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DESCRIPTION OF THE MAPS IN VOL. I. 
In defining the boundaries of the different formations beyond the sphere of our own explora- 
tions, we have necessarily consulted the observations of our predecessors. Of these the 
most useful to us in the first instance was a small general map compiled by Colonel 
Helmersen after our first visit to Russia. Any one, however, who will take the trouble of 
comparing our Map (Plate VI.) with all previous attempts, from the early map of 
Strangways to that of Helmersen, will see what improvements and additions have since 
been made. The outline, however, between the cretaceous and tertiary rocks of the 
South of Russia will, we apprehend, be found the most defective, that region having been 
traversed by us on a few parallels only, whilst the ages of the deposits have, as yet, been 
there but very obscurely tested over large tracts by any characteristic organic remains. The 
mineral characters of the surface (in the cretaceous and tertiary tracts) are, indeed, very 
often to a great extent the same, except where the white chalk appears. 
In orthography we have usually endeavoured so to write the words upon our Maps, that they 
may he correctly pronounced in the English language. On this point we must observe, 
that we have everywhere endeavoured to avoid the use of that method of writing Russian 
names, which, through the authority of various German writers from the time of Pallas, has 
become too prevalent. The Russian v, for example, is exactly the English or French v ; 
and the German w is, therefore, quite a misapplication in a joint English and French work. 
For the German sch we have simply employed sh, fearing that if the c had been interpo- 
lated, many English as well as French readers, would give a hard instead of a soft sound 
to the Russian words in which it appears. The vowels a, e, i are to be pronounced as is 
usual in foreign words, according to their Italian sound. The vowel u in every Russian 
word is pronounced like the French ou or the Italian u, and we therefore simply retain the u, 
attaching to it the Italian sound. In regard to the use of the ch before a vowel, we have not 
adhered to a practice introduced by some English writers, of applying it as pronounced in 
the words choose or cheese, but have prefixed a T, as in the words Tchussovaya, Tchudova, &c. 
Our reasons for preferring Tch are, that many Englishmen, in perusing foreign works, are 
apt to sound the ch hard (as the Germans), or like a guttural k, whilst again, if so written, 
it would necessarily be pronounced soft by Frenchmen (like our sh') ; and thirdly, because 
when preceded by a T, no Frenchman, Englishman or German can pronounce the words 
incorrectly. In preparing the Map Mr. Arrowsmith has, indeed, occasionally used ch, but 
whenever we have detected it in time, a change has been made to Tch. Generally, where 
the letter j precedes a vowel, it is to be pronounced as y. In every such instance it was, 
indeed, our wish to use the y, as in the words 1 enisei, I aroslavl, &c., but in a very few exam- 
ples (through the habit of writing names and places according to the German or French 
1 The strongest reason for not using ch as pronounced in the English word choose is, that in our own 
second or French volume such consonants are often soft before a vowel. Thus, the name of our young 
companion Lieut. Koksharoff is written Kokcharoff in French, the carboniferous locality Priksha of this 
volume is spelt Prikcha in the other, and Shavli in English is Chavli in French. 
