530 POSTING IN RUSSIA. 



abolished, as they were now allowed to receive hire from the persons 

 who employed them. 



In the year 1781 the Yamskoi Chancery was abolished, and the post- 

 hire, which in 1762 had been raised to two copecs from St. Petersburgh, 

 to Novogorod, and to one copec in every other part of the kingdom, was 

 in 1783 placed on the same footing, namely, two copecs per verst 

 throughout all Russia in Europe, except on the first stages from St. 

 Petersburgh and Moskva, for which two copecs were to be paid. In 

 Siberia, the old hire was retained. Under the reign of Paul I., the 

 Yamshtshiki post was restored nearly to the original form given to it by 

 Peter the Great, and the hire was raised one copec per verst an 

 impost which travellers must pay in advance to government for the 

 whole journey. The sum arising from this additional hire was assigned 

 to the directors of the highways, and is destined for the repairs of the 

 roads. 



In Russia there are no public carriages which set out at stated periods 

 to convey travellers from one place to another. Those who intend to 

 travel post in that country must provide themselves with a pass,* which 

 if they mean to leave the kingdom, cannot be obtained till their names 

 have been announced three times in the gazettes. To travel with con- 

 venience, they must also have carriages of their own, for at the differ- 

 ent stations they can get only kibitkas. Formerly there was a great 

 difference in the length of the stages, which sometimes contained forty 

 versts, but at present they must not exceed thirty; and the number of 

 horses which a traveller obtains is determined by the quantity of his 

 baggage, the state of the roads, and the period of the year. The pos- 

 tilions have no horns, wear common clothes, and are no longer obliged 

 to have a double eagle suspended before their breast. 



The Russian horses are strong and hardy, accustomed to great exer- 

 tion, and often travel a whole stage on a full gallop. According to an 

 established regulation, the postilions, from the 1 st of December to the 

 loth of March, and from the middle of May to the middle of September, 

 are obliged to drive ten versts in an hour, and the rest of the year only 

 eight. It is therefore very common for them to perform a journey of 

 more than 250 versts, or 166 English miles, in' twenty-four hours. In 

 the month of February, 1744, a traveller went from St. Petersburgh to 

 Moskva, the distance between which at that time measured on the road 

 was 748 versts, or about 500 English miles, in seventy-two hours. f 



At most of the stations nothing can be obtained but horses, which are 

 got ready with wonderful expedition. As inns are seldom to be found, 

 travellers must provide themselves with every necessary article of accom- 

 modation ; for though the boors are exceedingly hospitable, this national 

 virtue does not exempt travellers from the necessity of carrying with 

 them bedding and provisions. This, however, is not the case in all the 

 provinces. On the principal roads between Petersburgh and Moskva, 

 between the former and Riga, in White Russia, and in some other 

 places, there are commodious inns ; and orders have lately been issued 

 for improving the post-houses erected at the different stages, and ren- 

 dering them better suited to their destination. The post hire called in 



* Podoroslmaia. f Buscmng*8 Magazine, vol. 10, p 316. 



