SECOND EXCURSION TO THE 
engraving, in the second volume of his “Travels 
through the Southern Provinces of the Russian 
Empire.” The anniversary, mentioned by Bro- 
niovius, is still celebrated here 1 2 . Some peasants 
brought us a few copper coins ol Vladimir the 
Great. These are very interesting, because 
they evidently refer to the sera of his baptism; 
an event which took place near the spot. They 
have in front a Russian V, and for reverse a 
crucifix ; symbolical of his conversion to the 
Christian religion. It has been already men- 
tioned, that he was baptized in 'the Crimea; 
and the ceremony took place, according to 
Herber stein *, at the city of Chersonesus, called 
Cherson, or Corson 3 ; a name easily now con- 
founded with Cherson on the Dnieper ; an 
appellation bestowed by the Russians, with 
their usual ignorance of antierit geography, 
upon a modem town, near to the mouth of that 
(1) “ Est in eo loco unde rivulus ille delabitur Pagus quidam non 
ignobilis, et non procul in rij.fl maris, in monte saxoso, Gr tecum monas- 
terium, Sancti Georgii solemne-, annivcrsaria devotio Graecis Christianis, 
qui nunc in Taurica sunt reliqui, in magna frequentia ibi fieri solet. 
Martini Broniovii Tartaria, Lug. Bat. 1630. 
(2) Apud Pagi, tom. IV. p. 5G. 
(3) See the Additional Notes at the end of th'u Volume, for a very 
interesting document concerning this once magnificent city, by Bro- 
niovius ; an account very little known, but preserving, perhaps, the only 
existing description of it. Broniovius states, that Vladimir was bap- 
tized by the Greek Patriarch, in the principal monastenj of the city of 
Chersonesus. 
