12 The Hon. Mr. Strangways on the Geology of Russia. 



True alabaster, however, has only yet been found in Osel. The sand which 

 constitutes the greatest part of Livonia has more consistence, and is more pro- 

 perly called a sandstone, than that of the government of Novgorod, with which 

 it is naturally connected, both as accompanying the gypsum formation, and 

 as bounding the northern limestone on this side : it is therefore much better 

 adapted for geological examination, and is shown to great advantage in the 

 rocky valleys of the rivers Sabs, Raune, Ruje, Ammat, and Aa. Near 

 Treyden, on the latter river, it contains a cavern called the Gutmann'sHbhle ; 

 another in the same rock is called the Teufel's Hohle. The gypsum of 

 Livonia is exported in large quantities from Riga to Petersburg*. 



The red ground, in a state varying between sand and marl, is continued 

 through the government of Novgorod, and forms the valley or basin in which 

 the lake Ilmen lies. On the west side of this lake salt springs occur in many 

 places, of which it is necessary to mention only the principal. Starry Russ, or 

 Staraia Rus, which gives name to the manufactory and district. The same 

 formation extends across the lower part of the Msta, and across the Volkhof, 

 where it is in a more sandy state. In the government of Vologda, it occurs 

 in many places; the most distant of which towards the east is Cisolsk. Whe- 

 ther the Vologda salt district communicates with those of Perm on the east 

 and of Costroma on the south, is not yet determined. 



This may, perhaps, be the proper place to mention, that in this government, 

 at about 700 versts from the town of Vologda there is found near the mouth 

 of the Vim, district of Yarensk, a black bituminous slate called by the Rus- 

 sians Domanite. It resembles the Kimmeridge coal of Dorsetshire. 



* Livonia may be considered as a flat country, although some few hills attain a considerable 

 elevation. It is remarkable that none of the principal eminences belong to the calcareous 

 ranges by which the flat or sandy part of the country is bounded on the north and south ; but 

 rise insulated from the plain, and consist of the same sand and sandstone as the country below 

 thera. The best information respecting this country is to be found in Bray's Hist, de Livonia^ 

 vol. iii. also in two little works published at Riga, — Livona, and Livona^s Blumenkranz. 



Below are some measurements of the principal hills (from Bray's work). 



Teufelsberg, near Laitzen, . . 860 French feet 



I 



Sestu Kaln, near Aselhof, . . 650 > above Riga. 



Plain of Serben 539 3 



Munna Meggi (Egg.hill) . . 806 Rhenish feet above the lake'ofWcrro, proba- 



Wolla Meggi 766 [bly 1000 above the Baltic. 



Blauberg, a single hill, . . . 544 French feet. 



Gaysekaln (Himmelsberg or Fehsenberg), supposed to be higher than all. 

 In the languages of the country, Berg in German, Kaln in Lettonian, Meggi iu Esthonian, 

 signify Hill. 



