‘thy, master.” 
1824.) 
every glen at the distance of five or six 
miles, . ahr 
The colour of the South American 
otter is different from that of the 
European: the latter is much. darker ; 
and the ntale is still darker than the 
female, who generally gets brown while 
suckling her puppies; Abbé Ricardo says 
that they change coats. The skin is 
now more valuable than formerly, as 
General Parr’s cavalry use them for pis- 
‘tol-covers, and foraging regimental caps 
aremade of them. They also use their 
skins for segar cases, and the Indians eat 
the flesh.: In destroying fish, the otter re- 
jects the: head, and: will not use it, 
although pressed by hunger. In Buenos 
Ayres there is one quite domesticated, 
which will invariably bring home what 
it gets in the river: but tame habits 
make it lazy and indolent ; it is vicious 
during the breeding season, and is oblig- 
ed to be chained. 
eS 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
Exrracr from the Rerort of the Rus- 
sian. Nobleman, Frpor Pissemssk1s, 
who, in 1582, was sent to England on 
an Embassy to Queen EvisaBetH, in 
order to sue, in the name of his Sove- 
. reignthe Czar, JoANNW AsSILJEWITCH, 
for the hand of Lapy Many* Hasr- 
ines, Miece of the Queen. 
[In translating the following interesting 
document, the translator has thought it his 
duty to preserve, as much as possible, the 
character of the original, which would evi- 
dently. have suffered by a more. elegant 
paraphrase. It was. for. the same reason 
that he would not alter the orthography of 
the proper names. } 
N the 18th day of the mouth of 
January (1583) the queen ordered 
Fedor and Neudutscha to be with her in 
Krinmond (Richmond), to hear their 
secret embassy. When they arrived at 
the queen’s court, they were received 
in her name by princesand doyars ; and 
when they entered into the palace, the 
queen commanded Fedor to be in her 
secret cabmet, and said to him, “‘ Thou 
hast given me to understand, through 
the interpreter, Jelisar, and thou thyself 
hast told me, at the embassy (pubjic 
audience), that thou hast a secret order 
of thy master; and then I could not 
hear thee, for there were many people. 
Now, Ihave called thee alone; tell me, 
therefore, what orders thou hast from 
ster. And Fedor said, “ Our 
lord and czar and great prince has com- 
ma rided me to tell thee, his beloved sis- 
* Anne, according to Hume. 
Translation of a Russian Document. 
325 
ter, Elisabeth, queen, ‘ We have ques- 
tioned Dr. Romanus,* who was sent to 
me by thee, if thou hast a princess, 
either widow of a prince, or a virgin of 
princely blood; and Dr. Romanus de- 
posed, that there is with thee the daugh- 
ter of thy vassal, the Chuntintinskian 
prince,} thy (the queen’s) niece, whose 
name, was Maria Chastins.[ Wouldst 
thou, our beloved sister Elisabeth,queen, 
shew this virgin’ to’ our ambassador, 
Fedar, and command her person to be 
described,§ and send it to us, through 
Fedor? Incase that she is agreeable to 
our princely station, we shall speak to 
thee about this matter, such as is most 
becoming.’ ” 
And the Queen Elisabeth replied, “I 
love my brother, master, and am happy 
to enter with him in a family alliance; 
but I have heard that your master loveth 
handsome women. My niece, now, is 
not handsome, and I suspect that she 
will not please your master; neverthe- 
less, Iam very grateful to your master, 
for wishing to enter in a family al- 
liance from an affection to me; but to 
have her likeness painted, and send it 
to your master, I am ashamed ; for she 
is not handsome, and. cannot .please: 
she has been sick of the small-pox, and 
her face is red and full of scars.” 
And Fedor said, “ Our lord, czar and 
great prince, hath sent me, his ambas- 
sador, to thee, his beloved sister, con- 
fiding in thy love; and his love to thee 
he keepeth faithfully and firmly. Mayest 
thou, oh queen! command this virgin to 
be shewn to me, and her person be de- 
scribed, such at it is !” 
And the queen said, “ In the first 
place, my child, the virgin, is yet ill; 
and in this condition it is impossible 
to describe her person, though thou 
gavest me the riches of the whole 
world.” 
And Fedor said, “ It would be, oh 
queen! a great proof of thy love for my 
master, 
* Robert Jacobi, sent hy the queen to 
Moscow in 1581, accompanied by a letter, 
of which the Russian chronicle gives the 
following passage: “ I yield to thee my 
only brother, the cleverest man in the cure 
of diseases ; not because I do not want him, 
but because thou wantest him: thou mayest 
safely entrust thy health to him. Along 
with him I send, to please thee, apothecaries 
and swrgeons, voluntary and compelled, 
although we are ourselves in want of such 
people.” 
f Earl of Huntingdon. 
+ Mary Hastings. 
§ That is;her portrait to be taken: 
