SPRINGS, RIVERS, CANALS, LAKES, 



tion ; for among the plants which grow on the banks of the Senegal, 

 some diffuse a scent so powerful as to be insupportable to the nerve* 

 of smell. 



Turning from these scenes of desolation and horror, let us survey 

 the grand and beneficial assemblage of rivers which are dispersed 

 over the countries of 



EUROPE. 



The WOLGA, or VOLGA, is the river most extensive in its course 

 of any which rises in Europe, being above two thousand miles in 

 length ; the whole of which it passes through the Russian territories, 

 when it enters Asia about 48 30' north latitude, discharging it* 

 waters into the Caspian sea, by various channels, below Astracfcn, 

 and at the same time producing many islands. 



D'Anville, who lays down the sources of this great river with his 

 wonted precision, makes the chief of them to issue from lake Ilmen^ 

 in the government of Novogorod, about 58 north latitude ; while 

 the next most considerable he derives from a much smaller lake, to 

 the south-east, in the government of Twer. These two streams, the 

 latter of which, by more modern geographers, has been called the 

 river TWrxo, unite at the town of Twer, near which the Wolga first 

 becomes navigable. On this subject Mr. Coxe speaks as follows : 

 The vast forest of Volkonski, which extends on the side of Smo- 

 lensko one hundred and fifty miles, almost to the gates of Moscow, 

 gives rise to the principal rivers of European Russia, such as the 

 Duna, the Nieper^ and the Volga; the sources of the two latter 

 rise at small distances from each other, not far from Viasma. 



The banks of the Volga are generally fertile ; and though not 

 sufficiently cultivated, on account of the frequent incursions of the 

 Tartars, \et the soil naturally produces all kinds of esculent plants, 

 and in particular asparagus of a very extraordinary size and goodness. 

 It is observable that most of the oaks in Russia grow in the coun- 

 tries watered by this river. The Volga is navigable for large ships ; 

 and toward the end of the spring is so swelled by the melting of the 

 ice and snow as to cause great inundations, particularly in the 

 months of May and June. The masters of the vessels which sail 

 down the Volga to Astracan, carefully observe this season, as they 



