446

JOURNEY FROM GEORGIEFSK

account of the branches of water and fens occafioned by theoverflowing of the above river, which is not provided withproper bridges, and becaufe the low country is frequently inun-dated in confequence of the fea-winds. The Kozaks of Tiherno-morfki, having but lately reforted hither from their ancient ha-bitations, had juft begun to fettle themfelves in the lower countriesof the Volga ; fo that they could nct be expected to have beftowedmuch attention to the improvement of the roads.

In confequence of thefe impediments, I refolved to take acircuitous route by Tfherkafk, Taganrog, and Perekop, at whichplaces regulär poft-ftations have been eftablifhed, and are con-tinued along the whole road to Taurida.

After travelling feveral verfts, in defcending the high fteppeon which Georgiefsk is fituated, we proceeded over a confider-able declivity to an extenfive, low, and level country: this istraverfed by the river Kuma, flowing between clayey banks,with a deep current of turbid and muddy water, from feven toeight fathoms broad, and uniting farther downwards with themore rapid Podkuma, which rolls over a bed of ftones. Alongthe banks of the Kuma there are forefts producing difterent kindsof wood, the growth of which, however, is not attended to inthefe regions of wildernefs. Beyond this river, the low countryagain gently rifes; but we could ftill obferve, at a diftance, thebafe of the promontory terminating in two terraces, while onour left we faw, towards the fource of the Kuma, what iscalled the Iron Mount with its flat top, and ornamented witha beautiful thicket: at a ftill greater diftance appeared theMount of Serpents, confifting of horizontal ftrata of Urne,which gradually declined towards the banke of the Kuma.

We

i