419 
TO AZOF AND TAGANROG. 
and the disasters incident to a longf journey, chap. 
We had, besides, several large books filled with 
plants for our herbary, some minerals, a few 
stuffed birds and quadrupeds, boxes of insects, 
thermometers, pots, kettles, half a cheese, and 
a vinegar cask. The soldiers of the garrison 
seemed to be more astonished and amused by 
the appearance of the bobacs than by any thing 
else ; and the bobacs, participating equal sur- 
prise upon seeing them, sounded their loud and 
shrill whistle whenever they approached. A 
concert and supper were prepared for us in the 
evening; and a veteran officer, General Pekin , 
seventy-three years of age, was brought in a 
chair to see the two Englishmen. He had been 
celebrated both in the Prussian and the Russian 
service, and now lived upon a pension at Azof. 
This venerable soldier expressed himself so 
much rejoiced at seeing us, that, in spite of his 
years and infirmities, making one of the officers 
stand up with him, he insisted upon exhibiting 
the Russian national dance. 
The contrast, before made 8 , between a Cossack 
and a Russian appeared very striking in this 
voyage down the river from Axay to Azof. In 
(2) Sec p. 385. 
2 E 2 
