24 THE FOREST LANDS OF NORTHERN RUSSIA. 



afterwards destroyed, and replaced by other works com- 

 pleted in 1774. Guns continued, nevertheless, to be 

 imported into Russia at great expense from the Carron 

 works in Scotland, owing probably to the unsatisfactory 

 state of the establishment on Lake Onega. In order to 

 improve the latter, Catherine II. invited Charles Gascoigne, 

 the manager of the Carron works, to come over and 

 rebuild the Gun Foundry, which he did in 1794, when the 

 town that had sprung up around it took the name of 

 Petrozavodsk. Gascoigne was accompanied by two Eng- 

 lish artisans, who subsequently rose to great emiDence in 

 the service of Russia. Guns for the navy are to this day 

 cast at Petrozavodsk. 



The Government is divided into seven districts, and the 

 town of Olonetz, on the river Olonza, is the capital of the 

 district bearing that name, while Petrozavodsk is the 

 capital of the Government. Olonetz is a town of nearly 3000 

 inhabitants, on the Olonka, at the junction of the Meg- 

 vega, about 15 miles from the east coast of Lake Ladoga, 

 132 miles north-east from St. Petersburg, and 72 miles 

 south-west of Petrozavodsk. It has large building docks, 

 established by Peter the Great, and numerous saw- mills. 

 The soil, where not covered with forests, is in some parts 

 stony, and in others marshy, and generally little capable 

 of culture. Between Lakes Onega and Ladoga are quar- 

 ries of marble and porphory, and in some of the mountains 

 are mines of iron and copper. In the Museum at Petro- 

 zavodsk are beautiful collections of the marbles found in 

 the Government, and models of different places of interest 

 in the Government, and relics of the Imperial founder. 



Petrozavodsk covers a good deal of ground, surmounted 

 by two cathedrals, in both of which officiates the Arch- 

 bishop of the diocese. Near to these is the residence of 

 the Governor, and the Cazerne or Barracks. The town is 

 traversed by a small river, the Lossalenka. The number 

 of inhabitants is about 7000. 



Lake Onega, upon which it has been built, is only one of 

 several lakes in the Government of Olonetz. 



