TCHERKASK. 
the town, for houses, causeways, and bridges, 
is brought front the Volga , the Don being inade- 
quate to such a supply. Formerly they had 
walls to their watery settlement, but the inun- 
dations ol the river have swept these entirely 
away. The principal part of the inhabitants are 
exceedingly desirous to remove their capital to 
Axay; this would increase its commerce, and 
thereby add to its importance: the rest, who, 
from attachment to the place of their nativity, 
are still anxious to preserve the original situa- 
tion, propose to surround it again with walls, 
and to form channels, after a plan which would 
make its resemblance to Venice greater than it 
is at present ; but the level of the water not 
remaining constant, as in the Adriatic, and some- 
times varying full fifteen feet, prevents the 
adoption of this plan. They neglect, however, 
no opportunity to improve the town, forming it 
as much as possible into streets when fires have 
taken place and destroyed the old buildings, 
and insulating the houses where they were too 
closely situate. If any attempt should be 
made to remove the town, little difficulty would 
occur in transplanting the houses almost entire. 
They are chiefly of wood, and, being placed 
upon rafts, might be floated to the place of 
their destination 5 . 
(2) The capital has been since removed ; and now occupies a situa- 
tion upon the European side of the Don, higher up the river. 
