CHAP. III. Arrival at Moscow. of the Russian sovereigns, during their visits to Moscow; the inhabitants of which city pretend that none of them durst take up a lodging within its walls, being kept much more in awe of their subjects than they are at Petersburg. It is said the Empress Catharine used to call Moscow her little haughty republic. This palace is about four versts from the city. Arriving at the barrier, we were some time detained during the examination of our passports. This entrance to the city, like most of the others, is a gate with two columns, one on each side, surmounted by eagles. On the left is the guard-house. Within this gate a number of slaves were employed, removing the mud from the streets, which had been caused by the melting of the snow. Peasants with their kibitkis', in great numbers, were leaving the town. Into these kibitkis, the slaves amused themselves by heaping as much of the mud as they could throw in, unperceived by the drivers, who sat in front. The officer appointed to superintend their labour chanced to arrive and detect them in their filthy work, and we hoped he would instantly have prohibited such an insult from being offered to the poor men. His conduct, however, only served to afford a trait of the national character. Instead of preventing any further attack upon the kibitkis, he seemed highly entertained by the ingenuity of the contrivance; and, to encourage the sport, ordered every peasant to halt, and to hold his horse, while they filled his kibitki with the mud and ordure of the streets; covering with it the provisions In some parts of Tartary the top (1) The kibitki is the old Scythian waggon. takes off, and at night becomes a tent. Hence the name given by the Russians to the tents of the Calmucks and Nogais; both of which they call Kibitki, provisions of the poor peasants, and whatever else their kibitkis might contain, with which they were going peaceably to their wives and families. At last, to complete their scandalous oppression, they compelled each peasant, as he passed, to sit down in his kibitki, and then they covered him also with the black and stinking mud. At this unexampled instance of cruelty and insult, some of the peasants, more spirited than the rest, ventured to murmur. Instantly, blows, with a heavy cudgel, on the head and shoulders, silenced the poor wretches' complaints. Before this began, the two centinels at the gate had stopped every kibitki, as it passed, with a very different motive. First, a loud and menacing tone of voice seemed to indicate some order of government; but it was quickly silenced, and became a whisper, in consequence of a small piece of money being slipped into their hands by the peasants, when they passed on without further notice. If the practice continues, the post of centinel at a Russian barrier must be more profitable than that of a staff-officer in the service. I was witness to upwards of fifty extorted contributions of this nature, in the course of half an hour, when the plunder ended as has been described. A miserable whiskered figure on horseback, I believe intended for a dragoon, was now appointed to conduct us to the Commandant's; and here the poderosnoi, which we had bought of the Emperor in Petersburg, together with our other passports, underwent a second examination. The snow was by this time entirely melted; and the sledge upon which our carriage moved was dragged over the stones by six horses with so much difficulty, that at last the drivers gave it up, and declared CHAP. III. the CHAP. III. the carriage would break, or the horses drop, if we compelled The accommodation for travellers is beyond description bad, both in Petersburg and Moscow. In the latter, nothing but necessity would render them sufferable. They demand three roubles a day for a single room, or kennel, in which an Englishman would blush to keep his dogs. The dirt on the floor may be removed only with an iron hoe, or a shovel. These These places are entirely destitute of beds. They consist of bare walls, with two or three old stuffed chairs, ragged, rickety, and full of vermin. The walls themselves are still more disgusting; as the Russians load them with the most abominable filth. In thus giving the result of impressions made on entering this remarkable city, I might appeal to some of the first families in the empire for the veracity of my statement; but such a test of their liberality would materially affect their safety. I shall therefore unreservedly proceed to relate what I have seen, in that confidence which a due regard to truth will always inspire. Moscow contains much worth notice; much that may compensate for the fatigue and privation required in going thither; for the filthiness of its hotels, the depravity of its nobles, and the villainy of its police. CHAP. III. CHAP. IV. Peculiarities of Climate. MOSCOW. Peculiarities of Climate-Impressions made on a First Arrival- THERE is nothing more extraordinary in this country than windows, |