24 FORESTRY IN EASTERN RUSSIA. 



The principal rivers which flow into the Volga are the 

 Tvertza, the Mologa, the Sestra, the Soscha, the Oka, the 

 Sura, the Kasanka, the Kama, the Sok, and the Samara. 



If the expression the highway of the sea be justifiable, 

 these rivers may be spoken of as the highway of the 

 desert, both in reference to the conveyance of travellers 

 and to the transport of merchandise, inclusive of the 

 products of the forests. And the Kama supplies to us 

 the means of prosecuting our journey eastward with ease 

 and comfort. 



This was the course taken by the friends who had 

 invited me to accompany them on their vist to their 

 kinsman in Ufa. 



The Kama rises near Lip, in the Government of Viatka, 

 on a branch of the Ural chain, flows north north-east, 

 south-west, and west through this Government and that 

 of Perm, becomes the boundary between the Government 

 of Viatka and those of Perm and Orenburg ; and entering 

 the Government of Kazan, it flows into the Volga on its left 

 bank, after a course of about 1000 miles. It is navig- 

 able for boats of light draught (150 poods burden, 6000 

 lbs. Russian, 5,400 avoirdupois) throughout a great part of 

 its course. Its waters are at the lowest in August, when 

 its depth at Perm is 23 feet 4< inches less than in spring. 



The principal affluents of the Kama are the Vicbera, 

 the Tshussovara, the Bielaya, and the Ik, on the left bank, 

 and the Olva, Ij, Viatka, and Micka, on the right. The 

 Bielaya, or White Eiver, is turbid, and its waters are of a 

 whitish colour. It rises in the Government of Orenburg, 

 in the Ural chain, to the north-east of Vershni-Uralsk, 

 and after a course of 650 miles flows into the Volga on 

 the left bank, passing in its course Sterlinatamak and Uka. 



The Ufa also rises in the Ural mountains, and, flowing 

 through a mountainous and fertile country, after a course of 

 350 miles, it falls into the Bielaya, near the city to which 

 it gives its name. This was the next ' stage of the 

 contemplated journey of my friends. It is a city of 



