DON COSSACKS. 
344 
chap, knowledge, passed us upon the road, and given 
» ^ very absurd notice to the inhabitants, that a 
iiay. al at great General from England was upon the road 
Public to the town. A party of Cossack cavalry, armed 
with very long lances, came out to meet us, 
and, joining our escort, took their station in the 
van. The Postmaster, with his drawn sabre, 
rode bare-headed by the carriage-side; and 
in this conspicuous manner we made our 
entry. As the annual inundation of the Don 
had laid the streets of Tcherhask under water, 
its Chancery had been removed to this place, 
and almost all the principal families were in 
Axay. We found the inhabitants waiting our 
arrival, and the Cossack officers drawn out to 
witness it. The Ataman of Axay came to us im- 
mediately ; and we took care to undeceive him 
with regard to our supposed generalship. It 
Reception seemed to make no alteration, either in the 
^Cossacks, respect paid to us, or the welcome they were 
disposed to give. Every possible attention and 
politeness were manifested. We expressed an 
inclination to proceed as far as Tcherhask the 
same evening. The Ataman observed, that the 
day was far advanced ; that the current of the 
Don , swoln by the inundation, was extremely 
rapid and turbulent; and that he could not 
undertake to be responsible for our safety, if 
we persisted in our determination. He had 
