The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

304 EUSSIA IX EUROl'E.enemies from all quarters. It was destroyed four times—in 1171 by Andrew,Prince of Susdalia ; in 1240 by the Mongolian Batu-Kban ; in 1416 by theTatars ; and in 15S4 by tbe Crini Tatars, after wbicb its very site was said tobare remained deserted for ten years. But it rose from its ruins, and altbougbceasing to be tbe centre of tbe Slav confederacies, and often cut off from directcommunication with tbe sea, it retained a foremost rank amongst Slav cities,and is even still tbe fifth in popidation of the empire.Kiev occupies an area of about 20 square miles on the terrace and slopes ofthe hills, rising 350 to 4-30 feet above the right bank of the river, along which tbeFig156.—A Kiev Pilgrim.houses stretch for a distance of 6 miles in sufficiently compact masses to give theplace coherency. Nevertheless there are extensive tracts still unoccupied, exceptperhaps by a few mud hovels, or crossed by avenues as broad as squares. Hence, withoutspreading outwards, the present population might be doubled or trebled by coveringthe waste grounds. Each of its several quarters presents special features,as, for instance, Podol, near the river, the centre of trade and industries, south of