ASTRACHAN

From Agepedia

ASTRACHAN, or ASTRAKHAN, a viceroyalty of the Russian empire, extending from 46° to 52° N. lat., containing 293,000 sq. miles, with 2,600,000 inhabitants, is divided into three governmentsAstrakhan (72,600 sq. miles; 223,000 inhabitants), Saratov and Orenburg. It is bounded on the N. by the country of the Bulgarians and Bashkeers ; on the S. by the Caspian sea; on the W. by the Wolga, which separates it from the Nogai Tartars and the Cossacks of the Don; and on the E,by a long chain of mountains, which divides it from Tartary. The summer is long, and very hot; the winter lasts three months, and is veiy severe. The rich and fertile soil is not cultivated by the Tartars. On#the W. and S. side are large heaths, which afford fine salt in abundance. The capital, Astrakhan, E. Ion. 48° 2' 15", N. lat. 46° 21' 12", is on the island Seitza, in the Wolga, about 34 miles from the entrance of this river ifito the Caspian sea. It is the see of a Greek archbishop and of an Armenian bishop; has 25 Greek, 2 Armenian churches, 26 Tartar mosques, an Indian temple, a high school, a seminary for priests, a botanical garden, and many manufactures. The city, with the suburbs, is 4£ miles in circumference. It contains, in 3800 houses, 30,000 inhabitants, consisting of Armenians, Tartars, Persians and Hindoos, besides 20,000 people who spend some time in the year there, on account of the fisheries. The houses are of wood, mean and inconvenient. The environs are covered with gardens and vineyards. The sturgeons, winch are taken in the Wolga, are salted, and carried through all parts of Russia. In winter, they are transported without salting. The trade in caviar is of some importance. Besides sturgeons, seals and other fish are caught here. From July to Oct. large swarms of locusts are not unfrequent. Formerly, Astrakhan had commerce with Khiwa and Bukhara: at present, its trade is limited to Persia and the interior of Russia, but is still considerable. 60 vessels and 7 caravans arrive here annually. The exports are leather, linen, woollen cloth, and other European manufactures. Astrakhan imports from Persia silk ribbons worked with gold for sale in Poland, also silk and cotton stuffs, rice, raw cotton, rhubarb and some other drugs; < hiefly, however, raw silk. The capital oi the UralCossacks, Uralskoi (containing 4000 wooden houses and 18,000 inhabitants), belongs also to this government.