Of tire whole range of the Caucasian mountains, ex tending in tire manner that has been already delineated, from west to east, or rather in a direction between north west and south-east from the Euxine to the Caspian, the length is stated to be about 350 or 400 English miles. As they approach the seas on each side, these hills de cline very much in height. Throughout the range, where the elevation is greatest, there is a tract of about five miles in breadth, which is covered with eternal ice. The br cadth of the whole chain on the northern declivity, ex tends at most to 50 miles, and runs along on the prodi gious 'mailer]] plain which, taken in the quadrature, measures 1000 English miles, being bounded on the east by the Siberian, and on the west by the Valaklrian lnounthins. To the northward and southward of this tract of mountainous ground, the country, in all dircc dons, is generally flat and level. The Marshal Von Bie herstein. who remained in these regions a considerable thine, and was at the greatest pains to ascertain precisely every circumstance of consequence concerning them, 5tatcs the extent of the Caucasus in length, from its western extremity at Ghxkx to Tosghti, to be 95 Ger man mile s ; its breadth, on the side adjoining the Caspian Sea, to be 53; in the middle, where the river Terek to the north, and Arakui to the south, form a division be tween its eastern and western parts, 96 ; and on the western side, along the Porta Cumana, a celebrated pass, 150 miles. The icy ridges of this mountainous tract, and indeed its ridges in general at their highest points, consist usually of granite. Immediately adjoining to these, both on the northern and southern sides, are mountains of slate. Farther on are hills of limestone or chalk, which terminate in sandhills. The main moun tain, or rather the high ridge of the main mountain, from which the whole declines and sinks towards the two seas, seemed to Guldenstadt to be not more than from five to seven versts in breadth. This he describes as a granitic stratum, consisting mostly of a line of mounts, of a truly Alpine height, which, by reason of their local elevation, particularly in some open fissures, contain everlasting snow and ice, generally exhibit bald rock, without any covering of earth or plants and trees, and in some parts pierce into the clouds. The exten sion of this principal ridge towards the two sides, mea sured from north to south, or right across, he reckons, on an average, to be 70 versts ; and the north side, he observes, is visibly steeper or higher than the southern, as it declines in a far narrower or smaller breadth, or rather only sinks down towards one part. The limestone mountains mentioned, run in a fiat clayey field, of 20 miles in breadth, gradually declining till they end in a promontory 10 miles broad, which consists almost whol ly of sandstone, and that again runs out afresh in a clayey plain about eight miles broad, in which there occur nu merous sandstone hills. In this plain there abound com mon salt and nation, and in the promontory, and its con tinuatiohs, there are found sulphur, sulphur-pyrites, warm sulphurcous springs, iron-stone, vitriol, petro leum, rock-salt sources, nitrous silts, bitter salts, mag nesia, vitriolata, alum, selenite, &e. ; also some petrifac tions, chiefly in flint. Specimens of lead and copper are rarely seen in the promontory, but often in the higher mountains. The slate of this district contains alum. There appears in it also ceruse of lead, in which there occurs silver and copper pyrites, in courses of quartz and spar. Courses of blcyglantz arc seen in particular situations, likewise other lead ores, and various ores of other kinds. In the upper regions, it is remarked that the river Hippus, in Iberia, yields gold , that the moun tains in these parts are very rich in minerals, and that the gold mines at Cumana Were wrought by the Romans_ The mountains on the Kura, especially in the district of Azghur, likewise contain very rich ores, and in the plains adjacent to that river, there are found fine marble, coal, and warm springs. In the mountains bordering on the Terek, as far as the village Stephantzminda, there occur lead, silver, and iron ore. In the Georgian pro vince Somghetia, rich silver and iron ore, marble, and jasper, arc met with ; in the circle of Quoctsh, copper ore ; in the principality of Tamblut, rich lead, silver, and gold nqines; in the principality of Lori, considerable copp,:r mines and good mill-stones ; in the principality of Unsular, rich copper-mines ; in the parts about Ak dale, gold, silver, and copper; and in the pror ince of A I barna, marble anal alabaster, iron, warm baths, petro leum, and rock-salt, Tons it appears that, in the highest points, the Caucasian chain of mountains is covered with snow and ice ; and that this chain having its bight tit, mid dle, and fore-mountains or promontories, the sides of it generally are very rich in minerals ; and, probably. in
those parts which arc now added to the Russian em pire, contain a treasure of the precious metals. The elevation of this ridge is, on the whole, very considerable, and many of the rocky parts arc extremely steep and prominent.
Professor Pallas, in his observations during a journey along these mountains, takes notice somewhat parti•n huly of three of them that occur, two in the immediate t it inky of each other, and the tnird at a greater distance, and which, rising one above ;mother in height and im portance, may he coosidered to exhibit spa ciinens of the principal altitudes that occur in this teal t, as the act oust of them may he of use towards giving a more accurate idea of the conformation and aspect of the range or coun The lowest of those heights to which he has had occasion to advert, is the Al•tshuka, situated, he re marks, on the common and extensive basis of the Bcsh tau and its adjacent hills. This mountain borders on the Podkuma, about 5 versts north-west below Constantino gorsk. it is a calcareous mass of considerable extent, and in a conical form. It is richly covered with wood, and apparently more than one-third part the height of the lofty Ilesluau. It consists of a greyish, (lent, calca reous mineral, without pet•ilactions, not unlike the horn stone, and which is disposed in tolerably thick horizon tal beds. It has an appendage on the anterior side, con sisting of a species of toot's, and in the centre of its summit there is a deep cleft like a valley, overgrown with wood. From the foot of the mountain a steep and narrow ridge, consisting of an uncomnumly beautiful white tophus, extends along the low country of the Pod kunra to the west, and in a curved direction towards the north-west, not unlike a promontory. This ridge di vides itself at the western extremity into two branches, one of which extends directly to the west, runs nearer to the river, is upwards of 200 paces longer than the other, and appears to be a more ancient rcroduction of the sulphureous waters. The direction of the shorter branch is, so far as it extends, more north-westerly. They are both plentifully covered over, and ornament ed with various kinds or rock and other plants. On the southern side of the whole ridge, there were ob served here and there some as it were rounded projec tions of top',us, disposed in successive laminated strata, which appeared to owe their origin to small springs, or channels of lime-water impregnated with sulphur, and souse of which still rontinued to run, while others were then in It dry state. These strata, as well as the whole mountain, decline abruptly towards the low country.
The Ileslitau, the next mountain, and next in eleva tion to the one 1MW described, is remarked by the same writer, to be frequently enveloped in clouds to its very base, while the summit even appears to project over them. This mountain is situated on a level and very extensive eminence, rising much above the current of the rivers Klima and Podkumn, together with several adjacent mountains, among which the Metshuka, just is etc of the nearest and most considerable. That coMik nee presents no species of rock, except the ancieLt limestone which forms the whole of this mountainous tract. and has scarcely any petrifactions. It on upics the whole space between the two rivers, and produces no tree s Let those growing on the four conti guous monntai.is. In the back ground these are con nected by what is called the Asses' Ridge, and form be twa en than a large glen or valley; from the midst of WhiC11, and the loftiest of the whole species, rises a fifth mountain, reaching the clouds with its summit. This is of a conical or rather angular form, and so narrow on its top, that scarcely ten persons have coons to stand by each other. From that point, several narrow ridges ex tend towards the four adjacent mountains ; to which cir cumstance the name is apparently owing, by which this „,,,„ is d of Debbtau, or the five Ohl& Towards the top of the mow.tain nh, wood, t eft abounds on all or most of the al) t Fills. he s decrease, and to degenerate into d w trees. ing with, or rising ahoy', these, III 1'1 Of Ir 110•1114,1 1.11CIT oc( ur norm eons shrubs, cl ! the blot Ill kind ; th«rzalca pontica, tt bi1.b hot• n li hy to-41 I (!..