CHAP. I. Monge, president of the National Institute of Paris, noticed, in falling snow, stars with six equal rays, which fell during winter when the atmosphere was calm. Hauy records this, in his observations on the muriat of ammonia 1. The first droski2 had made its appearance in the streets of Petersburg before we left it; and we began to entertain serious apprehensions that the snow would fail, and our sledge-way to Moscow be destroyed. We had often been told of the rapidity with which the warm season makes its appearance in this climate, there being hardly any interval of spring, but an almost instantaneous transition from winter to summer. The frozen provisions of the city, if not consumed by the appointed time, which may be generally conjectured to a day, almost instantly putrify when the frost disappears. (1) "Il en résulte des étoiles à six rayons, lorsque le temps est calme, et que la température n'est pas assez élevée pour deformer les cristaux." HAUY, Traité de Min. tom. ii. p. 386. (2) The droski is a kind of bench upon four wheels, used in Russia as our hackneycoaches it contains four or six persons, sitting back to back, thus driven sideways by the coachman, who sits at the end of the bench. This vehicle succeeds the sledge, after the melting of the snow. CHAP. II. JOURNEY FROM PETERSBURG TO MOSCOW. Departure from Petersburg-Manner of Travelling - Palace of Tsarskoselo-Gardens - Anecdote of Billings's Expedition to the North-West Coast of America-Ledyard-Barbarous Decoration of the Apartments-Arrival at Novogorod - Cathedral-Antient Greek Paintings-Manner of imitating them in Russia-Superstitions of the Greek Church-Virgin with three Hands-Story of her Origin-Russian Bogh. E We set out on the morning of the third of April, and arrived with great expedition at TSARSKOSELO. Our carriage had been placed upon a traineau or sledge; and another sledge, which followed us, conveyed the wheels. It is worth while to be particular in describing our mode of travelling, that others may derive advantage from it. If the journey is confined to countries only where a sledge road may be had, the CHAP. II. 1800. Departure from Petersburg. CHAP. II. 1800. Manner of the common method used by the inhabitants is always the best; but if a passage is to be effected with ease and expedition from one climate to another, some plan must be determined which may secure the traveller from the rigours of the seasons, without impeding his progress by superfluous incumbrance. For this purpose, the kind of carriage called a German bátarde is unquestionably the most convenient. A delineation is given in the work of REICHARD', who also mentions the expence of building them at Vienna, where they are made for onefourth of the money required by the London coach-makers; and they answer every purpose of travelling, full as well as those made in England. This carriage is nothing more than an English chariot with a dormeuse, which advances in front, and which should be made sufficiently high to furnish a commodious seat for two persons on the outside, upon the springs. We made the driver always sit upon the trunk in front; but it would be better to provide for him a little chair raised for that purpose. The door of the dormeuse within the carriage lets down upon the seat; and it contains leather cushions, and a pillow covered with thin leather. The carriage has, besides, an imperial, a well, a sword-case, which may be converted into a small library; and instead of a window behind, a large lamp, so constructed as to throw a strong light without dazzling the eyes of those within. Thus provided, a person may travel night and day, fearless of want of accommodation or houses of repose. His carriage is his home, which accompanies him every where; and (1) Guide des Voyageurs en Europe, tom. ii. planche 1. and if he chooses to halt, or accidents oblige him to stop regions, he places his house upon a sledge, and, when the Setting out from Petersburg for the south of Russia, the traveller bids adieu to all thoughts of inns, or even houses with the common necessaries of bread and water. He will not even find clean straw, if he should speculate upon the chance of a bed. Every thing he may want must therefore be taken with him. A pewter tea-pot will become of more importance than a chest of plate, and more so than one of silver, because it will not be stolen, and may be kept equally clean and entire. To this he will add, a kettle, a saucepan, the top of which may be used for a dish, tea, sugar, and a large cheese, with several loaves of bread made into rusks, and as much fresh bread as he thinks will keep till he has a chance of procuring more. Then, while the frost continues, he may carry frozen food, such as game, or fish, which, being congealed, and as hard as flints, may jolt about among his kettles in the well of the carriage without any chance of injury. Wine may be used in a cold country; but never in a hot, nor even in a temperate climate, while upon the road. In hot countries, if a cask of good vinegar can be procured, the traveller will often bless the means by CHAP. II. 1800. CHAP. II. 1800. Palace of Gardens. which it was obtained. When, with a parched tongue, a dry and feverish skin, they bring him bad or good water to assuage his burning thirst, the addition of a little vinegar will make the draught delicious. Care must be taken not to use it to excess, for it is sometimes so tempting a remedy against somnolency, that it is hardly possible to resist using the vinegar without any adulteration of water. The palace of Tsarskoselo is twenty-two versts from Petersburg, and the only object worth notice between that city and Novogorod. It is built of brick, plastered over. Before the edifice is a large court, surrounded by low buildings for the kitchens, and other out-houses. The front of the palace occupies an extent of near eight hundred feet; and it is entirely covered, in a most barbarous taste, with columns, and pilasters, and cariatides, stuck between the windows; all of which, in the true style of Dutch gingerbread, are gilded. The whole of the building is a compound of what an architect ought to avoid, rather than to imitate. Yet so much Yet so much money has been spent upon it, and particularly on the interior, that it cannot be passed without notice. It was built by the Empress Elizabeth; and was much the residence of Catharine in the latter part of her life, when her favourites, no longer the objects of a licentious passion, were chosen more as adopted children than as lovers. In the gardens of this palace, persons, who wished to gain an audience of the Empress, used to place themselves when she descended for her daily walk. A complaint, from which she suffered in her legs, made her introduce the very expensive alteration of converting the staircase of the Hermitage, at Petersburg, |