178 
CHAP. 
IV. 
' ' 
BAKTCHE3ERAI, 
pleted what entreaty was unable to accomplish. 
He was dragged, as a prisoner, to Kaluga', a 
wretched hamlet upon the river Oka, yet rank- 
ing as the capital of a government of the same 
name, and a thousand versts distant from Peters- 
burg. From this place he was not permitted to 
move. In his miserable condition, finding that 
neither his pension was paid, nor any single 
engagement of the Russians fulfilled, he insisted 
upon going to Petersburg, but was told it could 
not be permitted. At last, giving himself over 
entirely to despondency, he exclaimed, “ Let 
me be consigned as a victim to the Turks : they 
will not deny me, at least, the privilege of choos- 
ing the manner of my death ; since my enemies 
have resolved on my destruction!” The un- 
paralleled cruelty of the Russians suggested the 
propriety of acceding to this request ; they 
rejoiced indeed to hear it made, because it 
offered an easy method of getting rid of one 
whom they had pillaged, and whose presence 
was no longer either necessary or desirable. 
They consequently exposed the unfortunate 
Prince upon the Turkish frontier, where he was 
(1) Mr. Eton {Survey of the Turkish Empire, p. 323,) says, l> e 
“ retired to Kaluga." Was the liberty of retiring ever known in Russia t 
A similar expression, however, occurs in p. 308. “ He quitted Russia, 
and retired to Constantinople." It is hoped that Mr. Eton's entertaining 
w ork did not experience a revisal in the hands of the Russian police. 
