ORIENTAL AND WESTERN SIBERIA, AND CHINESE TARTARY. CHAPTER I. ST. PETERSBURG TO EKATERINEBURG. SOON after my arrival in St. Petersburg I made the acquaintance of the late Admiral Rickardt, and from him gathered much information about Siberia, or, rather, the route through the country to Kamtschatka, the southern regions being unknown to him. He had only traveled by the great post-road from St. Petersburg to Ochotsk, a very monotonous journey. The road never approaches the Altai, being usually carried along the great Siberian plain at a distance of five or six hundred versts from this mountain chain. I was told that the authorities would only give a passport to travel from one town to another, and that this would have to be changed at every government town, causing great trouble, expense, and delay. After due consideration, I determined to apply to the emperor for especial permission to travel and sketch, feeling certain that if this were granted there would be no difficulties; if refused, I would not make the attempt. I wrote a letter, which was most kindly laid before his imperial majesty by Mr. Buchanan, Chargé d'Affaires, and in three days received an answer from Count Nesselrode, informing me that the emperor had granted my request, and that orders had been issued to the Minister of the Interior, and other authorities, to prepare for me all the necessary papers. Having received these, I commenced making inquiries about the country. The Minister of Finance very kindly put me in communication with a mining-engineer officer who had been engaged in the Altai, and from him I collected much valuable information relative to my route. B 18 TABLEAUX VIVANTS. I found the road between St. Petersburg and Moscow very bad, the great traffic between the two capitals having cut it into such deep holes that the sledge went down every few minutes with a fearful shock. This I considered a good breaking in for the long journey before me. On the evening of the third day I reached Moscow in a great snow-storm, which rendered my entry into the ancient city any thing but pleasant. I was provided with letters to several Russian families, who did every thing they could to render my short stay agreeable. About a week after my arrival, there was a great festival to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of Moscow, seven hundred years ago. Through the kindness of some friends I was enabled to join in these festivities; but I shall not attempt to describe either dinners or balls; suffice it to say, they were on a grand scale. What interested me most was a series of tableaux vivants given in the "Nobility's Hall" (Assembly Rooms) before his imperial majesty and most of the court. Some of these were highly interesting, as they were representations of life seven centuries back. Old furniture, armor, and plate were brought from the Kremlin; these and the antique dresses gave a most faithful character to the pictures. During the evening a tableau was given representing the four elements, Air, Earth, Fire, and Water, which were represented by four beautiful young ladies, whose appearance called forth immense applause. Without dropping the curtain, this picture was changed by suddenly drawing off the dresses, which was done by some one beneath the stage. One young lady (whether of earth or heaven seemed difficult to determine) was kneeling on one knee on a piece of rock, and when the signal was given, was jerked from her place and turned feet upward on the floor, a position' for which she was evidently not prepared. Many of the spectators began to laugh, but this was very properly hushed by his imperial majesty in an instant; in the next, the lady was divested of her first costume, and again took her place on the rock, with the additional charm of a deep blush spreading over her face. Another very interesting event took place during my stay: this was the jubilee given to Professor Fischer. I had previously made his acquaintance, and he was much interested in my journey. I found afterward, on reaching the Altai, that he had written to his friend, Dr. Gabler, recommending me to his peculiar THE VASHOCK.-PRINCE OUROUSOFF. 19 care. I remained at Moscow fifteen days, most of which were stormy, with heavy falls of snow and violent winds. An order from the minister in St. Petersburg procured me a postillion from the post-office in Moscow to travel with me to Ekaterineburg, and on the 6th of March we started. There was now no time to spare; already the roads were reported bad, and I had a journey of 1707 versts before me. My only companion in the vashock was a large deer-hound; the postillion sat with the driver. It is, perhaps, necessary to say that a vashock is a long, box-like machine, placed on a sledge; in fact, a sort of half-grown omnibus. When the roads are worn into "oukhabas" (deep holes), this conveyance is too long, for the horses drag it over the ridges, going at a good speed, and jerk it beyond the centre; then down it goes with a tremendous thump, which sends the head of the unfortunate inmate against the top with terrible force. In fact, after the second day's traveling, I came to the conclusion that my head was well-nigh bullet-proof. We passed through Vladimir early in the morning, when I saw the Cathedral with its five domes, which has a very imposing appearance. This is a small town, and has, I believe, fourteen churches, with several other public buildings. From one point of the road there was a pretty view of the place, with its numerous domes and towers, which gave it a very picturesque appearance. With the thermometer standing at 120 R. of frost, this was not the time to stop sketching any town, so on we galloped through snow and storm, and reached Nijne-Novgorod at nine o'clock the following morning. Having a letter to the governor, Prince Ourousoff, I determined to stay a few hours and deliver it, also to stroll through this ancient city, held in melancholy remembrance as the one where Ivan Vassilievitch the Cruel committed some of his most barbarous atrocities. Entering the lower town, I was taken to a sort of inn on the banks of the Volga; but as my stay was to be short, it mattered little what accommodation it afforded. All those travelers who expect to find a Russian host very attentive to his guests will be disappointed. My postillion led the way up stairs, and showed me a whole flat of pens or private boxes in a filthy condition, and with very little furniture: these were formed by dividing large rooms with inch and a half boards. My luggage was brought up stairs, as it could not be left with safety in the sledge. After a wash, my man succeeded in getting (with some difficulty) a breakfast. Having dispatched this meal, I got into a sledge and paid my visit to the governor, who received me with much kindness, and insisted on my dining with him. I urged the necessity of my pushing forward without delay as an excuse, but this was overruled, he assuring me that the present intense cold would prevent the roads being destroyed, and that, as I was proceeding to a colder clime, I need be under no apprehension on that score. Being free until four o'clock, I sallied forth to stroll through the upper town, and visited some of the churches, of which there are a great number; several are very ancient, and possess considerable architectural merit. There is one that stands on the banks of the Volga-a very curious composition, which I was anxious to transfer to my sketch-book, but this was impossible. A little before the dinner-hour I again left my lodging, got into a sledge, and drove to the upper town. The wind had now increased to a gale, and it was with difficulty the man made his horse face the clouds of snow. On reaching my point of observation, I found a party of eight assembled, and, what was still more agreeable to me, the Princess Ourousoff spoke excellent English. Having spent a few pleasant hours, I returned to my dirty room, intending to get, it possible, a good night's rest, and start at daylight. At this place they provided neither bed, mattress, pillows, nor sheets; a bedstead there was with a boarded bottom, and on it I rolled myself up in my fur, and prepared for sleep. I had no sooner done this than I discovered that I had neighbors on one side of me, and by their voices I found they were of different sexes. At first they appeared to be in a very angry mood, as I supposed from the tone of their voices, which induced me to wish them on the other side of the Styx. Either I was dreadfully tired, or the chatterers became quiet, for I remember no more until roused up just at daylight; on looking out, I saw it was a clear, cold, and calm morning, a good prospect for our onward progress. Our road was along the ice nearly all the way to Kazan, a distance of about 380 versts. Having reached the track, the four horses were turned toward the east, and away we went at a slashing pace. Temporary or winter stations are made on the banks of the river. I found them wretched and dirty, often mere hovels, |