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COXE’s TRAVELS IN RUSSIA, 897
The locks of Klutfhina, thofe of a and 4 in the town, and that of the Zna being fhut,
the lock of the Tvertza is opened ; the waters of the Zna and Shlina are conveyed
through the canal of the Tvertza into that river ; and the barks pafs into the Zna at
at Vifhnéi-Volofhok. When a fufficient number are admitted, the lock of the Tvertza
is fhut; and the waters being raifed to a certain level (which feldom takes more than
two or three days), by means of the lock of feven gates, that of the Zna is opened, and
the barks are gradually let down a fmall fall, to the number of about twenty in an hour.
At night the lock is fhut. If on the following day there is fufficient depth, the barks
continue defcending through the lock of the Zna; or if not, they muft remain until a
fufficient body of water is collected. Having by this means all pafled into the Shlina,
they proceed, without interruption, through the lake Maftino to the beginning of the
Matta ; where a lock has been lately conftructed, which holds the waters of this lake in
referve. By this refervoir the navigation is fo greatly facilitated, that the lock of the
Zna being fhut, and that of the Tvertza open, the Tvertza, which was formerly almoft
dry during feveral weeks, is now generally navigable, even in the mid{ft of fummer,
within two days after the paflage of the barks: in fpring, the fupply of water, from the
melting of the fnows, is fo confiderable, that the locks both of the Tvertza and of the
Zna are open at the fame time.
Several rivulets falling into the Mafta are confined by locks, which being opened
fucceflively as the barks are pafling, fill the river, and render the fhallows navigable ;
and being again clofed, form perpetual refervoirs of water ; this operation is performed
five or fix times in the fummer. By fome other works lately conftru€ted, a confider-
able addition of water has been obtained; and it is expected, that the Tvertza will
become always navigable, and the lock of the Matta will only be fhut for a fhort
time.
The boats employed on this occafion are towed by ten horfes up the Tvertza to
Vifhnei-Volofhok, between ten and twelve miles a day; from which place they are
rowed as far as Novogorod. Each bark is provided with at leaft ten men; thofe which
are laden with hemp require twenty-two. At Nofhino and Baffatino they change pilots,
and take in ten additional men to pafs the upper and {mall cataraéts. At Apezent{koi
Radok, at the head of the great cataracts, they procure another pilot and two aflift-
ants; and on account of the rapidity of the current, increafe their complement generall
to fixty men. The fall of the river is one hundred and twenty-two and a half yards |
perpendicular in twenty miles; and the ftream fo violent, that the boats not unfre-
quently fhoot along this fpace within the hour ; but they are fometimes dafhed againt{t
the rocks or overfet by accident ; in the year 1778 above thirty were loft. From the
foot of the great cataracts, the pilot of Vifhnéi-Volofhok fteers the bark one hundred
and twenty miles further through feveral fhoals, which have lately been confider-
ably reduced, and almoft levelled. In fpring the veffels can be allowed to draw
two and a half feet water; in fummer only twenty-fix inches. In autumn the
navigation from Vifhnéi-Voiofhok to Peterfburgh is performed in little more than
a month, in fummer in three weeks; and in {pring only a fortnight is required. In
the year 1777, three thoufand four hundred and eighty-five barks pafled through the
canal. ;
‘Lhe veffels being fteered down the Matta, acrofs the lake IImen to Novogorod, de-
fcend the Volkof, and enter the Ladoga canal, a plan of which is annexed to that of
Vifhnéi-Volofhok. This canal was begun in 1718, by order of Peter, and finifhed
during the reign of the Emprefs Anne: it was carried at firft only as far as the Kabona,
VoL, VI. Deg a Yivule
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