4 THE FOREST LANDS OF FINLAND. 
good many barges, coasting ships, and steamers, which 
partly conceal, but do not do so altogether, the Mining 
Corps and some other like commanding buildings. A-head 
of the steamer a little way is the Alexander Bridge. 
Passing underneath one’ of the arches a new and 
magnificent view bursts upon us. On the left or larboard 
bow are seen the Academy, the University, the Exchange ; 
a-head of these is the Fortress, with the lofty, beautiful 
spire of the Church dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, in 
the crypt of which are the tombs of the Emperors who 
have reigued since the founding of the city; and not far 
off, but not seen from the steamer, is the hut inhabited by 
Peter, while the palace afterwards inhabited by him and 
his successors, and the city which bears his name, were 
a-building. 
Beyond the Exchange and the Fortress flows one of the 
numerous embouchures of the river designated the Little 
Neva, in contradistinction to the main stream, the Great 
Neva, separating Vasilli Ostrof from the city or the main- 
land, or what may be reckoned such. Beyond the Fortress 
is another embouchure, the Nevka, which afterwards 
bifurcates into the Great Nevka and the Little Nevka. 
A little above the branching off of the Nevka—on what 
may be described as a continuation of the right bank of 
the Nevka trending towards the middle of the main stream, 
the Neva—is a long stretch of white buildings, the School 
of Medicine with hospitals and other adjuncts; and in 
apparent continuation to these, but at an obtuse angle 
with the line of their frontage, is Nicholai Bridge, con- 
cealed from sight by the somewhat concave opposite bank 
of the Neva. The breadth of the river throughout the 
stretch from the Exchange, at which the Little Neva 
takes its departure, to the School of Medicine on the 
inclination of the bank of the Neva, the prolongation of 
which is the right bank of the Nevka, is magnificent. 
There are, besides the permanent bridges mentioned, 
two Pontoon Bridges, which serve to vary the scene. 
In keepiag with all that is to be seen on the larboard 
