Rus'-sia [Rush'-].

XII.-RUSSIA.

Cas'-pi-an.

St. Pe'-ters-burg.

1. WE have noticed very many countries in Europe; but all these together form only about one half of the continent. The other half is one great country named RUSSIA. On the southern border is the Black Sea, and on the southeast another immense body of water named the Caspian Sea.

2. If we were to travel across Russia from north to south, we should find first a frozen country, with plants, animals, and people much like those in the coldest part of North America. South of this cold, dreary region is an immense forest, inhabited by bears, wolves, deer, and innumerable other animals, from many of which fine furs are obtained. In all this vast region not a single city, not a village, and hardly a farm, can be seen. Farther south, in the middle part of Russia, are smaller forests here and there, with cultivated lands, villages, and rich cities, as in other countries.

3. Railroads are not common all over Russia, as in the United States and England and France. For this reason, traveling by land is not so easy everywhere. In winter the travelers wrap themselves in warm fur cloaks and robes, and, with fine horses and large sleighs, glide swiftly and pleasantly over the sparkling snow. But the forests are dangerous on account of the wolves, great troops of them sometimes following the sleigh for miles.

4. In the western part of Russia, near the sea, with the great forest country at the east of it, is St. Petersburg,

the capital. Here it is hot in summer; but the summers are short, and the winters are long and very cold. The ground is covered with deep snow; the river beside the city is frozen; and the adjacent sea is filled with ice. The people, wrapped in furs so that you can hardly see their faces, amuse themselves in sleighing, and in sliding

down hill. As the land about the city is flat, "ice hills" are built on purpose for this sport.

5. There is hardly another city in Europe so full of palaces and other fine buildings as St. Petersburg. The emperor's residence, called the "Winter Palace," is one of the largest and grandest in the world. Near it is a fine statue of Peter the Great on horseback.

1. IN the northern part of Africa, is an immense dry, barren plain, almost as large as our whole country. As far as the eye can reach, there is only a bare, sandy surface, with occasional hills and mountains of naked rock. Hardly ever a drop of rain falls, or a cloud is seen in the sky, and never a cool breeze fans your cheek; but all the year round it is the same dry, desolate land. Such a dry, barren country is called a desert.

2. This is the Great Desert, or Sahara. Here and there, as you travel over it, you may find a little spring bubbling up from the earth, and sending a small stream of water for a short distance, until it is lost in the sand. In other places, wells have been dug from which the ground can be watered. Around the springs and wells, the earth is no longer naked, and scorching to the feet, but is covered with a rich, cool carpet of fresh grass, and shaded by groves of date trees. Such a fertile spot, like a green island in the sea of sand, is called an oasis. There are many oases in some parts of the desert.

3. On the larger oases are wandering Arabs, with flocks of sheep and goats, and many camels and horses. When the flocks have eaten all the grass upon one oasis, the Arabs go with them to another, and then another; and thus they wander from place to place all the year round. Because they must thus keep moving about all

the time, these Arabs do not build houses, but live in tents, which can be taken up, and carried with them wherever they go. They are called nomads, or wandering people.

4. Arab merchants, in great companies called caravans, constantly travel across the desert, conveying goods from the countries on one side to those on the

other. These are packed in large bundles, and fastened upon the backs of camels. The food and water for the whole company are also carried by camels.

5. The desert chiefs, who take care of and guide the caravan, are mounted on beautiful, swift horses. Their saddles and bridles are trimmed with crimson velvet, and gold and silver fringes, and buttons. They wear long silk robes of bright colors, and rich turbans; and with swords by their sides, or spears in their hands, they present a very striking appearance.

6. The caravans travel during the day, and at night encamp, if possible, on some oasis; but they sometimes go on for days without finding any. Then it occasionally happens that the water brought with them gives out, and they suffer greatly. The camels can go several days without water, but the horses and men cannot; and, if they do not soon reach a spring or well, they die of thirst.

7. Besides, fierce winds often sweep over the desert, filling the air with thick clouds of sand. Some of these sand storms are so dreadful as nearly to destroy the caravans. You would think no one would wish to go into such dangers; but the Arabs love the wild life of the desert.

8. The Sahara, though so great, is not the whole of Africa, nor even half of it. There are fertile lands both north and south of it. Near the north coast of Africa, opposite Italy and Spain, is a mountain land, with fine valleys, streams, and lakes. The mountains, called the Atlas, are covered with forests. In the valleys are villages and cities surrounded by wheat fields and orange groves, vineyards and mulberry trees.