44 THE FOREST LANDS OF NORTHERN RUSSIA. 



which now, in consequence of the dismantling of the for- 

 tress of Nova Dwina, is left without defence." 



1 According to the views of Mr Seederoff, there will only 

 be required the construction of a canal fifty versts long, 

 which, opening on the lake, will make it possible for ship- 

 ping to pass from the lake to the White Sea, or from the 

 White Sea to Lake Onega, and, consequently, to St. 

 Petersburg.' 



M. Judrae goes on to say, 'Mr Seederoff has, I think, 

 neglected to take into account the rapids of the Svir, 

 which, to the accomplishment of such a scheme, would 

 require to be passed by a canal ; and this would add con- 

 siderably to the difficulty of the undertaking. But both 

 the Onega and White Sea canal and the White Sea road 

 remain at present within the category of projects, and they 

 are likely to remain there for some time, as no one 

 seriously believes in the execution of either of them in the 

 immediate future. 



' Returning to details of my journey : After proceeding 

 some eighteen versts, or twelve miles, by boat through a 

 succession of narrow lakes, I landed at a place where there 

 was a very narrow path, which could only be traversed on 

 foot. A walk of six versts, or four miles, brought me to 

 the village of Morskoy Mosselgie. The road I found 

 pleasant. It goes along a picturesque ridge of hills, run- 

 ning from west to east some thirty-two versts or twenty- 

 one miles north of Povonetz, at an elevation of some seven 

 hundred feet above the level of the adjacent country, being 

 the greatest altitude in the Government of Olonetz. 



' This ridge constitutes the watershed of streams flowing 

 on the one side to the Baltic, and on the other to the 

 White Sea. On the former are narrow lakes, which, with 

 the rivers connecting them or issuing from them, flow into 

 the Onega, while on the latter is the Matkozero, whose 

 waters flowing northward follow the course indicated. 



' On the banks of the Matkozero they fell wood for the 

 saw-mills at Povonetz, transporting it by carts across the 

 Mosselgie ridge, the woodmen going further and further 



