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Geology of the Environs of Petersburg . 
ridge of hills south of the Ladoga Lake, twenty-five versts south 
east of Schlusselburg. The strata are remarkably regular and 
horizontal ; and the stone differs in no respect from that found 
nearer Petersburg. These quarries enrich the inhabitants of the 
thriving crown village of Poutyelova, which is placed on the very 
brow of the hill in the body of which the stone is worked. The 
escarpment is in some places nearly perpendicular, and commands 
an extensive view of the lake Ladoga. Standing on this cliff, and 
looking to the north, it is impossible not to admit that there is at 
least a plausibility in the opinion, that the lake once washed its feet, 
and that it has since retreated, leaving the boggy plain now below it, 
which is yearly encreasing by a continuation of the same cause. 
The general traditionary idea that all the waters in this part of 
Russia are gradually sinking in level, (an idea which I shall not stop 
to examine,) tends to corroborate it. In the woods of Nazya are 
seen long barren ridges of loose sand, parallel both to the cliff and 
to the present shore of the lake, which might well be the ancient 
strands of the lake, left one behind the other, as it retired. This 
sand is very different in appearance from the true intermediate sand 
as it is seen in the neighbourhood. If not a sandstone, it is at least 
coherent, and shews the same colours, red, white, and yellow, so 
common on the Ishora and Tosna : in addition to which it forms 
several small hills and knolls of a decided character near Sheldikha, 
and may be seen cropping out from under the limestone on the 
eastern ascent to Poutyelova. The latter locality is at a considerable 
elevation. The celebrated canal of Ladoga, cut by Peter the Great, 
but now much neglected, runs through the plain below ; by means 
of which the stone is transported to Petersburg. 
The broad valley through which the river Volkhof flows to New 
Ladoga, here interrupts the escarpment : the limestone may perhaps 
