DON COSSACKS. 
355 
In the evening of this day we embarked 
upon the Don, for Tclierkask, accompanied by v — 
Lieutenant-Colonel Alexi Gregorivitch Papof. 
To this officer we were indebted for instances 
of hospitality and polite attention, such as 
strangers might vainly expect in more enlight- 
ened cities of Europe. His education had been 
liberal, although received in the marshes of the 
Don ; and his accomplishments might have 
graced the most refined society, although ac- 
quired among the natives of Tclierkask 
In almost all its characteristics, the Don Analogy 
between 
bears resemblance to the Nile. It has the same * he Ban 
regular annual inundation, which covers a me. * 
(l) Colonel Papof has since published an account of the Don 
Cossacks, in a work which was printed at Charkof in 1814. Mr. Heber, 
in his observations on Axay, has offered a genuine tribute to the 
enlightened minds of the Cossacks of the Don. “ There is here a very 
decent Kabak, with a billiard-table, and a room adorned with many 
German engravings; and one English print, that of The Death of 
Chevalier Bayard. The Cossacks, having never heard of the Chevalier 
sans reproche, called it The Death of Darius. On my asking if Bourbon 
was Alexandra Macedonsky , tbey answered, to my surprise, that he 
was “not present at the death of Darius, and shewed themselves 
well skilled in his history, which one would hardly expect.” Heber’ s 
MS. Journal. 
“ Education among the Cossacks is not so low as is generally 
thought, and it improves daily. All the children of officers are sent 
to the academy of Tcherkask, and learn French, 'German, &c. It was 
holiday-time when we were there ; but their progress was well spoken 
of.” Ibid. 
2 A 2 
