A depot of the merchandises which Natolia draws at present from the caravans of Smyrna, and by Con stantinople, might be more advantageously situated in the Crimea, if a privilege to remove it could be obtained from the court of Russia, or if a free port were permanently established. In taking by this mart the silks of Brouse and of Persia, it would turn to the account of Russia herself. It is to be remarked, -that the drugs which came from the confines of Per sia, instead of being sent into Russia by Tifflis, from thence to their destination, are embarked the Persian Gulf, and afterwards return by the Baltic, after having made, as one may say, the tour of the world." Under the present article, the Editor.expected to have been able to communicate some new and inter esting information respecting the commerce and anti quities of -the .Black Sea, from his friend Colonel Leon Waxell of-St Petersburgh ; • but particular cir cumstances have prevented him from availing himself of the assistance of that able antiquarian, who tra velled into the countries upon its shores in 1797 and 1798. In the mean time, this defect may be sup
plied by consulting his learned work, entitled, Rebueil de quelques antiquites trouvfles sur les bords de la Her Noire appartenans a' l'empire de Russie, tles sines apres les originaux en 1797 et 1798, par Leon de Waxell, Conseiller de Cour au service de S. M. J. ,cle toutes les Russies, et Correspondant de 'PAcade mie ; Berlin, 1803. See also Herodotus, .Melp. 4, 85, 86. .Strabo, lib. i. Barbie du Bocage Analyse de la Carte des marches et de l'empire d'Alexandre, p. 801. Olivier's Voyage, ti-c. torn. i. p. 69. and At las, plate ii. Tournefort's Voyage au Levant, tom. ii. p.•124, 125. Buffon, Hist. Ara. tom. ix. Pallas' Travels. Dureau de-Lamalle, Gcographie Physique de la Mer Noire, Av. Paris, 1807, chap. xxvi. xxxi. xxxvi. Reuilly's Travels in the Crimea, and along the Shores of the Black Sea, chap. xi. Clarke's Travels in clfftrent countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, tom. 1. p..613, 672. ; Appendix, p. 711. See