TAGANROG. 
429 
vessels undergo a quarantine : during all which 
time the caravans continue to increase ; and 
before the end of the quarantine, not less than 
six thousand waggons occupy all the plains 
below the town. Of this number, three thousand 
arrive annually from the Ukraine. 
Taganrog has three fairs in the year: the 
first upon the first of May ; the second, and the 
principal fair, upon the tenth of August; and 
the third upon the eighteenth of November. 
The quantity of fishes taken in the Sea of Azof 
is truly astonishing ; they are sent, in a dried 
shoal, or continuation of shoals, with hardly seven feet water, and in 
some places only five. The number of vessels is generally from six to 
seven hundred. Of these, about one hundred and fifty, or two hun- 
dred, are small craft, from Trebizondand Sinope, which bring nardek, 
a marmalade of grapes, and beckmiss, a sirup made from various 
fruits by boiling them with honey. Raisins of Uie sun are also brought 
in great quantities. All these are used in the distilleries. Since the 
destruction of the vineyards, by the late hard winters, the beckmiss 
has become more necessary. The spirit thus produced is sold all over 
the empire as French brandy. The Greeks of the Archipelago bring 
chiefly wine of a very poor sort, which is also used in the distilleries. 
Of these Greeks, about one third carry the Russian flag ; hut, as our 
friend 1) said, (a merchant who resided here,) ‘ Mauvais liusse, 
Mauvais Pavilion.’ They are of very bad character, and very poor. 
Any Greek who would purchase a house and land, became at once a 
Russian subject, and enjoyed their protection. The real Russian 
traders arc very few. The European traders were, Italian, Ragusan. 
Austrian, and Dalmatian; and in 1805, a few French, but under English 
colours, and with Maltese crews. These bring French wines, and 
Oennan and English cloth. They carry back fish and iron." 
Hcber’s MS. Journal. 
CHAP. 
XV. 
