Ukraine, the land and its people : $b an introduction to its geographyRudnytskyi, Stepan
Science
Ukraine, the land and its people : $b an introduction to its geography
Rudnytskyi, Stepan
Ukraine; Ukrainians
Of genuine rapids (porohi), according to the pilots, who are direct descendants of the Zaporog Cossacks, there
are nine; of the larger sabori (ledges of rock which do not obstruct the entire width of the river), six. The first
rapids [78]below Katerinoslav are the Kaidac rapids (Kaidazki porih), with four ledges of rock. Then follow the Yazeva Sebora, the Little Sursky porih,
with two ledges, the dangerous Lokhanski porih with three ledges, and the Strilcha
Sabora, with the great rocks of Strilcha skela and Kamin Bohatir. The next rapids,
Svonez and the far-sounding Tiahinska Sabora, allow vessels easy passage, but after
passing thru the Dnieper the pilot must exert all his strength. Even from the Svonez
rapids on, one can hear the terrible roaring and rumbling of the largest of the porohi,
the Did (grandfather) or Nenassitetz (insatiable). Masses of white foam cover it completely,
the water shoots down over the twelve ledges of rock with the speed of an arrow. The
vessel groans and creaks, but flies thru the porih in three minutes, if it can only
escape the dangerous rock of Krutko or the terrible whirlpool of Peklo (the Hell).
Or it may happen that the ship is dashed to pieces in the Voronova Sabora, which is
full of dangerous reefs.
After the Did and the insignificant Kriva Sabora, comes the Vnuk (grandchild) or Vovnih,
whose four ledges, covered with great billows and masses of foam, holds many hidden
dangers for the sailor. But “after overcoming the Grandfather and the Grandchild,
don’t go to sleep, for the Awakener will wake you”—meaning the next following Porih
Budilo (Awakener) which also is dangerous for ships. We then come past the Tavolzanska
Sabora, where the beautiful crag (Snieva skela) rises, to the next to the last porih,
Lishni (the Dispensable), with two insignificant edges of rock, which offer but slight
dangers. The last porih, however, which bears the name of Vilni (free) or Hadiuchi
(serpent falls), is very dangerous for ships and rafts, for the channel winds in serpentine
twists thru the six ledges, and the pilot must exercise all his skill in order to
steer the ship entrusted to him safely thru the dangerous channel. After this follows
the narrow [79](160 m.) “Wolf’s-Throat” (Vovche horlo), with three great rocks; the small Javlena
Sabora, three dangerous “Robber Rocks” (Kameni Rosbiyniki), and two granite precipices,
Stovli (Pillars), and we come into the Zaporog country (Zaporoze).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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