314 JOHN LEDYARD. 



hitherto been used by the English with the greatest 

 kindness and respect, I first applied to the British 

 minister, but without success. The apology was 

 that the present political condition between Russia 

 and England would make it disagreeable for the 

 British minister to ask any favor. The secretary 

 of the French embassy will despatch my letter, and 

 one of his accompanying it, to the Count Segur to- 

 morrow morning. I will endeavor to write you 

 again before I leave Petersburg, and give you some 

 further accounts of myself. Meantime, I wish you 

 health. I have written a short letter to the marquis. 

 Adieu." 



Ledyard left St. Petersburg on the 1st of June, 

 and arrived at Moscow after a journey of six days. 

 Thence he proceeded to Kasan. He crossed the 

 Ural Mountains without accident, and reached To- 

 bolsk, the former capital of Siberia. Here he tar- 

 ried a short time, and at length journeyed on to 

 Irkutsk. This city is- situated nearly in the centre 

 of the vast territories of Russia in Asia, and is the 

 capital of a province. The forms of society, and the 

 aspects of human life, here presented a novel and 

 striking picture to his view ; exhibiting the appear- 

 ances of a community far remote from the great 

 highways of civilization, and shut out from all 

 familiar and frequent intercourse with the world. 



