OF THE CRIMEAN PENINSULA.

47

The harbour, being the moft important part of this town,deferves a particular defcription ; and Englifh navigators gene-rally compare it to that of Malta, or Mahon. Its principalbay, which was formerly called, in the Tartar language, Kadi-Limariy and at its upper part, Avlita y or Avlinta, extends inan almoft direct South-eaftern line into the country; and is,from the Severnaya Kofia, to the efflux of the Brook ßeeyouk-oufehen into the extremity of the bay, at leaft fix verfts inlength; being, at its mouth, 600 fathoms broad, but varying,as it fpreads farther inward, from 800 to 350, and in fomeparts only to 300 fathoms. The central depth of this bay,computed from its mouth upwards, in no place exceeds ten oreleven fathoms; and, as far as the former village of Akhtiar,the fite of which is now öccupied by magazines for navalftores, it is no where lefs than nine fathoms deep; diminifhinggradually towards both fhores, to three fathoms. There areno rocks or cliffs in the whole harbour, excepting an incon-fiderable bank before the Severnaya Koflä, which rauft beavoided by veflels entering the port; but which afFords tofailors a moft produktive fifhery. The water in the upperpart of this haven, towards Inkerman, becomes progreffivelymore fhallow; and, near the mouth of this rivulet, it is onlyfrom half to a quarter of a fathom deep; fo that the long-boats run aground, and muft be drawn on fhore through themire. The entrance into the harbour is defended by twoftrong batteries, erected on the two oppofite points of thecoaft. Befides, there is another battery facing the town, andtwo fimilar works are conftructed on each neck of land con-nected with Sevaftopol, together with a redoubt fituated on

higher