172 By Stream and Sea. 



him down, and then remonstrate with him, if indeed they 

 think it worth while to supplement a blow with a word. 



And what a tremendous crowd it was that gathered on the 

 banks of the Neva to see the waters blessed ! The river front 

 of the Winter Palace is separated from the pavement of the 

 embankment by a broad road, along which, except upon 

 the spaces which the police and soldiers kept clear, human 

 beings were closely packed. The ice of the river for half 

 a mile square was kept clear of people also, but on the free 

 portions, and on the bridges, and buildings around the 

 Exchange, there was nothing but black swarms of human 

 heads to be seen. At a moderate computation, from the 

 spot where I was wedged in, the eye could roam over two 

 hundred thousand persons, without approaching in either 

 direction the limits of the crowd. The police and soldiers, 

 including a number of mounted men who exercise the 

 functions of both, were considerably fewer than would have 

 been seen in the streets of London on any great public 

 occasion. The crowd was wonderfully well-behaved, and 

 gave one the impression of being really impressed with the 

 business in which it was taking part. 



On the Neva's bank, opposite the central entrance of the 

 palace, an imposing, if somewhat gaudy, octagonal domed 

 structure had been erected. This kiosk-like shelter had 

 cherubs on its panels, sacred pictures on its upper part, and 

 a cross to surmount the whole ; while the exterior of the 

 dome was painted blue, and sprinkled with golden stars, 

 after the manner of Russian churches. The faces of the 

 vast multitude seemed turned by involuntary consent 

 towards this centre, and their expression was that of marked 

 thoughtfulness. At times, when patience and the rain had 

 been in operation for a couple of hours, the crowd would 

 surge, and perhaps break bounds, and then the officers 



