ASTRACAN, a large city of Asiatic Russia, the seat of an archbishop, built on eminences surrounded by the marshes of the Volga, between 50 and 60 miles from its influx into the Caspian Sea. It is about three miles in circumference, or nearly five miles if we include the sub- ? urbs, and is surrounded by a wall mostly in a ruinous condition. This city was anciently the capital of a kingdom belonging to the Tartars, who were expelled in 1554 by the Russian prince Iwan Basilowitz. In 1569 it was besieged by the Turks, who were defeated with great slaughter by the Russians. In 1672 it was seized by the rebel Slen-korazin. Since that period it has suffered from conflagrations, being formerly composed of mean and inconvenient buildings of wood. But in the modern city attention has been paid both to its safety and embellishment, by the [7:3:720]erection of more spacious and elegant houses and public edifices of stone. The high price of timber has contributed to bring about this improvement, the inhabitants finding it cheaper to use in their modern erections either brick or a species of freestone found in a quarry near the banks of the Volga. Of the public buildings, the most conspicuous are the two commercial halls for the reception and sale of merchandise, both finished in an elegant style of architecture, one of which is appropriated to the Armenians and the other to the Persians. The kremlin, which is uninhabited, stands on a hill, and contains the cathedral, a spacious brick edifice. There are, besides, in this city two convents, twenty-five Russian and one Roman Catholic church. Some votaries of Brahma, natives of Moultan, also reside at Astracan; and the Armenians have a metropolitan church, which is surmounted by a cupola, where, in the course of the worship, Pallas saw exhibited by the suffragan or archimandrite the holy oil prepared in Mount Ararat, and which is held sacred by the inhabitants. In the vicinity of this city are numerous vineyards, which being irrigated by the waters of the Volga, produce abundantly; and a considerable quantity of wine is manufactured, and exported to Petersburg, Moscow, and other places. The situation of Astracan is favourable for trade; and it is accordingly a great commercial mart between Asia and Europe. By means of the river Volga, the commodities of Eastern Asia are carried into the heart of Russia, while the produce of Russia, or European goods imported, are brought down to the Caspian Sea, and transported across to Resht, Lahajan, Balfroosh, and Astrabad, whence they find their way into Persia and the East. Goods are also sent by sea to Mangushluck, on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, and thence eastward to Khyvah, a distance of 250 miles, and afterwards to Buckharia, a distance of 250 more. The shipping employed in this trade does not exceed, according to the estimate made by Fraser in his account of the commerce of Persia, 12 vessels of from 50 to 100 tons. These vessels belong to Russian or Mahometan merchants settled at Astracan. Two caravans besides, each of 500 camels, set out from Astracan eastward for Khyvah and Buckharia. The exports from Astracan eastward are iron, steel, copper, quicksilver, leather, furs, cotton, woollen, silk, and other manufactured goods of Europe; and the imports consist of fruits, grain, rice, timber, tobacco, raw hides, lambskins, drugs, turquoises, from Buckharia; silk goods, gold and silver brocades, from Persia; and shawls from Thibet and Cashmere. The fisheries on the Volga, in which are caught the sturgeon and the beluga or great sturgeon, are of great extent and importance. From the sounds of these fish are made isinglass and caviare, the demand for which has been increasing for many years. There is not, except on the banks of Newfoundland, a more productive fishery. During the fasts of the Greek church, which continue for about one third of the year, the sturgeon affords the chief food to European Russia and its populous cities. Many thousands acquire wealth either by fishing or by conveying and retailing the fish in the markets. The population of Astracan is 70,000, composed of Russians, Armenians, Greeks, Tartars, Persians, Jews, Indians, English, and

French; but the most numerous are the Tartars and Armenians. In 1830 the inhabitants suffered severely from the cholera morbus. 330 miles S.S.E. Saratov, 1040 S.S.E. Petersburg. Long. 47. 44. E. Lat. 46. 21. N.

Astracan was formerly the name of an independent government of Asiatic Russia, but in 1785 was incorporated with that of Caucasus. It was of considerable extent, but thinly peopled on account of the barrenness of the soil, except on the banks of the Volga, the Ural, and their tributary streams. (Pallas’s Travels; Tooke’s Russia.')