THIRTY-FIVE YEARS IN THE EAST. ^<y 



not the best opinion of my character, on account of the 

 bad reports which had reached him. I met with the same 

 fate at Count Benkendorf's, on whom I called when he 

 was there with the suite of the Emp>eror. It is impossible 

 to conceive the difficulties I had to struggle with in get- 

 ting a passport for the continuation of my journey to St» 

 Petersburgh, as they had retained mine at Nowgorod. 



As I was naturally extremely desirous to restore my 

 injured reputation, I required that a commercial jury should 

 be summoned to decide between me and Lomoff. Several 

 months passed away fruitlessly, but at last that jury, con- 

 sisting of two Russians, two Germans, and two Greek 

 merchants dealing in furs, decided the matter in my favor. 

 Lomoff would have been obliged to return the money had he 

 not in the interval become bankrupt, but one of his relatives 

 received the skins and paid me a part of the amount. 

 During the settlement of the above transaction, I made an 

 excursion to St. Petersburgh, of which city I had heard so 

 much, and what I saw there exceeded my expectations. I 

 will not mention the delightful situation of this city, nor speak 

 of its magnificent palaces, churches, and public buildings ^ 

 neither will I depict the imposing aspect of the majestic- 

 flowing waters of the Neva ; nor describe the various other 

 external objects which have already been painted by others.. 

 I will only mention one particular circumstance, which 

 rendered my stay in the metropolis, although for a very 

 short time, most agreeable. It was the kind reception I 

 met with among all classes of the inhabitants, from the 

 highest to the lowest ; especially among the former. I still 

 retain in my memory one angel-like image, which appeared 

 to me in the person of the Grand Duchess Helena. This 

 intellectual and illustrious lady invited me to call on her, 

 when she heard of my arrival, because she bad been in- 

 formed that I had seen at Lahore Victor Jaquemont, 

 whose correspondence she was then readinef. Her Imperial 

 Highness conversed with me about different matters for 

 two hours. She inquired principally about Cabul, Bokhara, 

 and India, their political; physical and moral condition,. 



