RIDGES OF CARBONIFEROUS LIMESTONE.— PREOBRAJENSK. 
451 
and good arrangements of General Perowski. The whole of the south-western por- 
tion of the Ural Mountains, from whence we took our departure, is composed ot 
an infinite number of sharp ridges of carboniferous limestone of about 900 to 1000 
feet in height, which expanding in rapid undulations trend towards the south into 
the Gurmaya and Camel Hills. 
To the north of the Katchufka the ridges diminish in number, and the whole 
calcareous zone is reduced to the width of less than twenty versts, between the 
Permian rocks on the west and older palaeozoic rocks on the east. Richly orna- 
mented at intervals with fine trees and herbage, this limestone district appeared to 
us to be one of the most favoured tracts inhabited by the poor Bashkirs, through 
whose lands we travelled for so long a distance 1 . 
In the outer or western portion of these calcareous hills we observed Fusulinse 
in a gritty limestone, fossils, as has been before shown, characteristic of the upper 
division of the formation in many parts of Russia ; whilst in the inner portion were 
thick beds of pure limestone with large Producti, including the P. Valdaicus, which 
is equally characteristic of its lower members. These organic remains, accom- 
panied as they were by a prevalent dip to the west, already taught us that, notwith- 
standing many breaks and contortions, we were advancing to older strata. In a 
tract covered with fine vegetation and in which no quarries had ever been opened, 
it was difficult, even with very steep slopes and deep glades, to define the geologi- 
cal character of the succeeding beds, but from occasional glimpses they seemed to 
consist of black schists with thin courses of impure limestone containing Encrinites 
1 Though the great mass of the South Ural is still possessed by the Bashkirs, the Russians are daily 
purchasing their lands, wherever ores or fine soil occur, and the original inhabitants (like the R 
of America) are thus gradually compressed iuto limits incompatible with the existence of a ’ 
destitute of any agricultural art, and living exclusively on the produce ot their herds o ioi. es. n u 
most mountainous tracts, however, Bashkirs alone are still to be found, among whom we ecu i no lave 
been forwarded without the special orders of General Perowski, who furnished us indee w it provisions 
and a carriage suitable to the rugged country, directing Bashkir officer. (who do the duty of Cossack.) to 
accompany us. We can never forget either the pleasant hour, we passed at the Katchufka of General 
Perow ski or the services be rendered n. in this tour, still 1... the admirable MS. map of _.he i whole region 
with which he furnished us. I. was on this occasion that w. induced M. . Khamkof, attach d to the 
staff of the Governor-General, to describe the geographical feature, of al the surrounding noun, and 
to furnish a memoir, which Mr. M.rchison has since inserted in the 14th volume of the Transaction, of 
the Royal Geographical Society of London. The name of Perowski ha. been printed in the preceding 
pages, 131 et seq. as it is pronounced, “ Perofski or Perovski. 
