what can
you expect? It is so hard to be good, and so very easy to be bad!"

Coming out of the labyrinth of narrow alleys and long arcades of the
bazaar upon the Nevsky Prospect side, we overtook a bevy of nursery
girls with their juvenile charges bound for the shady paths and
fragrant precincts of the Summer Garden. These maids are here quite a
social feature, and in their showy distinctive dress recall those of
the Tuileries at Paris, the Prado at Madrid, or the Ceylon nurses of
English officers' children at Colombo. These St. Petersburg domestics
much affect the old Russian costume, with added vividness of color,
producing a theatrical and gala-day effect. It seems to be quite a
mark of family distinction to have a nurse thus bedecked about the
house, or abroad with its baby-representative, while there is evident
rivalry between the matronly employers in regard to the richness of
the dresses worn by the maids. These costumes consist often of a
bonnet like a diadem of red or blue velvet, embroidered with gold,
beneath which falls the hair in two long braids. The robe is of some
wadded damask, the waist just below the arms, supplemented by a very
short skirt. Plenty of gold cord decks these garments, which are
usually braided in fantastic figures.

The one vehicle of Russia is the drosky, the most uncomfortable and
unavailable vehicle ever constructed for the use of man, but of which
there are, nevertheless, over fifteen thousand in the streets of the
imperial city. It has very low wheels, a heavy awkward body, and is
as noisy as a Concord coach. Some one describes it as being a cross
between a cab and an instrument of torture. There is no rest for the
occupant's back; and while the seat is more than large enough for
one, it is not large enough for two persons. It is a sort of sledge
on wheels. The noise made by these low-running ugly conveyances as
they are hurried by the drivers over the uneven rubble-stones of the
streets is deafening. Why the Russians adhere so tenaciously to this
ill-conceived four-wheeled conveyance, we could not divine. It has no
special adaptability to the roads or streets of the country that we
could understand, while there are half-a-dozen European or American
substitutes combining comfort, economy, and comeliness, which might
be profitably adopted in its place. The legal charge for conveyance
in droskies is as moderate as is their accommodation, but a foreigner
is always charged three or four times the regular fare. The poor
ill-paid fellows who drive them form a distinct class, dressing all
alike, in a short bell-crowned hat, a padded blue-cloth surtout, or
wrapper, reaching to their feet and folded across the breast. This
garment is buttoned under the left arm with a row of six small,
close-set silver buttons, while a belt indicates where the waist
should be. These drivers are a miserably ignorant class, sleeping
doubled up on the front of the droskies night and day, when not
employed. The vehicle is at once their house and their bed, and if
one requires a drosky he first awakens the driver, who is usually
curled up asleep like a dog. It is the only home these poor fellows
have, in nine cases out of ten. The horses are changed at night after
a day's service, but the driver remains at his post day and night.
Unlike the reckless drivers of Paris, Naples, and New York, the
Russian rarely strikes his horse with the whip, but is apt to talk to
him incessantly,--"Go ahead! we are in a hurry, my infant;" or, "Take
care of that stone!" "Turn to the left, my pigeon!" and so on.

All St. Petersburg wear top-boots outside the pantaloons. Even
mechanics and common laborers adopt this style; but wherefore, except
that it is the fashion, one cannot conceive. The common people
universally wear red-cotton shirts hanging outside the pantaloons. It
was surprising to see gentlemen wearing overcoats in mid-summer, when
the temperature was such that Europeans would be perspiring freely
though clad in the thinnest vestment. In winter the Russian covers
himself up to the very eyes in fur, and perhaps the contrast between
fur and woollen makes sufficient difference with him. It was observed
that the apparatus and organization for extinguishing fires in the
city was very primitive, water being conveyed in a barrel-shaped
vehicle, and other very simple means adopted. The water-ways of the
city, with a proper hose-system, ought certainly to supply sufficient
water for any possible exigency. In the several districts of the town
lofty watch-towers are erected, from which a strict look-out is kept
at all hours for fires; and a system of signals is adopted whereby
the locality of any chance blaze can be plainly and promptly
indicated. In the daytime this is done by means of black balls, and
in the night by colored lights. But in St. Petersburg as in Paris
destructive fires are of rare occurrence; for if one breaks out, the
houses are so nearly fire-proof that the damage is almost always
confined to the apartment where it originates.

In leaving St. Petersburg, it must be admitted that one encounters a
great amount of formality relating to passports and other matters
seemingly very needless. Though the principal sights of the city are
called free, yet one cannot visit them unattended by a well-known
local guide or without disbursing liberally of fees. Foreigners are
not left alone for a moment, and are not permitted to wander hither
and thither in the galleries, as in other countries, or to examine
freely for themselves. One is forbidden to make even pencil sketches
or to take notes in the various palaces, museums, armories, or
hospitals; and if he would afterwards record his impressions, he must
trust solely to memory. The author was subjected to constant
surveillance in both St. Petersburg and Moscow, which was to say the
least of it quite annoying; his correspondence was also withheld from
him,--but no serious trouble worth expatiating upon was experienced.
In passing from city to city it is absolutely necessary to have one's
passport _visйd_, as no railroad agent will sell a ticket to the
traveller without this evidence being exhibited to him; and finally,
upon preparing to leave the country, one's passport must show the
official signature authorizing this purpose. There is a proverb which
says, "The gates of Russia are wide to those who enter, but narrow to
those who would go out." No native of rank can leave the country
without special permission, which is obtainable on the payment of a
certain tax, though not unless it meets the Emperor's approval.
Under former emperors this has been a source of considerable
dissatisfaction to people who desired to travel abroad, and who could
not obtain the needed permission of the Tzar, but we were told that
under the present government much greater liberty of action is
accorded to subjects of all classes in this respect. It is hardly
necessary to remind the reader that in an absolute monarchy the will
of the ruler is law. In Russia all power is centred in the Emperor.
For the purpose of local administration, Poland, Finland, the Baltic
provinces, and the Caucasus have each their own form of government,
having been permitted to retain their local laws and institutions to
a certain extent when they were not at variance with the general
principle of the Empire. Though at the imperial headquarters of
government the Emperor is aided by four great Councils, he is free to
accept or reject their advice as he pleases.

The censorship of the press is still enforced to a certain extent,
though as already intimated it is far from being so rigid as
heretofore. At the Hфtel d'Angleterre, where the author made his
temporary home, it was noticed that a copy of the "New York Herald"
was kept on file for the use of the guests; but it was also observed
that it was not delivered from the Post-office until the day
subsequent to its receipt, which gave the officials ample time to
examine and pass upon the contents. On the day following our arrival
the Herald was delivered at the hotel minus a leading article, which
had been cut out by the Post-office officials, who did not consider
the subject, whatever it may have been, wholesome mental food to lay
before the Emperor's subjects. On expressing surprise to our host at
this mutilation of the newspaper, we were answered only by a very
significant shrug of the shoulders. Residents are very careful about
expressing any opinion regarding the official acts of the Government.
Books, newspapers, or reading matter in any form if found among a
traveller's baggage is generally taken possession of by the officers
of the customs; but if one is willing to submit to the necessary red
tape and expense, they will be returned to him upon his leaving the
country.




CHAPTER XV.

On the Road to Moscow. -- Russian Peasantry. -- Military Station
Masters. -- Peat Fuel for the War-Ships. -- Farm Products. --
Scenery. -- Wild-Flowers. -- City of Tver. -- Inland Navigation.
-- The Great River Volga. -- The Ancient Muscovite Capital. --
Spires and Minarets. -- A Russian Mecca. -- Pictorial Signs. --
The Kremlin. -- The Royal Palace. -- King of Bells. -- Cathedral
of St. Basil. -- The Royal Treasury. -- Church of Our Saviour. --
Chinese City. -- Rag Fair. -- Manufactures.


The distance from St. Petersburg to Moscow is a little over four
hundred miles, the railroad built by American contractors having been
constructed absolutely upon a straight line, without regard to
population or the situation of considerable towns lying near the
route. The Russians measure distance by versts. The line between the
two cities is six hundred and four versts in length, which is
equivalent to four hundred and three English miles. At the time when
the route for the railroad was surveying there was a great diversity
of