ODESSA. 
prosperity of the town was checked; the build- chap. 
ings were not completed ; the merchants began '■ — > 
to leave the place; and the necessity of the 
undertaking became daily more and more 
alarmingly visible. At last, petition after 
petition having been offered in vain, the matter 
came to a singular issue. The Emperor resolved Usurious 
to turn usurer. He proposed to lend them a 
sum of money, at enormous interest, and upon rcign ' 
the strongest security; yet left the inhabitants 
no option, but compelled them to accept the 
loan upon his own terms, and ordered the work 
to be carried on. The inhabitants, finding they 
could offer no security equal to the whole charge, 
which was estimated at five hundred thousand 
roubles, began to bargain with their Sovereign 
as with a Jew; begging his permission to 
borrow of him only half the sum proposed, 
and to construct a pier upon a smaller scale. 
To this Paul consented ; and the work, 
so planned, was nearly finished when we 
arrived; but, to those who have seen the 
original design, the meanness and insuffi- 
ciency of the undertaking is lamentably con- 
spicuous. 
The town of Odessa is situate close to the Further 
coast, which is here very lofty, and much 
