\ 
CHERSON. 335 
The mouth of the Dnieper is extremely difficult «iap. 
to navigate: sometimes, the north-east wind i— , — -/ 
leaves it full of shallows; and, where there 
happens at any time to be a channel for vessels, 
it has not a greater depth of water than five 
feet; the entrance being at the same time 
excessively narrow. The sands are continually 
shifting : this renders the place so dangerous, 
that ships are rarely seen in the harbour. But 
the last blow to the commerce of Cher son was 
given by the war of Russia with France. Before 
this event took place, the exportation of corn, of 
hemp, and of canvas, had placed the town upon 
a scale of some consideration. All the ports of 
Russia in the Black Sea were more or less 
affected by the same cause ; and particularly 
Taganrog, which place received a serious check 
in consequence of the state of affairs with 
France .' 1 
The style of architecture visible in the build- 
ings of the fortress displayed a good taste : 
(2) Upon and near the banks of the Dnieper were the following plants: 
fountain Alysson, Alyssum mrmtanum ; Common Bugloss, Anchusa 
officinalis; Beard-grass, Andropogon T tehee mum ; Broom-leaved Snap- 
dragon, Antirrhinum Genistifolium ; Dotted Starwort, Aster punclalus 
(see WiUdenow) ; Branching Campion, Cucvbttlus Catholicas ; Branching 
Larkspur, Delphinium consolida ; Field Spurge, Euphorbia segetalis; 
Hoary Rampion, Phyteuma canescens, with large purple flowers; it was 
growing among the rocks near the river (see Waldstein ); Berry-bearing 
Catch-fly, Polycnemum arvense — Silene baccifera. 
