Cochrane's Journey to the Frozen Sea and Katntchatka. 611 



peiided fiom my ueck. Having appro- 

 priated my trowsers, shirts, stockings, 

 and slices — as also my spectacles, watcii, 

 compass, Ihermometer, and small 

 pocket-sextant, with one hundred and 

 sixty roubles, they at length released 

 me from the tree, and at tlie point of a 

 stiletto made me swear that I would 

 not inform against them, — such, at 

 least, I conjectured to be their meaning, 

 though of their language I understood 

 not a word. 



Having received my promise, I was 

 again treated to bread and rum, and 

 once more fastened to the tree, in wliich 

 condition they finally abandoned me. 

 Not long after, a boy who was passing, 

 heard my cries, and set me at liberty. 

 I did not doubt he was sent by my late 

 companions on so considerate an errand, 

 and felt so far grateful : though it 

 might require something more than 

 common charity to forgive their de- 

 priving me of my shirt and trowsers, 

 and leaving me almost as nuked as I 

 came into the world. 



To pursue my route or return to 

 Tzarsko Selo would, indeed, he alike 

 indecent and ridiculous, but being so, 

 and there being no remedy, I made 

 therefore " forward" the order of the 

 day ; having first svith the remnant of my 

 apparel rigged myself a VEcossoise, I 

 resumed my route. I had still left 

 me a blue jacket, a flannel waistcoat, 

 and a spare one, which I tied round my 

 waist, in such a manner that it reached 

 down to the knees: my empty knapsack 

 w as restored to itsold place, and I trotted 

 on with even a merry heart. 



NOVGOROD. 



Thence to Novgorod. I had passed 

 on the road many populous and neat 

 villages, and numerous tents belonging 

 to the military workmen, which gave 

 additional interest to a fertile and pic- 

 turesque scenery. To the left was the 

 river Volkhoff', on which Novgorod 

 stands. The approach is grand, and 

 the numerous spires and steeples of the 

 churches and convents, with their gilded 

 and silvered casements glittering in the 

 sun, recalled for a moment the memory 

 of its ancient splendour. 



Good quarters were provided me, in 

 the habitation of a Russian merchant, 

 to whom I had a letter of recommend- 

 ation from St. Petersburg. He had 

 also the kind consideration to provide 

 mc a complete refit ; and, though this 

 must have been at an expense of thirty 

 or forty loubhs, he positively refused 

 my ollitr of reimbiirsctntnt. 



This ancient and celebrated city, 

 which in former days was characterized 

 by the proverb, " Who can resist the 

 gods, and the great Novgorod V is now 

 only the capital of a province of its own 

 name. In its former glory it was the 

 metropolis of a great republic, with four 

 hundred thousand souls within its walls. 

 The population is now reduced to a 

 fortieth part. Its immense trade had 

 been gradually declining since the 

 cruelties of Ivan Vassilich II. and was 

 completely annihilated by the removal 

 of the seat of government, by Peter the 

 Great, from Moscow to the Gulf of 

 Finland. Many handsome edifices, 

 now in ruins, are lamentable proofs of 

 its former grandeur, and present decay. 

 Its archiepiscopal cathedral, small, but 

 very ancient, is filled with superstitious 

 relics, and the ashes of several Russian 

 grand dukes. 



The steeples of Novgorod present a 

 monument of considerable pride in the 

 estimation of its inhabitants. Their dis- 

 tinction is in the cross, at the top, stand- 

 ing alone, unaccompanied by the cres- 

 cent, and this is an emblem intimating 

 that the Tartars, in all their invasions, 

 never succeeded so far as to enter the 

 city. This distinction universally holds 

 in Russia : the re-conquered cities bcar- 

 ing the crescent, but surmounted by the 

 cross. 



The following day, being that of Pen- 

 tecost, I attended the service in the 

 cathedral ; and, though I understood 

 nothing of the language, was forcibly 

 struck with the primitive appearance 

 of the clergy, in their long beards, 

 longer tresses, and still longer robes. 

 They certainly carried all the appear- 

 ance of devout ministers of religion. 



MEN AND WOMEN. 



The women of Muscovy hitherto ap- 

 pear 'civil and cleanly dressed, though 

 disfigured by the abominable custom of 

 tying their breasts as low, flat, and 

 light, as possible. The men appear 

 equally civil, obliging, and hospitable, 

 but almost equally disguised, by their 

 swaddling coat of cloth, or sheep skin, 

 coloured trowsers, and immense boots, 

 sash round the body, a wide rimmed 

 hat, and long beard. This mode of 

 dress certainly gives them something of 

 a ferocious appearance. 



PEASANTKY. 



I have no hesitation in saying, that 

 the condition of the peasantry here is far 

 su|)crior to that class in Ireland. In 

 Russia provisions are plentiful, good, 

 and cheap; while in Ireland they are 

 ^(;an(y, 



