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  TRAVELS

  IN THE

  STEPPES OF THE CASPIAN SEA,

  THE CRIMEA, THE CAUCASUS, &c.




  BY

  XAVIER HOMMAIRE DE HELL,

  CIVIL ENGINEER,
  MEMBER OF THE SOCIETE GEOLOGIQUE OF FRANCE, AND KNIGHT OF THE ORDER
  OF ST. VLADIMIR OF RUSSIA.




  WITH ADDITIONS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.




  LONDON:
  CHAPMAN AND HALL, 186, STRAND.
  MDCCCXLVII.




C. WHITING, BEAUFORT HOUSE, STRAND.




AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

When I left Constantinople for Odessa my principal object was to
investigate the geology of the Crimea and of New Russia, and to arrive
by positive observations at the solution of the great question of the
rupture of the Bosphorus. Having once entered on this pursuit, I was
soon led beyond the limits of the plan I had marked out for myself, and
found it incumbent on me to examine all the vast regions that extend
between the Danube and the Caspian Sea to the foot of the northern <DW72>
of the Caucasus. I spent, therefore, nearly five years in Southern
Russia, traversing the country in all directions, exploring the course
of rivers and streams on foot or on horseback, and visiting all the
Russian coasts of the Black Sea, the Sea of Azof and the Caspian. Twice
I was intrusted by the Russian government with important scientific and
industrial missions; I enjoyed special protection and assistance during
all my travels, and I am happy to be able to testify in this place my
gratitude to Count Voronzof, and to all those who so amply seconded me
in my laborious investigations.

Thus protected by the local authorities, I was enabled to collect the
most authentic information respecting the state of men and things. Hence
I was naturally led to superadd to my scientific pursuits considerations
of all kinds connected with the history, statistics, and actual
condition of the various races inhabiting Southern Russia. I was,
moreover, strongly encouraged in my new task by the desire to make known
in their true light all those southern regions of the empire which have
played so important a part in the history of Russia since the days of
Peter the Great.

My wife, who braved all hardships to accompany me in most of my
journeys, has also been the partner of my literary labours in France. To
her belongs all the descriptive part of this book of travels.

Our work is published under no man's patronage; we have kept ourselves
independent of all extraneous influence; and in frankly pointing out
what struck us as faulty in the social institutions of the Muscovite
empire, we think we evince our gratitude for the hospitable treatment we
received in Russia, better than some travellers of our day, whose pages
are only filled with exaggerated and ridiculous flatteries.

  XAVIER H