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by the inferences to be gleaned from them, we must consider the Russians a contented and flourishing nation, likely to make the larger strides in civilization that they are unimpeded by revolutionary agitation. Propagandists meet little encouragement amongst the loyal and lighthearted subjects of the autocrat.

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isting under oppression, and of withstanding stubbornly every revolutionizing influence, is here the characteristic of man also. The ear of the stranger is sure, at every turn of conversation, to catch the sounds

a sensible and practical view of the condition, character, and disposition of the population; and is happy in his detection and indication of national peculiarities. He does not, like the majority of travellers in Russia, enter the country with a settled determination to behold nothing from the White Sea to the Black, but oppression and cruelty on We have often observed at Moscow," the one hand, slavery and suffering says Mr. Erman, "birch trees hewn upon the other. He does not come for fencing, yet still alive in the horito a premature decision, that be- zontal position, and throwing out cause Russia is ruled by an abso- shoots. The great distinction of lute monarch, all happiness, prosperity, the vegetable nature in this region is and justice are essentially banished its tenacity of life; and singularly from the land. It is really pleasant enough, the same capability of exto find a deviation from the established routine of books about Russia. These are now nearly all concocted upon one and the same plan. The recipe is as exact as any in Mrs. Rundell; and is as conscientiously adhered to by literary cooks, as that great artist's Kak ni bud,' (no matter how), invaluable precepts are by knights with which the Russians are used to and ladies of the ladle. Tyranny, give expression to their habitual inmisery, and the knout are the chief difference, and renunciation of all ingredients of the savoury dish. care. We are shown a nation of cretins, crushed under the boot-heel of an imperial ogre; whilst a selfish, servile aristocracy salaam their admiration, and catch greedily at the titles and gewgaws thrown to them as a sop by their terrible master. This is the substance of the mess, which, being handsomely garnished with lying anecdotes of horrible cruelties practised upon the unfortunate population, is deemed sufficiently dainty to set before the public, and is forthwith devoured as genuine and netritive food by the large body of simpletons who take type for a guarantee of veracity. Mr. Erman despises the common trick and claptrap resorted

to

by vulgar writers. Avoiding anecdotage, and abuse of the powers that be, he gives, in brief shrewd paragraphs, glimpses of Muscovite character and feelings, which clearly prove the people of that vast empire to be far happier, more prosperous, and more practically free than the inhabitants of many countries who boast of liberty because anarchy has replaced good government. Judging less from any distinct assertions or arguments advanced in these volumes, than from their general tenor, and

Notwithstanding the great variety of condition which the population exhibit, everything has the stamp of nationality, and an obstinate adherence to established usage may be plainly recognised as a fundamental principle. Some foreign customs, indeed, are adopted from strangers residing at Moscow; but they, are, at the same time, so changed as to be assimilated to the national manners. Russian nationality may be compared to a river, which receives other streams without changing its name; or, still better, to a living organism, which, while devouring every variety of food, continues still the same."

It was on the 29th of July that Mr. Erman, who travelled in company with the Norwegian professor Hansteen, left Moscow and moved eastwards, passing through a productive country, strewn with populous and comfortable villages. At Pokrof his first halting-place, his chamber walls were adorned with rude carvings and paintings, whose subjects were taken from the events of 1812, and represented the valiant deeds of the peasantry. Buikova, a village forty miles east of Moscow was the farthest point to which the French penetrated.

Their invasion has left but a faint position with the elegant luxuries and impression upon the popular mind in superfluities of extreme European Russia-even in Moscow, which suf- civilization. The clumsy carvings of fered so much at their hands. Con- Uralian peasants are found in the flagrations have been common occur- next warerooms to the fragile and rences in that city, and the inhabitants fashionable masterpieces of a Parisian are accustomed to be burned out. milliner. The chief part of the goods We read of seven such events, from come from great distances. Amongst the thirteenth to the beginning of the the important articles of traffic are nineteenth century, in all of which tea from China, horse-hides from the destruction was complete, or very Tatary, iron bars from Siberia, shawls nearly so. The fire of 1812 spared of camel's-down from Bokhara. The many of the stone churches, on whose Bokharians also import large quantitowers "the Mahomedan crescent ties of cotton, partly raw and partly rises above the cross, a monument of spun. This is one of the principal earlier revolutions. The yoke of the objects of trade at Nijni. ConcernTartars was so lasting and oppressive, ing the origin of this useful subthat later events of a similar kind stance, curious fables were current in seem comparatively unimportant; Russia not quite a century ago. "It and even the French invasion is here appears to me certain," says Mr. Erthought little of, being usually com- man," that the story of the zoophytic pared with the irruptions of the plant called Baránez, or lamb-plant Pechenegues and that of the Poles in (formed as a diminutive from Barán, later times, but never set on a level a sheep), originated in some embelwith the Tartar domination." The lished account of the cotton plant. French have little prestige in Russia. Herberstein relates it at full length Whatever respect they previously and unchanged, just as he had heard enjoyed there, was completely annihi- There has been seen, near to lated by the pitiful figure they cut in the Caspian Sea, a seed, rather larger the Moscow campaign; retreating, as and rounder than that of a melon, they did, a ragged, disorderly, frost- from which, when set in the ground, bitten remnant, before a swarm of is produced something similar to a armed peasants and irregular horse. lamb, of the altitude of five palms, And Muscovite sign-painters and saint- having a very fine fleece, &c., &c. The carvers decorate village walls with epi- German edition of Herberstein (Basodes of the disastrous overthrow of an sel, 1563) adds that the Baránez has army, probably the most powerful and a head, eyes, ears, and all the limbs, really efficient ever got together. Any like a sheep. But it mentions cornotion entertained by the Russians rectly "the very fine fleece which the of French invincibility was as com- people of that country commonly make pletely dissipated in that country by use of to pad their caps withal. This the events of 1812, as it was in Ger- is the ordinary use which the Tatar many by the ensuing, and scarcely less tribes in general make of cotton at important, campaign of 1813. the present day." The fair at Nijni lasts two months, and brings together six hundred thousand persons of different nations and tribes, or about thirty-three times the number of the stationary population. It produces a large revenue to the imperial treasury,

it.

Passing Murom, where a sort of Yankee tradition exists of a "robbernightingale," which entices travellers into the woods by its song, and then kills them by the power of its notes, Mr. Erman reached Nijni Novgorod at the moment of the great annual fair. -the letting of the wooden booths, and The mixture of European and Asiatic of two thousand five hundred and produce and manufactures gives the twenty-two stone storerooms, (to Russian fairs an appearance singularly each of which latter is attached a striking to the foreigner's eye. Things chamber for the owner of the goods the most opposite are there brought to live in), alone yielding, so far back together. Obrasá, or Greek holy as 1825, nearly four hundred thousand images, amulets, and other objects used in the solemnities of the GræcoRussian church, are seen in juxta

rubles; whilst the population of the government, or district, amounting to nearly a million of souls, paid taxes

to the amount of fourteen millions of rubles.

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year or other limited period. Those of the peasant class have to support Nijni Novgorod is the point of ren- themselves, whilst offenders of a dezvous for criminals from the western higher rank, and unused to manual provinces of the empire, condemned labour, have an allowance made them to Siberian exile. They arrive there by the government. In various places in small detachments, to pursue their Mr. Erman met with exiles, from some journey in large bodies. In the vici- of whom he obtained curious infornity of every post-house along the mation. They are usually known by road is another building known as the the mild name of the unfortunates,” Ostrog or fort, which is merely a and are held in no particular disfavour large barrack divided into numerous by the natives, with whose families small chambers, and surrounded by a they intermarry. By a remarkable fence of palisades, where the convicts enactment of the Russian law, serfs, are lodged upon the journey. From when transported to Siberia, become various passages scattered through in all respects as free as the peasants Mr. Erman's book, it appears that in western Europe. Mr. Erman rethese Siberian exiles are by no means fers to this with strong approval, and so badly treated as has frequently attributes to it the happiest results. been stated and believed. In most "I have often," he says, "heard intelinstances the punishment derives its ligent and reflecting Russians mention, severity less from any painful toil or as an almost inexplicable paradox, cruel discipline imposed upon them, that the peasants condemned to bethan from the rigidity of the climate, come settlers, ali, without exception, the separation from friends, and the and in a very short time, change their mortal ennui those accustomed to habits and lead an exemplary life; civilization and society cannot but yet it is certain that the sense of the experience, whilst leading the mono- benefit conferred on them by the gift tonous life of a peasant or Cossack in of personal freedom is the sole cause regions as dreary as any the globe's of this conversion. Banishment subsurface affords. The first caravan of servient to colonization, instead of prisoners encountered by Mr. Erman, close imprisonment, is, indeed, an at about a hundred versts beyond excellent feature in the Russian code; Nijni, were well clothed and cared and though the substitution of forced for, and seemed neither dissatisfied labour in mines for the punishment of with their past journey, nor over- death may be traced back to Grecian whelmed with care about the future. example, yet the improving of the "With every train of them are seve- offenders' condition by bestowing on ral wagons, drawn by post-horses, to him personal freedom, is an original carry the women and the old and as well as an admirable addition of a infirm men; the rest follow in pairs, Russian legislator." It is of course in a long train, after the wagons, by the higher class of exiles that the escorted by a militia established in banishment is most severely felt; but the villages. It is but rarely that these live in the towns, that the sucone sees special offenders with fetters cour received from government may upon their legs during the march." reach them the more easily, and subThe majority of tales circulated by mit, for the most part, with great romancing travellers, with reference equanimity to the startling change to Siberian exile, have little founda- from the luxury of Moscow or St. tion save in the imagination of the Petersburg, to the dullness and simnarrators. Amongst these fictions is plicity of Tobolsk, and even of worse to be reckoned the statement that places. Some of them have to do certain classes of the banished are penance in church for a certain time compelled to pass their lives in hunt- after their arrival, and a portion of ing the sable, and other animals. The these continue the practice when it is great majority of the delinquents are no longer compulsory. At Beresov, condemned only to settle in Siberia; a town in western Siberia, which Mr. and when hard labour in the Uralian Erman passed through on an excurmines, and in certain manufactories, sion northwards from Tobolsk, the is superadded, it is generally for a oral chronicles of the inhabitants

furnish curious details of the numerous illustrious exiles who have there ended their days. Menchikoff, the well-known favourite of Peter I., was one of these. "After his political extinction, he prepared himself, by devout penitence, for his natural decease. He worked with his own hands in erecting the little wooden church, now fallen to decay, which stands thirty or forty feet above the bank of the Sosva, at the southern extremity of the town: he then served in it as bell-ringer, and was finally buried by the grateful inhabitants of Beresov, immediately before the door of the building." It was here, at Beresov, that Mr. Erman fell in with a number of unlucky conspirators, who had lost fortune, rank, and home, by their association in a recent abortive revolutionary attempt. Amongst them were a M. Gorski, at one time a count and general of cavalry, and the ex-chieftains Focht and Chernilov. They usually wore the costume of the country, but upon holidays they donned European coats, in order to display the vestiges of the orders which had once been sewed upon them. A curious instance of vanity, traceable, perhaps, to a desire to distinguish themselves from persons condemned to the same punishment for crimes of a more disgraceful nature.

katerinburg, the northern limit of their residence, gives curious particulars. They are the only aboriginal Siberian tribe whose mode of life regularly alternates from the nomadic to the fixed. Their winters are passed in permanent villages of wooden huts, erected usually upon the skirt of a forest. But when spring approaches, they collect their flocks and herds, strap hair tent-cloths upon their saddles, and are off to the plains. They appear to live upon horseback, and are indolent, indocile, and useless out of the saddle. The only thing the men do, is to drive home the mares at milking-time; all other domestic toil is left to the women. And although grass abounds in the summer pastures, hay is unknown amongst them. The cattle sustain life in winter as best they may, on stunted or decayed herbage, sought under the snow and gathered on the dunghills. Fermented mare's milk is the favourite drink of the Bashkirs, who live chiefly upon mutton and fish, and upon the fruit of the bird-cherry (Prunus padus) kneaded into a sort of cake. In the chase they make use of hawks, which they are particularly skilful in training. The smaller species of these birds are used to take hares, whilst the greater will strike foxes, and even wolves. The roving careless life of the Bashkirs possesses a peculiar charm, In the streets of Yekaterinburg, the admitted even by the civilized Rusfirst town of importance after crossing sians; and it is with no good will that, the Asian boundary, parties of exiles are on the return of winter, the tribes rea frequent spectacle; the number pass- enter their settled habitations. They ing through in a year being estimated approach them with reluctance, and beat five thousand, or about two-fifths of lieve that Shaitan, or the evil spirit, the annual export of convicts to has taken up his abode in the huts Siberia, as stated by Mr. Stepanov, that oppress them with such a sense whose statement, however, Mr. Erman of restraint. The men accordingly seems disposed to consider exagger- remain at some distance from the ated. The detachments are usually settlement, and send the women forguarded by Kosaks of the Ural, and ward, armed with staves, with which by a company of Bashkir militia. they strike the door of every hut, These Uralian Kosaks are well uni- uttering loud imprecations; and it is formed, armed, and mounted, and not till they have made the rounds enjoy the same privileges as the with their noisy exorcisms, that the Kosaks of the Don. They are allowed men ride forward at full speed and an immunity from every impost, but with terrific shouts, to banish the are bound to devote themselves to dreaded demon from his lurkingthe public service. Touching the Bashkirs, another irregular and halfsavage militia, serving to swell the ranks of Russia's enormous army, Mr. Erman, who made some stay at Ye

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place." The chief weapon of these Bedouins of the north is the same which so forcibly excited Captain Dalgetty's risibility upon his visit to the Children of the Mist.

But al

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Siberia.

though in these days of Paixhans and was the commencement of October, and arrows cer- the period of transition from summer percussion, bows tainly appear rather anomalous, they to winter, and the traveller's entrance are by no means contemptible weapons into the town was rendered memorin the hands of some of the Siberian able by a heavy fall of snow-" white tribes. Of this Mr. Erman had flies," as the postillions called the to convince flakes, which they beheld with much abundant opportunity Their satisfaction was prohimself, especially when his ramble pleasure. the fact that in northwards from Tobolsk brought bably owing to him amongst the Ostyaks of the river Siberia the coldest part of the year is Obi. The ordinary hunting weapons the most favourable for travelling, of these people are bows six feet long, a matter of interest to people of of very slight curve, and from which their profession. But the moment of four-feet arrows are discharged with transition, whilst the struggle lasts murderous effect. Much practice and between summer and winter, when strength are required to draw these snow encumbers the ground, and bows; and our scientific traveller, frost has not yet hardened it, is known, who, not having taken the necessary as well as the similar period at the precaution of shielding the left arm close of winter, as "the time of the with a piece of horn, from the recoil unroading," (spoiling of the roads); of the string, had been unable to and the Russians have even manudraw his bow to more than one-third factured a verb "to be unroaded." of the arrow's length, was not a little The snow obstructs wheeled carriages, astounded to see an Ostyak pigmy, and forbids the use of the sledge; and, with sore eyes and a sickly aspect, unless peremptorily compelled to move send a blunt arrow one hundred and forward, the Russian merchants-the sixty feet, and strike the object aimed most experienced of Siberian travellers at, the stem of a larch, near its sum--await, in some convenient restingmit, fully sixty feet from the ground. place, the hardening of the winter Blunt arrows, headed with flattened road. From Mr. Erman's account, a Tobolsk could iron balls, are used to kill sables and better place than squirrels, that the skin may not be scarcely be found, in those wild regions, Nevertheless, and injured; the sharp ones are a settler wherein to pass a few weeks of comfor any quadruped the country pro- pulsory inaction. although cordially received by the duces. governor-general, Velyaminov, from whom, and from other Russian officers, he got much useful information, our traveller was impatient to be off. He had a pet scheme in view. the very commencement of the journey he had planned an excursion to the mouth of the Obi, within the Arctic circle.

After many days' journey through Tatar villages of wooden huts, and towns that are little better, the first view of Tobolsk, obtained some miles before reaching the place, is quite imposing; and the traveller, who might think he had got a few stages beyond civilization, is cheered and encouraged by the sight of church-towers, lofty monasteries, and well-built houses. In vain does he seek an inn. Such things are unknown in Siberia; and, if he has no acquaintance in the town, he must apply to the police-master, who recommends him to the hospitality of an inhabitant, by whom he is made welcome during his stay, without demand for remuneration, although, if proffered, it will sometimes be accepted. In this manner Mr. Erman and his companions, were accommodated in the upper story of a well-built wooden house; and here their progress eastward was arrested by the character of the weather. It

From

To this he was partly induced by the desire of tracing certain magnetic lines, and partly by "the alluring prospect of enjoying, on the northern part of the Obi, the first undisturbed intercourse with the aboriginal possessors of the land, where they are little changed by foreign influence." Accordingly, towards the middle of November, the drifting ice upon the Irtuish having united into a solid sheet, Mr. Erman joyfully made final preparations for his journey to Obdorsk. They were few, and soon completed. A Kosak guide,and intrepreter, a fur dress, a copper kettle, bread and ham, salted salmon and caviare, were stowed in a

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