664 coxe’s travels- in Russia .

between thefe two fums, we have one hundred and twenty-fix thoufand fix hundredand ninety-feven for the number of inhabitants *.

Peterfburgh, from its low and marfhy fituation, is fubjefft to inundations, whichfometimes threaten the town with a total fubmerfion. Thefe floods are chiefly occa-fioned by a weft or fouth-weft wind, which, blowing direftly from the gulf, obftruftsthe current of the Neva, and caufes an accumulation of the waters. On the 16th ofNovember we had nearly perfonal experience of this dreadful calamity. Being in-vited to a mafquerade at the Cadet’s in the Vafliii Oftrof, on our approach to thebridge We perceived that a ftormy weft wind had fwelled the river fo considerably as toelevate the pontoons; and the bridge was in danger of being carried away. Inftead,therefore, of repairing to the mafquerade, we returned home, and waited for fomehours in awful expectation of an immediate deluge. Providentially a fudden changeof wind preferved Peterfburgh from the impending cataftrophe, and the inhabitantsfrom an almoft univerfal confternation, which recent fufierings impreffed upon theirminds. I allude to the flood in the month of September 1777, whofe effects are thusdefcribed: “ f In the evening of the gth a violent ftorm of wind blowing at S. W. andafterwards W. raifed the Neva and its various branches to fo great a height, that atfive in the morning the waters poured over their bank, and fuddenly overflowed thetown, but more particularly the Vafliii Oftrof and the ifland of St. Peterfburgh. Thetorrent rofe in feveral ftreets to the depth of four feet and an half; and overturned,by its rapidity, various buildings and bridges. About feven, the wind fluffing to N.W.the flood fell fuddenly ; and at mid-day mod of the ftreets, which in the morning couldonly be pafled in boats, became dry. For a fliort time the river rofe ten feet feveninches above its ordinary level.”

The divifions of Peterfburgh, on each fide of the Neva, are connected by a bridgeon pontoons, which was ufually removed when the large mafles of ice driven down theftream from the lake Ladoga j, firft made their appearance, and for a few days, untilthe river was frozen diffidently hard to bear carriages, there was no communicationbetween the oppoftte parts of the town. The depth of the river renders it extremelydifficult to build a ftone bridge: andjf one fhould be conftruCted, it would probably bedeftroyed by thefe vaft flioals of ice. To remedy this incovenience, a Ruffian peafantprojected the fublime plan of throwing a wooden bridge of a Angle arch acrofs theriver, which in its narroweft part is nine hundred and eighty feet in breadth. Theartift has executed a model ninety-eight feet in length, which I examined with greatattention, as he explained the proportion and mechanifm.

* Sufslick eftimates the population of Peterfburgh at one hundred and thirty-three thoufand onehundred and ninety fix, by multiplying the births by twenty eight ; and one hundred and thirty twothoufand nine hundred and ninety, by multiplying the deaths by twenty fix ; neither of which number 3differs effentially from the average number in the text: he adds, that Peterfburgh is the only large townin which there are more births than deaths. The population of Pi terfburgh is continually increaiing, aSwell from the excefs of the births above the deaths, as from the influx of natives and foreigners. Accordingto a cenfus taken in 1784, it contained one hundred and twenty-fix thoufand eight hundred and tvventy-feven males, and fixty five thoufand fix hundred and nineteen females, including about twenty-feventhoufand eight hundred and ninety foreigners ; in all one hundred and ninety-two thoufand four hundredand forty-fix perfons.

According to Profeffor Heym (Encyclopedia; des Ruffifchen Reicby) Peterfburgh was twenty-f° urverlts in circumference in 1784, and contained feventy-one churches, and three thoufand four hundred andthirty-one houfes, of which one thoufand two. hundred and ninety-one were of brick, and two thoufand_one hundred and forty of wood. f Journ. St. Pet. Sept. 1777.

t This bridge was, in December 1779, replaced for the firft time, and continued during the winter/a pradtife which has been iince renewed, and renders the communication more convenient.

c The