BETROTHAL TO MATILDA DRUMANN. 133 



grafenstrasse . at the back of which a fine room} 7 

 workshop had been erected, whilst the front part, 

 recently enlarged, yielded us excellent dwelling accom- 

 modation. For the wedding then there was only lacking 

 the bride, and I was able soon after my arrival in 

 Konigsberg. on my mother's birthday - - the llth of 

 January 1852 - - to put the long deferred question 

 to Matilda Drumann. whose reply made me an accepted 

 and happy lover. 



My business affairs did not allow of a long stay 



J O J 



in Konigsberg, as I was expected on the 20th of 

 January in Riga, where we had to establish telegraphic 

 communication with the port-town Boldera. which was 

 to be effected by means of a steel -wire cable spanning 

 the broad Duna. 



At that time posting was the only mode of 

 travelling in Russia. This was very well organized 

 on the main roads, that is to say considering the 



/ o 



circumstances. At a distance on an average of from 

 twenty to thirty versts --a verst is a little more than 

 a kilometer - - substantial houses with stabling were 

 erected on the post-roads, in which shelter and horses 

 were to be had. if not already engaged, and the tra- 

 veller was in possession of a government order to the 

 post-masters, directing them to furnish horses for a 

 prescribed journey on payment of the regulation fare. 

 If possessed of such an order -- called Podaroshna - 

 the traveller, supposing he had no private carriage, 

 obtained a small four-wheeled peasant's cart, without 

 springs covering or other luxury, drawn by three 



