MEMOIR OF PALLAS. 37 



pearances, and excited an interest which has since 

 yielded an abundant harvest.* 



Our Naturalist set off from Petersburg in June 

 1768, and having passed through Moscow, and 

 crossed the plains of European Russia, spent the 

 winter at Simbirsk on the Yolga, in the midst of 

 those Tartars who were originally masters in Russia, 

 but who have since devoted themselves to agricul- 

 ture. He then moved forwards to Orenburg, which 

 is the great rendezvous for the migratory hordes 

 who wander over the salt deserts on the north of 

 the Caspian, and who conduct the caravans which 

 convey the commerce of India across the deserts. 

 Descending the river Jaik, or Oural, he stopped at 

 Gurief, a small Russian fortress upon the Caspian, 

 and with much care examined that great sea, which 

 formerly, according to him, was much more exten- 

 sive, and whose ancient shores may still be recog- 

 nized at a great distance from its present waters 

 towards the north and west. Returning through 

 the province of Orenburg, he spent the second win- 

 ter at Ufa. 



The year 1770 was employed in visiting the two 

 slopes of the Oural mountains, and the numerout 

 iron mines which have been worked among them ; 

 and which have supplied to many families, in a 

 few generations, fortunes equal to those of European 

 princes. In December he reached Tobolsk, the 

 capital of Siberia, and there wintered. In 1771 he 



* Nov. Com* P«tTQ, t. xiii. 



