52 JOURNEY THROUGH THE SOUTH-WESTERN QUARTER

during long winters, the pood, or 40IDS. weight, is fold at30 kopecks, and fometimes even at one ruble. Timber andfire-wood are alike expenfive; and, if a large proportion ofthefe articles were not obtained by clandeftine means, theywould frequently be in total want of both. Even the Juniper-bufh, which formerly covered many parts of the Cherfonefus,is now extirpated, and muft be brought from a conliderablediftance above Inkerman, for the purpofe of charring fhips'bottoms. The Chrift's-thorn is the only plant that has hithertobeen fpared. On the other hand, there is abundance of ftonein this vicinity for building; and, fince the hewn fquare ftonesfrom the ancient fortrefs KorfTun have been exhaufted byemploying them in many new edifices at Akhtiar, mafons havecommenced to faw the foft calcareous rock of Inkerman intoregulär fquares, and to tranfport them acrofs the harbour toSevaftopol. The batteries of this port are at prefent in anadvanced ftate of being ere&ed with the fame material.

Foreign merchandize and wines, efpecially thofe from Greeceand Turkey, as well as fruit, may be eafily procured fromfuch fhips as are obliged either to perform quarantinehere, or to refort thither, in Order to be refitted. Notwith-ftanding fuch advantages, and every degree of encouragementgiven to the exportation trade, Akhtiar is in this refpe£t ahopelefs port; becaufe it is not properly fupplied with pro-vifions and other commodities. Since the new regulationshave taken place, not only the fmuggling of iron, cordage,and other naval ftores belonging to the Crown has been fup-prefled, but likewife the building of fmall craft has beenrendered extremely difficult. On account of its excellent

fituation