[ 53 ] 
taincd a fmall anti-chamber, about twelve 
feet broad, which had two doors, the one 
to fhut it up from the outer air, the other 
to form a communication with the inner 
room: this contributed greatly to keep 
the larger room warm, when once heated. 
In the large room was an earthen ftove, 
conftrucled in the Ruffian manner ; that 
is a kind of oven without a chimnev, 
which ferves occasionally either for bak- 
ing, for heating the room, or, as is 
cuitomary amongfr. the Ruffian peafants, 
in very cold weather, for a place to ileep 
upon. 
The reader mull not be furprifed at 
my mentioning a room without a chim- 
ney; for the houfes inhabited by the lower 
clafs of people in Ruffia are feldom built 
otherwife. When a fire is kindled in 
one of thefe ftoves, the room; as may 
well be fuppofed, is filled with fmoke ; 
to give vent to which, the door, and three 
or four windows are opened. Thefe win- 
dows are each a foot in heighth, and about 
fix 
