conical form and of great bulk. The most remarkable 

 among them is the Peak of Pico. The annexed is a sketch of the 



inland (as seen six or seven leagues from the westward), which takes 

 its name from that singular elevation. The small sugar-lonf u 

 its summit is so very regular a* to appear the work of art. The 

 summit is 7911 feet above the level of the sea. The sides of this 

 in produce the finest wines, which, though inferior to 



