364 THE JEANNETTE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



very pleasant American residents there, we continued our 

 journey. 



We reached St. Petersburg about May 1st, and through 

 the efforts of the correspondent of the New York Herald, we 

 were provided with delightful quarters on the English Quay 

 fronting the Neva River. The emperor and empress having 

 expressed a wish to see us, we went to Gatcheua by special 

 train and were taken in the carriages of royalty to the 

 palace where, after waiting some time and viewing many 

 objects of interest, we were ushered into a smaller apartment, 

 there meeting the emperor and empress, both of whom spoke 

 English. Concluding our interview and shaking hands we 

 withdrew, and after being shown through the palace and 

 meeting a number of notables, we were driven to the station 

 and returned to St. Petersburg. In the evening we attended 

 a banquet given in our honor. 



We remained in this city eight days waiting for instruc- 

 tions from home. Among other interesting attentions which 

 we received I remember with pleasure the banquet given us 

 by the charge* d'affaires, Mr. Hoffman. 



St. Petersburg contains many sights for the traveler, and 

 the European tourist who fails to visit this city loses much 

 of interest which is not to be seen elsewhere. Among the 

 sights are the fortress where are kept a number of important 

 prisoners ; the cathedral with the tombs of the dead emperors; 

 the hermitage ; and St. Isaac's Cathedral with its beautiful 

 mosaic pictures and columns of malachite and lapis lazuli. 

 This cathedral is 350 feet from the floor to the interior of 

 the dome. On a clear day and with a glass one can get 

 good views of Cronstadt, some eighteen versts away. 



We left St. Petersburg on the yacht of the admiral of the 

 port, and after a pleasant passage and lunch arrived off 

 Cronstadt, where we paid our respects to the admiral, and 

 then with good-byes all around we put to sea. As we passed 

 out of the dock the naval band played the " Star-Spangled 

 Banner" and "America." We steamed away, night shut 

 down, and we were off for Hull, England. After a comfort- 



