TULA. 
248 
employed in repairing the pavement of the chap. 
streets, which is kept in good order. The dress '~- v — > 
of the young females displays their persons to 
advantage. A white shift covers the arms and 
body in front, and is fastened behind with tape. 
It is drawn tight over the breast, and there 
held by a small button. 
The iron mines in the neighbourhood of this Iron Mine*!, 
place are very considerable: they occupy an 
extent of more than ten miles, in a country 
somewhat hilly, covered by thick woods. The 
whole of the soil around them is impregnated 
with iron, but the richest ore is found towards 
the west. It lies scarcely concealed by a 
superincumbent surface, not more than fourteen 
inches thick, consisting of sand mixed with 
mould, and sometimes of sand alone. From 
these mines the celebrated forges of Demidof, 
distant thirty-eight miles from Tula, derive 
their ore. 
As soon as we left Tula, we quitted the main Road from 
road from Moscoiv to Cherson, and turned off due wormetz. 
south, towards Woronetz. After ascending the 
heights above Tula, we were carried into a wide 
and desolate plain, covered only by a thin sod, 
on which herds of cattle were grazing. This 
deviation was not made, on our part, without. 
r 2 
