could hold Water, and then to abandon the Work, which had cost above one hundred and fixty thoufand Dollars, and the Lives of three or four thousand Men; and a new Work is begun at the Mouth of the River Seriot, which forms a fmall Lake a little before it falls into the Don, about one hundred English Miles below Veronitz; and an Engineer is already ordered thither, to lay out the Plan of a Fortification, the Place being on the Step, or Defert, exposed to the Rebellions of the Coffacks, and fudden Incurfions of the Tartars.

River Don the

ancient Tanaise

The River Don fprings from the Ivan Ozero, or St. John's-Sea, in the 54th Degree 15 Minutes, and from thence runs a Courfe of about five hundred English Miles to Afoph, a little below which Place it falls into the Palus Maotis, in the 47th Degree 20 Minutes. The Don is below Veronitz, from three hundred to fix hundred Fathom broad, and deep enough from the Middle of April to the End of June for Ships of Burthen, but in the other Months the Water is fo low, that in feveral Shallows there is not above a Foot and a Half. In the Spring Floods this River rifes from fixteen to eighteen Feet perpendicular, and the Current is very rapid. In 1709, the Czar fet out from Veronitz with fix Brigantines on the tenth of April, and arrived at Afoph on the 20th of the fame Month; two Men of War, which were carried down at the fame Time, got thither about a Fortnight afterwards.

Afoph lies at the Mouth of the River Don, in 17 Degrees 27 Minutes Latitude, and 64 DeAfopb. grees 32 Minutes Longitude; it was taken by the Coffacks in 1637, who continued Mafters of the Place till 1642, when it fell to the Turks, and remained in their Hands till 1696, but was then taken by the Czar; the Fortifications were new modelled, and two little Fortresses built at the Mouth of the Don. This Haven is very inconvenient, and almost impracticable for Ships of Burthen; for the Don dividing into several Branches, the Currents are not ftrong enough to clear the Mouths of the River from the Sands which choak them up, and leave not above fix or seven Feet of Water in moft Places, fo that the Men of War can only go out in the Spring Floods, and then 'must be lightened from their Artillery, . or when violent Winds have fet in from the Sea for several Days together, which raise the Water to a very great Height, as generally happen in Autumn in the Finnish Gulph.

By Reafon of this Difficulty, the Czar was obliged to look out for another Haven, and pitched

Taganrok. on a Nook of Land which runs out into the Palus Mactis, to the West of Asoph, where he built a very good Town, regular Fortifications, a large Mole like the Bafon of Toulon; and, for the greater Security, a Redoubt in Nature of the Riefbank has been raised before the Entrance. When this Work was begun, the Harbour was deep enough for Ships of Force; but as the Mole was carried on, the

Sands

Sands increased, and now a Ship of fifty Guns cannot go in or out without Camels, as at the Pampus ;' fo that it cannot ferve for a Retreat from an Enemy, or in bad Wheather.

The Palus Maotis is about three hun

dred English Miles long, and generally Palus Mastis. about an hundred broad; it ebbs and flows as the Mediterranean; the Water is very fhallow towards the Shores, and subject to great Storms, and short Waves.

The Czar's Ships for the Baltic are built at Ladinopole, and Olonitz, or Olo- Ladinopole and nec, Villages lying on two fmall Rivers

on the North-Eaft of the Ladoga-Sea.

Olonitz.

At Petersburgh there is a little Yard, where all Sorts of Boats and small Craft are built and fome of the Frigates are repaired: Peterburgh This is the Czar's favorite Town and Haven built on two small Islands in the River Nieva, which is there large and deep enough to receive fixty Gun Ships close to the Walls of the Fortress: The Foundation of this new Town was laid foon after the taking of Nyenfehantz, which the Czar demolifhed, in hopes it might one Day prove a fecond Amfterdam or Venice? to people it the Nobility were ordered to remove hither from the fartheft Part of the Country, though with no fmall Difficulty, fince the Climate is too cold, and the Ground too marfhy, to furnish the Conveniences

of

of Life, which are all brought from the neighbouring Countries; however, the Czar is charmed with this new Production, and would lofe the best of his Provinces fooner than this barren Corner. The Fortress is built on a feparate Ifland with good Stone Baftions laid on Piles, but of much too narrow an Extent to make any confiderable Defence, in cafe of an Attack. The Floods in Autumn are very inconvenient, fometimes rifing fuddenly in the Night to the first Floors, so that the Cattle are often swept away, and the Inhabitants fcarce faved by their upper Stories; on which Account they can have no Magazines or Cellars, nor is the Ground practicable for digging, the Water coming in at two Feet Depth; the River is feldom or never clear of the Ice before the Middle of May, and the Ships cannot hold the Sea any longer than the End of September, without great Danger.

At Archangel, the Royal Tranfport lies in very good Condition, with a Frigate of fixArabangel. teen Guns and another of twenty; fome Merchant Ships are built almost Yearly here, by a Dutch Builder, with Ruffian Carpenters under him.

At Cafan, about forty Frigates from eight to fourteen Guns, which were built there, but

Cafan very ill proportioned, lye rotting on the

Shore

Number

Number of SHIPS on the DON that are finished:

50

}

Two by Mr. Nye of

Three by Mr. Nye of

Two of these have been decayed, and

are repaired.

Two by the Czar of

One of the fe has been decayed, the other

has been repaired.

Two Dutch Ships re-built at Stupena of 48

One by Mr. Nye of

The laft in Imitation of the Transport.

16

In all, 13

In which Mr. Cofens has been employed eight and Mr. Nye eleven Years.

The Frames of thefe are up; but, on Reprefentation of their being too large, only one is to be finished for a Trial.

The Czar has Timber lying ready there for two more of eighty Guns; but none of these will carry