64 Dr Howison’s Account of the Forest-trees of Russia. 
business in the interior, and in that way had gradually acquired 
a knowledge of the country, the language, the manners, and 
mode of living of the natives. They transacted their business 
direct with the noblemen, to the entire exclusion of the native 
merchants; of course, enjoying both his profit and their own, to 
which their active and increased industry so justly entitled them. 
This, however, is a rare instance, and by no means common, 
few or no other British merchants being in the habit of doing so. 
From those peculiar circumstances, and the liberality of these 
gentlemen, an opportunity was afforded me of visiting a part of 
the country, seldom or never before viewed by any foreigner, 
of travelling in the particular manner which we did, and of liv- 
ing among the natives, where not a word of any language but 
Russian was spoken. This could not have happened to me under 
any other circumstances, and it was during this journey that the 
matter contained in these pages was collected. 
Having made these remarks, I shall trace the system gradu- 
ally as it applies to the timber trade, from the period when the 
proprietor first disposes of the timber, to the period when it is 
shipped for exportation. 
When the Russian proprietor wishes to dispose of the timber 
upon his property, and to convert it into money, he goes him- 
self, or sends a qualified person to Petersburgh, or other towns, 
for that purpose. On his arrival, he sends for a merchant, who 
probably enters into an agreement with him for a certain num- 
ber of trees, of such dimensions, and of such a quality, to be 
delivered there, at a certain price, agreeing, at the same 
time, to go out to his estates in the country, as soon as the tim- 
ber shall be cut down and prepared, to measure and receive it. 
When he cannot procure a foreign merchant who will do so^ he 
applies to the native merchant ; and in both instances, a consider- 
able part, generally the half of the money agreed upon, is paid 
him in advance. Having completed the bargain, and got the ar- 
ticles of agreement legally made out, he returns to his estate, and 
sets his peasantry to work in picking out, cutting down, and 
dragging the trees from the forests, to the lakes or rivers. This 
work generally takes place during the winter months, in order 
