TO THE THIRTIETH VOLUME OF THE MONTHLY REVIEW ENLARGED. FOREIGN LITERATURE. ART. I. P. S. PALLAS Bemerkungen, &c. i. e. Observations on a TH The journey from Petersburgh has no great interest, except for the inhabitants of the Russian Empire: an observation, indeed, which may be frequently applied to the contents of the present volume. We were most attracted by the notice of a great improvement in the distillation of spirit, and of a singular occurrence in nature.-- A M. Suboff is said to increase the quantity of spirit yielded by a given portion of grain, from 5 parts to 6, simply by adding cold water with ice in order to take away the heat of the warm water used in mashing. -After having passed Sokura, says the author, I found the trees in uncommon confusion. There had been considerable hoarfrosts before Christmas; and afterward, a fall of rain and frozen matter, mixed together, glazed the smallest twigs to two fingers' thickness, and bowed to the ground all the birches APP. REV. VOL. XXX. LI that that were still flexible. The branches and tops were covered to the depth of an ell and half with snow, and were fixed in their bent position. The older and inflexible birches, as also the oaks, were split and broken by the load on their summits and boughs, the lateral branches being drawn down to the ground.' A singular variety of the domestic cat is described (p. 36.) and figured. The author seems to suppose that it may be an hybrid animal, intermediate between the cat and the marten. In the colonies about the Karamysch, they prepare an arti ficial turf from dung and straw, the former being of no use to the land. Plenty of straw is laid under the cattle, and the dung is put in heaps, where it heats during the winter. As soon as the labours of the spring are over, it is carried to a dry place, near the water, and laid in a bed several feet deep. It is then watered, mixed with straw, and well trodden by oxen and horses. When it is a little dry, it is cut and piled like turf, and, when sufficiently dried, is carried home for This preparation is said to burn like pit-coal: but its fetid smoke must be kept out of the apartments-which is not an easy task. use. In the journey towards Astrachan, an account is given of the culture of the vine; and about Sarepta, wine almost equal to champague is said to be made. M. Nitschman observed that, on account of the vigorous shouting of the deep-rooted stocks, in this hot climate, the branches should be cut to ten, twelve, or fifteen eyes, instead of a few only, because the lower eyes afford no grapes, while the upper often give three sprouts, each bearing two or three bunches. Some intelligence concerning Sarepta is subjoined. At Astrachan, the traveller remained till the 5th of May; and then, in order not to miss the rare vernal plants, he proceeded with his painter to traverse the waste or desart beyond the Wolga. The description of the remarkable hills of Gypram, that occurs in this part, will interest the naturalist. Throughout the whole of his botanical excursion in these dreary solitudes, the author shews a courage and curiosity which fifty-five years, and bodily infirmities, have been unable to damp. For intelligence respecting Astrachan, the reader is referred to the circumstantial description of the younger Gmelin: but of its fishery we meet in the present work with the following detail: The mouths of the Wolga, and the shores of the Caspian, which equally abound in fish, are to be accounted the true support of Astrachan the Persian trade, in its present condition, rather tending to the ruin of the city, and the detriment of the state. There scarcely exists a fishery, (except that, perhaps, on the banks of New Newfoundland) which is so productive, and so advantageous to the public, as those of the Caspian and the river Wolga, taken together. It may be asserted that the whole European portion of the great Russian Empire, and its populous residences, during the fasts of the Greek church, (which, with the weekly fasting days, make up a Full third of the year,) are chiefly fed by this fishery; and many thousand persons, partly by the capture itself, partly by the conveyance on sledges and boats, are employed and maintained in good plight.' A tabular view is then presented; and the author proceeds: On taking the above sums together, we find that this fishery brings in, merely in sturgeon of different sorts, according to the prices on the spot, an annual sum of 1,368,480 rubles*. Hence we may conclude what immense multitudes of this principal fish, which so abounds in roe, are produced in the depths of the Caspian sea, whence they ascend against the mouths of the streams; no decrease being remarked. The quantity may be deduced from what was told to me, by eye-witnesses of the fishery at Sallian in Persia. As the Persians eat no sturgeon, adventurers rented the stream from the Derbent Chan, Schiek Ali, a son of Feth Ali Chan, for a sum which of late years has been advanced to 25,000 rubles. At the right season, 15,000 fish of the sturgeon kind are sometimes taken with hooks in one day, at the wear which is thrown across the river. When the fishing is suspended but for a day, the fish crowd against the wear so as to be piled up on one another from the bottom to the surface of the river, which is four arschines (28 English feet) deep, and 60 fathoms broad; till their backs project above the water. The Persian fishery, which has been established only within a few years by the proprietors, occasions an expenditure of about 80,000 rubles, including the rent, and is said to bring in above 200,000 rubles.. Besides this produce of the sturgeon fishery, the produce in smaller species may be taken at half a million, arising partly from the fish itself, partly from the fat. The most precious product of the sturgeon fishery is the isinglass from the purified swimming bladders. The exportation is principally carried on through St. Petersburgh by the English, who use a vast quantity in their beer and porter breweries; as do the Spaniards, Portuguese, Dutch, and French, in clarifying their wines. These nations receive it from the English. According to a list printed by the British factors at St. Petersburgh, from the years 1753 to 1792, there were between 1000 and 2000 poodt exported in English bottoms up to 1768; from that year to 1786, from 2000 to 3000 pood; and in1788, 6850. The export to other countries has of late amounted to above 1000 pood yearly. This almost incredible sale has raised the price of the different sorts at Astrachan itself; and at the Petersburgh exchange, where the best isinglass in 1778 cost not above 36 rubles the pood, it has been carried up to 90. Until 1781, no kaviar was exported in English vessels. In 1782 the export began with only 26 pood; and it rose so rapidly that, * A ruble is about equivalent to four shillings, but fluctuates from that value to half a crown. in the next year, it was 1151 pood; in 1784, 1612; in the two next years, rather above 1000; in 1788, above 4000; in 1789, 11,2547 but in 1790 only 25; and in 1792, 3781. The export to Italy, of late years, has amounted to 10,000 pood, exclusively of 3000 which go to other countries, and of a still larger quantity which the ports of the Euxine and the sea of Asof send out. Supposing the price of isinglass at Petersburgh to have been above 40 rubles the pood for the worst sort, and above go for the best; and considering the price of kaviar to have arisen to above five rubles; we see how important the Astrachan fisheries are to the export trade.' Some farther considerations on the import trade of Astrachan follow, and some account of the manner of dyeing with madder, in addition to what the author had published in his Nordische Beytrage. This is succeeded by a description of the culture of the vine at Astrachan; and the manner of worship of some Indians is then related; which consists principally in a presentation of symbols of the four elements to the idol. The Nymphea Nelumbo grows in great abundance at the mouth of the Wolga. The flowers have a delicious smell; and water distilled from them acquires a fine durable scent of ambergrease. If the hands and face be washed with it, the skin becomes so soft and fine, that this distilled water ought to be introduced as an innocent cosmetic.' From p. 234 to 254, we have an historical account of late occurrences in the disturbed kingdom of Persia: which we pass over, as less connected with the immediate subject of the work. Under the head of Travelling Observations at the Caucasian Mountains, the most important relate to a sulphureous spring, and the mountain Bechstan. Next follows Information concerning the Inhabitants of Caucasus, particularly the Circassians. We shall select those remarks which we judge to be the most generally interesting, from what Dr. PALLAS has furnished in addition to the numerous accounts already published, respecting the various tribes who are crowded together in this mountainous district. These, as far as the northern side of the mountain, are thus classed by the present author, partly following Guldenstadt: I. The six tribes, or inhabitants of the smaller Abassa. These were Christians, but their nobles now acknowlege the Mahometan religion. Their manners, clothing, and way of life, resemble those of the Circassians; and there is some similitude in their language. They likewise practise agriculture, though they live more by pasturage. They are celebrated on account of their large and fine breed of horses; and they would be rich, (in their own estimation,) if they were not incessantly incessantly plagued by the encroachments of the Circassian princes. II. The inhabitants of the great Abassa. On this side, the Natuschaki are the most powerful. They live in the recesses of the mountains, which are universally covered with light woods. In course, they plough but little: but they ought, on account of their fine pastures, to have more flourishing herds. Their incessant feuds, however, and their propensity to pillage, prevent them from even thinking of any regular plan of economy. They are at variance with all their neighbours, the Saninzi excepted. They are badly clothed, and live wretchedly but they raise some rye, and at times keep swine, which is not the case with the other tribes in these regions. In their small faces, their laterally compressed heads, the shortness of the lower part of the countenance, and their prominent noses, all the Abassinians display a peculiar national character. They have dark brown hair. They appear to have been very antient inhabitants of the N. W. side of Caucasus, and to have spread themselves farther, till they were forced by the Circassians into the mountains, and by constant wars had been reduced to a petty tribe. Their language has no affinity with any known European or Asiatic tongue. They appear to have formerly been given to rapine; and they are probably the very people who, according to Strabo, practised piracy in this quarter. III. The warlike nation of the Circassians inhabits more the advanced parts of mount Caucasus, and spreads into the contiguous beautiful plain, whence it has expelled or subjugated the former natives.-The Circassians are a species of knights, observing a complete feudal system among one another, and towards their subjects: such as the German knights formerly introduced with still greater inhumanity into Prussia and Livonia. Considered in this view, and on the supposition that the chiefs and nobility alone constitute the nation; that their subjects are almost all slaves of conquered nations, who have adopted the language of their masters, and as such are mildly treated; and that a free courageous knighthood cannot endure a foreign yoke without the greatest repugnance; we should judge with more indulgence concerning their aristocratical constitution, their constant wars, and their resistance formerly against the Khan of the Crimea, and now against Russia. It is fortunate that their internal feuds, and the division of the power of this heroic race among a number of petty chiefs, render them less formidable; and it were to be wished that, without impairing their bravery, they could be brought to be good vassals, and somewhat accustomed to order ;-in which case, they would turn out as resolute light cavalry as ever took the field. L13 The |