Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-06-30
The sea or AEON.

The Sea Of Azoff is 80 miles in length, from
the Straits OF hertsch to the point of Belbserai,
at the entrance Of the gulf Of the Don The
gulf itself is &c miles, making total of l66.
From the extremity of the Tonka on the west,
TO Beslitskof on the east il is l42 miles wide,
50 that It's width is nearly equal TO its length.
The northern shore of the sea is from &c to 40
metres high, with hills here and there and red
cliffs. II Is formed of tongues of sand Of con-
siderable extent, and bordered with banks on Ill
the promontories, where, yielding TO the influence
Of the current Of the Don, they are curved to-
wards the west The eastern shore OF the Sea OF
Azoif is inhabited by the Cossacks of the Black
Sea. From Temruk it is low often sandy, and
intersected by Jagunes and marshes. 1t has nu-
merous sand banks, particularly in the Gulf OF
the Don, and they incline to the west like those
on the opposite coast.
The Tunka, known also by tho name of ''the
Tongue Of Arabat, a sort Of elongated PENN
saia, narrow Al lowS forms the western side OF
the sea, which II separates from the Svash, the
Sea of Mud or Putrd Sea, an immense lagune
into which some rivers of the Crimea empty
themselves. The Sea of Azof' is bounded on the
south by the CIimea and the Isle of Taman
Those two countries present to the navigator on
the coast small hills as landmarks from Cape
Cazandil to Temruck At present QS54) the
greatest depth Of the Sea of Azof' is Al feet, be-
tween the Straits of Kertsch and the point OF
Bieloserai. II is only 90 feet not far from the
Gulf of the Don, and from s to 10 feet in the
roadstead Of Iaganrog in the same gulf IL has
been observed that since the commencement on
the last century, from the year 1905 to 1913, the
depth of the Sea Of Azoff has diminished three
feet. Its maximum at this last period (l80S) was
still AZ feet, in 1888 it was only As, and in 1850
Al feet. 1t is evident, then, that-lst, in the
space OF 100 years, from 700 to 1908, the dimi-
mutton of the waters of this sea has been three
feet; I'd, that IN another space of quarter of a
century the diminuton has been two feet; and
Sd, one foot in the short space Of II years, max
ing total of six feet in the course of 1877 wears
It's sand banks increase in extent also, and it is
probable that new ones arc in course Of formation
which will render the navigation of these waters
extremely difficult.
Indeed, it is probable that few centuries hence
the Sea of AZoff will cease to be navigable, I'M
less, what is not likely, some cause shall stay the
progress OF the operations now going on. The
bottom Of the Sea Of AzoT is everywhere mud
and slime, with mixture of shells, generally
black, and reddish towards the eastern coast
The water is thick and turbd, but the Don
treshcns it so much that al 20 miles to the west
Of Taganrog it is drnkable. The peninsula OF
kerstch does not furnish single streamlet 10
the Sea Of A2off. The current of the latter is
not 50 rapid as at the Strait Of kerstch. When
the n h. wind blows with force it rarely ac-
quires rapldity of more than a mile an hour
when this wind fails, and that Of the south springs
up, il generally takes direction which is CON
trary 10 it, but Of short duration. The current
OF TINS sea, however, IS generally 10 the west,
from the Don t. the point Of Belaserai Its
greatest mass is from that to the south towards
the strait. 1t has another part which follows
northern coasts where it meets, between the
points NiZarionon and Beratchi, the current
which supplies the Sivash. The navigation of
the Sea to Azoif is only open from the end Of
May to October; after this period the ice gene
rally renders il impracticable.