Search -
Travels from St. Petersburgh in Russia to various parts of Asia
Travels from St Petersburgh in Russia to various parts of Asia Author:John Bell Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAP. II. OCCURRENCES DURING OUR STAY AT CAZAN; OUR JOURNEY THENCE TO A8TRACHAN. VAZAN is about fcven hundred and thirty-five verft from Mofco by land, bu... more »t much more by water : It is fituated about five verft to the north of the Volga, on a high bank of the rivulet Cazanka, which is navigable from this place to the river. The town is ftrong by fituation, and defended by a caftle, fortified with walls of brick: Within the citadel are the cathedral church, the pahces of the archbifhop and governor, and the apartments for the courts of juftice: The town is fenced with a ditch and palifades. The fuburbs are inhabited chiefly by mechanics, except a flreet or two poffeffed by Mahometan Tartars, the pof- terity of the ancient natives; they live very decently, have the free exercife of their religion, and many other privileges; fome of them are very rich by the trade they carry on to Turkey, Perfia, and other places. Cazan was anciently the capital of a part of Tar- tary, and the feat of government, where the royal family refided. It was taken from the Tartars by CzarCzar Ivan Vafiloviz, in the year fifteen hundred and: fifty-two, in confequence whereof, an extenfive country to the fouthward eafily fell into his hands. The conquered Princes were converted to Chriftianity, and had lands affigned them in their own country, where the family ftill fubfifts. The country adjacent is very pleafant and fertile,. producing wheat, rye, barley, oats, and feveral kinds of pulfe. The woods to the fouth and weft confift of ftately oaks, fufficient to fupply all the navies in the worlds, and from hence St Peterfburgh is abundantly furnifhed with timber for all the purpofes of fhip- building, by an eafy conveyance all the way by water. The woods to the north and eaft, which are of prodigi...« less