52 Geography, [Cha?- V. 



to it. But from this general remark must be ex- 

 cepted the empire of Russia, and Turkey in Eu^ 

 rope ; together with Lapland and Iceland. Con- 

 cerning these important portions of the globe the 

 last age has brought to light much valuable infor- 

 mation, beyond what the most learned of the pre- 

 ceding century possessed. 



Wiien Peter the Great mounted the throne, the 

 Russian Empire w^as, properly speaking, ranked 

 among the incog7iita of the earth. That celebrated 

 monarch early engaged in projects for exploring 

 the interior of his vast dominions, and developing 

 the resources, the capacities, and the wants of his 

 people. Much w^as done, during his reign, toward 

 the accomplishment of this object ; but he left still 

 more to be performed by his successors. His de- 

 sign was prosecuted with great zeal and success, 

 by Catharine II; who, in I768, sent a number of 

 learned men to different parts of her extensive em- 

 pire, to ascertain its physical, moral, and political 

 condition. They were ordered to pursue their in- 

 quiry upon the different sorts of earths and waters ; 

 upon the best methods of cultivating the barren and 

 desert spots ; upon the local disorders incident to 

 man and animals, and the most efficacious means 

 of relieving them; upon the breeding of cattle, and 

 particularly of sheep ; on the rearing of bees and 

 silk-worms ; on the different places and objects of 

 fishing and hunting; on minerals; on arts and 

 trades; and on forming a Flora Russica, or col- 

 lection of indigenous plants. They were particu- 

 larly instructed to rectify the longitude and latitude 

 of the principal towns ; to make astronomical, geo- 

 graphical, and meteorological observations; to 



