RUSSIA IN EUROPE. Ill 



The principal lakes in European Russia are the Onega, in the go- 

 vernment ol Olonetz, about 150 miles in length by 30 in breadth; 

 the lake Ladoga in the government of Vyborg, situate between the 

 lake Onega and the Gulf of Finland, 180 miles in length by 70 in 

 breadth, being one of the largest lakes in Europe ; the Peypus, which 

 divides the governments of Petersburg and Riga, about 60 miles in 

 length and 30 in breadth ; the Ilmen, on which stands the city of 

 Novgorod ; and the Bielozersk, or White Lake, so called from its 

 bottom being of white elay. The most considerable rivers are the 

 Volga, or Wolga, running east and south, which, after traversing the 

 greatest part of Russia, and winding a course of 3000 English miles, 

 falls into the Caspian Sea. It is remarkable, that in all this long 

 course there is not a single cataract to interrupt the navigation. As 

 it approaches to its mouth it divides itself into a greater number of 

 arms than any known river in the world, and discharges itself into 

 the Caspian Sea by more than 70 mouths. By means of this noble 

 river, the city of Moscow maintains a communication, not only with 

 all the southern parts of Russia, but even with Persia, Georgia, 

 Tartary, and other countries bordering on the Caspian Sea. The Don, 

 or Tanais, divides the most eastern part of Russia from Asia, and, 

 in vs course towards the east, approaches so near the Volga, that the 

 czar Peter I, had undertaken to form a communication between them 

 by means of a canal : this grand project, however, was defeated by 

 the irruption of the Tartars. This river, exclusive of its turnings 

 and windings, discharges itself into the Palus Maeb'tis, or sea of 

 Asoph, about four hundred miles from its rise. The Borysthenes, 

 or Dnieper, which is likewise one of the largest rivers in Europe, 

 runs through Lithuania, the country of the Zaporog Cossacs, and 

 that of the Nagaisch Tartars, and falls into the Euxine, or Black Sea, 

 at Kinburn, near Oczakow : it has thirteen cataracts within a small 

 distance. To these may be added the Duna, or Dvina, which empties 

 itself at Riga into the Baltic ; the Dwina, which has its source near 

 Ustiaga, and, dividing itself into two branches near Archangel, there 

 falls into the White Sea ; and the Neva, which issues from the lake 

 Ladoga, and falls into the Gulf of Finland below Petersburg. 



Though the plan of Peter I, to unite the Volga and the Don by a 

 canal, failed in the execution, a communication between Astracan 

 and Petersburg is effected by the canal of Vishnei Voloshok, which, 

 unites the Twertza and the Shlina. The canal of Ladoga, which 

 runs along the edge of that lake, joins the Voskof to the Neva, ex- 

 tending the length of 67 miles, and communicating with the canal of 

 Vishnei Voloshok. Another canal is cut from Moscow to the river 

 Don. 



Metals, minerals.. ..The principal mines of the Russian empire 

 are in Siberia, but there are some likewise in the European part, in 

 the mountains of Olonetz, where a gold mine was discovered in 1739 ; 

 but it yielded but 57 pounds of gold in the year, scarcely repaying the 

 labour of working it. 



Climate, soil, AGRicuLTuitE....The severity of the climate, in 

 Russia, properly so called, is very great. Dr. John Glen King, who 

 resided eleven years in Russia, observes, that the cold in St. Peters- 

 burg, by Fahrenheit's scale, is, during the months of December, 

 January, and February, usually from 8 to 15 or 20 degrees below ; 

 that is from 40 to 52 degrees below the freezing point ; though com- 

 monly, in the course of the winter, it is for a week or ten days some 



