10*7 



BESSARABIA. 



BESSARABIA. 



export* of Hungary, Voliiavia, \Vallscbia, nnd the sdjacxnt Tuikish 



intir thegi i' | < (if at all) i,- 



diradTautsgr. It if .-aid tlmt Itucria mllirs the I the 



Sulina il;iM-l with the inttutii.il .f divcitim; tbe Danubian trade 



!.. Kiba l.rsnrh, wbiih >] d ml mutable for the 



advantupe of the trade of the Besearabiau l.ail mir of Irinail. Bei-idt-n 



r at the mouth of tbe Stdina (hire are in the ran? branch tbe 



boats of Artgsrg, which lie about six miles lelow the sepnmlion of 



thr channelt. and require to be kpt char by rxking the n ml. 



Jty the treaty of Adriaoople the EL G> orge'a channel ia free to 

 .iut vessels of all nation*, and to tbe war-ships of Russia and 

 Tuikey. But its entrance is extremely dangerous aiid difficult on 

 account of shifting banks of mud, which extend two or three mil' - into 

 the sea ; and < veu if these were passed, such in the neglect of the navi- 

 gation of the stream, that in pome places there are not more than 

 4 feet water. Tbe islands of the delta of the Danube are declared 

 by the In nty "f Adrianople to be neutral, and no i fctalOisl mtnta or 

 atone buildings, except for purposes of quarantine, are allowed to be 

 I ; ltn.-.-iii however has a town of wooden houses at tbe mouth 

 of the iSulina. 



The Austrian Steam Navigation Company, whose steamers ply 

 between Vicuna and Constantinople, tried a new route a short time 

 ago, in order to avoid tbe Sulina channel. They disembarked goods 

 and passengers at Chernevodo below Rassova, at tbe point where the 

 Lower Dani be makes tbe great bend to the northward, and hail tin in 

 conveyed overland to Kustendje on the Black* Sea. The voyage 

 between tbe two capitals was thus shortened by two whole days ; 

 but in consequence of the difficulty of loading and embarking in 

 rough weather at the harbour of Kustondje this route has been 

 abandoned. [P.ixruE.] A project has been lately broached for 

 cutting a ship eaua] from RUSSIA a to Kustendje in order to avoid 

 the tedious navigation by tin Lower Danube, 



The Pruth which bounds the province on the west, enters it below 

 Tthernovitz from the Buckowine and quits it between Kcny and Galatz, 

 where, after a southerly course of nearly '200 miles, it falls into the 

 Danube. The Pruth is navigable throughout its course in this pro- 

 Tince, and u increased by the influx of the Dc-lawez, Rakowez, T-i 

 Bag! in, and other streams. [I'niTH.] The Jaljm-h, the largest river 

 which rises in Bessarabia, flows into the lake of the same name in the 

 south-went, Hud afterwards empties itself into the Danube. The 

 A'' 'j'llnik and .Sura/a, two rivers in the Budjnk, both flow into the 

 Black Sea. The JJnietter, a muddy, yellow-tinted, and exceedingly 

 rapid stream, akirta the northern confines of Bessarabia, entering 

 from the Buckowine near Kin. tin. and afterwards forma its eastern 

 boundary, until it dincharge* itself into the Black Sea. In thin line 

 iu breadth varies from 80 to 100 fathoms : its chief tributaries on 

 the Bessarabiau aide are tbe Rcut, which has its influx opposite to 

 Dyboawi ; and the Botna, which falls in below Bender. [DNIESTER.] 



The northern part of the province contains no inland waters of any 

 magnitude; the southern, in the neighbourhood of the Danube and 

 Black Sea, abounils with them. Among the last we may mention the 

 great ' limau ' (a Russian word signifying an expanse of water mixed 

 with mud, rushes, Ac.) of the Dniester, which lies at its mouth, and 

 ia 18 miles iu length and 5 miles in breadth. Lake Sasyk has two 

 small outlets through the high rampart of sand that divides it from 

 the Black Sea, and through which the Kugnlnik and Sarata flow. 

 Lake* Kodsbegol, Katlabuga, Tasbpnnar, and Saffian are connected 

 by canals, and have their outfal in the Danube near Ismail. Lake 

 Jalpuch i* one of the largest of the** waters, and abounds with li.-h. 

 Lake Kagul lies at the mouth of tbe Pruth, opposite to which the 

 Duube is studded with a multitude of little islands. In the lake* 

 next the Danube the water is sweet, but in those nrxt the Black Sea 

 it is salt. BoMarabin has a number of mineral springs. 



Climate. The climate is in g< in ml mild, salubrious and agreeable ; 

 the grape, the finer kinds of fruit, and melons grow in the open air. 

 The steppes of the Uudjak however, having no shelter fi oin tree* or 

 woods, are sometime* no hot in summer that the grass withers ; yet 

 the vicinity of the Carpathian*, anil the i re remote range of tin- 

 Balkan fortunately prevent thin extreme heat from being of long 

 duration iu ordinary seasons. Tbe winter is piercingly cold in these 

 -, which are unprotected by the highlands or mountain*. 

 .iiativu and Product. Since Bessarabia has been incorporated 

 with th RuMian dominit us the cultivation of the soil has been 

 rapidly improving, and numerous colonies have been se'tlcd in thr 

 heart of the country : they are principally located on the banks of 

 the Kogalnik, and conaistof Pole*, Prussian*, Wurtembergers, 1 

 n.- ii. 1 la varians, Bohemians, Ac. B< aides these there arc I.'; 

 of Bulgarians settled iu tbe southern districts of Bessarabia 

 withstanding these immigrations extensive districts of productive 

 hud remain either uncultivated or are only used as pasture for cattle 

 and sheep. Tbe description" of grain raised in Bessarabia are wheat, 

 barley, millet, and particularly kukmu/., or maize, tbe meal of which 

 i sub-titutod for wbeaten flour. The corn lands, from the facilities 

 l/r export afforded by the ports of Reny and Ismail, are situated 

 chiefly in that direction, or at all event* near the navigable riven on 

 the east and wont of the province, down which the produce ot the 

 country is conveyed in barges. The growth of the vine has consider- 

 nbly spread of late years, in consequence of the heavy duties imposed 



i upon all i.pple., nuts. and wines brought from Turk. 



i.ci| ii. ly i-itnati il in the diti ict of Akeiin:iiin, in wl.: 

 colony of Ilihctia lie- ,<uh iinj r< 



the introdnci . 11 KIMH|.. !..., |,. ..ml Hungarian Minks. 'I he 

 Paliukowovc \Vii,o. are 



for H time, is prepared in large quaniitieK, mul eet In i.t 



imilici ment. Flax, lump, tobatco, and {nippies are also grown, and 

 a multitude of gardens and orchards luim.-h nil abundant hiij 

 apricots, cherries, applec, pen i hnhni. .ii .... :.nd exported 



from the districts of Orkhei and I ml walnuts. Hock and 



water melons are extremely fine, in , .irticnlarly ; 



cucumber* of enormous size are grown, as well as gourds, onions, garlic, 

 and Spanish pcp| 



The northern jjart* of Bessarabia, which are full of forest*, especially 

 near the Prutb, produce the oak, beech, lime, maple, poplar, am I 



of trees. The districts of Orkbei and Yassy yii-ld ixccllcnt 

 oak for shipbuilding. Tin- mullx rry also thrivis in thin mil. The 

 gnat resource of the prminec i.- ln.ev. i the reining of horned 

 horses, and sheep ; fort! Budjnk abound in ex. 



grass and theumthun district.- in iiel ti.i,. In 



I spite of the losses which i ln.ir flocks 



i and herds to the violent snow-drifts of winter union).' the sti 'ppes, they 

 ' are yet enabled to export several thousand heads ! sheep, 



as well as hones, and to supply tin i i. wi.nl in !:UT. 



tities. Private individuals maintain studs of great extent, and the 

 districts of Yassy and Khotiu are celebrated for the number of horses 

 they rear, no less than for the excellence of the breeds. The buffalo is 

 not uncommon in Bessarabia. Cattle and thcep I'rom pait.- 1 

 the border are brought to be fattened on its rich soil. All kinds of 

 game are found to the north of the Budjak ; the steppes in the south 

 are frequented by numerous flocks of waterfov :., bustards, 



herons, Ac. The fisheries, particularly on the Danube, aflbr. 

 Stable employment to the inhabitants; and Vilkoff, at the month of 

 i that river, carries on an extensive trade in salted anil dried fish, caviar, 

 MM! herring*. Much honey and wax are also : 



The jirincipol mineral product of this province is salt, wh 

 obtained in considerable quantities from the lakes iu the l:mlj..k. 

 Vast quantities of Fait are miule on the great 'hnmu ' at the 

 ol the Dniester, iu the neighbourhood of Akcrmuuu ; the qi;. 

 made in one year has exceeded 112,500 tov.s, and it is n. 

 yearly produce might be raised to seven tiuieit that quantity. Much 

 saltpetre is found iu the environs of Suroka ou the Urn. .-lei , w ! 

 in procured with little labour and at a trifling ixj en.-e, and coal ha* 

 been discovered in the north of the provii mineral resources 



remn in to be more diligently explored. It produces likewise alabaster, 

 marble, lime, and stone of various kinds. Much charcoal ia also 

 made, and part of it is exported to Odessa. 



Bessarabia is divided into six districts in the north Ktiotin, the 

 capital of which is the town and fortress of the name name, lying on 

 the Dniester, with 8000 inhabitants; to the south of this in tho 



. chief town llrlt-.y, 3500 inhabitants; ne.v 



Orkhei. or Kischeneff, the capital of which, K' a the little 



ii\.r !'-. 1.. :\ I. <.i.r of the Dniester, with 4:1, dUO inhabitants, is also 

 the capital of the whole prn\incu |K net of 



.MI o| which ia Bender, on tl. 



latinniif 13,000 [BEN DEB] ; Akornmnn, or Akjeiinann, thechicl town 

 of which bears the sume name, and was called Alba Julia in th 

 of i)n l\oiiiiai, a strong tortrere wr . ...Me town and 



inhabitants, ou the Union of tin I >nii r r [ AKMIMANN] : and lastly tho 

 district of Ismail, whose capital of the same name lie* ou the Kilia 

 ...'."ii inhabitant*, nnd has a fine harbour. [lt>iiAii..J 

 The only other town worth mentioning is JSTUio, 01 A Inch 



stands on the left bank of the Kilia channel of the Dimubo and about 

 14 miles above its mouth : population about i 



Population, <tc. The po)Milution of Bea*arabia, besides the element* 

 above given, includes gipsies, Moldavian*, Rtisniaus, Greeks. 

 Ai in. iiianii; the Saporoga Cossacks, who migmted i i the 



Turkish side of the Danube in 1M'. 1 -. have 



coh.ni. K. Tl. -ill miliUiiy levim, and 



there are no serfs or bniidsineu in i \cep- 



t the gipsicK, and in a few c-. -erviints. 



Beiaarabia contains 8 towns, 16 villages with maiket*. and 

 without them. These towns and villages cont;. n churchea 



of stone, and between TOO and 800" . . \. i..i monas- 



teries and convents, 1 ecclesiastical reminary, -, and 



ins for tbe sick. The M! 



appearance, the greater part of them consisting of hute halt concealed 



underground ; they are seldom without a place of worship. The 



v of the Bwaarabians are Moldowans or Moldavians, numbers 



of whom have emigrated to the Budjuk, where they have s. tiled on 



the ciowu land*. Their language is the Moldavian, a mixture of 



Slavonian, Latin, and Italian; it ia full of diphthongs, and has hence 



I a certain dcgrte of richness and euphony. They profees 



the UiiMO-Oreek faith, and ore a tall, handsome, slim race of 



men have much beauty, surpass tbe men in industry, moke 

 their own and their huabandu' 



at the distaff; they also manage all househol. 1 r the .'>... 1 



davian is no indolent that he prefers the roaming, sluggish life of a 



