148 LETTER VI. 



14. We got fafe the next day to Revel ^ (for- 

 merly a Ha?ife 'Toitm^) another Port on the fame 

 fide of the Baltick Sea, and found it confiderably 

 larger than Narva. It was then full of Soldiers, 

 and the young King of Sweden's Royal Standard 

 was moll pompoufly difplayed in the Market- 

 place ; they being in weekly expedation of his 

 Perfon, and General Officers, with Forces nu- 

 merous enough to raife the Siege oi Narva: And 

 indeed the event did foon after make it appear, 

 that their Hopes, though very fanguine, were 

 yet well grounded 5 For the Vant- guard of his 

 Army alone, beat the whole Mufcovite one, kill- 

 ing and taking Prifoners, moft of the Generals, 

 inferior Officers, and common Soldiers too. 



15. Revel Yon was very little better than an 

 ordinary open Bay then : But I have been in- 

 formed, that after it fell into the hands of the 

 Czar Peter the Great, he fixed a Wooden Pier 

 upon a Sand-bank in the Sea, that would render 

 the Harbour fafe by breaking the Waves. This 

 Pier confifted of the longeil: and largeft Pine-trees 

 joined together in the ftrongeft manner, and was 

 fo contrived, that if any part of the Work failed, 

 the defecl: might be amended without much da- 

 mage to the rell. The Sea there freezes violent- 

 ly a good way from the Shore; and as foon as the 

 Ice was thick enough (i. e. ^vhen it was fi'oze to 

 the bottom) it was fet up and joined well toge- 

 ther 



