CHAPTER I. 



THE SAIMA SEE. 



FROM the centre of St. Petersburg a small steamer 

 conveys passengers to the Station of the Finnish railway. 

 In doing so it passes through the most magnificent city- 

 river-scenery in Europe, proceeding along a noble stretch 

 of waters, deep and rapid in their flow, and ever tilling 

 their basins, the banks of which are lined with palaces, 

 public buildings, gardens, and mansions, every, one of 

 which is itself a palace. 



Taking departure from Vasilli Ostrof there are seen 

 on the one bank of the river the English Quay not a 

 landing-place for goods and passengers from shipping, but 

 a long street of elegant houses, amongst which is the 

 Chapel of the British Factory, and the House of the 

 English Club, with a low massive wall and broad pavement, 

 both of red granite, said to have been brought from Scot- 

 land when the city was built. Landing-stages there are for 

 smail picturesque ferry-boats, and massive landing-places 

 for firewood brought in barges from the interior ; and there 

 are moored barges elegantly fitted up for the sale of fresh- 

 water fish of various kinds, kept alive in floating tanks till 

 selected and delivered to the purchaser ; but shipping there 

 is none, excepting three or four richly gilt and beautifully 

 shaped and equipped Imperial yachts, in keeping with 

 the whole surroundings. Looking down the river we see 

 large covered ship-building sheds, in vhich not a few of 

 the wooden frigates of a former day were built. Along 

 the quay from which we have started the counterpart to 

 that on the opposite bank, but bent in accordance with 

 the bulging of the land, while the other is straight are a 



