346 
DON COSSACKS. 
chap, should shew us the greatest degree of kindness. 
X 1 Hearing us complain of the inaccuracy of the 
Russian maps, they brought from their Chancery 
(without any of those degrading suspicions which 
had so often insulted us) their own accurate 
surveys of the country, and allowed us free 
access, at all times, to their most authentic do- 
cuments. The secretaries of the Chancery were 
ultimately ordered by their General to copy for 
us a survey of the whole territory of the Don 
Cossacks. That we were instigated to accept 
of the offer by any other motive than a desire 
of adding to the public stock of geographical 
knowledge, may perhaps require no proof. The 
Procurator' employed by the Russian Govern- 
ment, however, thought otherwise ; it being a 
maxim in the policy of that country, that “ to 
enlighten , is to betray." This liberal intention of 
the hospitable Cossacks was therefore thwarted ; 
although no menace of the Russian police can 
now prevent an acknowledgment, which would 
equally have been made if we had been enabled 
to communicate more interesting and valuable 
( I) “ The Procureur (Procurator) is a kind of comptroller, or 
visitor ; appointed to watch over the execution of the laws ; to examine 
the decision of courts of justice ; to visit the prisons ; attend the exe- 
cutions, &c. He is generally a native of a different province from that 
wherein he is stationed. At Tcherkask, he is always cl Russian , at 
least not a Cossack Hcber’s Journal . 
/ 
