CHAPTER VII. 

 FORESTS OF ARCHANGEL. 



THE report of M. Judrge does not embrace any account of 

 the forests in Archangel. Of these, and of the aspects of 

 forests along a different route from that followed by him, 

 some idea may be formed from the graphic accounts of 

 Hepworth Dixon, in the volume entitled Free Russia. 

 His journey was from north to south from Archangel 

 towards the central districts of the empire and it thus 

 supplies an account of what might have been seen on a 

 return journey from Archangel or from beyond it by 

 another route. It is in accordance with what I have 

 myself seen travelling in other parts of Russia, and with 

 what I have heard from others of what they have experi- 

 enced in travelling through the forest lands of the Empire. 



Speaking of his tour through Russia, he says : ' My 

 line from the Arctic Sea to the southern slopes of the 

 Ural Range ; from the Straits of Yeni-Kale to the Gulf of 

 Riga ; runs over land and lake, forest and fen, hill and 

 steppe. My means of travel are those of the country; 

 drojki, cart, barge, tarantass, steamer, sledge, and train. 

 The first stage of my journey from north to south is from 

 Solovetsk to Archangel ; made in the provision boat, under 

 the eyes of Natha John. This stage is easy, the grouping 

 picturesque, the weather good, and the voyage accomplished 

 in the allotted time. The second stage is from Archangel 

 to Vietegra ; done by posting in five or six days and nights ; 

 a drive of 800 versts through one vast forest of birch and 

 pine/ 



It is .the narrative of this journey to which I have 

 referred as conveying some idea of what travelling in 



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