' In this district is situated one of the old towns, or rather cities, of Russia, interesting on account of ancient historical associations. It is the town of Pleshkoff, built on the banks of the Velikaia and the Plescova, by the famous Russian Princess Olga, who was born in a village about eight miles distant from it, named Sibout, whence the young prince Igor espoused her for his wife, But her love for her native place was so strong, that after she had become a Christian, about the year 965, she came from Kief to propagate the Christian religion among its heathen inhabitants: and at that time, as the legend goes, founded the city on the spot indicated to her by a supernatural light from heaven, which descended upon a certain place on the banks of the two above mentioned streams. She began by erecting a church to the Holy Trinity, and the city rose around it, and became distinguished for its power and commercial importance through many succeeding ages. The evidence of this is seen in the extent of the ruins of the massive buildings required by the necessities of a crowded city of enterprising merchants, enriched by the gains of an extensive and successful trade, now yielding materials which have been employed extensively in the repairs and erection of buildings required by the demands of modern times. It is described as being in a most dilapidated condition. It is still divided into three parts — the Kremlin, the central city, and the great city. The towers and fortifications of the outer walls occupy a circle of about seven versts: these are all of limestone; and are so reduced by the effects of the frosts in winter, and the heat in summer, that certainly a few ages more will cover the mouldering heaps with green turf.
' The population is about 10,000 people.
' When the famous Vladimir the First divided his kingdom among his ten children, whom he had by an equal number of wives, Pleshkoff fell to the lot of Sondislav, who became in consequence its first sovereign about 1030. But the fate, and even the government of Pleshkoff, was in general intimately connected with that of its rival, and elder sieter, Novgorod, until its union with the Hanseatic towns, about the beginning of the fifteenth century, at which time they began to coin silver money at Pleshkoff. This coin had the head of an ox, with a crown below it; and on the reverse, the value marked. Republican principles prevailed in Pleshkoff till it was subdued by the Grand Duke Ivan Vasillivitch, in 1509. The Russian chronologer, Nestor, says that the Christian religion was propogated as early in the region of Pleshkoff as in Novgorod by St. Joachim the Chersouite.'
Conterminous with the government of Moghileff, and occupying the centre of Lithuania, is the government of Minsk, conterminous with Vilna and Grodno on the west. ' Minsk is an ancient Lithuanian town, situated on the river Swistoche; sometimes subjected to the principality of Poletsk, and at others to that of Smolensk. So early as 1066 the two sons of the Grand Duke Jarosloff beseiged it, took it, massacred all the males, and distributed the women and children as slaves to those who accompanied them. In 1104 a Russian prince named Gleb Vseslavitch reigned here, who afterwards became Prince of Poletsk. Its fortunes were for many ages united to those of Poland (of a Palatinate of which kingdom it formed the capital), but was taken by the Russians in 1656. It is now the seat of government for the province of the same name, and of a Russian archbishop, who takes the title of Archbishop of Minsk and Lithuania. There is also a Russian Catholic Bishop of Minsk. The Jews form two-thirds of the population. At the last census there proved to be 8000 Jews, and only 4000 Christians of all denominations, in the town of Minsk. Many of the public buildings are of brick; but the houses of the inhabitants are chiefly of wood. There are a number of manufactories of hats in this place, which are thence exported to every part of the dominion of Russia. The country around Minsk is fertile in grain and pasturage. Extensive forests of pine still cover a great part of the province, the felling and transporting of which, down the rivers to Cherson in the cast, and Konigsberg in the north, form a principal branch of the industry of its inhabitants. They are reckoned at two millions of souls; and consist of Lithuanians, Poles, Jews, and Russians.'