344 
Prof. Milne — Across Europe and Asia. 
stuck together to represent grottoes, cottages, and other devices, 
which I think, from what I afterwards saw, must probably have been 
tuade in Ekaterinburg or its neigbbourhood. All were very dear, 
and there were none of any great value. 
After many difficulties, I found, amongst the dense black mass of 
barges and steamers wbich line the banks of the river, a boat whicli, 
on the following morning, was to Start for Perm. As it was lying 
upon the south side of the river, I had opportunity to look at some 
high steep banks wliich rose high above us. Running horizontally 
along the face of this slope, wliich I have mentioned as having 
seen from the railway, there are many well-marked horizontal 
terraces. Two of these were very broad and flat. In several places 
the scarp or slope was cut tlirougli with small gulleys. These were 
utilized as roadways between the upper plane and the river. Where 
cuttings had been made, reddish-looking earthy sections, traversed 
wuth a few whitish bands, wliich looked like chalk, could be seen. 
The height of this scarp above the level of the river is about 240 
feet, and the slope at the steepest part about 29°. At the top of 
this the country is flat. The red and white bands, both of whicli 
are apparently marly and witliout stones, are clearly visible up to 
about 180 feet. When dry, these materials break like a dried clay. 
About 10 a.m. next morning, the whistle sounded three times, the 
captain gave his Orders, and we pushed out into mid-stream. After 
doffing of hats, and Crossing (I suppose for a favourable voyage), we 
started off in a driving rain against a head wind down the Yolga. 
All that I could now see of the river was by looking through the 
cabin window. Everywhere there are shoals of sand. On the north 
side of the river, where the banks were sufficiently cut into to show 
the stratification, long straight lines and sweeping curves could be 
distinctly traced. After a few miles, the scarp upon the south side, 
instead of looking as if it were only the sudden termination of a 
plain, merged gradually into a hill-like cliaracter. Both the liills 
and the scarp whicli now formed their face were of a red colour, 
and the white beds, which before had been at higher levels, 
were now only to be seen near the base. As we pushed on down 
the river, a long sandy shore crept in between us and the scarp. 
Towards the afternoon, as we travelled eastwards, the hills became 
less precipitous and scarp-like, until at last they had a rounded 
outline, and stripes of corn-fields diversified their sides. The islands 
in the river show sections of stratified earth or mud. Some of them 
are, however, sandy, and their light-coloured shores contrasted 
favourably with their dark-green cap of birch and alder. As night 
came on, the cold and drizzle, instead of ceasing, came on also. The 
hills ujion the south side drew nearer to the river’s edge, along 
which they continued pretty constantlv. Those courses of the river 
whicli had the more northerly direction were, I think, bounded upon 
their Southern side with the steepest banks. These still kept their 
red colour, and, where they had a few trees clinging to their sides, 
looked pictnresque. 
At 5'30 p.m. we stopped upon the south side of the river at a 
