409 
Mineralogy and Geology. 
ga, which is 568 wersts from Astrachan, prove that it is 189 
English feet below the level of the barometer at St Petersburgh. 
Now, as Petersburgh is 65.S4 French feet above the level of 
the sea, Kamiischen must be lower than the surface of 
the sea. From this it follows, that the idea of a subterranean 
communication with the Caspian, and the higher lying Black 
Sea, is absurd. M. Von Pansner records another calculation, 
which also proves that Astrachan lies lower than the level of the 
sea. M. Inochodzow says, Nikolajew is S8.46S French feet 
lower than Petersburgh : if Petersburgh is 65.244 French feet 
above the level of the sea, Nikolajew is 36.782 French feet 
above the level of the sea. But Astrachan is 155.128 French feet 
below the level of the sea : Therefore Nikolajew is 191.910 
French feet above Astrachan. — It also follows, from the obser- 
vation of Dr Haas (Ma Visite aux Eaux d’ Alexandre en 1809 
et 1810, Moscow, 1811, p. 115.-120.), that Neutscherkask lies 
192.841 French feet above Astrachan. But from Neutscher- 
kask to the Black Sea, the fall of the River Don is scarce- 
ly more than 8 feet. So that the Black Sea must be at least 
185 feet higher than the Caspian Sea. Pallas in his Travels 
speaks of the comparatively low level of the surface of the Cas- 
pian, when contrasted with other lakes. Engelhardt and Par- 
rot, in their late Travels in the Crimea and the Caucasus, say 
that the Caspian is 304.8 French feet lower than the Black Sea. 
These facts contradict the groundless opinion of Reinegg, as 
stated in his Topography of the Caucasus, that the situation of‘ 
the Caspian Sea is much higher than tliat of the Black Sea. 
M. Pansner, from numei’ous barometrical observations, infers, 
that Ostaschkow is 802.84 French feet above the level of the 
sea; but Astrachan is 156.13 French feet below the level of’ 
the sea ; so that the relative height between Ostaschkow and 
Astrachan, or the fall of the Wolga, is 957.97 French feet. 
Pansner concludes his memoir with the following remark : 
Geognostically considered, the Mons Alaunus of the ancients, 
the Height of the Wolga of modern geographers, is nothing 
more than a gentle inclined rising ground, intersected by nume- 
rous rivulets. The only rocks are those of the secondary and 
alluvial classes; and the surrounding flat country is covered 
with fine sea sand and numerous boulders, resembling those 
