28 
COUNT PLATOFF. 
of 1812, were now too apparent in his countenance and figure; 
but his mind continued unimpaired, and each succeeding hour I 
passed in his society increased my veneration for its powers. 
He took me to dine with him at his house in Tcherkask, whither 
he was going to inspect the preparations he had ordered for 
welcoming his Imperial Highness. 
The hour of dinner, in this country, is generally two o’clock; 
but Count Platoff always dined at five, or sometimes a little later. 
The manner of serving the repast, differs in nothing from the 
style at Moscow, excepting that more wine is drank. The wines 
most in use, came from the Greek islands; yet his excellency 
boasts his own red and white champaigne of the Don, which, 
when old, are hardly inferior to the wines of that name in France. 
I drank at the Attaman’s table another sort of red wine as ex¬ 
cellent as any from Bourdeaux. It is made by a family of Ger¬ 
mans, whom his excellency brought from the Rhine. And, from 
these specimens, I have little doubt that were the like culture of 
the grape, and similar treatment of the juice when pressed from 
the fruit, pursued throughout the country, the Donskoy vine¬ 
yards would produce wines, that might rival, not only those of 
Greece, but of France and Germany. 
Game is abundant here, and of the most delicious sort; par¬ 
ticularly bustards, pheasants, partridges, &c., &c. Fish too, is in 
equal plenty ; and, as a luxury, sturgeon holds an eminent place. 
Indeed good cheer of all kinds is procured at a very moderate 
expense ; and, if I may be allowed to judge, by the liberal ex¬ 
amples I saw, the bounties of Nature are neither neglected, nor 
churlishly appropriated, by the natives of the Don. 
The windows of the house in which I lodged, overlook an 
extensive and beautiful plain, through which flow the waters of 
