132

deed upon the tit-ll coming of the
Tartars into this peninfula, the fo-
wereign refidence was at Kollof, but
h re they remained not long. Under
the late khan Schagin Ghirei, it
was held at Kefirla, the ancient The-
odolia, which is 15 verlls dillant
from Elki-Krim, {aid to be the Cim-
merium of the ancients.

The principal cities or towns of
the Krimea are :

Bachtfchi-Sarai, an extenfiite and
‘wealthy city, lying in a vale be-
tween two high mountains, and
iurrouxided by a number ofgardens.
from this circumllance it has its
name ; Bachtfchi fignifying, in the
Tartarian language, a garden, and
Sarai, a palace. It formerly con-
tained 3000 houfes, and many {ump-
tuous medfcheds. The palace of
the khans, with its gardens and
ponds, were much improved under
the government of khan Kerim Gi-
rei, under uthole government the
lall "furkilh ‘war took its rife. In
this palace is the burial place of all
the kltans of Krintea, wherein all
the lzhans that have reigned here lie
interred. The fine Krimlltoi vines,
with their large clufters of grapes,
grout in great plenty all about this
town, and a profulion ofothcr deli-
cious Quits, from xvhence the neigh-
bouring parts of Rufiia are llupplied.

Keffa, the prefent refidence ofthe
khans, {lands on the lhore of a
large harbourin the Black Sea. Its
lite is on the declivity of a long
ridge of mountains, and is mantled
by a {tone wall, Fortified by feveral
towers, and encoznpalled by a deep
ditch. On both fides of the city
formerly flood callles, and in the
middle of them a lofty turret, for
the purpole oFgiving fignals by fire.
Before the wall u=ere xvitie extended
fttburbs, containing, among other

.ANNUAl.REGISTEK

1786.

confiderable buildings, rnedfcheds,
churches for the Greek and Arme-
nian worfhip, of all which now only
the vefliges remain. The calllea
and towers lie alfo in ruins, and not
one third part of the houfes of the
city itfelf are now remaining, and
thofe chiefly built of materials ta-
ken from the aforefaid ruins. They
formerly reckoned Kefla to contain
4.000 houfes, including the fuburbs,
with a number of medfcheds and
Chrillian churches ; but this number
has been much diminifhed by the
lall Turkifh war.

I perceived in the walls of the
houfes a great many blocks ‘and {labs
of marble, with infcriptions and
eniigns armorial, chiiTeled in the
time of the Genoefe. The prefent
inhabitants confiil moltly of Tar-
tars, who carry on a trade, by no
means inconfiderable, in commo-
dities brought from Turkey. The
late khan, an intelligent and en-
lightened perfonage, made this city
the place of his refidence, and
brought hither the mint from Eacht-
fchifarai, built himfelf a palace,
and erected a divan, which affair-
bled three times a week, and the
fourth time was held in the palace
of the khan, in which he always
perfonally aflifted. Here is alfo a
cuflom-houfe, the management of
which is farmed out.

Karafubafar, likewife a very rich
city in former times, {lands at the
beginning of the mountains, about
half-way between Keffa and Bacht-
fchifarai. It is a large trading
town, contains a confiderable num-
ber of dwelling-houlies and med-
fcheds, but the greatell part ofthem
in decay, and many fine gardens.

This place  the molt famous in all .i

the Iirim for its trade in hories, and
has a market once a week "for? that
article