h^^m—«fci i .11 ^ ........«miiim<«n4Iw.^ nati nrsa»—|...^-iia.«W«»W> -, t.^ipiu, ■ ■ [^n^ | Il 11 jn'flj'^i iff! I TTTlXfUKtJ fr* ''-te'-te-fr€ -fr* te Hit -j^T- XS--'- T»WMV A^^t*****^^^^ .«.ligWl.l|l^ l ^ mil. ■*. ■ - ^ j' j IMII^ ^ .--|.. ^g^lt n.....„,;■ ,f j , _ _________ * ■ ■ ■ * * ' J ' * * r""* * i* i Yr ■*•< i* i *. ' **■ * ■*-! * *-i—-miwri m \ t* *r_ -irn ■* ■■_ . —r - — - —- mté i k ' * * A ** ■ -te" W-fr# 4* -t€ € -t* -f€ •: • • ■ '«••«.; . ' • • v • .........• • •. * : ;;.\**v-.VLf • * r mil il - |i......\ I II !■.......— , '■ ■■ —1 . ■ 1-fT- r ' ■Senne-:' ■. svnnon^i'i* tri.....ffasiwww........<..„ ..NL^<^-^.»itiWMes>^^Ti^^ ^ ^ut^M^*, .... ... .. • • . • . ,, • • . '.'.*..■.'••*•...... •... .»<•... *. , . • • , • . • • . •..........•..... •» ■• ^" -te- -t* % m ^ r «|r«4» lé ^sr^ ,-^T,.i11-*. ** •-•-'--*-' * ' n* '..y^»" ■ * ■'. ■ * • ^ ■* ■<*■ ■* yi i • 1111 mil. .*4 * • a ' < jr.r»v t. i »",-*r^' -S* ^ ^ ^1 - *•' •-.*••. v.'•'•".*; V4":'»' "■ * * *.'•'*' • '*' H* .-. .nun^ii , i I HI 11 Ml ^ .iil.l ^ ,i l?^;t';"1'-..1! 'I'!"1,-,1 j — ■ ■ ■ 1 -' ^ i ......-r—' 7nTT**t*t*r ^ -fr* ^€ -fr* 4* 4*«L±* — ï^ml ^4 -*é 4€ ^J—ft ^ ■ : HSt^ *^fc ^ -m, ^ a* Em M "r-T"."7'1j^1"'1-11j^•?t#!"W*"*;i> ^'.'f1!11-.-1..". ! j \^[) /.'"!'> ."'V 1 - '• "l1WH'"-"'" - .- ' rAKk>«rikuluw.l__"_.__■ - ' * - - . i m, i » liiJM <^|»y««'^l'>l'*^''>^' "3i 3 7S> 9 / memoirs 0 F PETER HENRY BRUCE, Esq. A MILITARY OFFICER, PRUSSIA, RUSSIA, and GREAT BRITAIN. containing An Account of his Travels in Ge rmany, Rus s ia, Tartary, Turkey, the West Indies, Sec. AS ALSO Several very interefling private Anecdotes of the Czar, PETER I. of Russia. LONDON, Printed for the Author's Widow; and fold by T. Payne, and Son, Mcws« gate; and all other Bookfcllers. mdcclxxxii. ADVERTISEMENT r I 1H E following Memoirs are taken from the manufcript of an officer of great merit and undoubted honour. It is immaterial to add, that they are genuine, as they bear fuch internal marks of authenticity, as will admit of no difpute. Any anecdotes that relate to the character of fo extraordinary a perfonage as the Czar Peter, cannot fail of being acceptable to the reader who will of courfe enjoy an additional pleafure in receiving them from the pen of a man who was in his fervice, and in his confidence. It is this circumftance that will render it unneceffary to apologize for any deficiency in point of ftyle, as it is entirely difregarded in this narration, the chief merit of which confifts in a ftrict regard to truth, without the leaft pretenfions to embellifhments. As ADVERTISEMENT. As the manufcript leaves off abruptly? in the middle of the Rebellion, in 1745, it may be ne-ceflary to mention, that the author was, about that time employed in fortifying Berwick ; and after having finilTied that work he retired to his houfe in the country, where he died in the year ITS? CONTENTS. BOOK I. JT*// E author's dp/cent.—His grandfather's going into the Pruffian fervice» -—John Bruce's marriage and defendants, and the author's birth > &c.—His entering into the Pruffian fervice—Lines on the battle of Ramillies.—A remarkable /lory of the author's landlady.—His fiifl campaign.—His fécond campaign.—Defeat of the French.-. Siege of Lijle. —A remarkable accident to prince Eugene.—Captain Dubois.—A fad accident to the enemy's cavalry.—Bon mot of the duke of Marlborough. —Siege of Ghent—Third campaign. — Siege of Tour nay,—Battle of Malplaquet.—Story of a Swifs recruit.—Siege of Mons.—Fourth campaign.—Siege of Do way.—Siege of Bethune—A fad misfortune to fix Scotch officers.—Sieges of Aire and St. Venant.—Terrible flory of the Jefuits at Tournay. Page i BOOK II. He goes into the Ruffian fervice, a captain.—Overtakes general Bruce at Prufs-Holland.—A curious Jlory of a man at Elbing.—They arrive at Jaweroff, where the Czar is privately married.—General Brace's rank and honour i.—Account of the Ruffian army.-—Their numbers and cloath-ing.— Expedition again/1 the Turks. —Coum il cf war at the Neifter— Prince Cantamirejoin* them without any troops.—Afwarm cf locujls.— The Turks appear.—The Ruffians form on the river Pruth.—Engage the Turks three days.—The czarina fives the whole army and prince Cantamire,—The king of Sweden upbraids the grand vizier.—The Ruffians return.—Colonel Put's lady and daughter carried off by the Tartars— The grand feignor approves the treaty,—Captain Bruce fent exprefs to Con/lantinople.—Description of that city.—Its mofques.—Aecommoda- a iiom ttims for f rangers. — Strength.—The feraglio.—Scutari, a fine View.— The port and harbour.—Suburbs.— sirfin at—Air and climate.—The Turks contrajlcd.—Dune/lie Accommodations.-*-Interna1 government of the country.—Religion.—IVorfidp —The plague — Their games.—Diet. —Rejl.—Exercife of their youth.—Drefs of their [adits.—Ointment of fib. — Their predominant inter eft.—Matrimonial privilege,—Com ubine marriage.—Policy of their religion,—Severities on the amorous (lranger.. —Their Taws fir debt. —In criminal cafes.—Their punijhments.—The channel of the captain s information.—New difficulties to the treaty at the Prttth.- Change of minijhy. —Afrefh treaty.-—F>efh interruption to the peace —Agaiuft which the czar remevjlr cites.—Minijiry again changed—The Ruffian ambafjador, iy. fent to the Stven Towers.- Mikity preparations for war, which end againjt the king of Sweden at Bender.—R cfexio ns. 33 .*H— - ' : u .:.U,.Vi» \H4\V^*»aW?lX'K^A.uV^!SL BOOK III. Marriage of the czarowitz.—The czar's celebration of his old wedding._ General Baur's difewery of' himfelf to his friends and brother officers.— The emprefs Catherine's dejeent and rife.—Prince Menzikof's rife; and the czar's narrow efcapefom poifon.—Expédition againfl the Swedes.— Dejcription of the city of Mofcow.—An amiaffador from Perfta ; à great fire in Mofcow. A young phyftcian burnt by the clergy, who are therefore deprived of the poiver of life and death, and holidays and convents abridged.—Manners of the gentry.—Defcription of the women.—Entertainments of the common people.—Marriage.—Theprincefs Natalia's tumorous fancy in the marriage of the dwarfs.—T hree women punijhed for 'drowning tieir iufbands. — The puniffment of the knout.—The czar's birth and marriage.—A virtuous young lady.—Mufcovite robberies and murders. — The czar's danger by them.—Remat kable murder cf Swedifh officer sbyfews.—Suppreffion of the robbers.—Seat cf empire changed from Mofcow to Peterfburg.—A defcription of the czarowitz's per fin ana manners.—Ruffian reflriBions of confanguinity (n marriage.—Ridiculous cujlom in burying.—Their images.—Their baths.—Manner of travelling.—-Religious fajls, 69 BOOK . ju^u AilV yOM VÊÊÊ book iv. City of Novogorod.—The Sterlit fifh.—Marjhal Zeremetofs military mintakes .—The readiejt method to get out of the Ruffian fervice.—The city of Peierfburgh.—The czar's ufual table.—His entertainments.—His prefent of boats to different ranks, and its good deftgn.—An ambaffador from Vfbeck Tartary.—A naval excurfton for hi's entertainment.—Cron-fladt and Cronelet.—Oranianbaum, Petcrfhoff, and Catharinhcff.— The grand dutchefs born, and the prince's behaviour on the occafton. His difrcfpecl to the czar.—Naval expedition', in which the czar was rear-admiral.—His gallant atllon with Ehrenfhield.—He takes Aland. —His triumphal entry at Petcrfbwg.—Promoted to be vice-admiral.— He compliments Ehrenfhield1 s bravery.—His fpeech to the fenate.—His referment of the czarowitz's diftefpecl.—He injlitutes frequent focial ttffemblies and a royal academy.—Court-martial on admiral Kruys: — The order of St. Catherine.—dnfufons in the revenue, and th,j confe-quent diftrefs.- Many delinquents punifhed.—Fifcals appointed.—The czar's public entertainments.—Mr. Slitter's perpetuum mobile.—The eld Finlander.—Hard fr oft at Peterfburgh.—Experiments on bears.-- Method of killing them, 10.9 book v. Dcfcent upon Siveden.—Birth cf the emperor's grandfon Peter, and death of the princefs his mother.—The birth of Peter Petrowitz, Jon to the emperor.—A carnival.—The czar's double eagle.—The czar's attention to improve his capital and country.—His military rewards and punifh-menls.—Thirty 1 all grenadiers for the king of Pruffia.— A horrid murder at Rica.—Contributions on Dantzig.—His jcheme in taking IVeif-mar.—Conference with the king of Denmark and arrival at Copenhagen.-- The combined fleets.—The Danes alarmed.—Refu/e fulffence to the troops.—A conference with the king cf Denmark in his capital, with its conferences.—The /lory of lieutenant-general Bohn.—Ofprcffive fcheme of the duke of Mecklenburg.—The diftrefs cf his people.—The czarowitz difappears.—The captain refufed have to quit the Ruffian. 2l 2. fer:vice*. fervice.—The czar's return from Paris.—The return of his army to Peterfburgh.—Diforders in his abjenct redreffed.—Attempt to di[cover a north poffage to India.—The fatal expedition of prince Beckwitz.—A new regulation at Peterftwrgh, and a ftlk manufactory at Mofcow. i^6 book vi. Return of the czarowitz to Mofcow, and his excluficn from the fucceffion.— His accomplices.—The princefs Mary concerned in it.—I he trial of the czarowitz at Peterfburgh.—His death and character.—The Swedifh field-marfhal Rheinfhield' s return home.—Negotiation at Alana, for peace wiih Sweden, renewed.—King of Sweden's death.—Toe d.at, of baron Gortz.—The jifcal's information againfl the grandees for mifdemeanours, and their trial.—Prince Gagaren'j unaccountable behaviour. —More of the czarowitz's confederares.—Death of prince Peter Petrowitz.—Prince Peter Alexowitz made a ferjeant, taught his exer-cife, and mad'1 enfign.—Negotiations for peace renewed, but fruitlfs.— The czar rcjolves to command it.—Memorable defent on Sweden.— The Britiffjfleet came too late.—The czar difguflcd with Britain.—-The Jefuits banifhed.—The czar feized with a fit at Revel.—General IVeyde's illnefs, and the cz.ar*s concern jor him.—Affairs cf Sweden.— Marjhal IVeyde's death. Ill treatment of his family.—His fumral.— The czar reproves Menzikof.—Captain Bruce's ineffectual attempt ta quit the Ruffian fervice.—I he new king of Sweden notifies his acceffwn. —A fecond inv.fion.—The Swedes attack our fleet with lofs.—The czar receives the duke of Holflcin into his protection,—Court martial on lieutenant-colonel Gtaves.—A curious law-fuit between two brothers at Revel.— '■> eit preparations ngainft Sweden.—Propofals on their part for a ceffation of hcjlUities, rejected. — A third defcent on Sweden, which ob iged them to fign the preliminaries, and conclude the peace. — The fleet and 'irmv in a form and i child remarkably preferved.—The fleet arrive at Peterfbu gh.—the czar hon-ured by his Jenate with the title of Peter the Great, &c.—A wife reformation in the bufmefs of the law. —The eaptoin again rfujed leave to quit.—Triumphal entry into Mofcow.—A proc.amation and oath re^ at ding the fucceffion. 13 f BOOK BOOK Vil. The reafonfor the Perfian expedition.—Embark on the river Mofcow.-— Ntfmi-Novogorod.—Embark on the gallies.—The Ceremifs Tartars.— Cafan Tartars.—Manner of fifhing in the Wolga.—Kinds of fifo.— Alabajler quarry. —Bulgarian Tartars, and the Maiden-Hill,—Kalmuck Tartars. — Aftrachan.—Nagayan Tartars. —Short account of the Tartars in general.—The Nagayan Tartars wanner of life.—Défaits near Aftrachan rich with fait.—Fruits ai Aftrachan.—The Banyan . woman's burning herfelf at her hufband's death.—The inhabitants of India,—The Banyans. 227 BOOK VIII. Army embark at Aftrachan, \%th ofjtdy.—Variety of wild fowl on the little iftands.—Teaki, the capital city of Circaffta. Herring in the Caf pian.—Voyage to Bujlroiv.—General Wateratg's account from the province of Andreof.—-Circaffta and its inhabitants, their manners, religion, &c—Continuation of the voyage and view of mount Caucafus, &c.—The army land at Agrechan.—March into Afia.—Kindnefs of the Dageftan Tartars.—The army pafs the river Sulack.—General Waterang joins the army.—Embarraffed on their march, andfevere punifh-ment on the officers of the guards. —Arrive at Tarku, with a defcription of the Dageftan Tartars.—Interview with the ladies.—The Dageftan ladies wait on the emprefs—Ere ft a monument at Tarau^ and march for Derbent through a fine country. —> Sultan Udenach's cruelly, and its confequences.—Twenty defperate Tartars.—A beautiful Tartar youth fain.—Undaunted refolution of the priejl.—Arrive at Derbent.—Defcription of the city.—Remarkable tombs—Alexander and Melkeha-tura.—Jackcalls and fand hares.—Thirteen tranjports loft and buried in the find.—Suckary bread.—Two expreffes and one ambaffador arrive at the army.—A Turkifb ambaffador obliges the emperor to return. Occafwn —Occafwn of the troubles in Perfia.—The army return.—Cold nighls. —Dangerous and harroffing march.—The new town of Swetago-Krefi.— Fort at the river Nitzi deftroyed and revenged.—The army re-imbark at Agrechan.—The provifions for the captains galley lofta farving voyage.—Arrive at Aftrachan the i$tb cf October. 257 BOOK IX. Progrefs up the Wolga to Czaritza.—The ghoft there.—A fhort hiftory of the Coffacks.—Stephen Ratzin's rebellion.—Ordered to furvey the Caf-pian fea, on which he proceeds to Jaick and Tembo.—ljt<-.nd of Kula-la, and Turkijlan Tartars.—Gulf of Ijkanàcr.—River Oxus and the Ufbeck Tartars.—The gulf of Carabuga.—River Daria.—River Offa. —Gulf of Aftrabat.—Provinces ofTereb'at and Maffenderan,—Gulf cf Sinfili and city of Refit.—Difficult path of the Pyhs —The rivers Ar-defchin and Linkcran, and the famous naptha oil-pns.—7he river Cyrus, or Kur.—The city of Baku.—City of Shumachie.—City of Derbent.— The river Sulack.—Gulf of Agrechan, If and of Tremzad and city of Terki.—General defcription of the Cafpianfea.—Watch tower on John's ifland.—General Matufkirfs marriage to the, widow in Jears.—Contefl among the Kalmucks, and expedition againji them.— Defcription of their kibbets.—A battle with the Kalmucks.—Some odd cuftcms among them. The Baranctz, or Lambfkin.—Returns for Mofcow up the Wolga.—A narrow ejeape from the ice.—Proceed by land.—A cruel robbery in the woods.—A remarkable difcovery of a town, with an account of it.—A wild girl taken in the wood.—Arrival at Mofcow. 303 BOOK X. Tie duke of Holftein.—The fall of baron Shafirof.—The captain endeavours to get his difcharge.—A dignified troop of chevaliers.—A defcription of the cathedral.—Procejfion to the coronation of the emprefs.—Coronation ceremony.—Proceffion to the church of St, Michael.—Proceffton to the church church of the Rçfirrccllcn.—Dinner in the hall of folemni ties.— New mode of promotion.—The captain obtains his furlough.—The captain leaves ]Vlofiozv.—/1 SwcdifJ] colonel at Riga fufpcclcd of having foot Charles the Xllth of Swçdcn.—Thc captain embarks forScotland.—Puts .into Erd-holm, a Da'nfJj harbour and fort.—Defcription of the harbour,—Departs for Eljingohr.—Drive,! into Afar/hand, dijmajUd.—^uarrelbelween Carnegie and his mate.—He arrives in Scotland. 347 book xi. The captain fent engineer to fortify Providence, and goes out in the Rofe man of war.—Arrives at the ijland of Madeira.—Waits on the Portu-guefe governor.—Defcription of the ijland.—A hard pajfage toCarolina.— Mijjes a fine prize.—A violent flcrm.—T he fortifications at Charleflown. —Arrives at Providence.—The ruinous condition of fort Najfau.—Short hiflory of the Bahama JJlands.—The oppreffive practices of governor Fitz-William.—Governor Tinker fucceeds him.—Short account of that gentleman.—The captain prevails on the inhabitants to carry materials for building frt Montagu.—Nature of the /lone—and majlich wood. —Defcription of fori Montagu.—The governor's letter about it.—A quarrel with lieutenant Stewart.—The captain confined^—and fet at liberty. 375 book xii. The treatment of two privateers and their owners.—Letter from lieutenant Moone.—Letter from a friend.—Letter from lieutenant Dromgole.— Divifion of the quick-filver.—The captain applies again to the affembly to bring the materials.—The affembly withdraw the governor's falary.— Letter from lieutenant Moone.—Another from Charlejlozvn.—Letter from governor Glen.—Produce of the Bahama i/lands, and the adjacent fir — •■ Obfervations Obfervations on St. Salvador and the Bimini i/lands.—Tbe inhabitants of Providence.—Defcription of fort Najfau—Cojl of both forts.—The cap-tain leaves Providence.—Arrives at Charleflown. —His report of the Jlrength of Charleflown.—A vijit from a Cherokee king.—Captain Frank-land's rich prize.—Afhort defcription of Carolina,—1 he captain fails for England*—Arrives $ London, 403 MEMOIRS o f PETER HENRY BRUCE, Esq. BOOK I. The author's defcent.—His grandfather's going into the Pruffian fervice.— John Bruce*s marriage and defendants, and the author's birth, &c— His entering into the Pruffian fervice.—Lines on the battle of Ramillies. —A remarkable Jlory of the author's landlady.—His firfi campaign.—* His fécond campaign.—Defeat of the French.—Siege of Lifle.—A re-tnarkable accident to prince Eugene.—Captain Dubois.—A fad accident to the enemy's cavalry.—Bon mot of the duke of Marlborough.—Siege of Ghent.—-Third Campaign.—Siege of Tournay.—Battle of Malplaquet. —Story of a Swifs recruit,—Siege of Mons.—Fourth campaign.—Siege of Doway.—Siege of Bethune—A fad misfortune to fx Scotch officers. —Sieges of Aire and St. Venant.—Terrible Jlory of the Jefuits at Tournay. The following journal was originally written in the book t German, my native language; but as i have lately-— enjoyed the leifure of a country retirement, i have, in this year 1755, translated it into Englilh (to me a foreign B tungue), / book r. tongue), for the entertainment of my friends, and the in-^" formation of my family, that they might know their connections in Germany, and the particulars of a life fpent in war for a {cries of years in different parts of the globe. — To begin then, The author's James Bruce and John Bruce, coufms and defcendants deject, (>f tne famjiy 0f Airth, in the county of Stirling, (a branch of the family of Clackmannan) in Scotland, formed a re-fclution, during the troubles of Oliver Cromwell, to leave their native country, in order to puffi their fortunes abroad ; and, as there were fome (hips in the port of Leith ready to fail for the Baltic, they agreed to go together to that part of the world : but as there happened to be two of thefe fhip-mafters of the fame, name, by an odd miftake the coufms embarked in different veffels, the one bound to Pruffia, the other to RuMia, by which accident they never again faw each other. His grandfa- John Bruce, my grandfather, landed at Konigfberg, in îhTSun° Prufiïa; from thence he went to Berlin, and entered into fervice. t^c fervice of the elector of Brandenburg, and by degrees was advanced to the command of a regiment, which was the highefl military preferment he ever obtained, notwith-ftanding the elector, in other refpefts, fhe wed him many favours: amongft the refl the following was no fmall in-ltance of his regard. My grandfather one day attending the elector in hunting, when his highnefs, in the eager pur-fuit of the chace, entered a large wood, and was fe-parated from all his attendants except my grandfather, who kept up with him. Night overtaking them m the wood, they were obliged to difmount, and lead their horfes, when, 2 after after groping their way for a confiderable time in the dark, they at length perceived a light at a little diftance, and upon their getting up to it, they found themfelves at the miferable hut of a poor tar-burner, who lived a great way in the wood. Being informed by the poor inhabitant that they were a long way from any town, village, or other habitation, the prince, who by this time was both tired and hungry, afked him what he had got to eat ; upon which the poor man produced a loaf of coarfe black bread and a piece of cheefe, of which the elector ate very heartily, and finilhed his meal with a draught of water, declaring he had never eat any thing with fo good an appetite before. He then enquired how large that wood was, and was told that it bordered on Mecklenburg Strelitz, and that it was of very great extent. Upon this my grandfather obferved, that it was a pity fuch a large tract of land fhould lie ufelefs, and if his highnefs would give him a grant of it, he would undertake to build a village in the middle of it, and another upon the fpot where they then were. To this the elector agreed, and foon after confirmed his grant by an ample charter, with great privileges annexed thereto; and my grandfather, according to his engagement, built a village in the middle of the wood, which he called Brucen-wold (or Bruce-Wood) ; and another at the tar-burner's hut, which he called Jetzkendorf, its ancient name ; for a village of that name had formerly flood there, part of the ruins being then {till vifible. The elector flept upon fome ftraw till day-break, when he was awaked by the noife of his other attendants, who had been in fearch of him all night ; and on their arrival he departed for Berlin. B 2 My rook i. My grandfather married at Berlin a lady of fortune; "* of the family of Arenfdorf, and got with her feveral eflates John BruCC'l i ttiiii r maniac and in Land, or confiderable value. He had by her two fons and\he"au*1 three daughters -, the youngeft of his fons was my fathoms birth. t'ner . e|t]e{\ daughter was married to colonel Dewitz, who was afterwards governor of Pomerania, and who got with her a landed eftate in that province called Malchin ; the fécond daughter was made abbefs of a proteffant monastery, founded for the education of young ladies, but fhe was afterwards married to lieutenant colonel Rebeur, who got Brucenwold for her fortune j and his youngeft daughter was married to major general Lattorff, who got for her fortune his mofi valuable eflates of Konikendorff and Woletz : he thus difpofed of all the landed eflates he got by his wife in favour of his daughters, and gave his-two fons an education only, and a fmall flock of money. Having placed them in the elector's grand mufketteer guards, * he left them to pufh their fortunes in the army, as he bim-felf had done before them. His eldefl fon, Charles, was a lieutenant at the fiege of Namur, where he was killed y his youngeft fon James, my father, married Elizabeth Ca-therina Detring, of a confiderable family in Weftphalia, and was himfelf then a lieutenant in a Scotch regiment, commanded by the earl of Leven, in the fervice of Brandenburg, and I was born at Detring-Caftle, (the manor-houfe of that family) in the year 1692. This regiment was ordered to Flanders, and my father carried my mother with him, and we remained there till 1698, when the regiment returned to Scotland, and whither we accompanied him. The regiment being then put in garrifon garrifon at Fort William, I was left in Fife to the care of book l a grand uncle, my grandfather's youngeft brother, who- poffefîed a fmall eftate near Cupar, at which place I was put to fchool, where I continued three years, when my father fent for me to Fort William, and L remained there three years more. In the year 1704, my father got leave of abferu? from »7°4* the regiment, and fet out on a vifit to Germany, W-hither he carried his wife and family ; and after one year's ftay with their relations, he returned to Scotland, leaving me behind in the care of their friends, who undertook to edu-cate and provide for me. Their firft attempt in my favour was to get me made a page to the king of Pruflia,. and when I was going to be prefented to his majefty by the marfhal count Witgenftein, the prince royal enquired of him who I was ; and being informed, and alfb that I was. going to be prefented to the king for a page, he alked me feveral queftions, and told the marfhal that he himfelf would have me for his page. We returned without my being prefented to the king; and on my telling this piece of news to my friends, they would by no means confent; alledging, that the prince did not ufe his pages well, which my coufiu, a fon of general Lattorff s, had experienced, who had beeu page of honour, to him, and was then a gentleman of the bed-chamber to the king, for which reafbn they would not fuffer me to accept the offer. The next thing they endeavoured was to get me into the Royal.Academy, as a cadet ; but they were told that was now impracticable, as I had refufed the prince's offer of being his page.: however, they fent me to the academy, at their oasm book i. own charge, to learn fortification and other neceffary branches. -My uncle Rebeur arrived at this time from Flanders ; he was 1?c6' then lieutenant-colonel of the marquis de Varen's regiment, and when he was about to return, I expreffcd a defire to go with him. He very kindly approved my defign, and on the fuggeftion of my friends, that it might be hurtful to me in my education, the colonel affured them that it would rather be an advantage, as there were in almoft every town in Flanders exceeding good matters for teaching fortification and gunnery, 6cc. and that I fhould have double advantage in improving the theory by feeing many parts of it in real practice : he farther offered not only to keep me with himfelf, but that no opportunity to improve my education fhould be neglected. This kind offer was very fatisfacfory to all my friends, and he performed his promife with a moft paternal care. H'i$ entering \ fat out with him accordingly for the regiment, which Pruffian fer- was then in garrifon at Maeftricht, where we arrived in April 1706, and I was entered in the colonel's company to carry arms, and foon became a proficient in the manual exercifes ; after which I found my duty very eafy, for I had only to mount guard once in a week, the reft of my time being devoted to the ftudy of fortification, &c. This year was memorable for the defeat of the French army under marfhal Villeroy, at Ramillies : the battle was fought on the 12th of May, when the duke of Marlborough gained a complete victory over them : the victory was followed by the furrender of many places both in Flanders and Brabant. This year was alfo remarkable for the king of Sweden's entering Saxony, and dethroning king Auguftus, where trice where he raifed five millions flerling by levying contribu- book i. tions. Among the prifoners who were fent in here after-fc the battle of Ram-3lies, was a marquis, who was a colonel of horfe : general Dopff, the governor of this place, not only gave him the liberty of the town, but alfo allowed him to go a hunting in the country î yet, notwithllanding this polite ufage, and his own parole, this officer thought proper to make his efcape, but was feon fent back under a guard by marfhal Villeroy, and was afterwards allowed the liberty only of the town, attended by a ferjeant for his vade mecum. After the battle the following French verfes made their Li»cs on them. battle of Ra- appearance : mîiiie». C'efl à ce coup, que Villeroy, ce maréfhal incomparable, Pour avoir bien fervi le roy, aura l'Epée de connétable Car pour un moindre événement, Tallard un governmens Varus rends moi mes legions ? S'écrioit l'empereur augufre ; Tallard rends moi mes bataillions? Dit Loua-, à Titre plus iufte, Tallard repond—-rie grand roy, demande lès a Villeroy. At the houfe .where I lodged with the colonel, I was told A remarkable ** ltory ot the a very remarkable (lory that happened between my land- author*! . landlady.. lady and her former huiband, who was a native of this town j his name was Niepels, and was a captain of dragoons in the Dutch fervice ; he courted our landlady at the Hague, flie was the daughter of a merchant there, and after a folemn promife of marriage, he firir. feduced, and then left her pregnant : her father was fo Incenied at her, that he turned her out of the houfe ; but an aunt taking compaifion ©n her kept her, till fhe was brought to bed, and afterwards, „ fuppHed her with a little money, with which, unknown to any book i. any of her friends, fhe equipped herfelf in men's cloaths, bought a horfe, and went and offered herfelf as a volun- 1706, teer in captain Niepels' troop : her offer was accepted, and fhe continued fome time in the troop ; the captain ufed fbmetimes to tell his volunteer that he was very like an old miftrefs of his, but never had the leafl fufpicion that he was (peaking to the very perfon : fhe ftaid till the end of the campaign, when captain Niepels, being informed of his father's death, left the fervice, and went home to take pof-fellion of his eftate. By this accident fhe feemed to lofe fight of any opportunity to call the captain to an account, which was the fole motive of her adventure : however, fhe followed him, but laid afide the cavalier, and re-affumed the female, and arriving at Maeflricht, fhe prevailed upon his maid-fervant (for a little money) to allow her to fleep in a private room in the houfe for one night, as fhe was a flranger, and did not chufe to lodge in any public inn. Having thus broke the ground, and got admiffion, fire had an opportunity to reconnoitre the houfe, particularly the captain's apartment, who was generally abroad the whole day, and came home late at night. She kept very clofe, till fhe thought every body in the houfe was afleep, and then proceeding with a candle in one hand, and a poniard in the other, to his bed-fide, fhe awaked him, and afked if he knew her, and upon his demanding what had brought her there, fhe told him, that he now muff, refolve to perform his engagement to her, otherwife fhe was determined to put him to death. The captain thought proper to refufe, and, at the fame time, called to his fervants ; but, before any of them could arrive ihe fir tick him in the breafl î and notwithflanding all the defence defence he could make, fhe gave him feveral other wounds book r. in different parts of his body j the fervants at length came- to his affiftance, and finding their mafter ftreaming with blood, they fent for a magiftrate and guards to fecure her. In the mean time, the lady never offered to move off, but continued upbraiding him with his treachery, although he entreated her to fave herfelf, as he thought himfelf mortally wounded; at laft the magiftrate came with a guard to conduct her to prifon, which the captain would not fuf-fcr, but begged them to fend for a pried:, to whom, on his arrival, he confeffed how much he had injured the young woman, and defired the prieft, in the prefence of the magiftrate, to marry them without lofs of time, which accordingly he did : upon the furgeon's declaring that none of the wounds were mortal, the guard was withdrawn, and by the careful attendance of the furgeon, and the no lcfs tender care of his now fpoufe, the captain foon recovered of his wounds. They lived afterwards in the great-eft harmony for feveral years, till an ill-fated accident put an end to his life : one evening they were walking toge-gether before the Trowcn-Port, and pafting by an arfenal where a number of old ufelefs arms were lying, a gentlewoman in their neighbourhood, with whom they lived in great intimacy, met them, and taking up an old rufty piftol, faid jocularly to captain Niepels, that it was decreed he fhould die by the hands of a woman, which he actually did, for the piftol went off and fhot him dead upon the fpot. He left three daughters, who were now marriageable j his widow (our landlady), fome time after his death, married his nephew. C One book i. One night as I was on guard with our lieutenant upon. :—!-• Petcrfberg, and {landing fen try with my rmHket in my hand, the frut-end on the ground, and pulling it after me in a carelefs manner over the gravel, it accidentally went off, and alarmed the whole garrifon : this accident obliged the lieutenant to fend a ferjeant to acquaint the officer at Peterfport ; and next day I was brought before the governor, where I appeared in great fear, having been told by the fotdiers that 1 lhould think myfelf well off if I had only to run the gauntlet; but, to my great joy, it ended in a reprimand, and being told, if a common foklier had done' the like he would have been feverely punifhed : this reproof made me more cautious in future when on duty. 1 was this winter made a ferjeant, it being cuflomary in the Pruffian fervice to go through all the low degrees before they can obtain an officer's commifîion ; by this promotion I was advanced two fleps above the ordinary rule. In, ,707, the month of April, 1707, the prinçe-royal of Pruffta came to this place, and reviewed our regiment ; and in palling by him, and anfwering to my name, according to the mufler-roll, he recollected me, and blamed the colonel for making a child firfl ferjeant in his company ; but on the colonel's informing him that I performed my duty very well, and was aftiduous in learning the military art, the prince feemed to be very well fatisfied. His fir ft cam- In. May our regiment marched from Maeflrichr, and fa,gn- joined the army at Mildert ; and on the 9th of Augufl, we advanced to Genap, with an intention to attack the enemy ; on the \ oth, at night, we paffed the Deyle at Fiorival, and marched till morning : at day-break we ar» rived rived at Waveren, and found the enemy had retired, upon which we returned to Genap. The French kept retiring before us the whole campaign, fo warily, that we were never able to bring them to an engagement, which har-raffcd our troops by continual marches and countermarches, without being able to effecl: any thing. Towards winter the army marched to Afche, where we fepa-rated, and went into quarters. The prince of Orange was at this time declared general of the Dutch forces, though no more than twenty-one years of age. Our regiment marched to Huye for winter-quarters, where the Swedifh general, Oxenftein, was governor: this town lies on both fides of the Meufe, and is but indifferently fortified, yet it is flrengthened by a caflle and three other forts, erecled upon eminences, which protect the town. I mounted guard one day with a Dutch lieutenant, a very plain man, who could neither read nor write, but was advanced from a ferjeant for a pretty extraordinary exertion of perfona! courage and gallant perfeverance : the French had befteged and taken a town with all its fortifications, excepting one tower, where this ferjeant was potted writh twenty men, and which he bravely maintained againff. every effort of the enemy, till the place was retaken the following year ; to which he alfo contributed greatly from his fituation. As I was one day out with a party, and pafTing near a monallery, we obferved a woman running, and feveral perlons in purfuit of her ; we went and met her : being informed that we belonged to the garrifon of Huye, fhe feemed to be overjoyed, and being thus relieved a little from her fright, ihe told us that fhe belonged to Namur, and had engaged herfelf to a French officer without the C 2 con fent book i. confcnt of her parents, who, upon the officer's demand- -ing her in marriage, had fhut her up in that monaftery, 17°7' from whence fhe had juft made her efcape over the garden-wall by the help of a ladder, and that fhe intended to go to Liege, where fhe had relations who would protect and favour her : the event juftified the aflertion, for on her arrival there, her friends procured a paflport for her lover, and flie got the hufband of her own choice. 1708. In May 1708, we marched from Huye to join the army, i lecont' campaign. and came to Anderlech on the 23d, when the Pruffian s, Ha- noverians, and Dutch began to form ; on the 26th, we went to Bellinghen, where we joined the Englifli and other troops ; the army confided of 180 fquadrons, and 112 battalions. The French army, under the duke de Vendofme, formed at St. Ghiflain, and confiffed of 197 fquadrons, and 124 battalions ; the two royal princes, the dukes of Burgundy and Berry, were with the army. At Bellinghen we were joined by the electoral prince of Hanover, (his prefent majefty) and prince Eugene, whofe troops from the Mofelle were come to Maeflricht, and foon after joined us. Defeat of the The French opened the campaign with taking Ghent and Bruges by furprize ; they made a fruitlefs attack on Damme, but they took fort Plaifendahl, between Bruges and Offend ; and on the 9th of July, they inverted Oude-narde, but,on our approach they railed the fiege, and retired over the Scheld. We purfued them dole, and brought them to an engagement on the 1 ith. It was fix o'clock iii the afternoon before our lines were formed ; Prince Eugene commanded the right, and the duke of Marlborough the left wings. After a mofl vigorous and well conducted attack, the French were beat, and fled ■ under cover of the 7 night, 1708. night, which faved them from being cut to pieces. Next book i. day 4000 of the enemy were found dead on the field of battle j 7000 were made prifoners ; be fides 535 officers (generals included) ; 34 ffandards, 25 colours, and 5 pair of kettle drums, but no cannon, the battle being fought without artillery on either fide. The lofs on our fide was 2972, killed and wounded. After this battle, the French retired behind the canal, The Siege at between Ghent and Bruges ; and count Lottum, the Pruf-Llfle" fian general, was fent with a refpeclable detachment, to attack their lines at Ypres, which we took* and levelled with little or no refinance. The army then went and inverted Lifle, which was afterwards befieged in form by prince Eugene, whiift the duke of Marlborough covered the fiege. This fiege, which laded fo long, and cofl fo much blood* was attended with various events. A pretty remarkable occurrence happened to prince Eu- a remarkable gene in the time of it. His highnefs received a letter from JSj^jJ! fome unknown hand, and upon opening it, he found itsene* contained a greafy paper, which he immediately and fortunately let' fall upon the ground ; his aid de camp took it up and fmelled at it, and was diredfly feized with a giddinefs, fo much, that they were obliged to give him an antidote : this paper was then tied about a dog's neck for an experiment, and he died within twenty-four hours, notwithftand'mg a counter-poifon was' given him. The officers about the prince expreffing their concern at the accident, he replied, without the leâtt emotion, " You need not wonder at it, gentlemen; I have received feve-*< jal letters of this fort before now." The book t. The duke of Burgundy being defirous to know in what -condition the garrifon was, one captain Dubois undertook ,7°8, to get into the town, and having got undifcovered to the outworks of the place, he dripped himfelf, and having hid his clothes, fwam over feven canals and ditches, and got fafe into the town, and returning the fame way brought the duke a letter from marfhal BoufBeur, which he carried in his mouth, fo enveloped that it was preferved quite dry. Sad accident In the night of the 28th of September, we were alarmed ^y'scavaby. wltn a loud crack, and in half an hour another, and at midnight there was fuch a thunder-clap that the earth was fhaken under us: this fo alarmed the whole army, that we lay under arms till day-light, when we were informed that 1200 of the enemy's cavalry, having each fifty pounds of powder in bags behind them, were endeavouring to get into the town, but being difcovered and fired upon, they fpur-red halfily forwards, by which means fome of the bags got Untied, and the powder pouring to the ground, catched the fire which flew from the node's feet, ftriking on the caufeway, and communicating with the powder in the bags, the whole blew up -y about fixty of the men perifhed on entering theJincs, and an hundred near the gate ; it was a fhocking fight next day, to fee the road ffrewed with half burnt heads, limbs, and carcafes of men and horfes ; the reft of the corps threw away their powder and made off, but it was believed about three hundred got into the town. Some few days afterwards, fifty peafants were taken endeavouring to convey powder into the town in their wheelbarrows : as they had the liberty to fell milk to the army, they brought it in barrels, two on a barrow ; and on this o occa- occafîon, one of the barrels on every barrow proved to be book r. powder ; and being all convicted, they were every one —-- hung up. ,7°3' About this time, Augustus, king of Poland, and feveral other princes, came here to be cye-witneffes of this famous fiege. The enemy, in endeavouring to obftruct our convoys from Offend, brought on themfelves their defeat at Weynendahl. They had ftrongly fortified themfelves by a triple entrenchment round their camp at Oudenarde, where they had retired, beyond the Schelde, which greatly impeded our communication with that quarter, and the duke of Bavaria, at the fame time, befieging Bruffels, reduced us to the neceffity of living for fome time on turnips and onions. To relieve ourfelves from this diftrefs, and open the communication with our provifions, a fufficient body was detached from the army, and by a forced march in the night, eroded the Schelde, and attacked their lines next day, when they gave us much lefs trouble than we ex~ pecfed, for they fled with the utmoft precipitation, leaving us their whole camp, baggage, and all -, in the purfuit, our cavalry took a number of prifoners ; here we got a very happy relief of provifions of all forts in great plenty, after fo (lender a diet. We next marched to ihe relief of Bruffels, but before we arrived the duke had abandoned the fiege, leaving behind him fifteen pieces of heavy cannon, and two mortars; having thus happily fucceeded in our cnicrprize, we returned to the fiege of Lifle. U p< n our breaking ground on the glacis, or covered way, I was with the pioneers i the engineer who marked out the ground being killed, and our men quite expofed to tire book i. the enemy's fire, I took upon me to finifh what he had le- 1-gun, and very foon got ourfelves under cover; for which 17c8, fervice the general of the trenches for that night, recommended me to our commander in chief, general count Lot-turn, who wrote to the king in my favour, and in the winter I got an enfign's commiflion * ; but I was generally employed as an engineer. The town furrendered the 23d of October, and as we were then quartered in the barracks', we were better able to profecute the fiege of the citadel, which (fill held out, and was carried on by lap, under the direction of general Coehom, in very cold weather and hard froft : this fervice lafted to the 9th of December, when the citadel alfo furrendered; on the ioth, marfhal BoufHeur marched out with his garrifon, and was conducted to Do way. Surrender of During the fiege, after we had made a lodgement upon Lllle" the fécond counterfcarp, a Dutch captain, who was polled there, fled from his port, on the approach of the enemy, without making the lead refinance; his ferjeant, reflecting on the difhonourable retreat, endeavoured to perfuade him to return and recover it, but in vain ; the ferjeant then ad-dreffed himfelf to the men, telling them if they would follow him, he would endeavour to regain the pott they had deferted in fo cowardly a manner ; the men immediately * The commiflîon was fent to his uncle col. Rebeur, who concealed It from Mr. Bruce on account of his youth, being only in his fixteenth year, till fome time next campaign ; coming to the knowlege of it, he walked to the door of his uncle's tent, and flicking his halbert in the ground with fome refentment, cried out, " There ftands the ferjeant !" and walking a few fteps from it, he called out, «« Here ftands the officer!'* and then received his commiflion, agreed, agreed, rallied, and attacked the enemy with fuch bravery, book. i. that the pod was very foon regained. Upon a reprefen-tation of this action, the officer was degraded for cowardice, and the ferjeant rewarded as he deferved. A fol-dier without courage is like a dead corpfe j forrow hangs on the countenances of its late belt friends till it is buried out of their fight. A bon mot of the duke of Marlborough was at this A bon mot of time much talked of in the camp ; when the king of Po- Maribo! °f land was going for Saxony, and the duke had taken hisroush* leave of him, wifhing him a good journey, his majefty alfo wifTicd his grace a good voyage to England ; upon which the duke anfwered him in French, " Que le tems étant fort froid, il ne vouloit pas paffer la mer fans Gand >" that is, the weather being very cold, he would not pafs the fea without gloves j the word gand, in French, being the name of the city of Ghent, as well as the term for gloves ; and his grace was as good as his word. Our army, notwithilanding the rigour of the feafon^ Sicge of marched immediately for Ghent, and we inverted it on the 17th of the fame month. The duke of Marlborough commanded the fiege, and prince Eugene covered. The garrifon confilted of 30 battalions and 19 fquadrons; but the water in their moats being all hard frozen over, and apprehending a furprize, they thought proper to furrender the 31ft of December. The garrifon marched out the 2d i709. of January, 1709, and was conducted to Tournay ; the duke of Argyle immediately took pofiMTion of the town and citadel. The enemy foon after evacuated Bruges, Red-fort, Planendahl, and Leffinghen, which fmifhed this me- D morable morable campaign, and our army went into quarters : our regiment marched to BrurTels, where we wintered : the French made propofals this winter for a general peace, but they did not fucceed. In the beginning of June we marched to join the army, which was formed the 2iff, between Courtray and Menin, 110,000 ltrong ; from thence we paffed the Lower Dey le, and encamped on the plains of Lille. The French army, which confided of 130,000, encamped on the plains of Lens, where they entrenched themfelves fo ftrongly, that it was thought imprudent on our part to attempt to force them, and it was then refolved to befiege Tournay ; the enemy had fo little fufpicion of fuch an attempt, that they had withdrawn a part of the garrifon to ftrengthen their army. The town was accordingly inverted on the 27th, under the command of the duke of Marlborough, and the lines of circumvallation were begun the 30th ; count Lot-turn commanded the attack on the citadel, where I was employed for the firft time as engineer j the other two attacks, againft the city, were commanded by generals Schul-lemburg and Fagel, and the prince of Naffau, at this time, took the two forts, St. Amand and Mortagne, which were very neceffary in covering the fiege. The 6th of July, the lines of circumvallation were finifhed, and on the 7th at night, the trenches were opened : on the 13th, our batteries began to play upon the town. In fhort, the town fur rendered the 28th, and the garrifon to the number of 4000, retired into the citadel j and two captains, four lieutenants, and 150 men, deferted and came into our camp, and 800 of their wounded were conveyed to Dovvay. In this this fiege we had 3,210 men killed and wounded ; the earl b-ok 1. of Albemarle was appointed governor in the town. -■ On the iff of Auguft, they began to fire up n us from the citadel, which was immediately returned from our batteries, and on the 3d, one of our fhclls fell into a powder-magazine of their *s, which blew up: a ccffation of hofti-lities on both fides was foon after agreed to, on condition of furrendering on the 5th of September, if they were not then relieved by the French army. During the truce, a number of defertcrs from our army, being then in the citadel, got leave to attempt the making of their efcape, but being informed again ft by one of their number, they were all caught and hanged. The conditions of the truce being made known to the French king, he would not agree to the propofition of fur-render, which being communicated to the befiegers, hofti-lities were recommenced. The enemy fprung many mines, and our counter-mining occafioned many (kirmiflics under-ground ; on the 26th, they fprung a mine, which blew up 400 of our men, and killed Mr. Du May, our chief engineer ; after this they fprung feveral others, which did us confiderable mifchief, efpecially one which left an opening fixty paces long and twenty foot deep, and which bade fair to have blown up a whole Hanoverian regiment, had it not been very opportunely difcovered, fo that we loft only one private centinei killed by it; On the 30th, we can-nonnaded and bombarded them fo warmly, that they beat a parley on the 31ft in the morning : they now ftipulatcd for conditions, but no other terms could be received than fur-rendering prifoners of war, which they were not, even yet, D 2 difpofed book I. difpofed to agree to, fo that hoftilities were renewed, and upon our redoubled efforts, with every warlike engine, 7 9* they at laft were obliged to furrender on our own terms, and march out on the 5th of September with 3500 men, befides their fick and wounded. Before Tournay an exprefs arrived from prince Menzi-koff to the duke of Marlborough, informing his grace that the czar's army had obtained a complete victory over the king of Sweden at Pultowa, on the 8th of July laff. The battle of Our next operation was directed againft Mons : the Maipiaquet. Qf j3avar^ who refided there, hearing thereof, re-. tired to Namur. Marfhal Bouffleur was now fent by the French king to affift marfhal Villars, with orders rather to hazard a battle than fuffer Mons to fall in the general career of our arms. On the 8th, prince Eugene joined us with his army, when we were very much fatigued with marching night and day in rainy weather, and through bad roads. On the 9th, we obferved the enemy moving towards Blarignies, in order to poffefs themfelves of the woods and hedges of Taniers and Malplaquet ; upon which we moved forward in order of battle ; but as the Englifh were foraging, they could not join us that day, and the two armies began cannonading each other, which continued till night, and was renewed next morning, when we did not choofe to engage, as we expected to be joined by twenty-three battalions from Tournay. This day I very narrowly efcaped being fhot by one of our own foldiers, who being out of his rank I ordered him to it, and as he took no notice of the orders, I ftruck him acrofs the moulders and pufhing him into it, he ftepped. back and cocked his piece which he ' • directly directly prefented to my breaft ; I inltantly parried the muz- book r. zle downwards, and the bullet went into the ground be-- tween my feet; the fellow immediately flung down his mufket and run for it, but was purfued by the adjutant on horfeback, and being a if out fellow, he took the adjutant by the foot, threw him out of the faddle, and was juft going to mount, when the major came up with and fecured him. But to return ; the enemy by our delay, got time to cut down the wood, and entrench themfelves ; in the evening we converfed with the French officers, and entertained each other with fuch fare as we had, in a very friendly manner ; this we were the more induced to, from a pcrfuafion on both fides, that a ceffation of arms was to take place previous to a peace, but we were undeceived by midnight, when every man had orders to repair to his poff, and prepare to engage the enemy early next morning. On the i nh, at two in the morning, we attended at prayers, and then prepared by forming in the order of battle ; about eight,we advanced and attacked their entrenchments, which we carried, driving the enemy with great disorder and confufion in their trenches, out of which we beat them, with numbers flain on both fides : the regiment our's was engaged with, happened to be that with whofe officers we had been fo focial the night before, and in it was a lieutenant, who had a brother a lieutenant in our's, and who was with us, a French refugee ; the lieutenant in the French regiment, furrendered himfelf" a prifoner to his brother, and was affectionately received under his protection ; but unfortunately, at the very inftant, a foldier of our's ran him through the body, and killed him in his brother s arms : the book r, the fellow alledged in excufe for himfelf, that he did it to protect his officer, not knowing the other ; yet he had leen the brothers the evening before converfing together as fuch. Fatal miftakes occur too frequently in the fury and rage of contending foes, met on purpofe to conquer or die, nor is it poffible to brand this poor fellow with any foul defign on this occafion : — but to my ffory. The French retiring over a hedge, wc purfued them cloSe, and finding them reinforced, we were obliged to retire in our turn, and making our way back through the hedge, we loft our colonel and feveral of our men ; but being Supported by our line of re-ferve, wc were enabled to force the enemy a Second time from the hedge, and to drive them to their fécond entrenchment, from which we alfo dillodged them, and purfued them to their third, where Ï found myfelf fhot through the leg, and was obliged to be carried out of the field, and arriving at a Utile cot, I there found the corpfe of my colonel, and got my wound d re fled. After a very clofe engagement of fix hours, the enemy gave way, and left us mafters of a dear bought field, which coft us not lefs than 20,300 men. The particulars of this famous battle of Malplaquer, having been So well deScribed by better pens, I fhall fay no more of it, only that the enemy loft, by their own confef-fion, 540 officers killed, 1068 wounded, 301 taken prisoners j and 15000 men killed, wounded, and taken. We had two generals killed, counts Lottum and Fettace. After this action, it was currently reported that marfhal Villars was for hazarding another battle to prevent our taking Mons, but was oppofed in it by marfhal Bouilleur; and that the king of France had fent the duke of Berwick to deter- détermine upon the different opinions of thefe two able ge- book t. nerals, upon the fpot. His grace came, and viewing the- ground with their late entrenchments, expreffed his furprize at their extraordinary ftrength, declaring, as they had been beaten out of that port, they muff, be very raffi indeed to venture an engagement on the open field. While the furgeon was attending the wound which confined me, he told me a diverting ftory of a young Swifs recruit, who, when his regimentals were making, had procured a round iron plate bordered with fmall holes, which he defired the taylor to faften on the infide of his coat, above his left breaff, to prevent his being fhot through the heart : the taylor being a humourous fellow, fattened it in the feat of his breeches, and the clothes being fcarce on his back when he was ordered to march into the field, having no opportunity to get this aukward miftake rectified, before he found himfelf engaged in battle, and being obliged to fly before the enemy, and in endeavouring to get over a thorn hedge in his way, he unfortunately ftuck fait till he was overtaken by a foe, who, on his coming up, gave him a pu 111 in the breech with his bayonet, (with no friendly de--fign), but it.luckily hit on the iron-plate, and pufhed the young foldier clear' out of the hedge ; this favourable cir-cumftance made the Swifs honeftly confefs, that the taylor had more fenfe than himfelf, and knew better where his heart lay..— But to nobler deeds. Our eminent leaders well knowing their advantage by a Siege of f . 1*1 Mons« reputation for habitually beating the enemy, immediately in vetted Mons, and the trenches were opened on the 25th, under the command of the prince of Naffau; and, notwith- 4 ftanding no ok i. {landing the continual heavy rains, the fiege was brifkly " puflied on till the 20th of October, when this town alfo '7C5' furrendered, and the garrifon marched out 8000 men, be- fides 1000 that were left behind, and afterwards enlifled in our army. The victory at Malplaquet, and the taking of Tournay and Mons, finifhing this campaign, our army feparated, and went into quarters for the winter. Our regiment went to Maeflricht ; and not being yet recovered of my wound, I was obliged to travel in a waggon with eight wounded foldiers, under the care of a ferjeant, to Bruffels; in the evening of the 20th, we arrived at Notre Dame de Flail, half-way between Mons and Bruffels, where one of our wheels broke, and the waggoner hearing that there was a party of French in the town, thought proper to fet off with his horfes ; the French having got notice of us, came, and after enquiring for the horfes, and finding they were gone, fat out in purfuit of them : happily for me, I had formerly been fome time in this place, and was pretty well known to the people, who conveyed me to a place of fafety, which, for once, faved me from being flopped ; the party returning, flript the eight wounded foldiers, and carried the ferjeant a prifoner to Namur : the ferjeant, on his arrival there, was examined by the governor, whom he informed that he had been on duty, conducting thefe wounded men to the hofpital at Bruffels, and that the French party had {tripped them naked, and plundered them of a month's pay. The governor Severely reprimanded the officer, telling him, he ought rather to have affifted the poor defenceleSs wounded men, than to have uSed them in the manner he 6 had 1709- had done ; and ordered him to rcfrorc both the cloaths and book i. money to the ferjeant, and fent the ferjeant, under his own pafs, to Maeftricht. A piece of generous humanity fcldom met with in an enemy. Being if ill ill of my wound, I determined to remain at Hall, although it was an open place, and vifited almofl every day by parties of the French : here I was attended by an able furgeon, who having hone but myfelf under his care, had the more time to obfèrve the various effects of his treatment of the wound, which could not have been the cafe had I proceeded to Bruffels, where every place was full of the wounded of our army. While I continued here, I met with great kindnefs from the clergy of the place ; but I ftaid no longer than I was able to walk with crutches, when I obtained a French pafs, and moved to Maeftricht, where I found a lieutenant's com-mifîion waiting for me. Early in the month of April 1710, we left our Winter- 171*0. Fourt paign. quarters, and on the 15th, arrived near Tournay, the place T of our general rendezvous; and on the 20th, the army being formed, was ordered to march at five o'clock in the afternoon, and marched all night in two columns. Our motion was fo fudden, fo fecret, and fo regularly conducted, that we entered the French lines next morning, without the fmallefl refinance : fo little did they apprehend this morning vifit, that they were out foraging. Our appearance fpread fuch an alarm amongfl their troops near Lens, that they made a very hafty retreat, a.id we encamped in their room upon the plains of Lens. On the 22d, early in the morning, we laid our bridges over the Scarp, and the whole army palled tire fame night, E and book i. and next morning we inverted Doway ; on the 25th, we ' "began our lines of circumvallation, and were joined by 1710. Siege of the prince of Anhalt Deffau, who fucceeded count Lot-turn in the command of the Pruffian troops, and now commanded one of the attacks againft the town, and the prince of Naffau the other ; on the 29th, our lines were finifhed, when our cavalry had provided a great number of fafcines and gabions for the fiege i on the iff of May, our troops took poffefiion of the cattle of Pignonville, and on the 3d, Chateaux-Lo way, where 340 men furrendered themfelves prifoners j the 4th, our trenches were opened at both attacks, and our men were covered without any lofs, as they were not perceived at their work from the town ; the oth, at ten at night, the enemy made a vigorous fatly at the prince of Naffau's attack, which put the workmen in great difordcr, and levelled fome parts of the parallel, but they were at laft repulfed with confiderable lofs, and purfued to the very counterfcarp ; the action was To very hot that we loft 300 men killed, or wounded, in it, and, perhaps, the enemy were not better off : the parallel was repaired the fame night, and next morning, at day-break, a battery of eight guns, and four mortars, began to play with great fury, from prince Anhalt's attack, upon a fconce in the morafs, which had greatly annoyed us by flanking our approaches : it was now foon difmounted. They made a fally the fame night on our fide, but were repulfed with confiderable lofs. Our heavy artillery arrived on the 10th, and on the nth, a battery was completed on each attack, each mounting twenty four guns and eight mortars ; the 12th, our approaches were advanced to the firft ditch ; the 14th, our 6 batteries batteries being completed, and mounted with forty-eight book r. guns, and thirty-two mortars and howitzers, wc began to' play on the enemy's outworks, but chiefly from the prince of Anha't's fide, as the ground in the other was fo boggy, that they could not approach there with fuch regularity. The enemy made a fally on the 17th, but were fo warmly received, that they retired in great confufion, leaving above 100 prifoners behind them ; on the 2 1 if, they made another, in which a great many fell on both fides. Our army was now ftrongly entrenched in their lines to prevent the enemy from harraffmg us in the fiege, as they outnumbered us by io,oco men, and we had reafon, from their continual motions, from the 26th to the 30th, to believe that they meant to attack us, and oblige us to raife the fiege ; but on the 30th, they encamped within gun-fhot of our entrenchments, which flackened our progrefs in the fiege, as every regiment that could poflibly be fparcd was taken off to ftrengthen the army. The enemy continued four days in this pofition without offering to diflurb us, when marfhal Villars thought proper to retire to a league diftant from us j upon which the befieging regiments returned to their polls, and we now again pufhed on the fiege with all poffible vigour. The enemy made frequent fallies, and fprung feveral mines, which, however, did not prevent us from making ourfelves matters of the counter-fcarp on the 5th of June j and on the 17th, we ftormcd and took a ravelin, and after filling the moat with faf-cines, we laid our bridges to the main breach of the town : on the night of the 22d, the trenches were opened at Fort-Scarp, which was a regular pentagon j and on the E 2 25th, f book I, 25th, at two o'clock in the afternoon, the enemy beat the " chamade, and furrendered both town and fort on the 26th. 1710. The befieged had upwards of 3,000 men killed, and our lofs was 8,000 killed and wounded. On the 29th, the marquis d' Albergotti marched out at the head of his garrifon, confiding of 4,527 effective men : general Hompefh was made governor of the town, and brigadier des Roques, the chief engineer, was made commandant of Fort-Scarp. Siege of Be- After a few days relaxation from fuch hard duty, we thune. marched with an intention to befiege Arras, which the enemy perceiving, entered their new lines, and thereby prevented us ; and then the fiege of Bethune became the object, and was inverted on the 15th of July ; the trenches were opened the 23d for two attacks, the one by general Schuylenburg, the other by general Fagel. The French army made a feint as if they meant to relieve the town, but finding us ready prepared to receive them, they were fatisfied with fhowing themfelves, and withdrew to their lines. The fiege advanced brifkly ; on the 29th, they made a fally at Fagel's attack, where they almofl deflroyed a regiment of Pruffian guards, who had unluckily fired upon them all at once, and having no fire in referve, the enemy poured in upon them with great deflruction 1 our regiment marched quickly up to their afliflance, and faved them from being entirely cut off. There happened, the fame A fad mif- ^aY' a **ad misfortune to fix officers of a Scotch regiment, ihs"oCtcK wn0 were **m"inS *n a row on tne Danfiuet, and had their officers. iegS all fliot off by a cannon-ball, except one, who faved one of his by having it on the banquet 5 and he was the 3 °nIy only one who furvived the rough amputation, the reft died book i. of their wounds : this ill-fated ball came from one of our ——— own guns at Schuylenburg's attack, directed at a baftion, 1710" but unhappily milling that object, the ball flanked our own trenches. The town threw a great number of bombs at our batteries, but falling fhort, they dropped, for the molt part, into our approaches, which kept us who were employed there in perpetual motion to fhun them. One day I happened to ftep into a demoliihed cellar, on a neceffary occafion, when I had fcarce well got there, till the centry called out, 11 Gare la bombe," and down it came into the cellar, and I made the beft of my way out of it, which I had fcarce cleared till it burft, and threw down a great quantity of ftones and rubbifh about me, but I efcaped unhurt. The garrifon beat the chamade on the 28th of Au-guff, and on the 31ft, M. de Vauban marched out at the head of 1,700 men remaining of the garrifon, having loft near 2000. It colt us 3,665 men, killed and wounded:-major general Keppel was appointed governor. The fieges of Aire and St. Venant came next in our route -, Sieges of we marched on the 2d, and they were both inverted on the venant? St 5th of September. The prince of Anhalt commanded the fiege of Aire, and the prince of Naffau that of St. Venant. About this time the enemy intercepted a convoy of our's coming up the river Lys in boats with warlike flores and provifions, which they took and deftroyed, killed and wounded a great number of the efcoit, and took 800 pri-foners : this, however, did not retard the fieges a moment, for St. Venant furrendered on the 30th, and Mr- Bruyn, the engineer, was appointed governor -, we loft 940 men, killed and i- and wounded at this fiege. The French governor was afterwards committed to the Baftile for his bad behaviour. At Aire the trenches were opened the 12th of September for two attacks ; on the 2 iff, the befieged made a fally, in which they were repulfed with the lofs of 40 men ; the 23d, we took a redoubt with little oppofition : at this time marfhal Villars refigned the command of the French army to mar dial Harcourt, who was lent by the king for that purpofc. The 8th of October we took another redoubt, (word in hand, and at night made ourfelves maflers of the covert-way : after much labour and fatigue to us, the enemy beat a parley on the 3d of November, and on the 12th, general Goefbriant, the governor, marched out at the head of 3,628 men, befides 1,500 wounded left in the town ; our lofs on this occalion was 7,000 men, killed and wounded ; •count Naffau Woudenburg was appointed governor of this town, and our whole army marched to the plains of Lille, where they feparated on the 15th of November, and went into winter-quarters j and thus ended this campaign, and the I a ft I ferved in this country. Perhaps no age or country, not even excepting thofe fields ft ill famous for the celebrated victories of Julius Caefar, can parallel the rapid fuccefs of the combined arms in thefe wars ; they were continually conquering armies of fuperior numbers of well-difciplincd troops, abundantly fupplied with every warlike weapon and engine of deftruction, and commanded by generals of renowned martial knowledge and experience, and ftill beating them from plain to plain : neither could they find a refuge in their ftrong walled cities and towns, well fortified with every additional ftrength of out- out-works ; thefe fell by numbers in each campaign, and book i. the conquering heroes fhine illuftrious in every page of martial (tory, grateful to the eye and ear of youthful ardour, and pleafmg to the Willi of military ambition. But we fhall not find them deferving fuch admiration in the lines of civil life, where humanity conftrains us to commi-ferate the childlefs parent and the helplefs orphan, the fevered brother, and the widowed dame's bewailed Iofsof many dear connections -, and friends lamenting friends, whofe lives were ficrificed to raife the ftruclure of the hero's fame, built on the havock of the dcfolating fword ; unfheathed on this occafion by the boundlefs ambition of that afpiring prince, whom nothing could pleafe lhort of univerfal monarchy,. Lewis the Fourteenth, but was at length obliged to fit down with Gallic fovereignty. Tournay, of which the earl of Albemarle was now go- Terribleftory vernor, became our quarters for this winter. An affair °[ 'hc Jefu,t3 * at 1 ovu nay. happened here a little while before, in the Jefuits college* which amazed the whole town. A fhoemaker, near the college, having a handfome wife, one of the fanclified fathers made frequent vifits to befpeak fiioes and flippers for himfelf and others of the fraternity; at length, giving an order, he defired the fair dame, when they were done, to biing them home to the cloifter, and receive the payment for them, and fhe accordingly carried them ; {Tie was admitted into the houfe, but never returned, which much alarmed the poor hufband and his neighbours, who were naturally led to enquire after her at the college, when they were told, that fhe had received the money and went away again: as the veracity of thefe fathers was held facred, no body book i. h?ody durft prefume any farther enquiry at the college, and " the woman could not be found. Some few days after, a 1710. ..... boy in the njght-time getting into a garden, next to that of the Jefuits, to fleal fruit, faw from the top of a tree (being moonlight) thefe very holy fathers bufy in burying a corpfe in the garden. The boy, knowing that the woman could not be found, told his father what he had feen ; the father, who lived in the neighbourhood of the fhoemaker, immediately acquainted him of it, and they both, with the boy, went to the governor, who, upon their information, fent for the magiffrates, and they proceeded altogether to the Jefuits college ; upon going into the garden, the boy directed to the fpot where he had feen the corpfe buried : upon digging there they found the body of the poor woman with her throat cut, and all her clothes torn in pieces. The fathers declared their ignorance and innocence of the whole matter, charging the foul deed upon two of their fociety who had difappeared. This was all the redrefs the poor man could get for the lofs of his wife, notwithftanding the boy declared there were eight of them at burying the body. The (hoemaker, his neighbour, and his fon, thought it prudent to retire to Holland, where they turned Proteftants, to avoid the mercilefs vengeance of thefe facred fathers. This ftory was told me by feveral officers, who were at that time in garrifon here. BOOK BOOK IL tie goes into the Ruffian fervice, a captain.—Overtakes general Bruce at Prufs-Holland —A curious Jlory of a man at Elbing.—They arrive at Jazveroff, zuhcre the Czar is privately married.—General Bruce's rank and honours.—Account of the Ruffian army.—1 heir numbers and cloath- ing.—Expedition againft the Turks—Council of War at the Neifier.-- Prince Cant amir e joins them without any troops.—A /warm of locuJJs.— The Turks appear.—The Ruffians form on the river Pruth.—Engage the Turks three days.—The czarina fives the zvholc army and prince Can-tamira.—The king of Szveden upbraids the grand vizier.—The Ruffians return.—Colonel Pitt's lady and daughter carried off by the Tartars— The grand feignior approves the treaty.—Captain Bruce fent exprcjs to Conftantinople.—Defcription of that city.—Its mojques.—Accommodations for franger s.—Strength.—The feraglio.—Scutari, a jine View.— The port and harbour.—Suburbs.—Arfcnal.—Air and climate. —The Turks contrafled.—Domeflic Accommodations.—Internal government of the country.—Religion. — IFof.vp.—1 be plague.—Their games.—Diet. —Reft.—Exercife of their youth —Drej's of their ladies.—Ointment of Pilo.—Their predominant intercfl.—Matrimonial privilege.—Concubine marriage.—Policy of their religion.—Severities on the amorous ftranger. —Their laws for debt.—In criminal cafes.—-Their punifnent s.—The channel of the captain's information.—Nezv difficulties to the Treaty at the Pruth.—Change of miniftry.—A freftj treaty.—Freftj interruption to the peace.—Againft zvhich the czar remonftrates.—Miniftry again changed.—The Ruffian ambaffiaJor, £ffV. fent to the Seven Towers.- Mighty preparations for war, which end againft the king of Sweden at Ben der.—Reflexions. R s HIS winter I received an invitation from general book u, Bruce *, of the ordnance, at Mofcow, to enter into-'- the fervice of the czar, if I mould wifh, or think it ad- He'into the Ruffian * This general Bruce was grandfon to James, who left Scotland with fcTvîce caP' my grandfather. tain* F vifeable book ir. vifeable to quit that of Pruflia ; and acquainted me that -he was then at Elbing, in Pruflia ; where he would be for fome time, fo that if I accepted his offer, I might reach him before he left that place. Pleafing as the idea was to my-felf, I could form no refolution in the matter before I had confulted my relations at Berlin, whofe friendfhip I had already experienced, and it was by their unanimous confent and advice, that I determined to accept of his invitation, and having obtained leave to quit the Pruffian fervice, with the rank of captain, I prepared for my departure, and left ,7,1, Tournay on the 25th of March, 1711. I took the route of Oudenard, Ghent, and Safs, and came to Rotterdam the 30th ; from thence I proceeded by Delft and the Hague, and got to Amfferdam the iff of April, and took fhipping in a Dutch veffel for Koningfberg. We paffed the Texel on the 13th, and entering the Sound on the 2d of May, we anchored at Pillaw the 7th, after above a month's paffage : this is a harbour and fort belonging to the king of Pruflia. I directly waited on the governor, who told me, he had a letter from general Bruce, defiring him, when I came there, to forward me to Elbing 3 but the governor, thinking the general would not fo foon leave that place, intreated me to if ay with him a day or two, to give him the particulars of the la ft campaign. After dinner, an officer came in, who told the governor, that he was informed by a gentleman juft come from Elbing, that the general was to leave it that fame day : this fixed my immediate departure, and taking a boat for the oppofite fhore, I got on horfeback, and arrived at Elbing in the evening, where I found the general had fat off in the afternoon, having received 5 an an exprefs from the czar to join him with the utmoft book il expedition. - Major-general Balck, the governor of Elbing, told me, general Bruce had defired him, on my arrival there, to forward me immediately after him j fo I took horfe directly, in a very dark night, and overtook him next morn* Overtakes seing, the 9th of May, at Prufs-Hoîland, juff as he was «PrafrJHok preparing to proceed on his journey. He received me very land' kindly, and feeing me much fatigued, defired me now to travel in his own fleeping waggon, where, indeed, I flept all day long, having neither relied, nor tailed victuals, from my dining with the governor of Pillaw. This ma-chi ne is in every refpect a chariot, only the bottom is extended fufiicient to fuffer one to lie at full length on a bed j and I found afterwards every officer, in the Ruffian army, provides himfelf with one of them, which is very neceilary on their long marches through ill-accom- modated countries. General Bruce had engaged feveral officers of our artillery into the Ruffian fervice, two of them for engineers. On our journey, the general entertained me with a ftory which happened during his ftay at Elbing, where he faved an old man from being burnt : this old man had an only fon, who was a druggift in town, to whom he had given all he had in the world, upon condition that he fliould maintain his father while he lived : the fon had behaved pretty well to him, but his wife treated the old man in fuch a cruel manner, that he was obliged to leave the houfe and board himfelf, for which the fon, at the inftigation of his wife, refufed to pay, and the people with whom he F 2 lived, book ii. liv^ threatened to throw him into prifon : this unduti-— fill treatment fo affecled the old man that he turned quite frantic, and in his madnefs wrote an obligation with his own blood to furrender himfelf, foul and body, to the devil, if he, in exchange, would give him a certain fum of money : this was the effay on the part of the old man toward the agreement, and to found the devil's fentiments on the fubjecl, he carried this paper to the eroding of two roads, apprehending that the m oft likely place to meet him, and there he made a hole and depofited the obligation : returning feveral timesto the fpot, to fee if the devil had accepted his bill, and finding no money, he grew quite out of humour with the devil, and exclaimed bitterly againft him ; fome labourers at work hard by, obferving his repeated vifits to that fpot, went to it when he was gone, and dug up the paper, which they carried to the magiftra*es : the old man was taken up, tried, and fentenced to be burnt. The general being informed of tl\e whole ftory, interfiled himfelf for the old man, and convinced both the magistrates and judges, that his prefent diftrefi'ed fituation, and dread of future want, had driven the poor old man delirious, and that not he, but his unnatural fon, was the object: of punifhment : the experiment was eafy, and the truth would foon difcover itfelf : the old man was fet at liberty, the foil bound to pay his board quarterly, and the effeel foon jufti-fied the meafure by his father's return to his rcafon and judgment. They come On the 17 th, we arrived at Warfaw, and at Jaweroff jawïrolTUt 011 tae 29th' where we fourul the czar and czarina, and there pn^teiy " tne7 weie P"vate,y married, at which ceremony the gene-married. ral was prefent, and upon this occafion he was made matter- book il general of the ordnance, in the room of the prince of"-— Melita, who died a prifoner in Sweden. General Bruce General'" was at this time knight of four orders, viz. St. Andrew, ^^""J. the White Eagle, the Black Eagle, and the Elephant ; and here I received my commiffion as captain in the artillery, and engineer. I went from hence to Lemberg to get my-felf equipped with the uniforms of my new corps, and was reco m mended to a merchant there of the name of Gordon, who lhewed me a great deal of civility. When Ï returned to Jaweroff the army broke up, and we went in his ma-jetty's retinue to Soroka, upon the river Neilfer, where we joined the Ruffian army. This place is fix hundred miles fouth from Elbing. The Ruffian army is commanded by a field-marfhal, and Account of in his abfence by the general of the ordnance, who has un- u ianari ' dcr him a lieutenant general and major-general : the regiment of artillery confifls of 2,400 bombardiers, gunners, miners, and matroifes -, befides every battalion of the army is attended by one field-piece, a three-pounder. The army is reckoned by divifions, each confitHng of nine regiments, one of which is grenadiers ; each divifion is commanded by a general, a lieutenant-general, a major-general, and a brigadier. A regiment confifts of two battalions, or eight companies, and is commanded by a colonel, a lieutenant-colonel, and two majors j and a company confifts of 150 private, commanded by one captain, two lieutenants, one enfign, two ferjeants, one fub-enfign j and has befides, one captain at arms, one quarter • matter, one clerk, a furgeon-barber, two drums, one timberman, five denzigs (or officers book it cers fervants), and fourteen waggoners; making in all —■-183: each company has their own fepaiate colours, there being four to every battalion. The generals have no regiments, nor the field officers, companies ; nor have the captains, the paying, clothing, arming, and recruiting of their companies : this is performed by a com miliary, or paymafter ; the neceffary recruits are demanded from and provided by the governors of the different provinces. A regiment takes its name from the town or province where they were firft raifed, which name they always retain, excepting the regiments of grenadiers, which bear the name of the commanding general of the divifion ; the companies o^ a regiment are commonly diltinguifhed by numbers, from the iff, to the 8th ; they always charge in battle four men deep, the two foremoft ranks kneeling. The czar's own divifion, at this time, confided of four regiments, each of which have a company of grenadiers, which no other regiment has y the firft of the te regiments was that Called Prebrafinfky, of four battalions ; the fécond that of Sa-menoffky, of three battalions j the third that of Inger-manlandfky, three battalions ; and the fourth, that of Affrachaniky, of two battalions -, in all thirteen battalions, including the four companies of grenadiers ; each company of this divifion has a captain-lieutenant additional : there were likewile in his majefry's divifion two other grenadier companies, who were bombardiers, gunners, and miners. Each battalion of the army has at leaf! one officer that is an engineer. Their num- The forces of Ruflia, including garrifons, confift of cioathufg. 200,000 foot, and 100,000 cavalry 3 befides Coffack and Kalmuck Kalmuck Tartars, who can, upon occafion, biing 150,000 book il men into the field. All the army wear white cockades ; - the horfe are clad in blue, faced with fcarlet ; the foot in green, faced with fcarlet j and the artillery in fcarlet, with blue facings. The army, which we joined at Soroka, confiffed of five divifions, of 6,000 men each, commanded by count Ze-remetof, field-marfhal ; the firft was the czar's own divifion, the fécond general Weyde's, the third prince Rep-nin's, the fourth general Hallard's, and the fifth general Rentzel's ; in all 30,000 foot, attended by a very numerous train of artillery, and intended for an expedition againft the Turks. We were to have been joined by 30,000 dragoons, who had been detached to deft roy a magazine erected by the Turks upon the Neifter, a little above Bender, which fervice they performed, and beat the Turks there, but were prevented from joining us, as we did not wait their return : befides thefe, there were 50,000 Kalmuck Tartars, and 20,000 Cofiacks in full march to have joined us, and with thefe reinforcements we fhould have been 130,000 ftrong. His majefty being now refolved to march upon that ex- Expedition pedition, without waiting the junction of the reft of his JjjCJjJ,,the forces, ilfued a general order for all the women, who attended the army to be fent away : the cz.irina, however, infilled on attending his majefty in the expedition, which was granted, and the generals petitioned her to obtain the fame liberty for their wives, that they might attend her majefty, which was alfo granted; and the rtil of the officers wives, conceiving themfelves equally entiiled to the indulgence, 1711. book tl diligence, all went, notwithstanding the order. This cir-—— cumftance, although it confiderably augmented the train of our baggage, proved in the end a very fortunate one. Our prefent fudden march feems to have been occafioned by the fecret engagements of Brancoven, prince of Moldavia, who undertook not only to join us with his whole forces, but to provide us plentifully with provifions and forage, both which were foon out of his power ; for the grand fcignor coming at the knowledge of this intended revolt, diverted him of his principality, and gave it to Cantamire, prince of Wallachia, with orders to him to feize Brancoven, and fend him to Constantinople ; and with orders at the lame time to throw a bridge over the Danube, ' to facilitate the paffage of the Turkilh army to oppofe us ; but the Turk was difappointed as well as wc ; for fome of their principal men uiing Cantamire extremely ill, he protracted the building of the bridge inflead of haftenillg it; and in the mean time difpatched an officer to the czar, praying him to join him with all expedition with 30,000 men, which number he thought would be fufficient, with his own troops, to prevent the Turks from palling the Danube. The czar having juft been difappointed, if not deceived, by Brancoven (for he afterwards made a merit of it to the Turk), could place no confidence in the Sincerity of Cantamire, nor was it fufliciently understood, till it was too late to prevent their paffing that river. On the 14th of June, our army paffed the Neifter, when his majefty called a council of war, which was held in general Bruce's tent, when prince Cantamire's letter was read ; the czar then mentioned his intention to march forward, 4 without Council of war at the Neifter. without waiting the junction of the reft of the troops; all book n, the generals exprelfed their approbation of the meafure,- except general Hallard, who faid nothing. The czar ob-ferving his ftlence, ordered him to declare his mind, and give him his opinion freely : the general replied, that as the council were fo unanimous he never would have made any objection, had not his majefty inftfted on his declaring his fentiments ; he then franklv told the czar, he was very much furprifed that the king of Sweden's misfortune did not ferve as a fufficient warning ; for that prince had been miffed by the advice of the tray tor Mazeppe : he could not help thinking our prefcnt ftate was a fimilar one j " The ct prince of Moldavia has already difappointed us, and for " any fecurity we have, the prime of Wallachia may do the " fame ; for although he (hould mean well himfelf, yet he *l may want the power to ferve us ; for it is to be feared his ** troops, who have long been iUl! to the Turkifll govern- f* ment, will not enter into his fentiments."—And this pioved to be exactly the cafe. The march, however, was refolved on, and we fat out the fame night to avoid the intenfe heat of the day, and cor^-tinued to march for three nights through a barren défait heath, without a drop of water all the way, which was fe-verely felt both by man and beaft. On the 18th, we arrived at the river Pruth; where we loft a number of our baggage«-horfes by their drinking too plentifully of the water ; we paffed the river on the i oth, near Jalfey, the capi al and refidence of the prince of Moldavia. At tins place, prince iMnceCajifc-Cantamire joined us in perfon with very few attendants, both them without the Walachian and Moldavian troops having left him for ™* tïo°^ G fear book. ri. fear of the Turks. We continued our march down the Pruth till the 2ill, when we met a prodigious {warm of 1711. A rwarm of l°CuU^> which, at their rifmg, overlhadowed the whole army locufe. like a cloud ; they had not only deftroyed the grafs of the fields, but alfo the tender bark and leaves of the trees : here again we loft a number of our carriage-cattle for want of forage ; it was very remarkable that the locufts never left our army, and we no fooner pitched our tents than they came down and covered the whole camp ; we tried by firing cannon and fmall arms, and burning trains of powder on the ground to chafe them away, but all in vain j they attend-The Turks cd us on our march along the river till the 27th, when we appear. difcovcred the Turkifh army eroding the Pruth. Upon this, general Janus was detached with a body of troops, and twelve pieces of cannon, to difpute their pafLgc ; but he was too late, for half their army had paffed before he could get up to them, fo that he found it prudent to retreat to the army. It was very furprifing, that we had not the leaft intelligence of fo numerous an army, which confifted of no lefs than 200,000 men, till they were within fight of us. The Ruffians ^ur army drew up in order of battle, at fome diftance rive"?ruthC from tne l'iver> m hopes to bring them to an engagea.,nt ; but they kept out of the reach of our cannon, and ex tending their numerous army, endeavoured to furround us, and cut us off from the river. We remained under arms till night, and being convinced of their intention, we made a very diforderly retreat to fecure the river, our divifions being all feparated from each other in the dark, and as we were now greatly deficient in horfes, we burnt a number i f our our baggage waggons, that they mould not fall into the book ii. enemy's hands ; and it was furprifing, that from the num- ——— ber of fires that were blazing in the night, the enemy did not perceive our confufion, which afforded them a fine opportunity to have deffroyed our whole army, and they might eafily have done it with a fmall part of theirs ; but happily for us they feemed. to pay greater attention to their own fafety than our deffrucfion, for they happened to be very bufy entrenching themfelves, by which means we efcaped their notice. At day-break, our fcattered troops were again put in order, and our army formed into a hollow fquare, the river ferving for the fourth fide, which enabled us to give our fquare a larger extent ; and our waggons wrere formed into an inclofure within, for the protection of the ladies. On the other fide of the river, and oppofite to us, the dim Tartars were placed, where the king of Sweden had pitched his tent to difcover the motions of our army. The Tartars annoyed us much in watering, but bringing a few pieces of cannon to play upon them, they were foon obliged to keep at a diftance. Our army was furrounded by a che-veaux de frize, which was the only protection we had. The Turkifh army furrounded us on all fides, with a de- Engage the a . 1 1 • • ' i -Turks throe iign to ftarve us into a furrender, and this they certainly days, would have done in a ihort time, had they not been too eager in attacking us, which they did three days and three nights together ; but fortunately for us, they attacked only one fide of our fquare at a time, which enabled us to relieve our weaiied troops, from time to time, as they became harraffed with fatigue, and it alfo enabled us to ufe our G 2 large 44 M E M 'O I Pv S O F 1711. book 11, large train of artillery, which did great execution among them, and luckily they had none to annoy us with, as theirs was not yet arrived. The czarina Qn tn fourth day, the czar, being informed that our faves the r 0 whole army ammunition was all fperit to three charges of cannon and and prince . . „ . ■Cantamire. fmall-arms, ordered all the omcers in the army, with a number .of fe'ect men, to mount on horfeback and attend his perfon î his intention was to force his way through the Turkifh army in the night, and to go through Tranfil-vania into Hungary : but the czarina coming to i he knowledge of this dangerous refolution, and forefeeing the hazard that would attend the czar, and the lofs and difgrace that would fall upon his arms and army, very luckily hit upon a better expedient, which faved us all from destruction. She collected all the money, plate, and jewels which were in the army, for which fhe gave her own receipt and obligation to pay the refpective owners, and with this valuable prefent fhe had the addrefs to prevail on the grand vizier to conclude a peace, and the tranfa&ion was immediately fmifhed in the name of the field-marfhal, without the czar's knowledge who was juft going to fet out on his very dangerous expedition, which her majefty flapped by telling him, that the grand vizier had agreed to conclude a peace on reafonable terms. This piece of confummate female difcretion was followed by a moft punctual difcharge of her obligations for the plate, &c. on her return home. The principal conditions of the peace, on our part, were to deliver up to the Turks, Azoph, Tai-ganrog, and Caminiek, and that our troops fhould evacuate Poland ; for the performance of which, the vice-chancellor Schaflrofj Schafirof, and major-general count Zeremetof, were deli- book il vered as hoftages. They infilled alfo, that prince Canta- u mire of Moldavia mould be delivered up to them i but were told, that the prince had left our camp; which, indeed, was believed by moff of ourfelves ; for the treaty was no fooner thought on, than the czarina fhut him up in her own coach, which was known only to the fervant who carried him his victuals. The czar ever afterwards entertained a great regard for prince Cantamire, and gave him feveral landed eflates both in Ruffia and the Ukraine, befides fettling a pennon of 20,000 rubles a year upon him. • The king of Sweden hearing of this peace, went with The king of the cham of Tartary who was at that time itrongly inte- JS^*" reifed in his favour, to the grand vizier, to know why he grandvlzieu had concluded a peace fo haflily, when he had it in his power to have made the czar and his whole army prifoners. The vizier informed him, that as the fultan had velted him with full powers for war or peace, he could not refufe them peace, feeing they defired it upon terms honourable to the grand feignor, and by which he had gained more than could have been expected. The king anfwered, that if he had carried the czar a prifoner to Conflantinople, they could then have obliged him to grant what terms they pleafed ; and told the vizier, if he would now give him 20,000 of his beff troops, he would yet recover the opportunity that had been neglected, and was.on the point of being loft for ever. The grand vizier replied, " God preferve us from breaking a treaty of " peace without any reafon, as I have already accepted the " hoftages for the performance of it." Poniatoffky, a Polifh general book ii. general in Staniflaus's intereft, being prefent, and feeing the —-— king now filent, anfwcrcd, " There is ftill a remedy 11 without breaking the treaty, which is to put the king at *c the head of 20 or 30,000 of your belt troops, whereby " he may flop the czar, and oblige him to a more honour-" able peace before he proceeds any farther :" The vizier then faid, "This fee m s to me at leaft an indirect vio-" lation of the treaty, in which it is provided, that the king «' may return into his own dominions, through the czar's *' territories, with a frrorig convoy of Turks, after which, " if he pleafes, he may make peace with the czar." The king looked full at the grand vizier, and laughed in his face, without making any anfwer ; but in retiring, he turned fo fhort on his heel, that he tore the vizier's robe with his fpur, and mounting his horfe, he went off highly difpleafed : he then concerted meafures with the cham to attack us with his Tartars on our march, of which the vifier being informed, reinforced us with 3o,o00 fpahi's, the beft Cavalry in the Turkifh fervice, to conduct us to the Neifter : the vizier fent us alfo feveral waggon-loads of provifions as a prefent to our army. The Ruffians Matters being thus accommodated, we decamped on the 'tfcf ""t» 2C* °^ Juty» m S00c* or^er> w^tn drums beating and colours abulia, flying: our artillery and baggage marched between us and the river, and our chevaux de frize were carried, each by two men, between us and the Turks, to be in readinefs in cafe the Tartars had perfevered in their plan to attack us : Colonel Pitt's we marched this day in view of the Turkifh army. At lady and QUT fetting out, colonel Pitt had the misfortune to lofe both daughter car- ° ried oft by his wife and daughter, beautiful women, by the breaking the i attars. * of of one of their coach-wheels; by this occident, they were book ti. left fo far in the rear, that the Tartars feized and carried * them off. The colonel addreffed himfelf to the grand vizier, who ordered a ftricTt enquiry to be made, but to no pur-pofe. The colonel being afterwards informed that they were both carried to Conflantinople, and prefented to the grand feignor, obtained a pafs, and went there in fearch of them, and getting acquainted with a Jew doctor, who was phyfician to the feraglio, the doctor told him there had been two fuch ladies as he defcribed, lately prefented to the fultan ; but that when any of the lex were once taken into the feraglio, they were never fuffered to come out again. The colonel, neverthelefs, tried every expedient he could devife to recover his wife, if he could not get both, till becoming outrageous by repeated difappoint-ment, and very clamourous, they fhut him up in a dungeon, and it was with much difficulty he got releafed by the interceffion of fome of the ambaffadors at the court; and was afterwards told by the Jew doctor, that they both died of the plague : with which information he was obliged to content himfelf and return home. The grand feignor receiving the news of the peace, and The grand the advantages he had thereby acquired, ordered publie proves the rejoicings for three days, and teftified his approbation of mat)' the vizier's conduct, not only in the reception he gave him, but by complimentary letters and magnificent prefents. For want of horfes our march was fo flow, that it was the 11 th of July before we reached Stepanowa, when we eroded the Pruth, and on the 14th arrived at the Neifter, after a m t, but very dangerous campaign. Next day wc croffed this • ■ 2 river book ii. river and reached the camp where we found our dra-— goons, Coffacks, and Tartars, who were now rejoiced at 171 '* our fafe return, having heard very difmai accounts of us* The balfa, who efcorted us here, faid when he faw thefe troops, that if they had joined us, we mould have been an over-match for the Turkiih army. Our army now fepa-rated and took different routes: the czar fet out for Ger-Captain many, taking general Bruce with him, but not before h$ b»uce fent ^ad wrote frefh inffructions for baron Schafirof, and dif- expreis to Conftantino- patched them by exprefs for Conflantinople, of which I was the bearer ; fo that 1 returned with the baffa who had con-dueled us to this place, and who had now only 2000 troopsj the reft having left us on the difappearing of the Tartars-, 'jfrie fultan, upon the reprefentations of the king of Sweden^ had, in the mean time, twice broke this peace, and renewed it again with the fame eafe -, this was apprehended', and occafioned the inflruclions I now carried. On our way to Adrianople, I received many civilities from the baffa, and we arrived there the 2d of Auguft, where we found baron Schafirof and count Zeremetofi and who foon after fat out with us for Conflantinople^ where we arrived the 25th, being met at fome difrance from the city by count Tolftoi» our ambaffador, who had been confined in the Seven Towers ever fince the declaration of the war, but was now releafed. A ttefcription This city is fituated on a point, or tongue of land, that of that city. -ets out into fe3) -t -g 0£ a triangular form, and fourteen miles in circumference ; the houfes are generally built of wood, and the ftreets fo narrow, that in moil of them, two loaded horfes cannot go a-breaft ; and the houfes project 3 fQ fo much at the upper parts, that in many places one may book ir. with eare ftep out of the window of one houfe into the- window of another on the oppofitc- fide of the ftreet : this capital error in building the city docs not feem to have procee 'ed from want of room, for it abounds in gardens and large fqSarefc and courts ; and it is owing to this cir-cumftance that a fire is always attended with fuch devaluation, for it burns with irrefiflible fury till fome garden or fquare puts a flop to its progrefs. The moft regular part of this city is the Befeff in, inclofed with walls and gates, where the merchants have their ill ops, which are ranged and difpofed in fuch excellent order, that a buyer may dispatch his bufinefs in a quarter of an hour; every trade has its own feparate department in the place ; the gates are fhut every night at ten o'clock. In another part of the city is the Hippodrome, an oblong fquare of four hundred paces by two hundred, where they exercife on horfeback : towards the end, oppofite to the feraglio, are two obelifks ; the firft confifts of one ftone feventy feet high, and ftands on a fquare pedeftal of marble, adorned with feveral hiero-glyphical figures in relievo ; the other is a fpiral pyramid built of free ftone, without any ornament or infeription ; near thefe ftands the ferpentine column, a brazen pillar of confiderable height ; it is compofed of three icipents wreathed and twitted together, with their tails on the ground, and ending at top with three gaping heads and forked t_r.;^ucs, expie dive of hiffing. At fome diflance from this are two other columns, in a large court appointed for the exercife of the bow and arrow, where the archers very frequently hit a mark not bigger than a fhilling, at the diftance of H an book n. an hundred paces. The Meidan, or parade, is a very large — fpacious fquare, and is the place of general refort of all 171V ranks. Its mofques Among the principal mofques, or churches, in this city, the firlî is that of St. Sophia, formerly a Chriftian church ; it is an hundred and twenty paces long and eighty broad ; on each fide is a portico, fupported by thirty columns, each fixteen feet high, ornamented with very fine cornices i it is covered with a dome, or round roof, enriched with grand Mofaic work, and finely gilded ; the pavement is of marble, and covered over with matting. Ihe tomb of Conftantine the Great is ftill preferved, and which the Turks hold in great veneration, although they fuffer neither image or picture in their mofques ; this being the only ancient building which now remains here of that kind ; for all the reft were built by the fultans, or fultancffes, whofe names they bear : they are - built after the fame model, differing only in fize, with a number of fountains, and variety of painting, fo that a defcription of one will convey a juft idea of all the reft. The next is the mofque of the fultanefs Valide, (tan ding in the middle of a large fquare court, and is environed with arched canopies, in the form of porticos, under which are many fountains, with cocks for the people to wafh themfelves at before they enter the mofque ; it has but one gate, which is furrounded with a portico of confiderable height, paved with white and black marble, and fupponed by fixty-four columns of red marble, eight of which are porphyry, and placed near the entry y the plafond is adorned with painting and figures after the Turkifh manner ; the portico is covered with little domes, furrounding a large one in the middle, and all covered covered with lead ; at the four corners of the building are book it. four very high turrets, ending in a globe, or crefcent, from which their prieff s call the people to prayers, having no bells for that purpofe. The city is rendered very commodious with houfes, called Accommoda-Hans, or caravan ferais, for the entertainment and accom- J^gen. modation of foreign merchants ; the Hans confiff of four fides of building, inclofing a large fquare court, with a fountain in the middle; the walls are very ftrong, and the windows well fecured with bars for the fafety of the property-lodged there, the roofs confiff of little domes, covered with lead, like thofe of the mofques : the Hans contain only two flories, divided into rooms which have not the leaft communication with each other j the lower ftory is divided into warehoufes for goods, and the upper ftory into lodging-apartments for- the merchants, who muff provide everything for their accommodation, for they find nothing when they come in but the bare walls. Tlie caravanferais are a poorer fort of inns, and built in the fame manner as the Hans, which ferve the poorer fort of ftrangers, and fervants of the caravans, and have ftabling for their camels. Befides thefe, there are no other public houfes of entertainment. The city is furrounded by a high and thick wall, with strength, battlements, after the oriental manner, and towers at fome diftance from each other, defended by a lined but fhallow ditch, and on the land-fide thefe works are double ; thofe, with the Seven Towers, are all the ftrength of Conftanti-nople. The feraglio is built on the point of the land jet- The feraglio. ting into the fea ; it occupies a fpace of four miles in cir- H 2 cumference, book ii. cumference, the greateft part of which is laid out in gar-~~ dens j the whole druclure is irregular, for it is indeed only a medley of confufed building, ornamented with a number of thofe litiie gilded fpires and globes without beauty 01 order j the principal entry is near St. Sophia, and refembles the y leg or an old paltry town, without architecture or ornament ; through this gate we entered inito a large court, where, on the right, are the .apartments for the fuk, and on the left are m^rizines of arms toi a thoufand men ; from this court we paffed into another, bordered with two large porticos j on our right hand are the kitchens, and ffables for an hundred horfe on the left, but we were permitted to go no farther. The feraglio, with its gardens, &c. is furrounded with a very high wail of grey ltone, with a parapet at the top, and battlements like thofe of the city, and which indoles the old and new ftraglios : in the old one, the reigning fultan fhuts up the wives of his predecef-for, who, at their entrance, look back on the pleafures of this life as gone for ever ; the new feraglio is contiguous to his own palace. The great officers of ftate are but meanly lodged, molt of their houfes are inclofed in a kind of park, containing a garden, and a large court, having ffables on one fide, and kitchens on the other. The many gilded globes and fpires, refembling ffeeples, which appear in all parts of the city, contribute very much to its grand appearance, efpechlly at a diffance. Scutari, a Oppofue to the feraglio, on the fide of Afia, and diftant fine view. about a mile and a half, acrofs the water, lies Scutari : it is a large town, adornei with a royal mofque and a palace, or pleafure-houfe, of the grand fei^nior's. The brow of a hill, hill, near Scutari, prefents one of the grandefl and mod book it. beautiful profpecls, perhaps, the world aifords : here you """" 17 If." have before you, in one view, the cities of Conflantinople, Galata, and Pera, the fmall feas of the Boiphorus and Pro-pontis, with the adjacent countries on the Ihores of each. The poit and harbour have their peculiar beauties ; the Theportarul h^bour is three miles long, and one broad, clean and deep ar our* ' throughout, and fo fteep to the (bore, that the largeit vef-fels come fo clofe you may ttep on board or a fhore without a boat ; at the entrance of the port ftands Leander's tower, a high fquare building; there is a fountain on the rock, and fome pieces of cannon, which might defend the city on that fide in cafe of neceflity. On the oppofhe fide Suburbs,-of the port are four confiderable towns, but which are rather confidered as a part of the fuburbs of the city, as their difiance from it, over the port, is fo fmall, that a perfon may eaiily be heard on the other fide ; they are named Pacha, Galata, Pera, and Tophana, and are eight miles in circumference. Pera is the place where the foreign ambalfadors, and all the Franks refide, for they are not permitted to live in the city ; Galata is, properly fpeaking, a city of itfelf, . handfomely built, being furrounded by walls, 3nd has large •■ fuburbs, is exceedingly populous, and moftly inhabited by-Franks and Jews, and is a place of great trade. Franks is • the general denomination of all ff rangers that are Chnfuans. At the end of the port ftands the grand arfenal, which co- Arfcnal,. vet* a confiderable ipace of ground, and contains arms for 60,000 men; where alfo the gallies are laid up in an hundred and twenty arches. The 54- book 16 1711» Air and climate. The Turks contrafted. Domeftic accommodations, The air is extremely pure, and fo wholefome, that the inhabitants are never fubjcct to any epidemical difeafe but the plague, which vifits them every year, and then makes a dreadful havock amongff them. It is imagined they would live till they dropt into the grave through mere old age, if their days were not cut off by this peftilential malady , they are fo little acquainted with any other mortal difkmper, that when they are told the plague is hardly known in Britain, they naturally afk, " What then do the t( people die of?" The climate, being in 41 deg. 30 mim north, is fo temperate, that the winters are never cold, and the fummer's heat is greatly allayed by the cooling breezes from the feas. The Turks feem to contrail us in almoft their whole manner : with us it has always been deemed honourable to be efpoufed to one woman, they marry feveral wives ; we reckon our cloaths the moft commodious for being fhoit, they wear theirs down to their heels j we elf eem long hair and a fmooth face ornaments to the countenance, they fhave their heads and let their beards grow -, we write in a flrait line from left to right, they in a crooked one from right to left : they crouch down to make water like the women. They have no houfhold furniture, fuch as beds, tables, chairs, looking-glaffes, or pictures ; the bare walls, with a plafond, or ceiling, and a fopha, are all the riches or ornaments in their rooms; the rich, indeed, paint their ceilings and walls in the Morefco tafte, and their fophas are two feet high, and reach from the one end of the room to the other, under the windows, and are ten feet broad, covered covered with Turkey or Perfian tapeflry ; befides thefe, book il there are matts laid along the other fides of the room, five or fix feet broad, covered with cloth or velvet, and over thefe are laid large cufhions, fluffed with hair or wool j thefe cufhions, in the houfes of the grandees, are curioufly embroidered, or covered with a rich cloth of gold. Loitering in floth and idlenefs, crofs-legged like fo many taylors, the Turk wafles almoft his whole time, lolling on thefe cufhions, or fophas, fmoking tobacco, and drinking coffee or fherbet, without either diverfion or amufement, but playing with fhells, or at trick-track, or the goofe. Their provinces, cities, and towns, are governed by internal g0- * rr 1 \ , . vernment of baflas, fub-baffas, waiwocles, cadis, (or judges), and col- the country, lectors. The baffa is inverted with the fupreme executive authority, and is accountable for the revenues of his government to the grand fignior -, but to fecure a free toleration to be as arbitrary a tyrant in his province as his maf-ter is in his empire, he farms his oppreffions at an annual tribute to the fultan, of money and Haves, exclufive of the ordinary duties, cuftoms, and imports of the province : the fultan thus gratified, and a wide door opened to the rapacious avarice of the imperious balfa, he exercifes all manner of cruel oppreiîions, when there is any thing to be got by it, in his whole dominions, without regard to quality or condition, widow or orphan, it is all the fame. The increasing treafure of fome of thefe baffas enables them to maintain a ftanding army of their own, whereby they become formidable to the grand feignior himfelf, who then is obliged to wink at their crimes radier than run the hazard of punifhing them ; for the baffa can rely on his forces 5 while |6 U E M O I R S OF pook ii Vvhile he |s able to pay them ; fo that between the defpotic ' tyrant and his grim lieutenant, it is no very definable privilege ■to be a Tnrkiih fubject. The -waiwode is a city m.tgiftrate : .the collector is a receiver of the cultonis, and has great authority to take cognizance of all fraudulent practices in the .pecuniary revenues, and in all his decilions he is both judge and juryjrand his ientence is always regulated by die profit it yi-diis. 1 he cadi is a judge of the law. p,eiïgion. The Tuikifh religion acknowleges four prophets, Enoch, Moles, Jeius Chrift, and Mahomet ; they believe that Judas, who intended to betray his malfer to the Jews, was by them crucified in his If ead, and that Chrift was tranilated h to heaven ; they upbraid the Chriftians with folly and impiety, for believing that he, whom they adore as God, was put to fuch a fhameful death, a A the very fight of a crucifix fills them with anger and rage. They helieve that Chrift will come to judge die world, but that he will firft reign a thou (and years upon the earth, and marry, and beget children ; but they will not acknowlege a Trinity of perfons in the Godhead, aliedging, that fuch an opinion would abibiutely deftroy the unify of that fove-reign Being, without which he could not be God. They fay that Chrift was fucceeded by Mahomet, after whom there {hall come no other prophet, They believe that there is an infinite number of angels, fome good, others bad ; fome white, others black : they imagine, that every man has two angels who conftantly attend him, the one writes down all his good, the other all his bad actions. They are of opinion, that the fouls of the wicked enter not into hell till the day of judgment, but remain with their bodies 3 in in the grave, where they are tormented by the black angels B00K till the laft day, when they will be fent to hell, and fuffer ~ moff cruel punifhments for a certain period, according to the enormity of the crimes they have committed in this life, at the expiration of which they will be releafed and admitted into paradife, where they will enjoy the fame hap-pinefs that is appointed for good men ; for, fay they, it is inconfitfent with Divine goodnefs to punifh a being eternally for the offences of fo Ihort a life. They pray five Worfhip, times a day ; at day-break, noon, three o'clock, fix o clock, and an hour after the clofe of the evening : on Friday, being their fabbath, they affemble for public worfhip, when the Iman, or prieff, fays prayers, and delivers a kind of fermon, or exhortation, to his hearers, but none of their women are fuffered to appear at their public devotions. They keep Lent, which lalfs thirty days, and they are obliged to faft every day from morning till night during all that time, being permitted neither to eat, drink, or fmoak tobacco : lent ends with the moon, and every body is fo impatient to fee the new deliverer that is to rcleafè them from their loathed abftinence, that they run to the tops of houfes, and even of mountains to fee its rife ; and as foon as it peeps in the horizon, they falute it with feveral reverential bows j their cailles alfo proclaim the welcome news by repeated difcharges of their great guns : the three fuc-ceeding days are fpent in mirth and jollity. They arc allowed at no time to eat hog's flclh, or drink wine. They are fo entirely abforbed in their faith of predeftination, that they ufe no precautions in the time of the plague ; and are offended at the Chriftians for taking care of their health on I fuch book ii. fuch occafions, by fhunning the houfes where the infec-—-tion is, afTerting they ought not to forfake dying or dead 17II* men. The plague, which fweeps away fuch vafl numbers of the inhabitants, feems in fome degree necef-farv to the prefervation of the country, as they are increafed one fifth part of their number yearly ; which is eafily accounted for, when it is confidered that every man is allowed to marry four wives and keep feveral concubines ; and there are befides, fifty thoufand Haves brought into Turkey every year ; fo that the country would foon be overftocked with inhabitants, and the people in danger of flarving, if their numbers were not curtailed by this malady : yet, notwithstanding the terrible havoc made by the pelfilence, the land is flill full of people. Genius. Their manners and cuftoms, as I obferved before, arc oppofite to ours in almoft every refpecl: : they are fo far from ftudying to improve their underftanding, that they in a manner glory in their ignorance ; and their ambition is fo fmall that they never attempt any thing that has not fome fordid intercfted view for its object: ; living for the moft part a reciufe and lazy life, fcarce ever looking beyond the fphere of their own families j and provided their wives are hand-fome, their horfes well curried, and their fervants fubmif-five and refpecfful, they have not the fmallelt curiofity about the affairs of the reft of the world. Contented with their lot they fit whole days on a fopha, without any other occupation than drinking coffee, fmoaking, or careffing their wives j fo their whole life is a continual revolution of eating, drinking, and fleeping, intermixt with fome dull recreations. creations. Yet they cannot be accufed of luxury in eat- book ii. ing, for a fowl boiled with rice, coriander-feed, and fugar, —— is the bell: difh that is ferved up, (which they call pilaw) ; Diet.17'1' that, with a difh of fi/h, 6cc. and a défait of fweetmeats, makes their meal. When the hour of dinner comes, a fervant brings an octangular table of walnut-tree, inlaid with ivory, not above a foot and a half diameter, which he places on the fopha, and having laid the cloth, ferves up the difhes one after another ; another fervant fpreads a napkin on his matter's knees, and ftands behind him to carve and help him to what he choofes, for it is beneath the grandeur of a Turk to do any thing for himfelf. They never drink at meals, though they are in no hurry in dispatching them, but as foon as the table is removed, a fervant brings a cup of fhefbet, and then the coffee and tobacco, with which his matter beguiles the reft of the day : their veffels are all earthen or porcelain. At night, a mat, flieets, and coverlet, are brought, and they deep in Reff; the fame place where they ate, drank, fmoaked, played, and loitered all the day. This is their confiant courfe of life, after they ceafe to be youths ; for from the age Exercife of of fifteen to twenty they learn the ufe of arms, the art of *" }°lth" riding, the bow, throwing the dart, and other exercifes of that nature j and, indeed, they are excellent horfemen, notwithstanding their high faddles and fhort ftirrups, for they rule their horfes with great dexterity without whip or fpur, inftead of which they ufe a batoon, three feet long, holding it by the middle, and Striking with the ends as they find it neceffary to direct the horfe's motion. Their horfes are very fwift, and ftretch them- I 2 felves 6.o. M E M O I R S OF book n. felves To faff, in running, that their bellies feem to touch ----the ground. The Turks throw the dart fo admirably 1717' well on horfeback, that they hit the mark at full fpeed, very feldom miffing their aim ; and what is more furprifing, they will throw their batoon as far before them as they can, and following at full fpeed, catch it on the ground as the horfe paffes, without giving him the leaft check. Sutfc. The men's drefs confifts in long and wide breeches, reaching to their ancles, with leathern ftockings fattened to-the lower part of them, and is called a chackfir, and fhort boots of red leather : a fhirt of very fine cotton cloth, made exactly like a woman's fmock, only wider, efpecially at the fteeves, which are open: over this they wear a cafetan, which is a kind of long caiTock, with narrow fleeves buttoned at the wrift j the fummer cafetan is made of white cotton cloth, and in winter of filk fluff quilted with cotton, and are girt' about the waift with a filken fcarf, in which they fatten their-poniard, the handle of which is made of filver or ivory, enriched with jewels : they never appear with a fibre but when they go into the country. The upper garment is a cloth gown, which they call a veft ; in fummer it is lined with taffety, and in winter with coftly furs, thefe with the turban complete the drefs of the man. Drcfsofthe The habit of the women is not much different, and' l*a«i. tjiat chiefly confîfts m being a great deal richer. They wear a cafetan of gold brocade, fattened before with large pearls, or a fmall knot of diamonds -, it covers their fhoulders entirely, but is cut fo low before at the top, that their breatt would remain naked if it was not covered With their fmock, 9 and: and a little waiftcoat they wear over it ; this waiftcoat fits book ii- very clofe to the body and keeps up the breads : above "- the cafetan, they wear a leathern girdle, covered with plates and (hids of gold and fil ver, fet with precious ftones of beautiful luftre. Their fmock is always of the fined flowered filk, and hangs over their chackfir, which, in fummer is made of the fame filk as mod agreeable in the ex-ceflive heat. Their upper ved is either of fine cloth or velvet, embroidered, or of rich cloth of gold. Their head drefs-is very elegant and becoming ; the talpo is a large high velvet cap, fomewhat refembling a clofe crown, is made to fit neat round the head, and widens upwards ; it is adorned with the richeft embroidery of gold, filver, and pearls, and is fo high, that it would fall back on the fhoulders, were it not artificially fupported above the head, where they plait and fold it with much art : it is alfo enriched with long firings of pearls curioufly interwoven and drewed with diamonds, rubies, and all forts of jewels ; it is fadened to the head, with a frontlet two fingers broad, and fo rich that it may compare with a diadem ; round the frontlet are little gold chains, with a diamond hanging at the end of one, an emerald at another, 6cc. which dangle upon the forehead and on both fides of the face. Their hair is braided in a long trefs, four fingers broad, hanging down an incre* dible length, on, fome even to the heel ; they wear a little curl on each fide of the forehead, which hangs in a ringlet down the fide of the face, and thefe curls ingrofs much of their attention; they dye them black, as they do alfo their eye-brows, which are extremely regular, for they fhape them with a. razor ; the women, in general, paint, and ate, notr-- book ii. 1711. Ointment of pilaw. Their predominant inte-rell in marriages, &c. Matrimonial privileges. Concubine marriages. notwithstanding, mod charming creatures. They feem to be made for love, their actions, gefturcs, difcourfe, and looks, are all amorous, and admirably fitted to kindle that foft paflion: fin ce they have nothing elle to do they make it their only bufmefs to pleafe. Befides their elegance and beauty, their extreme neat nefs is none of their leaft confiderable charms ; they bathe twice a week to keep themfelves clean ; and then, by a peculiar art, they crack all the joints in every limb ; and to deft roy all excrefcent hairs they anoint the fkin with pilaw, which makes the hairs fall off, and gives an additional whitenefs and foftnefs to the fkin. The Turks, who are commonly governed by their in-tcreft in their marriages, are obliged to court by proxy, and to be fatisfied with a character inftead of an interview, which he is only indulged with for the firft time when they marry ; but there are fo many other conveniences allowed them, that they have not the leaft reafon to complain, for they are permitted to marry four lawful wives ; and thofe who defire a greater variety may marry twenty concubines if they pleafe, for this alfo is a fort of marriage, not to mention the pretty flaves whom they buy and fell. Thofe who are weary of their wives may turn them away when they pleafe, paying their dowry. It is a pity we have not fuch a fafhion, for if we had, we fhould fee many a fatal knot untied. The concubine-marriage is ftill more commodious than the other ; the man takes the woman he fancies before the cadi, and tells him that he is willing to keep her after fuch a rate, and when he has no farther occa- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 63 occafion for her, he will give her fuch a certain fum of B00KI1- money. This is the ufual refuge of ftrangers, for if they are Severities on caught in making free with their females, they run a rifque of coming under the talons of the fub-bafTa for a heavy fine, which if they cannot pay, they are pretty fure of meeting with the half inado : and as for the poor kind (inner, fhe is immediately mounted on an afs, with her face toward the tail which (lie holds in her hand, and in that pofition fhe is carried through the town, and then fold for a flave ; this feverity makes moft ftrangers conform to the cuftorri of concubinage, or purchafmg a flave, to keep clear of the baffa î though the women are far from being cruel, yet by the feverity of the baffa, and the fufpicious vigilance of the cautious hufband, it is almoft impoffible for a gallant to thrive in this place. The Turks have no written laws but what are con- Their laws tained in the Koran; all civil affairs are judged by the f°l debt>&c' cadi, according to evidence upon oath, without any regard to writings ; and the higheft bidder is fure of the decifion in his favour ; but he that lofes, if it be for debt, muft pay it immediately or go to prifon ; and if it fo happens that his effects are infufficient to fatisfy the demand, the poor debtor muft receive a baftinadoe on the fole of his foot for every piaffer of fuch deficiency, unlefs the fum exceeds five hundred ; for they do not punifh with a greater number of baftinadoes as the ftouteft man would not be able to endure it without the manifeft danger of lofing his life ; and after this his creditor may take or fell him for a flave. 5 Judg- book ii. Judgment, in criminal matters, belongs to the baffa, --who proceeds in the fame manner ; for money atones for in criminal l^lC mo& barbarous crime, and without it juftice degene-caicE. rates mt0 cruelty ; fo that the flake and the gibbet is only the portion of the poor villain : nor can there be a ftronger proof of a man's poverty, than his being executed for robbery or murder. There is, indeed, a provifion feemingly favourable to murderers, for if the perpetrator is lucky enough to get out of the way before he is difcovered, the baffa and waiwode can charge the blood on the people before whole door the murder was committed, if it happens in a town or village, and levy upon them foity thoufand afpers, (the if ated price), fo that there is feldom much diligence ufed to apprehend the criminal himfelf ; nor are thefe tribunals lefs favourable to the robbers who in fell the country. The moff ufual pumfhments in Turkey for capital offences are beheading, drowning, hanging, ftrangling, burning, impaling, and the ftrappadoe ; the two laft are the moft cruel, and are appointed only for Turks who renounce the Mahometan faith, or renegadoes who return to tfu Chiiftian religion: robbers and murderers are hanged; women are drowned ; pcrfons convicted of rebellion or fe~ dition are beheaded ; and burning falls to the lot of Chriftians and Jews who blafpheme againft Mahomet or the Koran, or lie with a Turkifh woman. The channel The baffa, under whofe efcort I came from the river SdiïiSor- Neifter to Conflantinople, fhewed me much civility on the jnatiou. way^ anu< treated me with great kindnefs after our arrival : it was owing to my acquaintance with him that I obtained m or! rnoft of thefe accounts of their government, laws, cuftoms, and book ii. manner of living. At our firft arrival we lived very com '- fortably here, but that was foon interrupted by the reftlefs intrigues of the king of Sweden, the cham of Tanary, and New difficulté F rench ambaffador. By an article of the treaty at the treat oJ-ethc river Pruth, the grand vizier engaged, that the Swedifh king 1>ruth-fhould leave the Turkifh. dominions; but the king appearing in no forwardnefs to depart, we ft ill held Azof beyond the time ftipulated for our furrendering it, and this produced a fecond declaration of war, which was the more readily entered into, as the vizier, who had negotiated with us had been difmiffed, and was fucceeded by another, en- Change of ... ,.rt . ni iri i- • miniiliy. tirely in the Swedifh intereft j but the fultan being informed, that this minifter had been won over to that intereft by largeffcs, difmiffed him ; and, by the mediation of fir Pvobert Sutton and count Colyar, the Britifh and Dutch minifters at this court, a peace was again concluded on the 16th of April, 1712, and the grand feignor acquainted the ,7,2, king of Sweden with it by letter, defiling him to think of returning into his own dominions. This peace was of no long continuance, for the Swedes Frcfh inter* foon interrupted it in Poland, where the ftaroft Gruzinfki, JepetcS whip had been in Turky with the king of Sweden, made an irruption with a body of 4,000 Wallachians, Coflacks, &c. and penetrated into Great Poland, where he furprifed and carried off a whole regiment of Ruffians, who were free from all fuipicion of an enemy : another party got beyond Pofnania, where they took a magazine and 300 Ruffians. General Baur, coming at the knowlege of what had happened, pofted to Pofnania, and haftily collected a body of K 4,000 book it. 4,000 Ruffians, with whom he furpiifed and attacked Gift? -zinfki, who fo little expected it, and was fo much off his guard, that he did not difpute the matter a moment, but left his camp as it flood. General Baur purfued him fo clofe, night and day, that he came up with him at Kruterfchien, where Gruzinfki, not choofing to rifque an engagement, and taking his officers with him, abandoned his troops, and returned into Silefia ; the whole body of the troops furrendered prifoners of war. Againft The czar now remonflrated againft this violation of the which the czarremon- treaty by the Turks ; and the king of Sweden, although he was the aggrefibr, exclaimed loudly againft the Ruffians, who had purfued fome of the Coffacks into the grand feig-nor's territories : and the fultan fullering himfelf to be im-pofed on by the cham of Tartary, the French ambaffador (M. Defaleurs) and the Swedifh miniftry, once more broke the peace, on pretence that there were ftill fome Ruffian troops remaining in Poland. The fultan, however, to fa-tisfy himfelf, difpatched an aga into Poland, to know if any-of our troops were in that kingdom ; and this aga having, alfo rafted the fweets of Swedifh influence, made his report accordingly ; while the grand vizier, falling under the im-Miniftry a- putation of being influenced by the czar, got himfelf dif-id, and the milled, and Solyman Baffa was made vizier; the remit of baSor, &c. a^ which was another declaration of war, and an order Seven Tow- ^or tlie RuH1an ambaffador, hoftages, and all the officers C1S- in their retinue, to take up their abode in the Seven Towers. Mighty pre. This ftidden declaration of war was accompanied with pa^uom for orcjers tQ tjie kaflas t0 ra]fe troops ; and the fultan, with his his whole court, removed to Adrianople. King Auguflus, book ii. and the republic of Poland, had prepared a folemn embafiy —— to the fultan, which was now on its way, at the head of which was the palatine of MafTovia, with a fplendid retinue of three hundred perfons*; but the fultan, who acknowledged Staniilaus as king of Poland, prevented the arrival of this embaffy, by feizing them on the road and imprifoning them. King Auguflus, however, had addrefs enough to bring the cham of Tartary over to his intereft ; and Ali Coumourgi, the grand feignior's reigning favourite, coming into meafures with the czar, found means to perfuade his mailer that the aga, who had been fent into Poland, had made a falfe report refpecYing the Ruffian troops there. Solyman the vizier, and the mufti, being minions of the favourite, although they had both advifed the war, now finding it no longer agreeable to him, came as eafily into his defignsj and, notwithstanding all thefe mighty preparations, they foon prevailed on their inconfift-ent mafter to liften to propofals for an accommodation, which was now again fet on foot. The negotiation was foon fettled, as the chancellor Schaferof and count Zere-metof had full powers, and engaged for the czar that his troops fhould, bona fide, evacuate Poland ; and the grand feignior engaged to oblige the king of Sweden to depart the Turkifh dominions. Upon matters being brought thus far towards a conclu Hon, I was difpatched for Peterf-burg, where I arrived the 13th of October ; but before I got there, our troops had evacuated Poland. This peace, for twenty-five years, was afterwards ratified by the czar ; and on the king of Sweden's rcfufing to comply with the K 2 grand book n. grand feignior's requifition to depart the Turkifh dominions, *" the cham and baffa had orders to force him to it ; and that brought on the famous action of Bender, the particulars of which are fo univerfally known, that I think it need-lefs to repeat them. ROOK BOOK III. Marriage of the czarowitz.—The czars celebration of his old wedding.— - General Bnur's difcovery of himfelf to his friends and brother officers.- The emprefs Catherine's defcent and rife.—Prince Menzikof s rife ; and the czar's narrow efcape from poifon.—Expedition againjl the Swedes.— Defcription of the city of Mofcow.—An ambaffador from Perfia ; a great fire in Mofcow. Ay\iung phyftcian burnt by the clergy, who are therefore deprived of ihe power of life and death, and holidays and convents abridged.—Manners of the gentry:—Defcription of the women.—En~ tertainmenls of the common people.—Marriage—The princefs Natalia's humorous fancy in the marriage of the dzuarfs.—Three women punifed for drowning their hujbands.—The punifimient of the knout. —The czar's birth and marriage.—A virtuous young lady.—Mufcovite robberies and murders.—The czar's danger by them.—Remarkable murder of Swedifh officers by Jews.—Suppreffion of the robbers.-—Seat of empire changed from Mofcozu to Petcrfburg.—A defcription of ihe czarowitz'sperfon and manners.—Ruffian reftric~iions ofconfanguinity in marriage.—Ridiculous cujlom in burying.—Their images.—Their baths.—Manner of travelling.—Rc~ ligious fajls. THE czar had been in Germany to concert meafures book nr. with his allies, and then went to Carllhad, to drink-- the waters for his health, from which he found benefit ; Marriage'of. and from thence he returned, by the way of Drefdcn, to ^c/'aro* Targau, where he met with his fon, the czarowitz, on the point of his marriage with the princefs of Wolfenbuttel, filler to the emprefs of Charles, the Sixth : the czarowitz was in the twenty-fecond year of his age, and the princefs in her eighteenth. Here the queen of Poland made great, preparations for celebrating the nuptials, and the ceremony was performed by a prieif of the Greek church, with no • great book in. great pomp, on the 25th of October 1711, the clay after —■-the czar's arrival j the czarowitz was led to the altar by the czar, and the princefs by duke Anthony of Wolfenbuttel, her grandfather j the queen of Poland, and her court, the duke of Wolfenbuttel, father to the bride, and the duchefs, her mother, were prefent. There was a magnificent entertainment at the queen of Poland's ; and if the czar would have fuffered the old duke to put himfelf to that expence, he intended the fplendor of his grand-daughter's nuptials to have been beyond example ; but inffead of fplendor in the introduction, it were to be wiflied there could have been greater happinefs in the fequel of this matrimonial engagement, which here indeed could fcarce well be expected, as inclination, on his part, had no ill are in the union. The czarowitz was entirely given up to low, fenfual pleafurcs and mean vicious company, and had no defirc at all to marry, nor had any other view at prefent than an endeavour to fhun the danger he was in of forfeiting his fucceffion to the crown: and the princefs, whofe amiable perfon and engaging accomplishments defcrved a better fate, entirely miffed her road to happinefs. The czar's A few days after the marriage, the young couple took of hlrold trie route for Wolfenbuttel, and the czàr that of Silefia, wedding. for Petersburg, where the czar's marriage with the czarina was publicly' folemnizcd the 20th of February, 1712, in the following manner. M. Kyking, one of the lords of the admiralty, and Jaguzirfki, adjutant-general, were fent to invite the company to his màjeftys old wedding, which were the tetms they were ordered to ufe. The czar was married in his admiral's uniform, which occafioned the naval. officers officers to bear a principal fliare in the folemnities of the book in. day ; Vice-admiral Kruys, and the rear-admiral of the 1 galhes, were the bridegroom's fathers; the emprefs-dowager and the vice admiral's lady, were the bride-mothers ; the bride-maids were two of the emprefs Catherine's own daughters ; but as thefe princefles were too young to bear the fatigue, the czar's two nieces, daughters to cz;ir John, his majefty's elder brother, performed as proxies : after the ceremony, all the company met at the czar's palace, according to invitation, in a molt magnificent proceflion. Prince Menzikoff carried the marinais ftaff, and vice-admiral Kruys was in the Hedge, with the czar on his right hand ; the whole entertainment was very fplcndid ; the evening concluded with a ball and fire-works, and the city was illuminated the whole night, which finifhed the old wedding. Prince Menzikoff was foon after fent into Pomerania, to take the command of the Rufîian army, confifting of 36,000 men, and was then joined by the Danes and Saxons: his majefty foon followed, and taking Berlin in his way, had a conference with the king of Pruflia -, from thence, by Hamburgh, he went into Holftein, where he took Frederickftadt, jointly with the king of Denmark.. Taking leave of the Danifh monarch he went to Schon-haufen, where he had another interview with his Pruffian majelty. The troops left in Holftein, afiifted the Danes in reducing Toningen, and making general Steinboch and his army prifoners of war ; and thofe in Pomerania took Stettin, and blockaded Stralfund. Prince Menzikoff at that time levied, by contribution, from the city of Ham-8 burgh 171a. General Eaur's diico very of him felf to his friends and brother officers, book ni. burgh 250,000 crowns j from Lubeck 100,000, and from Dantzig 150,000. At the time our troops were in Holftein, general Baur, who commanded the cavalry, and was himfelf a foldier of fortune, his family or country being a fecret to every body, took an opportunity to difcover himfelf, which furprifed and pleafed thofe who were about him. Being encamped near Hufurn, in Holftein, he invited all his field-officers, and fome others to dine with him, and fent his adjutant to bring a miller and his wife, who lived in the neighbourhood, to the entertainment. The poor couple came very much afraid of the Mufcovite general, and were quite con-fufed when they appeared before him, which he perceiving, bad them make themfelves quite eafy, for he only meant to fhew them kindnefs, and had fent for them to dine with him that day, and talked with them familiarly about the country : the dinner being fet, he placed the miller and his wife next to himfelf, one on each hand, at the head of the table, and paid great attention to them, inviting them to make free and eat hearty. In the courfe of the entertainment, he afked the miller a great many queftions about his family and his relations : the miller told him, that he was the eldeft fon of his father, who had been alfo a miller at the fame mill he then poffeffed ; that he had two brothers, tradefmen ; and one filter, married to a tradefman, that his own family confided of one fon and three daughters. The general alked him, if he never had any other brother than thofe he had mentioned : he replied, he had once another, but he was dead many years ago, for they had never heard cf him fmce he enlifted and went away with foldiers diers when he was but very young, and he muft certainly book nr. have been killed in die wars. The general obferving the----- company much furprized at his behaviour to thefe people, thinking he did it by way of diverlion, faid to them, t( Gentlemen, you have always been very curious to know " who and whence I am ; I now inform you, this is the " place of my nativity, and you have now heard from this " my elded brother, what my family is."—And then turning towards the miller and his wife, he embraced them very affectionately, telling them, he was their fuppofed dead brother; and, to confirm them, lie related every thing that had happened in the family before he left it. The general invited them all to dine with him next day at the miller's, where a plentiful entertainment was provided, and told them that was the houfe where he was born. General Baur then made a generous provilion for all his relations, and fent the miller's only fon to Berlin for his education, who turned out an accomplifhed young man. As general Baur was the perfon by whofe means the emprefs Catherine arrived afterwards to fo great a height of grandeur, this leads me to relate her ftory, as I heard it told by ihofe who knew her from her infancy. She was born at Rnnghcn, a fmall village in Livonia, of Theempwft 0 Catherine'! very poor parents, who were only boors, or variais ; her defcent ami father and mother dying, left her very young in great want ; u • the parifh-clerk, out of compaflion, took her home to his houfe, where fhe learnt to read. Dr. Glack, minifter of Marienburgh, feeing her there, enquired of the clerk who fhe was ; and being informed fhe was a poor orphan he had taken into his houfe out of charity, what from a L wifh book. in. wiui to relieve the poor clerk from a burthen he was ' not well able to fupport, and a liking to the little orphan, the doctor took her home to his houfe, notwithstanding he had a numerous family or his own. Here her company and opportunities for improvement were better, and her deportment fuch, that (lie became equally efleemed by the doctor, his wife, and children ; her fteady, diligent, and careful attention to all their domeftic concerns, ingratiated her fo much with the doctor and his wife, that they made no diftinclion between her and their own children. She ever after fhowed her acknowledgment with the utmoft gratitude, in richly providing for all thofe who could lay claim to any alliance to the doctor's family ; nor did fhe forget her firft benefactor the clerk of Rughen. In this happy fituation fhe grew up to woman, when a Livonian ferjeant,. in the Swedifh fervice, fell pafiionately in love with her ; fhe like wife liking him, agreed to marry him, provided it-could be done with the doctor's confent, who, upon enquiry, into the man's character, finding it unexceptionable, readily gave it. The marriage day was appointed, and indeed, came, when a fudden order came to the ferjeant that, very morning, to march directly with a detachment for, Riga, who was thereby difappointed from ever enjoying ids lovely bride. Soon after this, general Baur, at the. head of an army, came before the town and took it, in the year 1702, when all the inhabitants were made prifoners, and amongft the reft this lovely bride. In the pronnfcuous croud, overwhelmed with grief, and balnea in tears at her unhappy fate, the general obferving her, faw a je ne fçai quci inJier whole appearance, which attracted.him fo much, that that he alked her feveral queftions about her fituation ; to book nr. -which ihe made anfwers with more fenfe than is ufuai in * perlons of her rank; he defired her. not to be afraid, for he would take care of her, and gave immediate orders for her fafety and reception into his houfe, of which he gave fier the whole charge, with authority over all his fervants, by whom fhe was very much beloved from her manner of •ufing them ; the general afterwards often laid, his houfe was never fo well managed as when .fhe was with him. Prince Menzikoff, who was his patron, feeing her one day at the general's, obferved fomething very extraordinary in her air and manner, and enquiring who fhe was, and o n w 11a t footing flie ferved him, the general told him what has been already related, and with due encomiums on the merits of her conduct in his houfe : the prince faid, fuch a per fon would be of great confeq.uence to him, for he was then very ill ferved in that refpect ; to which the general replied, he was under too many obligations to his highnefs to have it in his power to refufe him any thing he had a mind to, and immediately calling for Catherine, told her, that was prince Menzikoff, and that he had oceafion for a fervant like herfelf, and that the prince had it much more in his power to be a friend to her than he had, adding, that he had too great a regard for her to prevent her receiving fuch a piece of honour and good fortune. She anfwered only by a profound courtefy, which fhewcd, if not her content, that it was not then in her power to refufe the offer that was made : in fhort, the prince took her home the fame day, and (lie lived with him till the year 1704, when the czar, one day dining with the prince, happened to fee E 2 her, book in. her, and fpoke to her j fhe made a yet stronger impref- —-fion on that monarch, who would likewife have her to be his fervant ; from whence fhe rofe to be emprefs of Rufïia. prince Men- As prince Menzikof was alio a perfon raifed from a very zikotfsnic, ]ûw degree, I was told the following circumftances of his and the czar s o 0 narrow ef- rife. He was born of gentle, but very poor parents ; and cape from t poifbn. they dying, left him very young without any education, infomuch that he could neither read nor write, nor ever did he to the day of his death : his poverty obliged him to feek fervice in Mofcow, where he was taken into the houfe of a paltry-cook ; who employed him in crying minced-pies about the ftreets ; and having a good voice, he alfo lung ballads : whereby he was fo generally known that he had accefs into all the gentlemen's houfes. The czar, by invitation, was to dine one day at a boyar's, or lord's houfe, and Menzikoff happening to be in the kitchen that day, obferved the boyar giving directions to his cook about a difli of meat he faid the czar was fond of, and took notice that the boyar himfelf put fome .kind of powder in it, by way of fpice ; taking particular notice of what meat that difh was compofed, he took himfelf away to fmg his ballads, and kept fauntering in the ftreet till the czar arrived, when exalting his voice, his majefty took notice of it, fent for him, and afked him if he would fell his bafket with the pies : the boy replied, he had power only to fell the pies, as for the bafket he muft' firfl afk his matter's leave, but as every thing belonged to his majefty, he needed only lay his commands upon him. This reply pleafed the czar fo much, that he ordered Alexander to. flay and attend him, which he obeyed with great joy. Menzikoff waited behind the czar's chair at dinner, and book nr. feeing the before mentioned difh ferved up and placed before- him, in a whifper begged his majeity not to eat thereof ; the czar went into another room with the boy, and alked his reafon for what he had whifpered to him, when he informed his majefty what he had obferved in the kitchen, and the boyar's putting in the powder himfelf, without the cook's perceiving him, made him fufpecf that difh in particular; he therefore thought it his duty to put his majefty upon his guard. The czar returned to table without the leaft difcompofure in his countenance, and with his ufual chearfulnefs ; the boyar recommended this di(h to him, faying, it was very good ; the czar ordered the boyar to fit down by him, for it is a cuftom in Mofcow for the mafter of the houfe to wait at table when he entertains his friends, and putting fome of it on a plate, defired him to eat and fhew him a good example. The boyar, with the utmoft confufion, replied, that it did not become the fervant to eat with his mafter; whereupon the plate was fet down to a dog, who foon difpatched its contents, which, in a very ftiort time, threw him into convulfions, and foon deprived him of life : the dog being opened, the effect of the poifon was clearly difcovered, and the boyar was immediately fecured, but was found next morning dead in his bed, , which prevented all farther difcovery. Menzikoff's remarkable introduction foon gained him credit and confidence with his royal mafter, which from being one ol the meaneit and pooreft, raifed him to be one of the richeft fubjects in the Ruffian empire; he was not only d gnified with the title of a prince in Ruftia, but alfo declared a prince of the Roman empire. He was tall, well-- 4v fhaped,, booic in. fhaped, very handfome in his perfon, and of great penetration : he acted as vice-czar at the imperial court, the czar himfelf appearing at all public meetings as a private perfon, attended by two fervants at moft, and, in-ftead of pleafmg himfelf with the pomp of grandeur, his delight was the improvement of his empire, which he vi-fited every where in perfon, 1713-, The czar, in his return from Germany, came to Riga, igamft t^e where he met the czarina, who had been delivered of a swedes. prinCefs, and foon after fet out for Peterfburg, where he got three hundred veffels in readinefs, and embarked the beginning of May 1713, with 12,000 men, and landed at Helfmgfoo, in Finland ; returning immediately to Peteif-burg, he embarked 6000 more, and went back himfelf with great expedition, and landed them at the fame place. He gave prince Galitz'm the command of the army, confifting of 20,000 foot, 4000 horfe, and a large train of artillery, to acf by land, and he himfelf put to Tea with twenty men of war in queft of the enemy's fleet, but found them fo advantageoufly flickered, that he did not think proper to attack them, but returned and joined the army at Shrendo ; from thence he marched to Abo and befieged it, and the place furrendered the 8th of September : then leaving orders with his generals to'follow and drive the Swedes out of Finland, he returned to Peterfbnrgh, where he launched feveral men of war and gal lies. This city being then in its infancy, many thoufand workmen were employed in building, and lodgings were very fcarce. I had the good fortune to be accommodated in lieutenant-general Bruce's houfe, who was commandant of Peterfburgh, and brother to the m after-general of the ordnance : nance; but the mafter-general being left in Germany, fent book nr. me orders to go to Mofcow, and ltay in his houfe with his lady, till he fhould arrive; for which place I fet out the beginning of this year, and coming in view of it, in a clear fun-fhine day, 1 never faw fo glorious a fight as this city prefented at a diftance with the vaft numbers of gilded domes and ffeeples : but my expectations were greatly difappointed when I entered it, finding only ill-built wooden houfes, and timber-ftreets interfperfed with churches, and brick-houfes, with large courts and gardens, the habitations of the grandees and people of fortune ; and coming to general Bruce's houfe, I met wirh a very kind reception from his lady, who treated me with the affe6tion of a mother : thev had then no child. Mofcow is divided into four parts ; the firft is called the Defcription Middle, or Red-Town, which is furrounded by a ftrong of Mofcow, brick wall ; part of it is taken up by the caftle, called Kre-melin, being two miles in circumference, and inclofcd by three ftrcng walls, each higher than the other, with a deep ditch on the outfide, planted with a great number of cannon j and the two rivers, Mofcow and Neglina, flow by two fides of this divifion of the city. The caftle is fo ex-tenfive, that it contains the czar's palace and dwellings for his courtiers, the archbifhop's palace, with many others ; and two cloifters, one for monks, the other for nuns ; befides fifty churches, all built fquare, each with five domes, the larger one in the middle, and the four leffer ones on eat h coiner, and are all covered with copper gilt: in the middle of the caftle ftands a very high fteeple, called Ivan Welika, or Great John, in which is a bell that weighs 336,000 lb. ; it is 19 feet high, 23 in diameter, 64 in circumference, book in. cumference, and two in thicknefs, and was founded in —1—' czar Boris-Goodanof's time, and requires twenty-four men 1713* , B on each fide of the clapper, to draw it from one fide to the other j the bell itfelf is moveable, but is never rung except on fome great occafion. The other part of this divifion, without the caftle, is moftly inhabited by the grandees : here alfo ftands the grand market, which is a very large fquare, divided into ftreets, where the merchants and tradefmen have lliops for the fale of goods î and as every kind of merchandize, or manufacture, is claffed by itfelf, in its own department in the market, makes it very convenient for the buyer, who may fuit himfelf with very little trouble. All the (hops are locked at fun-fet, and the four gates of entrance into the fquare, are fhut by the officer of the guard, who places centries all round it, and is accountable for the property in the place : the fhops are opened at day-break. This is the only place allowed for the fale of goods, and is much the fame with the befeftin at Conflantinople. The fécond part, or divifion, is called Zaargorod, and is furrounded by a ftrong wall with battlements, after the Oriental manner, and towers at proper diftances ; this is alfo called Bela-Stena, or White-Wall j the river Neglina runs through it ; here are the czars ftables, a foundery for cannon and bells, the arfenal, prince Menzikoff's palace, general Bruce's houfe, and many other gentlemen's houfes of rank. The third divifion is called Skorodom, or the Houfe -Market, which the word imports, Jkoro fignifying hajle, and dom, a houfe. Here one may buy a wooden houfe of any dimeniions, have it carried to the place where it is to ft and, ftaiicl, fet up, and ready to dwell in, the third day after the book hi. purchafe ; this part is furrounded with mud-walls fupported-' with planks ; the river Jagufa runs through it. The fourth divifion is called Strelitza Slaboda, where the military are generally quartered, and is furrounded by an entrenchment j it (lands on the other fide of the river Mofcow, with a fine bridge built over it by prince Galitzin, favourite of the princefs Sophia, his majefty's elder! filler, who gave him fo much trouble in the reign of czar John, It is generally computed that there are in this city fifteen hundred churches, chapels, and cloyfters ; this furprifing number is accounted for by every grandee's having a chapel and priefl of his own. Mofcow lies in 55 deg. 36 min. north latitude, and is in circumference fixtecn Englifh miles. A great number of foreigners live in the city, as Greeks, Armenians, Perfians, Turks, and Tartars, and are allowed the public exercife of their religious worfhip. At a fmall diflance from the city, ftands a large fuburb called Inoi-femfka Slaboda, or Foreign Town, where the Englifh, Dutch, and Germans live j there are four Protectant and one Roman Catholic .church in it j but none of them are allowed to have fteeples or ufe bells. It is pleafantly fituated on the river Neglina, on the banks of which are a number of pleafure-houfes with fine gardens j the famous general le Fort, built a magnificent palace here ; the people live very agreeably among themfelves, without interfering with the natives except upon bufinefs. As the country abounds with great plenty of every neceffary of life, people live at a very cheap rate, and regale themfelves with balls and M enter- «OWV book in. entertainments, which they can furnifh at a very fmall cx-pence. In the fummer-time they carry tents, and pitch them in the neighbouring woods, where they make merry with dancing on the green till night. The czar, when in Mofcow, ufed always to make one in their parties of pleafure and entertainments, and paid them frequent vifits. An ambaïïa- An ambaffador from Perfia came here with a very great fia : a great*" retinue, and remained waiting the czar's arrival ; the pre-fents he brought were ten Perfian horfes, a very large elephant, a lion, a tygcr, an offrich, and feveral kinds of parrots, and other birds j befides a great quantity of Per-fian filks and tapeftry, and other rarities. Soon after there happened a great and dreadful fire, which con fumed the greateft part of the city, efpecially the wooden houfes ; the fire broke out in a maiden monaflery without the town, and a firong weft wind blew the fire upon the city, which fet it all on a blaze : the only method they ufe to flop the pro-grefs of a fire is, by pulling down houfes at a diftance before it, as it is impoflible to ufe fire-engines 3 the ftreets being all of timber, burn at the fame time with the houfes. On this occafion, a poor fuperftitious man feeing the fire advancing to confume his all, took a picture of St. Nicholas, and holding it between him and the fire, prayed fervently for that faint's protection, but in vain, for the flames foon feized his houfe, for which he became fo enraged at the faint that he threw him into the fire, faying, fince he would not fave him, he might now fave himfelf : this coming to the ears of the clergy, the poor man was fentenced to be burnt alive. All the brick buildings, fuch 1 as as churches, and other religious houfes, noblemen, and book hi. gentlemen's houfes, efcaped this conflagration, only the —~- roofs of the latter were burnt without being otherwife damaged, for all the houfes of three or four ftories high are arched to the top, and their ltreet-doors and window-fhutters are of iron. After the fire, the city was very foon rebuilt from the Skorodom before mentioned, as every body could fit Lhe dimenfions of his premifes with a houfe 5 and it was truly furprifing to fee with what difpatch the timber was conveyed to the place appointed, and with what dexterity the timber-men rear it. In two days the houfe was under roof, when the purchafer gave directions where the doors and windows ihould be, the parts being cut out they put in the frames, which are all ready prepared. An inflance of the fuperflition of the people, and power A yo of the clergy, happened fome time before this fire. A ptyfician 1 i 1 i r r 1 - burnt by th« young man, whom the czar had lent to Ley den lor his edu- clergy, cation, having finiihed his ftudies in phyfic, returned a graduated phyiician, and at a merry-meeting with his friends, they queflioned him concerning his religion : he being then in his cups, told them, he was as much of the Greek church as ever, but that he had loft all his faith in faint's pictures, and to prove what he faid, he took one down from the wall, and threw it in the fire ; whereupon he was immediately feized, and put into the hands of the clergy, who very foon fentenced him to the flames, and burnt him in a moft cruel manner ; laying the fire at fome diftance from him to keep him the longer in torment. The czar, being informed of the cruelty of the M 2 clergy, book nil clergy, as he had formerly aboliihed the dignity of pa- -triarch, took this opportunity to deprive them of the who ale power of life and death, and made a law that all the pnved ofdthe c^er»y hhould apply themfelves to fhuly, allowing them power of life nve years for that end j after which they were to undergo and death, j jo an examination, and thofe who were found capable to perform their functions were to be promoted, the others Holidays and to be difcarded. And as three fourth parts of the year bridged.8 *" were holidays in commemoration of fome faint or other, whereby the people were for the molt part idle, he made a law that no holiday fhould be kept but in commemoration of our Saviour, the Virgin Mary, the twelve Apoftles, and St. Andrew, and St. Nicolas, the tutelar faints of Ruftia. And as there were in the empire many thoufand convents full of lazy monks, who lived in idlcnefs, he reftritted the number of thefe houfes to fifty, each houfe to contain no more than fifty monks, each monk to be above forty years of age ; the reft of them to be appropriated to hof-pitals for fuch of the army and navy as were become unfit for fervice, and other indigent perfon s not able to maintain themfelves ; and their revenues for their fupport : and the monks, who had been bred to no handicraft, and were fit for fervice, to be employed in the army. Manners of xhe people of rank and fafhion in Mofcow having *egcntr>. ^.^ ^e ^ cuftoms and manners of their fathers, now live very gay, drefs in the French fafhion, and converfe with more freedom than formerly ; and as the fair ftx are allowed all manner of freedom in company, they live in a perpetual round of plea fure and diverfion, fpending moft part of their time in balls and entertainments, inviting each other other by turns to their houfes -, and as they were left lonely book: in. by their hufbands, who are for the molt part employed-- abroad, the "ladies took Swedifh officers who had been 17'3' taken prifoners at Pultowa into their families j fome as ftewarts, others as governors to their children, and fome to teach them mufic and dancing. So that all their balls were made up with Swedifh gentlemen, and other foreigners, of whom they were very fond. The Ruffian women are of a middling ftature, generally Defcription ii • i 1*1 r * ol the vvo- well proportioned, and might pafs for handfome in any part men. of Europe j their features far from defpicable, were it not for that prepofterous cuftom of painting their faces, which they lay on fo abundantly, that it may truly be faid they ufe it as a veil to hide their beauty. As for the fécond rank of the people, they ff ill retain Entertain- i f • • i ■ • merits of the much of their old manner of diving \ at their entertainments common peo- none but the men appear -, the mafter of the houfe waitsplCv on his guefts till the defert of fweatmeats comes on the table after dinner, when he takes his feat amongft them, and does all he can to encourage them to drink, for it would be a great reflexion upon them if any of the company fhould get out of the houfe without being drunk. When the guefts offer to go away, the miftrefs of the houfe makes her appearance, at a call, and barely enters the room, when turning round to the corner where the family-faints are placed, crofting herfelf, makes a very low bow, and then pays her refpects by a bow to the company, without coming a ftep farther, but remains ftanding, clad in a loofe gown lined with fur, and a fable cap on her head, and her face covered over with paint and patches ; but book in. but her whole body is unconfined, wearing neither Hays, i--waiftcoat, or petticoat, or even garters to her ftockings, and ,7'3* lire wears very high heeled flippers : in this fituation, the landlord introduces all his guefts to falute his fpoufe, one after another, and a fervant is ready behind her with a falver and four glaffes filled with brandy, wine, mead, and beer, which every body is obliged to drink to the good health of the lady j after which fhe retires without fo much as opening her mouth ; after that other females of the family are introduced in the fame manner, and thus they end their entertainments very drunk. Marriage, jn Ruffia they commonly marry very young ; the parents make the match without confulting the inclinations of their children, who do not fo much as fee one another till they are introduced in their bed-chamber : this was alfo cuftomary among the firft rank, till the czar put a flop to it by allowing young people to pay their addreffes in perfon, without impofing a match upon either againft their inclinations, whereby many fatal marriages were prevented ; but the old cuftom ftill prevails among the inferior ranks. When the maiden becomes marriageable, the parents fend for a broker, or match-maker (commonly an old woman), and give her inftructions to look out a proper hufband for their daughter ; delivering her, at the fame time, an inventory of what they propofe to give with the damfel, as money, jewels, plate, houfhold-goods, and her clothes, even to her fhifts j likewife, the number of boors, or vaffals, who are commonly valued at ten rubles each per annum. With this lift, the broker goes from one bachelor to another, whom fhe deems a fuitable match for the young lady, enquiring of them fhem if they have an inclination to marry, fhe can rccom- book nr. mend them to a pretty young lady with a hand fome for- ———-tune ; fhewing them at the fame time the conditions. If the inventory pleafes the young man, he figns his name to it ; and, after fire has got feveral fubfcribers, fhe returns the paper to thofe who employed her ; then the parents of the girl make enquiry into the characters and circumftances of the fubfcribers > and having pitched on three or four of the moft eligible, they are invited by the father to an entertainment, where there is a meeting of friends, upon which occafion the glafs goes brifkly about : the mother, daughter, and other female relations, take their ftations in the houfe, fo as to fee the company without being feen by them ; enquiring of the girl which of them fhe would choofe for a hufband, and when the point is fettled, as to their choice, the company, after a hearty drink, is difmiffed, none knowing who is to be the happy man. - The next day fome of the girls relations are fent to confer with thofe of the intended bridegroom. If the match is accepted, two or three women, deputed by the intended bridegroom, are permitted to examine the perfon of his intended fpoufe, before whom fhe appears ftark naked, to fhew if there be any perfonal defect ; after this the friends fettle the marriage, the intended couple not being allowed to fee one another till they they meet in the bed-chamber. The princefs Natalia, only filter to the czar, by the The princefs fame mother, ordered preparations to be made for a grand morous fan-wedding for two of her dwarfs, who were to be married ; JVA„C 0f t}je on which occafion feveral fmall coaches were made, and littledwarft-Shetland horfes provided to draw them ; and all the dwarfs in book in. in the kingdom were fummoned to celebrate the nuptials, ~ ' to the number of ninety-three j they went in a grand pro- ceffion through all the ftreets of Mofcow ; before them went a large open waggon drawn by fix horfes, with kettledrums, trumpets, French horns, and hautboys ; then followed the marfhal and his attendants, two and two, on horfe-back ; then the bridegroom and bride, in a coach and fix, attended by their bride man and maid, who fat before them in the coach ; they were followed by fifteen fmall coaches, each drawn by fix Shetland horfes, and each containing four dwarfs. It was fomewhat furprifing to fee fuch a number of little creatures in one company together ; ef-pecially as they were furnifhed with an equipage conformable to their ftature ; two troops of dragoons attended the procef-fion to keep off the mob, and many perfons of fafhion were invited to the wedding, who attended in their coaches to the church, where the fmall couple were married ; from thence the proceflion returned in order to the princefs's palace, where a grand entertainment was prepared for the company ; two long tables were covered, on each fide of a long hall, where the company of dwarfs dined together ; the princefs, with her two nieces, princefs Anne and Elizabeth, the czar's daughters, were at the trouble themfelves to fee them all feated and well attended, before they fat down to their own table. At night the princeffes, attended by the nobility, conducted the married couple to bed in grand date : after that ceremony, the dwarf-company had a large room allotted them to make merry among themfelves ; the entertainment concluded with a ball, which laded till day-light. The company which attended the princeffes on this occa- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ËSQ^ - $9 occafion were fo numerous, that they filled feveral b o o k m. rooms. Some little time after this I faw three women buried ThreTwo-alive for drowning their hufbands: they had, it B«ini,2fl(ff^J croffed the Mofco in a boat, all three together in fearch of ^drshuf" their hufbands, whom they found all drunk in a public houfe, and endeavouring to perfuade them to go home, were fe-verely beaten by them ; however, by the affiftance of fome other people, they got them at laft into the boat where they fell afleep; the wives to be revenged on their hufbands for beating them, when the boat had reached the middle of the river, threw them one after another into the river, and after they had drowned them, they came a-fhorc very unconcerned. The matter immediately came to light j they were feized, tried, condemned, and ordered to be put alive into the ground up to their necks, there to remain till they died ; two of them lived ten, and the other eleven days ; they fpoke the fir ft three days, complaining of great pain, but not after that ; they had certainly got fome fuftenance in the night time, or they could not have exifted fo long ; the oldeft of them was not twenty years of age. If a man kills his wife, or flave, under correction (asThcpunim. . ment °f the they term it), he is only whipt with the knout j which is knout, thus performed : a lufty fellow takes him upon his back, and another ties his feet with a cord, which comes through between the legs of the perfon who carries him. In this pofture he is held fo fail that he cannot ftir, and being ftript to the middle, the executioner with the knout, which is a ftrap of dried elk-fkin, untanned, fattened to a ftick, which N he rook ht he applies to the back fo dexteroufly, that every lafh brings '-the blood, or leaves a wale as thick as one's finger: this is I711' called the moderate j but when the fentence orders it to be more fevere, then the executioner, advancing three or four fteps, till he is within reach of the offender, gives the fir ft ftroke in the middle of the back, retreating at every ftroke, and is fo expert that he never Jiits twice in the fame place j each ftroke brings the flefh with it. Where the punifhment is ordered with the utmoft feverity, he ftrikes the flanks, and often cuts into the bowels, which few furvive. It is a general remark that lean people turn fat after the knout j and that it is an infallible cure for thofe who are hide-bound. Befides this, they have another way of chaftifmg, called the batoags, which is ufed in families for the correction of children and flaves, and alfo in the army. The perfon to undergo this, after pulling off his clothes to his drawers, is laid flat on his belly on the ground, one fits acrofs his head and neck, another upon his feet, each furnifhed with a good fwitch, with which they foundly tickle his back. The ezar'a During my refidence in Mofcow, 1 was told the follow-oiarriag^ particulars of the czar. He was born in the year 1672, and was married in 1690, at the age of eighteen, to Otto-keifa Lupochin, a boyar's daughter, by whom he had prince Alexis : fome time after he turned her away, and fhut her up in a monaftery, on fufpicion of difloyalty to his bed. It was faid, that in one of her jealous fits, fhe charged prince Menzikoff with carrying the czar to drabs of his former acquaintance, who had been his cuftomers for cakes ; upbraiding him with his firft occupation, and that Menzikoff ever after bore an irreconcilable enmity to both both her and her fon. After the divorce, one mifs Mons, a book hi. very beautiful young lady, born at Mofcow, of foreign pa- —— rents, was much in favour with the czar ; but when he was 171 * abroad, Mr. Keyferling, then refiding at Mofcow as envoy from the king of Pruflia, paid his addreffes to, and married her. When the czar returned, he was fo much offended at Keyferling, that he ordered him to leave Mofcow, which occafioned his immediate recall by the king his mafter, who fent another in his room. It was believed, if his public character had not protected him, he would have feverely felt his majefty's difpleafure. The czar was fome time after fmitten with the charms of A virtuous another beautiful young lady, the daughter of a foreign y°Ung lad/" merchant in this city: he firft faw her in her father's houfe, where he dined one day ; he was fo much taken with her appearance, that he offered her any terms fhe pleafed, if fhe would live with him j which this virtuous young woman modeftly refufed, but dreading the effects of his authority, flie put on a refolution, and left Mofcow in the night, without communicating her defign even to her parents. Having provided a little money for her fupport, fhe travelled on foot feveral miles into the country, till fhe arrived at a fmall village where her nurfe lived with her hufband and their daughter, the young lady's fofter-fifter, to whom fhe difcovered her intention of concealing herfelf in the wood near that village : and to prevent any difcovery, flie fet out the fame night, accompanied by the hufband and daughter. The hufband, being a timber-man by trade, and well acquainted with the wood, conducted her to a little dry fpot in the middle of a morafs, and there he built a hut for her habU N 2 tationv book lit tation. She had depofited her money with her nurfe to pro- *-cure little neceffaries for her fupport, which were faithfully conveyed to her at night by the nurfe or her daughter, by one of whom flie was conftantly attended in the nighttime. The next day after her flight, the czar called at her father's to fee her, and finding the parents in anxious concern, for their daughter, and himfelf difappointed, fancied it a plan of their own concerting. He became angry, and began to threaten them with the effects of his difpleafure, if flie was not produced : nothing was left to the parents but the moft folemn proteftations with tears of real forrow running down their cheeks, to convince him of their innocence and ignorance what was become of her, affuring him of their fears that fome fatal difafter muft have befallen her, as nothing belonging to her was miffing, except what fhe had on at the time. The czar, fatisfied of their fincerity, ordered great fearch to be made for her, with the offer of a confiderable reward to the perfon who fhould clifcover what was become of her, but to no purpofe : the parents and relations, apprehending flie was no more, went into mourning for her. Above a year after this fhe was difcovered by an accident. A colonel who had come from the army to fee his friends, going a hunting into that wood, and following his game through the morafs, he came to the hut, and looking into it faw a pretty young woman in a mean drefs. After enquiring of her who fhe was, and how fhe came to live in fo folitary a place, he found out at laft that fhe was the lady whofe difappearance had made fo great a 9 noife : noife : in the utmoft confufion, and with the moft fervent book m. intreaties, Oie prayed nim on her knees that he would not- betray her, to which he replied, that he thought her danger was now paft, as the czar was then otherways engaged, and that fee might with fafety dilcover herfelf, at lead to her parents, with, whom he would confult how matters fhould be managed. The lady agreed to his propofal, and he fat out immediately and overjoyed her parents with the happy dif-covery : the iffue of their deliberations was to confult Madam Catherine (as fhe was then called) in what manner the affair fhould be opened to the czar. The colonel went alfo upon this bufinefs, and was advifed bv madam to come next morning, and fhe would introduce him to his majefty, when he might make the difcovery and claim the promifed reward. He went according to appointment, and being introduced, told the accident by which he had difcovered the lady, and represented the miferabk fituation in which he found her, and what fhe muft have fuffered by being fo long fhut up in fuch a difrnal place, from the delicacy of her fex. The czar fhe wed a great deal of concern that he fhould have been the caufe of all her fufferings, declaring, that he would endeavour to make her amends. Here Madam Catherine fuggefted, that fhe thought the belt amends his majefty could make was to give her a handfome fortune and the colonel for a hufband, who had the beft right, having caught her in purfuit of his game. The czar, agreeing perfectly with Madam Catherine's fentiments, ordered one of his favourites to go with the colonel, and bring the young lady home ; where fhe arrived, to the inexpreffible joy of her family and relations, who had all been in mourning. book in. ing for her. The marriage was under the direction, and -at the expence of the czar, who himfelf gave the bride to 17,31 the bridegroom j faying, that he prefented him with one of the moft virtuous of women ; and accompanied his declaration with very valuable prefents, befides fettling on her and her heirs, three thoufand rubles a year. This lady lived highly efteemed by the czar, and every one who knew her. Befides.the concurring reports of other people, 1 had this her ftory from her own mouth. Mufcovuc Murders are fo frequent in Mofcow, that few nights ïSSÏ^ pafs without fome people being found dead in the ftreets in the morning. The robbers go in ftrong parties, and kill before they rob : this they do with fo little fear, that they often perform it before the perfons own door \ and the terror of thefe ruffians is fo great, that none of the neighbours dare aflift the unhappy victim for fear of being butchered themfelves, or at leaft having their houfes burnt. This obliges people who have occafion to be in the ftreets in the night, to go in companies together, or have a fufficient guard of fervants on horfeback to attend them. The weapon ufed by thofe villains is called a dublcn, which is a long ftick with a round knob at one end, and made heavy with iron, with which they knock a man down dead at one ftroke ; and if any of them happens to be taken, a good fum of money from the gang they belong to, gets them off: it is even affirmed, that gangs of them were protected by fome of the nobility, who partake of the booty j which afferticn I believe not ill grounded. The highways are alfo much inferred by thofe RaJLonuks, as they are called, which makes it very dangerous travelling in in any part of Ruffia ; for they have their fpies in the book ni towns, who inform them when any body is to fet out on a journey, how they are to be attended, and according to this information, they prepare themfelves for an attack, and way-lay them in fome wood through which they are to pafs. A gentleman of the name of Knipercron, whole father TheczarY had been refident from Sweden before the war, told me, thcmT by how the czar himfelf had been attacked in his younger days : his majefty frequented their houfe very often, and always fhe wed a great regard for their family. Gne evening the czar intending them a vifit, being only attended by two fervants, the one riding before and the other ftand-ing behind the fledge, up comes a fledge with eight Raf-bonicks in it, and were juft going to fallen his fledge to theirs with a grapling-iron, which they commonly make ufe of on thefe occafions ; but the czar being then young, ftout, and vigorous, got up, and feized one of the robbers by the hair of his head, and pulled him out of their fledge ; and, keeping his hold, drove out of their reach, dragging the fellow along with him till he reached the refident's houfe, which was not far, and entered to their great furprize all in a fweat, ftill holding the fellow by the hair. He ordered the gates to be immediately fhut, that none of the fervants might go out till he had examined the robber. When the fellow underftood that it was the czar they had attacked, he fhook and trembled, faying if they had known who he was they would not have meddled with him, and then begged he might be pur to death, without being put to the torture. To this his majefty confented, on condition he difcovered the reft of his gang • but this the fellow would not do, without a promife of his life and a reward, which was alfo granted him, book in.him, and he went with a detachment of foldiers to the " rendezvous of his companions, and com ins: to the houfe 1713. 1 0 he called to them to open the door. On hearing his voice, they directly opened it, and in ruihed the foldiers, and feized not only his feven accomplices, but thirteen others of the fame gang, who were foon after all executed, except the informer. At another time the czar was attacked on his way from Mofcow to Novogorod, when he was attended by four fervants only. Going from Twer, he was ftopt by a (frong party of Rafbonicks, on which he immediately jumped out of his Hedge, with a fword drawn in one hand, and a cocked piflol in the other, and told them he was the czar, alking them what they wanted ? They replied, they were poor fellows reduced to great want, and as he was their lord and mafter, he was the propereft perfon to relieve them : he told them he had no money about him ; to which they an-fwered, if he had, they would take none from him, but defired that he would give them a written order to the governor of Novogorod for what fum he pîeafed to beftow upon them, begging that it might be fuch as would relieve them from their ffraits. The czar then afked them, if one thou-fand rubles would be fufficient, and on their faying it would, he wrote an order for that fum payable at fight, and for which they directly difpatched one of their number, who very foon returned with the money : they then obliged the czar to return to Twer, and to pledge his royal word not to profecute, or ever enquire after them, promifing to amend their lives and become good fubjecfs for the future. Inftead of proceeding to Novogorod, the czar returned back to Mofcow. I cannot * I cannot omit mentioning what happened in my own book nr. time to two of the Swedifh officers who had been made '■ • 171 j. prifoners at the battle of Pultowa. They were miffing : r cmnrkablc great fearch was made and much enquiry, but nothing swedift» offi-could be heard of them, from which it was concluded they CCIS by ^eWÎ* had been murdered : fome little time after four others dif-appearcd, but were not miffed, till one of them, a captain Horn, returned (hot through the fhoulder with a piftol-ball ; who privately addreffed himfelf to a lieutenant of our artillery, who had been his former acquaintance in the Swedifh fervice, to whom he told the misfortune that had happened to him and his comrades. The lieutenant immediately informed major-general Gunter, of the artillery, what had happened to the Swedifh officers, and that the villains informed againff were then at a houfe in that part of the town where the artillery men were quartered -, the general directly ordered them to be fecured, being four in number. The ftory in fliort was this:—A Jew who had embraced the Chriftian religion, of the Greek church, and who :was an engraver by trade, counterfeited paffports under the chancellor's feal, and agreed with the two firft for a fum of money to carry them into Poland, from whence they might fafely pafs into their own country. In the paff-port they were defcribed as two officers going to the army, and each of them with one fervant ; they arrived at the borders of Poland without the leaft interruption or fufpi-picion, and having palled by Smolenfko, the Jew defired them to .write to their companions in Mofcow, and inform them with how much fafety they had made their efcape ; which they did, recommending the Jew as the fitteft per- O fon book in. fon they could employ, if any of them intended to get ' ' away as they had done. After he had got thefe letters of recommendation, the Jew offered to conduct them a day's journey farther, which they accepted of, and the officers riding together' through a wood, congratulating each other on their happy efcape, the Jew and his companion riding behind them as fervants, took out each a piftol, and aimed fo well, that they fliot both the officers dead, and having plundered them, returned to Mofcow, where they entrapped captain Horn, and three others, into the fame fnare, by mewing the letters from thofe who had already made their efcape, and fetting out with a paffport for four officers, and as many fervants : they alfo arrived on the frontiers of Poland, and riding late at night, the fervants fired, and each killed his mailer, except captain Horn, who being fhot through the fhoulder, fell from his horfe, and they thinking him to be dead as well as the reft, went in purfuit of the horfes which had taken fright at the report of the piftols, and ran away : in the mean time, captain Horn recovering himfelf, made the beft of his way into the wood, where he concealed himfelf -, the villains returning, miffed, and fearched for hin^ but it being then dark they could not find him, and having plundered the other three, they returned for Mofcow, giving themfelves little concern about captain Horn, as they concluded he durft not return there to inform againft them. The captain, however, to prevent thofe villains from doing more mifchief, and to get them punifhed, determined to return ; and difcovering himfelf to a nobleman's fteward near Smolenfko, who happening at that time to be fending fome carnages with provifions to his mafter at Mofcow, the captain tain took the opportunity and went with them, and on his book nr. arrival made the difcovery as has been related. The four- villains being fecured, were examined, and confeffed what I ,7ïi* have mentioned, but pretended they had done a meritorious action, by deltroying his majefty's enemies, who were endeavouring to make their efcape from prifon. Horn's prefervation was a happy circumltance, for they might have done much mifchief if they had not been detected, as they had now alfo recommendations from the four laft unfortunate gentlemen. The villains were tried, condemned, and all broke alive on the wheel. The czar beine; informed of thefe frequent murders and SuppreflTo* ° . r of the rob- robberies, whereby he was continually lofing many of his bcrs. moft ufeful fubjects, fent the moft exprefs and pofitive orders to Knez Romadanoffki, whom he had appointed vice-czar in his abfence, to put an effectual flop to thefe diforders at his peril. The vice-czar immediately iffued his orders to all houfe-keepers and publicans to give in the names of thofe who belonged to their families, and to be anfwerable for every one who lodged under their roof, and on pain of death, to fecure all thofe who could not give a fatisfadtory account of themfelves, and difcover all fufpccted perfons. The end of every ftreet was barricadoed, and had a guard, and none were fuffered to appear in the ftreets at night without a pafs from the vice-czar : parties of dragoons were ftationed on all the public roads, and the people in the country were made anfwerable and liable for thofe who lodged under their roofs in the fame manner as the inhabitants in the cities. Great numbers were taken, who were executed in a very extraordinary manner, being hung up by one of O 2 their i0oK in. their ribs on an iron hook, in which torment they lived ---eight or nine days : I faw them hung up by dozens in one I?I3' day. Thefe executions had fo much the defired effect, that one might travel through Rufiia, by day or night, with as much fafety as in any part of the world. , ,4 On the firlt of January, 1714, general Bruce arrived in Seat of cm- M0fcow to remove and conduct his family to Peteriburgh, pire changed iT4, ' r i • r • ■ from Mofcow when a thoufand of the belt and moft fubftantial families to Petetlburg. ... r % r in Mofcow had received orders to prepare tor the lame pur-pofe, in order to people that new city, propofed for the feat of empire. The emprefs, dowager of czar Feodor, (fitter to admiral Apraxin), with her court ; the emprefs, dowager of czar John, with her three daughters ; namely, the princefs Anne, dowager of Courland (afterwards emprefs of Ruffia) ; the princefs Catherine, afterwards duchefs of Mecklenburg j and the princefs Profcovia, (who died unmarried) ; the princefs Natalia, the czar's only filter by the mother, and his two daughters the princeffes Anne and Elizabeth ; with all the families of rank and quality, fet out this fpring for Peterfburg, with all the foreign merchants, as no more merchandize was to be allowed to come to Mofcow by the way of Archangel ; fo that this metropolis, once thepleafanteft and moft agreeable city in all Ruffia, became quite deferted, none remaining in it but the vulgar; which was a great mortification to all ranks of people, being obliged to leave a place of fuch plenty for one where every thing was both fcarce and dear. Defcription Tne czarowitz arrived in Mofcow this winter, where I faw ottneczaro- y tne firft t-mCi He kept g mcan Finlandifh feirl for witz, s perfon " r £> and manners. his nfiftrefs. I VVCi-t or^ten w*tn {ne general to wait on him, and he came frequently to the general's houfe, commonly 6 attended attended by very mean and low perfons. He was very book hi* flovenly in his drefs ; his perfon was tall, well made, of a-■* brown complexion, black hair and eyes, of a ffern countenance, and ftrong voice. He frequently did me the honour to talk with me in German, being fully mafter of that language : he was adored by the populace, but little reflected by the fuperior ranks, for whom he never (hewed the leaft regard ; he was always furrounded by a number of debauched ignorant priefts, and other mean perfons of bad character, in whole company he always reflected on his father's conduct for abolifhing the ancient cuftoms of the country, declaring, that as foon as he came to fucceed, he fhould foon reftore Ruffia to its former flate ; and threatening to deftroy, without referve , all his father's favourites. This he did fo often, and with fo little referve, that it could not mils reaching the emperor's ears ; and it was generally thought he now laid the foundation of that ruin he afterwards met with. The czarowitz remained in Mofcow till the emperor arrived at Peteriburgh ; who finding that his fon had left his confort in a nick:-ncholy fituation, he ordered the prince without delay to return to his family. The Ruffians may not marry any one that is related to Ruffian re-them within the fourth generation j thofe of an equal degree c efpecially iiii winter, when their fledges glide away on the furface of the ice or fnow, in a flat country, with incredible difpatch, and fo very little labour to the horfes, that they can eafily perform fifty or fixty miles a day. Their fledges fledges are made of the bark of the linden-tree, fitted to the book in, fize of a man, lined with fome thick felt, and when a man-' is laid along in them, he is wrapped up and quite covered in good furs. The driver for the moft part runs by the fledge to keep himfelf warm, or fits at the feet of the perfon who travels ; the fledges being built very low, fhould they happen to overturn, there is little danger in the fall. In this mode of travelling, the time is moftly fpent in deeping, the eafy, almoft imperceptible, motion favouring their repofe. When they happen to pafs through deferts, or great forefts, where they are obliged to remain all night in the open air, they kindle a great fire, round which they range their fledges, fo that being well clofed on all fides, and well covered up with their furs, they reft more com-modioufly than in a country cottage, where men and beads being lodged together in one room, greatly difturb a man's reft. The greatelt inconvenience in travelling thofe parts is the want of inns on the road, which obliges the travellers to carry provifions along with them, and other necefîaries they may ftand in need of ; but thofe who travel fingly commonly go pott, when they pay the whole expence of the journey at fetting out, and have no more occafion to put their hand in their pocket till they come to the end of it, which is very convenient. The pott-boy receives a written order, which he delivers to the next who fucceeds him, and fo on to the end ; and they go day and night, having frefh horfes every ten miles, fo that the traveller may deep all the way in his fledge, if he choofes. They commonly travel an hundred and fifty miles in twenty- p four book m. four hours. I have often travelled three ffages without- ' waking. In the fummer they travel either by water, on the rivers with which this country abounds j or by land on horfeback,, by coach, or Seeping-waggon ; the roads in Ruffia being, very broad, beautiful, and eafy for travelling. For palling, the rivers they have a kind of floating-bridges made of large fir-trees, fattened together, which can fupport a great weight.. But the violent heat of the' fummer, and the prodigious, quantities of mufkitoes and flies, are very troublefome, and greatly interrupt the pleafure a ftranger would otherwife-have in paffing through this country from the beauty and; variety of its forefts, rivers, and lakes. No religion in the world could well be conceived to im-pofe a more fevere mortification on its profeffors than the Ruffian 5 for, if it were not fufficient to have enjoined the keeping of two confiant fait days in the week, as Wed nef-day and Friday, and the eves before holidays, when they are obliged to abftain fo ftrictly from all kind of flefli, that they muff not tafte butter, eggs, or milk, they have four Lents every year -, the longeft of them is feven weeks, the firft of which is called Butter Week, and that being their carnival, they have liberty for all manner of food except fifh. In this week their extravagancies exceed almoft all belief ; and as if this time was allotted for the purpofe of preparing to faff the other fix, they employ it in the moft extravagant excefs in drinking brandy and melted butter, which they pour down their throats in fuch amazing quan* titles, that one would imagine the leaft fpark of fire would fet fet their bodies in a flame -, nay, they are very often ob-book in, Hged to quench this inflammation with milk to prevent L their dying on the fpot, which frequently happens. Woe ReUdot» to the flranger that meets thefe drunkards at night, unlefs fafb' he is well guarded, their infolencies being fo great that a number of perfons are murdered every night j not to reckon thofe who being overcharged with liquor, and wanting attendants to carry them home, fall down upon the fnow and fo are frozen to death. During this week, it is very common in a morning, although a mocking fight, to fee ten or a dozen dead bodies carried upright in a fledge, frozen to death ; yet thefe are the daily objects one meets in a morning, in the ftreets of Mofcow. AH the atonement they make for thefe enormities, when the week is over, is by frequenting the baths, to wafli away the impurities contracted in their ex-ceftive debauches : they Jive temperately during the red: of the Lent, and fome of the more rigid will not even tafte. ftfh all that time, but live upon honey, herbs, and pulfe, and drink only quas, or water. They celebrate the feaft of Eafter with great ceremony and rejoicing ; as well in remembrance of the refurreclion of our Saviour, as that it puts an end to the mortification they endured during Lent. They now rejoice fifteen days, feafting together on all manner of good cheer -3 and to make a full amends for their fufferings in Lent, the public houfes are now continually crouded by all forts of people, women as well as men, ecclefiaftics and laics ; and the ftreets almoft not to be paffed for the multitudes of drunkards at night. For thefe fifteen days they have eggs ready dyed •all manner of colours, which they fend or give in prefents P s, to book into each other; and when they meet in this time, they fa-'lute with thefe words, Chrijlos ivos Chrefl j—that is, Chrift is rlfen :—to which the other having anfwered, WoijTin wob Chrefl,—that is, He is certainly rifen,—they kifs one another ; he that falutes firft is obliged to prefent the other with an egg ; nobody, of whatever condition or fex, daring to refufe the egg or kifs : the people of quality have them covered with gold or filver leaf, or very curioufly painted both outfide and in. Moft of their religious feftivals are folemnifed with procédions, among which that of Palm Sunday, reprefenting our Saviour's public entry into Jerufalem, is performed with great folcmnity. Before the patriarchal dignity was laid afide, the patriarch ufed to ride in the proceftion, mounted on an afs, the czar leading him by the bridle, from the caftle to the church called Jerufalem, without the caftle-gate , and the patriarch, in acknowledgment of the honoua-conferred on him by his majefty in leading his afs, pre--fented him with a pnrfe of one hundred ^rubles, B OOK BOOK IV, City of Novogorod.—The Sterlit fijh.—Marfal Zeremetofs military mif-takes.—The readiefi method to get out of the Ruffian fervice.—The city of Petcrfburgh.—The czar's ufual table.—His entertainments. —His prefent of boats to different ranks, and its gooddefign.—An amb.iffador from Ujbeek Tarlary.—À naval excurfwn for his entertainment.—Cronfadt and Cronelet.—Oranianbaum, Ret erf off, and Catharinhoff.-The grand dutcbefs born, and the prince's behaviour on the occafion. His difrefpeSl to the czar.—Naval expedition, in zvhich the czar was rear-admiral.— His gallant atlion with lihrenfield,—He takes Aland.—His triumphal entry at Peterfburg.—Promoted to be vice-admiral.—He compliments Eh-renfhield's bravery.—His fpeech to the finate.—His refentment of the czarozvitz*s difrefpecl.— He infill'utes frequent focial affemblies and a royal academy.—Court-mai liai on admiral Kruys.—Ihe order of St. Catherine.—Confufons in the revenue, and the confequent diftrefs.—Many delinquents puni fed.—Fifcals appointed.—The czar's public entertainments. —Mr. Slitter's per pet uum mobile.—The old F'mlander.—Hard froft at Peterfburgh.—Experiments on bears..—Method of killing them. N the fir ft day of March general Bruce fet out from book iv, Mofcow, with his family, on his way to Peteriburgh -, -—— we paft by the town of Twer, over the river Wolga, and city'of^Na* arrived at the city of Novogorod the ioth ; it is fituated in vo£oro<1, a very fair fpacious plain upon the Wologda, a river different from the Wolga. The Wologda derives its fource from the lake Ilmen, about three miles above this city, from whence it falls into lake Ladoga, and emerging from thence in the river Neva, near the fortrefs of Noteburgh, at Lift by the gulph of Finland, empties itfelf into the Baltic fea. This river is of great advantage to Novogorod, not only by the plenty of all forts of moft excellent fifh with. with which it flores their market, at a very moderate - price, but by being navigable to its very fource. The fur-rounding country is very fertile, abounding in wheat, flax, hemp, honey, and wax. Rufîia leather is one of its principal commodities, being fuppofed to be dreffed here to greater perfection than in any other part of Mufcovy ; Novogorod is reputed one of the chief cities in the empire for trade. In former ages, this city was deemed one of the molt potent in Europe, and was fo famous that it became proverbial in thofe parts, Who can oppofe God and the great city of Novogorod. But the czar Ivan Wafdowitz, the great tyrant of Mofcow, having plundered it, laid moft part of the city in afhes, and removed all the confiderable citizens to Nifni, or Lower, Novogorod. The great extent of the ruins of the ancient walls, and the number of tteeples dill remaining, are fufficient evidence of its former glory, and that its prefent condition bears no proportion to what it was before its deflrucfion, being now only furrounded by a wooden wall, and the houfes built of the fame materials. A caftle ftands on the other fide of the river, oppofite to the city, and joined to it by a bridge; this caftle is furrounded by a ftrong ftone wall, and is the refidence both of the governor and metropolitan. In this city, and oppofite the caftle, is a monaftery dedicated to St. Anthony, of whom they relate moft furprifing miracles : amongft the reft, they fliew a great mill-ftone lying againft the wall of the convent, upon which they fay St. Anthony performed his voyage from Rome to this place ; that he came down the Tiber into the Mediterranean, through the {freights, over all the feas in his way to the Bal tick, on this ftone, and 9 g°inS going up the Wologda, at lad fixed his refidence at Novo- book iv. gorod ; after he came afhore, he agreed with fome fifher---- men for the fir ft draught of their net, which proved to be a large cheft containing the faint's canonical robes, his book^, and money; with the money he built this monaftery, where he ended his days, and his body ftill remains uncorrup'-ed. Upon my aiking the monk, who gave me this information, in what fhip the faint arrived upon this mill-ffone, and how they got up the falls in the lake of Lagoda, he fell, into a paiîion, and told me I was an unbeliever and no; Chriftian, and fo went away without fhewing me the un» corrupted body of his faint. There are at prefent in this city one hundred and forty-four religious houfes, befides a great number of churches and chapels. Peteriburgh is fupplied from hence with all forts of provifions and necedàrics, conveyed in flat-bottomed veffels, many of which are loft in the falls, or rapids, of the lake Ladoga, by ftriking on the rocks, which lie hid under water, with fuch violence, from the rapidity of the ftream, that they are beat to pieces. The czar, to prevent fuch re-quent lodes, ordered a canal to be cut in a ftrait line from the river Wologda to the river Neva, and 30,000 men are employed every fummer at this work, and an equal number of foldiers and peafants. This canal is near one hundred miles in length, and eighty feet broad ; the banks on each fide, raifed by the earth dug out of the canal, are fixty feet broad, and make a road on both fides ; the country is plain and level all the way with a fmall northern declination, but full of woods and marines. When this work is completed, it will be of unfpeakable advantage to the country, as the book iv. t|^e com m unie at ion of Novogorod with Peteriburgh will be •both diort and fafe; it will alfo be a great convenience for thofe who travel that way by land in the fummer, as they .are now obliged to go a great way about to fhun thefe fens and marflies. The czar alfo intends, when this is finished, to make a communication between the Wolga and the Wologda, which, in fact, will be a navigable conveyance from the Cafpian fea to the Baltic, and confequendy to any port in Europe. The ftedit. Some time ago, fome veffels going for Peteriburgh, with *lh' live fifh, called ftcrlit, in paffing the falls of Ladoga, were beat to pieces, by which accident the fifh regained their liberty, and fome of them were afterwards taken at Cronflot, and one catched at Stockholm, which were confidered very great curiofities, as none of them had ever been feen in thofe feas before. They are about eighteen inches long, of a fhape peculiar to themfelves ; their head like that of a pike, but longer, and inftead of fcales, they have a fort of fhells on their back, not unlike the turtlc-fhell, but have no bones at all in them ; and when dreffed they are the mod delicious fifh in the world, being very fat and pleafant to the tafte ; their common price at Peteriburgh is a ducat a-piece. Brigadier le Fort, who was then a prifoner at Stockholm, and feeing this fifh in the market, bought it and invited prince Dolgorouky and general Weyde, alfo prifoncrs, to dine with him, and when the fifh came on the table, they were both much furprifed, knowing it was a native only of the Cafpian, or the Wolga. I never heard if they propagated their fpecies in thefe feas. General General Bruce being governor of this province, it detained book iv. him a few days to infpecT: the affairs relating to his govern-ment; and while he if aid, was entertained by the principal Marina Ze-people of the city : one day, dining with the deputy-go- Sy ràf-""" vernor, the difcourfe turned upon fome tniPcakes made by t;lkcs* field-marfhal Zeremetof, when the czar fir ft began to new model his army after the German difcipline. For the encouragement of foreign officers to come into the army, he had given orders to the marflial that, if they came well recommended, they fhould be promoted one ftep above the rank they held in the fervice they had left ; at that lime there happened to come a brigadier from the Auftriau fervice, well recommended by the emperor, and defired his preferment as a major-general, agreeable to the czar's in-ftrudtions ; the marfhal conceiving that to be a ftep too much, told the gentleman lie* ought to ta fatisfied with being firft made a lieutenant-general ; and the officer fubmitting to gratify the marfhal, his commiffion was fent to the czar to.be confirmed, and the marflial claimed a merit in having fatif-fied the foreigner fo eafiiy : the czar was much diverted with the marthal's miftake, yet he confirmed the commiflion, but cautioned the marflial not to make fuch raiftakes in future. Notwithstanding this caution, a little time produced another miftake; a German captain des armes, which is below the poft of a ferjeant, and whefc bufinefs it is to take care of the arms belonging to the company, folicitcd to be employed in the army ; the marflial, by his German interpreter, afked what poll: he tail ferved in, and was anfvvered, Captain des armes ; the word arm, in the German language, fignify'mg poor j Q the 114 M E M O I R S O F book iv. the interpreter reported, that he had been a poor captain-, -if that be the cafe, faid the marflial, I'll make him a rich ,7H' captain ; and made out a captain's commiflion for him ; but the czar, inifead of confirming it, made him only en-fign, which made the poor captain very happy. The readied In thofe times it was much eafier getting into the fervice rufofsk2" than out of it, as was evident in the cafe of major-gene-^ttffian ral Gordon, who wanted very much to quit the fervice, and fob cited his difcharge by every application in his power, but all in vain ; and being in Poland on a feparate command, arter the battle of Pultowa, he took that opportunity to fend to Mofcow for his wife and daughters, and on their arrival in Poland, he carried them to Dantzig, where he took (hipping and failed for Scotland. A fimilar cafe happened, in my time, to a colonel of dragoons, who, after a long fer-vitude, foliated, and obtained his difcharge from the fervice with little difficulty, but found it out of his power to obtain a pafs to g:L out of *he country, being always put off from time to time widi fair promues, with which they amufed him fo long, that he was at length obliged to draw bills on his friends in Germany for money to fubfifl on. The Ruffian policy is, that money faved by the government's fervants, fhould remain in the country, and having obferved this officer, while in Poland with his regiment, making confiderable remittances to his friends in Germany, took care when they had granted his difcharge to detain his perfon, with a view to bring fome of the money back again. The colonel finding he was like to ruin himfelf, without hopes of getting out of the country, applied to fome of the foreign generals for their council, who advifed him immedi- diately diately to petition to be employed again in the fervice; which book iv. he did, and foon found himfelf once more at the head of a ' I7r4- regiment of dragoons ; the regiment being ordered into Poland, he there made the bed ufe of his time till he thought himfelf fufficiently reimburfed, then went into Germany, from whence he wrote to prince Menzikoff, excufing himfelf for leaving the fervice in fuch a manner, but he had no alternative, for he was not permitted to do it in a more honourable way ; advifing the prince not to detain foreigners in the fervice againft their will, for fuch meafures would only prevent men of abilities and merit from entering at all into their fervice. But all this did not mend the matter; and it would be too tedious to enter into a detail of the difficulties ftrangcrs have to encounter in endeavouring to get out of this country. We fat out from Novogorod the 25th, and arrived at Peterfburg the ift of April. The diftance from Mofcow to Peteriburgh is 541 Engliih miles, or 812 Ruffian werfts. The nobility, and people of fafhion and fortune, who The city of had removed with their families from Mofcow, found here a Petcrfbursh' fad reverfe in their fituation. Inftead of their fpacious palaces and lofty houfes in that city, and their country houfes and villas in its vicinity, where they had every thing in plenty, they found provifions very fcarce and moft conveniences wanting. As this place was agreeable both to the defigns and humour of the czar, he paid little regard to the complaints of thofe who confidered their own eafe and luxury more than the advantage of their country. The merchant and fhopkeepers found their account in this new city, where every thing bore an exceftive price. Q_2 This book iv. This city was now in its infancy, it being yet but barely ~~~~ ten years fince its firft foundation was laid. When the czar had made himfelf mafter of Noteburgh and New Schantz, he went down to the mouth of the river Neva, where it falls into the Baltic by feveral ftreams forming fo many iflands ; the fituation pleafed him fo much, that he refolved upon building this city. He found only four fifhermen's huts, to which he added a houfe for himfelf on an ifland in the north fide of the river, and called it Peteriburgh. This houfe was only a fhelter from the weather and to reft in j it is a low hall built of wood, inclofed with a wooden gallery, and the year 1704, in figures, carved over the door; but in memory of this great undertaking, it has been preferved ever fmce. Lieutenant-general Robert Bruce, commandant of the city, has the charge and ufe of this original hall, and has built a very good houfe adjoining to it for himfelf, which was one of the firft that made a fliow in this place. The firft thing that was undertaken was the building two forts ; one here, and another at Cronflot, to protect the place from in-fult from the Swedes by fea ; it being naturally guarded againft any attempt on the land-fide, as the country round it is almoft one general morafs. Every body now beheld with furprize and admiration fuch advances toward a city, in fo fhort a time, as many thoufand houfes were already built. In that part called Peteriburgh, ftands a large fquare brick building, with a fpacious court within, for merchants and tradefmen, where they have their fhops below and ftore-rooms above, and are ihut up every night, being under tic fame regulations with the grand market-place at Mofcow ; and the merchants all re fide refide in this part of the town. Here is alfo a large long book iv. brick building, which contains the fenate-houfe, all the-i- fupreme courts of the kingdom, chancery court, court of 17'*' juftice, the boards of admiralty and ordnance, the war-office, &c. &c. The prcfident of every court, or board, is a fenator. The feat of trade, the courts of juffice, all the pub-lick offices, and the grand council of the empire, being combined in fuch a fmall fpace, mikes it extremely convenient for the difpatch of bufinefs. On another ifland, to the north of this, are the habitations of Afiatic merchants, viz. Armenians, Perfians, Turks, Tartars, Chinefe, and Indians ; but no Jew is now allowed to trade, or indeed, live in the Ruffian empire. Oppofite to the fenate-houfe, on a fmall ifland, ffands the fort by itfelf, a id being in the center, commands the whole city ; the fort is a hexagon, ffrength-ened by ravelines ; the ramparts are all cafemated, bombproof : it contains houfes and barracks for the officers and foldiers belonging to the garrifon, a large arfenal, ftore-houfes, and magazines ; a fine large church, with a very high fteeple, furniihed with a fet of mufical bells, which play every day from eleven to twelve at noon ; in this church is a large vault intended for the fepulchre of the irnpeiial family ; the works, and all the interior buildings are of brick, and the only communication with the fort is by draw-bridges, oppofite the fenate-houfe. Below the fort, on the fame fide of the river, is Wafilio Oltrof (or Ifland), where prince Menzikoff has built a very grand palace, and a number of fine brick houfes for the accommodation of thofe belonging to his court : this ifland is large, and well laid out in gardens and parks, and here the grandeur of the Imperial. book iv. Imperial court is difplayed, and all foreign ambalfadors ~~~~~■ and minifters have their audiences ; on which occafion, the czar appears always as a private gentleman ; as indeed, he does every where, attended only by one page and one footman who carries his mathematical inftruments and draughts, for he is an excellent draug'ufman, and underftands all the branches of the mathematics, and is well verfed in forti* fication, architecture, fhip-building, and the conftruction of all kinds -of engines. As he is a prince that has a knowledge of every thing, he is not eafily impofed on by others. Oppofite Wafilio-Oflrof on the fouth-fide of the river, is the admiralty and dock-yard for building fhips and gallies. This ifland being formerly low and marfhy, was interfecfed by feveral canals, and the ground raifed and made commodious for the purpole it is applied to; it is inclofed by the river, and like the reft of the place, has its natural defence from the morally confines of the river. The people employed in fhip-building are all quartered here, as alfo the officers and failors belonging to the fleet. Above the admiralty, ftands the Inoifemfka Slaboda, or Foreign Town, where all European foreigners live, and have feveral Proteftant and one Roman Catholic, meet-ing-houfes : here ftands admiral Apraxin's fine palace. This ifland was alfo low and marfhy, but was drained and raifed by digging feVëral fcfeaàla through it. The czar has both his winter and f-unmer \, : ace on this ifland ; the former is next the river, and the latter at the eaft, or upper-end of the ifland, where his yatchs and pleafure-boais are ranged clofe up before the door ; here are exceeding fine gardens gardens and a large park, inclofed by a large and deep ca- book iv. nal -, the gardens are full of water-works, Italian ftatues, "~ 1 covered walks and arbors. A fine avenue of large trees, which ftand by the fide of the river, were dug out of the ground in the winter, with large quantities of frozen earth flicking to their roots, and brought in that condition and planted here, and dourifhed to the furprize of all who faw them. In the park was built a houfe which contains all forts of mathematical inftruments ; alfo the famous globe of Gothorp, contrived byTycho Brahe, in which twilve people can fit round a table and obferve the celeftial conftellations as it turns on its axis. In the garden was a long gallery, or hall, where the czar attended every day from eleven to twelve o'clock at noon, when every body had free accefs, and he then received petitions from all ranks of his fubjecls -, after that hour none were permitted to addrefs him except upon affairs of confequence. He dined commonly at twelve The czar's o'clock, and only with his own family; one difh only was ferved up at a time, and to have it hot he dined in a room, contiguous to the kitchen, from whence the difh is received through a window from the cook ; at one o'clock he lays down and fleeps an hour ; he fpent the afternoon and evening in fome diverfions or other till ten o'clock, when he went to bed, and got up again at four in the morning,, fummer and winter. In the holidays, he invented all manner of diverfions, h and frequently entertained company in his long hall in the 0 garden, which being furrounded by water, the guefts come in their boats, which, as the company difembark, are all fecured under a guard in the harbour, that no body may 3 give is enter-tamments. J714. His prefent of boats to different ranks, and its good de fign. book iv. give him the (lip before the company depart altogether, which feldom happened before next morning. Coaches, or other wheel-carriages, are of little ufe in this city, where the whole is furrounded either with rivers or canals, which having no bridges, every body is obliged to go by water. To accommodate this inconveniency,the czar prefented every one of the firft quality with a yacht ; a buyer, which is a failing-boat with a large cabin in the middle of her after the Dutch fafhion ; a barge of ten or twelve oars, and a wherry of four or two ; thofe of the fécond rank, a buyer and a wherry ; and to thofe of a lower degree, a wherry only ; obliging every one to keep their veffeis in repair, and when worn out, to rebuild them at their own expence; this was alfo a political prefent, for one day in the week was appointed for muttering thofe veffeis, for failing or rowing, as his majefty's fancy directed, and the proper fig-nal was made by the fort. If they rowed it was on the broad river, in their fmaller veffeis, when they made a delightful appearance, and the pleafure much heightened by the bands of mufic : moft of the firft quality had bands of their own. if the fignaj was made for failing to Cronftadt, then all the yachts and buyers went in three"fquadrons : in this expedition, they were taught all the different -manoeuvres of a fleet of men of war, by lignais, as making or fhortcning fail, tacking, forming the line of battle, coming to an anchor, &c. &c. by which the young nobility and gentry became acquainted with the nature of the fervice, and many hands were taught the manual duties of feamen, and fitted for the navy. Haft from the fummer palace, on a dry rifing ground, ftands the grand arfenal, and foundery for for cannon, mortars, Sec. and a fine houfe built by the book iv. mafter-general ; and here alfo refide all the officers, &c.-* of the ordnance ; thofe alfo of the blood-royal live here on account of its fine fituation and air, as it is not fubjecT: to inundations as the other parts ; the czarowitz and his confort have their court here j the princefs Natalia his majefty's fitter, the two Imperial dowagers of the czar's Feodor and John, befides a number of noble families ; and at the eaft end of this place ftands the monaftery of Alexander Newfki, where an archbifhop re fides. The great ftir there was at this time in all parts of the city is pad defcription, nothing was to be feen or heard all day long but tradefmen and labourers at work in building fhips and galleys, or houfes either of brick or timber, digging canals and paving ftreets. The river was continually full of large veffeis bringing all forts of materials, as bricks, tiles, and ftone for the ftreets. Large floats of timber came daily down the river for building fhips and houfes. Every body being employed in one fhape or other, there was not an idle perfon to be feen. On the 17th of May an ambaffador arrived here from the An ambafla-cham of the Ufbeck Tartars, who had an audience of the beckStal*] czar the next day. His commifîion confided of thefe three articles ; firft, that the cham rejoiced at his majefty's fuc-cefs in war, and the increafe of his power, and recommended himfelf to his favour and protection ; fecondly, he defired the czar to enjoin his vaffal, the cham of the Cal-muck Tartars, to keep good neighbourhood and peace with him, for he feemed inclinable to join with the Tartars, fubjecT to China, and to ftir up others of his neighbours againft R him ; him : for which the cham of Ufbeck offered in acknowledgement, to keep 50,000 foldiers always ready for the czar's fervice, to march at his command. Thirdly, as a farther teftimony of the chain's friend fhip, he offered a paf-fage through his dominions for the annual caravans to China, and to enter into a treaty of commerce with Ruffia, by which an incredible advantage was to accrue to his majefty, as the caravans were then obliged to make their journey to Peking with great inconvenience, and took a whole year to travel the whole extent of Siberia, where there was no beaten road, whereas they might go thither through his matter's dominions on a good road in four months. The ambaffador then laid many fdks, and other Chinefe and Perfian goods, together with curious furs, at the czar's feet, as a prefent from his matter; telling him, that he had left fome Perfian horfes and beads behind him at Mofcow, and exprefTed his concern that a fine leopard and an ape had died on the road. A naval ex- On this occafion the fignal was made for the yachts and his entertain- boyars to attend his majefty to Cronflot ; I went with the ment. m after-general in his yacht, and arrived at Cronflot in the evening, where we flept on board at an anchor. The czar had defired the Tartarian ambaffador to follow him next day with the great chancellor, count Golofkin, on board a fnow, and they fet off about noon with feven fenators on board ; the weather was fultry, and they failed with a gentle breeze, till being got about two leagues from Peteriburgh, by the unfkilfulnefs of the Ruffian captain they got among the flats, and the veffel got a-ground on a fand and ftuck faft : the failors wrought till feven in the evening before they got her off; and about nine, fo violent a ftorm arofe as as had not been known in thofe parts for feveral years ; about Book iv. twelve all their boats were beat to pieces, their beff anchor-' gone, and with it all their hopes, looking for nothing but death. The ambaffador having never been on fuch a fea before, turned pale, and at length wrapping himfelf up in a filk quilt made his pried fit down on his knees before him, and read fomefhing out of a book of the prophet Ali, being of the Perfian religion. Towards morning the if arm began to abate, the veffei was happily towed out of the flats, and as foon as it came to an anchor, his majefty went on board, and congratulated him on his fafe arrival, continuing with him in the cabin above two hours. The ambaffador ordered feveral kinds of fruit of his country to be ferved up, and called for his muficians, vocal and inftru-mental, to entertain the emperor. The czar afked the ambaffador feveral queftions relating to his country, efpecially concerning the river Darien, which runs through it, and falls into the Cafpian fea. There is a great deal of gold found in the bed of this river, waffled down from the mountains, where there are rich gold mines. The czar brought the ambaffador on fhore, and fhewed him his fleet and harbours, at which he was not a little furprifed, as it was the firft of the kind he had ever feen. We were detained here three days, and I took the op- Çronftadt portunity to furvey the ifland of Retufary, which was new and Cronilot' to me, and where the czar had begun to build a new town called Cronftadt : the houfes are all built of brick, and large; the lower ftories are calculated for fliops and warehoufes, for the convenience of foreign merchants to trade or fettle here, as they did not approve the method obferved in the grand R £ market- bookiv. market-places of Mofcow and Peteriburgh, in having their --fhops in one part of the town, and living themfelves in an- other ; here the ftreets arc broad, and have a canal in the middle, that goods may be conveyed or removed, at the eafy charge of water-carriage. There are two fine harbours, the one for the royal navy, and the other for merchant-men, the piers being all mounted with cannon. Within gun-fhot of the harbour, and a mile from Ingria, ftands the caftle of Cronflot, founded on a fand-bank in the fea : the foundation was laid in winter upon the ice, with ftrong wooden caffoons filled with ftone, upon which the fuper-ftruclure was afterwards built of wood filled up with earth ; this caftle is round with three galleries about it, one above another, and well furnifhed with cannon, and thus the entrance up to Peteriburgh is fufheiently guarded againft every attempt of an enemy by fea : befides, there is no getting up againft the ftrong currents without a favourable wind, and even then it requires a fkilful pilot to bring them through the fhoals and fand-banks, which yearly alter their fituation. A fleet of thirty fhips of the line, befides frigates and yachts, now lay here ready for fea ; and the troops which were encamped in the neighbourhood, were ready to embark on board eighty gallies, and one hundred fcampavies, or half-gallies : the czar ordered the fhips and gallies out to fea, where they formed the line, and gave a general falute with all their guns, which ftruck the Tartarian ambaffador with furprize and amazement, having never feen the like before j this done, the fhips came to an anchor again and the gallies on fhore. His His majefty then went to Oranianbaum, a country-houfe book iv*. of prince Menzikof's, oppofite to Cronflot, on the fide of '- Ingria, where a grand entertainment was prepared by the Otamaw-prince's directions j from thence he went to Peterfhoff, ^Sff™^Jc£ country palace of Ins own, and thence to Catherinehoft, a thcrinehoff-palace of the czarina's, at both which the company were entertained with royal magnificence. The emperor now returned to Cronflc t to go to fea with the fleet, and the emprefs, with the reft of the company, returned to Peteriburgh. From Oranianbaum to Peteriburgh the country rifes gently from the fhore, and abounds with the feats of the grandees, about half a mile diftant from each other, which affords a beautiful profpect from the fea. On the 29th of June, the governor of Wybourg, in Finland, took Nyflot, the capital fortrefs of the province of Savolaxia, and made the garrifon prifoners of war. The Imperial princefs, confort to the czarowitz, was The grand brought to bed of a daughter on the 23d of July, who was a"ftheb°rn' baptized by the name of Natalia, and had the title of .grand £tbur on duchefs given her. The czarowitz, at that time, on a pre- thc occafioû* tended indifpofition, had withdrawn himfelf to Carlsbad, with his Finlandifh miftrefs, but merely to be out of the way at the delivery of his amiable, but unhappy wife : in this difagreeable fituation, flie had only the princefs of Eaft Friefland, a relation of her own, to comfort her. The czar, fenfible of her diftrefs, treated her with the higheft cfteem, allowed her a fplendid court, and fpared no coft to aggrandize it, and appointed frequent balls and affemblies at her houfe on purpofe to divert her, and flie had every mark of refpeel and regard fliewn her by the czarina ; indeed. book iv.deed, fhe had greatly endeared herfelf to them both by the gentle nefs of her difpofitions, and the fweetnefs of her 7 •-. temper and manner, but the brutal conduct of her humane! embittered all. When the czarowitz returned from Carlf-bad, which was in confequence of the emperor's exprefs orders, he not only fhe wed the utmoft difregard to tha princefs, but maltreated thofe of her court in fuch a manner, that they were all going to leave her, which ill ufage threw her into a deep melancholy; his father's frequent remonffrances on the fubjecf feemed only to make bad worfe, for he accufed her of carrying complaints of him to the czar, and told her plainly, if it was not for the fear of his father's anger, he would turn her whole court out of doors, and oblige her to live after the old Ruffian cuftom. Although they lived in the fame houfe, they were fuch ft rangers to each other, that they were never feen to eat or converfe together, except when he came to upbraid her with her numerous houfhold. This was not the only mortification this amiable ' princefs underwent ; none of the grandees paid their court to her, except when ordered by his majefty, out of fear of difobliging the prince, fo that the foreign minifters were the only perfons that could venture to pay her any refpeét. All this bad ufage of fo good a princefs was the more furprifing, when it is confidered flic was his own free choice. The czar had fent him to travel for his improvement, and recommended to him the choice of a princefs abroad for his wife ; and feeing, in the courfe of his travels, the princefs of Wolfenbuttel, fifter to the emprefs of Germany, he made his addrefles to her, and wrote to the czar for his confent, which which was readily granted. His majefty arriving foon after book iv at Torgau, concluded that unhappy marriage. ■- It was very remarkable, that the prince never appeared at His difrefpc£t any of the public meetings, when his majefty was attended to czar* by all perfons of quality and rank, fuch as birth-days, celebrating of victories, launching of fhips, &c. General Bruce, who lived next door to the prince, had orders always to give the prince notice the day before, of fuch public days or meetings, and Iliad the honour to carry and deliver the meffage ; but his highnefs, to avoid appearing in public, either took phyfic, or let blood, always making his excufe, that he could not attend for want of health; when, at the fame time, it was notorioufly known that he got drunk in very bad company, when he ufed conftantly to condemn all his father's actions. Immediately on his majefty's return to Cronflot, he put N^va] expe* out to fea with the fleet, on an information that the Swedifh tJl1u-0?' in winch the fleet, under admiral Watrang, had failed with an intention czarw?s-. ° rear-admiral, to block him up in the harbour ; and that their rear admiral, Ehrenfhield, had feized on the port of Twerwin, in Finland, where he had funk feveral of our fhips, and taken about two hundred prifoners ; by which acquifition, they hoped to be able to repulfe any defcent on th» ifland of Aland. Our fleet was commanded by admiral Apraxin, vice-admiral Kruys, and, as rear-admiral, the czar himfelf ; and failed directly in queft of the enemy. The czar was fent to watch their motions ; he foon reported their dation, and that their vice-admiral, Lilie, was detached with feveral men of war and bomb-veffels, fteering towards Revel ; he defired the admiral to advance with the fleet, and on rejoining them, 9 it book iv. it was determined to difpatch vice-admiral Kruys in queft of -' the Swedifh vice-admiral, and to fend twenty gallies under the command of general Weyde, and commodore Ifmaie-witz, to pafs within the enemy's fleet as near the fliore as they could go. The gallies performed this fervice under favour of a calm ; the enemy endeavoured to prevent them, and fired many guns at them, but the draught of their large fhips did not fuffer them to come near enough to do any execution ; on which fifteen more gallies were fent under brigadier le Fort. The Swedifh admiral hereupon made a fignal for his vice-admiral to return, which he did, without a fingle effort made by admiral Kruys to intercept him, notwithftanding his fuperiority j for this he was directly put under arreft, and afterwards tried by a court-martial at Pe-tcrfburg. His gaiimt fne next ^ our ^eet P^d cl°fe by enerny, and action with fuftaincd all their fire, with the lofs only of one galley, which Ehrenihkld. * ° had the misfortune to run aground, and they blocked up admiral Ehrenfhield, who refilling to furrender to the czar's fummons, by his adjutant-general Jaguzinfki, was vigoroufly attacked at three in the afternoon by the czar's own divifion, now vice-admiral. The action was gallantly fought on both fides for two hours, when, notwithftanding their fuperiority in number of guns, the Swedes were boarded and taken, and Ehrenfhield, having received feven wounds in the engagement, delivered himfelf up to our vice admiral, by whom he was politely received, and by whofe exprefs orders he was moft carefully attended in the cure of his wounds, none of which were mortal : the czar had ever afterwards a very great regard for him. The The Swedes loll in this engagement one frigate of twenty- book iv. four guns, fix large gallies of fourteen guns each, and three ' " demi-gallies of four each, ail taken ; they loft alfo in this action nine hundred thirty-fix fbldieis and fhilors, of whom five hundred feventy-feven were alive, and made prifoners of war. The lofs on our part was, one colonel, two captains, four lieutenants, one adjutant, one hundred and three foldiers, and eighteen feamen, killed ; one brigadier, feven captains, feven lieutenants, one enfign, three hundred and nine foldiers, and fixteen feamen wounded ; amounting in the whole to one hundred and twenty-four killed, and three hundred and forty-one wounded. The Swedifh veffeis and prifoners were fent to Revel. After the victory, the fleet failed to the ifland of Aland, He takes a* where the czar landed 16,000 men, and took the fort and ljnJ' other pofts, intending to tranfport his troops, encamped at Abo, to this place, diftant only twelve leagues from the coaft of Sweden, with a defign to make a defcent at Stockholm ; which obliged the Swedes to recall their fleet, under Watrang, to guard their coafts : but it was now too late in the feafon to begin an enterprize of that importance j fo his majefty returned by Revel to Cronflot, where he flopped a few days, and from thence to Catherinehoff, the 18th of September, where he found the czarina delivered of another princefs, to whom he gave the name of Anne. On the 20th of September, part of our fleet, with the His triumph. Swedifh veffeis and prifoners being arrived, the czar made pc^rcburg a triumphal entry at Peteriburgh, and approaching the admiralty and fort, he was faluted from one hundred and fifty guns. They came up the river in the following order : i> i'. Three 1. Three Ruffian gallies. 2. The three Swedifh demi-gallies. 3. The fix Swedifh gallies. 4. The Swedifh frigates, ail with the Swedifh colours hanging down. 5. The czar in his galley as rear-admiral. 6. All the reft of our gallies. When the gallies came oppofite the triumphal arch, which was creeled in front of the fenate houfe and oppofite the fort, they faluted with all their guns, which was returned with the like difcharge from the cannon of the fort and admiralty } then all the men came a-Hi ore, and began a proceffion in the following order. 1. A company of the guards, with major-general Ga-litzin at their head. 2. The cannon that were taken lad winter by prince Galitzin from major-general Arenfelt, near Wafa. 3. Sixty-three colours and llandards taken in that action.. 4. Two hundred Swedifli fubahern officers, foldiers ancfc feamen. 5. Two companies of the guards. 6. The Swedifli fea-officers.. 7. The flag of the Swcdilii rear-admiral 8. The Swedifli rear-admiral Ehrenfhield. 9. The czar, as rear-admiral, followed by the remainder •f the regiment of guards. As foon as his1 majefly came under the triumphal arch, the grandees, fenators, and foreign miniflcrs, repaired thither to congratulate him on his viclory ; but the czarowitz neither appeared in perfon, nor by proxy. The governor ©f Mofcow, in the name of die empire, complimented his majefiy majefty on his bravery, and thanked him for his great and book iv. eminent fervices. The triumphal arch was magnificently- adorned with feveral emblematical reprefentations ; and amongft the reft, the Ruffian eagle feizing an elephant, alluding to the Swedifh frigate called the Elephant, with this infeription, Aquila toon capit Mufcas. The procefiion proceeded in the fame order to the fort, P romotcd to where the vice-czar, Romadanoffky, feated on a throne, vice- mur*1, and furrounded by the fenate, caufed rear-admiral Peter to be called before the affembly, and received from his hands a relation, in writing, of the victory obtained ; which being read, they took it into confederation, and propofed feveral queftions to the rear-admiral ; after which, they una-ni mou fly declared him vice-admiral of Ruilia, in recom-pence of his faithful fervices done to his native country ; which being proclaimed in the affembly, the whole houfe refounded with, " Health to the vice-admiral !" The czar having returned them thanks, went on board his ftoop, where he hoifted his vice-admiral's flag, having received many compliments on that occafion. His majefty, attended by numbers of the nobility and Hecompli, officers, went to prince Menzikof's palace, where a grand renfljLid^î entertainment was provided ; after dinner, he flie wed parti- braverJT-cular marks of his attention to rear-admiral Ehrenfhield $ and, addreffing the company, he faid—tc Gentlemen, Here " you fee a brave and a faithful fervant of his mafter, who " has made himfelf worthy of the higheft rewards at his " hands, and who fhall always have my favour while he is ** with me, although he has killed me many a brave man 11 I forgive you," faid he, turning to the Swede with a fmile, S 2 " and book iv, « and you may ever depend on my good-will."—Ehrenfhield, having thanked the czar, anfwered,—tc However honour- lence ; and anfwered, that they were all difpofed to obey his orders and follow his example. Whether they were fin-cere in their declaration is another queftion. The next day a grand entertainment was given at the hîs refont* vice-czar's, Romadamoffky, where a battalion of the guards, "/Irowkz'T and a company of grenadiers were ordered to attend. Having dlflcfPe<^-marched through the whole town, they were drawn up before the vice-czar's palace, and went through their exercife. The czarowitz being yet only a ferjeant of grenadiers, marched all the way on the right, with his halbert on his fhoulder, 4 and book iv. and paffing his own palace, the princefs, his confort, look- •-in g out with her friend the princefs of Eaft Friezland, and feeing him march in fo grand a manner, fainted away and was carried to bed. When the exercife was over the officers were all invited to the entertainment, but the men remained under arms, and the czarowitz flood upon his pod till the battalion marched off again. This mortification was put upon the czarowitz for.his neglect of duty, in not meeting his father at his triumphal entry, nor wilhing him joy on his fate arrival : it is certain, a victory by fea gave him greater joy than any other victory whatever j fo that a neglect of this kind was worfe taken than any-thing elfe that could have happened. However, when his majefty heard of the princefs's illnefs, and what had been the occafion of it, he went to fee her, and told her,, that die ought not to be lurprifed at the prince's being a ferjeant, for he himfelf had gone through all the lowed degrees both of the land and fea-fervice, till he had rifen by his merit to be a general in the army, and now vice-admiral of the navy } and notwithftanding the prince had not attended to his duty as he ought to have done, yet he had recommended him to the vice-czar, and procured him an enfign's commiflion m the guards, and that he was now come to give her joy on her hufband's preferment. This kind condefcenfion in the czar, in a great meafure, reftorcd the princefs's drooping fpirits* The rejoicings on this occafion continued a confiderable time, for the grandees gave entertainments in their turns • but, notwithftanding his majefty's refentment againft the prince for his former neglect of duty, he never appeared at any of thofe public meetings, although he had regular 7 notice notice fent to him by general Bruce, who fent me feveral book iv. times to inform him of his majefty's difpleafure at his non- —-1— appearance; but the old excuie—want of health—ferved on every occafion, As the czar had the welfare and aggrandizing of his He mfùtutei ■ nation very much at heart, he neglected no opportunity to j^.£u!.0 accomplifh his fubjeéts. He at this time made a regulation bhes' for holding aftèmblies : he appointed two every week to be held at the houfes of the grandees alternately; one room being allotted for converfation, one for cards-, and one for dancing ; to meet at eight o'clock and end at eleven î the mader of the houfe to provide a fide-board of liquors, which fhould not be prefented until called for, and to find1 cards and mufic : free admiffion to be given to all of the rank of gentlemen, foreigners as wef as natives, with their wives and daughters'. This new regulation extremely pîeâfed the ladies, as it freed them from the fevere reftraiut they laboured under, not being permitted to appear in public company ; but by this means they both learned to converfe and" drefs. His majefty alfo inftituted'an academy tliis winter for the 'And a royal education of young gentleman ; and was at much pains to provide able mailers from abroad for teaching the feveral fciences. fie likewife gave orders to the admiralty to get re;,dv, againft the enluing fpring, fifty fhips of the line, with, a great number of gallies and other ve.iels, to enable* him to make a defcent on Sweden next year, and to keep his-forces employed, as he had been obliged to withdraw his troops from Germany by the king of Denmark's taking Hol^ . ffein, and the king or- Pruifia Pomerania under fequefti'c^- tion ; cook iv, tion ; which much difpleafed the czar, as he wanted, by all --means, to have a footing in Germany, and to be admitted *7H' a member of that empire ; but the emperor, and the red: of the princes of the Germanic body, jealous of his growing power, took this method to get his troops out of their country. The king of Sweden, attended only by colonel During, and two fervants, and travelling three hundred German miles in fixteen days, arrived at Stralfund the 22d of November, and directly commenced hoftilities againft the Pruffians, which defeated the whole fcheme of the Germanic body, by his not agreeing to the fequeftration, brought a new enemy on himfelf, and afforded a decent pretext for the czar to re-enter Pomerania with his army. Comt mnr- A court-martial was now appointed to enquire into the n?vthlonad" conduct of vice-admiral Kruys, for not attacking the Swedifli mini Ktuys. w r o fquadron agreeable to his orders -, and he was found guilty, and fentenced to be fliot for cowardice and neglect: of duty. He complained of the feverity of his fentence, alledging that no other nation, converfant in naval affairs, would have paffed fuch a fentence for his conduct on that occafion j which being reprefented to the czar, he tranfmitted copies of the trial to all the neighbouring maritime powers, efpecially Holland which was the admiral's native country, for their opinion concerning the fentence ; and they all agreed that it was juft, and would have been inflicted on any officer, in their refpective fervices, who had been guilty of the like behaviour. This declaration of the maritime powers being fhewn to the admiral, he prayed for mercy, which the czar granted with refpeel to his life, but banifhed him to Olonetz for the remainder of his days j and having fet out, out, and travelled one day's journey toward the place of his book iv. exile, his majedy recalled him, then gave him a free par- "- don, and appointed him one of the commiflioners of the admiralty, but was never employed at fea again, in which office he ended his days with credit. The czar, this year, inftituted the order of St, Catharine, Tllc order of in honour of the czarina, to perpetuate the memory of that f;ttjcCathe" love and fidelity which die manifefted towards him in his diftrcifed fituation, reduced and furrounded by the Turks on the banks of the Pruth. The enfign of the order is a medal, enriched with precious ftones, and adorned with the image of St. Catherine, with this motto, For Love and Fidelity : the medal is pendant to a broad white ribbon, wore over the right moulder. The emprefs had the liberty of bedowing it on fuch of her own fex as flie thought proper, and appeared in it herfelf for the firft time at the feftival of St. Andrew this year ; the czarina firft conferred the order on her two daughters, the princefs Anne, afterwards married to the duke of Holftein, and the princefs Elizabeth, afterwards emprefs of Ruftia ; and fome time after flie be-ftowed it on the emperor's three nieces, the daughters of czar John, viz. Anne, duchefs dowager of Courland, Catherine, duchefs of Mecklenburg, and the princefs Pafkovia ; and alfo on the princefs Menzikof. His czaridi majefty having, with infinite pains and afli- Confiions in duity, been fearching into the caufes of the diforders that md th^coS had crept into the adminiftration of his affairs; and, *t*^fttdlf" length difcovered from whence it proceeded that his army and fleet had been fo ill paid and fuffered fo much, that many thoufand workmen had miferably perifhed for want of T fubfift- i38 M E M O I R S O F book iv. fubfiftence (it was computed that upwards of one hundred 1 thoufand men loft their lives at Peteriburgh) his trade decayed, and his revenues in confufion, took a firm refolution to remedy thefe evils; and in the beginning of 1715, efta-bliflied a grand inquifition under the direction of general Knex Dolgoruky, to examine certain lords and others, who, it was faid, had defrauded his majefty of feveral millions. Many dciin- Moft of the great men in Ruflia were affected by this Sifted! PU enquiry, and were obliged to give an account of their con-duel. The great admiral Apraxin, prince Menzikof, and Bruce, mafter of the ordnance, alledged for their excufe their abfence in foreign parts, or in the field on duty, fo conftantly, that fo far from being able to difcover, or prevent the ill practices of their officers, they were ignorant of what was done at that time in their own houfes, which was admitted for their excufe : but their unfaithful officers differed feverely for their infidelity, as did all others who could not juftify themfelves. Korfakof, vice-governor of Peteriburgh, Kekin, the prefident ; and Sinawin, the firft commiffioner of the admiralty ; with an incredible number of other officers of the fécond and third rank, were called to an account j Korfakof publicly differed the knout ; Apouchin and Wolchonfky, both fenators, fuffered the fame, and had red-hot irons drawn over their tongues ; fome of inferior degree wrere chaftifed with the batoags, and were fent into Siberia and other remote places, and all their eftates confifcated. Several delinquents were put to the torture to make them confefs the truth, as by their law no man can be condemned, if the matter is ever fo clearly proved againft him, unlefs he confeffes the fact-. The The fevercft torture they have is the ftrapado, which is thus inflicted ; they hang up the malefactor with his hands tied behind him, with a large beam faftened to his feet, upon which the executioner every now and then gets up to expedite the didocation of his joints, which gives exquifitc torment j a fire ,is lighted under his feet, the fmoke and heat of which both fliflcs and burns him. If they want to improve upon this torture they fhave Ins head, and when he is hung up as before, they prepare cold water to drop, from a confiderable fall, on the crown of his head ; which is the mod exquifite torment that can be invented. This inquifition, which had filled Peteriburgh with fuch confternation, being ended, things were put on a much better footing to prevent in future fuch frauds in commif-faries, and lighten the burthen on the (houlders of the people ; an entire new fet of officers were appointed, called fifcals, or informers. The fifcal-general was always to at- j tend his majefty ; a head, or ovcr-fifcal, was appointed in the army, navy, and one in every government ; and ordinary ones were appointed in every regiment, fhip, or garrifon, and every court in the nation ; whofe bufinefs it was to report every thing they obferved wrong in the fervice or admi-niftration to the head fifcals, and they to the fifcal-general, who laid their informations before the czar. This new fet of men were more feared than the czar himfelf) fome of them being very litigious, and bringing people often into trouble without a caufe, whereof we had afterwards too many inftances, which the czar perceiving put a ftop to, by inflicting the punifhment on them they intended for others, if they could not prove their informa'ions : T 2 th> book iv. this obliged them to behave with more moderation afterwards. ""~~— Neverthelefs, thofe againft whom an information was given, underwent very great hardfhips, being, the moment they were arretted, deprived of their falary or pay, to which they can lay no claim till they have cleared themfelves of the alledged crime and are reinftated in their office or com-miffion ; and if they acquit themfelves ever fo honourably, they feldom or ever receive their arrears. In cafe of a furlough, none in the fervice were allowed pay till they entered again upon duty. If an officer, a native Ruffian, was broke by a court-martial for neglect of duty, he was commonly fentenced to carry arms as a private foldier, and never arrived at his former rank except his merit raifed him, and then he loft his feniority. It is to be obferved, that if this were not the cafe with the Ruffians, the greateft part of them would endeavour to be reduced to get free from die army. The diftinction made between their pay and that of foreigners, creates no fmall difcontent among them and very juftly. Officers of equal rank, and in the fame regiment, have three different pays; for inftance, a captain, who is a foreigner, has eighteen rubles * a month ; a captain, of foreign parents, born in Ruftia, has fifteen rubles; and a native Ruffian has only twelve rubles ; and fo through every rank in the fervice in proportion : this makes them look on all foreigners with an evil eye. The czar's The czar now gave frequent balls and entertainments at public enter- Ljg Qwn wulter ancj fummer palaces, and not at prince Men- taunuents. 1 , 1 zikoff's as formerly ; but finding this inconvenient, ordered a large houfe to be built mid*way between them, for a * The value of a ruble is about 4s. lterling. They have befides, forage, quarters, general general Poll-Office, with fpacious rooms above flairs for book iv. public balls and entertainments ; but on grand fedivals, "-- and extraordinary occafions, the entertainments were given at the fenate-houfe ; between which and the fort was a fpacious open place where they played off the fire-works. Upon thefe public meetings, a great many tables were covered for all degrees of perfons ; one for the czar and the grandees ; one for the clergy, one for the officers of the army, one for thofe of the navy ; one for the merchants, fhip-builders, foreign fkippers, 6cc. all in different rooms ; the czarina, and the ladies, had their rooms above dairs j all thefe tables were ferved with cold, meat, and fweet meats, wet and dry, interfperfed with fome diflies of hot meat : thefe entertainments commonly ended with very hard drinking. After dinner, the czar went from one room and table to another, converfing with every fet according to their different profeffions or employments ; efpecially with the maf-ters of foreign trading veffeis, inquiring very particularly into the feveral branches of their trade. At thefe times, I have feen the Dutch fkippers treat him with much familiarity, calling him by no other name but Skipper Peter, with which the czar was highly delighted. In the mean time, he made good ufe of the information he got from them, always marking it down in his pocket-book. The emperor having engaged one Mr. Slitter, a famous Mr. slitter's architect, with a number of good tradefmen in his fervice, mobile*,, he was lodged in the fummer-palace to be near the czar. This gentleman had, at this time, a multiplicity of bufinefs on his hands in building palaces, houfes, academies, manufactories, printing-houfes, &c. and as he had but few hands fo;v i42 M E M O I R S OF book iv. for drawing his plans, I offered him my affiflance in that way, provided he would indrucl me in the rules of architecture, which he gladly accepted of, and I attended him every day. The czar was frequently with him, and feeing my drawings, was fo much pleafed with them, that I was afterwards much employed in drawing his plans, both of civil and military architecture. Mr. Slitter was of a weak fickly conditution, and being much fatigued with continual bufinefs, he fickened and died, when he had been but one year at Peterlburg ; he had fp'ent much time in endeavouring to contrive a perpetuum mobile, the intenfe dudy of which had much impaired his health, and before he died he had brought it the length of being put in motion ; the model of his machine was a circular brafs frame, eighteen inches deep, and two yards diameter, with hollow plates of the fame metal, four inches in length placed round on the in fide, into which a cannon ball was put ; the plates being moved by fprings, forced the ball in a perpetual round ; each of the plates directing feveral wheels which oecafioned many different motions ; but the fprings and wheels frequently breaking, it took up much time in repairing them. Mr. Slitter always locked himfelf up when he was at work upon it, and nobody was fuffered to enter the room except the czar, who was frequently fliut up with him. After his death, his foreman was employed about it, but he alfo foon after fickened and died, and the machine was locked up ; and I never could learn whether any perfon afterwards attempted to bring it to perfection. During my attendance on the architect, I only had twice an opportunity of feeing it. At \ At this time Knez Golitzin, general of our army in Fin- book iv. land, fent an old man to Peteriburgh, aged one hundred and twenty years ; of a healthy conftitution, had all his The oiaVb-fenfes entire, and walked (Irait. The czar took much plea- ' tr* fure in converfmg with him, and offered to keep him at court, where he might end his days in eafe ; but the old man begged his majefty to permit him to return to his native place, faying, he had been ufed to hard labour and fpare diet, and if he fhould now alter his way of living, it would very foon cut him off : if he were allowed to live in his former way, he hoped God would add fome few years more to his days; upon which confideration, the czar, having given him a prefent, fent him home again ; I heard fix years after this that he was ftill alive. There was fo fevere a froft here this winter, that numbers of people loft their nofes, ears, fingers, and toes by it ; it was very common with people in paffing each other to call out to take care of their nofes, for thefe bit by the froft are not fenfîble of it themfelves, when it is eafily perceived by others, on feeing the parts affected white with the froft; the only cure is to rub the part with fnow, till they recover their feeling ; it is dangerous in that condition to enter into a ftove, or warm room, as it is commonly attended with the lofs of the part affected. The river Neve was covered with ice the latter end of September, and was paffable in twenty-four hours, occafioned by large flioals of ice coming down from lake Ladoga ; they were cemented by the froft, and as the ftrong current forces one piece above another, it becomes very thick, and fo rugged a furface, that people were em-5 ployed book iv. ployed in cutting frnooth paths every where acrofs the rivers, ■-from one part of the city to another ; it was the firft of I?I5' May before the river broke up again, when the people were warned by the firing of a gun to get off the ice; then it broke very fuddenly with a great noife, and in two or three hours time there was no more ice to be feen ; fome part of it floats down into the fea, but the much greater part finks to the bottom. Notwithftanding this precaution, great nimabers are drowned here every fpring, the break is fb fudden. Experiment Having been often told, that the bears are buried all win-on the r* uncicr the fnow, and have nothing to live on but fucking their paws; as this appeared to me incredible, I procured a cub, and brought him up till he grew very large : I fixed a m a ft in the ground, with a wheel on the top of it, and put a ring round the maft, with a chain about the bear's neck, placing a large box at the foot of the maft for him to lay in. He uied to climb up the maft, and fit upon the wheel, where he played many tricks which were very diverting; I fed him with bread and oats, but never gave him flefh : fometimes he broke his chain, and found his way to fome fhops where they fold honey, in the neighbourhood of my quarters, where he ufed to fill his belly with honey, as they did not dare to prevent him for fear. Upon the falling of the fnow, in the beginning of winter, he took to his box, where he remained a month without once offering to ftir out, nor had any thing to eat, but fucked his paws ; I laid bread at the door of his hut, but he would not come out to eat it, yet he ate it when thrown in to him. Toward the the fpring, a young hog happening to (troll too near his BOOK iv, cell, he got hold of it and pulled it in ; but all we could do, we could not fave it from him, and after he had once drawn blood and taded flefh, he grew fo fierce that he became unmanageable, attacking every body that came near him, fo that I was obliged to kill him ; his fkin ferved me for a cover to my faddle. It is remarkable, that when he was beaten, he would put his nofe between his fore-paws, from an inftinclive knowledge of his natural weaknefs, for the leaft ftroke on the nofe kills them. The Ruffians kill many thoufands of them every winter Method of for their ftdns, and only eat their paws, which is efteemed klllm£ theff:~ a delicious repaft j they never fhoct them for fear of fpoil-ing the fkin, but as the bears commonly build their hut at the root of a tree, they mark the tree, and when they are buried in the fnow, the fteam of their breath afcending,. makes a hole up through the fnow, by which their den is difcovered j the country people go in a body upon fketzers, to prevent their finking down in the fnow, furround the place, and making a noife, frighten him out of his hut, and as he cannot make his way through the loofe fnow, they are commonly killed by a ftroke on the nofe. U ROOK BOOK V. Defccnt upon Sweden.—Birth of the emperor's grandfon Peter, and death of the princefs his mother. —The birth of Peter Petrozvitz, fon to the emperor.—A carnival;—The czar's double eagle.—The czar's attention tô improve his capital and country.—His military rewards and punifl:ments. —Thirty tall grenadiers for the king of Prujfia.—A horrid murder at Riga.—Contributions on Danlzig.—His j'cheme in taking Weifmar.— Conference with the king of Denmark and arrival at Copenhagen.—The combinedfleets.—The Danes alarmed.—Refufe fubfjlence to the troops. —A conference with the king of Denmark in his capital, with its confluences.—The ftory of lieutenant general Bohn.—Opprcfftve Jchcme of the duke of Mecklenburg.—The diftrefs of his people.—The czarowitz dif- appcars.—The captain rcfufed leave to quit the Ruffian fervice__The czar s return from Paris. —The return of his army to Peterft)urgh.-— Diforders in his abfence redeffed.—Attempt to dtfeover a north paffage to India.—The fatal expedition of prince Beckzvitz.—A new regulation at Peterjbu.rgh, and a filk manufactory at Mofcow. book. v. A S to the operations of this year's campaign, field-± A. marfhal count Zeremetof was fent, in the month of March, with 12,000 men, to ftrengthen the army of the allies in Pomerania, who were to reduce Weifmar, the only place the king of Sweden had now left in Germany. Défont on The czar' as f°on as tne r*ver anc* **ea were clear from Swedes. thc ice, embarked his troops on board the gallies, and went with them to Cronflot, where he joined his fleet, con fift mats of fifty fhips of the line ; he failed from thence to Revel, where he continued to the end of June, and then failed to Gothland, and Rationed the fleet fo as to prevent the Swedes from fending any reinforcements from Stockholm into Pomerania. In the mean time, a body of cavalry were detached tachcd from the army in Finland, round the Bothnie gulf, BOOK v to penetrate the northern provinces of Sweden, which threw —-- that kingdom into great condensation. About the middle I7's' of September, the czar failed from Gothland to the coaft of Sundcrmania, and landed 15,000 men at Jevel, within a few leagues of the Swedifh army, and having laid wade all the country round them, he re-em barked with a great booty and failed to Revel, and from thence to Peterlhurgh, where he arrived the beginning of October. On the 22d of that month, the Imperial princefs, con- Birth of the fort to the czarowitz, was delivered of a fon, who was bap- cniPcro«"'s 1 graadfon, Pe- tifed by the name of Peter, and had the title of grand duke ter, and death r of the prin- conferred on him to the great joy or the czar, but that was cefs his mo. foon interrupted by the death of the princefs who brought him into the world, which happened on the ninth day from her delivery, in the twenty-fird year of her age, having been married four years and fix days, to a hufband utterly unworthy of fo virtuous and every way deferving a princefs. When die was convinced of her end approaching, flie defired to fee the czar, and when he came, fhe took her leave of him in the mod moving language and affecting manner, recommending her two children to his care, and her fervants to his protection -, and having embraced her children, and bedewed them with the tears of maternal affection, die delivered them to the czarowitz, who carried them to his own apartments, but never once returned, or made the lead enquiry after their mother and his amiable confort; indeed, he had never, from the day of their marriage to that of lier death, nor on the prefent moving tender fcene. (hewed the fmalleft conjugal regard or concern for U 2 her, book v. her, fo that fhe may be faid to have been truly unhappy. «5-When her phyficians would have perfuaded her to take ,7'5" fome medicine, ihe faid with emotion, " Do not torment with very large horns ; and behind, was a he-goat by way of lacquey ; behind them followed a number of other fledges, drawn by different kinds of animals, four to each, as rams, goats, deer, bulls, bears, dogs, wolves, fwine, and affes j then came a number of fledges, drawn by fix horfes each, with the company ; the fledges were made long, with a bench in the middle, fluffed with hair and covered with cloth ; twenty perfons in one fledge, fitting behind each other, as on horfeback. The proceflion no fooner began to move, than all the bells of the city began to ring, and ail the drums of the fort, toward which they were advancing, began to beat upon the ramparts ; the different animals were forced to make a noife -, all the company playing upon, or rattling their different inflruments, and altogether made fuch a terrible confufed noife, that it is pad defcription. The czar, with his three companions, prince Menzikof, and the counts Apraxin and Bruce, were clad like Friedand boors<, each with a drum. From church the proceffion returned to the palace, where all the company were entertained till twelve at night, when the fame proceffion went by the light of flambeaux to the bride's houfe, to fee the young married couple fairly bedded. This carnival laded ten days, the company going every day from one houfe to another, at each of which were tables fpread with all forts of cold meat, and with fuch abundance of ftrong liquors every where, that there fcarce was a fober perfon to be found during that time in Peteriburgh. On the tenth day, the czar gave a grand entertainment at the fen a te- fenate-houfe, on the clofe of which, every one of the guefts book v. was prefented with a large glafs with a cover, called the ' Double-Eagle, containing a large bottle of wine, which every body was obliged to drink ; to avoid this I made my efcape, pretending to the officer upon guard, that I was fent on a meffage from the czar, which he believing, let me pafs, and I went to the houfe of a Mr. Kelderman, who* had formerly been one of the czar's tutors, and was ftitl in great favour with him ; Mr. Kelderman followed me very foon, but not before he had drank his double-eagle, and coming into his own houfe, he complained that he was fick with drinking, and fitting down by the table, laid his head on it, and appeared as if fallen afleep ; it being a common cuftom with him, his wife and daughters took no notice of it, till after fome time they obferved him neither to move or breathe, and coming clofe up to him found he was ft iff and dead, which threw the family into great confufion. Knowing the efteem in which he flood with the czar, I went and informed him of the fudden death of Mr. Kelderman. His majefty's concern at the event, brought him immediately to the houfe, where he condoled with the widow for the lofs of her hufband, and ordered an honourable burial for the deceafed at his own expence, and provided an annuity for her life. Thus ended that noify carnival, but it was fome time before the members could fully recover their fenfes. On the 14th of January, 1716, in the fifty-firft year I7l6« of her age, died Martha Apraxin, czarina dowager, the widow of czar Feodor, his majefty's eldeft brother $ fhe was filter to the great admiral Apraxin ; fhe had only lived four book v. I7>6, The czar's attention to improve his capital and country. four weeks in the matrimonial date -, her funeral was by torch-light, and the pomp thereof fuited to her exalted rank ; the corpfe was depofited in the church of the fort-refs, where already lay one prince, two princeflès, the czar's, children, and the imperial princefs. The czar was all this time indefatigable in the improvements of his country, not only in building mips, forts, and houfes, but he provided his new academy with able maf-ters, to teach all the branches of learning neceflary for the education of young gentlemen ; he alfo erected printing-houfes, well fupplied with able tranflators of all languages, who tranflated all the mod valuable books then in Europe into the Ruffian language, his agents abroad buying up the mod valuable books, and whole libraries at auctions j and it was truly furprifing, to fee fuch a grand collection; already in Peteriburgh. Here was alfo an elegant chamber of rarities, containing every thing that was curious in all the different parts of the world, and likewife a fine collection of coins, medals, &c. &c. over which prefided, as keeper, Mr. Shumacker, a very ingenious and learned man, who had formerly been fecretary to Dr. Erikine, his majefty's chief phyfician. The famous globe of Gothorp, mentioned before in the obfervatory, was a prefent from the king of Denmark, and brought to Peteriburgh at a vaft expence. The king of Pruffia prefented the czar with an amber cabinet, reckoned one of the greateft curiofities in Europe of its kind -, there was a curious collection of wild beafts, birds, &c. one of the largeft elephants in all Ada, with all his warlike accoutrements, attended by feveral Indians ; rein-deer, with their fledges, and Laplander attendants ; the Vene- Venetian gondolas, with their gondoliers, &c. &c. all which book v. fhews, that the czar intended, in the courte of time, to make Ruffia worthy the obfervation of every traveller. At Mofcow he erected large manufactories for woollen and linen cloth, as alfo glafs-works fdr making v/mdow-glafs and looking- glafs, under the direction of Englishmen. The Ruffians had formeily only ufed i fin glafs for their windows and coaches ; for at the building of Peterfburgh, they were obliged to take all their glafs from England. Although they fhipped yearly great quantities of hemp to all parts cf Europe, yet they were obliged to bring their fut-cloth and cordage, manufactured abroad, from their own hemp. To remedy this evil, the czar erected manufactories for fail-cloth, and rope-walks at Mofcow, Novogrod, and Peteriburgh ; and that nothing might be wanting for the improvement of his country, fkilful miners were got from Hungary and Saxony, who difcovered metals of all forts, gold, filver, copper, lead, and iron ; which la ft article they were obliged formerly to purchafe from Sweden, but they now fupply other countries with it. It was furprifing to fee fo many great things undertaken and put in execution by one fingle perfon, without the af-fiftance and help of any one $ his own great genius and indefatigable application to things, prefiding over all, and feeing every thing with his own eyes, without tiufting to the reports of others j fo that never monarch was lefs impofed on than himfelf. It is to be obferved, that the natives, from the higheft to the loweft, if they difcover any thing of value in their grounds, let it be of what quality it will, keep it a fecret, left their flaves fhould be employed to work it ; lb all difcoveries of X . that book v. that kind are owing to foreigners : by this means many va-' luable things remain undifcovered,. which otherwife might J 71 6. ° redound to the riches of this nation. In the month of February, colonel S warts arrived here from Cafan; he had been fent thither with a German regiment of twelve hundred men, compofed of the Swedifli prifoners, and now brought intelligence that he had fallen in with a body of fix thoufand Cuban Tartars, who had made an irruption into the kingdom of Cafan, and were returning home with about eight thoufand Ruffian captives whom they were carrying into flavery ; that he had not only relieved the captives, but defeated the Cubans, and made a great number of them prifoners, among whom was the chan's fon, whom he caufed to be hanged up immediately, with feveral of his companions in robbery : for this fervice the czar made him a prefent of an edate of an hundred boors; His military R was an invariable maxim with the czar to reward merit 'uStocntj w^erever ne found it : after a victory by fea or land, cvery-officer was prefented with a gold chain and medal, of a valu© proportioned to his rank, and every foldiera filver one, or a month's pay in lieu of it ; and the officer who had diftin-guifhed himfelf out of the common way had the firif promotion : on the other hand, the foldier or officer who had mifbehaved, was punifhed with great feverity. The czar> took no notice of people on account of their high birth and family, but promoted merit in every dation, even in the meaned plebeian, faying, that high birth was only chance, and if not accompanied with merit ought not to be regarded. Hiflory fcarce affords an example whera fo fo many people of low birth have been raifed to fuch digni- book v, ties as in czar Peter's reign, or where fo many of the highefl " birth and fortune have been levelled to theloweft ranks in life. On the 6th of February, their majefties fet out for Dant-zig, accompanied by the princefs Catherine, fécond daughter of czar Ivan, (or John) and niece to his majefty, and arrived the 29th. On the 19th of April, the princefs was married to Charles Leopold, duke of Mecklenburgh. I was ordered this winter to difcipline thirty grenadiers, Thirty tall intended for a prefent to the king of Pruffia ; they were f£r ^eTing collected from different parts of the czar's dominions, and ot PrulIia' were from fix feet fix, to fix feet nine inches high, without fhoes ; they were taught the Pruffian exercife, armed in their manner, and clad in their uniform and caps : amongft the number, there was one Indian, who had attended the elephant, one Turk, two Perfians, and three Tartars, and it might probably be faid with propriety, that no prince in the world had a guard compofed of fo many different nations as the king of Pruflia, confidering the prefents of men fent him from all parts of Europe. By orders from prince Menzikoff, I fet out on the 25th of March from Peteriburgh, to conduct the thirty grenadiers to Berlin -, and as the roads were ftill good for travelling on the fnow, we wrere furnilhed with horfes and fledges to Riga: we arrived at Narva the 30th, and at Riga the 12th •of April, where I refted three days to refrefli the men. •Here we faw twelve men broke alive upon the whe^l ; their •crime was as follows : A man who kept a tavern, or inn, without one of the a horrid gates of the city, and had alfo a windmill on his ground, rJJJ,*'* X 2 having J56 M E M O I R S O F book v. having detected one of his men-fervants in feveral frauds, ■-turned him away, and retained his wages for fome little 17161 indemnification ; the fellow, at his going away, threatened his mader he would make him repent detaining his wages; whereupon he went and affociated himfelf with eleven more as bad as himfelf. Soon after this they went to the houfe ' in the middle of the night, and meeting one of the maid-fervants going for water, they murdered her, and put her body under the ice ; they then entered the houfe and fta- . bles, and murdered three other women, and five memfer-vants ; at laft, they entered the landlord's apartments, and murdered his wife and three of his children before his face ; the fourth, a boy of five years old, had hid himfelf in the confufion, below a bed unperceived ; they then forced the landlord to open all his chefts and drawers, and carried away what was portable and valuable out of the houfe ; they then tied the landlord neck and heel to the foot of a large table, at which they fat down and regaled themfelves with the bed things the houfe afforded: here they concluded putting hay and draw in all the apartments, and then fet the houfe on fire, that the villain of a landlord, as they called him. might be burnt alive, and which would alfo confume the murdered bodies, and prevent any poffibility of difcovery ; and to make all fure, they brought the fervant maid's body from under the ice, and laid it down by her living mafter : after this well-laid plot, they fet the houfe on fire, and fled with their booty. The little boy, who was hid under the bed, was forced from thence by the fmoke, and the father perceiving the child called to him, and defired him to take a knife out of his pocket, and cut the cord from off his hands, hands, which the child did : the father being thus cleared, took his little fon in his arms, and made his way through the flames, and immediately retired into the covered way of the town, for fear of being difcovered by any of the villains who might be dill lurking near the place. The houfe and outhoufes being all in flames, the governor ordered the gates to be opened, and fent out a party of men to try to lave what they could from the fire ; but before they could get to the place all was burnt to the ground j fo that the plot of thofe villains was fo well laid, that if it had not been owing to the miraculous prefervation of the child and his father, it might have remained a fecrct to this day. The landlord difcovering himfelf to the officer that was at the head of the detachment, intreated that he might be privately carried to the governor, to whom he difcovered the whole of this dreadful fcene, and who gave orders to fecure and examine all perfons who fliould enter the town that morning -s by which caution the villains, apprehending themfelves fecure from every poffibility of difcovery, as all evidence had periflred in the fire, were, on their entering the town, every one taken. The 16th of April I fet out from Riga, and went by Mit-tau and Polangen, and arrived at Memel the 24th, having travelled all the way in waggons ; from hence I went by water to Staken, paffing the haff, or bay of Courland, which is fifteen German miles, and from thence to Konigf-berg, where 1 arrived on the 26th) where I was kindly received, and great care was taken of the men, as they were to be of the king's guards. It being rumoured about the town that thefe men were of feveral different nations, it brought 1 great book v. great crouds of people to fee them. We remained here in ~ free quarters to the 2d of May, when I fet off for Elbing, and arrived at Dantzig the 5th, when I found the city fo crouded, that I could not get my men quartered there, and was obliged to march forward to Clofler of Oliva. There were at this time redding in Dantzig, the czar and czarina, king Auguflus of Poland, and the duke and duchefs of Mecklenburg, with all their numerous retinues; the czar was at prefent gone to Pillau to review forty-five of his gallies, that were arrived there from Peteriburgh, with eight thoufand men on board ; I waited, therefore, upon the czarina, who ordered me to ftay at Oliva till his majefty's return, which happened on the 9th ; and he came next day with the duke of Mecklenburgh to Oliva, where he reviewed the grenadiers, making them go through their exercife, and was very well pleafed with their performance : his majefty then ordered me to proceed to Berlin, by dow marches, for fear of fatiguing the men. Hiscontrl- The Dantzigers did not fee m much pleafed either with Dantzig!11 the czar, or the king of Poland at this time ; who had obliged the city not only to renounce all commerce with the Swedes, but to equip four diips of war to cruife againfl them ; and alfo to pay the czar one hundred thoufand rix-dollars. His majefty fetting out from thence, the 10th, for Mecklenburgh, with all his retinue, was faluted by one hundred and fifty pieces of cannon, to convince him they were in no want of artillery. I fat out with my men the next day, and got to Stolpe the 15th, where I underftood that the czar and the king of Pruflia had held a private conference three days before ; in which they had agreed, as I afterwards wards learnt, not to fuffer the king of Sweden to make any book v. attempt on the dominions of the Dane ; nor to affift the *-- Danes in any attempt againft the Swedes, who were already fufficiently reduced ; having loft all their foreign provinees, and had now nothing left but Sweden itfelf. I cannot here omit mentioning the czar's défions relative Hisfcheme to the town and fort of Weifmar, which lay very conve- WeiWr. nient for the duke of Mecklenburgh, being near to Schwe-rin and Roftock. The czar had promifed the duke to take that place from the Swedes, and put him in poffeffion of it j for this purpofe he affembled an army of twenty-fix thoufand men to befiege it ; but the troops of Denmark, Pruflia, and Hanover, having got poffeffion of it, put each two battalions of their troops in garrifon, without admitting any of the Ruffian troops, which entirely fruffrated that defign, to the no fmall difappointment of the czar. This tranfaclion of the allies he could never digeft, but refented it upon every occafion, as will be afterwards feen in the intended de-fcent on Schonen, and other tranfaôTions. The czar had it always much at heart to get footing in Germany : firft, he offered to aflift the emperor with twenty-five thoufand men, at his own expence, againft France, if he fhould be admitted a member cf the Roman empire; but in this he was difappointed ; fecondiy, by the marriage of his niece with the duke of Mecklenburgh, and promifing him Weifmar; intending thereby to get a fafe harbour for his fhippingin thofe parts. It was afterwards propofed to the duke to exchange Mecklenburgh for an equivalent, which muft have been either Courland or Livonia. But the princes of the empire having grown very jealous of the czar's exorbitant power, fruftrated him in all his views of getting any footing in the empire. Even. iôo M E M Q I R S OF book v. Even the regent of France intcrefted himfelf fo far as to get -the czar's promife to withdraw his forces out of Germany. On the 16th of May, I fet out from Stolpe, and arrived at Berlin the 27th, with all the men, in good health and high fpirils. I was conducted, by an officer upon guard, to the houfe of field marflial count Wartenfleben, to whom I delivered a letter from prince Menzikoff; the field marflial immediately ordered the men into quarters of refrefhment, till the king fhould return from Potfdam, which he did in two days after; and when his majefty reviewed the men, he declared they were the beft fhaped, and handfomefl men of their fizes, he had ever feen ; and was very much pleafed with them. When I had delivered up my charge, I retired ; and the next day the field-maifhal prefented me with a purfe of two hundred ducats : the diftance between Peterfburgh and Berlin is 1210 Ruffian werfts, or 807 Englifh miles. As many of my relations refided in and about Berlin, from whom I had now been abfent ten years, I palTed three months very agreeably among them : they endeavoured to perfuade me to leave the Ruman, and return to the Pruffian fervice, from an opinion that it might eafily be obtained at prefent, as I had j Lift brought his majefty the moft defireable prefent he could receive; and my friends confultcd field marflial Wartenfleben and general Gerodorf about it, who were both of opinion, that it might be eafily accomplifhed at prefent, if I could obtain my difcharge from the Ruflian fervice. While my relations were ufing all their intereft to get this change brought about, an exprefs was brought me from field-marflial count Zeremetof, with orders to join him immediately at Roftock, in Mecklenburg, and to attend him as aid-de-camp to Denmark, Denmark, as he had none at that time that could fpeak the book v. language. Upon which I fet out immediately from Berlin, —* and I arrived at Roftock the 24th of Auguft ; the marflial fet out next day for Warnemunde, where we found our troops embarking. His majefty the czar had held a long conference with Conference the king of Denmark at Ham and Horn, near Hamburgh, oTiDemnari? which lafted from the 28th of May to the 4th of lune; in ^dan?valat 4 Copenhagen. which a defcent upon Schonen was agreed upon and concerted. On the 5th of June, the czar fet out for Pyrmont, to drink the waters; and returned the 30th to Schwerin, the refidence of the duke of Mecklenburgh. The 4th of July, he went to Roftock and Warnemunde, where the forty-five gallies were arrived from Dantzig, with eight thoufand troops on board, with which he then fet fail for Denmark, and was met at Proveftein by his Danifli majefty, who went on board the czar's galley, and they arrived together at Copenhagen the 17th. On the 28th of Auguft, marflial Zeremetoff fet fail from Warnemunde with ten thoufand men, and arrived at Copenhagen the 29th. The marflial going afhore to the houfe fitted up for him in the city, the cuftom-houfe officers came on board to fearch his baggage, but were prevented by the officer then upon guard ; upon which they flopped the fhip from entérina; the harbour, and I was fent to the cuftom-houfe to know why the fhip, with the mardiafs baggage, was hindered from entering into the harbour ? There they told me it was to fearch for merchandize; I replied, it was not cuftomaryfor Ruffian generals to turn merchants, and af-fured them there was no merchandize at all on board the Y fliip ; book v. (hip i and that the mardial would certainly relent fuch in--- jurious treatment : upon this an order was fent to bring the fhip into the harbour, and upon landing the baggage, the cuftom-houfe officers had a watchful eye on every thing that was brought on fhore. The next day, a gentleman was fent from court to the mardial, to apologife for the indecent behaviour of the cuftom-houfe, and to allure him the. officers concerned in that rudenefs were all fined and turned out of their places. Thecombin- At this time admiral Norris, and rear admiral Graves,, ed fHts. jay pcforc Copenhagen with an Englifli and Dutch fqua--dron, to whom the czar now propofed to join the Ruffian, and Danifh fleets, and drive the Swedes into port ; which was agreed to, and the czar to command the combined fleet, with admiral Norris to command the van, the czar the centre, and the Danifh vice-admiral the rear divifions ; and admiral Graves was to convoy the trade of both nations to their refpcclive harbours. The czar accordingly hoifted his imperial flag, and weighed with the fleet ; but palling by Bornholm, they were informed that the Swedifli fleet were gone to Carlfcroon ; upon this the combined fleet feparatcd ; the czar went to Stralfund, embarked his troops that were quartered there, and carried them to Copenhagen. The Danes % tnis augmentation, our army confided of 24,000 akumcd. men, all encamped very near the capital, which roufed the jealoufy and alarmed the fears of the Danes fo much, that they drew their forces together from all parts of Zealand to. Copenhagen ; great part of which were encamped upon the ramparts all round it, and they placed a ftrong guard at every gate, gate, with ftricf, orders not to fuller above one hundred B00K Ruffians to enter the city at once to get water, as there was -none elfewhere to be got. This water was brought from the king's park, a confiderable didance, into the city through pipes : but one hundred men being found infufficient to carry water for fuch an army, they permitted fifty more to enter at a time, one party being ready to enter as foon as the other came out ; but as they were often hindered from fup-plying themfelves by the Danifti foldiers, who thought themfelves entitled to be firft ferved, this occafioned great disorders ; at laft, it came to blows, and feveral were killed and wounded on both fides : the Ruffians finding the guard too partial to their own people, feized, difarmed, and drove them off. After they arrived at the camp, they began to dig for water every where, and happening upon one of the pipes that conveyed the water into the city, they cut it, by which they were afterwards very well [applied : but being ill fupplied with fire-wood for dreffing their victuals, they began to cut down the trees in the park, and had cut down a great number before a ftop could be put to it by their officers ; feveral of the ring-leaders were feverely puuidied for it. The Danes had agreed to ferve us with provifions only for R*fjfc fob* 1 , A'lii- ■ . . fiilc.icc to th the 16,coo men the czar itipulatcd to bring to their aflift- troops, ance, and now refufed fubfiftence for the 8000 brought from Stralfund, alledging they came without their confent or knowledge : fo that from henceforth there was nothing but jealoufy and miftruft on both fides, which, however, ■dfid not interrupt the court diverfions of balls, affemblies, and mafquerades. During the three months the czar was Y 2 at book v. at Copenhagen, he attentively vitited their colleges and aca-" demies, and law every thing that was curious in the place j he went alfo almoft every day out in a boat, founding and furveying the coafts both of Denmark and Sweden fo exactly, that the leaft bank of fand did not efcape his obfervation ; and he laid down the whole in a chart. One day when he was coafting Schonen, to difcover a proper landing-place, on his return he met with a frefh contrary gale of wind, which prevented his reaching Copenhagen with day-light; the czarina fent to the governor to defire the gate might be left open till the czar's arrival, which he promifed to do; and upon my being fent by the marflial to fee if this was complied with, I found it fhut ; and was told by the officer of the guard that the keys were fent to the king. I reported this to the marflial, who went himfelf to the governor, who, after fome frivolous apology, that the keys had been fent by miftake to the king, told him, now that his majefty was at reft, he durft not difturb him. It was one o'clock in the morning before the czar could make the land, and not being able to make the harbour, or get the boat near the fhore, he jumped out up to the neck in water, waded afhore, and walked in his wet clothes all the way up to the gates, which finding fhut, he returned to the fuburbs, went into the lodging of an officer of his own guards, where he fldfted himfelf with the officer's linen and clothes, and refted the remaining part of the night : in the morning he dreffed in the officer's regimentals, and although they were much too fliort for him, yet he walked up the city in them, where he was met by the czarina, the marfhal, and feveral others. Many were the apologies for the miftakes PETER FI E N R Y BRUCE, ESQ^ 16$ miltakes and blunders committed, and both the governor B0OK v-and colonel of the guard were put under arreft ; but the ' czar laughed at it, and interceded for them, faying, they had only done their duty ; and they were accordingly re-leafed. A few days after this the two crowned heads met, and held A. conference * .... with the king a council of war, attended only by their prime miniflers and of Denmark, field-marfbals, thereby to keep the meafures they were tofequence*^" take a profound fecret : it was refolved at this meeting to make a defcent on Schonen without lofs of time. Notwithftanding the method taken to keep this intended expedition a fècret, it was immediately known all over the city, infomuch, that I heard every dep. that was to be taken from a Daniih officer in a public coffee-houfe; When I informed the marinai thereof, he was very much furprifed ; and the czar, with the prime minifter, coming at the time to dine with him, he repeated what I had heard in the town, wherewith the czar feemed very much diifatisiied. The troops, however, were all in motion getting ready to embark, and a demand was made for one month's provision for the army ; to which we were told, there was no occafion for any, as there had been a plentiful harveft at Schonen, where we would meet with every thing we flood in need of ; and befides, as there was an open communication with Copenhagen, we could be fupplied from thence as we had c cafion. The czar not relilhing. this, to!d the king it was now too late in the year to attempt fuch an enterprise, as nothing was provided beforehand, and therefore it o» t to be laid afide till next fpringj but if his majefty MAB refolved to venture on the defcent this k^ont the czar, agree- book v. agreeable to the treaty made at Stralfund, would affift him —-with the fifteen battalions therein ftipulated. The king then defired the afliftance of thirteen more battalions, which the czar refufed, faying, that he had occafion for his troops elfewhere. To this the king returned, that fmce matters flood thus, he defired none of his troops, and wilhed that they might all fpeedily be withdrawn from his dominions, that the tranfports which cod him 40,000 rixdollars a month might be difcharged : accordingly, all our troops embarked on the 19th of September, and we lay near a month wind-bound before Copenhagen, and became fo diflreffed for fire-wood, which was not to be procured at any price, that the czar ordeied ten of his gallies to be cut up for that pur-pofe, and diftributed among the fleet, ^lie floryof While wc were at Copenhagen, a circumftance happened gwerS"111" t0 a lieutenant-general of our fervice, whole name was Bohn. Rohn, which I cannot omit mentioning. He was born on the ifland of Bornhohn, where his father had been a minif-ter i his mother was left a very poor widow, and now hearing that her fon was at Copenhagen, a general in the Ruffian fervice, flie came to fee him, and calling at his lodgings, was told by his fervants that he was not at home : fhe defired the fervants to tell their mafter that fhe was his mother, and was come from Bornholm on purpofe to fee him, and would call again next morning. Upon this information, the general flew into a great pafiion, faying, his mother had been dead many years ago, and that' this muft be fome needy perfon or other, or perhaps, out of her mind ; and ordered his aid-de-camp, if flie called again, to give her ten ducats, and fend her away, that he might not be 9 farther farther troubled with her. The mother calling next morn- book v. ing, the aid-de-camp did as he was directed, and offered her the ten ducats as his mailer's charity ; flie threw them with difdain upon the ground, and faid, with tears in her eyes, flie did not come to beg charity, but to fee her fon ; and fmce he could both deny and defpife his mother, flie would return from whence fhe came, and trouble him no more. This made fo great a noife all over the town, that it came to the czarina's ears : flie fent for the woman, who foon fatisfied the emprefs that flie was the general's mother;. he was fent for, and received a reprimand for his unnatural behaviour, and was ordered to fettle two hundred rubles a year on his mother for her life, which was complied with;. and he was, in the mean time, twitted with general Barn's generous behaviour to his poor relations, who was not aihamed of them, though of a lower degree than his. This reprimand put the general into great confufion, and he was afterwards very much difregarded. We weighed from Copenhagen early in the morning of the j 2th of October, with a frefh breeze at North, and arrived the next day at Warnemunde, in Mecklenburgh ; the whole army difembarked the fame day and encamped. Two days after our departure from Copenhagen, the czar had a grand entertainment from the Danifh monarch, and having taken leave of that court, fat out next day, with the emprefs, in his way to Hamburgh, and having paffed the Belt, and taken a view of Toningen and Frcderickfladt, proceeded for Lubeck and Schwerin. Field-marfhal count Zeremetof was now ordered to march opprefïïve , lcheme oi the with 12,000 men through Pomerania into Poland; and duke of Meek ten * 12,000 bi,rgh.. t . book v. ]2,oco rnen were quartered in Mecklenburgh, under the ■ command of general Weyde, at the duke's own defire, as a means to diftrefs and humble the nobility of his country, who were at law with him at the Imperial court to fup-port their rights. When the marfhal was fent into Poland, with part of the army, I was ordered, on account of the language, to remain with general Weyde as his aid-decamp, at his own requeft : we were quartered at Guftrow, and the army upon the eftates of the nobility, by an order from the duke himfelf, who laid them under moft oppref-five contributions, which utterly ruined them : they had re-courfe to the Imperial court, and the diet ot the empire, for redrefs of their grievances, who did all they could to per-fuade the czar to withdraw bis troops out of Germany ; but the czar was now gone from Schwerin to Havel-berg, where he had a private interview, for two days together, with the king of PruflU, and then went to Hamburg, and from thence to Amfterdam, where he arrived the 6th of December, and waited for the arrival of the emprefs, who, when flie -was preparing to fet out from Wefel, was 37^7. delivered of a prince, the 2d of January, 1717 } but the child died the day it was born, fo that it was the 10th of February before die arrived at Amfterdam ; and their majefties went to the Hague the 9th of March, where they continued till the 4th of April. A report was fpread that the circular troops of the empire were forming an army upon Grander Heyde, near Hamburgh, with an intention to dillodge our troops in Mecklenburgh ; upon which our army took the field, and encamped at Gadebulh, under the command of lieutenant- 8 general «717. general Lacy, major-general Slippenbach, and bregadier-ge- book v. neral Le Fort \ general Weyde was then indifpofed at Guf-trow, and fent me to Grander Hey de to learn what number of troops were encamped there; when I came I could neither fee nor hear of any troops being affembled at that place : I then proceeded to our refident in Hamburgh, to obtain intelligence, but inftead of hearing of any circular troops forming againft us, it was currently reported there, that the Ruffian army were going to make an irruption into the electorate of Hanover ; which falfe report fo much alarmed the Hanoverians, that many of the people of property moved off their effects, to fecure them in Hamburgh, and other places of fafety : all this being occafioned by our forming a camp at Gadebufh, fo that we were alarmed on both fides without the fmalleft foundation. Upon my return to Guf-trow, and reporting what had paft, I was immediately dif-patched to our camp, with orders for our army to break up and return to their quarters. This falfe alarm being over foon fettled people's minds again ; but the poor fubjecf s of Mecklenburgh, were daily more and more harafTed by our troops, at thedefpotic commands of their unrelenting prince, which occafioned many petitions from the ladies cf the nobility and gentry, to the duchefs, to commiferate their deplorable fituation, and intercede for their relief. She really pitied their miferable condition, but could not prevail witli the duke to ftiew them the fmalleft favour ; on which flie determined to fend an exprefs to the czar, to plead in behalf of the diftrelfed people, and to lay before him feveral grievances of her own : but as fhe could fend none of her own, domeftics without the duke's knowlege, flie therefore fent Z Mr. book iv. Mr. Beduzof, then gentleman of her bed-chamber (after--terwards great chancellor of Rudia), to general Weyde, de-firing the general to i'end an exprefs, in his own name, to the czar : upon this the general fent me with Mr. Beftuzof to Schwcrin, to receive the duchefs's commands, and to get into the duchefs's apartment unknown to the duke, who" was of a very fufpicious temper. , We went by a back door through the garden, and on entering the houfe, he was the firft perfon we met, which put us into fome confufion ; we made him a low bow, and pall without his fpeaking a word, or taking any notice of us; but inffead of going directly to the duchefs as we had propofed, Mr. Beduzof conducted me to his own apartments, where I remained till it was dark, when I was introduced to the duchefs who gave me my in-ftructions, with which I returned the fame night to Guf-trow. The general having by this time prepared his dif-patches, I fet out next day on my way to Holland, and arrived at Amfterdam the 8th of May ; but the czar being gone from thence to Paris, I waited upon the czarina, who ordered me to follow his majefty ; and having received her packet, I fet out the next day and got to Paris the 13 th, fix days after his majefty's arrival. The reception and honours paid the czar at Paris are fo well known, that it would be tedious to repeat them ; I fhall only therefore juft mention that it was now the duke of Orleans (regent of France) obtained a promife from him to withdraw his troops from the German dominions. Having received his majefty's difpatches for Amfterdam, on the 3d of June, I fet out and arrived there the 9th ; and receiving her majefty's commands, I fet out thence the 3 next t PETER El E N R Y BRUCE, ESQ. 171 next clay and got to Schwerin the i6tli, where I delivered book v. both their majefly's difpatches into the duchefs's own- bands. The contents of what I brought were fo very ac- Itt* ceptable, that I met with a very gracious reception, and had a handfome prefent made me ; and, to prevent difcovery, I left Schwerin privately in the night time, and fet off for Gudrow. The czar's difpatch to general Weyde, brought him orders to levy no more contributions on the inhabitants of that country. The duke was fo much diffatisfied with this new order, T,h,e. diftrcfB or his people. that he employed his own troops to exact contributions from them, with greater rigour than ever, which reduced bis nobility to the neceiTity of felling their plate and jewels, and at lad their equipages and furniture, and became fo entirely ruined, that they were obliged to fly their country; and their boors for the mod: part, went into the Pruffian territories, where they offered themfelves, with their wives and children, for vaffals or flaves. At the defire of fome of my friends, I engaged a number of thefe poor families for their behoof, and that with the confent of their late owners who told me that they had no farther ufe for them, being reduced to fo low a date that they were left without the means to cultivate and fow their lands for want of cattle and feed ; fo that their mifery and calamity were pad defcription, which made the princes of the empire intereft themfelves earneftly in their behalf, in an application to the czar to withdraw his troops from thence, which was foon after complied with, and the affair at laft ended in the utter ruin of the duke himfelf, for his country was put under Z 2 fecjuef- book v. fequeftration, and he was obliged to live feveral years an -exile at Dantzig. «7'7- When we fet out on our expedition to Den mai k, the czarowits had his fathers's exprefs orders to attend him; he rather chofe to abfent himfelf than obey, and abfconded without the knowlege of any body : meffengers were fent all over Europe in queff of him, and he was at length difcovered at Naples, by captain Romantzof of the guards. The captain acquainted count Tolftoi, our ambaffador at Vienna, with the difcovery, and the count went to him at Naples, and perfuaded and prevailed with him to return to Mofcow, and fubmit himfelf to his father's clemency, affuring him that no prince in Europe would rifque the czar's refentment by protecting him. The captain My friend s at Berlin had by this time procured me a tfSjrit the"6 company in general Gerodorf's regiment of the Pruflian army, fer" if I could procure my difcharge from the Ruflian fervice ; and as I had a company in their artillery under general Bruce, and was aid-de-camp to general Weyde, I applied to them both, and to prince Menzikof for my difcharge, but could by no means obtain it ; fo I was obliged to continue in the Mufcovite fervice, very much againft my in-clination, nor could I think of quitting it without my difcharge, knowing I could not be admitted into the Pruffian fervice without it. The latter end of June, we received orders from the czar to march out of Mecklenburgh, after nine months free quarters, leaving four battalions there for the duke's fervice, at his defire ; and we began to march the firft of July. By thofe thofe and 4000 of his own troops, he thought to prevent the book v. circular troops from entering his territories. Our army were -" • 1717-» no fooner gone, than he got intelligence that a body of Hanoverians were on their march to enter into his territories, upon which he ordered general Schwerin, with his own and the Ruflian troops, to fecure the pafs which was at a mill-dam, by which the Hanoverians were to enter ; there the Duke's forces entrenched themfelves with feveral pieces of cannon. The Hanoverians advancing, endeavoured to force their way, and a very bloody rencontre enfued, in which a number were killed and wounded on both fides, and the Hanoverians obliged to retire : but upon a complaint being made to the czar, that his troops had been the aggreffors, he ordered them to leave Mecklenburgh and join our army ; the duke's troops foon followed and were retained in the czar's fervice, and the duke himfelf retired to Dantzig. On the 13th of July, our army affembled at new Brandenburg, and we marched through Stettin and Landlberg, to Polidi Schwerin, where we arrived the 25th j and as we were now in the dominions of Poland, we reded till the 7th of Auguft, and then marched by Friedland to Tuchol the id of September, where we were to remain till farther orders. The czar left Paris the 2:th of July, and travelled by the The cz?r*é J return irorru way of Soidbns, Charleville, Namur, Huy, and Liege, tak- Paris, ing a minute view of all the fortifications in his way, but more particularly at Namur; where the governor flacvved his majefty a moft refpecfful attention during his ftay ; he arrived at Spa the 28th, where he ft opt to drink the waters,, and went the 2d of Auguft for Amfterdam, in which city the; book v. the czarina had impatiently waited his return. After a --month's ftay at Amfterdam, in which time he had feveral private conferences with baron Gortz, minifter to the duke of Holftein, at Loo, (a palace belonging to the prince of Orange), the czar fet out the 2d of September on his way to Berlin, and arrived there the 1 9th ; and the czarina in three days after, being met at fome didance from the city by the queen of Pruiîia, and the margravine of Branden-burgh, who conducted her into Berlin ; where the duke and duchefs of Mecklenburgh came to pay them a vifit. The return of Their majefties continued here but three days, and then peteriburgh'. to°k tne route for Dantzig, where they arrived the 15th of September, and where general Weyde waited on the czar to receive his commands. His majefty fet out on his journey for Peteifburgh, and we returned to Tuchol the firft of October. Mr. Gruzinfky, a commhTary appointed by the king of Poland, attended us through Poland, till we arrived in the Ruffian territories. We began our march on the 2d of October, by Warfaw, Wilda, (the capital of Lithuania), Riga, and Narva, paffing many rivers in our way, fuch as the Viftula, or Weixel twice, twice over the Weper ; and over the Zaas, Memel, Wilda, Swenta, Dwina, and Narva ; as we were in no hurry, refting in good quarters, four days in every week, and plentifully fupplied with provifions, we fpent feven months moft agreeably on this march, and arrived at Peteriburgh the 1 oth of February ; the di-ftance from Guftrow, our head quarters in Mecklenburgh, to Peteriburgh, is 1,9^9 Ruffian werfts, or 1,306 Englidi miles. The Polifh commiffary, Gruzinfky, was handfomely rewarded, by the czar, for providing fo plentifully for the troops. The czar having arrived at Peterfburgh on the 2 1 ft of book v. October, after an abfence of fixteen months, a multiplicity *---- of affairs of great importance waited his return. Great Diforden ;n charges were exhibited againft thofe who had been entrufted rediefftdU*' with the reins of government in his abfence : in order to examine into the accufation againft the parties concerned he attended the fenate every morning at four o'clock ; but finding it would require much time to judge thofe who were accufed, he erected an extraordinary court of juftice, to enquire into thefe matters. Wolchoniky, the governor of Archangel, and many others being capitally convicted, fuffered death ; many more were knouted and fent into ba-nidi ment. Various attempts had been made by the czar's orders and An attempt directions, with fldps from Archangel, to difcover a north norfifpafTage-paffage to the Eaft Indies ; but that was found impraôtic- toIndlïu able, by reafon of the many large fhoals of ice, like iflands, floating upon thofe feas. Before the czar fet out for Germany, he fent a gentleman who underftood the mathematics, as his envoy, with prefents to feveral of the northern Tartar princes, to difcover if there was a continuation of the fea to China, by the north of Tartary. This gentleman being returned, reported that he met a very friendly reception, and great civility from many of the Tartarian princes, who eicorted him for his fafetyfrom one to another, till he came within the 70th degree of north latitude, to a province called Iakuti, on the river Lena, which empties itfelf into the Frozen Sea at 80 degrees, near an ifland called Tazata, the prince of that country would neither accept his prefents, nor fuffer him to proceed down the river, but book v. but threatened if be did not return from whence he came, he would give orders to cut him and his men to pieces ; this put an end to his farther progrefs and difcoveries, and he was obliged to return. He made a very accurate map of the lèverai Tartar kingdoms through which he palled, with a particular defcription of the countries and the inhabitants, much more than was before known of thofe wild parte! which map, &c. he prefented to the czar. He reported, that they were all vagabond Tartars, living in tents, and drifting their refidence from place to place for pafturage, as all their riches confided in herds of cattle ; but he ob-ferved a fort of houfes, or huts, on the fides of rivers, and fome corn, and in thefe fituations their chams generally redded. But while the northern Tartars remain fo lavage, it will be impodible to make a full dilcovery of thofi parts. The fatal ex- About this time his majefty received a very difagreeable petition of account of the iflue of an attempt that was made on the prince Becke- 1 eaft fide of the Cafpian fea, towards Ufbeck Tartary. The czar having been informed, that great quantities of gold fand came down the river Daria, he fent prince Alexander Beckevvitz, at the head of 3000 men, to land at the mouth of that river, and build a fort there ; and then to proceed farther up the country to difcover the mines from which this gokl fand came ; the prince accordingly built a fort without the fmalleft oppofition, although the Ufbeck Tartars were upon the very fpot ; but, inftead of hindering, they gave him every affiftance in their power, providing the troops with all kinds of provifions, and maintained a moft friendly intercourfe with each other. The fort being finifhed, the prince wanted to pioceed up the river to difcover the mines, which which the Tartars observing, told him, if he propofed to book v. follow the courfe of the river, he would find it unfurmount---* able, by its many turnings and windings ; and if he wanted only to come to the mines, there was a much nearer way by land, which they could march in three days, and that they were ready to conduct them. The prince, trufting to their feeming friendlhip, and having no reafon to fear their inconfiderable number, left a captain with 200 men to garrifon the fort and fecure the fhips j fet out through a defert with his Tartarian guides, and having marched feven days, inftead of three, they were in the utmoft diftrefs for water; and, at length, after abundance of fatigue, they arrived at the mines, but found there, before them, the cham of Ufbeck with 50,000 of his Tartars, wdio now, with every appearance of friendfldp, offered prince Beckewitz all the affiftance in his power ; a fill ring him, fince he underftood that the prince was to erect a fort there, he would give orders to his people to provide materials for the building ; and offered to canton the army in the kibbits, or, tents, with his own men, as they had fuffered fo much on their march through the defert for want of water, and might now be didreffed for provifions, with which he alfo offered to fupply them till they could be other way s provided : the cham all the while entertaining the prince, and all his officers, with fo much feeming friendly familiarity, that they thought themfelves extremely happy. When the prince propofed cantoning the men among the Tartars, all his officers to a man protefted againft it, alledging, the Tartars ought not to be trufted ; for fo long as they kept themfelves together in a body, they had nothing to fear from the Tartars, not- A a withftanding book v. withftanding their numbers j but as foon as they feparated "~ themfelves, they would run the rifque of being every one maflacred. The Tartar cham obferving that they were not inclined to truft him, faid to the prince and his officers, that they had no reafon to miftruft his kind nefs, as it entirely proceeded from his regard to the czar, their mafter, whom he knew to be engaged in great.wars in Europe, which could not be carried on without gold ; and for that reafon, he freely gave them liberty to take as much of it as they pleafed; for his own part, he neither valued gold nor fiber, as it was of no ufe in their country, for they lived without that, or even bread, confequently had no ufe for either y their whole riches confiding in herds of cattle, which, with their tents, they could remove at pleafure -3 and, confequently, could not fear having either caftles, towns, or villages, rifled or taken from them ; for they lived here one day, and elfe-where the next. As to his offer to quarter their men a-mongll his people, it was made wi.th; a kind intention, and to provide for them till the arrival of their own ftores from their fhips, which could not be long, as he had lent a party of his men with camels to haften them forward. The general, at length, by thefe infinuations, againft the ad vice-of all his pfjicers, was prevailed upon to quarter his army amongft the Tartars ; while this was doing, the cham,v>,a3 entertaining the prince, and his piincipal officers, in his own tent, till late in the night, when, in the height of their merriment, a Tartar entered and told the cham, his orders were executed ; on wliich the cham put on a lien countenance, ordered ad the officers to be difarmed s k and and bound, which was inftanlly donc ; he theu told the prince that all his troops were maiïacred, and that fince he had prefumed to enter into his territories, and taken pofTef-fion without his leave, he, and his officers were to be put to death : the officers were that in fiant difpatched before his face, and prince Beckewitz was ordered to kneel down on a piece of red cloth, fpread on the ground for that pur-pofe, to meet his fate j but the prince began to upbraid the cham with his treachery, and allured him, that the czar would refent it in the mod ample manner ; he was immediately cut on the legs with their fcymetars till he fell, and then they inhumanly cut him in pieces. At the fame time; the party that had been fent to the fort for provifions, fur-prifed and maffacred the whole garrifon that was left there, and then deftroyed the fort and burnt the fiiips, leaving not the lead appearance that any thing of that kind had ever been there. This difader occafioned various conjecture and fpeculation all over Ruffia, as not the lead accounts had been received either of the men or (hips, till at lad it was concluded they muff have all perifhed in the Cafpian fea. The whole of this affair was difcovered to the czar by an officer, a German by birth, who had been taken prifoner at the battle of Pultowa, in the Swedidi fervice, and went on this expedition as a captain and aid-de-camp to the general, and was an eye-witnefs to the whole tranfacfion, from firft to laft ; he was preferved in the general maflacrc by his h oft, in order to fell him ; but as he had not been ufed to hard work, he was often fold from one mafter to another, till at laft he fell into the hands of an Armenian merchant, who had a correfpondence with other Armenians A a 2 at book v. at Aftrachan : he difcovered himfelf to tins merchant, who, on having fecurity for the money he coft, gave him his liberty ; by which means we got this information, otherwife it might have remained a fecret for ever. Prince Alexander Beckewitz was the only fon of prince Archilla, of lveria and Mongrelia, who fell in difgrace with the Perfian fovereign for refufing to rcfign his wife to him (mother to this prince), a moft beautiful woman ; this obliged the prince to dy his country, and put himfelf under the protect ion of the czar. He dying foon after, left his only fon, prince Alexander, all the immenfe treafure he had brought with him. This prince married a princefs of the houfe of Galitzin, the greateft beauty in all Ruffia ; this ladv, intending to go to her hufband, was unfortunately drowned in the Wolga, on her way to Aftrachan. A row recru. The czar, finding the abides in the management of his terftur-h1>C" revenue arofe chiedy from the confufed method of his courts, and a filk ma- ne now modelled them on a new plan, formed on his own nufaaory at , , Mofcow. obfervations at Paris. Tue nrft was the fenate ; the fécond for foreign affairs ; the third for finance ; the fourth for juftice ; the fifth for revifion j the fixth for war; the fe-venth for marine ; the eighth for commerce ; the ninth for receipts and expenditure ; and the tenth for arts, fciences, mines, buildings, 6cc. At the fame time, he erected a filk manufactory at Mofcow, having engaged a number of filk-weavers at Paris, and being fufheiently fupplied with raw filk from the province of Gilan, on the fouth coaft of the Cafpian fea, which' is efteemed the heft in Perfia, and is brought acrofs that fea to Aftrachan, from thence up the rivers Wolga and Ocka.to Mofçow. BOOK BOOK VI. Return of the czarowitz to Mofcow, and his exclufion from the fucceffion.— His accomplices.—7 he princefs Mary concerned in it.—The trial of the czarozviiz at Peterfburgu.—Il; s death and character . — The Szvedip field-marfhal Rheinfield's return home. Negotiation at Aland, for peace with Sweden, renewed.—King of Sweden's death.—The death of baron Gortz.—The fifial's information again/i the grandees for mifdemeanours, and their trial.—Prince Gagaren's unaccountable behaviour.—More of the cziirowttz'i confederates.—Death of prince Peter Petrowitz —Prince Peter Alexow'itz made a Jbjcant, taught his exercife, and made enfign. — Negotiations for peace renewed, but fruit lefs—7he czar refolves to command it.—Memorable dtfeent on Sweden.—ihe Britifh feet came too late—The czar di\\ufted with Britain.—The Jefuits banifhed. - 'The czar fieized zvith a fit at Revel.—General IVeyde's tllnefs, and the czar's concern for him.—Affairs of Siveden.—Marfhal IVeyde's death. — /// treatment of his family.—His funeral.—'I he czar reprove* Mcnztkof.— Captain B>uce's ineffetl"al attempt to quit the Ruffian fir-vice.—The new king of Szveden notifies his aceefion.—A fécond invafion.— The Swedes attack cur feet zvith bfs.— t he czar receives the auke of tiolftein into his protection.— ourt martial cn lieutenant colonel Graves. — J curious law-fuit between two brothers at Revel.—Frefh preparations againft Sweden—Vropofds on their part for a ceffation oj hoftilities, reje'tied.-~-A third defcent on Sweden, which cbliged them to fign the pieliminaries, and coni lu de ihe peace—the fleet and army in a form, and a child re-matkcMy preferved Ihe fleet arrive at Petcrjbur^h. — ihe czar honoured by his fenate with the title of Peter the Great, csY. -A wife reformation in the bufimfs of the law.—The captain again refufed leave to quit.—Triumphal entry into Mojcow.—A proclamation and oath regarding the fiaceJf:on. I S m a jelly fet out for Mofcow on the 3d of Fe- book vi. binary, having received intelligence that count Toi--- fioi was on his way tnither from Naples, with the czarowitz, Retu7nof'the where they arrived the 11 th, A grand council was held at "ISoiS^ 6 Moicow. M ,E M O I R S O F I7i7« and his cx-clufion from the iuccef-fion. His accomplices. tîook vi. Mofcow on this occafion, confuting of the great men of the empire; the czar being determined to exert, in a mod folcmn manner, his juftice on the prince for his difobedi-ence. The council being met, the czarowitz was brought into the hall as a prifoncr before mem • at his entering he prefented a writing to his majefty, containing a confefiion of his crime. The czar demanded of him what was his defire : the prince implored his mercy and begged he would fave his life ; his majefty granted his requeft, on condition he made a full difcovery of all his accomplices, and renounce all his claim and title to the fucceffion, under his hand ; upon this the prince ligned an infiniment letting forth that, finding himfelf not qualified for government, he difclaimcd all right of fucceffion to the crown ; and afterwards confirmed it upon oath, acknowleging his brother Peter, lawful heir to the crown. This being done, all the miniilers and great men prefent, took the oaths, excluding prince Alexis from the crown, and acknowleging prince Peter to be the undoubted fucceifor to it, engaging to ftand by him with their lives, againft all that fhould dare oppofe him ; and that they never would, under any pretence whatever, adhere to prince Alexis, or afiift him in the recovery of the faid fuccclîion. The fame oath was afterwards adminiftered to the army and navy at home and abroad, and to every fubjecT. of the Ruffian empire. Nevertheless the prince was ftill kept under confinement, and nobody admitted to him, except count Tolftoi, and fuch others as were appointed by the czar. This being over, the prince's accomplices were fecured -, in which number were his mother, formerly czarina, now abbefs of the monaftery of Sufdale, and her gallant, the boyar Glebof, Glebof, who not only had lived a lewd life with the mother, book vr. but was a principal a$erit in the confpiracy, between her- and her fon, the czarowitz ; the letters they had written to c^ch other were, puolilhed, and were both treafbnable and fcandalous. Next the boyar Abraham Lupochin, brother to the late czarina, and uncle to the prince ; Alexander Kikin, firft commifîioner of the admiralty, formerly a very great favourite w i:h the czar ; the bilhop of Roftcf, and Pu iinci the late czarina's confeflbr and treafurer, were all tried and fentenccd. Glebof was impaled alive, and the other ft ur weie broke alive on the wheel. A high fquare .wall wis > uilt before the Cadle gate for that purpofe : the impaled corpfe of Glebof was placed in the middle, and the hea is of the other four," were each on a long pole, fet up at the correis. Several others differed death at the fame time, among whom fifty prieds and monks, late companions to the czarowitz, who had led him into all manner of debauchery, were all beheaded on one block, which was a tree provided for the purpole of holding them all at once. In this confpiracy, the princefs Mary, half-lifter to the The princefs czar, was alfo concerned; (he was afterwards confined in a cernedl^kt monaftery near,to lake. Ladoga ; and the late czarina Otta-keia Lupochin, was confined in the fortrefs of Slutelburgh, upon an ifland in that lake. All the czarowitz's domedics, and his mid 1 els Euphrofina, were taken up ; as was alfo prince Watilia Dolgoru^fi lieutenant general and colonel of the guards, knight of the order of the elephant, and dirt v tor- ;e:v.ral lor enquiring into the mifmanagements of the czai's revenues; in which poft he had behaved with the utruoft lnloleme to prince Menzikof, admiral Apraxin, and book vl, and'feveral others. He was^baniihcd to Cafan for life : the --Siberian czarowitz, and the fendtors Woinof, Worof, and lV7' John Kikin, brother to Alexander Kikin, were alfo banidi-ed ; : but the fcnalors count Peter- Apraxiiv brother to the admiral, and count Samarin were acquitted. One of the czar's pages and feveral- nuns differed fevere corporal punilhmcnt, and were, with moft of the czarowitz's domeftics, fent into banifhment; but Euphrofina making it appear that it was ■by her perfuafion the prince returned, and that after her firft lying in, having conformed with the Ruffian faith, flic was actually married to the prince, when they were on their journey, by a Grecian pried:, who was feized at Leipzig and brought prifoner to Mofcow ; fhe was not only fet at liberty, but had feveral of the czarowitz's jewels reftored to her, and a handfome fortune appointed for her fupport, out of the treafury. She could never be prevailed upon to marry : Ihe was but of mean extraction and a captive of Finland. When this grand inquifition at Mofcow was finilhed, his majefty fet out from thence, and arrived at Peteriburgh the 4th of April, and the czarowitz, arriving two days after, was confined in the fortrefs. The czar was no fooner come to Peteriburgh than he went to the dock, and ordered the ' men of war that were ready, to be launched, and to get his fleet equipped with all expedition, to endeavour to prevent Britain and Holland from compelling the king of Sweden to a feparate peace with the former. About the latter end of May the firft conference was held at Aland, whither it was transferred from Abo at the defire of baron Gortz, as it was much nearer Stockholm, and therefore more convenient for the difpatch of bufinefs. The pie ni- plenipotentiaries from the czar, at this congrefs, were count cook vi. Bruce, grand-mafter of the ordnance, and baron Ofterman, " * a privy-counfellor ; and from the king of Sweden, baron Gortz and count Gullenburg. None of the foreign miniders were admitted to thefe conferences but baron Mardefelt, envoy from the king of Pruflia. From the numerous executions and punifhments after ^. L 1 he czaro- the inquifition at Mofcow, every body believed that bufmefs witz'straiat at an end ; but from the frelh difcoveries made every day, it appeared, the prince had not been genuine in his confeflion of all his confederates in the confpiracy ; and the accomplices appealing fo numerous, and the plot fo deep laid, the czar found it abfolutdy neceffary to bring the prince to a formal trial. For this purpofe he fummoned all the nobility and clergy, the principal officers of the army and navy, the governors of provinces, and many others of dif-fejent ranks and degrees, to attend at the fenate-houfe, to examine and try the faid prince. The trial was begun the 2jth of June (the particulars of which have been fo fully related by others, that I thought a repetition of it needlefs), and continued to the 6th of July, when this fupreme court, with unanimous confent, paffed fentence of death upon the prince, but left the manner of it to his majefty's determination : the prince was brought before the court, his fentence Was read to him, and he was rc-conveyed to his prifon in the fortrefs. On the next day, his majefty, attended by all the fenators His death and bidrops, with feveral others of high rank, went to the J"*charac" fort, and entered the apartments where the czarowitz was kept prifoner. Some little time thereafter marflial Weyde B b came book vi. came out, and ordered me to go to Mr. Bear's the drugging. whofc fhop was hard by, and tell him to make the potion ftrong which he had befpoke, as the prince was then very ill : when I delivered this meflage to Mr. Bear, he turned quite pale, and fell a diaking and trembling, and appeared in the utmoff confufion, which furprifed me fo much, that I afked him what was the matter with him, but he was unable to return me any anfwer ; in the mean time the marfhal himfelf came in, much in the fame condition with the druggiff, faying, he ought to have been more expeditious, as the prince was very ill of an apoplectic fit ; upon this the druggiff delivered him a iilver cup with a cover, which the marflial himfelf carried into the prince's apartments, daggering all the way as he went, like one drunk. About half an hour after, the czar with all his attendants withdrew with very difmal countenances, and when they went, the marfhal ordered me to attend at the prince's apartment, and in cafe of any alteration, to inform him immediately thereof : there were at that time two phyficians and two furgeons in waiting, with whom, and the officer on guard, I dined on what had been dreffed for the prince's dinner. The phyficians were called in immediately after to attend' the prince, who was ftruggling out of one convulfion into another, and, after great agonies, expired at five o'clock in the afternoon. I went directly to inform the marfhal, and' he went that moment to acquaint his majefly, who ordered the corpfe to be imbcwelled -, after which it was laid in a coffin, covered with black velvet, and a pall of rich gold tif-fue fpread over it ; it was then carried out of the fort, to the church of the Holy Trinity, where the corpfe lay in date ftate till the 11 th in the evening, when it was carried back Book vi. to the fort, and depofited in the royal burying-vault, next 1718. the coffin of the princefs his late confort; on which occafion, the czar and czarina, and the chief of the nobility, followed in procelfion. Various were the reports that were fpread concerning his death : it was given out publicly, that on hearing his fentence of death pronounced, the dread thereof threw him into an apoplectic fit, of which he died; very few believed he died a natural death, but it was dangerous for people to fpeak as they thought. The miniders of the emperor, and the dates of Holland, were forbid the court for fpeaking their minds too freely on this occafion, and upon complaint againft them were both recalled. Thus died prince Alexis, undoubted heir to that great monarchy ; little regretted by people of rank, as he always fhunned their acquaintance and company. It was faid, the czar had taken uncommon pains in the education of this prince, but all in vain ; indolent and dovenly by nature, he kept the loweft of company, with whom he indulged himfelf in all manner of vice and debauchery. His father, to put a. flop to this, fent him abroad to fee foreign courts, thinking thereby to reclaim him, but all to no purpofe ; on which he ordered him to attend him in all his expeditions, thereby to have a watchful eye over him himfelf ; but the prince evaded this, by continually pretending to be fick, which might probably be the cafe, as he was moft part of his time drunk. The czar, at laft, thought to reclaim him by marrying huar to fome foreign princefs ; what effect that had has been al* ready mentioned. After the death of his amiable princefs, his majefty ordered him to attend him in his expedition to B b 2 Ger- book vr, Germany ; and being on his journey, under pretence of go- -— ing to join him in Mecklenburg, he fled privately, and fought ,7,s' the protection of his brother-in-law, the emperor of Germany, whom he endeavoured to engage in a war againft his father. It was made appear on his trial, that he threatened whenever he came to the throne, to overturn all his father had done, declaring, that he then would be revenged on prince Menzikof, and his fifter-in-law, by impaling them alive, as alfo the great chancellor count Golofkin, and his fon, for perfuading him to marry the princefs Wolfenbuttel ; that he would fend all his father's favourites into banidiment, and expel all foreigners out of the country ; that he would re-leafe his mother out of confinement, and put dame Catherine, and her children, in her place ; after this, he would form his court of people who had the ancient manners and cuftoms of Ruflia moft at heart, for he hated all innovations. Nothing could have touched the czar more fenfibly than threatening to overthrow all he had been doing for fo many years for the welfare and glory of his country, with fo much danger, toil, and labour, without ever fparing his own perfon ; which made him fay, with great emotion, that he would rather give his dominions to a worthy ftranger, than be fucceeded by fo worthkfs a fon : at the time of this expreflion, he had no other fon but the czarowitz, which fhewed plainly, he had the good of his country more at heart than the fucceffion in his own family. The SwetWh Count Reinfhield, the Swedifh field-marfhal, who had mriu^id'? been a prifoner at Cafan fince the battle of Pultowa, arrived Mm home. at peter{burgh with twenty officers, to be exchanged for the 6 two two Ruffian generals, knez Trubetzkoi and count Gollowin, book vr. who had both been prifoners at Stockholm fince the battle —— of Narva. Count Reinfhield was very graciouily received by the czar, who recommended him to the particular care of field-marfhal Weyde ; he was daily invited by one grandee or other, where the czar always made one of the party ; and on thefe occafions converted very familiarly with the count, telling him, one day, that he defired nothing fo much as to be perfonally acquainted with his brother king Charles, which he hoped would foon happen by concluding a lading, peace to both their fatisfactions ; and that he hoped to have a perfonal interview with him, where matters might be concerted between themfelves without many witneffes. Count Reinfhield being detained much longer than he expected, was afraid that the king, his mader, would not confent to the exchange, which made him fo uneafy, that he complained thereof to our marfhal -, who adured him, that if the king of Sweden fliould refufe the exchange, he fhould not be detained, for the czar would let him go on his parole; but,, in a few days after, I was fent at midnight with the agreeable news that he was to fail in the morning for Stockholm, as a yacht lay ready to take him and his officers on board. When I came the marfhal was afleep, but I communicated the good news to his officers, who received it with fo much joy, that, by their noife, they awaked the count ; and, on his enquiring what the matter was, I ftepped up to his bed-fide and delivered my meffage, which fo agreeably furprifed him, that he got up and embraced me, faying, If ever 1 went to Sweden he would make me a fuitable return for the g'ood news I brought him, as he bad nothing then to reward; 1718. book vi. ward me with, according to his with. I ftaid with him till day-light, and then went on board the yacht with him. About eleven o'clock the czar, attended by marfhal Weyde, came on board to take his leave of the count, and prefented him with a fVvord from his own fide, which was enriched with diamonds, wifhing him a good voyage to Stockholm. Negotiation Baron Gortz being returned from the king of Sweden with .peaceUvth°r his final refolution, the conference at Aland, between our Sweden re. minifters and thofe of Sweden, were continued. The czar ■ flowed. fet out from Cronflot with his fleet, in the month of Auguft, for Revel, and from thence he went to Abo to be near the place of conference ; where it was agreed, that the czar fhould give up Finland, and part of Carelia, to the king of Sweden j and he fhould have in lieu thereof Wyburgh, part of Carelia, all Ingria, Edhonia, and Livonia î and the czar was befides to aflift the Swedes to recover Swedifli Pomerania, and Bremen and Verden ; and to reindate the duke of Holftein in his dukedom, as alfo to perfuade the duke of Mecklenburgh to refign his dukedom to Sweden for ever ; for which he was to have an equivalent elfewhere (fuppofed to be Courland) ; and to replace Staniflaus on the throne of Poland, according to the agreement made with king Auguf-tus at Alt Randadt j and if (3reat Britain interfered in retaking Bremen and Verden, that they would, with their joint fleets and forces, make a defcent on Britain with the pretender, and place him on the throne. Upon this, it was agreed, that baron Gortz fhould once more return to the king of Sweden with thefe propofals : for wdiich purpofe he fet off the end of September, in full expectation of prevailing with the king to come into them. In Ih the mean time, nothing was done to difturb the king of book vi. Sweden in his expedition againft Norway, as the czar re- ' turned with his fleet to Cronflot, and arrived at Peteriburgh the 15th of September, where he found the czarina delivered of a princefs, whom he named Natalia. His majefty ordered the fleet to be laid up at Cronflot, fo that every body confidered the peace with Sweden at no great diftance : thefe hopes, however, were foon blafted by the death of the king k;ngofswc* of Sweden, which happened in the night between the 29th den'sdeath-and 30th of November, being fhot through the head before Frederick dial in Norway, and it was generally believed to have been done by one of his own people. Field marfhal Reinfhield being then in the trenches, and going to wait on the king, found him kneeling on the banquet, with his head on the parapet inclining to one fide ; the marfhal thinking he was afleep, endeavoured to waken him, but found him cold and dead. Baron Gortz was arrefted in his way to Frederickfhal to The death o£ Wait on the king, and foon after beheaded, and his corpfe baro" Gort*— buried under the gallows ; feveral perfons- in the confidence' of Gortz, were arrefted, and an ofticer was dilpatched to Aland to feize on fecretary Stamble and all his papers, by whom we were apprifed of the king of Sweden's death, and that his fiftcr, the princefs Ulrica, had been proclaimed queen. Secretary Stamble went to Peteriburgh, where he remained under the czar's protection, and afterwards engaged himfelf in the Ruffian fervice. This fudden change overturned all advances towards peace, which then, to all appearance, only waited for figning. The, book vi. The fifcal-general, on the czar's return, gave information ' againft feveral great men in the adminiftration, for oppreif- ThefifciVs iug the fubje:ts and defrauding his majefty of confiderable JjJJHSf fums uf * The GZar eftabliftied a tribunal to gr.md«a for enqu'ire into thofe matters ; and appointed marflial Wevde mildemean- ' J ors, and their prefident of this court, faying, he was the only man he had never found faulty in any one thing, and joined with him as afiiftams, the lieutenant-generals Butterlin and Slippenbach, major-generals Galitzen and Jagufinfky, and the brigadier generals Wolkof and Mamonof. This tribunal was to examine into the mifmanagement of fuch perfons as the fifcal-general fliould lay before them, and to pronounce fentence on thofe who fliould be found guilty, as the nature of their crime deferved, without refpecf of perfons. The firft that was cited before this court was prince Menzikoff, who pleaded guilty to the charge laid againft him, and having fubmitted to the fentence of the court, delivered up his fword, and went to his own houle to remain in confinement till his majefty's pleafure was known \ the next were the great admiral Apraxin, and his brother, a fenator and governor of Aftracan, and director-general of the fait-works : being all three found guilty, they received fentence to be dif-miffed from their employments, and their eftates to be con-fifcated to his majefty's ufe, and themfelves to be fent into baniftiment : they were accordingly degraded, and their trials publifhed in print. Prince Dolgoruky, paymafter-general, was next called upon, but he pleaded his own caufe fo well, that he was acquitted. Several others were tried and found guilty, and when every body expected their fentence would have been put in execution, the czar, in remembrance of their their former merits and faithful fervices, reftored them again book vi. to his favour, alter their paying great fums into the treafury. —-- Prince Gagarin, governor of Siberia, was next impeached PrîrîJIbaga-by the fifcal general, on a charge for having, by parties ail(l was IT)ade a ferjeant in the guards, and matters were appointed to inftrucl him in all manner of fciences. I was ordered to attend him two hours in every day, to teach him the military exercife, gunnery, and fortification : a corporal with twenty-four men and a drum, mounted as his daily guard ; the duke exerciled thofe men every morning himfelf, with his halbert in his hand, and took great delight in it; after the excercife, he always fired three brafs cannon, of one pound (hot, which -were pkred before his door for his diverfion. The czar came frequently to fee him perform his exercifes, and was vaftly pleafed with his fprightlinefs and attention ; and feeing fome- draughts and models of fortification laying on thé table, he afked the young prince the ufe and advantage of each particular work, to which he gave his anfwers fo readily, and with fo much judgement, confidering his years, that his grandfather was fo well pleafed, that he embraced him moft heartily, and made him a prefent of his picture richly fet with diamonds, and gave him an enfign's commidion in the firft regiment of 4 guards ; guards: and finding he had a genius far above his age, he book vi. ordered feveral artifts, as flip builders, architects, &c to-" wait upon him, and fhew him their draughts, and explain them to him; It was very remarkable that he would not amufe himfelf with any kind of children's play, for when his filter, the great-duchefs, propofed ro amufe him with play, he. told her that it became one of her fex better than him, for he ought to employ his time in improving himlelf as became a prince. This fort of behaviour made him be admired by every body, and filled their minds with great expectations from him, as he was then the apparent heir to the crown of RufTia. The queen of Sweden at laft named baron Lilienfted, to Negotiations fupply the place of the late baron Gor% at the congrefs of Î^Y'but" Aland ; where he arrived in the month of June : but the death iruit1^. of the king of Sweden, whofc ambition had given great umbrage to all,bis neighbours, had now wholly changed the difppfitions of the princes of Europe towards that kingdom. The king of Great Britain fent lord Carteret, his ambaffador, to Sweden, to conclude a treaty and an alliance with that crown ; by which it was agreed that Bremen and Verden fhould remain with the king of Great Britain, for a million of crowns, and in cafe the war with Ruffia continued,Great Britain ftiould p&y Sweden three hundred thoufand crowns a year, and act with her forces againft the czar. A fhort time after this the Swedes made peace with the king of Pruffia, on terms fome what fimilar, for ceding to his majefty Stetin, and its diftricts ; and at the fame time the king of Poland had concluded a treaty with the emperor and his Britannic majefty. ' The book Vi. The czar, now finding himfelf forfaken by all his allies, ——*-' was refolved to make a defcent on Sweden, thereby to force The czar re- them to a peace, ordered all his gallies and (hips of war to mind it°C°m De &ot rcady> anc* ertibarked on board his fleet 40,000 men, under the command of Apraxin, his great admiral j with orders to wafle and deftroy the coads of Sweden. The ad-MerhoraMe Hiiral held a council of war at the ifland of Capel, and fhaped defcent on njs courfe for the Dalder Ifles, where he took feveral pri- Sweden. m t 1 foners of note j he then went and ruined the chief copper-mines, and burnt the woods, and feveral noblemen's houfes thereabouts ; from thence he went to South Telle, where he landed fifty coflacks on horfeback, who advanced within a league of Stockholm, defeated an out-guard, and brought off a major and eight men prifoners. The 19th of July, the fleet arrived at Landfort, having taken on their paffage two /hips laden with corn, bound to Stockholm ; the gallies, in the mean while, were divided into three fquadrons, one landed between north and fouth Talle, another on the coaft of Geefle, and the third at Nikoping ; feveral detachments of dragoons and Coflacks were landed at Sandmar, who burnt and deftroyed all the country near to Stockholm. Our fleet, at the fame time, arrived at the mouth of the river of Stockholm, where they took five barks laden with provifions ; from thence they proceeded to the northward, where a number of towns and villages were deftroyed, efpe-cially thofe near which the moft confiderable iron-mines of the kingdom lay ; the deftmcf ion of which was an irreparable lofs to Sweden, In fhort, the landing the Ruflian troops in fo many different places of that kingdom, made it impuflible for the Swedifli army to prevent it : no fooner had had they deftroyed one place of the country, than they îm- book vi. mediately removed to another. According to the report of..... the damages fuftained by thefe defcents on the coats of Sweden, they confided in the deftruction of eight towns, eleven palaces, one hundred and thirty noblemen and gentlemen's houfes, one thoufand three hundred and fixty-one villages, forty-three mills, twenty-fix magazines, two copper-mines, fourteen iron-mines, befides all their corn and cattle ; and all the inhabitants they met with, old and young, of both fexes, were taken and carried off in tranfports over to Finland, to the amount of fixty thoufand and upwards, where they were detained till the conclufion of the peace. The Swedes, relying too much on the promifed fuccours from their allies, would not come into the meafures that had been agreed on between the czar and their late fovereign ; the czar, therefore, now infilled on keeping all Carelia and Keckfholm, over and above what he formerly demanded of Sweden : but thefe propofitions were rejected with fcorn, the congrefs of Aland broke up, and the miniffers retired. The Englifh fleet, under admiral Norris, came before The Ermfa Stockholm the 21ft of Auguft, eight days after our fleet iatc.C'ime °° were retired into their different harbours. Soon after Mr. Berkeley arrived at Aland, with letters from lord Carteret and admiral fir John Norris, for his majefty, denting a pafs from count Bruce to Peteriburgh j but the count being informed of the contents, refufed to fend the letters to the czar, nor would he give Mr. Berkeley a paffport to Petersburg, but fent him back with an anfwer to lord Carteret.,, wherein he told him, that he found the contents of the letters they had fent to his majefty fo Angular, and fo little con^ 2CO M E M O I R S O F book vi. confident with the ties of alliance and friendihip, that dill fubilfled between his czarifli majedy and his Britannic ma- 1715. jefly, that he could not prevail on himfelf to do what was defired of him, until he firft received orders from the czar, his mailer ; befides, he was perfuaded, his Britannic majelly would not fail to acquaint the czar with his thoughts or pretentions on a matter of fo great importance, either by letter to himfelf, or by his minillcr at Peterburgh ; and therefore there was no occafion to ufe fuch extraordinary ways Thcc7.nr and means. Upon this anfwcr, the fieurs Jefferies and BmainC.dWIth Weber, the Britifh and Hanoverian miniders, received orders to leave the court of Peteriburgh, as did all Britifh fub-jcets to quit the Ruffian fervice j on which the czar caufed all the Englifh merchants in his dominions to be put under arreft, threatening, if the Britifh nation made war upon him, he would confifcate all their effects, which amounted to above fifty millions of rubles. The TcfuUs At this time the Jefuits, thofe pelfs of fociety, who had got footing in Ruflia, through the recommendation of the emperor, were now banifhed for intermedling too much with date-affairs, and ordered to quit the Ruffian dominions within four days after having notice given them ; as the world was fufficiently apprifed of their dangerous machinations, in troubling the political affairs of every country they are received into. The padres were now in great hurry and confufion, being obliged to fet out immediately, leaving their rich chapel to the Capuchins, who were the only order of the Romifh profeflion that were differed to remain in Ruffia j and they were tolerated for the fake of the Roman Catholics, who were numerous in the Ruffian army. It It came out on the late trial of prince Menzikof, that Mr. book vi. Wefaloffky, his late fecretary, had been principally concern- ' ' ed with the two Solowiofs, the prince's agents, in carrying on an illicit trade to the great detriment of the nation ; the two Solowiofs fuffered for their crime, and as Wefaloffky was then envoy at the Britifh court, he had orders to return home, and Mr. Beduzof was appointed to fucceed hi m at that court: but as Wefaloffki dreaded, not without reafon, to be brought to an account For malpractices, thought proper, inflcad of returning, to write a letier to the emperc r, in which he acknowledged his guilt, and that, to avoid his majedy's jufl refentment, he had changed his name, and was refolved to return no more to Ruffia, but to fpend the remainder of his days in fome remote and free part of the globe where he Ihould never be heard of more. It was, however, generally believed, that he married and fettled in England, and was afterwards naturalized there. Mr. Bef-tuzof had not long fucceeded him, before he difobliged the court of London by a memorial, wherein he reflected on the miniftry, for which he was ordered to depart the kingdom. When his majefty went to furvey the fortifications of Re- The czar vel, in the month of September, 1 had orders to attend him : fcjfj^* he propofed to make that one of the ftrongeft places in Europe, and alfo for the equipment of his fleet. One day when he was furveying the fortifications, and giving orders about the additional works he thought neceffary to be made, he was feized with a violent fit of the colic, which threatened his life, but the vigour of his conftitution got the better of it. He foon after returned to Peteriburgh, where he made E> d gieat book vi. great preparations for the enfuing campaign : by his orders ~~"— j remained fix weeks after he was gone, to draw the plans, 1719, , 1 and give the neceffary directions for erecting the out-works. Notwithftanding the perpetual hurry of bufinefs his majefty was continually employed in, he did not neglect to folace himfelf every evening, when the fatigues of the day were over, with fome diverfion or other, efpecially affemblies, which were held every evening at the houfes of people of rank, who held them by turns, at which meetings he converfed very familiarly with all ranks and degrees of people, which made thofe aflernblies very much frequented. General < At my return to Peteriburgh marflial Weyde was juft ar- Wcyde's il 1— nefs, and the rived from Olonitz, where he had been drinking the mineral cem forcira, waters for his health, which, inftead of being of fervice, had made him a great deal worfc. His majefty interefted himfelf fo much in the marihal's recovery, that he went in perfon every day to fee him, and gave ftrict charge to the phyficians never to leave him, but to ufe their utmoft ikili for his prefervation -, declaring, that if he died, he fhould lofe the beft general and the moft faithful fervant he had in his whole empire -, and now by much care and attention, the general recovered his health pretty well again. The czar had made marflial Weyde a prefent fome years ago of an eftate in Livonia, of the value of twelve thoufand rubles a year, by charter to him and his heirs whatfoever; he had only two daughters, the eldeft was married to major-general Le Fort, nephew to the grand Le Fort, the czar's peculiar favourite j and die, dying foon after, left only one daughter. The youngeft, and then only daughter, being alked m marriage by Mr. Weber, the Hanoverian m'mifter, was was refufect, on account of his belonging to a foreign court ; book vr. befides, his majefty did not approve of the match. Then "- Mr. Romanzof, adjutant-general to the czar, made his ad-dreffcs, but that was not agreeable to the lady herfelf, as he was a Ruffian and of a different religion. The marinai, apprehending .the czar would infift on that marriage, betrothed her, againft her inclination, to lieutenant-general Bohn, a man die could neither love nor efteem, being of an age more like a father than a hufband ; the grief thereof threw the young lady into a lingering indifpofition. The czar being now informed, that the queen of Swe- Affairs df den had refigned the crown to her confort, the hereditary Svvcden< prince of Hcffe Caffel, and that the regent of France had paid Sweden fix hundred thoufan 1 crowns of arrears, with affurance, that the fubfidies fhould be regularly paid in future ; befides one million of crowns they got from Britain for Bremen and Verden, and the ftipulated fubfidy of three hundred thoufand, while the war lafted with Ruffia ; all this made the Swedes take frefh courage, and they gave the czar to underftand he was not to expect peace, unlets he ga^e up all the provinces he had conquered from them fince the commencement of the war. On the other hand, the czar finding his enemy thus largely fupplied with money, fup-ported by an Englifli fleet, favoured by the kings of Pruffia and Denmark, and on the point of concluding a peace with Poland, while he himfelf was deferted by every ally, fent a numerous army into Finland, and endeavoured to make himfelf mafter of the Bothnick gulf by a large fleet. Early in the fpring 1720, admiral Norris arrived in the 1720. Sound with a Britifh fquadron ; and failing from thence, he D d 2 joined book vi. joined the Swedifli fleet before Stockholm ; and the 5th of " March, the palatine of Maflbvia arrived at Peteriburgh as ,720, .... ambaffador from Poland, inviting the czar to enter into a peace with Sweden, jointly with Poland ; but the czar had already formed his refolutions to force Sweden to a feparate peace, and to convince the world, notwithftanding the powerful afliftance afforded his enemy, while he flood by himfelf alone, he had it dill in his power to command his own terms with the Swedes. Marthai Marfhal Weyde now loft his only daughter, who died the S?/3 day me was t0 nave keen married to general Bohn, of a broken heart, at being obliged to marry fo much againft her inclination : her affections had been engaged to Mr. Weber, the Hanoverian minifter. Her father took the lofs of his only child fo much to heart, that he fickened again, and died the 4th of June, very much regretted by both their majefties, and by all ranks of people j but more efpe-clally by the army, who adored him, notwithftanding his ftrict difcipline, for he had the art of making them obey his orders with pleafure, by his affability in checking thofe in private who tranfgreffed againft his orders : fo that court-martials and punifhments were rare during his command of the army. Notwithftanding this lenity, the Ruffian army was never under better difcipline, or in finer order. The marflial was born at Mofcow, of German parents 5 had made feveral campaigns in his youth in Hungary, under prince Eugene, and was employed by him as one of his aid de camps, under whom he always confelfed to have learned the military art. He was made a prifoner of war in the year 1700, at Narva, and detained at Stockholm till the year year 1710, when he was ranfomed, and was appointed uqqj^ vr field-mar dial, when count Zaremetof died after his march —._, through Poland. »710» The marfhal no fooner expired than lieutenant general m treatment Romantzof came to the houfe in his majefty's name, and ofhii&inil3rï fealed up every thing in the prefence of geneial Le Fort and me, and then took an inventory of all the (date and furniture in the houfe, to the great furprizc of the general, who was father to the marfhal's grand daughter, the only "undoubted heirefs to his great fortune. Upon this general Le Fort defired to kno^v, fince all the money, to the amount of fixty thoufand ducats, was fealed up, how his father-in-law was to be buried, as he had no calh to defray the charges. Romantzof then told him, that his majefty intended the marflial's corpfe fliould have a fplendid funeral, and that no coft fliould be fpared, and then one of the chefts was opened, and ten thoufand rubles taken out, which were delivered to me, with orders to lay it out as I fhould be directed by general Le Fort, and when that was expended I might call for more ; keeping an exact account of every thing that was laid out, which I was to deliver in with the proper re-receipts and vouchers, after the funeral ceremony was over. This mal-treatment of Mr. Le Fort proceeded from a refentment in Romantzof, as he apprehended it was owing to Mr. Le Fort, that he did not fucceed in his addreffes to the marfhal's daughter j and to mortify him ftill more effectually, he begged and obtained the mardiafs eftate of the czar, who refufed him nothing, as he was then a rifing favorite j and to fatiatc his revenge, lord Nerefkin, a near relation of the czar's, being juft arrived from his travels, and wanting book vi. wanting a houfe, Mr. Romantzof advifed him to purchafe ——— the late marfhal's, with all the fmniture and plate, which was done by appraifement, on an order from court j but no part of this eftimated price was ever paid, and the heircfs, then a child, had only the few jewels her grand-father left, and twelve thoufand rubles for her portion : the remainder was generally believed to have been applied to Mr. Romantzof s own ufe. In this general plunder I differed alfo ; the marflial by his will, had left me two hundred ducats, his bed fuit of cloaths, and his bed horfe with the furniture ; I received the money and cloaths, but the fine horfe and furniture were brought to the czar's dable, and for which I was promifed three hundred ducats, but never got any thing. This was chiefly owing to Mtb.LeFort, the general's fécond wife, to whom he was married in Germany : as die had been very fevere on Mr. Romantzofs conduct, he refented it in part againft me, as fhe was my near relation, although I was otherwife very much in his favour. As this was the firft inftance of foreigners being ufed in fo arbitrary and unjuft a manner, it occafioned much fpe-culation amongft all ranks of people, efpecially as it happened to a man of fo great perfonal merit, and general efteem, befides to one who was nephew and heir to the grand Le Fort, and fon-in-law to marflial Weyde, both great favourites of the czar j fo that after this none could think themfelves fecure in their poffeffions. This unjuft action gave me (uch an idea of Ruffia, that nothing after could induce me to fettle amongft them, notwithftanding all their proffered advancements and advantages. 4 The The marfhal's corpfe being embowelled and embalmed, lay book vr, in date twelve days, in a coffin under a canopy, drefTed in a-- white embroidered fuit of cloaths, in boots, with a full-bot- His Serai, tomed wig, and the order of faint Andrew about his neck. Several ladies and gentlemen watched the corpfe every night, which is the cudom of the country. As there was nobody in the houfe belonging to the marfhal, but his domeflics, I fuperintended the whole. The laft night being at fuppcr with the company who were to watch, 1 took a fancy to frighten them, by removing the corpfe into another room, and laying myielf down in its place ; accordingly, when the company were entered the room, and feated iome time, I began to ftir under the cover that was laid over me, on which the company took to their heels, and ran out of the houfe, nor did they return to afk what was the matter, but fpread a moft dreadful report of the vifion they had feen. Next morning crouds came to enquire into the wonder of that night, but went away no wifer than they came : the re-report reached the czar's ears, who ordered my attendance, and demanded of me what the affair was. Without the leaft hefitation, I told how it had happened, before the czarina and the two princehes, which diverted them very much, but her majefty thought proper to give me a very fevere reprimand. The 16th of June, being appointed for the interment, it was attended with great pomp, and the proceffion was conducted in the following manner. j. A battalion of the guards, the officers in black fcarfs, and the drums covered with black. 2, A harbinger on horfeback, in a mourning cloak. 3. A mar- book vi. 3. A marflial with a Half, covered with black and white --—■ crape. 4. A pair of kettle-drums, covered and carried by two men in black. 5. Four trumpets, four hautboys, and two baffoons, in pairs. 6. A white flandard, with the deceafed's coat of arms. 7. A gentleman on horfeback, in complete armour, with a fword in his hand. 8. A black flandard. 9. A horfe in mourning, led by two men in black. 10. A mafter of the ceremonies. 11. A war-horfe with complete furniture, led by two officers in their regimentals. 12. A helmet. 13. A cuirufs. 14. A pair of gilt fpurs. 15. A mai dial's truncheon. 16. A fword. 17. The order of faint Andrew ; all thefe carried fepa-rately on velvet cufhions, by officers. 18. Two officers with their fwords pointed to the ground, followed by twenty four halbardiers, in pairs. 19. The corpfe of the marfhal drawn by fix horfes, ca-parifoned with bh(k cloth, each led by a groom in black, attended by three gentlemen on each fide ; the canopy was fupported by eight lieutenant-colonels, and eight colonels beld up die tallels of the canopy j the corners of the pall were lur ported by four brigadiers. 20. A marflial. 21. Mifs il. Mifs Le Fort, grand-child to die deceafed. book vi, 22. A colonel's lady (his niece.) ■ 23. General Le Fort's lady ; both thefe ladies led by two ,7ao' gentlemen each. 24. A great number of ladies in pairs. 25. His majefty, attended by all the grandees and foreign minifters. 26. The officers of the army and navy, 27. The proteftant minifters, merchants, and burghers. 28. Another battalion of the guards -, which clofed the proceffion. In this order, they went to. the monaftery of Alexander Newfky, at three miles diftance % minute guns were fired from the fort, all the while till the corpfe was interred, and was concluded by three vollies from the two battalions of guards. His majefty, with the reft of the company, returned to the houfe of the deceafed, where a grand entertainment was prepared for them. Every one of the company was prefented with a mourning ring, of the value of two ducats, with the dates of the marfhal's birth and death engraven thereon ; near feven hundred of thefe rings were given among the company. At this meeting, a debate happened between prince Men-zikof and prince Galitzin, abufing each other in a very unbecoming manner. The czar being in the next room, overheard them, and fent for Menzikof, and gave him a moft feverê rebuke, telling him he ought not to forgot himfelf, but confider he was only of ycfterday, whereas prince Galitzin was of the ancient family of the Jagellons, princes of Lithuania, afterwards kings of Poland j and ordered him to E e alk book VI, afk pardon of Galitzin before the whole company, which he was obliged to do. The two princes lived ever after in enmity, but the family of Galitzin were too powerful to fear the rcfentment of Mcnzikof. Captain TnG after tne funcraî» Knez Repnin was declared Bruce^maf- gc] ms mafter, who waited at Breflaw in Silefia, to know the fuccefs of this negotiation. The duke of Holdein, being fon of the late king of Sweden's elded filter, claimed a right to the crown preferable to that of the princefs Ulrica, who was the younger-filler, but now confidered himfelf farther removed from it, by the refignation the queen had made of her right to her hufband, the prince of Heffe. The czar, commiferating the unfortunate circumftances of the duke, whom the late king of Sweden defigned for his fuc-ceffor, determined to afford him his protection, and for the firft proof of it fent him a hundred thoufand crowns, with an invitation to come from Breflaw to Riga. Court-manial Tne over-fifcal having laid an information this winter °oJoncl£COant* a£au1^ lieutenant-colonel Graves, of the artillery, an Eng-Graves. lifhman, for embezzling his majedy's flores, and idling them to foreign fhip-mafters, I fat on the court-martial. In the courfe of the trial we found the accufation to be entirely falfe, and proceeded from malice, becaufe he refufed the fif-cal feme flores he wanted, who had fuborned two gunners as witneffes againft the colonel, but who were both found guilty of perjury, and fent to prifon. The fifcal being iil-pleafed with our proceedings, complained to the fifeal-gene-val of our partiality ; and he laid the matter before the czar, whooidered the court-martial, the accufed, and evidence, to repair to Peteriburgh, where the affair was brought before a board a board of general officers ; and the litigioufnefs and villany rook vi. of the fifcal appeared fo evident, that he and his two wit- ' effnes were knouted and baniflied to Siberia. We had our travelling expences paid, and returned to Revel; but, notwithftanding colonel Graves was honourably acquitted, he could never recover the fix months pay for the time he was . under arreft on his trial, which isfufficient evidence of the hardfhip officers labour under in this fervice : the plea they ufed was, that he had done no duty in that time. The colonel was fo much difgufted with this treatment, that he left the fervice without taking leave. At my. return to Revel, a comical law-fuit was commenced A curious between my landlord and his brother, both merchants in the twee n two . town ; the cafe was thus :—The two brothers had always bl0thers* hved at great variance with each other; my landlord, who was very rich, was determined, in cafe he ftiould die, his brother fhould not fucceed him $ he had been married lèverai years to a very handfome woman, without having any children by her ; the blame whereof he attributed more to himfelf than to his wife; and being refolved that his wife, at any rate, fhould have a child, to deprive his brother from, being his heir, he took a lieutenant into his houfe as a lodger, a handfome young fellow, to whom he gave all manner of opportunities.to converfe with his wife, having before-hand concerted the matter with her, by which means fhe fooa proved to be with child : die then made the gentleman a prefent of a purfe with a hundred ducats, defiling him, at the fame time, to feek out another lodging, as her hufband was grown jealous and began to fufpecf her, which made it abfolutely neceffary for him to remove, promifing, that if book vr. if he ever ffood in need of her afliftance, he might depend ~ -upon her. The gentleman finding her very pofitive, notwithftanding all his remonftrances, was, at laft, obliged to comply, flattering himfelf to find frequent opportunities to converfe with her ; but in this he found himfelf miftaken, for fhe fhunned all occafion of ever being alone with him. This exafperated him fo much, that one evening, when he knew her hufband to be from home, he forced his way into her bed-chamber, and defired to know why flie fhunned his company. She very frankly told him, that fhe had cohabited with him, not from luff, but with an intention to have a child by him to inherit her hufband's eftate ; and as flie was now with child, flie hoped he would not envy its being heir to a good eftate ; and defired, therefore, he would not be an inftrument in defaming her and ruining his own child ; defiling him to give over any thoughts of enjoying her any more, flie being fully determined againft it. After this fpeech fhe gave him a diamond ring, and a purfe with fifty ducats and retired, locking herfelf up in another room : upon this he went away in a great paffion, and in a fit of ill-humour, divulged the whole intrigue to fome of his companions, who foon fpread it over the town, by which means his brother got notice of it, and commenced the law-fuit j but the hufband acknowledging the child to be his, the fuit was dropt in courfe. Frcfh prep*- As the Swedes dill perfevered in rcfufmg peace on the wdoMagalaft terms that had been agreed upon by the late king, the czar was now determined to compel them ; and for this purpofe augmented prince Galitzin's army in Finland with five battalions and two grenadier companies, from his own divifion, and and two other regiments from Revel; we all embarked on book vi. board the gallies early in the morning of the 9th of May*- 1721, and arrived in the evening at Elfingfoo, in Finland, being fifty Englifh miles over. ' The Swedifh monarch had fent Mr. Dahlman, his adju- Propofai& on tant-general, to the czar, with propofals for a fufpenfion of » SflSoVof hoftilities for one year, and, in the mean time, to fettle affairs towards a lading peace ; but as the czar had made great preparations for the enfuing campaign, he would by no means confent thereto. He confented, however, to the mediation of France, which Mr. Campredon, the French minifler at the court of Sweden, had, in fome fort, before propofed. Upon this declaration, Mr. Campredon, at the defire of the Swedifh court, fet out for Peteriburgh, to know what were the propofitions of the czar, and found his majefty in the fame mind he was before the congrefs of Aland, notwithftanding the many advantages he had gained fince that time. Mr. Campredon returned to Stockholm, and Newftadt, in Finland, was appointed for the congrefs, where the plenipotentiaries met. In the month of April, the duke of Holftein arrived at Riga, where the Ruflian court then refided, and was moft gracioufly received by the czar and czarina ; and, at this meeting, the foundation was laid of a nearer alliance with that prince. Our operations in Finland were pufhed with great vigour : we were no fooner arrived at Elfingfoo, than fent, under lieutenant-general Lacy, to make a defcent a third de. on the coafts of Sweden ; 5000 men, and 370 Coffacs, with ^tonS^ their horfes, embarked on board of fifty gallics, were under fail the 27th of May, and landed next day near Gevel, on F f the book vi. pnthe Swedifli coaff, and marched along die coaft to Sun-derham, and from thence to Uma, which is above a hun- dred leagues. In all that way we met with fo little refift-ance from the Swedes, having, as it feemed, loft their former bravery, that we had only eleven men killed ; whereas they had one .hundred and three of their's killed, and wc took forty-feven prifoners, with one ftandard and four colours, two brafs and five iron cannon, three trumpets, and ten kettle-drums ; we alfo took and burnt fix of their gallies, lately built, with two merchant-fhips, and twenty-five other veffeis ; and burnt and deftroyed a magazine of arms and ammunition ; ruined a manufactory of mufkets, and two iron forges ; burnt and deftroyed thirteen mills, four towns, five hundred and nine hamlets, ninety-eight parifhes, and three hundred and thirty-four barns, &c. &c. which ot>- This deftructive expedition alarmed the Swedes to fuch a fignthepeU- degree, that their plenipotentiaries at Newftadt had orders ronch»dc*5«f to ^e Prenminarics directly; upon which we received peace, orders to reimbark with our detachment^ and return to Finland, and we arrived at the Junfer Sheerin, the 9th of September, where the peace was proclaimed. On the 14th, we went and joined the grand army, under the command of prince Galitzin, at Elfingfoo, where the peace was celebrated with every demonftration of joy, every one now being in hopes of enjoying fome eafc and reft after this long deftructive war, which had lafted twenty years ; but we found ourfelves miftaken, for the Swedifh war was no fooner ended than another was begun, as will be feen hereafter. On the 16th, I was ordered to demolifh the fort at Elfingfoo, and three thoufand men being employed on that fervice, the j mate- materials were foOn thrown into the fea, which choaked up book vr, the harbour, and the fort was fo effectually rafed, that not *-~"— the lead appearance remained of a fort having been on the fpot. On the 7th of October, the army embarked on board The fleet and the gallies, to return to Peteriburgh, and general Lacy failed rCm,mand a the fame day with the vanguard, and we followed him the abl^Mcferr-next with the main body, under the command of prince Ga* ed* litzin î and major-general Von Mengden brought up the rear. On the 10th, we were overtaken by a violent ftorm, in which we loft feveral gallies, and a number of our men ; we faw feveral wrecks on the rocks, which were of general Lacy's detachment, and met a number of feather-beds, tables, chairs, and barrels, floating on the fea ; amongft the reft, a barrel floating paffed one of the gallies, was taken up, and in it was found a child afleep, which proved to but m a different manner. The Tartars take a long rope, to one end of which they faflen a large ftone which links it to the bottom, and to the other end they faften feveral large pieces of wood, which float in the water; all along this rope, and at fome diftance from each other, they faften many fmall cords, with a hook at the end of each, baited with a certain fmall fifh, which the large ones are fond of ; they lay feveral of thefe ropes acrofs the river every evening, and take them up in the morning, and feldom mifs a fifh of one kind or other on every hook, fome of them ten, twelve, or more, feet long. The Ruffians alfo ufe a rope, and faften a baited hook to the end of it, and have alfo their fmall cords baited with fmall wooden fifh, tinned over, which being dragged behind a boat, by the reflection of the fun refcmbles the fcales of fifh, by which means they Kinds of fifh. draw up fifh of a very great-fize, to the bait. Among the gre&fi variety of fifh with which this river abounds, the flurgeon is none of the leaft confiderable, whofeeggs afford what the Ruffians call Ikari, and we caviar: the beluga, or white fifh, deferves alfo to be mentioned ; they are from five to fix yards long, and thick in proportion ; they likewife make caviar of the eggs, or roe of this fifh, which is of a clear grey colour, larger and more delicious to the tafte than thofe of the fturgeon, but not fo fit for exportation, as they cannot find out the method to preferve them ; the roes of the ftuigeon are black and fmall, and after ten or twelve days preparation in fait, are put up in a pafte and. tranf-5 ported ported to all parts of Europe: this commodity affords a con- book vir. fiderable trade to Ruffia, Befides the fturgeon and beluga, it yields alfo the ofotrin, another very large fifh, very fat and delicious : this river alfo abounds with falmon, fterlitz, a moft delicious fifli, and innumerable other forts too tedious to mention. Going down the river we met feveral ftruflès, or fiat-bottomed vefTels, carrying from eight to nine hundred tons, which go loaded from Aftrachan to Mofcow, with fait, fifh, caviar, and all forts of Indian and Perfian goods ; they feldom carry lefs than two hundred men, on account of the laborious work they have to undergo, in going up againft the ftream when the wind fails them, which is often the cafe ; and where the fiiore is rough, they fend their boats a head with warp anchors to a confiderable diftance, one after another, by which means they warp themfelves up againft the ftream very expeditioufly ; the men running with the warp-rope on their fhoulders, relieving each other by turns : where the banks are plain and even, the people are fet to tow her. Near the ruined city of Arbuchim, was a ftone ten yards long, and fix broad and deep, funk in the ground ; on the upper fide was an infcription in the Ruffian language, fig-nifying, whoever lifted this ftone up fhould be rewarded for their pains ; feveral of the inhabitants adembled and turned it up, and found another infcription on the reverfe fide, " Fools, what do you feek? there is nothing laid here." From hence we came to a village called Tenefowa, where A1,lbaucv there was a fine alabafter quarry, of which I took three luarry • large pieces, and put them in the ftore fliip, to diow them to his majefty. On the 20th of June, we arrived at Samara, book vu. mara, on the left fide of the river, a town belonging to the kingdom of Bulbar; the river Samar, from which it takes its 1722. name, falls into the Wolga here, and is above three hundred werfts from Cafan. The form of Samara is fquare, and the fortifications and buildings are all of wood, except the churches and monafteries. The garrifon confifts of a number of regular troops and Coffacks under a governor. The life and manners „ , . of the Bulgarians, are much the fame with thofe of Cafan» Bulgarian . Tartars, and Not far from this place, and near the river Uffa, ftands a hill M CU remarkable hill, called Dewitza-Gora, or the Maiden-hill, of which they relate many fabulous ftories that are not worth repeating. It was formerly the rendezvous of a body of Coffack robbers, who from its top, could fee a confiderable diftance both up and down the river, and were thereby en* abled to intercept and rob fuch veffeis as they thought proper ; but at this time it was converted into a convent of monks. The hill is in diape like a fugar-loaf, with an eafy afcent winding round it to the top * and at fmall diftances on this winding road, are cells containing one monk each $ at the top is the dwelling of their fuperior, whofe houfe, as alfo the chapel, is built of wood, on a fpacious flat piece of ground ; from hence is one of the moft beautiful prof-peers I ever faw. By the fides of this winding road, from the bottom to the top, large pine trees ftand at fuch regular diftances, as if they had been planted on purpofe $ and have a moft pleafing effect to the eye. At a fmall diftance from hence, rifes another hill, which reaches near forty werfts along the river, and the vallies between are ftored with apple-trees, which yield plenty of cyder, which the Ruffians call yablona quas. Some of thofe mountains run a long way way into the country. In this moft delightful voyage, we book. vir. found great convenience from the pinnaces belonging to the —-- gallies, from fix to ten oars each, which enabled us to gratify our curiofity, without hindering our veffeis from proceeding on their voyage. On the 27th of June we got to Saratof, feven teen hundred and eighty werfts by water from Mofcow 5 here we caught two large fturgeon and a beluga, or white-fifth, fix yards long, and thick in proportion j thefe three fifh were a fufficient meal for all the people on board the five veffeis. The city of Saratof is fituated on a very fair large plain, about four werfts from the main river, on a branch of the Wolga j it is inhabited, or rather garrifoned, by a great number of Ruffian foldiers and Coffacks, who are put here as a guard againft the incurfions of the Kalmuck Tar- Kalmuck tars, inhabiting, a vaft territory lying between the Inrr'll!" Wolga and the river Jaick, toward the Cafpian fea, and poffefs the left fide of the Wolga from hence near to Aftrachan, in all which immenfe tract there is not fo much as one fingle houfe to be feen, as they all live in tents, and remove from one place to another in queft of pafturage for their large herds of cattle, confifting of horfes, camels, cows, and fheep ; they neither fow, nor reap, nor make hay for their cattle, fo that they live without bread, or any fort of vegetable ; and in the winter their cattle fare as other wild beafts. Their food is flefh (efpecially that of horfes), fifh, wild-fowl, and venifon, and have a great plenty of milk, butter, and cheefe ; but mare's milk is the moft efteemed among them, and from it they make a very ftrong' fpirit, cf which they are very fond; it is clear as water, but I. could, I could never learn how it is made. The Kalmucks are divided into an infinite number of hordes, or clans, every one under their own particular chan, and all of thofe acknowledge the authority of one principal chan, who is called Otchicurti-chan, or the king of kings, and who derives his pedigree from the great Tamerlane. He is a very potent prince, and lives in great fplendor ; is formidable to all the neighbouring Tartars, and to the Ruffians themfelves, who are obliged to keep confiderable garrifons on the right-fide of the river, all the way from Saratof to Aftrachan to prevent their excurfions, as the Kalmucks are in poffeffion of the oppofite fhore, and are alfo under the neceffity of fur-nifhing the Negayan Tartars about Aftrachan with arms to defend themfelves, in the fummer, againft the incurfions of the Kalmucks, who formerly ufed to come every fummer to ravage the country of the Nagayans about Aftrachan, but fince they have been made fenfible of the effects of the fmall arms and cannon now put in their hands by the Ruffians, they content themfelves with coming once a year to the great plains of Aftrachan for the conveniency of food for their cattle, at a feafon when their more northern poffef-fions are quite deftitute of it. This is commonly done with not lefs than one hundred thoufand men, and they rarely return without having received their accuftomed prefent of bread, brandy, and tobacco, from the governor of Aftrachan. There is no doubt but the Ruffians are powerful enough to curb the infolence of thefe vagabonds, were it not for the confideration of a benefit arifing from the traffic for their furs and horfes, which they bring every year in great abundance to Aftrachan ; and alfo for the fervice they are of to the the Ruffians in their wars with the Turks and Crim-Tartars, hook vir. being accounted the mod alert at pitching and removing ■- their tents of any people in the world, which they are ac-cuffomcd to by their condant incurfions to forne or other of the neighbouring countries. It is principally from this view that the Ruffians looked upon it as a piece of policy rather to allay their fiercenefs by fome prefents, which, however, by continuance of time, they now demand as an obligation, than to engage in a war again d a multitude of vagabonds who have fo little to lofe ; having neither houfe nor fixed refidence in all their dominions, but live the year round in tents covered with felts, in which, however, both for neat-nefs and conveniency, they far exceed all the neighbouring . nations, even thofe who live in fixed habitations. The Kalmucks, as well as the other nations of Great Tartary, are Pagans. As to their perfons, they are of a low flaturc, and generally bow-legged, occafioned by their being fo continually on horfeback, or fitting with their legs below them ; their faces are broad and flat, with a flat nofe and little black eyes, diflant from each other like the Chi-ncfe j they are of an olive-colour, and their faces full of wrinkles, with very little or no beard ; they /have their heads, leaving only a tuft of hair on the crown. The better fort of them wear coats of fluff or filk, above which they wear a large, wide, fur coat of fheep-i'kins, and a cap of the fame : in the time of war, they cover their head and body with iron net-work, which they call a pantzer, the links of which are fo clofe, that it is proof againft any kind of weapons except fire-arms, as a bullet will break it, and generally carries fome broken pieces into the wound, I i which book vir. which makes them ftand in great awe of fire-arms. Their -"* only weapons are the fcymitar, lance, and bow and arrow; but they are coming into the ufe of fire-arms, which, in time, will make them more formidable. Their cattle are large, and their fheep are of the largeft kind, having great fat tails, weighing from twenty-fix to thirty pounds ; their cars hanging down like our dogs, and inftead of wool they have foft curled hair, fo that their fkins are all converted into fur coats. Their horfes are but fmall and of a bad fhape> but fwift, hardy, and ftrong, and many of them pace naturally, and trot at an incredible rate. They eat the flefh of camels, cows, and dieep, but univerfally give the preference to that of the horfe. They are, in their own way, the happieft people on the earth, being fatigued with no kind of labour, but diverting themfelves with fifhing and hunting ; and I can conceive nothing preferable to their way of living in the fummer : but in winter they are obliged to crofs the river, and live on the bare plain of Aftrachan, where their only firing is the dried dung of the cattle, and the cattle themfelves ftarv-ing on the fcanty produce of a barren defart. Here they remain till the fpring, when their former habitation, on the call: fide of the river, is overflowed for near a month to a vaft extent by the melting of the fnow, and their country appears one continued fea over-grown with trees : as foon as this fubfides, they return with great joy, fwimming their loaded camels and cattle over the river, where the intervening iflands make their paffage eafieft. It is to be obferved,. that the Kalmucks, when they go upon any expedition, have no regard either to bridges or boats ; they no fooner come 2 to to a river, than in they plunge with their horfes, and did- book vir, ing from their backs hold fad by the manes till they get ' 17*2. over, and then immediately mount again, and fo proceed. But to return to our paffage down the river. The 2d of July we arrived at Kamufmfki, which is a well fortified town, fituate on the river Ramus, and has a numerous garrifon of foldiers and Coffacks. A canal was begun here to make a communication between the rivers Wolga and Don, or Tanais, and after being greatly advanced, was at lad found impracticable by the vaft quantity of hard rock lying in the way, which could only be removed by blowing at fuch an immenfe expence of time and treafure that the attempt was dropt. Oppofite to Kamus, a branch of the Wolga points its courfe into the country, north-ead, one werft, quite contrary to the current of the great river ; but afterwards refuming its former courfe, returns to the fouth-eaft, and continues in that direction, till it falls into the Cafpian fea. About forty miles from this, and at a fmall diftance from the river-fide, are to be feen the ruins of a great city, formerly called Czarefgorod, built, as is related, by Tamerlane : its palace and walls were all of brick, and have ferved the city of Aftrachan with materials, thefe many years, for building their walls, churches, and monaftcries. The 4th of July, we came before Czaritza, which is fortified with feveral baftions and towers, but all of wood, and inhabited only by foldiers and Coffacks. All about here, and even as far Aftrachan, the ifland of Zerpinfko excepted, which, being twelve werfts long, fupports the cattle belonging to the garrifon, the foil is fo very barren, that it affords no manner of corn : this defect, however, is eafily fupplied I i 2 by 244 M E M O I R S OF boo K vu. by the help of the river, the fertile lands of Cafan fur- --nifliing thofe parts, and even the city of Aftrachan, with wheat and rye, at a very moderate price. Forty werfts below Czaritza, this great river cafts out her fécond branch, which joins the firft, and with it falls into the fea. From hence, on both fides the Wolga, as far as the fea, grow vaft quantities of liquorice of a very large fizc, its ftalk being as thick as a lufty man's arm, and fometimes above four feet high, the feeds lying in cods upon the ftalk; yet this is inferior, both in fize and fweetnefs, to that which grows near the river Araxis in Afia. The 6th, we arrived before Zornayar, feated on the right fide of the river, on a high fhore, near a vaft plain, without trees or eminences ; the form of the place is a fquare, fortified with wooden towers and ramparts, and garrifoned with foldiers and Coffacks, all horfemen. A few werfts below this is a third branch of the Wolga, called Buchwoftowa, which falls into the two preceding-, and at twenty werfts farther down flie fends out her fourth branch called Doni-tofka, which does not mingle with any of the other three, but flows by a particular channel into the Cafpian fea. In paffing the left fhore, we frequently vifited the Kalmucks in their kibbits, or tents, which we always found pitched on the moft delightful places I ever faw, their country being a large plain, full of wood and meadows ; and we were much diverted with the numbers of their children of both fexes, running naked along the fhore 3 and upon our throwing bread into the water, they fwam in crouds to take it up, there being none of them but can fwim to admiration. About fixty werfts above Aftrachan is the fifth branch of the Wolga, Wolga, and is called Mitulka, which, at fome diftance from book: the main river, divides again into two dreams, one of which unites with the Donitofka, and the other returns again to the Wolga. Twenty-five werfts above Aftrachan lies the ide cf Bufan, and ten werfts below that ide is the fixth branch of the Wolga called Baltzick ; and fome werfts lower, the feventh, called Kniluffe, which forms the ide of Dolgoi, upon which ftands the city of Aftrachan : having encom-paffed this ifland, it falls through feveral channels into the Cafpian fea. On the 10th of July I arrived at the city of Aftrachan, where I joined the army again. They were all furprifed to fee me, as they had been informed by a galley, which palled us in the night, when we were in our greateft danger, that we were all drowned. Here my agreeable companion, the Capuchin, entered into a cloyfter of his own order, as there happened to be a vacancy by the death of one of their brethren, which was very fortunate for the Capuchin, as the confuflons then in Perlia made it impracticable for him to proceed thither, as he at firft propofed. I met with the ut-moft gratitude and civility from him and the reft of his brethren, and when I went away, upon our expedition over the Cafpian fea, I left every thing I had no occafion for at their convent j and he fent me afterwards, by every fhip that arrived, provifions of all kinds, by which means I was better provided than any officer in the army : fo that I loft nothing by my civility to the Capuchin. The city of Aftrachan is fituated on the confines of Eu- Aftracl rope and Ada, which are divided by the river Wolga. It ftands on the ifland of Dolgoi, which is formed by the branches 2f6 M E M O I R S O F v, o o k vu branches on that river, as has been already mentioned, in 46 des:. 22 min. north lat. two thoufand fix hundred and thirty werfts from Mofcow, allowing ninety werfts to a degree. The city is of a confiderable bignefs, and at prefent inhabited almoft entirely by Ruffians ; the former inhabitants of the country, being Tartars, are not permitted to live within the walls, but in the adjacent fuburbs, which are only fenced round with pallifades : the fortifications of the city are all of ftone, very high, and at a diftance make a very gallant appearance, efpecially toward the river, by the great number of ftone turrets and fteeples ; but the houfes within the city being all of wood, and very low, its in fide does not appear anfwerable to the reft. There is a great train of artillery in this place, no Iefs than five hundred brafs cannon, with a proportionable number of mortars ; the garrifon, in peaceable times, is commonly fix thoufand men, under the command of a governor and other officers. Aftrachan being fituate on a navigable boundary, between the two moft confiderable quarters of the globe, is naturally the feat of an immenfe trade ; being frequented not only by the neighbouring Tartar nations, but by Perfians, Armenians, and Indians : the Indians have a particular didrier afligned them within the walls of the city, Nagayan Czar Iwan Bafdowitz, having conquered the kingdom of Tartars. Cafan, in the year 1552, turned his arms againft the Nagayan Tartars, and took Aftrachan, their capital, by aflault, in the year 15J4i and to fecure his conqueft he furrounded the city with a ftrong wall. Czar Michael Fedrowitz, befides ftrength-ening the city with fome new fortifications, built that part of it called Strelitza-Gorod, or the city of foldiers, as the military military had their quarters afligned them there. I will now book vu. endeavour to give a fhort defcription of this country and ~" its inhabitants. It feems beyond a difpute, the Tartars were unknown to short ac- 1 1 1 1 count of the the ancient geographers, who comprehended them under Tartaw. the general appellation of Scythians and Sarmatians ; it is evident the Tartars confift of feveral nations, didind among themfelves, in their names, language, and cuftoms. The Nagayans, with the Tartars of Cafan, and fome others inhabiting between the Wolga and the Don, or Tanais, are faid to have been Indians, who revolting from their fove-reigns about the year 1212, emigrated and fettled themfelves on the Palus Meotis, near the Euxine fea, and extending their conquefts to the river Don, and from thence at laft to the Wolga, near which they inhabit at this day. The Na* gayans are feated along the fhores of the Cafpian, from the river Iaick, to the Wolga. Aftrachan, their principal city, they relate to have been built by a Tartar king, whofe name being Aftra, gave his city the name of Aftra chan, or king. Before this country was conquered by the Ruffians, it was inhabited altogether by Tartars, but now they are neither iuffered to refide within this city, nor build a new one, nor fortify any of their towns or villages with walls. The Nagayans live for the moft part in round huts made TIlL van Tartars of bull-rufhes, or canes, and feldom exceed twelve or thir- manner o£ teen yards in circumference, with a hole at the top to let out the fmoak ; yet the leaft of thefe huts has a falcon, or hawk, as thofe Tartars are great mafters of this (port : they have hawks of all forts and fizes, each bred to fly at different: kinds of game. The Ruffians call the Nagayans, vagabonds, book vu, as they have no fettled habitations in the fummer, but ram- -ble up and down. They pack up their huts in carts ; their wives, children, and goods, on camels, horfes, and oxen ; and move about from one place to another, where they can find better pafturage for their cattle. When winter approaches, they begin to reademble with their flocks, to pafs it in feveral troops near Aftrachan, where they are furnifhed with arms to repulfe any inroads from the Kalmucks, or other Tartars from the River laick j and as foon as the winter is over, they are obliged to return all their arms. They pay no tribute to the Ruffian emperor, but are obliged to ferve him in his wars under their own commanders, as they are, in time of peace, governed by their own petty princes and judges. To fecure their obedience to the emperor, he has always fome of their princes, or myrzas, hoftages in the caftle of Aftrachan. Their religion is Mahometanifm, of the fame fecf with the Turks, except fome few who have embraced the religion of the Greek church : they are uled to dedicate fome of their children, like the Nazaritcs, to God or to fome faint or other ; they are diftinguifhed from the reft by a ring, which the boys wear in their right car, and the girls in their noftril. They live upon what their cattle, hunting, and fifh-ing fupply them with. They make ufe of fifh dried in the fun inftead of bread, although they alfo make cakes of meal and rice ; they eat camels and horfe flefh, and they hold mares milk in great efteem : their common drink is milk and water, yet, befides wine, hydromel (or mead), and brandy, they find indifferent good beer in Aftrachan : their cattle are much the fame with thofe of the Kalmucks. The Naga- i yans PETER El E N R Y BRUCE, ESQ^ 24.0 yans in th'cir perfons are hanclfomer than the Kalmucks, ef- book vir. pecially their women j the men wear a loofe coat of fome ~~-■ coarfe cloth, and over that a fort of cloak of flieep fkin, the woolly fide outwards, with a cap of the fame on their heads; the cap is commonly of a black colour. Their women are clad in white linen, with a. plaited coif on their heads, both fides of which is ornamented with a great many pieces of filver coin, hanging down. The climate here is very hot j the heat in the months of September and October much exceeds the dog-days in Britain j notwithftanding which, the winter, which feldom continues longer than two months, is fo exceflive cold, that this great river is frozen up, and the ice ftrong enough to carry horfes and fledges. On the weft fide of the Wolga, towards the Euxine Sea, Défaits near lies a vaft defart, above three hundred and fifty werfts in ifckwfcîfftlt, length, and fouthward, along the fhore of the Cafpian, another near four hundred werfts long ; on neither of which ftands city, town, or village, nor is there a hill or even a tree to be feen in all this immenfe extent, only here and there a little fpot of grafs ; neither is there any water, but what the river Kifliar or fome ftanding pools of fait water afford: yet thefe very deferts are enriched with prodigious quantities of fait ; for from ten to twenty werfts diftance from Aftrachan, there are large fait veins, which being congealed by the fun, fwims on the furface of the water of the thicknefs of a finger, as clear and tranfparent as rock cryftal, and fmells like a violet ; from hence all Ruffia is fupplied with fait. The three principal of thefe falts-pits, are called Mozakofski, Kain-kowa, and Goftofski, where the fait is in fuch abundance, that one may buy a hundred weight for two pence, on the K k fpot, book vu. fpot. It is carried to the Wolga, and from thence tranfported --' to other parts. Fruit?at Af- The Ide of Dolgoi, or Long Idand, about Aftrachan, and traciun. parts Qf t^ls province, abound with moft excel- lent fruits, yielding neither for beauty nor flavour to any, even thofe of Perfia or the Indies ; their apples, quinces, nuts, peaches, and melons, exceed their other kinds in good-nefs, and efpecially the water-melon, the rhind of which is of a lively green colour, the meat carnation, and the feeds black, moft pleafant to the eye and delicious to the palate, and are fold fo very cheap as two for a penny, and fo large that one is fufficient for two men, and fo refrefhing, that people in fevers may eat them without danger. It is not yet above one hundred years fince the grape was feen in thefe parts, but the Perfians having brought fome fetts of the vine to this place, they were firft planted by a monk, a German by birth, in the garden belonging to his convent, fituated in the fuburbs of Aftrachan ; this fmall flock has been fince improved and encreafed to that degree, that not only the walks and arbours of the gardens, but large vineyards are planted ; the grapes are fo extraordinary large and plentiful, that the tables are not only liberally provided with excellent wine, both red and white, but made in fuch quantities that our army was now fupplied with it. Befides this, there is to be found near Aftrachan, and all along the Wolga, abundance of fimples, which grow very large. The herb efula is here about as high as a man, and the angelica root as thick as a man's arm. About thirty werfts below Aftrachan, is one of the bed: fiflieries in the Wolga, and from which which the city is plentifully furniflied with falmon, flurgeon, beluga, ofotrin, flerlit, and many other kinds of delicious fifh ; and the fmall iflands hereabouts abound with great variety of wild-fowl ; and although the neighbouring countries are not fertile in corn, yet that defect is fo well fupplied from the fruitful country of Cafan, that, taken altogether, this city may juftly be reckoned one the moft convenient and pleafant in Europe. But to return where I left off. The day after my arrival here, I waited on his imperial majefty, and prefented him with the three pieces of alabafter I had brought with me from Tenefowa, which pleafed him fo much, that he gave immediate orders to work that quarry, which proved to be moft excellent of its kind. The emperor obferved, wdien I had prefented him with thefe pieces of alabafter, that no mineral of any kind whatever, had been difcovered to him by any of his own fubjecfs, but that many had been difcovered to him by foreigners : but his majefty did not redecf upon the hardfhips thofe were put to upon whofe lands any thing of that kind was found, as they not only loft the benefit of it, but were obliged to work the mine by their vafTals, without the leaft emolument to themfelves ; which verifies the common faying they have in Ruffia, that every thing they have belongs to God and their emperor. I was quartered, in this city, at the houfe of a widow, wrho had a maid fervant that had been purchafed as a flave from the Tartars : this fervant had ftolen feveral things from her miftrefs, which being found in her cuftody, fire was feverely punifhed for the theft ; for which die threatened to be revenged on her miftrefs, who difregarded the menace at that time : however, flie was feized, in a few days after, with Kk 2 fuch book vu. fuch a fit of madnefs, that they were obliged to bind her; ■ on which the girl difappeared, and in her cheft were found a variety of herbs, roots, and powders ; and upon the phyficians examining into the nature of them, they foon found out the caufe of the woman's diforder, and applying the proper remedy, flie recovered her fenfes again. A party of Tartars brought back the flave, who, upon examination, confeffed what fhe had done, pretending that fhe underftood witchcraft, and could avenge herfelf on thofe who injured her : on which die was firft whipt through the city, and delivered to the Tartars to fell her at fome diftance. TheBanayan The Armenians have one of the fuburbs of this city al-burning her- lotted for their refidence, and carry on a great trade from fcif at her nence jnto Perfia ; but the Banyans without doubt contri- hufband s_, * t death. ]3Ute moft to its dourifhing condition. They are a fort of Pagan Indians, whofe principal purfuit is trade, and have their factory within the city. One of their chief merchants dying at this time, his widow defired leave of the emperor to burn herfelf with his corpfe, according to the cuftom of their country: but his majefty, unwilling to encourage fo barbarous a cuftom, refufed her requeft, and the Indian factory were fo much diflatisfied with it, that they threatened to withdraw from the city with their effects. His majefty finding no argument could prevail on the woman to alter her refolution, at laft gave them leave to do as they thought proper. The corpfe being dreffed in his cloaths, was carried to fome little diftance from the town, where a funeral pile of dry wood was raifed, and the body laid upon it : before the pile were hung Indian carpets, to prevent its being feen-. The wife in her beft apparel, and. adorned with ear-ringss feveral feveral rings on her fingers, and a pearl necklace, attended book vir. by a great number of Indians of both fexes, was led by a-- bramin, or pried, to the funeral pile, which on her approach was kindled : fhe then didributed her upper apparel and jewels among her friends and aquaintances, of whom die took her laft farewel with a great deal of ceremony, and the pile being in full flame, and the carpets taken down, flie leaped into the midft of the fire ; her friends then poured quantities of oil over her, which foon fuffocated her, and reduced both corpfe to aflies, which were carefully gathered and put into an urn, to be conveyed to their relations in India. This barbarous cuftom was firft introduced upon a political account} for polygamy, caufing abundance of heart-burning and jealoufy among the women that were rivals in their huiband's affections, it often happened that fuch as thought themfelves neglected, ufed frequently to procure their huf-band's deaths ; wherefore, to make them more careful of the lives of their hufbands, it was ordered that thofe wives only,who were willing to accompany their hufbands to the other world, by being burned with his corpfe whenever he died, fliould have the reputation of being honeft and virtuous; and fuch as would not give that proof of their affection, fhould be deemed infamous for ever after the death of their hufband. Notwithftanding the obligation to burn with their hufbands, impoied no other penalty on fuch as refufed than being accounted infamous for not conforming to fuch a dreadful, cuftom, yet fuch was the fenfe of honour and love for repu* tation, among the Banyan women, that there are innumerable examples among them, of fuch as have voluntarily fa- criflcedi uook vir. crificed their lives upon the burning pile : and what makes * them undergo this with fo much chearfulnefs, is a perfuafion, that if a woman has fo great an affection for her hufband, as to burn herfelf with him after his death, die fhall live with him in the other world feven times as long, and ftiall enjoy him with feven times as much fatisfacf ion as die has done in this, without a rival ; fo that they look upon this kind of death, as a paffage through which they are to enter into the enjoyment of thofe pleafures, of which they had but a fmall fliare of in this world. This cuftom prevails only among the Banyans, and not in general over India. India is inhabited by three diftinct forts of people; firft, the Indoftans, who are the ancient natives of the country, an idle and a flovenly generation ; fecondly, the Moguls, who came out of Grand Tartary, a warlike people, and much addicted to arms ; thefe are all Mahometans ; thirdly, the Banyans, who came originally from China, and are all Pagans, and who apply themfelves entirely to manufacture and trade. The Banyans are incomparably more ingenious, fubtle, and civil, than any of the other Indians : there is no trade in Perfia, or the Turkifh dominions, which is not principally managed by them, nor any commodity through-ThcBany- out all the Indies which they do not deal in. The Banyans «w» are diftinguifhed from thofe who profefs Mahometanifm by their habit, for they do not wear their hair long, neither fhave their heads, nor do their women cover their faces, as the Mahometans do. Black teeth are in fo much efteem amongft them, that they call the white-teethed Europeans londra, or apes. They wear no breeches, as the other Indians do do, but only a piece of thin filk fluff, which is wrapped book vn. about them, hanging down to their hams, over which they "- wear their fmocks, and on them their upper garment, which they tie with a girdle round the waift ; under thefe a narrow waiflcoat, the fleeves of which reach no farther than the elbow ; they wear fhoes of velvet, brocade, or gilt leather, fattened to their feet with ffraps, and they pull them off when they go into any room, where the floors are generally covered with tapeftry, but when they walk abroad they wear wooden fhoes. Their bramins, or prieffs, are diftinguifhed from the reft only by what they wear about their heads, which is made of linen cloth, wrapped feveral times round the head to cover their facred hair, which is never cut ; they have, alfo two pieces of packthread next their fkin, crofting the breaft from the fhoulders to the waift, which they never put off, though it were to fave their lives. They are, moreover, in fuch reputation for fancYity, that no marriage is holy where the bride has not been confecrated by the facred initiation of the prieft, to whom flie is always conducted for that purpofe ; and he rates this part of his holy office at an exorbitant price, befides a ftrong folicitation to relieve the bridegroom from his drudgery ; and thus the crafty prieft,, by impofmg on the fimplicity of his flock, improves his natural talent to the beft advantage, and fatisfies at once both his appetite and his avarice. But this is not all, for the hufband retains fo much pious regard for his co-partner,, that if they go any journey, or upon any occafion are detained from home, he recommends his whole family, but efpecL- book vu. efpecially his wife to the care of the prieft in his abfence, * to fupply his place till his return ; and the wife makes it her care to cherifh his languilhing fpirits with powerful re-Roratives, at which the Indian women are the moft expert of any in the world, as they are alfo perfect: miftrefles of the eafieft methods, upon certain occafions, of difpatching their hufbands to the other world. Thefe are the accounts I received at Aftrachan. BOOK BOOK VIII. Army embark at Aftrachan, \ltl of July.—Variety of fowl on the little [/lands—Terki, the capital city of Circafia.—Herri rg in the Cafpian.—Voyage to Buftrow.—General hVateraag's account jrom the province of Andreof. — Circqjfia and its inhabitants, their manners, religion, &c.—Continuation of the voyage and view of mount Caucafus, &c.— The army land at Agrechan.—March into Afia.—Kindncfs of the Dageftan Tartars.—The army pafs the river Sulack.—General Waterang joins the army.—Embarrajfed on their march, and feverc punijhment on ihe officers of the guards.—Arrive at Tarku, zvith a defcription of the Dageftan Tartars.—Interview zvith the ladies. —The Dageftan ladies wait on the emprefs.—Eretl a monument at Tarku, and march for Derbent through a fine country.—Sultan UdenacFs cruelly, and its conferences.—Twenty defperate Tartars.—A beautiful Tartar youth fain.— Undaunted refolution of the prieft—Arrive at Derbent.—Defcription of the city.—Remarkable tombs. —Alexander and Melkehatura—Jackcalls and fand hares.—Thirteen tran/ports left and buried in the find.—Suck, ary bread.—Tzvo expreffes and one ambaffador arrive at the army.—A Turkijh ambaffador obliges the emperor to return.—Occafion of the troubles in Perfta.—The army return.—Cold nights.—Dangerous and har-rajftng march.—The new tozvn of Szvctago-Kreft.—Pert at the river Nitzi deftroyed, and revenged.—The army re-imbark at Agrechan.—The provifions for the captain's galley loft ; a ftarving voyage.—Arrive at Aftrachan the i '■' of Oclober. GEneral Waterang had been difpatched fome time ago, book viii, through the great défait of Aftrachan, with an army- of 7,000 dragoons, and 10,000 Coffacks, attended by 17"' 20,000 Kalmuck Tartars, with a very large train of camels to carry their provifions and waters and with orders to attack and deftroy the. province of Andreof, to revenge the many ravaging incurfions made by them on the fubjecf s of L 1 Ruffia ; 1722. 25S M É M O I R S OF book Vin. Ruina : the general was fhortly after followed by 10,000. Coffacks and.20,000 Kalmuck Tartars more, to augment his army, and enable him to complete the deftrudtion of. that province. Armyembarfc On the 1 S ill of July, our army embarked on board two. At Aftrachan. r . . 111 1 • r n hundred and fifty gallies, attended by thirty-five dore and hofpital-fhips \ our infantry confided of 33,000 of thofe warlike veterans, who had been in every campaign during the long war with Sweden. Wc fat out from Aftrachan the fame evening, under a general falute from all the artillery of: the city and fleet j we dropt down with the ftream all night, and arrived next day at the mouth of the river, which is fixty werfts from Aftrachan, where we got fight of the Cafpian for the firft time. We went down the wefternmoft ftream of the Wolga, which is the only one that can carry veffeis of heavy burden 5 the reft of the ftreams, which form a prodigious number of fmall illands, are to the eaftward, and fall into the Cafpian fea in thirty-two different channels. Variety of Thefe iflands feed a vaft number of cattle in the fummer \ wild fowl on 111 n •■ the little and as they are all furrounded by vaft quantities of thick tall reeds, the great number of wild fowl, efpecially fea-fowl, is paft defcription ; upon firing of a gun, they rife in the air like a cloud, when numbers of them may be killed with great eafe j a greater variety is not to be feen any where in the known world. Befides fwans and common wild geefe, there is a very large kind called by the Ruffians baba, or crop-geefe, and by others pelicans ; their bills being a foot and half long, and two inches broad, are forked at the ends -, fome of thefe fowls, from the head to the feet, are above feven feet in length 5 under their bills they have a 9 Arrive lied flirîevellecl fkin hanging, refembling a bag, which when book viu. dilated, contains three gallons of liquor ; this bag they make " ufe of to hold the fifth that they catch, which they afterwards eat at their leifure, There is another kind called fpoon-geefe ; their beaks are long and round, and at the extremity are flat like the mouth of a fpoon beaten out ; this fowl, when it puts its beak in the water, makes a mod hideous noife, fome what like the braying of an afs : another kind, by fome called the red geefe, by others'flamingos, are in great flocks on the Cafpian fliores ; they walk after their leader in a very regular order, and at a diftance appear not unlike a regiment of foldiers following their commander ; their legs are very long, of a fcarlet red, and they have very long necks, the plumage of various colours, but their heads are like fcarlet, their bodies are of different colours, beautifully variegated, and their wings fcarlet ; it is in every refpecl a moft beautiful bird ; they exceed in height a tall grenadier, with his cap on his head, yet their bodies are not much bigger than that of the fwan : there are alfo black geefe of the ordinary fize, and this kind are no where elfe to be met with, and are preferable in tafte to -any of the other geefe. As for wild ducks, their variety is incredible^ and to defcribe their different kinds almoft im-* poflible. 1 cannot, however, pafs over two of them without notice, which I thought the moft extraordinary ; the one is called the fcarlet-duck, from the colour of its feathers, . which are fhaded by other beautiful coloured feathers, and has upon its head a large tuft of feathers refembling a crown, intermixt with all the colours of the rainbow; it is very large, and delicious eating ; the other is the yellow-duck, L 1 2 whofe hook vin. whofe feathers are entirely of that colour j thefe are alfo very -large and fat and moft excellent eating, and what is very oft- ,7"* common, they build their nefts on the tops of the highefb trees, and when their young come out of the died, they cai ry them in their beaks to the water : no fowl is more ef-teemed than thefe, for their delicious tafte, or eafier got, a* they commonly betray tHemfelvss by the noife they make, which is heard at a great diftance ; they are always in pairs, and when you kill the one you are lure of the other, as it never leaves its dead mate till you kill it alfo. Teiii,tiicca- On the 20th we weighed from the mouth of the Wolga,. «Sa,0* Cir" under the command of the great admiral Apraxin ; their majefties, the emperor and emprefs, having failed before us for Terki, the capital city of Circaflian Tartary, which is the moft fouthern boundary of his majefty's prefent dominions : this city is ftrongly fortified, and ftands on an ifland formed by the rivers Terki and Buftrow, and is garrifoned by two thoufand regulars and one thoufand Coffacks, who are all horfemen ; the native Circaffians are not permitted to live near the city, but inhabit the country at fome diftance from it. The wind turning contrary, our fleet came to an anchor towards evening, and next day the wind being ftill foul, the whole fleet took to their oars, and keeping a3 near the fhore as poffible, for there is no coming nearer to it than four or five werfts, becaufe of the fliallownefs of the water, and the whole fhore even to that diftance being overgrown with ftrong high reeds, which makes it impoffible to land any where, even in a canoe. Towards night a favourable gale relieved the poor wearied foldiers, who had rowed hard all day. The wind continued favourable all night : at one. o'clock in in the morning we had heavy rain, with thunder and light - book viii. ning. The weather cleared up on the morning of the 22d ; ~~ and as the wind continued in our favour, we failed all this day in fight of the fhore, and came to an anchor at night near Labugin, in ten feet water. This day afforded us an amuf- Herrings in 0 / the Cafpian, in g entertainment, with a kind of fifh of the fize and fhape of a herring; they fwam and flcipped on the furface of the water continually, without offering to go down, notwithftanding we purfued and killed numbers of them.: we concluded it was their confiant way of living, but having baited fome hooks with them, we caught a fturgeon and two belugas, which convinced us that they fled to the furface to efcape the purfuit of the fifli of prey, in the fame manner as the flying-fifh rife to efcape the purfuit of the dolphin : thefe little fifth have exactly the fhape and tafte of herrings, and I am perfuaded they, are nothing elle. Early in the morning of the 23d, we weighed again, Voyage t*> with the wind ftili fair, and got out of fight of land; and BulUw in the afternoon our divifion loft fight of the admiral, which gave us no fmall trouble as we had neither pilot nor compafs on board, (indeed the reft of the fleet laboured under the fame inconveniency), and when the night came, not knowing how to fteer, we dropt anchor in eighteen feet water, and waited the return of day-light. Early in the morning of the 24th, we got under way again, and about noon got fight of the land, to the great joy of every body on board, as it was the only rule for the direction of our courfe ; but the wind being againft us, we were obliged to have recourfe to. the oar, and rowing along the coaft, which was ftill clofely covered; book viii. covered with ftrong reeds, above two werfts from the land, which made it impraclable to land any where on this coaft, except in the mouth of a river. At night a fignal was made by our commanding officer, to come to an anchor, which we did in nine feet water, where we caught very good fifh of feveral kinds. At day break of the 25th, by fignal, we got under way with the oar, the wind being comrary, ftill rowing as near the reeds as poftible : feveral of the gallies fent out their pinnaces to the reeds, when on firing of a muflcet fuch multitudes of different forts of water-fowl nofe, that they killed great numbers of them. At night we came again to an anchor in fourteen feet water, after a hard day's labour. The wind proving fair in the morning of the 26th, we got early under way, and towards the evening arrived in the mouth of the river Buftrow, which flows by the city of Terki, fituated three werfts from the fhore, and here we found the reft of the fleet which had kept up with the admiral. General Wa- While we were here, his majefty received accounts from terang's ao „enera\ Waterang, with the agreeable news that he had de-count from o ©' o the Province fcated and cut to pieces a body of five thoufand men. of or Andreox. 1 J the province of Andreof, and that he had burnt and deftroyed their capital city, laid the whole province wafte, and carried off all the inhabitants that he could meet with, old and young of both fexes, amounting to many thoufands ; and fent them to Aftrachan under the efcortof five thoufand Coflaks, and fifteen thoufand Kalmucks; and had befides giver: liberty to feveral thoufand Ruffian flaves of both fexes, who were then on their way to Terki, to be tranfported from from thence by fea to Aftrachan. For this fignal fuccefs bqok viii. we had orders to fire three vollies, from all our guns and--- fmall arms. I cannot here omit giving fome farther defcription of cîrcaflia and Circaftia, and its inhabitants. Terki, the principal city, is tants^thcir feated in a very fpacious plain, very fwampy towards the ESJJ^"* fea-(ide, in 43 deg. 23 min. north latitude: it is about three werfts in compafs, well fortified with ramparts and baftions in the modern ftyle, well ftorcd with cannon, and has always a confiderable garrifon in it, under the command of a governor. TheCircaftian prince who refides here, is allowed five hundred Ruffians for his guard, but: none of his own fubjedts are permutai to dwell within any part of the fortifications. Ever fince the reduction of thofe parts to the obedience of Ruffia, they have put in all places of ftrength, not only Ruffian garrifons and governors^ but magiftrates, and priefts for the exercife'of the Chriftian religion; yet the Circaffian Tartars are governed by their own princes, lords, and judges, but thefe adminifter juftice in the name of the emperor, and in matters of importance, not without the prefence of the Ruffian governors, being all obliged to take the oath of allegiance to his imperial majefty. The apparel of the men of Circaffia is much the fame with that of the Nagayans, only their caps is fomething larger and their cloaks, being likewife of coarfe cloth or dieep fkins, are fattened only at the neck with a firing, and as they are not large enough to cover the whole body, they turn them round according to the wind and weather. The men here arc much better favoured than thofe of Nagaya, and the women extremely well fhaped, with exceeding fine features, fmooth clear complexions, and beau- book vm, beautiful black eyes, which with their black hair hanging —— 'm two trèfles, one on each fide the face, give them a moil: lovely appearance ; they wear a black coif on their heads, covered with a fine white cloth tied under the chin : during the fummer they all wear only a fmock of divers colours, and that open fo low before, that one may fee below their navels ; this with their beautiful faces always uncovered, (contrary to the cuftom of moft of the other provinces in thefe parts), their good humour and lively freedom in con-verfation, altogether render them very defirable : notwithftanding which they have the reputation of being very chafte, though they feldom want opportunity ; for it is an cfta-bli/hed point of good manners among them, as foon as any perfon comes in to fpeak to the wife, the hufband goes out of the houfe : but whether this continency of their's proceeds from their own generofity, to recompence their hufbands for the confidence they put in them, or has its foundation only in fame, I pretend not to determine. Their language they have in common with the other neighbouring Tartars, although the chief people among them are alfo not ignorant of the Ruffian ; their religion is Paganifm, for notwithftanding they ufe circumcifiom among them, they have neither prieft, alcoran, or mofque, like other Mahometans. Every body here offers his own facrifice at pleafure, for which, however, they have certain days eftablifhed rather by cuftom, than any pofitive command: their moft folemn facrifice is offered at the death of their neareft friends, upon which occafion both men and women meet in the field to be prefent at the offering, which is an he-goat ; and having killed, they flay it, and ftretch the fkin with the head and 5 horns horns on, upon a crofs at the top of a long pole, placed book vnr. commonly in a quickfet hedge, (to keep the cattle from it), -— and near the place the facrifice is offered by boiling and roafting the flefh, which they afterward? eat. When the feaft is over, the men rife, and having paid their adoration to the (kin, and muttered over fome certain prayers, the women withdraw, and the men conclude the ceremony with drinking a great quantity of aqua vitas, and this generally ends in a quarrel before they part. The river Buff row is the fouthern boundary of Circaiiia, and the province of Andreof are their next neighbours, who dwell between the river Koifu, which rifes out of Mount Caucafus, and the Euftrow. Thofe people were reduced by general Waterang. Their majefties having embarked on the evening of the Continuai ion 26th, the fleet failed early in the morning of the 27th, with a age, and7" very favourable breeze, and paffed the ifland of Trenzini, and llcw °Jn J ' » 1 « Mount Cau- foon after we faw land on both fides of us, occafioned by a cafu3> &c* peninfula which formed a large bay, upwards of forty werfts long, and here we had the firft view of the high mountains of Caucafus, which feem to hide their heads in the clouds. The mountains of Taurus and Arrarat, are fo contiguous to the Caucafus, that they appear like a continuation of the fame mountain, which erodes all Afia, from Andreof, or Mongrelia, to the Indies. Mount Arrarat is one entire vaft rock, exceeding even Caucafus itfelf in height, its top being covered with fnow all the year round. It is laid to be the fame on which the ark refted after the Deluge. The Armenians, who call it Meffina, believe there are ftill fome fragments of that ark on this mountain, but that by the length of time they were all petrified ; which muft now re- M m main 266 M E M O I R S O F book vin. main uncertain, as the mountain is inacceiîible from the —-furrounding precipices. Thofe high mountains are of great ufe to mariners in thefe parts of the Cafpian, as moft of them have very little knowledge of the compafs ; the different appearances they make toward the fea, ferve as an in-ftruclion to the pilots in determining whereabout they are. But to return to our voyage:—we arrived the fame evening in the mouth of the river Agrechan, where we anchored for the night, when we had rain, thunder, and lightning. The Army By a lignai from the great admiral, early in the morning chaLntAsrC °f tne 2^tn» we Degan to land our troops, which was performed with much difficulty. By reafon of the fhoal water, our gallies could not come within a confiderable didance to the fhore, and the men were obliged to carry their arms, ammunition, baggage, and provifions, a long way in the water on their backs ; the unloaded veffeis were all hauled up on the fhore, and a ftrong entrenchment thrown up about them for their fecurity, under the guard of a colonel and fix hundred men, with all our fick, who were afterwards reinforced with a thoufand Coffacks from general Waterang's army. Here a great number of Circaflian and Dageftan Tartars came to us, with little waggons, horfes, camels, and oxen to fell, and being well convinced we could not well proceed without fuch accommodation, they took advantage of our neceffity, and made us pay what they pleafed to demand for them. I bought a waggon and two horfes for my baggage, and one to ride on, for which I was obliged to pay fix times their value. Mtrch into We remained here till the 4th of Auguft, when we de- Au i • camped, and began our firft march in Afia : the heat was fo fo intolerable, that numbers of our men dropt down by the book: \nr. way, and notwithftanding that, we marched twenty-five- werfts this day, and arrived on the banks of the river Sulack at night. On the 5th we marched ten werfts farther up the river, to a place intended to ferry over our army ; on our march we were met by the fhafkal, or prince, of Tarku, Kindnefiof the chief of the Dageftan Tartars, who was attended by a very Tartars?0**a° grand retinue, and welcomed his imperial majefty into the Dageftan territories, and offered his affiftance to the utmoft of his power ; his fubjecls, at the fame, brought us all manner of refrefhments for the army. After our army paffed by him in good order, he feemed to be much furprifed at the regularity and fine difcipline he obferved they were under, having never feen any regular troops before j and after feeing our camp formed, he left us feemingly well pleafed. The Tartars brought fuch quantities of grapes, melons, oranges, pomgranates, apples, pears, &c. to the camp, and our people devoured them fo voracioudy, that many were feized with fevers and fluxes ; on which no fruit was permitted to be brought into the army. Here we found feveral fmall boats, of which we made two ferries to waft the army over the Sulack. On the 6th his majefty paft over with his own divifion The army and fome ether regiments, and formed a camp on the other sulack? fide, and in the evening the governor of Gorfki, and the governor of Axay, two Dageftan princes, came to wait upon his majefty : the firft brought him a prefent of three fine Perfian horfes, with rich furniture, and fix hundred waggons for the baggage, each drawn by two oxen, befides fifty fat oxen to kill for the army : the latter prefented his majefty M m 2 with book. Viii, with fix fine Periian horfes, with very rich furniture, and one hundred oxen for the army; recommending themfelves and their country to his majefty's protection. The next day we had fuch a violent ftorm of wind, that it blew down ari our tents, and made the river fwell to that degree, that it overflowed its banks, and we were obliged to remove at fome diftance from it ; feveral men who were crofting at that time, were drowned in their paffage : our ferries got fo much damage by this ftorm, that we did not get all the army over General Wa- before the ioth, when we were joined by general Waterang, the army. with his dragoons and Coffacks, and one thoufand of the latter were immediately fent back to reinforce thofe left in the entrenchments, that covered our gallies at the mouth of the river Agrechan. The general brought with him prifoner, the chief of the province of Andreof, whom the emperor caufed to be hanged up the fame day, for an example to others. This irritated the other chiefs of the Dageftans to fuch a de^ gree, that they were determined to be revenged, which brought us into no fmall trouble. EmbarraflWI We began to march again on the nth, with one half march,'1 and of the dragoons and Coffacks for our advanced guard, and SSmeSTon tue other half to cover our rear ; and went thirty werfts that the onkcrs of ci notwithftar.din£ the intenfe heat, which made many of the guards. ' 0 J our men drop by the way. When we halted in the middle of the day, we difcovered great numbers of armed men on horfeback riding on the fides of the mountains: his majefty was at that time in the rear, and liding along the army, enquired of the men if their pieces were loaded ; and being informed they were not, he gave orders himfelf to load them, ordering, at the fame time, all the officers of his own. divifion. divifion to meet at the head of the grenadier company, where book viii. having met, he harangued and reprimanded us fevereJy -— for neglect of duty ; we were then difarmed, and our fvvords, (viz. the field-officers, who were at the fame time generals, and all the captains,) were put all together into a waggon ; the field-officers were ordered to march on foot in one rank, and the captains were formed in three ranks behind them, and every officer was loaded with four mufkets on his fhoulders ; in this podure we marched near two hours in the mod: intolerable heat, when the emprefs being informed of our miferable fituation, came up in her chariot with the utmoft hade, and pleaded fo effectually in our favour, that we were relieved from our heavy burdens, had our fwords redored, and were admitted to kifs his majedy's hand, who told us, that he had only punifhed the officers of his own guards, becaufe they ought to give a good example to all the relt of the army.—This was difcipline with a vengeance.—The poor captain of the grenadiers died the next day of the fatigue, being a corpulent man, and feveral others fickened, fome of whom died alfo. We lod feveral horfes this day by their eating a poifonous herb and want of water ; but none of the camels or oxen were affected, and I concluded they had not eat any of it. On the 12th, we reached the city of Tarku, ten werfts ; A rrivc at the fhafkal met the emperor half-way, and conducted h îm fcription of to the city j it Hands on the fide of a hill, quite open, with- ^,D' out any walls, and our army encamped on a fpacious plain below the town. Being now arrived at the capital of Dageftan Tartary, I fliall endeavour to give fome defcription of the province and city, from the bed information I could obtain. irtars. eook viii. obtain. Their territory reaches from the river Buftrow, their ' boundary with Circaffia, all along mount Caucafus, as far as Derbent, and they are neither fubjecl to the Turk nor the Perfian, but are in general governed by the fhafkal, who is their fupreme head : his office is not hereditary but elective. The whole country of Dageftan is divided into fmall diftricts, or lordfhips, each under the jurifdicfion of its proper lord, or myrza, who, though hereditary, is neverthelefs not absolute, but his authority is controlled by that of fome of the chief men among them. All thefe petty lords acknowledge one whom they call fhafkal as fupreme head, to whom they pay their refpect, but not paflive obedience. 1 hefe people are generally very mifchievous, barbarous, and favage, living for the moft part by robbery and plunder ; a great part of their livelihood is for the men to fteal children, not fpar-ing even thofe of their own ncareft relations, whom they fell to the neighbouring Perfians, leaving the care of their cattle to their wives in their abfence. They are called Da-geftans, from the word Dug, which fignifies in their language, a mountain, and are from thence called mountaineers ; they pretend to be the defendants of the Amazons, and firmly believe that Thaleftris, the'queen of the Amazons, went from hence to Hircania on a vifit to Alexander the Great, to obtain that favour which ladies, although ever fo defirous of, feldom care to beg. The Dageftans are all Mahometans, ufing circumcifion and all the other ceremonies of the Turks. Their habit is a long clofe coat, commonly of a dark grey, or black, coarfe cloth, over which they wear a cloak of the fame fluff ; and in winter, of fhecp fkins: they wear a fquare cap of a great many pieces fewed together; 1 their their fhoes are for the mort part made of horfes hides, book mi fewed together only at the inftep ; the pooreft man ' " . . r 172a. among them is provided with a coat or mail, headpiece, and buckler, befides a fcymitar, javelin, bow and arrows. This city of Tarku, being the metropolis of Dageftan, JjJ|JpJ*ew contains above three thoufand houfes, and is very full of dies, inhabitants j the houfes all two ftories high, platformed at top, Handing clofe to each other : the women walk upon them in the cool of the evenings, as the men do in the ftreets. Every houfe has a garden ftored with all kinds of delicious fruits, and all well fupplied with fine fprings of water : as for their women, they are incomparably beautiful, both in feature and fhape, with a fair clear complexion, accompanied with lovely black eyes and hair ; but as the men are very jealous, they are always locked up, fo that it is no cafy matter to get fight of them ; and I believe we fliould not have feen any of them if it had not happened twice by accident. We had the liberty to go into the city to buy neceftaries, and were ordered on thefe occafions to go in ftrong parties and well armed, for we placed no great confidence in the fidelity of the inhabitants ; and being in town one day with feveral officers, well efcorted, we faw one of the principal inhabitants going into his houfe, when we made bold to throng in with him much againft his inclination ; but, being informed by our interpreter, that we were officers of rank, and that we begged the favour he would indulge our curiofity by fhewing us the infide of his houfe, he at laft reluctantly confented, and led us into his apartments ; the doors were all covered with very fine Per- fian sook vlll fian tapeftry, without any other kind cf ornament, excepting 1 fome fine mattraffes, and filk quilts, upon which they lie at night j they have neither chairs nor tables, but all fit or lié on the floor : inflead of glafs in the windows, they have blinds, very curioufly checkered of plaited reed, through which they can fee what paffes in the dreet without being feen within ; the walls and cielings are all white, without any ornament. After this he led us into a fquare court, divided in the middle by a high wall, which feparated his own apartments from thofe of the women ; having diewed us alfo his garden, very well ftored with all kinds of fruit, he invited us to fit down with him on a fofa under a piazza, and entertained us with coffee, fruits, and fweet-meats ; when captain Brunie, one of our company, diewed him a very pretty fhaving-glafs he carried in his pocket, and obferving he was much pleafed with it, the captain made him a prefent of it, which feemed to ingratiate us with him. After fome converfation with our hod, we begged the favour of him to let us fee his women in their drefs, only at a diftance ; to which, though unwillingly, he at laft . confented, and went himfelf to their apartments to order them to get themfelves ready, as we apprehended, and returning prefently, he fat down again and converfed fome time with us. He then went again, and brought out four of his wives, and eight of his concubines, and placed them all in a row that we might have a full view of them, in which pofture he left them ftanding, and returning himfelf to the fofa, he fat down with us : the ladies, however, feemingly difpleafed to be gazed at, at fuch a diftance, advanced with one accord, and feated themfelves upon the fofa oppofite to us, US, at which forwardnefs our hod feemed not at all pleafed, vW*i and they, not regarding him in the lead, examined our drefs ' very narrowly, and put a great many queftions to us, by our interpreter, efpecially relating to the cuftoms and drefs of our women, and how many women were allowed in our country to each man ; on their being informed that no man was allowed to have more than one wife, and that the women had the fame liberty as the men to walk abroad and vint their neighbours ; they clapped their hands, and cried out with emotion, " O ! happy, happy country !" Our hoft not being at all pleafed with their conduct, ordered them immediately to their apartments, and they obeyed with much reluctance. They were all moft lovely creatures, but the concubines excelled the wives in beauty ; the reafon is obvious, for they are married to their wives by proxy, and the others they take from choice. After fome fhojt ftay we took our leave, having invited our hoft to come next day and* fee us in the camp; upon his coming we entertained him very handfomely, and he appeared to be moft delighted with our regimental mufic ; and he told us at his taking leave, that as we had {hewn him fo much politenefs and civility, we fliould always be welcome to his houfe while we ftaid in thofe parts ; but although we attempted it we never could again obtain admilfion. The next view we got of the Dageftan ladies was at the TheDagef-emprefs's tent ; the fhafkal's ladies, attended by other ladies J^jJthe of rank and fadiion, came to wait on her majefty ; they emPr^8' came fo clofe (hut up in coaches that they could not be feen ; when they arrived at the emprefs's tent, they were feated on cufhions of crimfon velvet, laid on Per dan carpets, that N n were T7*3. book viii. were fpread upon the ground, and there they fat crofs-legged according to their cuftom. After they were feated, the emprefs gave orders that the officers fhould be admitted to fee the lauies, who were, indeed, all of them extremely lovely ; her majefty had ordered, that when one company of the officers had gratified their curiofity, they fhould retire and make way for others $ by which means the vifit of the ladies lafted till it was pretty late at night, when they were attended back to the city by her fervants, with abundance cf torches, highly pleafed with their reception ; and not only being informed, but alfo feeing how unconfmed our women live, they certainly were as much taken with it as thofe of our hoft; and I dare fay, if we could have beat up for volunteers among thofe lovely daughters of the Amazons, their men would now have been left as womenlefs as they were in thofe ancient times. His majefty's manifeftos having been publiftied, not only throughout Dageftan, but alfo at Derbent, Backu, and Shamachie ; letters were received from Derbent, on the 15th, with affurances, that the manifeftoes were received with great joy there, and that they would, with the utmoft plea-fure, put themfelves under the emperor's protection whenever he arrived there with his army. Upon this news it was ordered, that every perfon belonging to the army, from the higheft to the loweft, fhould bring a ftone of the middling fize, into the middle of the camp, where a crofs was erected, round which they were piled up for a lafting memorial, I fuppofe, and after this divine fervice was performed. We broke up on the 16th, and marched twenty-five werfts, in a fcorching heat, to the river Manas, which afforded us 3 PlentY Ercft a monument at Tarku, and march for Derbent. plenty of water, but we cpuld get no forage, and were obliged to fend our horfes in among the mountains for grafs, where great numbers of them were taken and carried off by the Tartars, and among the reft all my three horfes. When we moved next day, the 17th, general Waterang was fo good as to order two dragoons todifmount, and yoke their horfes to my baggage-waggon, but I was, myfelf, reduced to walk on foot, which was extremely fatiguing in that hot climate. Madam Campcnhaufen, one of her majefty's ladies of honour, obferving me marching on foot before my company, fent in the evening to enquire the reafon, and being told my misfortune, was fo kind as to acquaint the emprefs with it, who was gracioufly pleafed to order her equerry to give me a horfe with furniture ; and his majefty being informed of my neceffity, gave orders to provide me with another, fo that I was again mounted, and my fervant alfo, on horfeback : that night, however, I bought two camels for my baggage, at fifteen rubles each, and gave my waggon to one of my officers who was in want of one : I was foon fully convinced of the ufefulnefs of the camels, who not only carry heavy burdens, but feed where no horfè can fubfift; and can live feveral days without water, if they get but a handful of fait in lieu of it. This day we paffed the river Manas, and at no great diftance from it, the river Boinack, over a ftone bridge, and encamped for the night at Old Boinack, having marched thirty werfts, and come through large fields of cotton and faffron. We loft this day a number of horfes by heat, fatigue, and want of forage. It is to be obferved of this country, that the fummer is fo excellively hot, and all the grafs is fo entirely N n 2 withered book vin. withered and fcorched up, that the inhabitants are obliged --to feed their cattle with hay, which they provide in the winter when the country abounds with grafs and pafturage. From this place his majefty difpatched three ColTacks, with a guide, to fultan Udenich, who lived at fome diftance among the mountains, requiring him to fend a deputation in order to a conference, and defiring him to fupply the army wiih beads of burden, to tranfport our baggage to Derbent. Saltan Ude- On the r 8th we marched twenty five werfts, and encamped nich's cruelty and its conic- on the bartitt of the river Nitzi, where the guide returned to «pences, u^ fujlan Tjdenjch's anfwer, having his nofe and both ears cut off, and informed his majefty that they had, in his prefence, put the three Coffacks to death, in a moft cruel and barbarous manner: the fultan bade him tell the emperor, that whoever of his people fell into his hands they fhould be treated in the fame manner, and as to the defired conference, they were ready to hold it with their fcymitars in their hands. On the :9th, the Tartars appeared on the fide of the hill, about twelve thoufand ftrong, to put their threats in execution ; and as we were fufheiently on our guard by the return of the melfenger, the army was immediately under arms without ftriking their tents, and his1 majefty marched in perfon toward the enemy with only his own divifion, which con-fifted of fix battalions, ordering only a part of the army to follow. Upon our approaching the foot of the hill, we fired fmnrtly on each other, without much damage on either fide, and as they ftood ttpon a very high eminence, we could not bring our cannon to bear on them ; the emperor perceiving they kept their dation without advancing towards us, ordered de red the dragoons and Coffacks to march round, and attack book them upon the hill, which they did with great expedition,- and as they afcended the declivity we faw them all the way, but they were not difcovered by the enemy till they were clofe at their backs, when a great daughter enfued, and the Tartars fled with the utmoft precipitation, leaving between fix and feven hundred men dead on the fpot, and forty were taken prifoners; among whom were fome perfons of diftinction, and their Mahometan prieft, who had been one of their principal leaders, and not only advifed but perpetrated with his own hands, that horrid cruel murder of the three Coffacks, cutting open their breads while they were yet alive, and taking out their hearts, and whofe bodies were afterwards found ftuck upon ftakes near the fultan's palace, by our dragoons who purfued the enemy to the very gates, which they alfo entered, putting every one they met with to the fword, amounting to upwards of three thoufand men ; for they had fent away their women and children to the mountains, before they fat out on this expedition, in which, befides the flain, the fultan's refklence and fix other villages were burnt and entirely deftroyed. , In the purfuit, a parly of the dragoons had driven twenty Twenty Tartars into a narrow place, from which there was no pof-fibility of efcaping, and rinding themfelves fo clofely hemmed in, they fell on their knees, and offered, in this fupplicating pofture, to deliver up their fire arms with the butt ends fore-moft, upon which twenty of the dragoons were ordered to difmount and fecure them ; but upon their approach, thefe defperadocs rofe up and threw their javelins, and killed every one of ihe dragoons, and then made fo bold an attack with their fcymitars in their hands, that they wounded book viii. wounded feveral more, not giving over till they were every = one cut to pieces. General Romantzof was ordered to march with our fix battalions, to aflift the dragoons in deftroying the fultan's redden ce, and on our way we were attacked by a body of fix hundred horfe, who were coming from a neighbouring chief to Udenich's afliftance. In their attack they advanced and retired in a very uncommon manner : they were formed only twelve in front, but fifty in depth, following each other with their drawn fcymitars ; when the front ranks had made an attempt on our fere wed bayonets, they wheeled about and placed themfelves again in the rear -, having continued to attack us in this manner near half an hour, they thought proper to march off with the lofs of feveral men and horfes killed and wounded. In this attack one of their commanders who had diftinguifhed himfelf with fuperior courage and activity, made frequent attempts and wounded two of our men : general Romantzof obferving him, and feeing me with a rifle-piece in my hand, defired I would endeavour to bring him down, which I did at his next attack, by (hooting him through the thigh, and he tumbled from his horfe, which with his own perfon was immediately fecured. The general was pleafed to make me a prefent of his horfe and furniture, with his fcymitar, bow and arrows j the bridle and furniture were overlaid with duds of gilt filver, the handle and fcabbardof the fcymitar, with the fame in filigree work ; the horfe I fold for fixty ducats, the fcymitar, bow and arrows, I brought with me to Britain, and ftill have them in my poffeflion. By this means general Romantzof made ane fome amends for the horfe and furniture left me by marfhal marflial Weyde, which had been detained from me as I book vm, mentioned formerly. This rencounter being ended, we con- !—'- tinued our march toward Udenich's reiidence, and found all the way we went, the road ft re wed with dead bodies, which had been killed by our dragoons in the purfuit ; and among the reft a youth between eighteen and twenty years A beautiful of age, whofe head had been but newly cut oft' : the beauty MQ*1 y°ut of his face and perfon were, even in death, fo extraordinary, that every one flood to look on him as they pad the corpfe, declaring they had never feen any one comparable to him ; but as the admiration of this corpfe retarded our march, the general ordered the body to be removed out of the way. After having marched about fifteen werfts, we were met by the dragoons and Coflacks on their return, richly laden with plunder ; and general Waterang having informed Romantzof that ail was over and completely finifhed, we returned all together in one body, and on our arriving at the eminence where the enemy made their firft appearance, we found twenty-one of the prifoners hung up by way of re-prifal, for the cruel death of our three Coffacks : one of the prifoners was fent back to fultan Udenich, with his nofe and ears cut off, with a letter reproaching him with his favage cruelty toward our innocent meffengers. The prieft was quartered for his inhuman barbarity. While this detachment were abfent on that fervice, lord Undaunted admiral Apraxin, who commanded the army in chief, had the piiett.° been examining fome of the prifoners, and afking them why they had put our innocent meffengers to fo cruel a death, they replied that they knew nothing farther about if, but that it was done by their fultan's orders at the inftigation r 0X5 book via01" prieft : the prieft being thereupon interrogated, very --boldly anfvvered, that he would have done the fame to every I7**' one of our people whom he could have got in his power, to revenge the treatment the Tartars of Andreof had received from us, whofe chief we had put to fo ignominious a death, and whofe friends and allies thev were ; befides, they were a free nation, and would fubjecf themfelves to no prince on earth. The admiral then alked him how they could venture to attack fo numerous and regular an army, who were fo far fuperior to any force they could raile, and all the affiftance they could expec! from their neighbour?; to which the prieft replied, that they were not at all afi aid of our foot foldiers, who were not able to follow them into mountains, and as to the Coffacks they had been ufed to beat them often on former occafions : but what dilconcerted them moft was our blue coats, (meaning the dragoons), who kept fo clofe together on horfeback. He then told the admiral to afk him no more queftions, for he was fully determined not to anfwer any, and that he neither afked not expected any favour from fuch Chiiftian dogs ; upon which he was taken away. Another prifoner being brought before the admiral's tent to be examined, he would give no anfwer to any queftion that was put to him, on which he was ordered to be ftripped and whipped ; but on receiving the firft lafti, he matched a fword from an officer's fide, and flew with it towards the admiral, whom he would certainly have killed, had not the two centries before the tent, run him through the body with their bayonets ; and even after he fell he pulled the mulket out of the hands of one of the centries, who in ftruggling to wreft it from him, had a large piece of 6 flefh fîefh bit out of his arm by this defperate fellow, who was book vin. hen foon difpatched. His majefty coming up at this time,--— theadmiral told him that he was certainly come into this ,7"' country to be devoured by mad dogs, having never had fuch a fright before in his whole life : the emperor replied, fmiling, if the people of this country underdood the art of war, it would be impoffible for any nation to cope with them. The emperor, with a view to keep thefe people in awe, ordered a fort to be erected on the river Nitzi, under the direction of baron Rcnne, lieutenant of the guards, as engineer, and all the Kalmuck Tartars, with fome Coffacks, were left to cover and protect the works. The army moved again on the 2id, and marching all the way through vineyards and orchards, we came at night to the river Durback, twenty werds. Here we were met by a meffenger, with a handfome retinue, from the drong city of Buku, to congratulate his majefty on his fafe arrival in thofe parts j recommending themfelves and their city to his protection ; earneftly requefting to be relieved from Myr Maghmud the ufurper, againft whom they had found means to defend themfelves the two years laft paft, and be-feeching the emperor to haften to their relief. We marched again on the 22d, through orchards and vineyards, fifteen werfts, when we arrived at a fmall river, where we found plenty of graft, having differed greatly for want of it all the way from Tarku to this place ; and next day, the 23d, we continued our route through thefe delightful vineyards, fifteen werfts, to Derbent. His majefty was Arrive at met half way by the governor and principal citizens, who Derbent* O o pre- 2Î2 M E M O I R S O F book vin. prefented him with the keys of their city, offering, at the -fame time, to admit his troops into the citadel, to garrifon it ,7"' for the protection of their city, which had defended itfelf a confiderable time againft the arms of the ufurper Magh-mud : this generous offer met a very gracious reception. We marched through the city the fame day, under a triple falvo of all their artillery, and encamped on the fouth fide of the town, being now entered for the firft time into Per-fia. We could now plainly fee Mount Arrarat from our camp, rearing his fum mit far above the reft of the Caucafus. The emperor now appointed a governor and three thoufand men to garrifon the caftle, to whom the inhabitants with much joy, gave the immediate poffeffion of, as they were thereby relieved from the fatigues and hard-fhips they had fo long undergone, in defending their city againft the forces of the ufurper; On the ramparts were mounted one hundred iron, and fixty brafs cannon, twelve and nine pounders, with large ftore of ammunition. At a fmall diftance on each fide of the caftle, ftands a high watch tower, from which they can difcover the approach of an enemy at a great diftance. Dcfcnption The city of Derbent, in the province of Shirvan, lies in of the city. ^i ^ nort^ latitude, is fituated on the fhore of the Cafpian j the walls are carried into ten feet depth of water, to prevent any one's paffing that way ; its length from eaft to weft, is nearly five werfts, but its breadth is not proportionable. It is not only the frontier of Perfia, lying on ks utmoft confines on this fide, but may with great propriety be called the gate of it, reaching from the mountain into the fea. The city is divided into three diftinct quarters ; tcrs ; the caftle, fituated upon the top of the mountain, book viii. had always a ftrong Perfian garrifon. The fécond, and —- principal, reaches from the foot of the mountain to the lower town, which makes the third, and reaches to the fea-fide. This laft, which was formerly inhabited by Greeks, is not now much frequented, being for the moft part converted into gardens, fince the place was regained from the Turks. The whole city is inclofed with a very ftrong wall, fo broad that a waggon may drive along the top of it without the leaft inconvenience, and flanked with fquare towers at proper diftances. The walls are built with large fquare ft ones, which appear like a heap of fea-fliells cemented together, yet are hard and durable as marble, and when polifhed look extremely beautiful. Moft of the quarries in the Caucafus, are of this kind of ftone. The houfes are built and fur-niflied in the fame manner as thofe of Tarku j the inhabitants are all Mahometans, except fome Jews, whofe chief , bufinefs is trading in ftolen children, brought to market here by the neighbouring Tartars of Dageftan j or fome Turkifh or Ruffian captives, which they pick up on fome of their excurfions, which the Jews carry farther into Perfia, and difpofe of. The mountain above the city, which is for the moft part covered with wood, prefents us with the ruins of a very ancient wall, which, if any credit can be given to the tradition of the natives, had formerly a communication all the way to the Euxine fea, through an extent of country near three hundred werfts in length : this much, however is certain, the ruins of it ftill appear in fome places fix feet high, in others two or three, and in others the track of it is O o 3 quite book viii. clUlte l0^* ®n mrne °^ t^ie ac^Jacent hills are alfo to be feen --the ruins of feveral old caff les, of a fquare form, two of which remaining undemolifhed to this day, are garrifoned by the Perfians. The natives in general are of opinion, thai the city of Derbent was built by Alexander the Great, and that the long wall, which reached to the Euxine, was built by-his order, to prevent the incurfions of the Scythians into, Perfia. . Near to our camp we faw fome thoufands of tombs, co- Remarkable 1 tombs. vered with ftones half round (cylindrical) but exceeding the: ordinary Rature of men, having all of them Arabic infcrip-tions. The report is, that in former ages, (yet fmce the: time of Mahomet), there was a certain king in Media, named Kaffan, received a fignal defeat in a battle he fought againft the Dageftan Tartars at this place, and that the bodies of his officers, flain in the battle, were buried in thefe tombs. The relation feems not to be altogether fictitious, there being at fome fmall diftance, near the fea, forty other tombs, exceeding thofe in bignefs, inclofed by a wall, which having each its banner, are faid to be the fepulchres of fo many lords of the firft rank, and other holy men who accompanied them : here both Perfians and Tartars, of both fexes, come to pay their devotions, by killing thofe fepulchres, and laying their hands on them while they are at prayers. Alexander The inhabitants of Derbent have an old tradition among ana Melfce- them, concerning Alexander the Great and Melkehatum a hatun. ° ' widow fultana, in the province of Irvan. On an expedition into thofe parts, Alexander went as his own ambaffador to the city of Berda, where the fultana redded, to demand a furrender of herfelf, her city, and country, to the difcr.e- difcretion of the conqueror : Melkihatun being a woman of curiofity and tafte, had fome time before procured a picture of Alexander, drawn from the life, fo that he had no fooner prefented himfelf before her than (he knew him : having delivered his meffrge, die defired him to dine with, her, after which he fliould receive his anfwer to carry to the king his mafter j upon which he was carried into a great hall, where a table was covered with gold and filver, and the fide difhes of gold plate were full of her jewels. The great conqueror being feated with the queen, fhe earneftly preffed him to eat, at which the great Alexander was very much furprifed, and afked the queen if her table could afford no other victuals than what he faw before him, for thefe would not allay his hunger : flie faid,—" O ! Alexander, I and on being informed, he ordered me to come on board his galley. Secretary Makarof went with me, and when we got on board, he had a long conference with the admiral in his cabin, and then I was called in and received his commendations for what I had "flone, and was difmiffed -y but from the caution he gave me not to mention what had happened, I had reafon to believe he was afraid this proceeding of his might come to the emperor's ears. Q_q 2 On book viii. On the 15th, the fleet proceeded up the river to Aftra-chan, and on our arrival, were faluted by all the artillery of Arrival at the city, to the inexpreffiole joy of the whole army. We fsth of otto'debarked the next day, and were put into quarters of re-bc1, frefhment, of which we flood in great need. One of our hofpital fhips, with 360 men, had been cad away upon the coafl: of Turkidan, or Turkomania, on the eaft fide of the Cafpian ; of which number only one enfign, a prieff, and feven men returned to give the difmal account : the red: had all either died or been made prifoners by the Tartars. We loft on this deftruclive expedition, above one third of our whole army, not in battle, but by ficknefs and fatigue. At this time an exprefs arrived from Reflit, the principal city of the province of Gilan, upon the fouthernmoft coafl of the Cafpian, defiling his majefty to fend them a fufficient number of our troops to defend them againft the ufurper Myr-Maghmut, and offering to put their ftrong city into our poffeflion. His majefty fent a colonel and two engineers with one thoufand men to their relief, by fea to Reflit ; but at the time of their landing, the ufurper being near the town with a numerous army, the inhabitants were afraid to admit our troops into the town ; our troops therefore, were obliged to entrench themfelves near the fea-fhore. On receiving intelligence of this, general Lewafof was fent with four thoufand more men to join them, and on their arrival, the inhabitants admitted them into the city; the general immediately added feveral outworks to ftrengthen the place, and we remained in full pofleflion of of the province, without the leaft difturbance from the book viii. ufurper. — General Lcwafof at his fetting out, had orders to call at ,7"* Baku, and leave a garrifon there of two thoufand men ; but he came too late, for the citizens being difappointed of the fupport they hoped for from our army, when we were at Derbent, were obliged to fubmit themfelves to the obedience of Myr-Maghmut, and they refufed to admit our troops. It may be proper to obferve here, that the jealoufy which the march of our army into thofe parts, had excited in the Turks, and the umbrage they had taken at it, was afterward ad j ufted by our ambaffador at Conflantinople, where it was mutually agreed that the Turks fhould keepShamachie ; that Armenia, Melitener, and Georgia, fhould remain under their protection ; and that the emperor, if he chofe it, might fubdue all the provinces bordering on the Cafpian fea. His majefty being now determined to make all his con-quefts in future by fea, without running the rifque of ruining an army with marching again by land, gave immediate orders to build a fuflicient number of fhips of burthen, and finding our former gallies too fmall for any diftant expedition, gave likewife orders to build a number of double gallies of forty oars, to contain above three hundred men each ; and having fettled all his affairs at this place, he left General Matufkin here to command the army in chief, and ordered the fix battalions of his own body guards to attend his perfon to Mofcow. We left all cur gallies here, and proceeded in open boats up the river Wolga, fo that inftead book viii. of enjoying any reft in this place, we were again put to ' ■ intolerable hardfhips ; and we who had the honour of be-ing the body guards of this indefatigable monarch, underwent greater fatigues, harder duty, and feverer punifhment for neglect of it, upon all occafions, than any of the reft of his army. BOOK BOOK IX. Progrefs up the Wolga to Czaritza.—The ghojl there.—A fhort hifory of the Coffacks.—Stephen Ratzin's rebellion.—Ordered to furvey the Cafpian fea, on which he proceeds to Jaick and Tembo.—Ifland of Ku~ la, and Turkiftan Tartars.—Gulf of IJkander.—River Ox us and the Ufbeck Tartars.—The gulf of Carabuga.— River Daria.—River Ofifa. Gulf of Aftrabat.—Provinces of Terebat and Maffenderan.—Gulf of Sinftli and city of Refit.—Difficult path of the Pyles.—The rivers Ar-defchin and Linkeran, and the famous naphtha oil-pits.—The river Cyrus, or Rur.—The city of Baku.—City of Shamachie. City of Derbent.— The river Sulack.—Gulf of Agrechan, I/land of Trenizeni and city of Terki.—General Defcription of the Cafpian fea. — Watch tower on John's if and —General Matufkin's marriage to the widow in tears.—Con t eft among the Kalmucks, and expedition againft them.—Defcription of their hbbets.—A battle zvith the Kalmucks. —Some odd cuftom s among them. The Baranetz, or Lambfkin.—Returns for Mofcow up the IVolga.—A narrozv efcape from the ice. — Proceed by land. A cruel robbery in the woods.—A remarkable difcovery of a town, with an accomt of it.—A wild girl taken in the wood.-—Arrival at Mofcozv.. HE emperor fet out from hence on the 5th of No- book ix, vember ; for the firft three days fome foldiers were —- put on fhore to tow the boats againft the ftream, who were progïe"û] relieved every hour ; the 8th, having a favourable wind czear^ga from the fouth, we went under fail for four days. On the 11 th, we met the ice in large fheets floating down the river, and two of our battalions being then in the rear, I afked, and obtained leave of brigadier Kartzmin, under whofe command they were, to make the beft of my way, and with much toil and labour reached Zornayar on the 1 6 th, a fortified town with a numerous garrifon. The river being 9: com- book jx.completely frozen over this night, I was obliged to draw my --boat on ihore, and had the good fortune to be the only officer of our divifion frozen up at an inhabited place. His majefty, with four battalions, was ftopt forty werfts above us, and brigadier Kartzmin, with^the other two, was ftopt forty werfts below us, and could not reach Zornoyar by land till the 19th. His majefty preceeded by land to Czaritza, and we remained at Zornayar, till the Kalmuck Tartars came over the river on the ice to take up their ufual winter-quarters in the detart : they covered a road with earth over the ice for their cattle to pafs on, their horfes, for want of fhoeing, as well as their other cattle, being equally unable to fet their feet on the bare ice. We now bought horfes of the Tartars at a very cheap rate, and fet forward on the 17th of December through a barren defart country, without meeting a fingle houfe in all our way, being obliged to lay in our tents for four fuccef-five nights in very cold weather, and in want of every ne-ceffary : we arrived at Czaritza on the 2 1 ft at night, which is five hundred werfts above Aftrachan. When the emperor left this place fome time before, with the other battalions, to make the beft of his way to Mofcow, he left orders for our two (being thofe pf Ingermanland and Aftrachan) to remain here for the winter ; which orders we received v/ith great pleafure, as we found very good quarters, and notwithftanding the numerous garrifon of foot and Coffacks, we had every thing we could wifh for in great plenty. The ghoft ^ne ^av vvrien I was dining with the governor, he enter-there, tained us with a long ftory about a ghoft that was frequently feen walking the ftreets at night, and had continued to do fo for for fome years pa ft, beftowing a found beating on any per- book ix. fon who offered to difturb it, but did no other harm. I ■- mentioned my furprize that no body had attempted to feize this ghoft, as it could certainly be no other than fome perfon who took pleafure in frightening the people. The governor, who was a very credulous man, replied with fome warmth, " It was very perceptible I was a foreigner, who " feldom believed any thing."—I told him, that he ought not to take offence at what I had faid, for if he would give me leave I would fecure the ghoft the firft time it walked the ftreets again, which he granted with a fneer. When I came home to my lodging, I alked one of my ferjeants if he had heard any thing of a ghoft in town ; he told me he had feen it frequently, and if I was curious he believed I might fee it that fame night : on which I ordered him to pick out half a dozen ftout fellows, and attend with them at my lodging, and fend fome others to look out and bring me word when it appeared. About eleven o'clock at night, information came that it was walking in the next ftreet to that I was in -, upon which I fent the ferjeant with three of the men to meet it, and ordered him by all means to feize it, and went myfelf with the other three to follow it in cafe it fliould attempt to return back j but it met the ferjeant without offering to return or efcape ; and upon being feized, threw two of the men under his feet, yet they held him faft till I came up ; when, prefenting a piftol to his breaft, he begged to fave his life, and confeffed himfelf to be one of the Coffacks belonging to the garrifon. I carried him immediately to the governor, who was fo much afhamed for having allowed himfelf to be fo long impofed on, and fo* R r enraged* book ix. enraged, that he threatened to hang the fellow; but as he -had not been guilty of any other crime, except that of frightening people, he came off with a fevere whipping, after he had flood fome time with his white fheet about him, as a fhow to the people of the town. A ftort hir- Having had frequent occafion to mention the Coffacks, Sacks?5 employed both in our armies and garrifons, I fhall endeavour to give fome fhort account of their origin. They v/ere at firft no more than a band of free-booters, compofed of a wild barbarous rabble, moflly boors, from the provinces of Polifh Ruffia, Volhinia, and Podolia. Having left their native habitations, they fettled .themfelves on fome iflands in the river Borifthenes, below Kiovia, where they fubfifted by robbery and plunder. They acquired the name of Coffacks from their agility, the word Cojfa fignifying as much in the Folidi language : they were particularly remarkable for their dexteiiiy in pafling between the great number of fmall iflands, fituated in the mouth of the Borifthenes : their piracies early became terrible to the Turkifti gallies on the Black-Sea, and they grew formidable to Na-tolia itfelf, when they not only plundered Tiebifond and Sinope, but even the fuburbs of Conflantinople did not efcape them, and they returned in fafety to their habitations with their prifoners and plunder. The fame of their exploits againft the Turks gained them fuch reputation with the Poles, that Stephen Batori, prince of Tranfilvania and king of Poland, confidering that thefe Coffacks might be of great ufe to the crown of Poland, not only againft the incurfions of the neighbouring Crim Tartars, but alfo might ferve as a confiderable addition to the ilrength ftrength of the Polifh army, which confiding for the mofl book ix. part of horfe, would be rendered more formidable when "™-~-m augmented by fo confiderable a number of foot, refolved to •put thefe vagabond foldiers into good order and difcipline; which he effected by granting them very confiderable privileges, and putting them under a general of their own, called by them hetman, who had the power of naming his own officers. Having thus reduced them into one body, he gave them the city of Techimerof, on the Borifthenes, with all the territory belonging to it, which they made their capital magazine, and refidence of their hetman; and by this means, all that tract of defert country which extends itfelf along the Borifthenes, from Bar, Braclaw, and Kiow, to-the Black-Sea, became a populous country, filled with towns and cities, and is now called the Ukrain*. As this body has been of very great fervice to the crown of Poland, by fecuring its frontiers on that fide againft the incurfions of the Crim Tartars : fo, after fome time, it proved very dangerous, having feveral times taken arms againft the republic, which was occafioned by feveral Polifh lords, whofe boors (their vaflals) could never be well fecured as long as the Coffacks enjoyed their privileges, reprefentcd them to the king as dangerous to the republic, by reafon of the great numbers of peafants that daily ran over to them. It was refolved to build a fort at a place called Kudak, on a point of land formed by the influx of the river Swamer to the Borifthenes, which was chofen from its fituation, as a proper place to bridle the Coffacks, being at no great diftance from 1 the place of their ordinary rendezvous. The Coffacks, how- * Ukrain, in tfie Polifh language, fignifies frontier. R 2 every book. xi. ever, penetrating the defign of the Poles, were refolved not -to differ the bridle to be put over their heads j and having defeated two hundred men who were left to fee the fort perfected, under the command of a colonel, they affembled a confiderable body of forces, to prevent the Polifh general in his defign ; and from that time there were divifions and perpetual wars between the Poles and the Coffacks. During thefe troubles, great numbers of the Coffacks retired, with their families to the river Don, or Tanais, and fettled between the Don and the Wolga, where they fubfided a long time by their piracies on the Wolga. In the year 1653, being greatly opprefled by the Poles, they joined the Ruffians, who, in the year following, with their affiflance, took the cities of Smolinfko and Wilna j fo that it was chiefly owing to the valour of the Coffacks, that the provinces of Smolinfko and Severia with the palatinate of Kiovia, were annexed to the Ruflian empire, and which were all confirmed to them by the treaty of peace in 1666, made at Oliva. About that period the Coffacks in general put themfelves under the protection of Ruflia, and are ftill diflinguifhed by the Ukrain and Donfki Coffacks, the former of which ferve moflly on foot, the latter all on horfe-back. It was the Donfki Coffacks who were employed 011 our expedition at this time, and were put in garrifon in all our frontier towns, and are in regular pay, and forage allowed them for their horfes. They have now left off robbing, except when they are fent into an enemy's country, then all the booty they make is their own, as alfo the prifoners they take, whom they may fell or retain as their flaves. 2 The The Coffacks in general are tall, ftrong, well fet, and re- book ix-markably active ; they are liberal even to profufion, placing ~" " no great value in riches, but are great lovers of their liberty, which they look upon as a thing ineftimable : they are hardy, indefatigable, brave, but great drunkards and very treacherous. Their chief employment is hunting and fifh-ing, yet they apply themfelves both to agriculture and arms ; their language is a dialect of the Ruffian and Polifh tongues, but more fmooth and agreeable than either ; they pro-fefs the Greek religion in the fame manner as it is efta-blidied in Ruffia. A very dangerous rebellion was raifed in the year 1669, Stephen Rat* when Alexis (his prefent majefty's father) was emperor, by lion, one Stephen Ratzin, a Donfki Coffack by birth ; who, ob-ferving a certain difpofition in the Nagayan Tartars inhabiting the kingdom of Aftrachan, occafioned by the heavy oppreffions they groaned under from the mifmanagement and avarice of the Ruffian governors in thofe parts, to fhake off the Ruffian yoke, he gathered a confiderable party, and being affifted by a great number of the Donfki Coffacks, marched at their head againft the city of Aftrachan, which he befieged and took, after a fmall refiftance. From thence he marched toward Cafan, threatening not only that citv, but the fouthern Ruffia with a moft dreadful in-vafion; and his army increafed prodigioufly by the vaft number of Tartars that flocked to his affiftance. But in-ftead of improving this opportunity to his advantage, he abandoned himfelf to idlenefs and all manner of excefs and debauchery, by which the Ruffians had leifure to affemble their forces and ftop his career ; in which they were fo expeditious as to arrive at Cafan before he could lay fiege to the '3i6 Memoirs of book ix. the place, and having thus cut off all communication with the country thereabout, from whence Aftrachan and the adjacent parts are fupplied with corn, the rebellious army was foon reduced to fuch great diftrefs, by want of fubfift-ence, that the Tartars being apprehenfwe of their approach* ing danger, for the moft part deferted their leader j notwithftanding which, the Coffacks ftood it out bravely, re-folving to maintain their ground againft the Ruffians j for which purpofe they entrenched themfelves under the walls of Aftrachan. The Ruffians feeing the defperate refolution of the Coffacks, thought it more advifeable to reduce them, if poffible, to obedience by fair means, and a promife of free pardon for all that was paft, than by force of arms; which had the defired effect ; for Ratzin finding his Cof-iacks wavering, and being flattered with hopes of forgive-ncfs, by fome of his friends in the emperor's court, furrendered himfelf to the mercy of czar Alexis Michaelovitz, the next year. His party'being thus deprived of their head, readily embraced the offer of pardon 3 but Ratzin not long after found himfelf extremely miftaken in his hopes* for he was carried into the great market-place, before the caftle in Mofcow, and there, in the midft of an infinite number of fpecf ators, affembled to fee the tragical exit of a man, whom not many months before they had confidered as their moft: dreadful enemy, he had firft his arms cut off, then his legs, and laftly his head. Ever fince that period, the Coffacks have been kept in ftrict order and difcipline, being for the moft part employed in garrifoning the frontier towns, in which they never exceed one third, and being all horfe-men, they are employed out upon parties to keep the neighbouring bouring Tartars in awe, the Ruffian foldiers only doing b o o k xt. duty in the garrifons. " Early this fpring, when we were in hopes of going to Ordwtito Mofcow, we received orders to return to Adrachan, there CaSia Set, to remain in garrifon till the return of general Matufkin, who had received his orders to proceed to Baku, with a force to reduce that city : accordingly we moved with our two battalions, on the 2d of April, from Czaritza down the Wolga, and arrived at Aftrachan on the 8th, where we found the general embarking his troops to fail on his expedition againft Baku. At the fame time I got very unexpected orders to go all round the Cafpian Sea, to furvey and found it, and to lay down, in a chart, all the iftands, rivers, creeks, and bays, with the different foundings, and for this fervice had one of the ftrongeft new built gallies, of forty oars, carrying two eighteen pounders in her prow, twenty four fwivels, and three hundred men; attended with four boats, two of eight oars, one of ten, and another of twelve, each boat carrying one fwivel gun ; and two fub-engineers were appointed for my affiliants. My firft care was to guard againft the misfortunes which On which h< was fo fatal to the laft galley I commanded in the Cafpian, proccctlâ by laying in a plentiful ftock of provifions, and my old friend, the Capuchin, fent me a prefent of one calk of very good red wine, one of white, a quarter calk of brandy, and feveral kinds of preferved fvveet-meats ; fo that the good man was never tired in (hewing his gratitude, for the fmall favour I had done him, in his palfage down the river. The general with his army fat out on the 15th, and we went down the river on the 18th of April, and got to the 4 mouth. book xi. mouth of the Wolga next morning; from thence proceed- 1723 ing eaftward, we pad in very (hallow water along the coaft fo overgrown with reed, that we were obliged to keep at live or fix miles diftance from the fhore, in from ten to twelve feet water ; and in all the way for eight days time, we could find no place to land even one of our fmalleft boats. We few two little iflahds in our way, but we could not come at them for reed 3 but we killed a great number of fea-fowl, that have their nefts in thefe iflands, and had plenty of fifh and fowl all the way. We failed or rowed as the wind permitted, but came to an anchor every night, that nothing might efcape our obfervation. to Jaick. On the 26th, we arrived in the river Jaick, the mouth of which is one hundred fathoms broad, and eighteen feet deep; we went to the town of Jaick, which ftands about one mile up the river, is well fortified, has a ftrong garrifon of Ruffians and Coffacks, to keep the Kalmuck and Nagayan Tartars in awe, and to prevent them from attacking each other, as they live in perpetual enmity. The Nagayans inhabit all the country from Aftrachan to the Jaick, all along the fea-coaft, two hundred and fifty-five werfts in extent ; and the Kalmucks poifefs that vaft tract: of land, from Saratof and the great defert of Beriket, and that tract to the fouth of the Jaick, all along the fhore to the river Yembo, which is ninety-three werfts from this place. We flayed only one day at Jaick, and provided ourfelves with frefh meat and water. Being informed by the governor that there was a large gulf to the eaftward of this place, to the river Yembo, but too (hallow to admit our galley, I fent one of the engineers with two of the boats, to go round and furvey it, and join us us again on the oppofite point, for which we proceeded im- book rx\ mediately, and failing fouth, we anchored on the 30th, be- ~"--"* tween the ifland of Kulala, and the point of the main, in fix fathom water, in view of the mountains of Karagan, Kuiaiu. and from hence we had a clean and deep fhore. At this place begin the territories of Turkidan, or the Turku-manian Tartars. During our day here, waiting thereturn of the engineer, we laid in plenty of wood and water, and diverted ourfelves with fowling and fifhing : we caught here a beluga upwards of fix yards long, and thick in proportion ; from the roe of which we made excellent caviar, which lafted us above a month. Our engineer, with the boats, joined us again on the 10th of May, who reported that in the furvey of the bay, he found only from five to eight feet water ; that the whole fhore was fo covered with reed, that they could only land at the mouth of the river Yembo, which was both broad and deep. We left the ifland of Kulala on the nth, on our way to the gulf of lfkandcr, where we arrived the 20th. All along this coaft there is a great depth of water, fo that we could land with our galley on any part of it. A great number of fmall rivers fall into the fea from the mountains, but we could not learn their names, although I attempted to get information by fending the twelve oared boat, with an officer and twenty-four men, and an interpreter to fpeak with the people on fhore : but they no fooner came near enough, than the Tartars let fly a volly of arrows at our people, who returned the falute with a difcharge of their mufketry, and we fired one of our great guns from the galley at them, which made them retire towards the mountains in great S s hafte. 3i4 M B M O I R S OF book ix hafte. They always appeared in great parties, on horfebacfe-,, ' " well armed, and we faw feveral of their hord-s, or camps, at a diftance, which they move at pleafure, and wander from place to place, for thofe Tartars have no fettled abode : they continued to attend us every day in great parties, to watch our motions, out of the reach of our guns, and they difappeared entirely on our arrival in the gulf of lfkandcr, which is one hundred and eighty-four werfts from Gulf of the Me of Kulala. In this gulf which is, from eaft to weft, lender. ffjfaty werfts in length, and eighteen broad, we found, near the fhore, from five to fix fathom water, with a clean ground, and exceeding good anchorage \ it would be one of the fineft harbours in the world, as both fides of the entrance are extremely well calculated to creel: forts upon, for its defence. It lies in 43 deg. 20 min. north -} feveral fmall; rivers fall into it from the mountains. River Oxu3 We left the gulf of lfkander on the 26th, and proceed-Tanars, ing along fhore two days in good depth of water ; we arrived in the river Oxus, being ninety werfts from the gulf. This river is both large and rapid, and is about a mulket-fhot broad at its entrance. Here we found a few unarmed Tartars, who fold us fome fheep, and informed us that feveral hordsof Turkumanian Tartars were encamped on the banks of the river, a little way above, and that the Ufbeck Tartars encamped on the other fide, this river dividing the two nations. We had hitherto feen nothing but fine weather, intermixt with calms and light breezes -, but this night we had a dreadful ftorm of wind, attended with rain, thunder, and lightning, which obliged us to run the galley half a werft up the river for fhelter, where we anchored in the middle middle of the ftream, not daring to venture on either fide book ix. for fear of the Tartars, having the Turkumanians on the" ' ,k north, and the Ufbecks on the fouth, hovering at a diftance. The ftorm lafted till next day at noon, when we left the Ox us, and failing along- fhore in deep water, with a clean bottom, attended by parties of the Ulbeck Tartars, who obferved our motions at a diftance from the fides of the mountains. We parted by two fmall iflands covered with trees (called the Lebajee iflands), where we took in wood, and killed a number of fea-fowl. The 2d of June, we arrived at the gulf of Carabuga, The gulf of one hundred and five werfts from the river Oxus ; the in- Caiabusa* let of the gulf is about two werfts broad, and at one werft within is an ifland, where we landed with our galley, and encamped the people to refrefh themfelves on fhore, and get our veffel cleaned : from hence I difpatched the two afliftants, in the largeft boats, to furvey the gulf ; directing them to proceed along the oppofite fides till they fliould meet, and then return to the ifland : in the mean time, I founded all round the inlet, and had from five to fix fathom water j but a few werfts within, we could not reach the bottom ; I could obferve no current here either in or out. The gulf, from north to fouth, is feventy-five werfts, and fifty from eaft to weft, deep water, a clean bottom, and the fhore fteep, all round the gulf j it is furrounded with high mountains ; two large rivers (the Morga and Herat) fall into it from the eaft ; the entrance is formed by two narrow necks of land, and might be eafily fecured and fortified ; and this ifland, which is two miles in circumference, would ferve /or a protection to the fliipping. As there S s 2 is \ book tx. is no tide in the Cafpian, fome people have alledged that the ■ waters of the fea find a palTage by this gulf, which made me curious to examine it more particularly, but 1 could not find the lead reafon for fuch a conjecture. Having enjoyed ourfelves very agreeably under the cooling {hade of the trees in this hot climate, without the leaft apprehension of any danger from the Tartars, we took our departure from Carabuga on the 22d, and coafted along fhore for fix days, in very hot weather, without the fmalleft breeze of wind, which made it intolerable for the poor foldiers, who were obliged to row all the way, and anchoring every night, we had continual flafhes of lightning, and thefe fometimes accompanied with dreadful loud claps of thunder, which are very frequent in this country during the fummer. We were- every day attended along the fhore by numerous parties of the Ufbeck Tartars, who feemed very jealous of our intentions, which obliged us, as often as we wanted to fend afhore for frefh water, to fire our great guns at them, which kept them at a diftance, by which means we fupplied ourfelves. River Daria. One hundred and forty werfts fouthward from Carabuga, we entered the mouth of the famous river Daria on the 28th ; it lies in 39 deg. 15 min. north latitude. It is here where the gold fand is wafhed down from the mines in the mountains, and here where the unfortunate prince Alexander Bekewitz, a few years ago, with an army of 3,000 men, were treacheroufty maffacred by the Ufbeck Tartars, as I mentioned before. I now faw the place where the fort had been erected, on a narrow neck of land, oppofite to the mouth of the river, and which forms a fpacious harbour capable capable of containing a number of fhips of burthen, as there j3 00K r< is from three to four fathom water clofe to the fhore, on a-- clean bottom with good anchorage; fo that it was a great ,?13, pity the prince differed himfelf to be over-reached by thefe treacherous Tartars. If this poft had been maintained, which might have been done without any manner of danger, it would, in procefs of time, have been a moft glorious acquilition towards enriching the Ruffian nation. I intended to have gone fome way up this river ; but a3 the Tartars had taken the alarm at our appearance here, and were already come from their camp in formidable bodies, I was obliged to lay afide the defign and leave the place ; and pafling two bays and three iflands, called the Goat Iflands, we came to an anchor at one of the iflands for the night, «where we landed, faw a number of goats, and killed five of them. The next day, being the 29th, we arrived at Minkiflack, River Offa. on the north-fide of the river Offa, or Orxantes, fixty werfts from Daria. This river divides the Ufbeck Tartary from Perfia, is both large and deep, and fhips may ride at anchor here in great fafety. Here we were glad to find people dwelling in houfes, for we had not feen a houfe from the time we left Aftrachan, except at Jaick. We found the people of Minkiflack both civil and kind : they live after the Perfian manner, whofe fubjecls they are, and we got all forts of refrelhments at a very cheap rate, and were afterwards no more honoured with an efcort of Tartars. From Minkiflack we proceeded along a clean fhore, in deep water, where we could have landed with our galley on any part of the coaft, and where abundance of fmall rivulets fall into 3i3 M E M O I R S OF book ix. to the fea, and the country, abounding with villages, is over- " grown with a great variety of fruit-trees. Gulf of The 4th of July, we arrived at the inlet of the gulf of Aft rabat, one hundred and fifty werfts from Minkiflack : we entered and anchored within the gulph. The city of Aftra-bat ftands on the river Naren, which falls into the gulf thirty werfts from the inlet; the gulf itfelf is forty-fix werfts from eaft to weft, and has two and a half fathoms of water over all j Aftrabat is fortified with high and thick walls, flanked with towers, and is a place of great trade. This makes the fouthern extremity of the Cafpian fea, and lies in 36 deg. 50 min. north lat. This province, with the neighbouring provinces of Terebat, Maffanderan, and Gi-lan, produce abundance of raw filk, coffee, faffron, and cotton 5 their filk is cftecmed the beft in all Perfia, and by \t they carry on a great trade to different parts, efpecially to Ruffia, where a filk manufactory is eftabliflicd at Mofcow. This country abounds with the moft delicious fiuils of all kinds, efpecially their grapes, which are furprifmgly large. Jn coafting the country from hence, we made very particular enquiries of the inhabitants concerning fome whirlpools, laid down near this fbore in fome old maps, but we could neither hear or difcover the leaft appearance of any fuch thing. _ nf In paffing the provinces of Terebat and Maffanderan, we Provinces ot *;"•,. 1 Terebat and few a moft delightful country, abounding with plantations Maffanderan. ... . . . t r • of mulberry-trees, and watered by a great number of rivers, whofe banks were full of houfes, and wherever we landed the people fhewed us the utmoft civility, furnifhing us moft chearfully with whatever we wanted at an extraordinary cheap rate. 9 On On the i8th, we arrived at the gulf of Sinfili, one hun- book ix- dred and feventy werfts from Aftrabatj we went through,- this gulf in four fathom water, fixteen werfts to the city Gulf of' of Refht, the capital of the province of Gilan, which ftands citfohlcflt. at the mouth of the river Kifilofein : the gulf extends eighteen werfts from eaft to weft ; the city is fquare, and fortified in the fame manner as Aftrabat, with ftrong walls and towers. General Leewafof was now governor, with a garrifon of 5,coo men : they were employed at this time in building a citadel of five baftions to command both the town and harbour i but as their principal engineer, captain Sager, had, after a fevere fit of ficknefs, loft the fight of both his eyes, and they were in want of one to fupply his place, the general defired I would leave lieutenant Hartman, one of my affiliants, to be engineer, which I agreed to at the lieutenant's own requeft, as I had now not fo much occafion for him as formerly. They had loft a confiderable number of their men by ficknefs, very common in hot climates. Provifions were both fcarce and dear here at prefent, as the rebels had plundered and laid wafte the whole country as far as Baku, and what they had, both for the fupport of the inhabitants and garrifon, they were fupplied with from Aftrachan. The raw filk, of which the inhabitants had great quantities on their hands, for want of fale during the troubles, they fent to Aftrachan in the tranfports which had brought the troops to Reflit, and they had provifions in return for their filk. Several werfts above the city there is a road hewn through Difficult path high mountains into Perfia, called Pyles, in which only0 tu,1>les' one book ix. one (ingle camel, or horfe, can go at a time, following each '--other. This road is made in Reps cut all the way for the beads to travel in ; every man leads his own horie, holding the reins loofe in his hand for fear he fliould make a falfe ftep, by which it would fall down a high precipice into the river Kifilofein, which runs at the bottom with a rumbling noife j the other fide of the road is over-hung with dreadful rocks, which appear as if they would tumble down upon the traveller, which renders it a very difmal paflage. If it fhould happen by accident that, travellers fliould meet, it is impoflible for either to make way, for which reafon there is always one fent before to prevent its happening. The rivers Having ftopt two weeks at Reflit, we fat out again on W Lbke- om' way northward, coafting a clean deep (bore, and paft-. ran, and the • Dy tjie r\vcr Ardefchin, we arrived at the river Linke- famousnaph- £> j tha oil-pits. ran> on the 4th of Auguft. Not far from this river ftands the famous mountain Barmach, remarkable for the oil called naphtha, which iflues from it in thirty different pits, all within the compafs of a mufket-fhot of each other : the pits are fome two, fome three fathom deep, into which the people defcend by fteps ; the oil is of two kinds, brown and white : the brown is of a ftrong difagreeable fmell, and much the moft plentiful, as it is found in twenty-feven of the pits ; it is ufed for burning in lamps, in drefîing of leather, and for feveral other purpofes ; the white, which is only found in three of the pits, has a pleafant fmell, is die moft valuable, and is ufed as an infallible remedy in drains and bruifes ; as the oil rifes from the mountain in the pits, it is heard as the bubbling of a boiling pot j it is carried from hence to a great diftance. I bought feveral jars of each kind, Kind, and carried with me to Adrachan, where it proved to book ix. be a very defirable commodity. At this place we had an- 1- other violent ftorm of wind, but taking ftielter in the river, we lay very fafe : we thought ourfelves fortunate in being at the mouth of a river in both ftorms, as they are not eafily weathered in this fea, where the fhort waves breaking in fuch quick fucceffion upon the veffel, require a ftrong fhip to withftand them. On the 18th, we arrived at the river Cyrus, or Kur, The rim which is joined by the river Araxis, and is the moft con- c)1Ua'0!Kui° fiderable river -on the v/eftern coaft of the Cafpian, into which it falls through five different channels. We proceeded for the city of Baku, where we arrived the next day, The city of juft after General Matufkin had got under way on his re- BAu' turn to Aftrachan. Baku had furrendered after a fhort bombardment, and brigadier Knez Baratinfki was left governor of the city, with a garrifon of four thoufand men. Baku lies from Reflit two hundred and fifty-five werfts; it is very ftrongly fortified with three walls within each other, each with towers, and which form three diftincr divirions of the city; the innermoft ftanding on the higheft ground, by way of a citadel, commands the reft : it is mounted with a number of brafs cannon. The governor with his garrifon, took pofTefïion of this part ; the outer wall is well fup-plied with iron cannon, the gates were ftrongly guarded by detachments from the citadel. At fmall diftances from the city, ftand three high watch-towers, built on eminences, from which they can difcover the approach of any enemy, by fea or land, at a great diftance. At the fouth end of the city, there is a large bay formed by a peninfula, which ftretches fifteen T t werfts book ix. varies to the fouthward, and forms a very fpacious com mo-' ! dious harbour, where fhips can load and unload clofe to the 1713. gates of' the city, in four and a half fathom water, fafe from all winds except the fouth, and from that too they are fecured by fome fmall iflands, upon which they feed fheep and goats ; by which means this harbour is, without difpute, one of the mod commodious for trade, in all the Cafpian ; City of sha- especially with Shamachie, which is reputed to be the largefl and moft populous city in thofe parts, and is only three days journey from hence. At Shamachie there are factories from all the eaftern nations, which occafions that city to be much reforted to from all parts. City of Dei- We flayed only three days at Baku, and proceeding along bcnU" the coaft in deep water, paft by feveral iflands and rivers, and came to an anchor before Derbent on the 26th at night; but as it blew a frefli gale at eaft, and there is no fafe landing-place near this town, I could not go a fhore. From Baku to Derbent is ninety Englifh miles by land. We proceeded next morning along, the coaft, and arrived on the 2d of September, in the river Sulack ; and I went the fame evening, in the twelve-oared boat, fifteen werfts up the river, to the fortrefs of Swetago Kreft, or Holy Crofs, where I found the fortifications furprifingly advanced, and wooden houfes built on both fides of the river in regular ftreets, agreeable to the plan, and fo numerous that the whole army were now lodged in them. The wooden bridge over the river was alfo finifhed, with two draw bridges, one at each end, fo that an eafy communication was opened between the two fides of the river. The troops here were in good health and high fpirits, and kept up a weekly correfpond- encc ence with the garrifons of Derbent and Terki in Circaffia; book ix. neither of which had been molefted by the Dageftan Tar- —— tars fince we left them. A number of hands were now employed here in making bricks to face the works, and for building houfes. This fort promifes fair to be an effectual check upon the irruptions of the Dageffans into the Ruffian territories, in which they ufed to do much mifchief, and carry off great numbers of the inhabitants into flavery. The multiplicity of the works going forward at this time, requiring another engineer, I left my other affiflanr, lieutenant Brackley, here ; and having given fome farther directions about the plan of the place to lieutenant colonel Brunie, who was chief engineer, I laid in plenty of provifions in the galley, which was brought up to the town, to ferve us on our way to Aftrachan. 1 waited on general Waterang to receive his commands, and take my leave of him, and having likewife done fo of all the reft of my acquaintances, we dropped down the river Sulack to the fea. On the 16th, we coafted along fhore, in fine deep water, Gulf of and reached, on the 17th, the extremity of the peninfula, iiknïof"' which forms the gulf of Agrechan, and came to an an- BnJncs-^,,of, chor in the evening, between this point of high land and Ierki* the idand of Trentzeni, oppofite to the city of Terki in Circaffia, in fix fathom water. This gulf is forty five Eng-liflt miles from north to fouth, and twenty from eaft to weft. The iftand of Trenzeni is the largeft in the Cafpian fea, and notwithftanding its fine harbour, there are no inhabitants upon it >, nor indeed are any of the other iflands inhabited, excepting that there are a few fifhermen's huts to T t 2 be book xi. be feen on fome of them on the weft coaft, but none on tiie-■ " eaft ; they are in general flocked with cattle, fheep, and goats. And now as all the coaft from hence to Aftrachan had been, founded on our former expedition, I judged it needlcfs to. coaft it again, fo that we took our departure, from Trent-zeni on the 18th, and fteering our courfe north for Aftrachan, we arrived at the mouth of the river Wolga on the 24th of September, having been gone five months and fix days on the fervice : the diftance from Trenzeni to this place is one hundred and ninety Englifli miles. Genera The Cafpian fea, in its utmoft length from Jaick, which thec'Xiaa 1S lts northern extremity, and lies in 4.6 deg. 15 mim fc* north latitude, to Aftrabat, which is its fouthern extremity, and lies in 36 deg. 50 min. is çdeg. 25 min. which makes fix hundred and forty-fix Englifh miles, at fixty-nine miles to a degree. The breadth of the Cafpian is various ; its greateft breadth to the northward, from eaft to weft, is between the gulf of Yembo and the mouth of the river Wolga, and is two hundred and fixty-five Englifh miles ; the broadeft part to the fouthward is from the river. Orxantes, on the eaft fide, to the river Linkeran on the weft, and is two hundred and thirty-five Englifh miles. Its whole circumference, including gulfsand bays, is three thoufand five hundred and twenty-five werfts. The coaft of the Cafpian, from the point of land forming one fide of the gulf of Agrechan, on the weft, to the river Kulala in Turkumania, oppofite to it on the eaft, all round by the north, is low, flat, and marfhy, overgrown with reed, and the water fhallow ; the direct diftance, from that gulf to Kulala, is one hundred and feventy Englifh miles 5 on all the reft of the coaft from Kulala PETER ITE NRY BRUCE, ESQ. 3% Kulala, by the fouth, and back to the gulf of Agrechan, book ix. the country is mountainous, with* a hold fhore and deep —- water, as has generally been taken notice of in the courfe 17*3' of the furvey. Near the mouth of the Wolga, on the ifle of Ivan,) or Watch tower: John's ifland,) ftands a tower, where a guard is conflantly iSand,"* kept, who muff obferve every day whether any increafe or decreafe happens in the waters of the fea, but they have not yet been able to difcover the fmalleft difference j from which circumftance it is certain that there is neither flux or reflux in the Cafpian ; and what makes it the more furprifing, is that in the fpring, when all the ice and fnow melts, and pours down from the mountains, and all the large rivers and innumerable leffer ones are fwelled to fuch a degree that they overflow all their banks, and which all fall into this fea like a deluge, yet neverthelefs it even at thofe times is not in the lead railed by it, fo that it remains a great myftery what becomes of all the water that perpetually falls into it from the clouds and rivers. The water is as fait as that of the ocean, except near the mouths of the rivers, where it is brackifh by the mixture of fo much freflr water from them. I muft acknowlege this was the moft pleafant jaunt I ever had in my whole life : we had always plenty of provifions on board, befides taking and killing fuch abundance of fifh and wild fowl of various kinds, that we could fcarce make ufe of them all ; and during the whole voyage, notwithftanding the violent heat, we had only feven men fick. I fliould have found it ftill more agreeable could we have con-verfed with the Turkumanian and Ufbeck Tartars, which would have enabled me to give fome account of them ; but book ix. but the Tartars in general, although they have no fixed ' --habitations, are very jealous of admitting any ftrangers I7*3, into their country. On the 25th of September, we got up to Adrachan, where I waited on General Matufkin with a report of my proceeding, and prefented him with a draught of the Cafpian fea, and gave another to governor Wolinfki, who had formerly been ambaffador to China, and who was afterwards fent ambaffador to Perfia ; on both which occafions he defired I might be permitted to go with him, but it was refufed, although I earnedly petitioned for leave. On his return from his lad embaffy, he was married to the princefs Na-refkin, the emperor's did coufm, being the daughter of his mother's brother, and was at the fame time made governor-general over the kingdom of Adrachan. General Ma- General Matufkin, after the taking of Baku, was pro- tufkm s mar- , n to the moted to the rank of lieutenant-general, and was at the tears. fame time major of the firft regiment of guards, and in great efteem with his majefty. He was an old bachelor when he married a beautiful buxom young widow, whofe firft hufband, major general Glebof of the dragoons, had been concerned in the late troubles with the czarowitz, for which he was condemned, but died in prifon, and his eftate being confifcated, the widow was reduced to very low cir-cumftances. General Matufkin, who was appointed judge on that trial, was folicited by the mournful widow, who implored him on her knees, bathed in tears, to commife-rate her unmerited fufferings, being now reduced to the utmoft mifery and want. In this fupplicating pofture, die fo captivated the old bachelor, that he dheclly made her 9 an an offer of himfelf, and all he had for her relief, which book xi. the widow joyfully accepted, on which the general applied -■-- to the emprefs to procure his majefty's con lent. When the affair was mentioned to the emperor, he wras much dif-pleafed at the general's feeking to match himfelf with the widow of a rebel, offering him at the fame time any other lady he fliould pitch upon ; but the general told him that it was impofllble for him to love any other woman, and humbly befeeched his majefty to grant his requeft, otherwife he would lofe one of his moft faithful fervants : being fe-conded by the emprefs in his application, his majefty became at laft curious to fee this widow, who had made fuch an imprelfion on the heart of the old fpark j and when flie was introduced to the emperor, he declared he was not at all furprifed at the conqueft fhe had made, and not only gave his confent, but honoured their marriage with his prefence, attended by the whole court. The lady ever afterwards went by the name of the Widow in Tears. There happened at this time, a great confufion among CoiUcft the Kalmuck Tartars, occafioned by the death of the chain's ?]n?në îhe ' Kalmucks, eldeft fon, who left five fons j the ekleft of whom, with and expedi-two others, were born or a concubine, and the two young- them/ eft of the beft beloved wife : the eldeft, whofe name was Dafan, claimed the right of fucceffion, in confequence of his feniority, which was a good title, notwithftanding his mother was a concubine ; the two youngeft, born of the wife, and whofe names were Dunduambu and Batu, claimed in right of the marriage,- and were favoured by the old cham, their grandfather, and by his fécond fon, Shurundun-duck, their uncle, who threatened prince Dafan with de-llruction to himfelf and his hord, or clan, which confifted fifted of feven thoufand men, if he offered to difputc .the fucceffion with prince Dunduambu. They were at that time prevented by the old cham, but he dying, prince Shurundunduck told his nephew, Dafan, that he was determined Dunduambu diould fucceed his grandfather in the fovereignty, and if he would not fubmit peaceably, he fliould be compelled to do it. But finding their threats had no effect upon the prince, they began to affemble an army of twenty thoufand men, which obliged prince Dafan, with his two brothers, and his whole bord, to retire near to Aftrachan, and he with his brothers came into the city, begging to be protected againft the ufurpation of his younger brother, offering at the fame time to fubmit his claim to the dccifion of his imperial majefty. Upon this the general and governor held a council, with the principal officers of both the army and garrifon, in which it was refolved to fend fome troops for their protection ; the governor intending to go himfelf to reconcile the contending parties, if poffible. This being the refolution of the council, governor Wo-linfki defired me to go with him on this expedition, to which I anfwered that it was not my turn, but if he would procure an order from the general for my going, I would ceitainly go with great chearfulnefs ; and accordingly, on the 20th of October, 1 received an order to embark with four hundred men of our two battalions, one hundred dragoons, and four field-pieces, to proceed up the river to the place appointed for the rendezvous by prince Dafan ; the governor propofing to follow immediately with fome more troops, fent me before to fatiofy the impatience of the prince. On On the 22th, we arrived at the defert of Beriker, fixty book ix. werfts above Aftrachan, where we pitched our tents, but *-* it being intenfely cold, Dafan provided us with fixty kib- Defcn>ioii bets, which is the name of their tents, which are both î£wJheu k,b warm and large, having a fire in the middle, and a hole at the top to let out the fmoke ; they are twenty-four feet diameter, and capable of being enlarged or contracted at pleafure; they are all round, the fides being made of a kind of checkered wicker-work, and the crofs flicks neatly jointed for folding together or extending : when they erect a kibbet, they join as many of them together as will make a circle, of the dimenfion they choofe, and having fixed the outftde, which is fix feet high, they raife with their lances a round board, three feet diameter, with a hole in the middle of it, and fmall holes all round the edge ; the large hole fcrves for their chimney, the fmall holes receive the ends of fo many dirait rafters, and the other ends being fixed to the fides, the roof is formed, which is both ingenious and pretty : having thus erected the frame of the kibbet, they cover it over with thick felt, more or lefs according as the feafon is cold or warm, beginning at the bottom and proceeding to the top, where they place a krine, which they can turn at pleafure againft the wind, to prevent fmoke. The kibbet is furpnfingly warm, and with ftands wind and rain better than a houfe, and they are erected with greater eafe in and lefs time than we could fet up an officer's tent. Prince Dafan, with his hord, was encamped at two werfts diftance from us, and fent us feveral cattle and dieep for provifions to our party : he fent alfo a jar of fpirits U u diftilled rook ix diftillcd from mares milk, for the officers, which was as --clear as water but ftrong, and of an agreeable flavour. On the 23d, we were reinforced by a detachment of two hundred men from our battalions, and three hundred and fifty Coffacks, which made us now a body of one thoufand and fifty ftrong. By this opportunity I received a letter from the governor, telling mc that he would join us himfelf in two or three days, but not a word of orders how we were to a61, in cafe any exigence fliould require it ; being the fenior officer I took the command of the whole till the governor fliould arrive. On the arrival of this reinforcement, prince Dafan fent more cattle for their provifion, and a fufficient number of kibbets for their accommodation. This evening we received intelligence that Shurundunduck, and his nephew, Dunduambu, were encamped with an army of twenty thoufand ftrong, oppofite to Zornayar, which being upwards of one hundred and fifty werfts from A battle with us> made us conjecture it would take fome time before they ihe Kai- could come up with us ; but we foon found our miftake, for mucks. r . • r 1 we were alarmed very early in the morning of the 24th by the breaking up of prince Dafan's camp, and feeing his people coming towards us in the utmoft confufion. On this I drew up our men in all hafte, and ordered the dragoons and Coffacks to mount and go to prince Dafan's afliftance : we foon faw Shurundunduck's army advancing, which obliged Dafan and his people to take refuge in our rear, whom I perfuaded to difmount fuch of his horfemen as had firearms, and to bring as many of his men as had bows and arrow?, to fight on foot as we did, and I fent fome officers 5 and nnd fcrjeants to draw them up in order: with thefe wcbook ix, formed a fquare towards the river, and fecured their bag- —-—~—' gage and cattle in our rear. The enemy being advanced in the form of a crefcent, and within gun-fliot or us, made a halt to confult the mode of their attack. Dafan was in the utmoft perplexity, and begged me to keep them at a di- .fiance with our great guns and fire-arms, alluring me if we did not, they would rufh in upon us with a very fud- den and furious attack, and throw us all into confufion. On this emergency, I was very much at lofs how to act, having no orders, and advifcd with the reft of the officers ; when it was agreed to fend an interpreter with a drum, to inform them of his majefty's troops being there for the protection of prince Dafan, who had entirely fubmitted the decifion of his claim to his imperial majefty, and that it was expected they would do the fame, being equally fub-ject to the emperor -, and as the governor of Aftrachan was hourly expected, who might fall upon ways and means to reconcile their differences, they ought to wait his arrival. The meffenger was fent, and brought back an anfwer : ——That they knew very well Dafan had procured Ruffian troops to protect him from their juft refentment j but as they were a free nation, they would do themfelves juftice, without fubmitting to the arbitration of any perfon whatever, and that they were determined to attack their brethren at all hazards, notwithftanding our troops, and if we interpofed in their behalf, and fliould meet with any dif-after, the blame would lay at our own doors. Having returned this anfwer they began to advance in a femicircle, intending to furround us, on which I ordered the U u 2 field- boo k ix. field-pieces to be fired among them, and then loaded with " grape-fliot : all this time they avoided coming near our troops, but bent their whole force againft their own countrymen, which obliged me to form a front againft them, both to the right and left, and then began to play on them with grape-fliot and fmall-arms, which made great havock amongft them, and their horfes not being ufed to the thundering, noife of fire-arms, became unmanageable, and threw their whole body into the utmoft confufion ; on which our dragoons and Coflacks,. feconded by prince Dafan's men, attacked them with fuch vigour, that they foon gave way oiv all fides and fled, while we plied them with the field-pieces as long as they were within reach. We had two dragoons killed in this action, and feven wounded, and five Coflacks killed and feventeen wounded;, five of our foldiers were wounded with barbed arrows y but of Dafan's men, there were three hundred and feventy-four killed, and upwards of five hundred wounded. Our dragoons and Coflacks returned from the purfuit with fixty-three prifoners, and Dafan's men took fome hundreds y we could not afcertain the lofs of the enemy in this fhort action, but it muft have been very confiderable. In the evening, when all was over, governor Wolinlki arrived, and I acquainted him of the tranfactions of the day: he was much pleafed with the meflage that had been fent to Dunduambu and Shurundunduck, and efpecially that we were not the aggrelfors in the action, nor had fired upon them till we were actually attacked. He faid he would have come come up fooner, but he did not imagine they would have made an attempt in defiance of our troops, but fince they had had donc fo, he would now confider them as rebels, and book ix. make an example of them as fuch. He then gave orders to-—" hang all the prifoners, (who amounted to fome hundreds), ,7*3' and Dafan's men executed the orders with great fatisfaction. Among the prifoners was Dunduambu's greateff favourite and principal counsellor, whom Dafan put to the mod cruel torture imaginable, and he had no fooner expired under the torment, than they divided his body in four, and duck up the quarters on fo many pods, and his head on another. The governor, judging from what had happened, that a reconciliation would now be impracticable, advifed prince Dafan, with his two brothers* to retire with their people under the cannon of Krafnayar, where they would be fafe from any attempt of their enemies, as it was impofîible that our troops could remain any longer in the field in that advanced cold feafon, there being at this time a great fall of fnow, which they immediately agreed to. We broke up our camp on the 25th, but we had fcarce marched five werfts, when the enemy made their appearance in the fame manner they had done the day before, and fent a meffenger to the governor, to let him know they were fenfible he intended to carry their enemy out of their reach, which they were refolved to prevent, let the confequence be what it would -, neverthelefs, if the governor could prevail on Dafan to agree to a partition of the fovereignty with Dunduambu, on reafonable terms, they were willing to hold a conference with him on that head. It was directly agreed that five chief men from each party fhould meet in the middle fpace between the two armies, where they conferred together above three hours, without being able to come to an book ix, an agreement, and then they returned each to their own * m party. The enemy having obferved that Dafan's party, dur- 172.3. x 1 *■ J ing the conference, were tranfpcrtmg their wives, children* and cattle over a branch of the Wolga, now fet upon Dafan's men with a moft furious attack, and numbers were flain on each fide before we could come up to prevent it, as the enemy ftill avoided coming near as much as poffible ; but upon our horfe engaging them, and our firing with our cannon and fmall arms brilkly upon them, they retired quite out of light. Our dragoons returning from the purfuit, brought back twenty-five prifoners, who affured us, that. Shurun* dunduck was retired towards Zornayar; on which the governor fet out for Aftrachan, leaving orders with me to fee prince Dafan, and his Kalmucks, all over the river, and fafe under the cannon of Krafnayar, where I arrived the 30th : but the prince finding his cattle could not fubfift in fo narrow a diftrict, divided the fiord, and diftributed them among the numerous iflands formed by the feveral branches of the Wolga, where they were to remain in full fecurity till his majefty's pleafure was known. I fet out on the 3d of November, having prince Dafan, and his two brothers, under my convoy, and arrived at Aftrachan that evening, where we found every neceftary accommodation provided for their reception, c .neoJd ^n tnis expedition I obferved fome peculiar cuftoms euftomsa- am0ng the Kalmucks, which I cannot omit mentioning •mono them* ■ 0 t> As I attended the governor into Dafan's tent, we found the prince and his two brothers, with their principal men, feated in a circle round the fire, having a large iron pipe, filled with tobacco, which they handed about from one to another, each each taking one pull, filled his mouth as full of fmoke as it would hold, and keeping the fmoke a conf.durable time in " their mouths, they at length blew it out at their noftrils ; immediately after this they all parted without fpeaking one word ; this wc under flood to be the conclufion of a confuU tation among them. As they are great lovers of horfc-ficfh, which they prefer to every other kind, and obferving we were no admirers of it, prince Dafan entertained us with the fief h of a fucking foal, both roafled and boiled, and I muff confefs I never eat any thing more delicious. In mentioning this Tartar nation before, I faid they pall the winter in the defert of Aftrachan , but I was now informed that the greateft part of them live in the defert of Beriket, towards the rivers Jaik and Yembo, bordering on the Turk urn anians. The fmall-pox is as much dreaded among the Kalmucks as the peftilence amongft us : when any of them are feized with it, they immediately break up their camp and fly, leaving the fick perfon in one of their worft kibbets with a killed fheep, part of which is roafled and part raw, and a jar of water and fome wrood for fire ; if they recover they follow the bord, which feldom happens, for they almoft all die for want of attendance. They live but four months at moft in the deferts, and they inhabit a moft pleafant country all the reft of the year; their way of life exactly refembles that of the old patriarchs, their whole occupation confiding in the care of their flocks and herds, fifhing, and hunting. When they go ■upon an expedition, every one takes a fheep with him for his provifion, and three horfes which he rides alternately y, andî jjooK ix- an(j wnen anv 0f them fail, they kill it and divide the flefft, |7> putting pieces of it under their faddles, and after riding fome time upon it, they eat it without any farther preparation ; this, in their eftimation, is the beft way of drefiing it j they generally return from their excurfions with only one horfe, having eat all the red. Barancta or j jiatj DOtjj jiearo< anc| reacj Gf an nerD that crew about lamb-Jkin. ° Aftrachan, called baranetz, or lamb-fkin, which was al-Icdged to grov/ upon a fingle ftalk in the ftiape of a lamb, and which when ripe was covered over with hair, or wool, and that it confumed all the grafs that grew near it, and that when taken off, it ferved for fine fur for caps, or lining cloaths ; but as there is no fuch herb, I was at a lofs to conceive how fuch a miftake could arife : however, on enquiry, I was informed, that the baranetzs, or lambs, are cut out of the fheep's bellies, a little before their lambing-time, their fkins being then in their greateft beauty, with the hair lying in fhort, fmooth, pretty curls, and of different colours, as dark and light greys, black and white ; the dark grey are the moft valuable, and are fold as high as ten fhillings ftcrling a piece, and the black at five ; the light grey and white at half a crown. This branch of trade is very profitable to the Nagayan Tartars, as the Indians, Perfians, and Ruffians, buy all they can produce. I bought by commif-iion for count Bruce and general Le Fort, of the beft kind, to the value of two hundred rubles. Return* for I had orders from general Matufkin to go as foon as pof-th« Wvig*. fible to Mofcow, to deliver my report of the Cafpian fea to the emperor; but as there is no possibility of travelling by land to Saratof, 1 was obliged to wait till the river Wolga 9 was was frozen. On ihe Sth of January, I fet out from Aftrachan in fledges on the ice, in company with feveral others, for Mofcow, making in the whole a party of twenty men, ail well provided with arms ; but as it rained very hard, we went but ten werfts to Saliterdwor. The rain continuing the two following days, the ice became fo weak, that fome of the horfes fell in feveral times, and it was with much difficulty we faved them from being drowned j fo that we could only travel eighty werfts in the two days, and were obliged to lodge both nights on the ice, in the middle of the river, as there was no pofiibility of getting afhore for the water. On the iith, it being froft, we went fifty werfts, but one of our horfes dropt through and was drowned : this night, however, we refted in fafety on fhore. The next day proved rainy, and we could only go forty werfts, but pa ft this night alfo on fliore. On the 13th, although it was frofty, the ice was fo much rent in feveral places, that it was with much difficulty we could get the horfes over the openings ; one of them broke his leg, which obliged us to ihoot him ; and after travelling forty werfts, we were forced to ftay all night on the ice. The next day it rained, and the ice became fo full of rents, that we were often put to hard fldfts to extricate ourfelves : two of our fledges and horfes fell in, which we faved with great difficulty. At noon we went on fhore to refrefh the horfes, and went to a fifher's hut at a fmall diftance to get fome fifh : in this interval a party of fifty Kalmuck Tartars, all in armour, furrounded our fledges, where we had left all our fire-arms excepting three j with thofe we had, cocked in our hands, we ran in hafte to the fledges, and fecured the reft of our X x arms, book ix. arms, the Tartars looking at us with furprize. Their myrzar ** ■ or commander, came up to me and offered me his hand, faying, in broken Ruffian, that he knew me fince the action with Shurundunduck : we gave him a dram, and he went away with his party. They are net to be trufted, for the Tartars will rob where they can do it with fafety ; this accident determined us to be no more without our arms on our journey. We travelled this day forty werfts, but would not venture on fliore all night fur fear of the Kalmucks, who were encamped thereabouts. On the 15th, we reached Zornayar, forty werfts, where we refted on the 16th ; and as our horfes had now brought us three hundred werfts, without relief, no other hoi les being to be had all the way, the men taking provifions and forage with them to ferve them on the road, their hay being all twilled for the eafier conveyance, vve returned them for Aftrachan, with a certificate to the governor, at the defire of our conductors, of the lofs of two of the horfes, as they belonged to government. On the 17th, being provided with frefh horfes, and having procured ropes to pull out the horfes and fledges in; cafe they fhould break through the ice again ? the day proving rainy, feveral of our horfes fell in, but were faved, having a rope fattened to each of them j and at night we reached Stupingar, fixty werfts, and the next day, notwithftanding it was hard froft, feveral of our horfes fell in : we travelled feventy werfts, and refted the night on fhore. On the 19th, we went feventy werfts, and a-t night reached Czaritza, where our two battalions wintered laft year. Here we got frefh horfes, and next day got to Dubofka, fixty werfts, 4 in in rainy weather ; here we were again fupplied with frefh book fit. horfes, and reached Belekli, feventy werfts, On the 21ft, ' ' - we found the ice fo much weakened by the rainy weather, that we were in continual danger. We got to Kamufinka, feventy werfts, on the 22d; and here getting frefh. horfes, We could only travel eighty werfts the two following days under fuch confiant rain, that the water was now a foot deep over the ice, fo that we part the dangerous rents with the utmoft difficulty, and for the night of the 24th, we took up our quarters on a woody ifland, making a large fire to dry ourfelves. On the 25th in the morning, we had got but a fhort way A nan.ow from the idand, before we found the ice fo full of laree ° the ice. rents, that it was impoffible for us to proceed farther upon it, and in endeavouring to make the fhore, feven of cur Hedges fell in through the ice, and five of our horfes were drowned : the reft we faved with extreme danger to ourfelves, as the ice was continually yielding and breaking under us, till at laft after every effort with poles and ropes, we got all fafe to the landj but our fledges and baggage lay fix hours in the water, and muft have been loft but for the lucky afliftance of a party of men who were paffing this way, by whofe help we got them pulled out, and in about half an hour afterwards, the river broke up with a thundering noife, and nothing but water was to be feen ; fo that we had a very narrow and miraculous efcape. We fortunately were near a wood, where we made large fires to warm and dry ourfelves, being near perifhed with wet and cold -, and what augmented our mifery was the perpetual rains pouring day and night down upon us. Such a rainy fea- X x 2 fon book ix,fon in the time of winter, and the breaking up of the — Wolga, had net been known in the memory of man. By 7 4' the overturning of my fledge, I loft a whole fuit of Tartarian armour, a blunderbufs, a pair of brafs barrelled piftols, a filver-hilted {word, a little trunk in which was my pafs, and an order to fupply us with horfes on our way, and fome money for my travelling charges. The three following days, we dragged our fledges with much toil over the fands, and having travelled two hundred and twenty werfts, we reached Saratof on the evening of the 28th : this place is one thoufand werfts up the Wolga, from Aftrachan. We ftaid here four days to diy our baggage, which had all been moft thoroughly wet ; I got my bara-jnetz, or lambfkins, fo carefully dried and dreffed, that they looked as well as ever. The governor gave me another pafs, and an order for horfes, in place of that I had loft ; and as this is the firft place from which we could travel by land, we left the river Wolga, and proceeded acrofs the country on a hard beaten road of fnow, being now quite in another climate, where winter appeared in its full rigour. The governor informed us that the roads were peftered with robbers, on account of the very bad crops laft fummer, and advifed us to be on our guard. A cruet rob- We Saratof on the 2d of February, and travelling bery in the f^xty werfts, arrived in the evening at a Angle houfe in a >voods. r - wood; and next day, after a journey of fixty-three werfts, through one continued wood, we came again to a fmgle houfe, but when we were within three werfts of it, we faw feveral fledges before us attacked by robbers, and carried off ; we made all the hafte we could to go to their alliftance, and 3 befora before we got up, the robbers had made off into the wood, book tx. with the horfes and fledges loaded with merchandize : we-- found nine men {tripped naked, and three foldiers who had been their efcort, killed befide them. We took both the living and the dead with us to this houfe, where we found only a boy, and enquiring of him for the people of the houfe, he faid they were gone to a fair fixty werfts off, and were not to come home that night. As we conceived ourfelves to be in a very dangerous pi ice, we barricaded the court-yard belonging to the houfe, and kept a very drict watch, placing a centry at each corner; having our firearms in readinefs, we kept ourfelves very quiet. One of our company whofe appointment it was to watch the motions of the boy, obferved him at three o'clock in the morning, go to the back door and open it, but being clofe behind him, found the boy talking to a man without, in a very low voice ; two others of our company getting behind him, pulled the fellow into the houfe, and fattened the door; the dripped travellers no fooner faw him, than they unani-moudy agreed that this fellow was one of the gang who had robbed them ; upon this we tied him neck and heels, and upon our looking out at the back door, we difcovered a number of men at a fmall diftance, upon the fnow, waiting as we imagined, for intelligence, but on our firing a few (hot among them, they retired into the wood. We then proceeded to examine the feUow we had taken, who (aid he was the landlord of the houfe, and was well known to be an honed man, and had no connection with thieves or robbers, and threatened that he would make us repent the injury we had done him in his own houfe ; but as all thofe who' book ix. who had been robbed averred that he was the chief of the * " gang, and had himfelf killed one of the foldiers, we deter- 1724.. mined to carry him and all that were in the houfe, with us ; and accordingly fet out. On the 4th, travelling fixty-four werfh, we came to Penfe, a fortified town, with a ftrong garrifon, where we delivered up cur prifoner to the governor, and the plundered merchants, on their examination, declared that he was actually the ringleader of the gang ; upon which the governor ordered him to be put to the torture, to make him confefs where the reft of his companions were to be found ; but he was fo obftinate, that he would not anfwer any of the queftions that were put to him. On which two of the robbed merchants propofed to go in ft arch of them, if the governor would fend a fufiicient force to take them, if found, alledging they might be eafily traced by the track they had made through the fnow, in going into the wood : the governor readily confented, and ordered fifty dragoons, and as many Coffacks, to mount and attend them. The next day in the evening, they returned with twenty-three robbers, and the Hedges and horfes belonging to the merchants ; they were found in hurts in a thicket of the wood, not above three miles from the before mentioned houfe. This wood runs eaft and weft feveral hundred werfts in length, and its nar-roweft breadth, where we croffed, is one hundred and fixty werfts, without any inhabitants. a remarkable I was here informed by the governor, that about fix fown,Vvvithfan months ago, a large village, or town, had been difcovered mount of it. ky jts own inhabitants, who fent a deputation to the emperor for that purpofe. This town lies two hundred miles weft from from Penfe, and at the fame diftance from any other inha- book ix. bited place ; it is fituated on the fide of a lake in the mid---- die of this great wood, and confifts of above two thoufand families ; they gave the following account of themfelves.— In the very troublefome times, after the death of czar Iwan Wafilewitz, the tyrant, to the reign of czar Michael Feodorewitz, (his prefent majefty's grandfather), a great number of robbers had affociated themlelves and committed great ravages over all the country ; their leader, or commander in chief, was a degraded colonel, and an experienced officer ; their depredations were fo audacious, that czar Michael feodorewitz found it neceffary to fend large detachments of the military againft them, but the robbers commonly attacked thele parties by furprize and defeated them. The czar on this offered a very high reward for the heads of their Laders, and a free pardon to all the reft. The chiefs being apprehenfive that they fliould one day or other be betrayed by their followers, came to a refolution to make a general plunder, once for all ; which they did, and carried off large quantities of corn, horfes, cattle, all forts of labouring men (ils, and all the women they could meet with, and retired into thofe inacccflible woods, where they fettled, cleared, and manured the ground, and lived ever fince, governed by their own laws, without ever after mo-letting, or having the fmalleft intcrcourfe with any of their remote neighbours. I was alio informed, that a wild girl, about eighteen years of age, had been lately taken in the neighbourhood of this town. A woman who lived here, alledged, fhe was her child, faying, that about eighteen years ago fire was going through: through the wood to fee a fick filter of her's : being then big with child (lie was fcized with her labour-pains, and was delivered ; and as flie was then in extreme agony, flie did not perceive by what means her child was conveyed from her; but hearing the common report that a wild girl was frequently feen in the wood, (he always faid it could be no other thr;n the child flie had loll. Many attempts had been made to catch her, but to no purpofe, flie being fo nimble-footed that none could overtake her. When the emperor heard of it, he fent orders to the governor to raife the people of the country, and furround that part of the wood where flie had been obferved to frequent, and fet up their nets with which they ufed to catch the deer, and in this manner Ihe was taken without receiving any hurt ; the girl was immediately fent to Mofcow, under the care of her fuppofed mother, where I afterwards law her. She was of a fwarthy complexion, and I was told flie was much overgrown with hair j die was very fliy ot being feen, and always fitting in a dark corner, trembling with fear when any body approached her. It was genet ally fuppofed flie had been fuckled by a bear, but how (he fubfifled all the time afterwards muft remain a fecret till flie learns to fpeak and gives the account herfelf. On the 7th of February, having obtained an efcort of twenty Coffacks to conduct me to Saranfki, ninety werfts, and my travelling companions intending to continue here fome time, I left Penfe, travelling all the way through one continued wood, which made it very dangerous on account of the many robberies and murders committed on the road, and arrived at Saranfki on the evening of the 8th, without any PETER HENRY RRLTCE, ESQ. Us any moleftation. All the way, however, we went, we met book ix. many real objects of compaffion, wearing the vifible marks —■- of hunger and famine in their countenances, occafioned by 17,44 the failure of the laft year's crop, which drove many to feek relief by plunder. After this I travelled through a well inhabited country, without the leaft danger, and came fo Arfama, one hundred and twenty werfts ; from thence to Murvin, one hundred and twenty; and from thence to Wolodimer, one hundred and twenty more; and from Wolodimer, one hundred and eighty werfts, to the city of Mofcow, where I arrived on the 22d of February. From Arrival it Mofcow Saratof to Mofcow it is eight hundred and fifty-fix werfts ° c°w* by land ; but following the courfe of the river, it is one thoufand feven hundred and eighty. At this time great preparations were making for the emprefs's coronation, at which ceremony all the great men and grandees of the empire had been fummoned to appear. General Matufkin, and governor Wolinfki, with the two? battalions of guards I left at Aftrachan, were ordered to repair to Mofcow with the utmoft expedition, and arrived five weeks after me ; which, if I had known, would have faved me a very troublefome journey befides a great ex-pence. The day after my arrival in Mofcow, I waited on prince Menzikof, who ordered me to attend him to his majefty, and after waiting a quarter of an hour in the antichamber I was called in, and found there, his majefty, attended by the duke of Holftein, admiral Apraxin, chancellor Golof-kin, and the princes Galitzin, Dolgoruki and Romadonof-(ki. The emperor examined the chart of the Cafpian fea, Y y with book ix. with its gulfs, bays, and foundings, very narrowly j afking - me a.great many queftions, especially concerning the river Daria, of which I prefented him with a draft at large, with which he feemed very much pleafed, as the drawing exhibited the fituation of that river, which appeared to be well calculated for a fort and fafe harbour, fecure from any attempts that could be made by the Ulbcck Tartars. His majefty then gave the duke of Holftein a diort account of prince Bekewitz's unfortunate expedition to that place ; adding, that if he had had patience till he had been well fortified ancfr fettled, and not fudered himfelf to be over-reached by the treacherous infmuations of the Tartars, by this time he might have been fully mafter of that valuable river, with,' all the gold mines ; but as he was now in full poflerfion of the provinces on the oppofite fide of the Cafpian fea, he/ftill intended to fettle a colony at that place, and to erect forts along the banks of that river, toward the mines, for their protection ; and the forts could be eafily fupplied with provifions from the neighbouring provinces, without having any dependence on the Ulbeck Tartars for them. From all this difcourfe, I apprehended I diould be again fent to thofe parts very much againft my inclination. After I had given an account in what forwardnefs the fortifications of Swetego-Kreft, on the river Sulack were, and of our expedition againft the Kalmuck Tartars, I was difmiffed, being ordered by prince Menzikof to attend the duke of Holftein s levee while he remained in Mofcow. «toIcD TOÎiTOcusrb ,nhu KfA ÎLiimbe «nfofdoH to «fnb aril - ivfiobnmoH bm; UinogloG .fimrUO S33nhq sdî bftfi trui ! M nw'fiVJwb lo rath tonimfixa wwqo» mIT M I BOOK PETER HENRY ÉRUCE, ESQ, 347 BOOK X. The duke of Holftein.—The fall of baron Shafirof.—The captain endeavours to get his difcharge.—A dignified troop of chevaliers.—A defcription of the cathedral.—Proceffion to the coronation of the emprefs,—-Coronation ceremony.—Proceffion to the church of St. Michael.—Proceffion to the church of the Refurretlion.—Dinner in the hall of folemnities. —New mode of promotion.—The captain obtains his furlough.—The captain leaves Mofcow.—A Swedifh colonel at Riga fufpetled of having foot Charles the XIIt h of Sweden.—The captain embarks for Scotland.—Puts into Erd-halm> a Danifh harbour and fort.—Defcription of the harbour._Departs for Elfingohr.—Driven into Marflfand difmafled.—Quarrel between Carnegie and his mate.—He arrives in Scotland. H IS royal highnefs Charles duke of Holftein, was the book x only fon of the eldeft fifter of Charles the Xllth, -_. king of Sweden, whom that monarch intended for his fuc- The dukê of celfor ; he was now betrothed to the princefs Anne, the Holltein-emperor's eldeft daughter ; his highnefs was in the 25th year of his age, of the middling fize, well proportioned ; his lips were thick, and his tongue large, which occafioned a defect in his fpeech ; in attending, when very young, his uncle, the king of Sweden, a winter's campaign in Poland, where the cold was very intenfe, and feeing the king endure it with fo much indifference, the prince was afhamed to complain, till at laft his toes were fo feverely froft-bitten, that they began to mortify, and he was obliged to have fome of them cut off ; the prince was tery affable, and of a chearful difpofition, fond of all kinds of diverfions. He was now lodged in the Inoifemfka Slaboda, (or quarter of foreign- Y y 2 ers), book x. ers) : all manner of diverfions were here pra&ifed for hi* —— amufement j he was much pleafed with the Englifh country-IJ%*' dances, and as 1 was pretty well acquainted with them, I was always next to his highnefs at thofe entertainments. I had the good fortune to be fo much in his favour, that he afked if I wifhed to enter into his fervice. I replied, that I would accept the honor with great pleafure if I could obtain my difcharge from the emperor's : his highnefs faid he would fpeak to prince Menzikof about it, which he did next day, and the prince told him that his majefty would grant it at his defire, notwithftanding his intention to fend me on an expedition over the Cafpian fea, to fortify and fecure the harbour at the mouth of the river Daria -, which information put a ftop to all my hopes. This difappoint-ment made me refolve to get out of this ftate of flavery at any rate, from which it was impoflible for any one that was ferviceable to extricate himfelf with honour. The fail of Qn mv return to Mofcow, I had the mortification to hear baron Sha* " firof. the difagreeable account of the fall and difgrace of my former benefactor, baron Shafirof, the vice-chancellor, in whofe fuite I was a year at Conflantinople, where he was an hoftage, and afterwards ambaffador ; he was without dif-pute one of the ableft minifters in the whole empire, very high in the efteem of the emperor, who always employed him in negotiations of the greateft importance. The baron's misfortune was occafioned by his endeavouring the ruin of prince Menzikof, which at laft ended in his own. When his majefty fet out on his expedition to Perfia, he appointed prince Menzikof regent of the empire in his abfence: by the afliftance of baron Ofterman, the prince difcovered that S the the vice-chancellor had embezzled large fums out of the book x. public revenue, and that he had concealed two hundred-- thoufand ducats in fpecie, befides jewels to the value of *7**' feventy thoufand ducats, the property of the late Knez Gagarin, whofe daughter was married to baron Shafirof s fon. When prince Gagarin was executed, it was made death to any perfon who fhould conceal his effects, and the baron himfelf publifhed the decree ; the baron alfo flood charged with feveral other crimes, for all which he was condemned to be beheaded, and was fo near fuffering the fentence, that his neck was on the block, when the fentence was mitigated to perpetual banifhment into Siberia. Ofterman fucceeded the baron in the office of vice-chancellor , baron Shafirof had raifed him from a low degree, and was afterwards rewarded with ingratitude -, he was by birth a German, from a fmall town belonging to the duke of Mecklenburgh, of mean parents, and the baron paffing through that country, engaged him as a fervant ; in this fervice he fo ingratiated himfelf with his mafter, that he raifed him by degrees to the office of fecretary in chancery, and as fuch he was fent as fecretary to count Bruce to the congrefs at Aland -, where he conducted himfelf with fuch addrefs, that he was appointed the count's colleague, in which fituation he behaved with much haughtinefs : yet, after betraying his mafter and benefactor, he fucceeded him as vice-chancellor, and after the death of count Golofkin, he was promoted to the office of high-chancellor : but when the emprefs Elizabeth afcended the throne of Ruffia, Ofterman was banifhed to Siberia, there to bewail his former ingratitude, meeting with the reward due to all ungrateful perfons. In 3So ME M W IY-R |H ci^'^ book x» In the beginning of March, I prefented a petition to the —--~ college of war, in which I reprefentcd my fervices for thir- The captain teen years in their army j that the fituation of my own pri-Mt*hUOISr vate affairs in Scotland, where I had not been for twenty charge years, now required my perfonal prefence to regulate them ; and defired my difcharge from this fervice for that purpofe. Prince Menzikof and the other generals feemed furprifed at my requeft, telling me that his majedy had fignified his pleafure to give me one of the regiments that were then under the command of general Waterang, at Swetego-Kreft on the river Sulack ; from this I faw plainly that it was determined to fend me once more over the Cafpian to the river Daria, to lead a fad life among the Ufbeck Tartars : I told them it was impofhble for me then to accept the honour his majedy meant to beftow on me, as the fituation of my affairs would not fuffer me to remain longer in their fervice ; and the board then abfolutely réfufed to grant my difcharge. I now urged to them the privilege promifed by his majefty to all foreigners, that they were not to be detained in the fervice againft their own inclination ; to this they replied, that they did not look on me as a foreigner, but as one of themfelves ; to this compliment I only anfwered by a low bow, and retired. As I had received a promife from his majefty before we fet out on this expedition into Perfia, that upon our return he would give me leave to go and fee my friends, I now laid my cafe before the duke of Holftein, who advifed me to prefent a memorial to the emperor the next day, at eleven o'clock, when he would be With him ; which I accordingly did, and had for anfwer, that my difcharge could not be granted, but that I fhould get a furlough lough for one year, to go and fee my friends, and fettle my book x, affairs -, at the expiration,of which it was expected I fhould SS-r return. Upon my accepting thefe conditions, I received I7H' his majefty's order to prince Menzikof, to grant me a furlough : upon my producing the order to the war office, they,demanded that count Bruce and general Le Fort fhould become fureties for my return, which 1 refufed, telling them that the furlough his majefty had granted me. was fuf-ficient, which I infilled upon ; on this the office forced me to give an obligation under my hand, to return at the end of the year, which they conceived in the ftrongeft terms they could exprefs, and gave me the alternative, to fign it, or remain where I was : the matter being fo far fettled, they told me that as foon as the emprefs s coronation was over I fliould receive my difpatches. The city of Mofcow was now vaftly crowded with foreigners as wed as natives, where all people of rank, belonging to this great empire, were obliged to attend, every one endeavouring to out-do another in grand equipages, fo that nothing now was minded but aflernblies, balls, maf-querades, and grand entertainments, fuch as had never before been known in this part of the world. Yet every body was much furprifed that neither the grand duke, nor his lifter the grand-duchefs, the children of the late czarowitz, were to be prefent at this folemnity, but were left unnoticed at Peteriburgh. To aggrandize the coronation, a troop of chevaliers, or £ "dignified hoife-guards, were railed, mounted on fine horfes ; lieute- che" nant-generai lagufinlkicommanded them as captain; major-general Mamonof, as lieutenant; brigadier-general Le- . wentof,, book x, wentof, was cornet; the quarter matters were colonels, the " corporals lieutenant-colonels, and the fixty troopers were all captains. Their coats were green cloth, the waiftcoats fcarlet richly laced with]gold; on their breafts and backs the emperor's arms in embroidery ; their cartouch cafes were of crimfon velvet, with cyphers embroidered in gold ; their grenade-pouches and belts of crimfon velvet and gold; their fword hilts gilt, and white cockades in their hats ; their holders and piftol-cafes ornamented with cyphers in gold, laced and fringed with the fame ; the bitts of the bridles, bread and crupper-leathers, were covered with maffive gold, and thtir kettle drums and trumpets were filver, with the emperors arms in emboffed work of gold and filver. Dcfcriptionof The cathedral in which the ceremony of coronation was to the cathedral. be performe(jj was richly adorned and illuminated with a number of branches in form of crowns, and a very large one in the middle of fine fdver of exquifite workmanfhip ; they were all full of wax candles gilt. The fleps to the altar, and the pavement of the church to the throne, were covered with rich tapeftry wrought with gold; in the middle of the church was a canopy of crimfon velvet, adorned with the arms of Rufïîa, vifc. an eagle, fable, with an efcutcheon on its breaft, of St. George killing the dragon, and all round it was the ribbon of the order of St. Andrew, and on the two fides were the arms of the kingdoms of Cafan, Aftrachan, Siberia, Ôcc. the canopy was embroidered with gold raifed-work, with rich fringes, ribbons, tufts, gold lace, &c. it was fupported at the four corners with pillars covered with red and gold fdk. Under this canopy was the throne ; the fteps and pavement of which were covered with with crimfon velvet, on which were placed two elbow chairs [book. x. for their imperial majedies, which glittered with precious ~~ ffones, and a long table covered with cloth of gold, which hung down to the ground : their ufual feats in the church were covered infide and out with cloth of gold, and the bottom was covered with red velvet trimmed with gold ; a place was made near the throne, for the royal princeffes, adorned with tapedry and cloth of gold, with an eagle of gold embroidery fparkling with jewels. Her imperial majefty prepared herfelf for her coronation, by three days faffing and prayer, and the people had notice given them by the fecretary of the chancery, preceded by an officer, with kettle-drums and trumpets. The 7th of May, the day appointed for the grand coro- Proceffion to nation, eight battalions and four companies of grenadiers rion^tS of the guards were, early in the morning, drawn up in the einPrefs* kremelin, or fort of the palace ; our grenadiers lined the road from the palace to the cathedral, oppofite to which was St. Michael's church, the burying-place of his majefty's anceftors ; the road between them was lined by two battalions, and the road from the cathedral to the gate of the kremelin was lined by the other fix battalions ; and from the gate to ihe monaftery of the Refurre&ion, the burying place of the princeffes of the czarian family, was lined by the regiments of Le Fort and Buterfki, who fup-plied the place of four battalions of our divifton then at Peteriburgh. At nine o'clock in the morning, the clergy met in the church, and read prayers for the profperity of their imperial Z z ma- MEMOIR S O F majefties, and then went in their pontificals, and joined the procefiion, which began at ten in the following order. 1. One half of the horfe-guards. 2. The emprefs's pages, and their governor. 3. The deputy-mafter of the ceremonies, Williammof, with his mace, 4. The deputies of the provinces. 5. The brigadier-generals, *) 6. The major-generals, > in pairs by feniority; 7. The lieutenant-generals, J 8. The two great heralds at arms of the empire, Plefliof and count Souffe, both in habits of crimfon, and gold embroidery, with the imperial eagle wrought upon them, with their ftaves in their hands. 9. The grand-mafter of the ceremonies, Shubarof, with his mace. 10. Knez Demetri Galitzin and baron Ofterman, privy-counfellors, carrying, on two cufhions, the imperial mantle, which was of cloth of gold lined with ermine ; the clafps were fet with many large brilliants ; and on the mantle was embroidered, in relievo, the imperial eagle.. 11. Knez Dolgoruki, a privy-counfellor, carrying on a. cufhion the globe, which was of fine gold, with a crofs on, the top of it fet with diamonds, rubies, fapphires, and emeralds : this globe was much admired, as being the workman-fhip of ancient Rome. 12. Count Pufhkin, a privy-counfellor, carrying on a cufhion, the fcepter, enamelled and adorned with diamonds and rubies, with the imperial eagle at the top ; the fame 6 that that was ufed at the coronation of the ancient emperors of cook x. Ruffia. -~- 13. Count Bruce, a privy-counfedor and mafter of the ordnance, carrying the crown, which was immenfely rich with brilliants, feveral of which were very large, befides fine oriental pearls of an extraordinary fize and an even water ; among the other precious ftones, of various colours, in this crown, there was a true oriental ruby of uncommon luftre as large as a pigeon's egg, and fuppofed to be the richeft that has yet been known j this fupplied the place of a globe on the top of the crown, and the crofs was all covered over with brilliants. 14. Count Tolftoi, grand-marflial, with his ftaff in his hand, on the top of which was an imperial eagle of maffive gold, and an emerald as big as a hen's egg. 15. His imperial majefty, Peter the Great, fupported by prince Menzikof and knez Repnin. 16. Her imperial majefty, Catherine, led by his royal highnefs the duke of Holftein, and attended by the high admiral count Apraxin, and the high chancellor count Golof hin ; her train was borne by the princefs of Menzikof, the duchefs of Trubetzkoi, the countefs of Golofkin, the countefs of Bruce, and general Butterlin's lady j they were followed by twelve married, and twelve unmarried ladies, clad in robes, and walking in pairs. i 17. The married ladies were, four lieutenant-generals ladies, viz. Jaguzinlki, Matuildn, Dolgoruki, and Kura-kin ; eight major-general's ladies, viz. Gunther, Zernidiof, Balk, Le-Fort, Trubetzkoy, Ufhakoff, Romanzof, and Cir- Z z z kafki 5 ceremony. book x. kafki ; thefe were followed by twelve young ladies of the 1 did quality, in pairs. 18. The colonels, and other military officers, and thofe of the national nobility fummoned to attend, all walking in pairs. 19. The other half of the horfe-guards clofed the proceffion ; during which, all the bells in Mofcow rang, which was accompanied with the mufic of the drums and trumpets. Coronation The proceffion having entered the cathedral, the regalia were placed on a long table fet there for that purpofe j and the duke of Holdein having led the emprefs to the throne, retired to his place, and the emperor led her to her feat, attended by prince Menzikoff and knez Repnin, and the counts Apraxin and Golofkin, and the ladies who bore the train ; their majedies being feated, the archbidiops and other prelates alfo fat down, but the gentlemen and ladies ftood during the whole courfe of the ceremony : when the aa-them was fung, the emperor ftood up, and taking the fcep-ter from the table, ordered the great-marfhal to call the archbidiops and prelates, enjoining them to proceed to coronation. The archbifhop of Novogorod then addreffed the emprefs thus : " Orthodox and great emprefs, mod gracious " lady, may it pleafe your majedy to repeat the creed Atha-" nafian of orthodox faiih, in the prefence of your loyal " fubjecls."—The emprefs having repeated this creed, kneeled down on a cufhion,. and received the archbifhop's. benediction, and after prayers were faid, her majefty ftood up, and two archbilhops took the coronation mantle,, and prefented it to the emperor, who put it on the emprefs, with* without laying the fceptre out of his hand ; their majefty's book x. then kneeling down, the archbifhop faid prayers, at the-- conclufion of which their majefties rofe up, and the emperor, taking the crown, placed it upon her head, but ftill held the fcepter himfelf ; the archbifhops then pronounced their benediction in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, and put the imperial globe into her majefty's hand. This-being done, their majefties took their feats and received the compliments both of the clergy and laity, while the choir fung their ufual anthem for their profperous reign; at the conclufion of which there was a general falvo from all the* artillery, and the bells of the whole city were rung. This done, their majefties being conducted from the throne with the fame ceremonies with which they afcended, they proceeded to the foot of the altar, and from thence to their nfual feats ; and during the liturgy her majefty took off her crown, which was committed to the charge of the fecretary of the cabinet ; and after the prayers for the communion fervice were fung, the emperor led her majefty, who was dreffed in the crown and imperial mantle, along a walk of fcarlet velvet, doubled, and tapeftry wrought with gold, to the fanétuary, where fhe kneeled on a cufhion embroidered with gold, where two bifhops attended with the holy oil in feparate velfels, and an archbifhop anointed her on the forehead, breaft, and hands, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft ; other archbifhops wiped off the oil with cotton, and the archdeacon attending with the holy facra-ment, faid aloud, " Approach with piety and faith,"— Upon which fhe received the confecrated bread from the archbifhop, with a little warm wine; two arch-priefts of the. book x- the cathedral carried a gold bafon, and an abbot held a gold ——•— ewer fuii 0f water to warn, and two other abbots held the napkin for her majedy to wipe her hands. This done, their majefties retired to their feats, and there was a fécond falvo from the guns, and ringing of the beds in the city. At the clofe of the fervice, the archbifhop of Plefkow made an harangue, in which he mentioned the rare virtues of the emprefs, and (hewed how well fhe deferved that crown which flie had now received from God and her hufband -, and concluded with a congratulation to their majefties in the name of the ftates of the empire. Proccflion to When this office was over, the duke of Holftein went St?Mkhaei? t0 attend the emprefs to the church of St. Michael, to which (lie walked much in the fame order as fhe came from the palace, but with her crown and mantle on, and under a rich canopy, fupported by fix major-generals on poles of maffive" filver, on each of which were eight eagles of filver gilt, with crowns, &c. and tufts of folid gold, hung to gold twift ; the fcepter and globe were carried before Her, and her train borne up as before ; prince Menzikof walked behind the emprefs, fupported by Printzenftein, chancellor of the exchequer, and Plefkof, prefident of the chamber of finances, each carrying a purfe of fcarlet velvet embroidered with gold, in which were medals of gold and filver, which the prince threw away among the populace in the way to church j when her majefty arrived at the door, an archbifhop met and walked before her with a crucifix ;r while the litanies were finging, the emprefs went and paid her devotions at the tombs of the emperor's glorious anceftors ; at her leaving this church, there was a third falvo of the guns and and bells, with kettle-drums and trumpets ; and the joyful book x. ihouts of the people rent the Ikies. " From hence her majedy went in a coach drawn by eight proccfl^4n* to horfes to the monaffery of Wofnefinki, or the Refurrection, Je rS^0-the place of interment for the ladies of the imperial blood ; tlon-fhe was attended 1. By one half of the horfe-guards, and their officers. 2. Twenty-four valets on foot, marching four a-breaftj their coats were green faced with fcarlet ; their waiftcoats fcarlet fpread over with gold and filver lacej their hats laced with gold, and the hilts of their fwords gilt. 3. Twelve pages in green liveries, the facing and veft of cloth of gold, fcarlet filk dockings with gold clocks, and their fword-hilts filver gilt. 4. The emprefs in a mod magnificent coach, drawn by eight horfes, with four running footman before, richly dreff, and tweive chamberlains and other officers of the court magnificently dreft, marching on both fides of the coach. 5. Twelve hey dukes alfo on both fides of the coach, at a proper didance from the chamberlains, clad in green coats and fcarlet waidcoats richly embroidered with gold, with the emperor's arms and cyphers, the fleeves fringed with gold, and turned up with fcarlet velvet j their fcarlet velvet caps were edged with green velvet and gold twid, with a ftar of gold embroidery, with a tuft of an apple of filver;. on the fides were two filver eagles, and two herons of filver, with a plume of red and white feathers behind 3 indead of a belt they wore two filver chains, faftened to a dripe of fcarlet velvet with p-0ld twid : the hilts of their fabres were large and gilt ; their boots, which were of Morocco leather, were book x. were adorned with buttons> and other ornaments, the work — of the goldfmith. 6. Lieutenant-general Lacey rode behind the coach, with two heralds at arms, and threw gold and filver medals among the populace, which were carried for that purpofe in purfes by the proper officers. 7. Six negroes dreft in black velvet edged with gold, in-ftead of fcarves and bracelets, they had ornaments of red and white feathers, and they had plumes of the fame in their turbans, which were faced with mudin -t their collars were of filver marked with their majedies cypher. 8. His royal highnefs the duke of Holftein in a coach and fix, with rich blue liveries. 9. The counts Apraxin and Golof kin, in one coach and fix, with their fervants in rich liveries. jo. Two coaches and fix, with the ladies of the firft rank. 11. The other half of the horfe-guards clofed the proceffion, and in their paffing by were faluted with the points of our fpontoons, and colours pointed to the ground, the mufic playing and drums beating till they were paft. At the monaftery, the emprefs was handed out of the coach by the duke of Holftein ; her train was borne as before ; and having performed her devotion at the tombs of the ladies of the imperial family, in that monaftery, fhe returned to the palace, and was handed by the duke of Holftein to her apartments where the emperor expected her, and where they paft fome time while the fervice was getting ready in the hall of folemnities. Dinner in the This hall, for its largenefs and ornaments, is one of the hall of folem- - . -111 unie*. fineft in Europe, and the windows being proportionably large makes makes it very light -, the roof refts on one fingle pillar in the book x. middle, the cornices and pedeftals are of fine work in plaider of Paris j all the wainfcotting is of curious workmanfhip, and three feet in height ; all round was hung with crimfon velvet and rich cloth of gold ; the floor was covered with Perfian carpets of extraordinary fize and beauty. Round the pillars a table was fet, with vefîêls of gold and filver, adorned with precious ftones and pearls ; the table where their majefties were to eat was fet upon a raifed door, covered with fcarlet velvet, laced with gold, under a canopy of the fame, bordered round with deep gold fringe j the table, where the duke of Holftein was to eat alone, was at a little diftance from the other in the middle of the hall ; and at fome little diftance below that was a table for the ladies, alfo in the middle of the hall, and on each fide were long tables, one for perfons of the firft quality, particularly thofe who had aflifted at the coronation -, another for the prelates and principal clergy who had officiated on the fame occafion ; at the lower end of the hall was a theatre for the mufic. Their majefties, and the duke of Holftein, were ferved in gold plate, the other three tables in filver. When every tiling was ready, the company moved for the hall, and entered in the following order : 1. The mafter of the ceremonies. 2. The two cup-bearers, and count Apraxin, who officiated as carver during the feaft. 3. The great fteward, followed by the grand marftial. 4. The emperor, and his two fupporters. 5. The emprefs, led by the duke of Holftein, and fupported as in the former proceffion ; the train of the impe- A a a rial book x. rial mantle being borne by the five ladies beforemen--' tioned. 6. The principal ladies of quality, both of the court and empire, with her majefty's maids of honour. 7. The other perfons of diftincfion both fexes, clergy and laity. When their majefties were under the canopy, an arch-biftiop faid grace, and then the whole company placed themfelves according to their rank. At every courfe the grand mar dial gave orders to the mafter of ceremonies to go with the officers and order it : all the officers in waiting flood at the hall door, from the firft to the laft, to receive the difhes, which they carried up to the table in the following order : 1. The grand marflial. 2. The great fteward. 3. The chief carver. 4. The officers who carried the fervices, who were all colonels ; each difh was guarded by two gentleman of the horfe-guards, with their carbines. 5. The mafter of the ceremonies. The great fteward ranged the didies, and took them off, every time bending the knee, and all the others who waited on their majefties with plates or glaffes, ferved them on the knee : they eat and drank out of gold, and the pyramids of fweetmeats were ferved up to the royal tables in gold plate ; the duke of Holftein was alfo ferved in gold, by officers of the firft rank. There were at the fame time before the hall, oxen and all manner of fowls roaded for the populace, and on a 9 ftage ft age erected there, were fountains of red and white wines book x. running for them to drink. " Before the court rofe from table, prince Menzikof dif- ,7M* tributed to every perfon of rank and diftinction, who had a Aided at the ceremony, a large medal of gold reprefenting it ; and then their majedies returned to their apartments in the fame order they had entered, and the officers in waiting, with thofe of the horfe and foot guards, filled the tables, and when the repaft was over, we returned to our refpectivc quarters. The whole night was fpent in great rejoicings, by fire-works, illuminations, bonfires, drums, mufic, and ringing of bells j the ftreets fwarmed all night long with crowds of people. The three following days, the emprefs received the congratulations of all the foreign minifters, and the deputies of the provinces. On the fourth day, her majefty gave a very grand entertainment, and in the evening was exhibited a magnificent fire-work, reprefenting the emperor placing the crown on her head, widi this motto, " From God and the Emperor 1 the city was again completely illuminated, and univerfal joy difplayed itfelf in every form. The whole concluded by a general promotion at court, A new mod* of and in the army and navy, in the Venetian manner, by bal- ° promotlom lotting, and this was the mode ; a white iron box was made with three apertures, and a round opening before, to admit a man's hand ; the three apertures were painted white, red., and black the white for advancement, the red was againft it, and the black denoted incapacity. The box was covered with fcarlet cloth, and every perfon qualified to ballot, had a little ball of white leather given him, which A a a 2 he 364 M E M O I R S OF book x. he could put into cither of the apertures without its being obferved. Brigadier Knez Ufupof, a major in the guards, was to it and the ballot for a major-general, and all the officers of the guards, being eighty-four in number, were fummoned to give their fuffrages ; but when the boxes were examined, there was found thirty-two to twenty-three againft him, and twenty-nine, declared him incapable. His majedy was very much furprifed at this, as knez Ufupof was well known to be a very brave officer, and one who had always obferved Ariel difcipline, which was thought the real caufe of his having fo many enemies j on this the ballotting was entirely laid fide, and promotions went on according to the ufual form. The captain I nad now once more an of preferment made me, fudough.11" DUt as I conceived it intended to detain me in the fervice, I begged to be excufed accepting any till after my return from Britain ; but finding prince Menzikoff, at the inftiga-tion of count Bruce, very much bent for my flaying, I laid my cafe in fuch drong terms before the counr, that he at laft confented and (poke of it to the prince, who at length granted my much wifhed furlough on the 27 th of May. I received the pay and forage money due to me from the regiment, but could not get the two years pay that was due to me as engineer, and which amounted to twelve hundred rubles, but was told the money appropriated for the payment of that fervice was at Peteriburgh, and I mud go there to receive it ; which if I had done, would have effectually put a ftop to my journey. 1 empowered major general Le Fort to receive my pay, and fell my houfe and furniture in Peteriburgh, and to remit me the money to Scotland; but but a flop was put to it till my return, and at the expira- book x. tion of my furlough, every thing I had left there was feized,- fo that I had no reafon to boaft of any advantage I reaped in Ruflia, after thirtceen years fervice. Their majefties left Mofcow on the 27th of May, on Thc captaîtv their journey to Peteriburgh, and I fet out the 28th. I ar- ^cs Mof-rived at Novogorod the 7th of June, from thence eroding the lake Ilmen, fifty miles, to the river Solon, and twenty miles up that river to Sultza by land, from thence by Plelkow and Petzora, two ftrong fortified towns, I got to to Wenden in Livonia, on the 15th. This place had formerly been a place of ftrength, but its fortifications now-lay in ruins ; and on the 17th, I arrived at Riga, which is one thoufand thirty-fix werfts from Mofcow. Field marflial Knez Repnin, governor of this city, arrived two days after me. I immediately waited on the governor, and flie wed him my pafs, and notwithftanding our former difference, on my having refufed the offer he made me of being his aid-de-camp, he behaved very civilly to me, and offered me his table while 1 ftaid in that city. I lodged with colonel Be-rens of the artillery, who married a niece of the countefs of Bruce. The colonel took me to the cathedral, and pointing out a mark on the wail, four feet and a half from the ground, told me that the waters of the Dwina, at the breaking up of the ice laft year, had rifen to that mark, and overflowed the whole city; and that there happened to be a wedding celebrating in a .wooden houfe without the town, near the river, which was quite full of people, and by the hidden rifing book x. rifmg of the water, the houfe was overturned in the height of their merriment, and every perfon drowned. As I was dining at an ordinary one day, with feveral 1724. A Swedifli Ri^'fufpca* of my acquaintances, there happened to be at the table a 'fllt°chari"sS Swedifh colonel and a lieutenant-colonel, who was born dumb, the XUth of Sweden. and had been a great favourite with the late king of Sweden. While we were at dinner, the governor's aid-decamp came in, and addrefling himfelf to the Swedifli colonel, ordered him in the emperor's name to leave Riga immediately, otherwife he would be proceeded againft as a traitor. The Swede immediately getting up from the table, quitted the room, pale and trembling. On our enquiring into the reafon of this fudden order to the colonel, we were informed that he was fufpeeled of having fhot the late king of Sweden, in the trenches before Frederickfhal. It feems that fome of the company had by figns, made the dumb lieutenant-colonel underftand the affair, on which he ran after him with his fword drawn, and, but for the inter-pofition of the aid-de-camp and fome others with him, he would certainly have killed the colonel, who was fafely con-dueled over the river Dwina, which divides Livonia from Courland, and was followed by his fervants and baggage. It was obferved that while he redded in Riga, large remittances had come to him from Stockholm, which made it generally fufpeeled that he had been highly bribed to commit the regicide. The colonel made hade to get into Poland, intending to pafs through that kingdom into Turkey, where he was well acquainted, having attended the king of Sweden all the time that prince redded in Bender ; but as he he was no more heard of, it was generally thought he had book x. been murdered in Poland, " '"7 I had propofed travelling by the way of Berlin, but now The captain finding the fhip Ifabella, bound for Montrofe, John Car- ScotUnd. ' negie, mailer, 1 took my paffage with him, who undertook to lay in a dock of frefh provifions. The (hip went down the river the 28th of June, and I followed the next day, attended by many of my acquaintances to fort Dunamand, where I went on board, and that evening we dropt down to the mouth of the river. We failed on the 30th of June, with a fair wind, and pad the iflands of Runen and Oefel, but the wind turning againft us toward night, I began to enquire into the ftate of our provifions, which confifted of fait beef, peas, barley, bifcuit, and bad beer. The mafter pretended that in the hurry he had forgot to lay in frefh meat, which was a great difappointment to me, as I never could eat fait meat, but for the kind concern of colonel Berens's lady, who, without my knowlege, had fent plenty of all forts of provifions on board, which fuffkiently made up the mailer's deficiency. The wind continuing foul we bore away for the ifle of Gothland, and on the 2d of July, we paffed the town of Wifby : in paffing along the coaft of this ifland, I obferved a number of churches with fleeples, not above a mile diftant from each other. We endeavoured to make the ifle of Oeland, but could not fetch it, and after beating three days to little purpofe, I perfuaded the mafter to come to an anchor at the I un fer Sheren, near the coafl of Sweden, where I.went afhore with four men in the boat, at fome fiihing huts, but finding no body in them, and paffing a little way into a wood, we came to a number of people book x. people of both fexes, burning limeftone, and an old man " diewed us the way through part of the wood, to a village, where I bought two fheep, fome fowls, eggs, and butter, and returning to the veffel, we got under way again ; but the wind continuing unfavourable, we made little progrefs. On the 8th, after a hard gale of wind, with the fea breaking over us all day long, and meeting a Dutchman, who had loft his main-maft in a gale, we got fight of Oeland. On the 9th, the wind turned in our favour, which lafted till ten o'clock next morning, being then near the ifland of puts into Erd-Born holm ; but the wind fuddenly changing, we were forced nSflTharbour back again, which obliged us to run into the harbour of and toit. j£rtUiolm. On a fignal, a pilot came on board, who more through defign than ignorance, run the veffel on a rock at the entrance of the harbour, fo clofe to the fhore, that the military who ftood there, law diftinctly all our motions on deck, and although they knew our diftrefs, and boats were in plenty by them on the fhore, not one of them offered to advance one ftep to our afliftance. When our warp anchor was putting out, the governor obferving that I was better at directing than working, concluded from thence that I was a paifenger, although I was clad in feaman's cloaths, fent his adjutant off in a boat, offering to bring me on fhore with my effects, which I readily accepted, and coming up to the governor, wc knew each other, being formerly acquainted both in Flanders, and at Copenhagen when the Ruffian army was there; but before I would enter into any converfation, I pleaded fo effectually with him for afliftance to get the veffel off the rock, that he fent boats fufficient to take in as much of the cargo as lightened her enough enough to get off, fo that fhe did not fuftain the lead: damage: fhe had fcarce got into the harbour, before fuch a heavy gale came on, as would have beat her to pieces had flie remained a quarter of an hour longer on the rock ; fo that the faving of this fhip and cargo was entirely owing to my acquaintance with the governor. This harbour belongs to Denmark, and is one of the beft in Europe -, it has an entrance from the fouth and one from the north, both commanded by forts, they are juft broad enough to let one fhip at a time pafs with eafe. It is of a round form, and large enough to contain two hundred fail of fhips ; and fo deep, that they can lay clofe to the fhore. It is of great convenience to the king of Denmark for his fhips in war time, as they can enter in at one fide and go out at the other. The ifland itfelf is an entire rock, without either earth or fand j yet the governor and officers in garrifon, have tranfported earth enough from the ifland of Bornholm, four German leagues, to make gardens for therrrfelves. Colonel Hirfhnach was the prefent governor, and had his own regiment in garrifon here : they are in a manner fecluded from the world, as no fhips ever come in here but through ftrefs of weather or foul winds. There were at this time in the harbour, thirteen fhips, Dutch and Englifh, but they are fometimes a year or two, without feeing a fliip; in fummer they frequently vifit, and are vifited by their neighbours in Bornholm, feveral of whom were now here; and dancing and card-playing, the only diverfions the place afforded, went forward : fometimes in a fine day they went in boats to the rocks, (which are in great numbers about B b b the book x. the ifland), to gather feathers or down from the nefls of the " wild ducks, of which the governor makes about four hun- ,7a4' dred dollars a year. As the Danes at this time were apprehenfive the Ruffians intended an attempt on Holdein, in favour of its duke, the governor would not fuffer me to go near either of the forts, feeing from my pafs that I was only on furlough ; but when 1 had fatisfied him that I did not intend to return to the Ruffian fervice, he conducted me to both himfelf, when I readily admitted an apology for his prudence from the de-fencelefs date in which 1 found them ; he told me he had often, in vain, follicited for an engineer to put them in a refpectable condition, and now afked my opinion on what was neceffary to be done for their better defence, and faid he had often folicited for an engineer to be fent from Copenhagen, in vain. As they were much out of repair, I told him it would require the attendance of an engineer for fome time, to put them in a date of defence. The governor then propofed my entering into the Danifli fervice, affuring me I would be very acceptable as an engineer, as they were fo ill provided, and affured me that he could eafdy procure me a company in his own regiment, with a pretty girl into the bargain. This F found afterwards to have been concerted with captain Filher, a fuperannuated gentleman of the regiment, and his fpoufe, who was to refign his company in my favour if I married his daughter, a genteel pretty girl at the age of eighteen : as they knew the fhip was to fail with the firft fair wind they propofed my fuffering the veffel to depart without me, with affurance that I could not be long without another opportunity, if their propofal did did not meet my approbation ; but as I did not incline to be hook x. buried alive in fuch an out-of-the-way place, I excufed my- ;- felf in the bed manner I could. The 2id of July in the afternoon, all the wind-bound Depart for fhips failed out of the harbour with a fair wind ; our E1Iin&oh'-boat being left to carry me on board ; the governor and the reft of his company conveyed me to the fort, where taking leave of them, I went on board, where I found good ftore of frefh provifions laid in by the governor and Mrs. Fifher. Having no guns on board, I fainted them with feven mufkets, which was returned by five guns from the fort. In palling Bornholm, a Danifh man of war fpoke to us, and enquired if we knew or had heard of a Ruffian fleet at fea ; from repeated enquiries of this kind, it was evident they expected an invafion of Holdein, as the emperor had demanded the reftitution of that dukedom, in very ftrong ■ terms, for his lawful prince. Pafling the ifland of Muin the 22d, and anchoring next day before Copenhagen, we arrived on the 24th, at Elfinghor. Here the mafter went afhore to clear out at the cuftom-houfe, where I accompanied him, and was brought before the governor to fhew my pafs, to whom I delivered a letter from governor Hirfh-nach j the governor detained me to fupper, when he afked me a multitude of queftions relating to Ruffia j and under-ftanding by the letter I brought him, that I was not to rc~ turn again to that fervice, he urged me much to follow that gentleman's advice, and engage myfelf in the king of Denmark's, which he obferved would be eafier obtained, as I had then feveral relations of rank in that fervice : to which I anfwered that he might fee from my pafs that I B b b 2 was book x, was not difengaged from the Ruffian fervice; and as there — was an appearance of a rupture between the two nations, I7H' fuch a ftep might prove of the moft dangerous confequence to me, which he could not refufe to admit, if the rupture fliould take place. It is to he obferved that the Danifh army is chiefly compofed of foreigners, and the Danes and Norwegians are employed in their navy. Here I met with Mr. Pritzbaur, a captain of horfe, with whom I had been intimately acquainted in Mecklenburgh ; he informed me two of my relations were then at Copenhagen, viz. general , Dewitz and colonel Arenfdorf, a firft coufin of my father's, and endeavoured much to pcrfuade me to go with him to fee them, as I could daily get an opportunity of another yeffel : but as I very much longed to fee my friends in Scotland, I would not confent. However, Mr. Pritzbaur in-fifted on my making his houfe my home, the four days I flayed at Elfinghor. ndven into We departed from hence on the 28th, and on the 30th difmaftedd were overtaken by a violent ftorm, which carried away our main-maft, widi fails, and rigging, and in this diftrefs, with much difficulty, we reached Marftrand, a town and fort in Sweden ; here again I met feveral acquaintances, officers who had been prifoners at Mofcow, who now treated me with much civility ; feveral Ruffian foldiers who had been made prifoners by the Swedes, and afterward entered into their fervice, now earneftly folicited me to intercede with the governor, to let them return to their native country ; but he faid it was not in his power to difcharge them, as they had voluntarily enlifted. It was eight days before we were in a condition to put to fea again, and we departed on the 7th 7th of Auguft ; in two days after we were forced by a con- book x. trary wind to run into Hamer found, a place pleafantly ft- —•-- tuated near a large wood ; the days we were detained here, a quanti be-we paffed in fowling or gathering nuts. Here the matter ^"ndTiT and his mate quarrelled, and went each with a broad fword mate* into the wood to fight. A lad called Carnegie, the matter's nephew, acquainted me with their defign. I followed them with my fowling piece, the youth directing me the way they had gone ; we came up with them when they were going to begin the combat, to which I put a ttop to by prefenting my piece at them, threatning to fire on the firft aggreffor ; and coming clofe to them, I reafoned them out of their folly, and returned with them on board, to fight it out over a bowl of punch, by which means they were fully reconciled again. On the 14th, we weighed, with a fair wind at eaft, and The captai* paffed by Chriftianfand, and the Neus or Naze, and before Scotland" night had loft fight of Norway, and the 17th came in fight of land, which the Captain took to be at the entrance of the Firth of Forth, and ftretching to the northward, intending to fetch Montrofe, he paffed it in very foggy weather, and falling in with a fidiing boat, we were informed we were oppofite Aberdeen. Here I left the Ifabella, and arrived at Aberdeen in the fifhing boat, after a tedious voyage of fifty days. I fet out next morning for Fife; and had the pleafure to find my mother, brother, and fifter, well at Cou par on the 20th, after an abfence of twenty years. I got pofTeffion of a fmall eftate left me by a grand uncle, upon which 1 fettled, and after marrying I turned farmer, in which occupation I remained fixteen years, till the war was bookx, was proclaimed with Spain, when the government wanted —— engineers. I was on this recommended by his grace the duke of Argyll, to his grace the duke of Montagu, mafter general of the ordnance, who employed me as chief engi* neer, at twenty (hillings per dayj and was fent to fortify Providence, one of the Bahama iflands : fo that I once more launched out into a new world for the fake of my family, who were by this time become pretty numerous. &QQK BOOK XI. The captain fent engineer to fortify Providence, and goes out in the Rofe man of war.—Arrives at the ijland of Madeira.—Waits on the Portu. guefe governor.—Defcription of the ijland.—A hard paffage to Carolina.—• Miffcs a fine prize.—A violent form.—The fortifications at Charleflown* —Arrive at Providence.—The ruinous condition of fort Najfau—Short hi/lory of the Bahama Iflands.—The opprefftve pracliccs of governor Fitz-lVilliam.—Governor Tinker fucceeds him.—Short account of that gentleman.—The captain prevails on the inhabitants to carry materials for building fort Montagu.—Nature of the fone—and mafiich zvood. — Defcription of fort Montagu.—The governors letter about it.—A quarrel with lieutenant Stewart.—Ihe captain confined,—and fet at liberty. HE firft of July, 1740, I was appointed chief en- VT gineer to fortify the Bahama Iflands, at twenty fliil- t lings per day. I fat out from Scotland the 8th of Auguft ^ 1?4°- . . e J The captain and arrived in London on the 16th ; and having received fent enslncer r 11 it 1, to fortify Pro- my lnftructions rrom the board, I was ordered to go out vidence, and with John Tinker, efq; who was appointed governor of the Rofe°iuanof* Bahama Iflands, and the Rofe man of war, commanded W£Ur" by Thomas Frankland, efq. was appointed to carry us there. We embarked the 6th of November, and failed the next day from Spithead, where we lay at anchor till the 9th, and then endeavoured to fail through the Needles, but were obliged, by a contrary wind, to return again to Cowes, where we lay till the 12th; when we failed through the Needles, having feven veffeis under our convoy, one of which carried flores and recruits for the Bahama Iflands\ book xi Iflands $ but the wind proving contrary, we were forced on. ~ the 15th to go into Torbay, and as we- were going in we obferved a Spanidi privateer boarding a mereliant-man ■$ we immediately put about, chafed, and came up with her at 3 p. m. having fired five chace-guns at her, when fhe {truck ; as we were then under all our fails, with a brifk gale, they let us pafs by them without attempting to come on board, and getting under our ftern, they endeavoured to get away again ; on this the captain ordered to fire with fmall-arms at her, and the fellow that was hoifting the fails being fhot, they put out their boat and came on board. She had only a captain and twenty men on board, and two Englidi maders of veffeis, whom they had taken the day before ; having fent her lieutenant and twelve of her hands with her prizes for Spain. They feem to have been ill provided with cloaths when they fet out, for we faw none they had but what they had plundered from the Englidi ; they had fixty-four pounds in money, were well-armed, with plenty of ammunition and provifions ; the Englifh maders told us, fhe was a prime failor, had fixteen oars, and only for the cowardly fpirit of the crew, it would not have been in our power to come up with her ; for they were fo intimidated, that at every gun we fired, they ftopt their oars to fay their ylve Maria. Governor Tinker had a narrow efcape here, for one of his piftols going off by accident, the ball went through his cloaths. We got into Torbay the next day, where we found the Argyle, of fifty guns, captain Lingen, bound for Ireland, and the Portmahon, of twenty guns, captain Paulet, for Gibraltar -, the next day we burnt our prize, and fent the / 6 captain PETER El E N R Y BRUCE, ESQ^ captain on board the Argyle ; he was a Genoefe by birth, b had formerly been in our Eaft India company's ferviee, and as he was well acquainted with our coafts, we thought it beft to fend him to Ireland ; at firft he pretended not to underftand Engliih, but as he happened to be known by the mafter of the Rofe, who had failed with him to India, he could no longer pretend ignorance of the language. On board the Argyle he endeavoured to bribe the guard to let him efcape, which was no fooner difcovered than he was clapped in irons ; the reft of the prifoners were fent on fhore. We left Torbay the 23d of November, and next day had a gale of wind and a heavy fea, which broke over the fhip and occafioned a great rolling: I had then the lieutenant's cabin, where the fkuttle was forced in, and the water came in and wetted all my cloaths and bedding, which obliged me to fet up all night : next day we had a violent ftorm, which made us take in our fails, lower our top-mafts, and drive before the wind. On the 26th, we entered the bay of Bifcay, and were toffed about by foul winds in that heavy fea for feveral days, and loft fight of all our convoy ; at the fame time a moft violent epidemic diftemper raged in our fhip, by which we loft a number of the men, fo that at laft we were forced to bear away for England again, and arrived at Falmouth the 5 th of December. Here we found the Argyle and Port-Mahon windbound, but none of the fhips that had been under our convoy were heard of. During our ftay here, we fent our furgeon and feveral of the people afhore fick, and got another furgeon and nine feamen out of a merchantman ; and our C c c yawl, book xi, yawl, in going afhore for water, was ftaved to pieces, and — one of the failors dangeroufly hurt, and four of our peo-pie deferred : we paffed our time agreeably enough on fhore at this place, having frequent balls and affemblies till the 17th, that we put out to fea again, and had very boidcrous weather for nineteen days fucceflively, which increafed the didemper among the people. Arrives at the On the 5th of January we made the ifland of Madeira y ifland of Ma- , , . , , . . . . , deira. but as no body on board had ever been there, except the mafter, he infifted it was the ifland of Porto Sancto, which lies fifty-one eaft from Madeira ; and depending on his judgment, we ftood away to the weftward, and failed two days without difcovering land, but finding our miftake, were obliged to return, and arrived at Madeira on the 9th, towards night, The next day we were carried afhore by the Portuguefe in their boats, none of our own people durft venture on the great furf, which is almoft continually on» the landing-place here even in calm weather. This is a confiderable advantage to the Portuguefe, who carry everything on board and afhore at Madeira. The method they take in landing is this, they keep themfelves very dextcroufly with their oars on the top of a high wave, which carries them a, great way on fhore, where a number of men ftand ready and pull the boat out of the reach of any fucceeding wave. In going on board they put the paffengers and goods into the boat on dry land, and the boatmen feat themfelves ready with their oars in their hands, and a fufficient number of men run with the boat and pufh her upon the top of a wave, and fo go off without the leaft difficulty. I could 6 not not but be furprifed to fee with how much dexterity this was book xi. performed f. - When we Came afhore, I accompanied governor Tinker WakoTthe to wait on the governor of the place ; who was faluted by ^ï£jf a numerous guard, and afterwards conducted by two gentlemen towards the Portuguefe governor, who received us on the top of a high -outer ft air, and carried us into a large hall j Mr. Tinker, with his retinue, being feated on one fide of the room, and the Portuguefe gentlemen on the oppofite, the Madeira governor took his feat directly facing Mr. Tinker, and after exchanging a few words in a very ceremonious manner, we went away, efcorted with the fame formalities as we had at entering. We dined with Mr* Baker, the Britifh conful, where the Portuguefe governor came after dinner to return governor Tinker's vifit, which was as fhort and as ceremonious as the former j and here ended all the intercourfe between the two governors. We went next to fee their churches and monaftcries, conducted by an Irifh prieft j next day, we dined with Meilleurs Scott, merchants, and afterward walked up the fouth-fide of the hill, where we faw a number of pleafure-houfes, but particularly that belonging to the providore, where there were three artificial flats below each other in front, with waterworks and flower-pots, prettily laid out, although fmall. Defcription AU the fouth-fide of this ifland is an entire mountain, co- °f the liland* vered with vines, interfperfed with houfes, and orange, lemon, and other kinds of fruit-trees j the north-fide of ■|- The fame method is pra£tifed at Deal, in Kent, when the furf is heavy on the beach, which often happens. C c c a the book xi the mountain is not inhabited, but referved for pafturage for their cattle $ the inhabitants dwell all along the fouth-fhore, and the bay is commanded by two forts, well fup-plied with cannon, The laft day of our flop here, we dined with Mr. Chambers, and fpent the evening with Mr, Gordon, both merchants ; from the latter I bought feveral pipes of wine, at eleven pounds five fhil lings the pipe, which I fent in a fnow to South Carolina ; they put an anchor of brandy into every pipe that goes abroad, both to ftrengthen and preferve it. Ahardpaf- On the 13th of January we went on board, and failed rage to aro ^e njg|ltj when the captain's French cook jumped overboard and fwam on fhore ; we had now loft nineteen men in all fince we left Spithead ; the next day we had a violent ftorm, and fuch a heavy fea, that the waves broke over the quarter-deck in fuch a manner that the people could not ftand to their duty, and every bed and hammock in the fhip were foaked with water. The diftemper began to rage more and more among us ; the governor, captain, and moft of the officers were fick in bed. All this occafioned a lownefs of fpirit over the fhip ; the ftorm continued all the 15th, during which we were in a moft difagreeable fituation in our wet clothes. On the 16th, the ftorm abated, but the ficknefs increafed, very few who were feifed efcaping with life, fo that the corpfe of fome one or other was every day committed to the deep. The 17th, we paft near Tene-riffe, and the ifland of Palma j and the 18th, we got into the trade-wind, when we fteered due weft j as by this means the Ihip's crew were relieved from their toilfome labour ; the fick were all brought upon deck, the fhip was tho- thoroughly cleanfed, by which the ficknefs very much abated, book xi. and the men were encouraged in all forts of diverfions,- thereby to keep them in perpetual motion. We chafed feveral fail, but when we got up with them they proved to be either Englifh or Dutch. On the 3 1 If, we were becalmed in lat. 24. 51. north, and faw a great number of tropic birds ; and this day five more of our people, and a negroe belonging to the captain, died. February the 3d, we had a flrong gale, with fuch aMifsafinc tumbling fea as made the diip roll away her fore-top and Pnze* top-gallant mads, which came down upon deck with all their furniture ; after this we had tolerably good weather. On the j6th, in the morning, in lat. 30. 46. we chaced a fliip and got up with her at ten o'clock \ die hoided Dutch colours and ftruck on our firing j on coming clofe up to her, the captain ordered the mafler of her to come on board, but they pretended not to underftand him ; our lieutenant, with twelve men in the fhaloup, were fent on board to examine her papers, who reported, that fhe was a Dutch fhip from Curacoa for Amderdam, loaded with dollars and tobacco, and had four French gentlemen paf-fengers : we were unanimoufly, however, (except governor Tinker) of opinion, that if die were ftrictly examined fhe would prove a lawful prize, and the captain feemed determined to fecure her -, Mr. Tinker endeavoured to diffuade him, by infmuating the trouble and expence feveral captains had brought themfelves into by carrying Dutch fhips out of their courfe ; captain Frankland afked my opinion : I told him, that if it was my cafe, I would not carry her out of her courfe, but would go along with her till 1 had narrowly exar book xi. examined her : and as I underftood both the French and *—~~ Dutch languages, I offered my affiftance ; but the governor mi' fo intimidated the captain, who was but young, and this his firft voyage as a commanding officer, that he let her pafs without farther enquiry, to the difiatisfaclion of the whole fhip's company, as we had afterwards certain information of her fafe arrival at Cadiz, with one hundred and thirty thoufand pounds fterling on board. A violent On the 18th, at fix in the morning, in latitude 31 deg, 13 min. we met with a terrible hurricane, attended with heavy rain, thunder, and lightning j it carried away our fore-maft fails and all over board, after that our main-top-maft, and at eight o'clock our mizen-maft ; and as their mafts had got under the fliip, they were faftened to her bottom by the wet fails being thereby in great danger of foundering \ at the return of every heavy fea the ends of our broken mafts and yards ftruck her bottom with fuch violence that it was a miracle they did not make their way through. All hands were fet to work to clear away the rigging, which, when performed, a high wave at laft relieved us from that incumbrance ; and in this pitiful fituation we were toffed up and down the remainder of the day, and all the following night. The next day the weather being a little fettled, we hoifted our main-fail and fet up jury-mafts } we went under thefe till the 26th, when we faw a fhip not far from us, ftranded on a fand-bank, and a fmall fchooner failing along the coaft ; on our firing a gun to bring the fchooner to, the mafter came on board, and informed us we were at Cape Roman, to the northward of Charleftown, Carolina -, he piloted us to Charleftown bar, where FETER FI EN R Y BRUCE, ESQ. 333 where a pilot from the town came on board. I went in the book xr. fchooner to Charleftown, where I found this city in a de--- plorable fituation, the one half of which had been laid in *741* allies by a dreadful fire, and the ruins were ftill fmoaking: a vaft quantity of merchandize, to a very confiderable amount, was quite confumed. Our ftiip lying without an opportunity to get over the bar, was driven out to fea by a, land-breeze, which carried away her jury-maft ; two veffeis were fent out to her affiftance, but it was the 2d of March before fhe got over the bar : in the time they were driven out to fea, both the mafter and gunner died. We found here the Phoenix, captain Fanfhaw, and the Tartar, the honourable captain George Townfend, both twenty-gun. fhips, ftationed at this place, and our ftore-fhip, who had pufhed through the bay of Bifcay, made a good voyage to Providence, where fhe landed her recruits and dores, was returned here. The fnow alfo arriving from Madeira, with our wine, I fold the half of mine, by which I had the other half free. The gentlemen of the council and affembly, and others of Charleftown, fhewed us a great deal of civility during our ftay here, with daily entertainments and balls. The 23d we faw their militia reviewed, which confifted of fix companies of one hundred men each ; the officers appeared all in uniforms, and the men performed their exercife fur-prifingly well; the review concluded with an elegant entertainment and a ball at night. The next day I went with governor. Tinker, and the captains Townfend and Frankland, by invitation, to colonel Vander Duffen's plantation, where we fpent fome days very agreeably ; after our book xi, our return to town, we went to view Jobnfon's fort, which -ftands two miles from the town, and commands the paffage The fortifi. into the harbour. At our arrival the governor was laluted cSciiown. with eleven eighteen-pounders. This fort is a triangle, badly executed, mounted with twelve fix-pounders ; beiow it is the fea battery mounted with thirty guns, nine, twelve, and eighteen-pounders : on our departure we were faluted with eleven nine-pounders. Upon a point of land at the fouth end of the town, ftand Broughton's battery, which commands both Cooper and Afhley rivers, and is mounted with forty-five guns, nine, twelve, and eighteen-pounders j and betwixt Grenville and Craven baftions, upon the curtain along the bay fronting Cooper river, there are one hundred and thirty guns of different fizes, the carriages of feveral of which were burnt in the late fire. 1 here was but one brafs mortar of eleven inches, and eight cohorns, all the reft having been fent to general Oglethorpe, on his expedition againft St, Auguftine. Governor Tinker finding it would be yet a confiderable time before the Rofe man of war could be fit to go to fea, defired Commodore Fandiaw to fend the Tartar to carry us to Providence ; which he complied with, and we went on board on the 10th of April. We ftruck feveral times going over the bar, but received no injury from it ; we had a pleafant paffagc till ihe 19th, in the evening, when fitting after fupper, and all very chearful, we were alarmed by the call of breakers, by one of the people; captain Townfend immediately ran upon deck, and ordered the helm a lee, which was inftantly done, and the fails were fhifted with great regularity and expedition, not a voice voice was heard but the captain's; and when the diip was book xr. about, one might eafily have thrown a done from the- ftern upon the rocks of Abbaco: it happened very luckily "J41* to be fine moon light. Mr. Buckle, the lieutenant, who was then in bed preparing himfelf for the night watch, upon comparing his reckoning with the pilot's, apprehended we were twenty leagues to the weftvvard of the idand of Abbaco ; but the ftrong currents that run here occafioned the miftake. Next day captain Townfend loft a very fine black boy, who coming up with a kettle of boiling water, fell with it, and fcalded himfelf in fuch a manner, that he died foon after, to the great regret of his mafter. On the 21ft of April, juft as we had got over the Am ve at pro* bar at Providence, a hidden ftorm of loud thunder and Vldence* lightning, with a prodigious heavy rain, burft upon us, with fuch a terrible noife, that we could not hear the falute of the cannon of the fort, although we were oppofite to it, which fome people confidered as very ominous. On our landing we were met on the fhore by great numbers of the inhabitants, convened to congratulate their new governor on his fafe arrival on the idand, expecting, as they expreffed themfelves, to live under a milder government than they had experienced under the arbitrary power of their late governor. Captain Laws, who commanded a floop of war ftationed at this place, and who had loft his rank by accepting the command of the floop, expecting our arrival, and to fhun his being under the command of a junior officer, went a few days before our arrival to Jamaica, and left his ready-furnifhed houfe (one of the beft in the town) for D d d my book xi, my ufe, having paid his year's rent (at twenty pounds fter- --- ling per annum), of which there was nine months to come, for which I was certainly much obliged to him ; it had alfo a garden with a large grove of orange tree?. There was an independent company at this place, COn> fifting of one hundred and fifty men, of which the govern nor is captain ; with three lieutenants, the oldeft of whom was John Howcl, Mr. Howel was now prefident of the Bahama iflands ; he had formerly been a furgeon to the pirates, and upon an act of grace, he purchafed the lieute*-nancy, and was alfo furgeon to the company, and colonel' of the militia for the fake of the title. The fécond lieutenant was William Stuart, who was major of the militia ; this gentleman acted in a double capacity, having purchafed the furgency from the former ; but the governor made him part with the furgency to James Irving, who came with us from Charleftown. The third was William Moone, who came from London in the ftorefhip with the recruits ; Mr. Moone had no commiflion, but acted under the governor's warrant a confiderable tkne, in expectation of one ; of which he was at laft difappointed by the arrival of Patrick Dromgole, a nephew of the former governor's, with a commiflion for third lieutenant, which was a very great hardfhip to Mr. Moone, The only people of note here, were chief juftice Rowland ; James Scott, fecretary and clerk of the admiralty ; John Keowin, provoft marflial -, Chaloner Jackfon, collector ; and Mr. Smith, the parfom The ruinou* Upon viewing fort Nafta u, I found it in a very ruinous condition of * . J iortNuflau. condition; the barracks, which were built of wood, were ready to tumble down, and there was no other building within within the fort; the powder magazine was a houfe which book xr. flood at fome diftance from it, expofed in fuch a manner *- that any body might fet fire to it. I found no more than '7**' fixteen guns, mounted upon very bad carriages ; the reft were all fcattered up and down, and fome buried within high water mark in the fand, fome of which were fpiked up, others rammed full of ftones and fand; the carriages trucks and fhot were alfo difperfed, fo that with much difficulty I collected them together : the inhabitants had made ufe of great part of them for ballaft in their veffeis. Having got them all collected in one place, I drilled thofe that had been nailed up, cleaned the whole from ruff, and proved them by firing, I had now fifty-four guns of fix, nine, twelve, and eighteen-pounders, fit for fervice, and mounted them on the new carnages which came out of the ftore-fhip from England. My greateft difficulty was the want of mafons, of whom there was not one in the place, which obliged me to commiflion fome from the northern colonies ; but all I could get were two bricklayers from Philadelphia, wjio knew nothing of mafonry. So that I had the trouble of teaching them and fome of the foldiers, to form, cut, and lay ftones ; and as no labourers were to be got without finding them in provifions, which were not to be procured here, as the inhabitants themfelves lived principally on tortoife and fiih, (any kind of flefh-meat being a great rarity,) I was obliged to fend to New York for provifions. The former governor, as well as the prefent, had provided a quantity of lime ; fo that my next concern was to provide ftone for a new fort. The harbour is formed by Hog Ifland, which is three miles in D d d 2 length, Book xi. icrjgtn . anci as tne enemy in attempting to deftroy this fee-" tlement, had commonly landed at the eaft end of the har-bour, within three miles of Naffau, I refolved to build my new fort at this place, as the moft effential to prevent fuch infults in future, where, as the entrance is not a gun-(hot broad, the haibour would be fufhciently fecured. The ifland of Providence is twenty-feven miles long, and eleven broad, and is fo entirely furrounded by innumerable fun ken rocks, that it is impoftible for any fhips to land, except in the harbour j and if an enemy were to land in boats, it would be impoftible for them to get through the underwoods, without cutting a road through them. There are no inhabitants on any of the other iflands, excepting Eluthera and Harboûr-Iflands. The departure of the honourable captain George Townfend, on his return to Carolina, on the 16th of May, left this place very lonely ; the officers and feamen being commonly on fhore, had greatly enlivened it while they remained* In the mean time, that I was providing materials for building the fort, I made it my bufinefs to enquire into the firft: fettlement, and the nature of thofe iflands; and the following particulars are what I collected. Short iiirtory The Bahama Iflands are fome hundreds in number, but aaiiLS^" tne fai'grcateft Part are very inconfulerable ; they are fituated between the 22d and 23d deg. north lat. they were originally difcovered by the Spaniards, and St. Salvadore, now called Cat-Ifland, was the firft land Columbus fet his foot on this new world, which was in the year 1493, and where are ft ill to be feen the ruins and foundations of their chapels and other buildings ; for their firft fettlements were here, till 5 th9 the natives, who wore plates of gold upon their lips, being book xi. afked by figns whence it came, pointed towards the fouth- " weft j and thefe iflands came to be deferted for the mines of Mexico and Peru. The cruelty exercifed by the Spaniards over thefe poor people, both during their ffay amongft them, and afterwards from Cuba, exceeds all imagination, they having trained up dogs to hunt thofe unhappy people as their proper game ; and this cruel fport they followed till they had entirely deftroyed all the inhabitants. About the year 1607, thefe iflands were again difcovered by captain William Sayle (afterwards governor of Carolina), and granted by king Charles II. to fix of the proprietors of Carolina, viz. the duke of Albemai Ie, lord Craven, fir John Carteret, lord Berkeley, lord Afhley, and fir Peter Coleton ^ but as people are more defirous to obtain grants of land than careful to improve them, they have been very much neglected ever fmce. Several lawlefs people at that time had taken poffefiion of Providence, which lies in 25 deg. north latitude, to which they were encouraged by its very commodious harbour ; and being joined by feveral pirates, they fubfifted by their depredations on the coafts of Cuba which they called buccaneering : befides this they enriched themfelves by the frequent wrecks happening upon the Bahama banks. Thefe practices naturally exafperated the Spaniards to the refolution of deftroying thofe buccaneers, and the proprietors in all that time took no notice of their iflands, but let them live as they pleafed, till the year 1670, ' that they appointed Mr.Collingworth to be governor; but^ after his arrival, in endeavouring to reform them, they feized feized and fhipped him off for Jamaica, not being willing to fubjecf themfelves to any government. In 1677, the proprietors appointed Mr. Clarke to be their governor, but he fared infinitely worfe than his predeceffor ; for the Spaniards, jealous of every Englifh colony, landed in Providence, where they feized the governor, burnt all the houfes, deftroyed the ftock, and took all the inhabitants they could catch, the reft hiding themfelves in the woods ; they carried off Mr. Clark in chains, and afterwards tortured him to death, and then roafted him. When Mr. Lilburn was governor, in the year 1684, the Spaniards again furprifed the place, deftroyed all their improvements, carried away a number of the inhabitants with the fame barbarity as before, and left thofe that efcaped in a miferable condition, difperfed in holes and in the woods, without any manner of government till 1687. They re-aifcmbled and renewed their fettlements, and chofe Mr. Bridges, a prefbyterian minifter, for their governor, under •whom they lived three years. The lords proprietors fent out Mr. Jones to be their governor in 1690, who oppreffed and tyrannifed over the inhabitants with a very high hand, in which he reckoned himfelf perfectly fecure by the affiftance of Avery the pirate, who commanded a fhip of forty-fix guns, and one hundred and twenty ft out feamen ; but, in his abfence, the inhabitants put the governor in prifon, and chofe Mr. Afhley for their prefident, till Mr. Jones could be brought to his trial: but upon the return of the pirates from a cruize he was by them fet again at liberty : after which he behaved much worfe than before, and imprifoned all 7 thofe thofe he fufpected; defiling the pirates to carry them off bookxt, the idand and make away with them. ■-- Thefe proceedings coming to the ears of the proprietors, they fent Mr. Trot as their governor, to fupercede Jones, in 1694, and immediately releafed the imprifoned inhabitants ; he alfo alb wed Jones to go off the idand without a legal trial, to the no fmall grief and vexation of the inhabitants : he likewife differed Avery the pirate, who changed his name to Bridgeman, to fhelter himfelf and his crew at Providence : their fhip, called the Fancy, was voluntarily lod, and the effects which they had pirated from the grear mogul, were landed and fhared, with which they fettled upon the idand, till a proclamation againft pirates obliged the governor to fummons them before fuch a court of juf-tice as he had in Providence : but, for want of power, and the pirates being now joined with the inhabitants, he dur ft: not try them, for fear of being himfelf murdered, for he had often mutinies during his government. The inhabitants, after this joined, and built a fmall fort, and planted it with twenty-two cannon, to protect themfelves againft' the frequent invafions of the Spaniards, and alio built a town of one hundred and fixty houfès, which they called Naflau. In 160 7, Mr. Jones was fucceeded by Mr. Webb, as governor, who continued in it two years, and in that fhort time found means to render himfelf fo obnoxious to the people, that he found himfelf obliged to fhip off his effects and go to Penfylvania j from whence, without the knowledge of the proprietors, he deputed one Elding, a mulatto, to fucceed him, in 1609 ; by virtue of which deputation, he had the affurance to act. as governor, notwithftanding he was book xr. was a perfon of a moft infamous character : but by keeping *--up a correfpondence with a new fet of pirates, who frequented the Bahamas, he, by their afMance, maintained himfelf in this government two years, till i 70i, the lords proprietors appointed Mr. Hafket, governor ; who, on his arrival, profecuted and confined Elding, with feveral others, under pretence of enforcing the laws againft pirates and their abettors. In this the inhabitants thought Mr. Hafket acted with too great feverity, and too much regard to his own intereft, and not having ftrength to fupport his authority, they, in open rebellion, in about five weeks after his arrival on the ifland, feifed and confined him in irons a clofe prifoner fix weeks ; but being prevailed upon to fpare his life, they put him on board a ketch in the harbour, with ftrict orders to the commander to carry Mr. Hafket to England, from whence he came; and chofe one Lichtwood, who was one of their accomplices, for their prefident and deputy-governor in his room. Lichtwood continued in his office about two years, till the French and Spaniards, in 1703, when they were at open war with England, furprifed the ifland fo completely, that they found the inhabitants feafting with their prefident, and their neglected fort without any garrifon. The enemy deftroyed the fort, fpiked the guns, burnt the town and church, plundered the inhabitants, fome of whom, and fome negroes, hid themfelves in the woods, and carried their deputy-governor, with many others, prifoners to the Havannah. Shortly after this, thofe formidable enemies returned again, and carried away all the inhabitants and negroes they could find, find, the few who efcaped fled to Carolina and Virginia, leaving the ifland entirely defolate. It was afterwards for fome years the refort of pirates only, who made it their general rendezvous : they dug holes in the ground in the woods, and hid their ill-gotten treafures there, where they remained, as many of them were killed or died at fea ; and fome part of their depofits are now and then occafionally difcovered to this day. Soon after this defolation, the proprietors appointed Mr. Birch to fucceed Mr. Harket, as governor ; but on Mr. Birch's arrival at Providence, and finding the ifland quite deferted of inhabitants he returned. From this time the lord's proprietors have not concerned themfeves in thofe idands, but gave up their right in them to the crown, having met with nothing but expence and trouble while under their direction. The king was folicited by the merchants of London and Briftol to fortify thofe iflands, as a fecurity to their trade ; and, in compliance with their requeft, his majedy (George I.) appointed Mr. Wood Rogers, their governor, and fent him out with an independent company of one hundred men, with a large quantity of ail kind of dores to fortify the place. On Mr. Rogers's arrival, in 1717, the pirates voluntarily furrendered themfelves to him, and accepted the benefit of an act of indemnity which had been pad, and have ever fince been the principal inhabitants of the ifland. Under the moderate governments of Mr. Rogers, and his fucceflbr, Mr. Finney, the people found themfelves happy, and many families came and fettled here, befides many Palatines, who, by their induftry and improvements upon E e e their book xi. their plantations, furnifhed the markets with all forts of ' provifions. 174.1. ■ Theoppref- After Mr. Finney's death, Richard Fitz William, efq. was oVgJvernoi" appointed governor, in 1733, who brought an addition of fitz WiUuun. ^£ty men tQ tne m(jepen(lent company, with a large quantity of all forts of dores, and an engineer (Mr. Thomas More), to fortify the place; but his fudden death prevented him from making any great progrefs in the work. The governor exerted fo arbitrary and tyrannical a power, that the beft of the inhabitants, and all the Palatines, withdrew from the ifland, forfaking their fine improvements, to fheltcr themfelves in other parts, where they were fure to meet with better ufage. The governor's agents for putting thofe oppreflive fchemes in execution were, lieutenant Stuart, one of the council ; James Scott, judge of the admiralty * and one Archibald, his fervant, who ufed to knock down any one who dared to refufe to enter into the governor's roeafures : on which three of the moft confiderable inhabitants found means to get to London, where they entered a complaint againft the governor before the king and council. They were Mr. Colburgh, collector Jackfon, and Mr. White; their petition, too long to be here inferted, contained many charges of a very extraordinary nature againft the governor. Govwor In confequence of which, Mr. Fitz William was fome tecdurinw" time after ordered to return, to make his defence ; and, after a tedious and expenfive trial, he loft his government, and was fucceeded by John Tinker, efq. who, upon his fetting out, was determined to make the people eafy and happy under his government; and to turn out all Mr. Fitz Williams favourites, efnecially thofe who had advifed and aflifted him in PETER HENRY* BRUCE, ESQ. g»; in his oppreflions ; of which he made a beginning at Charles- BÛ0K xtt town with his fécond lieutenant, William Stuart, who was--— there at our arrival, whom he obliged to difpofe of his fur- 174,1 gency to James Irving, lately arrived from Guinea in a diip with flaves ; and when Mr. Tinker arrived at Providence, he turned out the two lieutenants, Howel and Stuart, the one from being lieutenant-colonel, the other major, in the militia, and appointed two of the chief inhabitants in their room. James Scott was difplaced from being chief judge, and Mr. Rowland was re-inftated; with many other changes, to the great joy and fatisfaction of all the inhabitants, who now expected to enjoy their own in fafety. John Tinker, efq. had formerly been factor to the South-Sea-Company at Panama, and afterwards appointed, hy the African Company, governor of Cape Coaft, in Guinea. The council at Providence, at this time, confided only of three ; the lieutenants Howel and Stuart, and John Snow, the governor's fecretary : the ufual number is fix. To fupply this deficiency, the governor propofed to captain Frankland and me to be of his council, which we both declined ; but we both accepted to be chofen members of the affembly, which confifted of twenty in number, and of which James Scott was the fpeaker ; fo that collector Boothby, and Mr. Thorn-ion, one of the inhabitants, were appointed to be of the council. In the mean time I was employing myfelf in providing ma- Tlie çaptifo terials for erecting fort Montagu, on the eaft point of the har- thelïhaHt-bour, three miles from Naftau. As the lime which.the two go- ^Tmateriau vernors had provided was at too great a diftance, I made lime pJrtMon5 upon the fpot. I found great inconvenience in providing ftone, ta£u- E e e 2 which book xi. which was to be carried from the woods on the heads of the -' negroes ; and as they could not carry a ft one of any fize, it would have proved an endlefs work, there being no fuch thing as a wheel carriage in the ifland. Mr. Bullock, one of the inhabitants, arrived here on the 8th of June, from the Havannah, where he had been fome time a prifoner, who allured us that the Spaniards were fitting out two men of war, of 80 guns each, and three large gallies, full of men, to make a defcent on Providence. Upon this I took the op* portunity to lay the defencelefs ftate of the ifland before the affembly; affuring them, that if they would fupply me with materials, I would, in a fhort time, put the eaft fide of the harbour in a pofture of defence, as that was the place where we had the moft to fear, having always been the enemy's landing place : to this requeft they unanimoufly agreed, and ordered all their veffeis and boats to bring me a fufhcient quantity of ftones of proper fizes for erecting the fort, and alfo a number of maftich trees, for pallifades. This very foon enabled me to employ all my own hands upon the building, which 1 carried on with the utmoft difpatch and diligence, sd 01 bsfrpLGr; il .ud a w Upon the 10th of June the governor laid the foundation ftone, in the prefence of the principal inhabitants, and named the fort Montagu, and the fea battery Bladen's Battery. Nature of the All the ftone on this and the adjacent iflands is of fo foft a iW' nature, when raifed from the quarries, that we could cut and fhape them into any form with very little labour ; and after they have been fome time expofed in the open air, they turn hard as flint, with this excellent property, that in firing into the walls,,the ball lodges as in a mud wall, without 4 making making the lead breach ; this I proved by feveral (hot from book xr. an eighteen-pounder. 1 found no fmall difficulty in getting "- frefh water for the mortar, I was at firft fupplied by a fmall ,7+a' pool of rain water, but when that was dried up, I had re-courfe to digging a well through ibis foft rock ; and getting as low as the level of the fea, we found water very frefh, by the fea v/ater having filtered through the ftone, and left its faillie particles behind. We found afterwards that the farther we dug from the fea, the water proved to be fo much the frefhcr. The mafters of veffeis provided themfelves with filtering ftones, which contained feveral gallons, to rectify their fpoiled water on board. The maftich wood, which the in- And maftich habitants delivered for palifades, was as hard and heavy as wuod* iron i I was obliged to form them while the wood was green, for when they are fully dry, there is no poflibility of work-t ing them. The inhabitants affirmed to me that they would laft above a century : they are fo hard that a mulket-ball makes no impreffion on them ; they affined me they were proof againft fwivel fhor, but this I did not-think proper to try. Fort Montagu and Bladen's Battery were finifhed the A defcription latter end of July, 1742, and mounted eight 18, three 0, t°agu°rt Moii' and fix 6 pounders. Within the fort is a terralfed ciftern, containing thirty tons of rain water, and fo contrived as to receive all that falls within the fort, with a drain to carry off the fuperfluous water j there are barracks for officers and foldiers, a guard room, and a powder magazine, bombproof; to contain ninety-five barrels of powder j two of its fides are clofe upon the fea, and the two land fides are well fecurcd by mafticli pallifades. When 1 398 M E M O I R S O F book xi. When the fort was finiflicd, I invited the governor and --principal inhabitants to it, and then delivered his excellency l7¥lt the keys thereof, under a difcharge of all the cannon. The the governor and the inhabitants were now extremely well pleafed to confider themfelves in a condition to repel the invafion of an enemy, as the back door through which the place had often been furprifed, was now fhut up j and in this good humour the governor wrote the following letter to the duke of Montagu. New Providence, Aug. 28, 1742. **« My Lord, 7hegov«r- « I fhould have prefented my duty to your grace much -about it. tl fooner, but waited till captain Bruce had finifhed the fort, " which I have taken the liberty of calling by your grace's " illuftrious name, as a mark of refpecl and veneration due " to your grace's perfon and merit. It is fituated fo as to *' guard the eaftern part of this ifland very fecurely, and is " as ftrong as any thing of its fize can be : and I muft do «' the gentleman who has the direction of thofe works, the " juftice to fay, I believe the public money was never more M frugally or more juftly adminiftered ; which is a proof of ■•' your grace's excellent judgment in the choice of men. He " is now engaged about the other works, at fort Naflau ; fP and as he propofes to lay before your grace, and the board <« of 'ordnance, the abfolute neceflity there will be of erect-•« ing a ftrong redoubt, in order to complete the well-forti-** Tying of this ifland, a farther fum of money will be wanr> " ing than the fixteen hundred pounds already allowed j 7 •* which « which will be foon laid out in railing the old fort from w the ruinous condition it lies in now. I think, by the " neareff. eftimate we can make, there will be dill wanting «*' two thoufand five hundred pounds ; which, when your tc grace is pleafed to compare with the mighty fum that Mr. " Moore's plan would have taken to put in execution, I hope " this will be thought a tride ; efpecially when the ill confè-" quence of fuch a place falling into an enemy's hands, is u taken into confideration. * We may fet them at defiance ** if thefe works are all completed in the manner propofed; " poffibility of doing the common duty with only one in-" dependent company, our whole force at prefent. «* I have prefented a memorial to the board, praying for ** a fupply of powder and fmall arms, which, I hope, will " not be thought unreafonable, when it fhall appear fifty 11 barrels were fent to general Oglethorpe before he went to-* " St. Auguftine, and two mortars, which have never been ** returned, and now I believe he has ufe enough for them. 11 I have alfo intelligence, that if the Spaniards fucceed at *J Georgia, they will fall upon us next. 1 humbly afk par- don for this freedom, and only beg your grace will be " pleafed to take the Bahama Idands and their governor " under your protection. » (Signed) JO H N T I N K E R." book xi. At the delivery of the before mentioned materials by-the " , inhabitants, it was hinted to me, by way of friendly advice, . , to date the fame to the government's account, as that could A quarrel ° ' withlieute- J10t be.looked on as a breach of truft -, but as I was déterrant Stuart, . . * " . mined not to enter into any unlawful fchemes, 1 rejected ihe propofal. A club had been indituted to meet once a week at a tavern, and at our third meeting, which happened foon after this friendly propofal, a difpute arofe between me and lieutenant Stuart -, and when his excellency faw the difpute beginning to grow warm, heabfented himfelf -, on which, avcrfe to any farther altercation, I went home. Next morning, at day break, looking out at my window, I faw Stuart riding pad, armed with fword and pidols j I alked him where he had been fo early in the morning, accoutred in that manner -, he replied I had certainly forgot that I had given him a challenge the night before j I told him I could remember no fuch thing ; but fince that was the cafe, as he faid, I would immediately put on my cloaths, and attend him wherever he pleafed ; obferving to him my furprize how he came to pafs and repafs under my windows, knowing I was afleep in bed, without either calling or fending to acquaint me with his defign : he then replied, fmee I did not remember my giving him a challenge, he had nothing to fay, as he did not intend to have any quarrel with me ; that it was great folly for people to involve themfelves in ntetilcfs dangers ; and'widiing me a good morning, he went .lie me. Tbecaptain About three hours after, as I was walking along the bay, in my morning drefs, with half of a dick in my hand, fplit down the middle, and had got oppofite the governor's windows, clows, Stuart came up with me, and knocked me down j book upon recovering myfelf, I hit him with the edge of my half dick fuch a blow, that it laid his cheek open from his ear to his mouth ; on which judge Rowland, and feveral of the inhabitants, who had been witnefl'es to Stuart's treacherous infult, came and parted us ; and, upon my fervant's bringing me my fword and pidols, we were both fecured by the guard, and had fentries placed at our doors: there I remained a piifoner for a fortnight, without the governor's enquiring into the merits of the cafe, or offering to give me the lead fatisfacfion for the infult I had met with in his view j but he was every day with Stuart, who feemed tome to be only detained a piifoner by way of a blind. As the workmen could do nothing without I diewed them And fe*ut bcrty • daily how to proceed, it in courfe put a dop to the works, which occafioned a very loud clamour among the inhabitants, who had contributed fo much towards getting thefe works expeditioufly carried on 7 on which the governor fent for me, and propofed an accommodation between Stuart and me j who, he laid, had offered to acknowledge his fault, and afk my pardon in public, and in as ample a manner as 1 diould think fit : but I told the governor that as I had been in a manner affaflinated in his own fight, 1 could not but have expected to have been redreffed by him ; indcad of which I had been punidied by two weeks confinement j and as I was fatisfied there was no fafety for my perfon, I diould be obliged either to leave the ifland, or put a dop to the works till farther' orders from England. Upon this the governor propofed, that fince he had certain intelligence of the determination of the Spaniards to invade this idand, I diould F f f pro- book xi. proceed to put the place in a pofture of defence j and he --would engage his word and honour, fince nothing elfe would fatisf'y me, that as foon as fort Naflau was finiflied, he would order Stuart to any place, out of the ifland, I pleafed for my fatisfacfion, upon condition I diould make no attempt againft him till then j to which conditions I agreed, and proceeded with the works again with the utmoft diligence ; but never without my fword and piftols, thereby to prevent my being attacked again in fuch a villainous manner. BOOK BOOK XII. The treatment of two privateers and their owners.—Letter from lieutenant Moone.—Letter from a friend.—Letter from lieutenant Drorngole._ Divifion of the quick-filver.—The captain applies again to the affembly to bring the materials.—The affembly zvith draw the governor's falary.— Letter from lieutenant Moone.—Another from Charleftown.—Letter from governor Glen.—Produce of the Bahama iflands, and the adjacent fea — Obfervations on St. Salvador and the Bimini iflands.—The inhabitants of Providence.—Defcription of fort Najfau—Coft of both forts.—The captain leaves Providence.—Arrives at Charleftown. —His report of the Jlrength of Charleftozvn.—Avifit from a Cherokee king.—Captain Frank-land's rich prize.—Aftwt defcription of Carolina. —^ he captain fails for England.—Arrives at London. N the month of September a rich Spanifh regifter fhip book xil and fettee were brought in by John Sibbald, of the George i fchooner, and William Dowall, of the Jofeph and Mary Treatment of Hoop, both privateers from Philadelphia; the captains c^QP^^| the privateers were recommended to Mr. Tinker's protection Crs* by governor Thomas, of Philadelphia, and feveral confiderable merchants of that place, their owners. A few days after the prizes were brought in, a flag of truce arrived from theHavannah, fent by the governor and royal company there, to redeem the regiffer fhip, whofe cargo amounted to one hundred and fifty thoufand pieces of eight, prime coff at Cadiz, befides fome valuable private trade, not belonging to the royal company, computed at thirty thoufand pieces of eight j the fettee v/as loaded with quick-filver, wine, add F f f 2 other book xii.other goods. As governor Tinker was empowered by the owners to bargain for the prizes for their account, he agreed 174.2, with don Pedro de Leftrado, who came from the Havannah for that purpofe, to deliver him the regifter fhip and her cargo for ninety thoufand. pieces of eight ; and the private trade, and the fettee were rcfervcd for the owners of the privateers, don Pedro having only orders to redeem the royal company's effects. So the Spaniards gained fixty thoufand pieces of eight by the cargo, befides the value of the fhip, which was a fine new one, built in the river Thames, and taken by the Spaniards in her firft voyage. As the money for the purchafe was to be procured at the Havannah, don Pedro returned in the flag of truce for that purpofe, accompanied by John Snow, the governor's fecretary, and feveral Spanifh prifoners, captured by captain Frank land. In the mean time, the privateers' men were encouraged on fhore with rioting and drinking, thereby to run them in debt 3 and as none of them would go on board to do the work, the captains and officers of the privateers were obliged to do all the neceflary duty on board the velfels, themfelves. The captains applied to the governor to order the people on board to their duty, but all in vain ; inftead of that, they were encouraged to infult and affront them on all occafions. At length don Pedro Feron arrived from the Havannah, with thirty chefts of pieces of eight, each cheft containing three thoufand; which he delivered in full payment for the fhip and cargo, and got poffelîion of he^ after ail the private trade was taken out. With don Pedro Feron came another don, with plenty of money, to purchafe the private trade, and the privateers were to efcort the regifter fhip to 2 the the Havannah; but the captains could perfuade very few of book xii. the men to go on board, which obliged them to hire feamen- at very extravagant wages, their people on (bore being en- ,7"3' couraged to fpend liberally, that they might take none of their prize money away with them, and they departed for the Havannah on the 8th of February, 1743. On the return of the privateers, the captains were determined not to enter this harbour again, and came to an anchor at a place called Salt Keys ; they came both on fhore to demand their money, which was in the governor's cuf-tody, and likewife the fettee, and private trade ; but his excellency told them he would oblige them to fhare here, as their people owed confiderable fums to the inhabitants of Providence ; which debts the captains offered to pay, and laid when that fliould be done, they hoped to have liberty to depart for their proper port. But a party of drunken fellows, indigated by fome intercflcd perfons, took a pilot and his boat, and went on board the two veffeis, and brought them into the harbour, upon a pretence that the captains had a defign to deprive them of their prize money, which they ought now to prevent, affuring them, at the fame time, they would come to no harm thereby, as they were to be fupported by the leading men of the ifland. On this they went on board, confined their officers, brought in the veffeis, and tlneatened to cut the officers in pieces if they did not fhare the prizes immediately. On this the captains went to the governor, and repre-fented their cafe to him, and begged his protection againfl: fuch a dangerous mutiny of the people ; and that he would order them on board to do their duty, not doubting but as foon Ao6 ME M O I R S OF book xii. foon as they got fober, they would behave as they ought. -The governor then told them he had been petitioned by Mr. ,743' Ellis, to whom they were in debt, and the whole body of the inhabitants, to have every thing fhared here, which, in juf-tice to them, he could not refufe. Upon this the captains ihewed the governor the articles figned by all the men, of both veffeis, obliging themfelves to fliare no where but at Philadelphia ; and allured him that moft of them had families there, who had been fupplied by the owners upon the faith of thefe prizes j and that many of them were indentured fervants, whofe half fhares belonged to their mafters, fo that it was impoftible for them to confent to the diftri-bution here, not knowing what debts they owed at home ; but they were willing and ready to pay what debts the people owed in this place, although they underftood they were very confiderable. The governor told them, fince they would not give their confent to the fharing, he would order it to be done ; on this the people were advifed to conftitute James Irving their agent, with an allowance of 5 per cent, and, when that was fettled, his excellency fent twenty chefts of dollars, being fixty thoufand pieces of eight, to Mr. Irving's houfe, to be divided amongft the people ; which the agent did in fuch an arbitrary manner, that the officers, if they offered to make the leaft remonftrance, were treated with the utmoft indignity j of which they frequently complained to the governor, who as often replied, that cc he would not concern himfelf with their private quarrels i" his ufual reply to all complaints on fimilar occafions. Mr. Mr. John Snow, the fecretary, now returned from the Ha- book xir. vannah with feveral Engliflr prifoners in exchange for the--■ Spaniards he carried there, and twelve more, whofe difcharge don Pedro Feron complimented me with, in return for fome little civilities I (hewed him while he refided here ; of the twelve, ten were mailers of (hips, and one a furgeon. Mr. Snow brought with him four cherfs of dollars (or twelve thoufand pieces of eight), as it was reported, for the governor, and a pnrfe with one thoufand quadruple pidoles, a gold hilted fword, a gold-headed cane, gold buckles and buttons, befides many other valuable prefents , and. as the chefts with the money could not be brought privately on Ihore, it was given out that the governor had fent rials in exchange for the dollars j but every body faw through this thin pretext, for it was very well known there were not fo many rials on the whole idand j befides, there was at this time above one hundred thoufand dollars in the place, as the Spaniards had brought plenty with them to purchafe the private trade and naval dores. When the officers of the privateers, who had ventured their lives for this prize, found they could obtain no juftice, they petitioned his excellency, that now, fince the money was diared, he would be pleafed to let them depart with the fettee and her cargo, with the private trade, which he pro-mifed to do upon his word and honour ; but they were detained from time to time, under various pretences, till the people had fpent all their fliares, which were four hundred and fifty dollars a man \ and which they did in a very fhort time, by gaming and throwing it away as faff as they got it. They were again encouraged by their agents to petition the book xii. the governor, that the quick-filver, and other goods on board ■---the fettee, and the private trade, might be iliared alfo ; which ,74î' was accordingly ordered to be done. The captains finding there was no end of thefe lingular proceedings, got the ten cherts of money referved for the owners, as their one third (hare of what was divided before, hired the Englifh failors, which came from the Havannah, to man their veffeis, and failed from hence, leaving all the reft: of the property behind. Captain Dowall fpringing his main-maft, was obliged to return here to get it repaired, and thought it prudent to take whatever fliare they pleafed to give him, rather than run the rifque of lofing all. The poor failors, when their money was all gone, curfed and damned this government ; but they foon found to their coft, now all their money was fpent, that inftead of being courted as formerly, they were thrown into jail, and very exorbitant fees exacted from them. Some were relieved by the humanity of their fbipmates, who had a little money-left; and two of them, who were bricklayers, I redeemed, by paying their debts, and employed them on the works, where they continued till they were finifhed. Some of the foldiers having got money on this occafion, it was hinted to them, that whoever could pay one hundred dollars, might have his difcharge ; on which feveral did purchafe it at that price. Dr. Irving now began to build a fine new houfe, and, thinking every thing he did was lawful, went to the fort and ordered feveral of the labourers to go to his houfe to dig a cellar. The overfeer would not allow any of the people to leave the works, without an order from the engineer ; Irving Irving took the tools out of the men's hands, and ordered them to be carried to his houfe. The overfeer, in endeavouring to prevent it, was miferably beaten, and had his head cut in feveral places ; he came to me, all covered over with blood, to complain of the hard ufage he had met with ; I fent him, in that pickle, to judge Rowland, to enter his complaint againft the aggreffor ; but he was no fooner before the judge, than Irving followed, who beat the overfeer again, before the judge's face. As foon as I heard how the poor man had been abufed, in a place where he ought to have found protection and redrefs, I went directly to the governor to feek redrefs, but was anfwered with his ufual cant, flial, then attended, at my defue, to receive it, and was told by Mr. Irving that as he had not received it by weight, he would not deliver it on thofe terms, and fince it had made its way into the cellar, he might go and gather it up himfelf. Upon Mr. Keowin's going into the cellar to look for it, there was none to be found. Mr. Irving had pre?-vioudy taken care to gather it up in jars, and convey it by negroes to his own houfe in the night time, which all the people in the neighbourhood offered to prove. When a complaint was made to the governor, he faid that as the quick-filver had buift the bags, and was run into the cellar, he could not in juftice délire Mr. Irving to deliver it, as it might have made its way to the Antipodes for ought he knew. At the fame time, I had feveral cags run out into my own cellar, taken up without lofing an ounce. This abfurd and barefaced injudice in the governor, was a mat* ter of great furprize to all the inhabitants. The money allowed by government for fortifying this The captain place being all expended, 1 intimated it to the governor, and Jod!"ifleml told him 1 intended to go to Charleftown till a frefh fupply ^^hu'^ of money could be obtained from England, to finiffi what was begun ; but he replied, that as a war had been proclaimed againft France, I could not leave the ifland till fort Nadau was finifhed j for which he would advance his own money, and be anfwerable for fo doing to the board of ordnance. I told him I would not accept his money, without an order from England 5 but if he would take upon him j b o o k xn him to pay the tradefmen and labourers himfelf, I would ■.......- direct the work till it was completed. This he agreed to, 'Hi' and I forwarded the works with the utmoft. diligence. As the affembly was fitting at this time, I had recourfe to them again for their affidance, thereby to put it the fooner out of the enemies power to annoy them ; to which the affembly ■unanimously confented, and affeffed every taxable in the idand to furnifli his quota of the neceflary done and tiirw ber for finifhing the work ; yet notwithftanding this went much againft the grain with the triumvirate, they could not well, in the prefent fituation of affairs, refufe their affent, ib that it was affirmed by the council. The aflimbiy ^e a5' eea°le profpect the inhabitants had formed to them-tvithdrawthe felves of living happily under Mr. Tinker's government, and governor wjîjcjî tney na(j DlHit Up0n the fair beginning he made, in turning out his predeceffoi's evil counfeilors, by whom they had been fo grievoufly oppreffed, induced the affembly, on the governor's arrival, to appoint him a yearly falary of two hundred pounds fterling ; but now finding their expectations fo effectually difappointed, the alfembly declared that they were unable to continue the governor's falary any longer; and finding themfelves oppofed in this affair by Mr. Scott, their fpeaker, they voted him out of the chair, and chofe Mr. Florentine Cox in his place -, on which the governor diffolved the Houfe of Aftembly ; and that he might mortify them more effectually, he appointed James Scott one of his council, and made him chief-juftice, treafurer, naval officer, ftorekeeper, &c. thereby to enable him to revenge himfelf upon the inhabitants. The The three domineering gentlemen now joined, and forBOoKxii' their own account built a new floop, and had the vanity--.— to call her after their own ufual diftinguifhing title, the ,74î* Triumvirate. The bad ufage I had hitherto met with, made the governor fufpec~f. me of being indrumental.in his lofing his falary, as alfo that I fent complaints againd him to England ; but I declared I neither did the one nor the other j at firft indeed 1 did my beft to perfuade the affembly to fettle that falary upon him, but as foon as I learned they were determined to with-hold his falary, I withdrew myfelf from the affembly, and went no more near them ; fo that I acted neither pro nor con in that affair. Upon this Mr. Moone wrote me the following letter, dated Fort Montagu, December 30. " The 27th inftant I waited on governor Tinker, to know Letter from 11 his commands. As foon as I was feated he told me he was Moone!'* " furprifed that I did not dine oftener at his houfe, and that " I kept company with perfons difaffected to his govern-" ment ; which could be pointed at none but you, Mr, " Cox, and captain Petty, becaufe of our being frequently