FORESTS OF OLONETZ. 4l 



sent chiefly to Holland. According to the statements of 

 the traders these inch boards are both in quality and price 

 inferior to the Swedish boards of the same measurement, 

 in consequence of which the preparation of them in large 

 quantities is not remunerative. 



' Coming next to those connected with Povonetz, I have 

 to state that not far from the post road on the river 

 Koumsa, at a distance of twenty- three versts from Povo- 

 netz, there is a saw-mill belonging to the timber merchant, 

 Mr Zachanieff. This mill also I had an opportunity of 

 seeing. It is built in a very pretty situation, in the valley 

 of the rapid river Kamsa, surrounded by lofty hills extend- 

 ing to the Onega Lake. The mill has one wheel and two 

 frames, and there are sawn in the course of the year about 

 30,000 logs. Everywhere about it are seen order and clean- 

 liness ; and there is a fire which never dies out, burning 

 continuously the outside slabs, the ends of logs, and other 

 debris ; and what are literally mountains of sawdust fill up 

 the picture of the mill and its surroundings, while the noise 

 of the wheel and of the saws is reverberated by the sur- 

 rounding forest. 



'A journey of some fifteen miles brings us to Povonetz. 

 A poorer and more unattractive town than this it is 

 impossible to imagine : it is simply a village built on the 

 plan of a town. The most remarkable object in Povonetz 

 is an old wooden church staading on the shore of Lake 

 Onega, built by Peter the Great, the only monument which 

 indicates that ever he was here. There is, it is true, 

 besides this, the Petrozavodsk road ; but this is now only 

 a footpath or track, by which are brought the goods 

 obtained in this town from Archangel. Add to this two 

 or three legends or traditions about Peter, and all records 

 of his having been here are exhausted. 



' Almost close to the town, on the estuary of the Povet- 

 chanka, is the saw-mill, which gives some little life to the 

 town, and is the only thing which vivifies its existence. 



' The whole biographies of the place tell only of what 

 relate to the works, besides which the inhabitants have an 



