Produced by Julia Miller, Barbara Kosker and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This
file was produced from images generously made available
by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)
+-----------------------------------------------------+
| Transcriber's Note: |
| |
| Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the |
| original document have been preserved. |
| |
+-----------------------------------------------------+
TRAVELS
IN THE
STEPPES OF THE CASPIAN SEA,
THE CRIMEA, THE CAUCASUS, &c.
BY
XAVIER HOMMAIRE DE HELL,
CIVIL ENGINEER,
MEMBER OF THE SOCIETE GEOLOGIQUE OF FRANCE, AND KNIGHT OF THE ORDER
OF ST. VLADIMIR OF RUSSIA.
WITH ADDITIONS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.
LONDON:
CHAPMAN AND HALL, 186, STRAND.
MDCCCXLVII.
C. WHITING, BEAUFORT HOUSE, STRAND.
AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
When I left Constantinople for Odessa my principal object was to
investigate the geology of the Crimea and of New Russia, and to arrive
by positive observations at the solution of the great question of the
rupture of the Bosphorus. Having once entered on this pursuit, I was
soon led beyond the limits of the plan I had marked out for myself, and
found it incumbent on me to examine all the vast regions that extend
between the Danube and the Caspian Sea to the foot of the northern slope
of the Caucasus. I spent, therefore, nearly five years in Southern
Russia, traversing the country in all directions, exploring the course
of rivers and streams on foot or on horseback, and visiting all the
Russian coasts of the Black Sea, the Sea of Azof and the Caspian. Twice
I was intrusted by the Russian government with important scientific and
industrial missions; I enjoyed special protection and assistance during
all my travels, and I am happy to be able to testify in this place my
gratitude to Count Voronzof, and to all those who so amply seconded me
in my laborious investigations.
Thus protected by the local authorities, I was enabled to collect the
most authentic information respecting the state of men and things. Hence
I was naturally led to superadd to my scientific pursuits considerations
of all kinds connected with the history, statistics, and actual
condition of the various races inhabiting Southern Russia. I was,
moreover, strongly encouraged in my new task by the desire to make known
in their true light all those southern regions of the empire which have
played so important a part in the history of Russia since the days of
Peter the Great.
My wife, who braved all hardships to accompany me in most of my
journeys, has also been the partner of my literary labours in France. To
her belongs all the descriptive part of this book of travels.
Our work is published under no man's patronage; we have kept ourselves
independent of all extraneous influence; and in frankly pointing out
what struck us as faulty in the social institutions of the Muscovite
empire, we think we evince our gratitude for the hospitable treatment we
received in Russia, better than some travellers of our day, whose pages
are only filled with exaggerated and ridiculous flatteries.
XAVIER HOMMAIRE DE HELL.
DEFINITIONS.
_Geographic miles_ are of 15 to a degree of the equator.
A Russian Verst (104-3/10 to a degree), is 1/7 of a geographical mile,
1/4 of a French league of 25 to a degree. It is equal to 3484.9 English
feet, or nearly 2/3 of a statute mile. It is divided into 500
_sazhenes_, and each of these into 3 _arshines_.
A _deciatine_ (superficial measure) is equivalent to 2 acres, 2 roods,
32 perches, English.
A _pood_ is equal to 40 Russian or 36 English pounds.
100 _tchetverts_ (corn measure) are equal to about 74-1/2 English
quarters.
A _vedro_ (liquid measure) contains 3-1/4 English gallons, or 12-1/4
Litres.
Since 1839 the paper ruble has been suppressed, and has given place to
the silver ruble. But the former is always to be understood wherever the
word ruble occurs in the following pages. The paper ruble is worth from
1 fr. 10c. to 1 fr. 18c. according to the course of exchange; the silver
ruble is equal to 3-1/2 paper rubles.
* * * * *
A French _hectare_ is equal to 2 acres, 1 rood, 33 perches, English.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
Departure from Constantinople--Arrival in Odessa--Quarantine 1