THE URAL MOUNTAIKS. 67 



22,687,000 desiatins, of which 13,139,316 desiatins belong 

 to the Crown, equivalent to 77'9 desiatins of the forests, or 

 45'1 desiatins per square verst of the land. The annual 

 fellings in the Crown forests yield 6'7 cubic feet, and the 

 revenue is 2'6 kopecs per desiatin. 



This Government, bounded on the west by that of 

 Viatka, and on the north by that of Vologda, is situated 

 chiefly in European, but partly in Asiatic Russia. It has 

 a reputed area of 128,978 square miles, and is intersected 

 from north to south for above 450 miles by the great Ural 

 chain of mountains, here from seven to seventj' miles 

 broad, and is in general a hilly country covered with vast 

 impenetrable forests. The rivers on the west side of the 

 Ural chain flow into the Kama, the tributary of the Volga, 

 those on the east side of that chain fall for the most part 

 into the Obi, which discharges itself into the Frozen 

 Ocean. There are about 600 lakes scattered over the 

 Government, most of them to the east of the Ural range. 



The forests contain various animals, such as the sable 

 and martin, which are hunted for their furs, and also bears 

 and other beasts of prey. The south-eastern part of the 

 Government is fertile and cultivated, producing rye, barley, 

 oats, flax, and potatoes ; but though the climate be warm 

 in summer, cold winds from the mountains often blast the 

 hopes of the husbandman, and the most of the country is 

 much fitter for pasturage than tillage. The occupation of 

 most of the inhabitants is pastoral, but about 100,000 are 

 employed in connection with the mines, from which are 

 obtained iron, copper, platinum, gold, silver, salt, marble, 

 agates, and loadstone. 



Perm, the capital of the Government, is situated at the 

 confluence of the Jagashika with the Kama, which here 

 flows with a swift current and a deep stream. It has a 

 population of 10,000. The houses consist in general of 

 wooden structures of a single storey, ranged round a quad- 

 rangular court, but there are several stone houses and 

 public buildings. 



