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47.°

GENERAL REMARKS ON THE PENINSULA

in the years 1789 and 1795. In the falt thence dug out, cubicalpieces, as pure and clear as cryftal, are occafionally found,refembling thofe which occur in the rock-falt of Iletzki. Thebed of both lakes is fo hard, that it will fupport heavy Waggonsdrawn by oxen, for the purpofe of loading them on the fpot.Generally, however, fcarce the third or fourth part is takenout: this is partly carried away in a frefh ftate, and partlybeaten together, in ftore-heaps on the open fteppe, where itcannot fail to contra£t impurities from the duft and fand. Alarge waggon from Little RufTia, drawn by two ftrong oxen,pays for the quantity it can poffibly load and convey throughthe gate of Perekop (which is computed at about ninetypoods), the fum of ten rubles: whereas a waggon-load of thedry falt (Vagovaya-Soll) from the accumulated ftores, is reckonedonly at feventy poods, and yet pays the fame price. By thefingle pood, the falt is fold at ten kopeeks (about three penceEnglifh for forty pounds). The Kil/o, or two poods tenpounds of falt from the lakes of Koflof, is vended to the Anato-lian traders at fourteen kopeeks. This commodity is dug outof the lakes, partly by the waggoners themfelves, and partlyby hired labourers, or the Tartars of the adjacent villages, whoare alfo employed on fuch occafions; and, like others, receiveeither two kopeeks for each pood, or fometimes an equivalentin falt. Formerly, the fale was under the fuperintendance ofa Member of the Administration, and his fubordinate officers:in this lucrative fituation, fome of them have amaffed con-fiderable wealth, within the period of a few years. Thusmanaged, the Crown at laft derived only about one half of therevenue which is produced by the farming out of all the falt-

lakes