that "two of a trade," &c. It is very certain that many thieves are detected, punished, and despoiled of their ill-gotten gains; but it is also equally certain that the loser seldom recovers his property. Indeed, so well is this understood that losses of this kind would never be reported, were it not compulsory to do so. Those experienced in such matters, when they complain, refuse to receive the missing article on any terms, well knowing that it will never be returned, unless redeemed with quadruple value. The sagacity and daring displayed by these violators of the eighth commandment would honor a better cause. A story is current here respecting the loss of a costly vase by one of the city authorities. After many months of unavailing search, a policeman called at the owner's residence in his absence, with a request from him that the pedestal, which was equally valuable with the vase, should be sent to the police-office, where he was waiting, in order to identify the discovered treasure. But vase or pedestal were never identified by the owner. The audacious thief had donned the police uniform, and applied at the house of the head officer, carrying off in broad daylight the remainder of his plunder by his bold stratagem. | much time is consumed in arriving at objects of interest in this manner, not to mention the inconvenience from the snow, the dust, and the mud in their seasons. A single glance will bring all the assistance you require; indeed, if you stop to look at anything in the street, half-a-dozen drivers are proffering their services, at as many prices as there are voices raised on the occasion. The moment your bargain is made with one of these volunteers, he becomes the butt for his rejected companions, who assure you that he is so drunk he will be unable to sit upright ten minutes, that he will take you to the wrong place, or his horse will fall at the first corner. The victim, however, bears it all coolly, laughs in his beard, and tells you not to be afraid, he will take good care of you and he keeps his word; for, as a class, they are generally very obliging and faithful to their promises. It is, however, always necessary to arrange the terms when you engage them, as there is no legal rate by which their prices are regulated, although they are seldom unreasonable in their charges. Most of them begin their career in the same manner, engaging when very young with some proprietor, and retaining the situation only long enough to acquire the means of commencing business independently. Once provided with a horse and drochkis, the isvoshtshik will make his way in the world. If he does not succeed in St. Petersburgh, he goes, with true Yankee enterprise, from city to village till he does succeed. No enormous sum is requisite to secure the independence of these tough characters. The vehicles they drive are the only homes known to many of them; they are ap The old adage of honor among thieves is everywhere quoted; but the religion of this class is certainly more questionable; yet Italian banditti scrupulously keep the prescribed Church fasts, and a Russian robber would refuse to kill or eat a pigeon, because the Holy Spirit descended in its form upon the person of the Saviour. So these sacred birds are almost innumerable in the city. They understand their posi-parently perfectly indifferent to changes tion so well, that they scarcely disturb themselves for the most furiously-driven equipage. Another characteristic class of St. Petersburgh are drochkis-drivers, or isvoshtshik, belonging to the moujiks already described. Hired vehicles are not, as elsewhere, peculiar to cities. They are everywhere in Russia, in the villages as well as in the larger towns. They are not a luxury only, but an absolute necessity; for the most accomplished pedestrian would soon weary of traveling the interminable streets, where a full halfhour is necessary to walk the length of three public buildings. Altogether too of temperature, often spending entire days, and even nights, in the open air. Notwithstanding all these privations, as a class they are the best-natured fellows in the world, frequently transporting a pedestrian across one of their wide, muddy streets gratuitously. If one is alone, you will almost always find him extended on his back, gayly warbling an air remarkable for nothing but its simplicity, probably learned in the forests where he was born. They are very social, however; and it is quite amusing to see half-a-dozen of them chatting, joking, or wrestling together till the signal of the passer-by transforms them into jealous rivals, with an inexhausti ble vocabulary of abuse to hurl at each other. The horses are as tough and as good-natured as their drivers, and as unmindful of cold or heat; they eat and sleep when and where they can. They carry, like the Arabs, their sack of grain about the neck, and bundles of hay can always be purchased whenever they have time to eat them. They start off with a brisk trot, however tired they may be. The manner in which these enduring animals are treated soon betrays the nationality of the driver. The German, who makes little use of his tongue with any one, communicates with his horse only by means of whip and reins. The Finlander sits like a statue, occasionally growling naw, naw, between his teeth in various intonations. The Livonian cries nooa when his horse stops short, or obsti- | jury to a pedestrian, whether resulting nately takes the wrong direction. The from carelessness or unavoidable accident, Polander is the most excitable; he is con- is punished by Russian law with the whip; stantly moving, jumping up and down, and if one is knocked down, the unforwhistling, shouting, shaking the reins, tunate driver is condemned to exile and cracking the whip, and, with all kinds of confiscation in addition. Notwithstanding grimaces, producing sounds of which no this severity, and the spaciousness of the other language could convey an idea. The streets, accidents are not unfrequent in Russian, on the contrary, seems to pride St. Petersburgh, for the upper classes are himself upon his persuasive eloquence. fond of driving as rapidly as possible, and, He never strikes anything but the shafts like other fast people, they are exceedingly or some part of the harness to give gentle vain of distancing their fellow-travelers. warning to his steed; but he talks with him, Shiväge! they shout, at the top of their in the tenderest tones, addressing him with voices, to hasten the speed of the helpless all kinds of pet names. "My brother, my isvoshtshik, who is obliged to obey, though friend, my love, my little father, my white he risks the cruelist penalties for the gratipigeon," he says, as he recommends him fication of these unreasonable whims. to turn right or left, or to hasten his pace. The moment your agreement is made with an isvoshtshik, he becomes your serf; and if you are tyrannically inclined, you can indulge yourself to your satisfaction. He never speaks to you but with uncovered head; he obeys all your orders; he hears your reproofs humbly and submissively; and if you choose to handle him with a cane he cannot help himself, for he is not his own master. The slightest in But I have not yet described the peculiar vehicle of this peculiar class. In winter, of course, it is a sleigh, and every one knows what a sleigh is; but one must travel in Russia to understand the odd affair for which it is exchanged when the snow disappears and the mud commences. The drochkis is a low, open, four-wheeled wagon, with a leather-covered stuffed seat, extending lengthwise, upon which the traveler sits, as upon a saddle, his feet resting on a kind of stirrup on each side, but without any support for the back or head. Quite an apprenticeship is necessary to preserve a dignified equilibrium on the rough and badly-paved streets of St. Petersburgh. A good degree of skill is also necessary in the management of the cloak, which is the only protection against the wind, snow, rain, and mud. Of course, no female ever employs one of these barbarous vehicles, unless it may be a domestic; but gentlemen of the highest rank use them unscrupulously whenever it suits their convenience. In most parts of St. Petersburgh quite elegant carriages may be hired, but at very high prices. It is said most of them belong to government officers, who transform their private equipages into a means of replenishing their purses during their absence from the capital. This would seem an extreme measure in any other country, but here every variety of character and appearance are such matters of course, that no one is shocked by it. St. Petersburgh might not inaptly be termed the city of contrasts. All European nations are represented in it, their varying costumes and ceremonials producing an effect almost dramatic. The religious observances are very striking. On Friday, which is the Mussulman Sabbath, the turbaned Turk, the black-bearded Persian, and the closely-shaved Tartar may be seen sauntering to their places of worship; the Jews, in their black silk cafetans, throng to their synagogues on the following day; while Sunday belongs to the various Christian sects, who have also many high festivals during the week. Here the Lutherans are performing their annual penitence, and entire families of Germans, accompanied by their servants, make a pilgrimage to their church; and now, with all the bells of the Greek belfries ringing out their peals, the wives and daughters of the Russian merchants display their richest attire in some grand religious procession. On fete days, or emperor's days, as they are called here, the city presents a most animated and picturesque appearance, displaying all the varieties of costume between Paris and Pekin. The shops of St. Petersburgh depend more on the display of their contents to attract customers, than upon large-lettered signs and flaming hand-bills. If the real objects are inconvenient for exposure, pictures of them take their places. The butcher has the signs of his occupation, with his portrait, or that of an ox, suspended in a conspicuous position. The baker shows specimens of all the varieties which he produces. Other trades indulge themselves in symbolic devices. The barber's is a most complicated collection of designs. The blood is represented spouting from the white arm of a fainting woman, while a phlegmatic philosopher is enjoying the lathering process without the slightest manifestation of sympathy with the touching scene at his side; the whole is bordered with a kind of arabesque formed of drops of blood, and a barbarous combination of dental and surgical instruments. The people of St. Petersburgh are capricious and extravagant; so the mer chants have an easy time of it, for everything sells,-good, bad, and indifferent. One of the finest squares in the city is occupied by an immense, low, quadrangular building, which is the most important center of trade; it is called the Gostinnoi Dvor. In the numerous shops which it contains, every possible variety of merchandise may be found; every passer-by is urged to enter and examine the tempting wares. About ten thousand tradesmen, including peasants, are collected here. It has the appearance of a perpetual fair. An excursion to the Tshukin Dvor, another of the great bazars of the city, afforded me infinite amusement. This establishment, and another of similar character, contain, perhaps, five thousand shops; and everything is Russian within the inclosure buyers, sellers, and goods. In the midst of the motley and filthy crowd collected there, one might easily imagine himself transported back to the middle ages. The number of chapels within its precincts nearly equals the drinking-shops; but the piety learned in them does not improve the morals of their frequenters. Over the shops are also sacred images of the Virgin, St. John, &c., and brazen crucifixes. Lamps are kept constantly burning before them, but no other fire or flame of any kind is allowed within the inclosure. It is closed at dusk, and left to the care of the police, and to watch-dogs chained to their stations. Amulets find a ready sale in these places, for, besides adorning their churches, houses, chambers, and doors with them, the Russian hangs them about his person to keep his Satanic majesty at bay. Whichever way you turn, some characteristic spectacle meets your eye. Here a bridal outfit, from the slippers up to the flowery wreath for the head, attracts your attention; there a display of dried fruits is arranged so tastefully as to tempt the pencil of an artist. Here is a broker's table, covered with glittering coins, untouched by the thieves, numerous and expert as they are. Still further on is a pastry-stand; but beware how your eyes linger in that direction. It is covered with pirogas, a kind of cake eaten hot with oil, greatly esteemed by the natives. If you indulge the slightest glance toward the cloth, beneath which they are concealed, one of them is quickly seized, plunged in a pot of oil, sprinkled with salt, and offered to you with the air of a prince. No Russian in a sheep-skin robe could resist such a temptation. Seated on a bench provided for the purpose, he regales himself with these delicacies till his black beard glistens like polished ebony. My eyes and ears were more agreeably entertained in the bird-market than my palate would have been with the pirogas. Every description of game is here found in the greatest abundance. The profusion of winter is even greater than that of summer. All provisions are then brought into the city in a solid state. On the shores of the Baltic, partridges from Saratoff are eaten, with swans from Finland, heathcocks from Livonia, and bears from Lapland. The sale of frozen meat is one of the curiosities of St. Petersburgh; fish, flesh, and fowl are transformed into marble, and the tradesman makes his sales with hatchet in hand. It is a great misfortune to him and the poor farmer if the winter is bad, which means mild, in Russian parlance. Provisions are so abundant and cheap, that the slightest suspicion destroys the sale of the choicest produce. With a sudden thaw, savings for months are sometimes melted away. In such circumstances everything is rigidly examined by the police, and summary work is made of the condemned articles, which are either buried or thrown into the Neva. The suburbs of St. Petersburgh are crossed by the sixtieth degree of north latitude. Certainly, since the creation of the world, no city has appeared in such size and splendor, within so short a distance of the eternal ices of the poles. It is doubtful if such an attempt could have succeeded elsewhere. In the same parallel in which the imperial palaces are erected, surrounded by their gardens, the Ostiaks of Siberia scarcely find sufficient moss for the nourishment of their reindeers; and the Kamschatkans are drawn in sleighs by dogs over ice which never melts. The same parallel touches the southern point of Greenland and the Esquimaux territory, on the American continent. From the calendar, not more than ninety pleasant days can be expected out of the year in this northern region, and many of these are cloudy and severe. At noon the sky is almost always gloomy; but the mornings and evenings are superb, the atmosphere and the apparently shoreless ice of the river are illumined with flashes of light-celestial fire-works which are never seen in any other capital of the globe. Twilight, which lasts here full three-fourths of the time, is full of picturesque effects; the summer sun, which disappears a moment at midnight, seems to swim on the edge of the Neva's bed and the low lands surrounding it, darting into the upward space rays of fire, which would make the poorest landscape beautiful. The emotion awakened by these novel scenes is not the enthusiasm produced by the rich vegetation of more southern climates, but something like the mystery of dreams-of a half-waking state, full of hopes and memories. Many things are wanting for the composition of a legitimate picture in these situations; but nature is more powerful than art over the imagination, and ministers in some way under almost every zone to the instinctive necessities of the soul. The vicinity of the poles, reduced to the last degree of barrenness, has, nevertheless, eloquent interpretations of the Creator's designs. In the delta of the Neva forty islands may be counted, though several of them |