The Ukraine, as a province, enjoyed privileges from which others of the Russic territories were excluded. As the Ukraine was inhabited by the Polish Cossacks, it was very difficult to take an exact estimate of its evervarpng population. The Ukraine formed, in almost every particular, an exception to the other Polish provinces. Its rivers are the Dnieper, too well known to need description; the Dziesna, the Sula, the Yorskla, and the Samara, which poured their tributary waters into the Dnieper on the east; and the Teterof, the Piema, the Ros, the Tasmina, with several others, on the west. The climate of the Ukraine is temperate, being softer in the Polish than in the Russian Ukraine. This country is rich in various produce; its soil is almost eveiywhere impregnated with saltpetre; it abounds in timber, grain, esculent vegetables, odoriferous flowers, and delicious fruits; and was justly considered from remote ages as the garden and granary of the neighbouring provinces. The numerous herds, scattered over the luxuriant and spacious pasturages; the fish with which the rivers teem; the honey and wax of the bees, in the management of which the inhabitants excel; the oil, saltpetre, leather, tobacco, salt (the produce of the salt lakes towards the Black Sea), and many other usefal articles, may justly entitle this country to the figurative character of " a land flowing with milk and honey." In short, if the Ukraine were not at times laid waste by myriads of locusts, (Szarancza, pronounced Charantsha), which destroy sometimes the most abundant crop; if the cataracts of the Dnieper did not form an obstacle to the navigation of that river; and if the energies of the population were not crippled by Russian domination, trade •with the Ukraine would be more flourishing than even that of the East Indies; and, at the same time, its territory would be one of the most fruitful and delightful in all Europe.
The traveller, journeying from the romantic scenes of the beautiful and mountainous Podolia, commonly called the garden of Poland, on reaching the Ukraine, is struck with amazement at beholding those vast uncultivated plains, known by the appellation of Steppes. In these Steppes, the troops of wild horses Wild as the wild deer and untaught, With spur and bridle undefiled.
Byron's " Mazeppa." dashing across the plains, are seen suddenly to halt, to extend their necks, and gaze with intensity, as if surprised at the sight of a living being come to disturb them in their solitude; one of them neighs, others respond, then all retire with lightning speed.
A thousand horse and none to ride! With flowing tail and flying mane, Wide nostrils — never stretched by pain. Mouths bloodless to the bit or rein, And feet that iron never shod And flanks unscarred by spur or rod, A thousand horse, the wild, the free. Like waves that follow o'er the sea.
Byron's "Mazeppa."
At times also is descried, soaring in the welkin, a solitary eagle, or perchance a flight of large ravens. Sometimes hungry wolves have been known to pursue, with savage howling, the flying steeds yoked to the traveller's car. Now and then may be seen flights of wild ducks and geese cleaving the air; or cranes in triangular bodies, with other birds, sending forth shrieks that re-echo in the deep silence around. Not a house, not a tree for miles, not a spot of elevated ground meets the eye, except, indeed, large barrows containing the bones or dust of the myriads of victims of war or pestilence. Ravines, called iary, of immense length, sometimes intersect the monotonous plains. There exists also an ancient rampart, known by the name of Wall-zmiiowy; this is of considerable length; and there is also another commencing near Biala Cerkiew, which disappears towards the Dnieper, and is called the Rampart of Trajan, a name explained by a popular tradition, but rejected by historical criticism.