KUBAN  , a

river of southern Russia, rising on the W. slope of the Elbruz, in the Caucasus, at an altitude of 13,930 ft., races down the N. face of the Caucasus as a mountain torrent, but upon getting down to the lower-lying steppe country S. of Stavropol it turns, at 1075 ft. altitude, towards the N.W., and eventually, assuming a westerly course, enters the Gulf of Kyzyl-tash, on the Black Sea, in the vicinity of the Straits of Kerch . Its lower course lies for some distance through marshes, where in times of overflow its breadth increases from the normal 700 ft. to over half a mile . Its total length is 500 m., the area of its basin 21,480 sq. m . It is navigable for steamers for 73 m., as far as the confluence of its tributary, the Laba (200 M. long) . This, like its other effluents, the Byelaya (155 M.), Urup, and Great and Little Zelenchuk, joins it from the left . The Kuban is the ancient Hypanis and Vardanes and the Pshishche of the Circassians .