PHILADFXPHIA CIRCULATING LIBR 1. All S For For Foi Foi 2. Sujs iiamCb and a deposit. 3. Sub* lumes, or be change 4. Sub than eigh four week ers. JVe^ week, on 5. No tinu. d, ui all accoui 6. ^072 or more per week cents per out eight J)\ NEWBURYPOR' 1 f iililk f ik I 1 FOUNDED NOVEMBER, ays as t I ^ 7. All all books jured, to may be d and, if th set to be or going abroad, will be accommodated the most liberal terms. MOST REMARKABLE YEAR IM THE LIFE or AUGUSTUS VON KOTZEBUE; CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF HIS EXILE INTO SIBERIA, .\ND OF THE OTHER EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS WHICH HAPPENED TO HIM IN RUSSIA. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF L> ^ . , TRANSLATED YKijA THE GERMAN, TflE REV. BENJAMIN BERESFOJiD, ■ English Lecturer to the aueen of Prussia. PRINTED FOR H. CAKITAT, BOOKSELLER iND LIBRARIAN, NO. 1, TONTINE BUILDINGS, FBOAD-lVAV, BY G. F. J:0PKINS, DEDICATION. JTo my noble and generous protectors, his Excellency M. de Kuscheleff, Counsellor of State, and Governor of Tobolsk ; his Ex- cellency M. DE RicHTER, Counsellor of State, and Governor of Livonia ^ to my noble and generous friends in the hour of need, M. DE LowENSTERN, formerly Mademoiselle de Bayer, at Wolmershoof; M. Eckardt, Se- cretary to the Regency of Riga; M. Pro- vost KocH, and his respectable Lady, at Jesse ; M. de Knorring, Provincial of the Chamber, and his v^^orthy Lady, at Charlot- tenthal; M. Secretary Huek, at Revel 5 and M. Charles George Graumann, at Petersburg* Nor brass nor marble bears your honour'c? names : My glowing heart ^he fair inscription claims. Deep'gravM it lies, to grateful memory true. Forever legible, forever new ! iv Your generous succour pierc'd Siberia's gloom. And snatcIiM the exile from the darksome tomb ; Restored the charm that sooths and sweetens life^j The smiling oljipring, and the gladden'd wife. A theme like this demands no lofty lay ; Let simple truth the noble deed display ! And tho' whate'er I write may ill withstand The ruthless stroke of Time's destructive hand — The grateful Muse shall from Oblivion steal The volive line that speaks how much I feel I THE MOST REMARKABLE. YEAR OF MY LIFE.^ CHAPTER I. Three years had nearly elapsed since my wife and myself quitted Russia. The flattering reception we met with there strengthened the endearing ties which held us to the North: there we had children, relations, and friends; it was also the native country of my wife. I had promised her, that in the course of three years I would conduct her there again ; and I was proud to keep my word. The journey, it is true, tore me away from a mother justly beloved, from a circle of worthy friends, and a little possession at Weimar : but the separation was only to be tor four months; it was merely a visit neces* sary to the health and happiness cf my wife, who pas- sionately desired to see her native home once more. The free ingress into the Russian territories being in- terrupted, it was indispensably nece>^sary to provide my- self with a passport from the Emperor. Of this I was aware, and applied to Baron de Krudener, privy coun» seilor to his Imperial Majesty, and his minister at the Court of Berlin. The Baron, in answer to my letter, informed me that he would instantly lay my request be* fore his Court, but that I should do' well to make direct application at the same time myself. In consequence of . T wrote to tlie Emperor, explained the object of my , stated that my property in Russia required mV e there, and entreated his Majesty to grzmt mc - mission to reside four months in his dominions. My 10 letter had scarcely been sent when I received another from Baron de Kriidener, which, for several reasons, I think it necessary to insert here. " It gives me great satisfaction. Sir, to inform you of *' his Majesty's favourable answer relative to your pass- *' port. I am directed to make out the same, and to in- " sert therein the exact route you intend to take, in order " to remove all obstacles to which, without such precau- *' tion, you might be liable. You will therefore. Sir, have " the goodness to inform me immediately of the above " particulars, and the number of persons who are to ac- " company you, and likewise to let me know whither I am to send the passport, in case you do not take Berlin " in your way. 1 am, &c. &c." This letter afforded great pleasure to my wife, while, on tlie contrary, it created suspicion in me. I had left Russia with the Emperor's consent, and before the pub- lication of the order, which required all persons leaving the country to engage never to return : but I knew that Paul was no friend to authors, and it was difficult to re- concile this well-known antipathy with an answer so prompt, and apparently so full of kindness. I could not conceive what obstacles I had to encounter when provid- ed with a regular passport; and if such obstacles were common to all travellers, it was singular that an excep- tion should be made in my behalf. What right had I to such distinction ? Nor could I at all conceive what in- terest the Emperor could feel in being so well informed of my route. 1 imparted all my doubts to rny wife, but she only laughed at them. Having accepted an Invitation from a lady distinguished both by her rank and virtues, at whose hou>e much company usually resorted, we spoke of the conte^its of this letter agreeably to the different manner in which they had affected us, and every one present not only discountenanced my apprehensions, but pronounced them to be unreasonable and ill founded. To believe th« •Emperor capable of laying a snare for ipe, was consider- ed by them as an offence against the sacred faith of so- . vereigns. 11 I became more easy ; and if any thing still continued to create anxiety, it was tlie circumstance of the term of four months being omitted in the body of the pass- port which I afterwards received. This omission was distressing, as it might tend to prevent my return, and I therefore had recQiirse to the following expedient. I had the honour to be dramatic writer to the Emperor of Ger- many, and in that quality I procured a written leave of absence from the Court ot Vienna for the above mention- ed space of time, and I reserved this instrument to show to the Austrian minister at St. Petersburg, in case my return should be at all impeded. Haying thus provided for my departure, my wife and myself, accompanied by three young children, left Wei- mar on the 10th of April, 1800. We arrived at Berlin, where I found several letters which my friends in Livo- nia and Petersburg had written to me at the same time. They appeared to have acted in concert in advising me to consider how far I was able to encounter the severe cold of a northern climate. This concealed manner of warning me had not the effect they had reason to ex- pect; I did not follow their advice, but considered their apprehensions as exaggerated or chimerical. 1 waited on Baron de Krudener. I was already known to that estimable man, who is a friend to letters and humanity. He received me with his accustomed kindness; and I requested him, on taking my leave, to consider me as the father of a numerous family, and tell me in the sincerity of his heart, if he thought my return would be attended with any difficulties. My suspicions were confined entirely to that particular, and I must confess that M. de Krudener replied like a man who knew how to unite the rigorous obligations of du- ty with those of humanity. In your place," said he, '* 1 would write once more ; you ma)^, however, pro- ceed on your journey, but wait at Konigsberg till your doubts are entirely removed." The advice was good, and I was inclined to follow : but my wife, v/hom 1 consulted on the occasion, and who had solely her children and her country before her eyes, did not value it as it deserved. We both in- t 12 deed treated the matter too lightly, and being furnish* ed with a passport in the name and by the order of the Emperor of all the Russias, we ventured to proceed. * Every one who has travelled through the Prussian dominions, knows that the post-horses tliere are very sluggish.* I frequently got out of my carriage and v/alked, and without any exertion was often a German mile before it. In this manner I one day arrived at a little town in Pomerania, which I think is called Za- nert ; I walked through it, and when I came to its ex- tremity found several roads without knowing which to lake. An old man who was near set me right; he was a tall thin figure, and probably belonged to the gate. He asked me whither I was going; and when I told him I was on my way to Russia, his voice altered. He advised me not U) think of going thither, made use of the strongest reasons in support of his advice, and be- trayed a solicitude so tender and paternal, that he seem- ed like an angel sent to counsel me. At last, finding that his advice was .unavailing, he concluded with this short exclamation: "God help the man who goes into Russia''' I laughed exceedingly and continued my way ; but how often have these emphatic words since struck me ! how often have I been tempted to think, that this man was a prophet who had foretold my destiny. These repeated admonitions had, in spite of my rea- son, made some impression on me, and I felt it still in- crease as I approached the confines of Russia. Such was the effect they had on me, that frequently on the road, and particularly at -Memel, I seriously proposed to my wife that she should continue the journey by herself, and I would return to that city arid wait for her ; but my fate was decreed^ — she could not resolve upon this measure. When we left Memel I tpok the precaution to leave my books there in order to avoid disputes with M. Tum- * Some new regulations have takcn*place to the advantage the traveller. Of this I am unable to speak from my own perience, having now left oft' travelling post in Prussia aJid Po merania. 15 my power to console her, and she recovered ; then attend- ing *o what related to myself, I turned instantly towards Sellin : " Tell me," said I, what your orders imply, and above all, keep nothing firom me/' " 1 am com- r landed to seize your papers, and to send them, together with yourself, to the Governor of Mittau." " What wiii happen to me there?" " Your papers will be ex- amined, and the Governor will receive further instruc- tions upon the business." " Nothing more ?" " No- thing." ''And my family may accompany me." Cer- tainly." " Well, then," said I to my dear and excellent wife, " we may make ourselves perfectly easy ; we are going to Mittau, such was our original intention. We shall have to stay there a day perhaps, and that will be all. My papers are in order, and can be liable to no suspicion ; this arrest is nothing more than mere precau- tion, a measure of prudence which may be overlooked in a monarch during the revolutions which at this time convulse the world. The emperor does not know me, he knows only that I am an author ; many writers have been led astray by the system of liberty which now agi- tates Europe ; his Majesty suspects me to be one of tha,t number, and in truth 1 would rather he should frankly declare his suspicions than keep them to himself. He will now learn what sort of a person I am, and his know- ledge of me will turn to my advantage; I shall perhaps gain his confidence." In this manner I expressed myself as I pressed my still trembling wife to my heart. Heaven knowsthat I spoke what I felt; lor, convinced as I was of my guiltlessness, what had I to dread? — My wife ?oon came to herself. She had imagined we were instandy to be separated, that I should be ill-treated, thrown into a common cart; but when she saw that no violence was used, and that we were to continue our journey together, she ceased to be so much alarmed. My baggage had been searched, my port-folio and other papers seized; nothing now remained unexamined Lut my person. I was obliged to (urn my pockets in ide out, and to lay upon the table every scrap of paper, and 16 every bill of travelling-expenses I had about me. I was provoked at this, and could not disguise my feelings. It is my duty, said Sellin, in a low and half chocked voice ; I was not angry with him, for it was evident that he was acting an involuntary and painful part. He now requested us to take out of our trunks what- ever things we might want on the road from Polangen to JVIittau, tor his orders obliged him to seal up our bag- gage. I had a small box, containing such things as were of daily use, as tobacco, razors, medicines, &c. Hav- ing begged that this box migl^t go unsealed, he had the goodness to indulge me in my wish, but was desirous to examine it more closely. As the bottom was thick, he asked me if the box contained a vacant space lor the purpoNC of concealing papers. " No," I replied. I had bought it at Vienna, and had neverexamined its coii^truc- lion ; but here it seems people understand better the art of discovering secrets. Sellin touched a spring which discovered a second bottom, and that bottom was found empty. " You see," said I with a smile, " the little use which I had for a false bottom; I possessed the box without being aware of this contrivance-" He was him- self so well convinced of this, shat he told the officer, in the Russian language, that he was satisfied of my igno- rance of it. The inquisition was now over, but we had to wait for a long attestation, which was drawing up at the chance- ry. Our children had nothing to eat ; for so eagerly had we driven on to our ruin, that, although a dinner wa? ready at the last post-house, we had retlised to partake of it. I asked for some fefr^shment for them; as for ourselves, it will be easily supposed we did not stand in need of any. Sellin immediately ordered such provi- sions as were at hand to be set before them. But notwithstanding the politeness of Sellin on the oc- casions already mentioned, he refused to grant me a re- quest which I conceived to be a very reasonable one. I had left mv aged mother in a bad state of health, and had reason to fear that, on her hearing what had happened to me, her apprehensions would prove fatal. I begged 17 leave to write a few lines to her, which Sellin liimself might have read and sealed up. He w^as, however, deaf to all my entreaties ; but I am sure that this refusal, which occasioned me so much affliction, was equally pain- ful to this humane man, who made it in spite of his own feelings. He afforded me indeed some consolation, by assuring me that I might write from Mittau. I then turned to Wey- rauch, who had been present during the whole scene, and grasping his hand, entreated him not to mention a word at Memel of what had happened, lest some newspaper- writer should make it public. This he promised me in the most solemn manner. But what shows clearly that the worthy Sellin was not master of himself in the execution of this painful duty, was, that Weyrauch, whom he had not noticed, had been allowed to be present. I was a prisoner of state, the order for my arrest was to be kept a profound secret ; such instructions were inserted on the back of it, pro secreto. In this case, the officer who receives it is oblige ed under the highest responsibility, to impart the con- tcijts to no one ; and much less is he allowed to execute the warrant in the presence of witnesses. I am perfect- ly convinced, that the great embarrassment he was un- der was the sole cause of the inadvertency of which he had been guilty. My business was now finished, my trunks sealed up, and the horses put to. The cradle of my youngest child, which had been fixed behind the carriage, now gave place to one of the servants, whose seat forward was to be occupied by a Cossack who escorted us. My port- folio was likewise sealed, and replaced in the pocket of the coach, and the keys were returned to me. I refused, however, to take them, reflecting that the string of the seals ; light break, and create new grounds for suspicion. I therefore insisted on their being also sealed up. Sellin, having executed his painful task, resumed his accustomed manner of behaviour, and urged every thing he could that might tend to console us. In all probability I shall never see him again, but should the narrative of suy 18 sorrowful adventures, which I am now writhig, be one (lay published, let him read therein the gratitude of a heart deeply affected with a sense of his kindness, and which will ever continue to cherish his name and his image. We got into our carriage, and henceforth had the ex- hibition of a Cossack, armed with his sabre and pistols, seated directly before us. My children were much amused at this, but my wife shed tears, and as for my- self, I continued to preserve my usual composure of mind. I even tried to calm her., by aifecting a gaiety of disposition. The sight of the Cossack, had it not been for his arms, had nothing formidable in it. He v/as a tall well-built man, very civil and very officious ; every time we got out of the carriage he politely took off his cap. Seated in a kibick * behind was a captain, a Pole by birth, whose name I do not recollect. He spoke a little German, had been, during the revolution, aid-de-camp to General Mirbach, and since that time in close confine- ment at Mittau for a whole year. He had, I know not what, employment in the custom-house, and he appear- ed to be as ill calculated for this disagreeable commis- sion as the worthy Sellin himself. We were during the journey upon a very civil footing together. He was not • of the least inconvenience to me, and I should have en- tirely forgotten that he was present, had not my purse obliged me, in this expensive part of Courland, to re- collect him ; the expense of post-horses and provisions being entirely at my charge. The distance from Polangen to Mittau is computed at thirty-six German miles. We were three days upon the road, and all the time kept up our spirits tolerably well. My wife, indeed, seemed to be quite recovered : we had nothing further to apprehend than a delay at Mit- tau, which would however prove disagreeable, on ac- count of the high price of provisions there, and because we had already informed our friends in Livonia of the * A Russisin cart. 19 day we expected to arrive. In fact, what had we to fear? I had already been in the service of Russia, and was provided with a testimonial that I had acquitted myself with probity and honour. I had been for three years, with the Emperor^s leave, in the seruice of Aus- tria : and as dramatic writer to that court nad fulfilled every duty incumbent on a good subject. On leaving Vienna, I had retiirned to the duchy of Weimar, with- out passing through any country at war either with Aus- tria or Russia; what then could 1 have to dread? It seemed highly probable that all suspicion was confined- to my papers; and what did these harmless papers con- tain ? This the reader will now see, and he may from thence judge how little cause I had to be alarmed. The papers contained the following articles : A certificate of the government of Revel, of my ser- vices during fifteen years. The copy of an ukas of the senate, which granted my resignation with advancement. The order of the court of Vienna relative to my re- signation as manager of the theatre, and the continu- ance of my office as dramatic writer to the court, with a salary of one thousand florins a-year. A certificate from the theatre. A letter written by Count Colloredo, minister to the Emperor of Germany, on the subject of an omission in the above mentioned order, in which no special cMibri had been inserted relative to the continuance o]^i|r sa- lary for life. On that article I had inquired w^her, in case I should live to grow old and become yfilbJe to write for the theatre, I should receive a pensiofi; and the answer was to my satisfaction. A note from count Saurau,the Emperor of Germany's superintendant of the secret police, with another from M. de Schilling, aulic counsellor and member of the college. When I quitted Vienna, not satisfied with the honourable testimony 1 had obtained relative to the ad- ministration of my office, I conceived it would be pru- dent, in the present circumstances, to obtain an instru- ^ ment certifying further, that during my residence in 20 that capital I had conducted myself as became a good citizen, and that I had never given any cause for suspi- cion relative to my political opinions. Witli this vievy I had made application to Count de Saurau, intimating that although such a precaution might appear to be ex- traordinary, yet it was no less true that we lived in an extraordinary age. He had the goodness to make me easy on that head, by furnishing me with the note and letter in question, and he closed the interview by as- suring me, that should the lea-t doubt arise relative to ray way of thinking, justice should certainly be done me. A leave of absence from the theatre of Vienna, limit- ed to the term of four montlis, for my journey to Rus- sia, with a clau, The Piisoner, The New Century, The Devil's Villa. Not a scene in any of th '-e pieces could render me lia- ble to the smallest su pic'oa on the score of politics or morality. I brought them w ta me to se]l them to the theatre at Riga, as 1 had done on former occasions;: some of them had been translated at Weimar by the Chevalier du Veau, and I ii tendedto have offered tba'^e versions to the manager of tlie French play-house at Pe- tersburg. 27 that tlie interest she took in my situation, did not contri- bute to allay my apprehensions. The Governor soon returned. Tmngs are no longer in Russia as they v'd to he," said he; "justice is now administered in ..v; most scrupulous manner." " I have great reason then to be easy," replied I. He expressed much surprise that I had voluntarily returned, and above all, that I had brought my family with me. Indeed a man who travels with bad designs, does not take with him his wife, three children, an elderly gover- ness, and two servants : I, therefore, who did so, must have been conscious of my own innocence, and easy in the confidence I reposed in the safe conduct granted by his Majesty. A person in the uniform of the civil administration of Petersburg was now introduced. Here," said the Governor, " is the Aulic Counsellor Schstschekatichin, who will accompany you on your journey; make your- self perfectly easy. Sir, you are in good hands." Does he understand German or French ?" Neither the one nor the other." " I am sorry for that," said I, " for I have forgotten my Russian." The Governor then presented me to him, and I ex- plained myself in his native tongue as well as I was able, making use of gesticulation when at a loss for words. I took M. Schstschekatichin by the hand, and pressing it closely, craved his benevolence, which was answered by a friendly grimace. Before I proceed, it will be necessary to sketch the portrait of this man. Aulic Counsellor Schstschekati- chin (may I be allowed to write tliis barbarous name here for the last time, and to call him henceforth merely by his title ?) the Counsellor, I say, was a very swarthy man, almost black, about forty years of age, having ve- ry much the look of a satyr. Whenever he would assume an affable mien, two oblique wrinkles divided his face to the very corner of his eyes, and imparted to his whole countenance the expression of disdain. From the stiff- ness of his carriage, it v/as evident that he had been in tlie army, and fiom certain deficiencies of common de- 28 corum, that he was an uneducated man, and had never frequented good company. For instance, he rarely made use of a pocket handkerchief; he drank out of the bot- tle, though a glass stood before him, and committed ma- ny other acts of similar indecency. To the grossest ig- norance he joined every outward sign of excessive devo- tion. He had not the least idea of the causes of the common phenomena of nature ; and such a stranger was he to literature, that the names of Homer, Cicero, Voltaire, Shakspeare, or Kant, had" never reached his ear. He had no desire to learn any thing; but by way of amends he could make the sign of the cross upon his ibrehead and breast with uncommon dexterity. Every time he awoke, every time he espied a church at a dis- tance, the point of a steeple, or the image of a saint ; every lime he ate or drank (which was very often) every time it thundered or when we passed by a church-yard, my Counsellor took off his hat and crossed hiinself in eve- ry direction. He did not, however, treat all churches alike ; if they were constructed of wood, he paid them but little attention ; but if they were built of stone, his respect considerably increased, and it became much more profound at the sight of a town with large domes and lolly steeples. This was, perhaps, to express his thanks to God that he had been enabled to bring his vic- tim so far on his way. 1 do not, however, recollect that I ever saw him pray, either with his lips or eyes, but .of signs of the cross, he was extremely lavish. Though he had very little reason for it, yet he enter- tained a very high opinion of himself. He would never listen to any kind of explanation, nor admit any sort of reasoning, let the subject of conversation be ever so im- portant. He always persisted in his own opinion, or- namenting his countenance at the same time with the two deep wrinkles already mentioned. If a man may be called beneficent for throwing farthings, right or wrong, out of the window, our Counsellor was of that description. No beggar solicited in vain ; and although he perceived his purse to grow lighter, that was no rea- son with him for withholding his bounty. From the hurry he was gilways in to get rid of his small coin, it 35 sellor had none at all. I recollect one day, that seeing a cuckoo, he observed, that that bird always laid its eggs in the nest of another, and left the owner the care of hatch- ing them. The Connsellor began to laugh ; when Alex- ander asked me if the circumstance was not true ? I re- plied it vvas ; when the Counsellor called forth iiis nasal : wrinkles, and cast a look of pity on us both. What I have to say further relative to Alexander, will be seen in the sequel. I shall only add, in order to make his office bet- ter known to the reader, that the Senate of Petersburg has eighty such men at command, ready to carry orders to the most distant parts of the world. They are, I be- lieve, subaltern officers ; their dress resembles that of a postman, except the badge, which, though somewhat like tiiat of tlie latter, bears a different inscription. Let us now return to my sufferings. A carriage was to be bought ; several were exposed in the yard. This purchase was a great favour, though my own money was to pay for it. Commonly, when people are arrested, they are thrown, without any regard to age or rank, into a kibick, or some other vehicle still more inconvenient, and hurried on through all kinds of weather. I cannot deny but that in general I was treated with some kind of in- dulgence ; but for this no thanks are due to my Counsel- lor; I owe it to superior orders, for my hard-hearted keeper was utterly incapable of deviating a single step from, the line of conduct tliat had been marked out ior him. Tersuaded that I was going no farther than Petersburg, I purchased a half-covered carriage, in other respects very convenient ; not heavy, and hung upon springs, but fit only foi a short journey ; for this I paid five hundred roubles. My wife, who observed that I vvas treated with indul- gence, became more composed. She asked the. Coun- sellor if I might be allowed to write to her on my route, and was answered, bodi by him and the Secretary, in the affirmative. At length, towards the hour of seven, every thing be^ ing ready, I bade adieu to my afflicted family. How did my heart beat at diis cruel moment ! My hands trembled. 36 my knees tottered, my eye-sight failed me ; even at th present day I cannot recollect this separation withofi painf ul emotions. The reader will allow me to pause i this melancholy narrative. Neither my wife nor myseJ could weep ; the source of our tears were dried up, and our hearts were rung with inexpressible anguish. I kis- sed my children, I blessed them ; their mother threw her arms about my neck, and fainted as she received my em- brace. The Secretary, who hitherto appeared unconcerned, and had had recourse to common-place motives of conso- lation, could no longer refrain from shedding tears. Ah ! if the kind-hearted Emperor (for such I know him to be) had been present, with what promptitude would he have put an end to this scene of affliction. My wife, who could no longer return my caresses, continued to moan in a low and inarticulate voice ; her eyes were closed : I imprinted a kiss on her lips, as if it ■were the last, and immediately tore m^rSelf away. My servants led me to the carriage, and took leave of me, deeply afflicted. A crowd of spectators assembled under the gate-way, had been dispersed, and the carriage was drawn up there to avoid notice. I mounted with trem- bling steps, and was instantly driven away. Thus was an unoffending man torn from his family ; a peaceful citizen arrested, furnished as he was with an Imperial passport, and without knowing why. No — it is impossible that the Emperor, the humane Emperor (for such in truth he is) could be at all privy to this transac- tion. It was not his order — Some perfidious wretch, unknown to him, has certainly abused his name. It is now the ninth week since I have been able to learn whe- ther my wife and children are alive or dead ; my destiny perhaps is lixed, and I shall hear of them no more ! — My wife, from whom, during so many years, I have never been separated but twice, and that but for a week or two — my dear wife and I are now torn asunder perhaps for- ever I — We are passing these tedious and mournful days almost without hope. O God! will she survive this? Has she survived it? 37 It is but a year ago, and I still recollect it with sorrovc', tha^I went to drink the waters of Pyrmont. My wife had just borne me a boy ; and she was not sufficiently re- covered to accompany me. It was my intention to stay there three weeks, the shortest time specified for taking the waters w^ith effect. Ten days, however, had scarcely elapsed ere her absence became insupportable, and 1 im- mediately hastened back to her. Yet now nme weeks are elapsed since I saw her: who knows if in nine years, nay, if ever I shall see her again. One ray of hope still gleams before me. I feel some feeble consolation ; if I am deluded, my despair will be equal to my misery. I can however meet death. Vixi, et quern dederat cursUm fortuna, per agt. The man who has studied himself, who is at all ac- > quainted with the human heart, will believe me when I declare, that ij^ proportion as the carriage drove on, ] found my spirits rise, and my heart recover its ibrcc. I began to look into the future. What did it pr-fesenti'' New inquiries — the examination of my papers, my con- duct, my peaceable way of life. I had to deal with a just monarch, who would not condemn me unheard. What then could happen to me ? Some slight incon\'e- niences, the natural consequence of my imperfect ki iovv- ledge of the Russian language; but, thought 1 to mvseli', I shall have an interpreter: I may for a while be depriv- ed of a few comforts, and must alter my usual habitudes a little. These things are unpleasant ; but surely, they are not very great misfortunes. And, though I may be visited by the return of a chronic disorder, which has tor- mented me for twelve years past, yet there are good physicians at Petersburg ; why then should I think my- self unhappy ? It is no doubt a disagreeable incident, but then it is only momentary. I am about to visit friends I was voluntarily seeking some extra expense will be in- cinred; but that is merely the sacrifice of a little money, !he least painful of all sacrifices. I was besides fully pcr- sl^aded .that the Governor of Mittau would takethe great- ?'«t care of my family. He had promised me that every 38 thing should be clone for them that humanity and his own good wishes could suggest.* Riga is not more than seven short German miles from Mittau, yet we did not arrive there till midnight. It was dark when we approached the banks of the Duna^ which laves the walls of that hospitable city, and as the floating bridge had not been restored on account of the great floods, we were obliged to cross the river in a common boat, •which considerably retarded our journey. When we arrived at the gate, our Courier alighted and went into the guard house, where he staid a consi- derable time; but this circumstance ga\^e me no concern. 'At length he appeared, and ordered that we should drive to the post-house, not through tlie city, properly so call- /ed, but in a circuitous manner,^ through several long and >>)d?if crooked streets. We were delayed but a short time; fresh horses were quickly put to the carriage, and we pro- ceeded. * ^ I must here remark, that the post-order ( pod.rroschiie ) *ti^o\\!&d three horses in the name of tlie Emperor, and Jiiat the post-masters frequently put four. The -fourth liorse was sometimes paid for, and sometimes not. In the first case, they had the post-order in their favour, ;ind the extra horse was at my expense. We left Riga about two o'clock in the morning. *Thc iiir was extremely cold, exhausted nature called for re- pose, and, letting down the windows, I fell asleep. Ai the next post I awoke ; I merely observed it was day- light, and again closed my eyes. What language can describe my astonisliment and ter- ror, when on awaking a short time after, 1 perceived that the route had been changed. Witli difficulty was 1 so much master of myself as to suppress a scream of hor- ror, just ready to escape me. A kind of instinct how- ever prompted me to remain silent. I am unable to de- scribe what passed in my mind: Whither are they is^^- ing me ? Wiiere arc my papers to be examined ? 2t will hereafter appear, that my hopes unhappily were no. 39 Who is to examine them ? In a word, wljat arc 'Cney going to do with mcr — All these queries rushed upon my mind at. once; they distracted my brain, but remained totally unsolved. Gould I indeed conceive it possible that I was to be thus dragged to ^he v/orld's end, without having been cither heard or examined ? Being arrived at the post-hou^e, I asked for some coffee, more with Si view of gaining time- than from a vv'ant of refreshment. While it was preparing I walked about the room in much agitation of miikl; the Counsel- lor stood near the carriage conversing with the post-mas- ter; the Courier kept looking at him from the window, till he was sure he was not observed by him: then ru-i- dressing me, according to the Russian custom, " Fq:1 Carlovitsch," said he, ''we are not going to Petersburg, we are going much farther." "-Where?" said I, in a broken voice. " To Tobolsk, my dear Sir." '' To To- bolsk !"•— At this word my knees shook under me, aiid i tremor seized my whole frame. " Can you re:; ' sian V added he (still keeping his eyes on the Ccu; ''A little," replied I. *' Look at the po>t-oracr : read, '' Bii coimnand of his Imperial Maj est i/, dfc. jr.^.n Mittau TO Tobolsk, Aulic Coiimellor Schs.lschekatichiiiy anv. a person iiitli him, accompanied hy a Senate were put to, and we hurried away. An accident happened on the road which afforded mo no small satisfaction. One of our horses became restive, and suddenly stood still. The postillion used every effort to make him move, without effect; in spite of hollowing and beating, the animal remained immoveablci My companions now began to swear, and bestowed on the whole Livonian nation the grossest abuse. Everv expedient being at length exhausted, our Courier gave vent to his ill-humour in beating the postillion. The ter dismounted, and declared he would not go on if vk was to be treated in that manner. This declaiaiion wa-^ very natural, but it threw the Counsellor into a violent rage ; he alighted, and making up to the first tree, cut off a thick branch, and seizing the postillion by the throat, threw him on the ground, and began to beat him with- out mercy. He then ordered him to take the reins again, if he did not wish for a repetition of the discipline which he had just received. But while he was getthig into the carriage, and the Courier was engaged in helping him up, the postillion, who had a very good pair of legs, was quickl}' at a hundred paces from us. In vain the Courier strove to overtake him ; the man had al«iady gained too much ground, and his pursuer w^s obliged to return. We were now left on the high road, with a restive horse, and without a driver. In this sad perplexity, what was to be done? To return seemed best, and we' immediate- ly set about doing so ; but we moved on at a slow rate, lor the Courier, who had taken the reins, did not know how to drive. He kept going from right to left, and irom left to right, and this cost the Livonian nation, who had nothing to do in the business, another volley of curses and infamous exclamations. When 1 say curses, I am not quite correct ; I should not use the plural number; the Russians have but one curse, which, it must be allowed, is worth all the rest. They.i^ish, for instance, that the mother of the man against'whora they are enraged, may have the devil for her paramour; and they express this in a manner so ex- plicit, that those wlio are averse to doubtful meanings, must be perfectly satisfied with it. I do not exaggerate when I declare, that, during this single day, our people had recourse to this vile ribaldry more than a thousand times. The expression is indeed as common among the ill-bred Russians, a? damning a thing is in the mouth of an Englishman, or as the word JNIonsieur was, in former times, in that of a Frenchman. On our return to Kokenhusen, the Counsellor made many bitter complaints against the postillion, without saying a word about the beating which he had given him. '* Vou must have used him ill," said the post-master, " for he is a steady lad." The fact vvaspositively denied ; the post- master looked at me, and 1 answered in favour of the in- jured post-boy by an inclination of my head. It is well known, that in a coarse mind the conscious- 2iess of having been in the wrong, creates emotions of anger. Our Counsellor finding liimself in this position, poured forth a volley of the most indecent abuse, which he accompanied with threats. But as the post-master had no legal remedy, except that of making his complaint in the usual way, without being able to retard the depar- ture of the Courier, he gave us a fresh horse; but a fresh postillion was not so easily to be found. This circum- ^tance took up a considerable time, which, as far as it roncerned me, was by no means disagreeable. 43 During all this time I remained alone in the carriage. The post-master's brother came up to^me, and, in a man- ner that seemed very particular, said, Your name. Sir, is not inserted in the body ot the post-order." I was quite at a loss what answer to make. I have since in- deed learnt, that the name not being inserted therein, the post-master was not obliged to furnish horses. Had I known this sooner, I should have urged him to have avail- ed himself of his right. What could our Counsellor have done? He must have waited here till he could have pro- vided himself with horses from Riga. The Governor of Riga being totally ignorant of this, would have written to Mittau, which must have taken up considerable time ; and in this instance at least, muaii advantage might have been gained by procrastination. I should by this means have had time to prepare for my flight ; but in the state of ignorance in whichj now remained, 1 was unable to avail myself of this deslra.ble expedient ; and accordingly after dmner, we set out in the usual manner. During the whole journey, I continued to take a men- tal survey of the country, and particularly in the neigh- bourhood of Stockmannshof. The Dunaran on my right, and on my left I remarked a chain of hills covered with wood. At six o'clock we arrived at the frontier post.* In a little time, said I to myself, my destiny will be fixed. Beyond Livonia I shall find no friends, no ac- quaintance, not a soul that can speak the same language as myself: now then is the time to make my escape. With this view I declared, though it was tar trom being late, that 1 was unable to go on any farther, and that I must ab- solutely stop to obtain a little rest. This displeased our Counsellor ; he would fain have persuaded me to con- tinue the journey; he however thought fit to stop, and this complaisance must certainly be attributed to his or- ders, which enjoined him not to weary me to death. It was accordingly arranged that we should pass the mght at this place. The post-house had a very miser- able appearance, the room we were in being full of hogs , and poultry, and in other respects extremely disgusting. * The frontiers of Livonia, and the province of Witpsk, I urged with great vciicmcnce our going farther to an! inn wliich I had perceived, and which being built of stone, promised to afford better accommodatlonT; ; but the truth wa-, that the post-house was iil-adapted for the execution of my project. This inn, to which we drove, was kept by an Israel- ite, and Belonged to the village of Stockmannshof. It stood on the high road, which alone separated it from the Duna. At a few paces from hence the woody hills, in which I had placed all ray hopes, began to rise. The Courier set about preparing supper. He boasted of his culi- nary talents, andhadkilled a fowl, of which he promised to make an excellent mess of broth. I appeared to be TTMich delighted at the^e preparations, and in the mean time strolled about the door with the Counsellor. I ex- amined the banks of the river, and the rafts of timber which were floating down the stream. I took a silent survey of the country, returned to my chamber and ex- amined the window, which was fastened only by a slight string. I observed with delight tliutit favoured my pur- pose, and that it might be opened and shut without any nol;e. The Counsellor accidentally left some writing paper on the table; I had the precaution to conceal a sheet of it, in the notion that it might hereafter prove extremely useful to me. At nine o'clock the Courier brouglUin supper, Vhicli consisted of a strong soup, a smoke-dried sausage, and, some Dantzic spirits. The two last articles ray wife's chamber-maid had put into the carriage without my knowledge. In order to compliment the talents of the cook, I tast- ed a few spoonfuls of soup, and I even assumed a gaiety of behaviour that was far from appearing unnatural. The mind, in the present instance, was however more obedient than the body, for in spite of all my attempts, I could not swallow a morsel, and I pretended extreme lassitude in excuse for my^want of appetite. I now rose from table to retire to rest. My corn- pan ion would have persuaded mc to occupy the bed. the only one in the house ; but as it stood in a distant corner of the room, I observed that as it seemed very dirty, I preferred some clean ha)', v^ hich I caused to be I laid on the ground not far from tlie window. My night- gown was spread over this : I wrapped myself up in my > cloak, and was about to throw myself down, dressed as I was, upon this rustic bed, when the Courier came to me to pull off my boots. Fortunately he placed them near me. I laid myself down and apparently fell asleep. My Icllow-travellers remained at ihe table till they had nothing more to eat or drink, and then went to rest. . The Counsellor stretched himself upon a bench which was separated from me only*/)E)y the table. Above it was the window through which 1 hoped to escape. The Courier slept in the carriage, which stood close to the same window. It was now nearly eleven o'clock ; the night was dark, though the moon was at the full. The Counsellor was fast asleep. This was the favourable moment; but unluckily our Jews were celebrating the eve of their Sab- bath in the most noisy manner. They kept continually running through the chamber ; at one time came the host, at another his wife, and then the children. This unpleasant noise often roused the Counsellor from hh slumbers, and made him rave and swear mo angrily. I joined my prayers to his imprecations ; but all in vain ! for the^e orgies continued till two o'clock in the morning, at which hour the Israelites retired to restj and all became quiet. Availing myself of the profound silence which now reigned throughout the whole house, I entered upon my enterprize. In the first place I crawled on my knees, and gently untied the string of the window; this I hap- pily effected without the least noise or difficulty. I heard the Courier snore, and was enchanted at the sound. I then began to feel for my boots, and taking hold of them, together with my cloak, I got upon the table in the most ' utious manner, scarcely allowing myself to breathe, lid always pausing when I heard the Coun^'Cllor stir, ilms far all went on perfectly well ; but I now met 46 Willi great embarrassment. The window was high, m foot could not reach the ground, nor was there any thin against the wall on which I might have stepped. What was to be done? Should I drop down at once This could not be accomplished without having tw" liands to hang by, and my left hand was full. To hav thrown ray things into the street, would have made some noise, and if the Counsellor should awake before I could follow them, all my projects were at an end. This was, however, my only resource, and I had no time>fco lose. I first let down my cloak verv softly; it served to re- ceive my boots, which instantly followed, Avilhout any noise or accident. It was Hdw my turn to descend. 1 hung upon my elbows, one of my feet IoucJk^ the car- riage, and the other the ground, and thus 1 cleared my way. Having effected my escape, it was necessary to pro- vide against immediate discovery. The Courier con- tinued snoring in a manner that promised a long sleep, but the cold that would come in at the windov/, might awaken the Counsellor, who would instantly discover my flight. To prevent such an accident, 1 drew the window as closely as I was able, and then turning the corner of the house, I put on my cloak and boots. I first wandered through a swam.py meadow, whicli lay behind tjie inn, but 1 soon got into the high road. My plan was to hasten to Kokenhasen, and throw my- self upon the post-master's mercy. Tiie hope I placed in this man and his family, was partly founded on their phy- siognomy, and partly on the unpleasant affair of the pre- ceding-day, which I thought they would be inclined to resent: and I was also of opinion, that they might not be insensible to the charms of a large sum of m.oney, •wiiich woukl have been much at their service for their assistance. Should the man be disinclined to harbour rae in hi? house, or should he not have room for me, I then ir- tended to have concealed myself among the ruins of Kc kenhusen, and to make an agreement with him to sup ply me with food. I also intended, through his it"" :- 47 i to inform Baron de Lovvenstern of my flight, who would 1 send such information to my wife, and she would make . known mv situation to my friends. In short, I had - formed a jplan which appeared very practicable; but I have reasons for not entering into i'urther detail at pre- .sent.* A single circumstance completely frustrated my plan : It was necessary that I sliould arrive during the night at Kokenhusen, to avoid being overtaken by the Coun- sellor, and the Jews' Sabbath had too much retarded my operations. It was full three o'clock, and five hourt, were hardly sufficient for so long a walk. It might hap- pen that the Counsellor would get up early and overtake I me; and ||p|ies, I dreaded appearing by day-light at I Kokenhusen, where it was very natural to suppose in- quiry would speedily be made, not only by my com- panions, but by others, in consequence of the general alarm thev would spread. I therefore determined to i proceed as long as I was favoured by the night, and to conceal myself in the \^•oods the moment day began to , appear. Every thing being thus considered an'd arranged, I followed the highway, still walking through the adjacent meadows whenever I found a path near the road. At length I perceived by the light of the moon, a house which the day before I had taken for a military pavilion. In Livonia we often meet with such buildings; they serve to lodge the otncers whose regiments are stationed in the en\'irons ; and when the guests are gone, the houses - are shut up. 1 had observed the preceding day, that the doors and window-shutters were closed, that the ^ centry-box was empty, and I concluded it was not in- I habited. ' Under this conviction, as it lav at some distance from the high road, I resolved to pass by it. ' " Who goes there r'^ cried a centinel. A question so ' unexpected startled me; but I had the presence of mind r.-ske the usual reply. ' These reasons no longer influence me, and I shall renew subject in another part cf this narrative. 48 " What road are you taking? Whither are yoa g ingr" ''To Stock'mannshof?' " But the road fi there." " I did not perceive it." I was going on, but " Halt!" " Hush, friend said I ; ''I am coming from Stockmannshof : I have been paying a visit to a Jew girl yonder; let me get back snugly, and take no notice of" having seen me at all." To this request I added the offer of some money. The man murmured a little, but let me pass on. This accident rendered me timid ; I feared others of the same kind, and kept entirely along the high road. * Had I been observed here, at least there would have been nodiing extraordinary in it, and besides, I found it was better walking than through the mea^jpi. Anodier adventure now befel me. Aftfer having tra-j veiled a few verstes, I heard the alarm beat at a consi-1 derable distance behind me. This custom requires some explanation. In the Russian villages, and other places very remote from towns, a plank is suspended between two pieces of wood. Whenever the servants are to be called to their meals or their work ; or when the hour of the day is to be made known, this board is struck with a heavy mallet, and the sound is heard at a very great distance. I was much alarmed. It is very early, said I to my- self; the servants are no where accustomed to breakfast so soon; it cannot be the hour that is struck, for this is not the manner of doing it, the strokes fall too fast, Alas! I perceive what it is: The Counsellor has dis- covered my escape; he has alarmed the inn, or spoken with the centinel, who has certainly betrayed me; he is therefore pursuing me, and raising the country in his progress.* The noise at last becoming very suspicious, I was in- duced to quit the public road, and immediately rushed into a close copse. From tim.e to time I fell into a glade, v;hich I hastily ran across, and again took shelter among * Whether my conjectures were right, 1 have not slncclean: kaving never spoken of this affair. the trees. The wood now began to grow ttiicker. i saw a hill before nic, whicli seemed lo promise a fa- vourable retreat, and I made towards it by the nearest way, which led me over some marshy ground, and the farther I proceeded, the more I became entangled in the swamps. Being up to my knees in very stiff clay, I began to reflect on what was to be done, and feeling myself quite worn out with fatigue, I remained motionless in the midst of the bog. Day-light was near at hand; but of what use would it be to me? The underwood was thick; I was surrounded by young pine trees, and I could not see ten steps before me. What should I do? Re- turn? Nojeath itself appeared less dreadful than the necessitywBfcig driven to that resolution. At length I recovered amltle from my fatigue, and exerting all my strength, after an hour's painful walk, arrived at the hill. This hill, however, did not afford what it promised at a distance: I quitted it, and "continued to make the best use of my legs. Rambling from hill to hill, I found se- veral patlis which led to some ill-cultivated grounds in the woods. These I endeavoured to avoid with extreme caution, but I often fell into them, and -was consequently led so much astray, that at night I should not have been able to have regained the high road, had I not been guided by the sound of the waters of the Duna, which seemed always to be within hearing. In fine, after all these windings, after having rejected twenty different spots as improper to remain in, I observed a clump of firs extremely thick and gloomy. In the midst of this grove two lofty birch trees rose from the same stem, and joined in a friendly manner their spreading branches : they reminded me of my tender union at home, and af- forded me a happy presage. I gave the preference to this spot, half persuaded that under the shelter of these trees no harm could happen to me. It was then only seven o'clock, and I could not think of quitting my retreat before ten : I therefore had time enough to arrange the plan of my future proceedings. I began to scrape the dirt from *my boots, and should have dried my sek' completely, had the weather been warmer E 50 iiPiCl the spot less damp. I wrapped myself up in mv cloak, and sat down at the loot of the birch trees. The surrounding Hrs ibrnicd a thick inclosure, beyond which, at t1ic distance of thirty stejxs, was a swampy fence- wood, terminated by a bare and barren hill. I could percei\-e through the branches every thing that passed over the hill or through tiie copse; and on my right hand and left, as well as behind me, the woods bounded the horizon. Stockmannshof, said I to myself, is not far distant: It is the residence of his Majesty's Chamberlain, M. de Eeyer, the father of Madame de Lovvenstern ; I have licard him well spoken of; he is a man of a noble turn of mitid, and most assuredly his daugliUr mi^t likewise possess many excellent qualities, having h^n educated by such parents, and having had the advantage of their excellent example always before her. I was persuaded at that time tliat 1 might safely depend on him; but I soon after entertained a very different opinion. His seat, continued I, is near the high road ; the Counsellor, perhaps, may have been there, and given orders to every ■ one in the village to detain me. How should I be able to speak to M. de Be} er without making my way through] Ills wholo train of lacqueys, who might have heard of] my flight, and would prevent the kind assistance of their master; who being a man above the temptation of any reward, would be solely actuated by hi.s own feelings in afibrding n>e assistance : My first plan, thought I, is therefore preferable; I will go to Kokenhuscn ; should the Counsellor have got the start of me, and spread the alarm there, the people I am going to will only laugh at his perplexities, and assist me for the sake of satisfy- ing their own revenge. Should he ev,en give them mo- ney^ I will double the sum: it is well, however, to take this day to consider all possible contingencies. After thus counselling with myself, I drew the sheet of paper from my pocket and cut it into several slips; then taking out my pencil, I began to write with wet fingers, a billet to M. de Beyer, one to Baron de Lciw- enstern, a third to my wife, with some other notes of no 51 consequence. While I was thus employ cd;, a storm arose: I was well aware, that during its continuance it was dangerous to remain under the trees: I felt no in- clination, however, to leave this shelter, and even wished the thunderbolt to fall on my head. I have always con- sidered this kind of death as the most desirable, and I should now have received as a blessing the stroke that w^ould so easily have terminated all my misfortunes: But I wished for dissolution in vain; the storm exhausted it- self in a violent shower of hail, which quickly changed into rain, and I was drenched from head to foot. This shower, however disagreeable in itself, was in anodier point of view extremely favourable. I had suf- fered tljjMjltp such a degree, that my tongue was parch- ed: The trees now glistened with large drops of water; I applied my lips to every fir apple I could reach, and at this moment 1 felt the whole force of that picture con- tained in the Gospel, of the rich man in torments, beg- ging in vain for a drop of water to cool his parched tongue ! When I bad exhausted all that were at hand, I went further in quest of others; but I was con- stantly under the necessity of proceeding cautiously, lest in snatching too eagerly at the tenipting bough, the drops of rain should fall on the ground before I could reach them. By degrees I grew more dexterous; but an un- invited guest soon came to rob me of my frugal bever- age : the meridian sun evaporated e\ ery drop. I heard a carriage pass along a road which I conceived to be the highway. I imagined it to be my ov/n, which the Counsellor might have taken in order to pursue n>e at his ease. This was the only sound made by a human being that had yet disturbed my solitude. At noon, however, it was disturbed in a manner that tilled me with inexpressible terror. I observed^ peasant on horse- back, trotting in various directions across the plain. . He tra\ ersed the meadows, rode up the hill, galloped down again, surveyed the bushes and rode in among them. At last, seeming not to know which way to take, he rnade directly towards my hiding-place. Happily the fricM, -ly clump that aflbrded me a refuge, concealed me; tlie man turned off, and I saw him no more. I had aM ready remarked, that no road ran near this spot, and I naturally condiided the peasant to be one who was sent in scarcli of" me. Half an hour afterwards, a cart appeared on the same spot, and merely crossed it : In botli cases I laid myself Hat on the ground. I perceived in the afternoon, that tlie forest which laid behind me did not extend so far as I had at first thought, and I observed several carriages pass near mc in front. I likewise heard three or four peasant girls twinging, and playing together at no great distance: they did not seem to be of Uie number of the peasants sent out in quest of me, whence I supposed it vva|dfek road to some village that lay in the neighbourhood/^^ About five c/clock I experienced an alarm which greatly surpassed all that I had hitherto felt. I heard the cry of a pack of hounds, and the voice of the hunts- man who was leading them on. The story of Joseph Pignata, who, after nis escape from the prison of the Inquisition, was hunted by blood-hounds, rushed into iny mind. I knew, indeed, that in Livonia it was not the custom to hunt men; but the animal that was pur- sued might take towards the spot where I was concealed, and the dogs in following the scent, would of course penetrate my retreat; and it is well known to every sportsman, that when they come within view of a human creature, they alter their cry. In such a predicament 1 must unavoidably be discovered by the huntsman. At one time they were within two hundred paces of. my hiding-place. In this perplexity I wrapped myself close- ly up in my cloak, and yielded entirely to chance. The hunt hy degrees look another direction, and the dogs soon ra'n out of sight in pursuit of their game. I am not at present able to say with certainty, whe- ther this was merely a common hunt, or a pack ot hounds Jed out in })ursu:t of me ; but I have reason to believe, that I was actually the object of their c hase, the hunting season being over. On the other hand, it is well known that tlie shepherds' dogs follow the scent in the spring, and make great havock among the game. o3 In addition to the terrors arising from real danger?, I had likewise to contend with the idle illusions of the fancy. At one time I imagined an old stump of a tree- in the fence-wood to be a man ; and as the day declined, I grew still more subject to these deceptive apprehen- sions. At another time I thought I perceived a sports- man before me with a green hat and jacket, and that; he was taking aim at me. I observed his fowling piece, marked the turn of his countenance, which seemed to be very agreeable and full of kindness. I was so far de- ceived as to take off my cloak, and make signs to con- xiuce him of his error in having taken me for a deer. Had I remained much longer in the wood, I certainly should h^^ experienced a derangement of intellect, which pfBfeps would have terminated in real madness. My brain seemed on fire ; my ears rang, and sparkles danced before my eyes ; my feet were numbed, and my hands were in the same condition; my whole frame shivered, and my pulse was irregular. I felt myself ill, very ill. Shall I say what now- supported me ? My wife, my angelic wife. The dear name of my Amelia, iiivoked in a i'eeble tone, roused the last remains of my strength, and called forth my drooping courage. But this talisman operated only upon the mind ; exhausted nature called for other sustenance. It was now Saturday evening. At the post-house on the other side Mittau, I had taken a slice of bread and butter with a dish of coffee ; the next day a biscuit; on Friday three spoonfuls of soup ; besides this, I had not tast- ed a single morsel, and the drops of water were all I had swallowed the whole of the present day. 1 was aware,, that unless I obtained food I should soon die in the woods or on the highway. What a useless thing is money ! I had more than seven hundred roubles about me, yet I was unable to procure a morsel of bread. Nor was this all ; sleep had long been a stranger to my eyes ; for the short slumber that stole upon me in the carriage, could Jiot be called repose. When it grew darker, a woodcock flew over my head. Its hearse and brawling cry renewed the sensations of 54 my pastimes in liappier days. It had been a favourit sport with me when I resided in Livonia, to pass the fin evenings in the spring in pursuit of this bird of passage which, it is well known, is very scarce in Germany At the recollection of this spot, a thousand other idea arose in my mind with tormenting officiousness. I sen a licavy sigh after the bird: it was its hour of quittin the wood, and it warned me likewise to leave it. Being desirous to take a short route in order to regai tlie highway, I traversed one of those roads which are made in forests for the purpose of drawing away the iallen timber. Just as I arrived there, some boors were driving their empty carts along at full trot. Not being able to make my retreat, I had instantly recourse to my usual expedient. I lay flat on the ground, \ \ 60 been prevented iVom speaking by M. Prostenius, a whose opinions the latter had in a great measure in 9 enced, now told me, by way of consolation, that I mig write from hence to tl^ Emperor. " May I," exclai ed I.-—** Certainly ; and I will send the letter throu the hands of General de Rehbinder, who at this mome is Cofumandant at Petersburg." I thanked him for all his goodness. The amiab Prostenius would fain have made a reply for him ; he r mained however silent. M. Prostenius was now pleased to ask me, " Why feared a journey to Tobolsk I eyed him, and smiled: " Why do I fear it!" ''Yes:" said he, " many worthy people are sentthith You will never be in want of good company." — " }A company. Sir, is my family." ^^-g(M^^ In what manner are youaflWST^Pre ?" — I have a Senate-courier and an Aulic-counsellor with me." *' And no guards — no soldiers ?" " No : no guards." " Well, then, what can be more honourable?" And as he did not perceive that I was at all elated with these marks of honour, he added : " Come, come. Sir, you must submit with a good gmce ; you are a philosopher." " I am a husband and a -father," said I. The little man then simpered : a tear glistened in the eye of Ma- dame de Beyer. The Chamberlain observed that the hour was very late: Retire to rest," said he, and gain strength to set of?' to-morrow for Riga." I know not why this expected jouriK^y to Riga gavo me no pain. Waslt because it brought me nearer to my wife and children? For, in fact, it was the same thing whether I fell into the hands of the Counsellor at Riga, or any where else. in the C(9w;wo72," continued the Chamberlain, you will find a bed; go and take some rest." In this coun- try (hey give that name to a pavilion detached from t! house, which is occupied by the preceptor, the secreta ry,and others of that class; and it is likewise funushtd with beds for the reception of Strangers. 61 As I was leaving the casde to go to the common, five or six peasants suddenly appeared and accoi^panied rue thither. I imagined mere curiosity had brouglit thefti to- gether, not conceiving that the influence ol"M. Proste- nius could have induced a worthy gentleman to have converted an apartment, hitherto sacred to hospitality, into a state prison. On entering the room I found several people in bed, some of whom were asleep. I took no notice of them ; but I observed the ])eople on the outside were closing the shutters. This, as I supposed, was a common cus- tom ; but, -as I do not like to be thus enclosed v\'hen I sleep, I begged that they might be left open. My re- quest was not listened to: perhaps they were determined that I should not make a second escape. Shall I here declare my sentiments? I affirm, upon my honour, that no idea of another flight entered my head. I likewise declare, in the same solemn manner, that had I been in M. de Bayer's place, and, like him, performing the duties of a good subject, I should nor. have carried my precautions so far. Admitting that the Counsellor could have referred to superior orders, which obliged every one to secure my person wherever I should be found (which I doubt having been the case,* as he had only a post-billet about him, in W'hich my name was not inserted) it would have been sufficient to have placed two centineis upon me ; one at the door, and an- other at the window; Had I even succeeded in eluding; or bribing my guards, M. de Bayer would not nave been any way responsible ; he could not hav^e been required fo be provided with chains and bolts for the purpose of se- curing state prisoners. Ah ! Prostenius, Prostenius ! most assuredly this was thy work ; thou wouldst fain have made my chamber as gloomy as was thy merciless heart. *The extreme fatigue under which I laboured soon tlirew me into a slumber, which, though broken, lasted at inter- vals till five o'clock. * He had shown a sufEcIent authority. F When I awoke, my first care wa'i to write to the Emm pcror. I dressed myself and sat down to a table, on which I found al#that was necessary for that purpose, and I penned, with great rapidity, what my heart, my inno- cence, and "my indignation dictated. Breakfast was brought in ; my fellow-lodgers had already risen unobserv- ed by me. Having finished my letter to the Emperor, I wrote another to Count de Pahlen, the Emperor's fa- vofcrite, a third to Count de Cobenzel, and a fourth to my dear wife. I had begun a fifth, when the gentle M. Prostenius came into the room, and in a soft tone of voice informed me, that the measures suggested the pre- ceding night could not be put in practice, as the Coun- sellor himself had just made his appearance at the castle. " I am then to be given up," said I. He answered with a shrug of his shoulders, What can be done? Even the letter to the Emperor cannot now be sent to General de Rehbinder; when M. de Bayer shall have reflected on this, he will be convinced it is impracticable.'* " He promised me without solicitation, and repeated that promise several times." He would bring himself into trouble; and tlierefbre that letter jnust be sent to the Governor of Riga." " And the others!" *' That to your lady must likewise pass through his hands. As to the rest, I would advise you to leave them where they are." On saying this, he took up the letters I had written to the Emperor and my wife. What became of them I am still unable to say. I suppose they have been delivered ; but such is the servile fear which now takes possession of the heart of every man in offibcv that I should not be at all surprised to find they werin suppressed.* Perhaps their suppression may prove fortunate circumstance ; and the hard-hearted M. Pro tenius may have done me a service. The letter /o the Emperor was written with too much vehemence. I ir>- sisted much on my rights; on the Imperial passport ; . \d * It wH) be seen in the sequel in vvhat a noble manner tbe governor of Ri2:a acted on this occasion. 63 cn my innocence. The perusal of- it must have renclcr- I ed the Emperor dissatisfied with himself, and all his dis- |, pleasure would have fallen upon me. Besides, he would i have heard of my escape, which he must have consider- ed as rebellion against his commands, and as an act high- ly deserving of punishment. Part of my letter ran thui'.: " The Governor of Courland informed me, in the name of your Majesty, that I was going to Petersburg, yet I discovered that a certain person was conducting me to Siberia: I did not know this person, and he show- ed me no order on the part of your Majesty. Which of the two am I to believe? The Governor or this man?" In a word, the affair was intricate and obscure, and my application could certainly have produced no good effect; it would rather have exasperated the Emperor, and I have more than once wished that I had never written the letter. It was the same with regard to the lines I intended for my wife : I had described my situa- tion in the woods, and had spoken of my situation as a thing v/hich I considered would last for life. This im- prudent letter might have been of fatal consequence to . her, had she received it without due preparation. Once more I thank the spruce little man ; he has perhaps, without knowing it, been the means of preserving the dearest object I have in the whole world. My letters to Count de Pahlen and Count de Coben- zel remained in my possession. Soon after I found myself alone for a moment with a ■young man who had slept in the same room with me, and in whose countenance I could read benevolence and t?ompassion. " If,'' said I to him, you have a feeling . heart5 send off these letters.'' He hesitated, and ap- peared somewhat alarmed. They are open/' continu- • ' I ; " peruse their harmless contents, and seat thera irself." This he promised to do as soon as the preseiit : -nil t should be subsided. Has he kept his word? I ].:.uw not. Have my letters produced any effect? Of tliat too I am ignofarit>^^v!ng hearJ nothing on the * j'iiese circumstances will be cleared up in the sequel. 6t A youth of about eighteen or twenty years of ag now came into the room, and I took him for voun De Lovvenstern. Be hastily removed ail the writin implements, as lie said the Counsellor was that in staut approaching the room. He politely asked me I stood in need of any thing lor my journey ; an T availed myself of his obliging offer so far as to reques a little cream of tartar. 1 now beheld my charrain companions again ! The CounseDor saluted me wit his accustomed wrinkles, but did not utter a single wor of reproach. I told him, in the best manner 1 could, that he must pardon my conduct, as I had naturally been inclined to believe the Governor of Courland rather than him. He appeared satisfied with my apologies, and threw all the blame on the ill-timed humanity of the former. I saw him distribute a hundred roubles among the peasants who had mounted guard over me, and 1 took that opportunity to observe, that if he imagined those boors had taken me, he v/as much mistaken, for that I tiad cCrfiC ?".d surrendered myself here of my own accord. He did not condescend to make me any answer, but, Iieaving a deep sigh, continued to distribute the roubles. He then went out to hasten the preparation for our de- parture, upon which the young woman who admitted me into the castle the preceding night, came into the room, and, advancing in a timid manner, whispered one of the persons present ; and wdicn all had retired, she took the advantage of their absence to present me with a small hnen purse, to which some pieces of tape were sewed. " This contains a hundred roubles (said she) which my mistress has sent you, Sir ; * you ^yill «tand in need of them, for I know'your money will im- mediately be taken from you: fasten it cjuickly about vour waist.^' She then turned away. I did not rightly understand her meaning : however I concealed the pur;>e as I had been directed ; and scarce- ly had I done so, when the Counsellor came into th'- room. * T ihen believed it came from Madame de Bayer. 65 Noble woman, whom my misfortunes had thus afTcct- cd ! I still preserve this purse unviolated ; it is a sweet re- membrancer of your humanity ! Whenever I look at it^ tears rush into my eyes. With a mingled sensation of plea- sure and pain, I recollect, that in the mostafflictingmoment of my life, a feeling heart participated in my sorrow. Ex- treme indeed must be the distress that compels me to open this sacred purse. I have several times been redu- ced to great want since I received it, have denied my- self many things that would have been of much use to me, because I never could prevail on myself to touch this hal- lowed store : it is a relic, the benediction of a good woman accompanies it, and I do not renounce the hope of one day being able to return it into her hands, which I will bathe with tears of gratitude. The moment of separation being arrived, young de Lovvenstern brought me some cream of tartar, a bed- gown lined with fur, a cloth mantle with large sleeves, two cotton night-caps, a pair of boots, and several other things. I embraced him, and requested him to inform my wife of my situation. He solemnly promised me to do so, and the tears which ran down his cheek, are my vouchers that he has kept his word. He then, with all that keen sensibility, all that candour which characterizes the early stage of life, and with all the illusive confidence which it inspires, took the Counsellor by the hand, and entreated him to take care of my health, and to overlook my fault. The Counsellor replied with tlil^ same cold politeness which he had before shown to my wife. The* chambermaid stood at tlie w indow and wept. Proste- nius had finished his task, and was no longer visible, at least I did not observe him ; nor did I again see either the master or mistress of the house. We repaired to an open cart which stood before the inn, for my carriage had been left at the post-house. I was put into the cart, with all my things, exposed to the observation of the multitude, and to the pity of a few. The Counsellor placed himself at my side, the Courier behind me, and in an hour after we alighted at the inn where we had slept. F 2 66 TIius ternunated the unfortunate attempt to make ni escape, which certainly was far from being a blameab measure, in whatever point of view it may be considered While 1 imagined I was travelling to Petersburg, to uii dergo an examination there, it w^as a duty I owed mv self to submit, and had I in such ease attempted to e cape, my innocence would have been justly suspecte The existing state of affairs justified the Emperor in em ploying all possible means of precaution to prevent civ disorders, and I respect the rights of Sovereigns. A soon, however, as I was convinced that neither paper nor iimocence w^cre to be taken into consideration, but, on the contrary, that the most severe treatment would precede my examination, what law, human or divine, required that I should remain a prisoner? The corpulent mistress of the po^t-house felt great de- light at seeing me re-taken : she told the Counsellor, that she expected every moment a band of soldiers she had icnt for from a neighbouring barrack, and advised him, in future, to be provided with guards wherever w^e passed the night. One of the liorses that had been em- ployed in the pursuit of rne, being almost dead through tatigue, rhe immediately perceived it, and, venting her ill-humour upon me, loaded me w'ith the grossest abuse. At another time I might have been offended at this, but i( was now of no more consequence than the sting of a gnat to a man just taken off the rack?. I answered her with a sneering smile, which threw her into a still greater •passion, and I really believe that, when she had exhaust- ed all her abusive epithets, she would have gratified her anger by beating me, had not the Counsellor interposed. This noise, however, drew many people to the spot, and at least thirty gaping boors filled the room with their nauseous odour. The Counsellor drove them all dut, und desired the mistress of the house to leave him alone with me. I yvas rather confounded, though no longer alarmed, yet I soon began to feel that resolution, which despair is apt to inspire. When we were alone, the Counsellor politely said to me-—'' You must not take it amiss. Sir, that I shall now 67 have recourse to more severe measures/' The idea of fetters instantly came into my head ; and, growing quite wild with anguish, I laid hold of my scissars, with tiie design of putting an end to my life : but he quickly ex- plained. I had, as has been already mentioned, a little box stored with several useiul things ; he requested the I key of this box, in order to deposit in it the money I i had about me, promising, at the same time, to supply i me out of it as often as I should have occasion. Finding this was all he required, I submitted without saying a word. I had been already accustomed to turn my pockets inside out ; and whatever they now con- tained, keys, money, scissars, pencils, scraps of paper, and even my watch, I delivered up, with a very good grace. The Counsellor himself condescended to search my pockets with his own hands, to see if I had really given every thing up, and he then locked the box. The open carriage was changed for my own, and we immediately departed. I shall not attempt to describe the state of my mind as we drove along. Let it suffice to observe, tliat I could neither eat nor sleep, and if I did not entirely lose my senses, it is solely attributable? to the jolting of the vehicle. Every time we stopped to change hor;'es, my head grew giddy; I was .anxious to get on again, and delighted when we came to a hard or uneven road, or a paved causeway. During the first two days of the route, I did not utter half a dozen words. Whenever any thing was offered tome, No!" was my answer. With wild and fixed eyes I looked at the country before me, without seeing it. Wind or rain, he;&,t or cold, were alike unfelt by me, and I was driven to such a state of distraction, that I could no longer get in and out of the carriage without assistance. If by. chanfce I met with a looking-glass, the sight of my hag- gard countenance made me start backwards.* * I must here relate an anecdote. At the first diniier-hQur after my having been.re-taken, we arrived at a small town, the name of which I do not remember, but I only know it belong-ed to a certain Staroste de Korf, who inhabited an antique castle 68 The Counsellor seemed to be concerned at my sltU' atlon. With him, however, it was no affair or com passion, but only the apprehension of not being able tJ execute his honourable commission to its full extent, whicl probably would have been considered as a crime. Tl^ exerted himself to pacify me; both he and the Couri< re})resented Tobolsk as the finest city in the universe and the manner of living there as very gay and agreeable The strongest recommendation of Tobolsk, in theopinic of the Courier, was the goodness and low price of pr< visions of all kinds. " What fish said he, what fish] for ten kopeks you may buy the finest esterlcts, for whi< the danity people of Petersburg would be glad to paj ten roubles; and the ceterinos, wliat cetfvinos ! Meat, bread, brandy, all to be had in the greatest plenty V To this the Counsellor added some particulars, which to me were far mpre interesting. The moment you arrive there," said he, " you will be free, perfectly free; you may run about, you m.ay go where you please ; you may hunt, shoot, ramble over the country, and make your own acquaintances. You ^x\\\ be allowed to write to the Emperor, to your lady, to your friends; you may have servants, and whatever will afford you pleasure : in a word, you may live according to your fancy. At there. Though we did not chang^e horses, yet we stopped in the castle-yard. He came down and pressed the Counsellor to stay and do him the favour to dine with him, ordered the Courier to be taken good care of, but said not a word to me, nor sent me any thing to cat or drink. He had taken care, however, that I should be well guarded, for he had ordered the gates to be shut, and a crowd of people to be stationed round my car- riage, who kept-staring me in the face and sneering at my situ- ation. In this manner I remained the object of their imperti- nence for a whole hour. Afterwards the Storaste re-concRjcted his well-replenished guests to the carriage. In spite of all thi.? want of decency with regard to me, the extreme thirst I suf- fered mastered my stubborn heart; I asked for something to drink, and a glass of beer was brought me 1 relate this anec- dote merely because I have since heard at Riga, that M. ce Korf had boasted of having entertained me at his table, and of having treated me in general with the most polite attenticr 69 Tobolsk, too, tliere are balk, masquerades, and a ;^ooc[ play-house." At the word play-house I siiiiled in "^pilc of myself. I only asked him, if he could engage that my correspondence would not be stopped. He gave me his word it would not, and this assertion revived my hopes. But, said I to myself, the Emperor, who send* me to Tobolsk, might likewise choose to send me to Ir- kutzk, which lies three thousand verstes beyond it. En- deavouring to guess at the real motives of my arrest, I had recollected that ten years ago, while I w^as printing Count Benjowsky, the late Empress wrote to Revel, to the Governor of that place, and charged him to ask me, "without mentioning that it was her Majesty^s order, what view I had had in writing that play. I naturally replied, that the history of Count Benjowsky had struck rpe as a fit subject for the drama; and that it had even been adopted before I attempted it by M. Vulpius. Nothing more was said on the subject; that great Princess, as if may easily be imagined, thought no more of tb€ matter. "The Emperor, thought I, offended at the S:ubject of this piece, is perhaps determined to inflict the sam.e kind, of punishment on me as I have described in the c Else of the exile : should it b^ so, I shall be sent to Kamtschatka, which lies six thousand verstes from Irkutzk. The Counsellor swore by all the saints that he w-ould allow himself to be called the greatest rogue in the uni- verse, if he was taking me to any other place than To- ])olsk. " But," said I, how do yeu know this? Your orders are sealed up ; are you acquainted with their con- tents?" Ele gave me to understand, that they had been transcribed by himself; " besides," added he, such a journey would not be divided into two parts: had you been destined lor Irkutzk, I should have received orders to have taken you there, as T have formerly received in the case of several exiles ; but my order and my post- ^'illet mention no other place than Tolx)Isk. You may >e yourself perfectly easy on that head. You may I suppose that it would ill become the dignity of the i>eror to parcel out his orders for the purpose of tor- ii; luing prisoners, and procuring them new suiTerings,'* 70 The reader will hereafter see what confidence I oiig to have placed In the Counsellor. But what calmed my mind more than the hopes of r maining at Tobolsk, was an incident the Counsellor no related. " A year ago," said he, " I was conducting woman this way ; we had already arrived near Casa when a courier overtook us, and presented me with order directing me to return with her immediately. H case had been re-examined, and other information h been received, by which she was found to have be innocent." Scarcely had the Counsellor related this a ecdote, than I began to apply the adventure of the wo- man to my own situation. I, then, as well as she," said I, may be found innocent." Of that," replied he, " there can be no doubt." And what did the woman say ? What became of her •" *' She was very happy, as you may well think ; she gave me her gold watch." This event struck n-iy imagination very forcibly^ and I cannot describe with what magic it impressed my whole soul. I had incessantly the image of this woman before my eyes, joining her hands together, and lifting them up to heaven, shedding tears of joy, and eagerly taking- her watch from her side; I followed her carriage as it was returning back, felt what she must feel as she ap- proached her home; I saw her discover her mansion, observed her children looking out at the window ; saw her then drive up to the door, throw herself out of the Carriage, and faint with delight in their arms. Yes, this coarse-minded man had, without being a\N'are of it, found out the true remedy for my affliction ; it was the balm that was best ailapted to heal the deep wounds of my soul. From tlie time I received this cheering information. I was every momenjt expecting the arrival of a courier As soon as I heard the bells* sound behind us^ n * In Russia tlie post-horses wear bells about their necks 71 I heart began to flatter in the most violent manner. My papers, tiiought I, have been examined, and I am I found innocent: an order has been instantly issued, a courier on liprseback has been dispatched after me, and he will render me the most happy of men. But I forgot, or strove to forget, that my papers were not taken at all into consideration in this affair. I still recurred to the idea of the kind courier pushing on his horse to overtake me ; I calculated how many days my papers must be on the road, how long a time their examination would I require, and I could have wished to have slackened our i pace, that the courier might the sooner overtake us. Three days had passed since we left the castle of Stockmannshof,and I now strove to eat for the first time. Our people had devoured the Bologna sausage, and drank all the Dantzic brandy ; they had even swallowed the bread, the butter, and the cold meat which M. de Bayer had ordered to be put into the carriage. I wished for some wine and coffee; we wefe not able to procure either the one or the other, and I had nothing to eat but some. eggs. The nights were verv cold, and the day not warm, on account of a piercing 4ind that was continu- ally blowing.. I was desirous to lay the cloak at my feet, which had been lately given me ; but the Courier iiad taken possession of it, and likewise had put on my boots. I forbore, however, to claim any of these thing?, j as my companions made use of what belonged to me i without the least ceremony ; and when they had once appropriated it, they considered it as a lawful prize. 1 This conduct extended even to my purse : on the least ; thing being purchased for me, or any repairs being made i to the carriage, I produced a note of twenty -five rou- ■ blesj it was changed, and it was not common to return ! ine the overplus; or if I ever obtained any thing back^ it was only a part. The Counsellor atla,stgrew short or money, and borrowed of me without ceremony. Tak- . ing it once into my head to refuse him, his whole man- ner of behaviour became so much altered, that 1 was forced at length to yield. I paid every expense on the cad, and though I had taken nothing but bread, , niilk,. 72 and eggs, and sometiinef^ a little roast veal, this jour- ney cost me upwards of four hundred roubles, v/ithout rec konir^g the carriage. I paid tor every thing ; these fellows bought brandy with my money, and never gave any thing to the poor peasants in return for the provi- sions which they furnished us; an e>itortion of which these wretched people dared not even complain. Here Icannot refrain from praising that hospitality which prevails among the Russian peasantry, and which is still more remarkable the further we advance into the coun- try. They are all anxious to receive strangers, and con- <\dcY it a very great honour done them. They set be- fore their guests every thing they have, and are ex- tremely delighted to see them relish the repast. I shall never forget the uneasiness of a female villager on seeing us approach, becuse she had no refreshments at hand. She ran about the cottage, and exclaimed, with tears in her eyes: " Here are three good little guests, and I have nothing to set before them the words, good little guests, made me smile. The peasants never demand any money in return for their h^pitality ; they refuse to be paid for bread, quass, and such things; and for their poultry, cream, and eggs, they are always sat-'^^ed with what- ever price is oflered for them. As they never receive any thing but curses from the soldiers and couriers who call on them, they take care not to acknowledge that they have any provisions in the house : I am however convmccd, tliat a traveller would always find. plenty when he ac- costs the Russian peasant in a civil manner. Whenever Ave wanted any thing out of the common way, I under- took the business alone, and promising to pay for what we ordered, we were supplied with every thing -v e de- sired ; tut the manner in which soldiers and couriers usually act, is extremely tyrannical. Where is th j desat- niek ? (an officer somewhat like the mayor or bailiff in Germany) The desatnick presents himself with all humility. — " We want such and such things." — He makes excuses, and declares he has none of them. The depredators swear in a horrid manner, and threaten to beat him : he then sets out in quest of provisions, and if i;e linds any, brings them ; but as he is not to be paid for (hem, he procures the worst that are to be had. Were I it not for this deeply-rooted abuse, travelh'ng in Russia I would be very agreeable ; lor these good and hospitable peasants, who are so easily won over, are every where to be met with. A thing of no value, a mere trifle, a piece of sugar given to their children, makes them in- stantly your friends. In this w^ay 1 acted during the whole journey, and I had all the mothers on my side. — i I gave the preference to children about the size of two I of my own daughters. Often, very often, the tears t came into my eyes : " You have certainly children at i home," the women w^ould say to me. — Six," replied tl, with a heavy heart, and the youngest not a year ;'old." Then I was sure to read that compassion in their eyes, which is so easily understood. I would then get onto my carriage, and they w ould bless me. But let me wave these digressions, and return to my own story. On the second night great precautions were taken to prevent the possibility of an escape guards were stationed in the house, the window-shutters were fastened, and my bed placed near the Counsellor's. The Courier slept on the floor, so that I must have passed over his body, had I endeavoured to get away. My beard was much grown; I wished to shave my- self, but this was' not allowed, and a barber was sent tor. In vain I urged, that for a long time past I had' been accustomed to perform this operation with my own hands, and that if I had any intention to destroy my- self, I was at liberty to plunge headlong into the first ri- ver I came to. All this reasoning was without effect : the Counsellor, however, took advantage of what I had said concerning rivers, and whenever we came to one, he placed himself between me and the water, as a means of securing my person. Silly man ! the power of thy Emperor does not extend so far. We enter into this world by one road only, but there are a thousand that lead out of it, and no human authority can hinder nie from breaking my fetters whenever I desire. I recollect reading in Raynal, that the negroes frequently choke G 74 themselves with their tongues, which they thrust in their throats. Heaven be praised, I shall not do thi A germ of hope still exists in my breast; it may. checked a little, but still it may revive again, and pr duce such fruits as shall make me cherish my existence We now arrived at Polosk, the only considerabl town we had met with since we had passed Riga Here we merely changed horses; but while this w being done, the Counsellor went on with his task writing down the report of his expedition. At ever town he did the same, and that induced me to keep good terms with him, and behave to him as civilly as possibly could. 1 was well convinced he would not insert a w^ord of my elopement : the fear of losing his noble confidential employment of escorting prisoners to Siberia, and of being deprived of the pleasant spectacle of their separation from their family and friends, and thej agreeable sounds of their lamentations, prevented him from relating that: but it was possible he would have written down some litt'e details which might have prov- ed injurious to me ; and yet, in spite of all my complai- sance, who knows if he has not done this ? I could see, from the manner he set about this trifling task, that he was no adept at his pen. It cost him much time to get through a few lines, and it was a ludicrous sight to ob- serve with what solemnity he would begin two or three times to scrawl over a piece of paper. Our Counsellor, therefore, was fit only for the calling he exercised, that of dragging condemned people to punishment : and iix|| this he acquitted himself with much dexterity and inteI-1 ligence, the fruit of the long experience he had had in^ this kind of service. He had not indeed always filled ' the office in so distinguished a manner as in the present case. Hitherto he had been nothing more than a mere officer in the service of the senate. He was promoted to a civil employment, and honoured witli the title of^ Aulic counsellor, in consequence of this Siberian expe-fl dition, to which he had been appointed as my conductor I know not why it was judged necessary to appoint a escort invested with such a title. Was if done in ord( lo avoid all uppcarance of" soldier'? and guards ? Whal- fver was the motive, it is equally vain to guess at it: it is however certain, that he performed this duty in his capacity of Aiilic counsellor, and he seemed not a little vain of the title. The title, no doubt, very much increased the conside- ration with which I was treated on the way. I was commonly taken for a person of great consequence, be- ing thus escorted by an Aulic counsellor, while men of rank, and even general officers, had no other escort than a dragoon, and no other carriage than a kibitk : i his flattering distinciion, therefore, was of considerable im- portance to me during the whole journey. • On the road between Polosk and Smolensk, I was again actacked by violent fits of the cholic ; and these were accompanied by involuntary tremours, convulsions vin all my limbs, and heats in my head and stomach, which threatened to produce speedy suffiDcation ; these heats de- clared themselves by tension of the forehead, sparks of fire in the eyes, and a buzzing in the ears. My pulse varied every moment ; I lost my appetite, and could not sleep ; I dreamed even when awake, and phantoms were continually dancing before my eyes. All my ideas were incoherent and obscure : I was almost insensi- ble to every thing round me ; the remembrance of my wife and mv children began to lose its charm, and the prospect of death its terrors. 1 had no other medicine a: hand than some neutralized halts, and the cream of tartar which had been given me at Stockmannshof. The prescriptions which 1 had col- lected for a considerable time paU, and which I had ob- tained from some of the most celebrated physicians in Germany, such as Zimmermann, Selle, Marcard, Gall, flufeland, &c. were sealed up with the rest of my pa- pers ; I had in vain petitioned to have them restored to me; they had been perhaps taken for cyphered letters belonging to some secret correspondence. I was there- ^fore without succour, and experienced a sort of pleasure ' i the idea of arriving at Smolensk, where I expected procure some relief. In fact, I owed my preservation 76 lo those soft rays of iiope which had already begun t« gleam upon me. J We arrived very late. The Counsellor, who had now! an antipatliy to inns, had ordered the postilion to drive] to the post-house ; but there was no room for us ; and,] as I positively declared 1 would go no farther, he wad obliged to drive to an inn. That to which we drove] appeared to be a decent house : the host received us! with lights in his hand, and conducted us up a large stair-i case into a spacious anti-chamber. I imagined, trom ap-j pearances, that we had found a comfortable asylum, but] when I saw our destined apartment, how was I disap-1 pointed ! It was a lofty garret, the floor of which was ready to give way under our feet, and the panes of glass in the window were broken, and all the Kirniture of the room xvas an old bedstead ; there \ias not a single chair, much less a looking-glass; and the walls fluttered witli old ragged tapestry. I looked round, and but too well aware it was in vain to make any complaint, I ajked for a little hay to till up the empty bedstead ; and, as soon as it was brought, threw myself upon it without uttering a word. The wind that came in tfirough the broken panes blew di- rectly upon me. I had no other covering but the bed- gown and cloak which had been given me ; and the cold and the vermin banished repose. Day-light began to appear, and I found myself in a violent fever ; my eyes were swelled and* inflamed. I waited with impatience till the Counsellor awaked, in order to entreat him to procure me a physician ; but the hyd-hearted wretch ret'used my request. He was of opinion, he said, that repose would be of more service lo me than any thing else, and added," that we should halt tor a day wliere we now were. The Courier, wiio had biit one specific cure ior the ills both of the body and soul, wisely recommended me to eat and drink as iiiuch as i could. This cruel proceeding stung me to the quick. I pun- ished my executioner, however, with contemptuou> silence, and I refused to remain there. I declared, t1 -c ; 77 if I must die, I would rather die in tlie fiolds, and I im- mediately quitted my miserable couch. Having expressed a wish tor a glass of Rhenish as we came along, the Counsellor now bought me a bottle; >h cost two roubles, and was so bad, that it was absolute- ly thrown away, as my worthy companions drank no wine; brandy alone suited their palates. Between Smolensk and Moscow, my indisposition considerably increased. A general torpor pervaded my limbs; I scarcely felt myself alive, and grew bhnd to every thing that' surrounded me. To have any idea of my condition at that time, the reader must conceive him- self in the situation of a man who, having awaked in the midst of darkness, without any recollection of the place in which he was, would fain grope out his way, and yet has not the power to move. From time to time the image of my wife seemed to break through this gloom, but only for a moment ; it was not like a flash of light, but resembled a soft ray, which reached and penetrated my eyes ; and my eyes alone participated in its lustre. When the Counsellor saw that my condition became dangerous, he began to show some regard to it. He promised that when we arrived at Moscow, a physician should attend me. This promise made but little impres- sion upon my mind; and during the height of my raging fever, if the idea of my wifcfand family had not been ever present to my imagination, I should gladly have thrown myself into the arms of death, with all that ea- gerness with which we embrace a friend, ^vho has been long and ardently expected. We arrived at Moscow " ie 7th of May, old style, and were driven through a ..loasand dirty and pestiferous streets, to the lodgings «f Major MaximofF, the comrade and very intimate friend of our Counsellor. ^The Major inhabited a miserable hut, coRsistihg of two small rooms, which his Ensign shared with him. The unexpected arrival of three persons ren^ dered the dwelling. still more inconvenient; the Major, however, did the honours of his house with a good grace, and strove by every means in his power to render my situation tolerable. He gave me some soup^ and a dish G 2 78 of coffee, and compelled me to accept his own be which, though hard, proved a great comfort to me. The Counsellor, imagining that T had fallen aslee began to inform his dear comrade of the happy chan in liis fortune. I felt a real pleasure to hear this frien of his lament his being employed in such kind of busines Our Counsellor only smiled, and exhibited his two dee wrinkles : he cared indeed but little for what peop said ; and rising from his seat, walked to the stove evaporate, through the pores of his skin, the little po tion of sentiment which nature had bestowed on him. physician had been promised me, but I waited for him in vain, tor in fact he was not to come at all. When I requested my execu'ioner to make good his promise, he replied, shrugging up his shoulders, that it was contrary to liis orders to allow me any medical assistance. " You are instructed then to let medio?" " Ah, you will not die, Sir.^' I remained silent. With Heaven's good help, said I to myself, before I die, I will make my will and take leave of my wife. This idea took strong hold of my mind, yet tiiis favour was likewise de- nied me. It was necessary to procure a public officer to authenticate such an act, and how could I expect to be indulged with a notary, when a physician had been de- nied me? I cut short this difficulty, by begging 1 might- be allowed a minister: ca(h it be conceived that this too was refilled me r It was in vain I represented to our Counsellor, that besides the welfare of my soul, it must iiaturally be supposed, that as a father of a family I had affairs to set in order ; ,that the right of making bequests was refused to none ; that the ICmperor had no design tt- piinish either my wife or my children; all these reasonh were of no avail, I was unable to move him. " But, for God's sake," contmued^I, " \Gi me write a few words to my wife; you shall read them yourself ; you have already promised her this, and to me you have repeated that promise a hundred times." He considered a little, and at last consented. I wrote four or five lines only, and refrained from aV observations on my unhappy situation, I advised her t-.. 79 arm herself with resolution, to take proper care of iier health,- for the sake of her children, who were thus de- prived of their father. I translated my letter to the Coun- sellor, sealed it in his presence, and gave it into his hands; and he begged the Major to have it sent to the post-office. This task being performed, I grew more composed ; but I was soon after told by the Courier, that my letter had been thrown into the fire. I sjiud- dered when I heard this. I had indeed always thought meanly of the Counsellor, but stung with indignation at this act of treachery, he now became odious to me, and I vowed for him eternal hatred and contempt. Yet in rpite of his vigilance and all the eyes that sur- rounded me, I found means to write a sec(md letter. I shall not relate what these means were ; I should per- haps injure the kind person who furnished me with them : May God reward him The next evening we left Moscow. The weather was very fine ; and crossing the oi^y, we passed, near the public walk, a birch-tree alley, which resembles the Linden at Berlin. Here the heau monde resort: it was now filled with equipages, handsome well-dressed ladies, and fiise gentlemen, not one of whom observed the poor Author, v\ ho perhaps that very evening was to contribute to their amusement. How do the happy and the unfortunate cross each other in this world ! How unusual \f it for one among them to concern himself about the situation of another, while every one, engrossed by his own concerns, stumbles in- discriminately on the bramble or the flower. Though the sight of this promenade did not excite very agreeable sensations in my mind, it diverted its attention in some degree from the misery of its condition. I know not whether I should ascribe the recovery of my health to the spring, to my perfect resignation, or my total relinquishment of hope, since to cease to hope * My wife did not receive the letter. Alexander Schulkins, In whom, notwithstanding his foolery, I could always discover the sentiments of a well meaning man, not easily bribed, Alex- ander SchulkiYis, I say, who swore by every saint he would for- ward this letter, did not perform what he had promised. 80 is to procure repose. I had, however, no sooner quitt Moscow than I perceived I began to gain strength, also regained my fortitude, and often, by way of con lation, I reflected on the cases of several unfortunate pe sons,^\vhose ills resembled mine; I thought of Napp Tandy, of the exiles at Cayenne ; but the former ha taken an active pari in the troubles of his country ; the others, more unhappy perhaps than myself, had been Vi concerned in the administration of a disjointed state; thev were innocent, it is true, but they had been punish- ed for the avowal of sentiments openly expressed ; but what opinions had T avowed? In a word, if their tor- ments have surpassed mine, my innocence, at least, was more self-evident than theirs. Nothing, alas ! can be more tormenting than the con- dition of the man who, every time he looks into himself, finds the consciousness of his own misery assailing him like the serpents of Lacoon, in every possible direction, and torturing him under a thousand various shape%f Such was my case, isolated as 1 was in my carriage, without a human creature near me to offer comfort, to advise me, or to listen to my complaints ; with no ob- ject to divert my attention, but the discordant song of j. Alexander Schiiikins, and the heavy sallies of my exe- <: Table Counsellor, whose jokes were all alike, and every moment repeated. If th« Courier fell asleep, he would tickle his nose with the tassel of his cane till he had avv'aked him, and he would then rub him between the shoulders with the head of it. When we came to a high mountain, he would exclaim, Moladinka gnra! (the lit- tle young mountain.) And was it but a moderate one, he would cry,\ Wot star-ucha ! (see the old mountain.) A man must, like myself, have frequented good com- pany, to have any idea of the horrid disgust I continu- ally felt in the society of these animals. The Counsellor has often repeated to me, that he had five hundred souls in his possession;* but I can safely aver he does not * This is the expression used by the Russians when they arc speaking of the peasants. 81 I ciwry tlie half ot" one about him. The only good quah"ty» the man had, was intrepidity in the hour of' dan|yer. He would even tempt the danger he could have avoided : he never, for instance, v^ ould allow the carriage wheels to be locked in descending the steepest mountains. One 5 day our horses took fright coming down a hill, at the ' foot of which was a brook ; over the brook was a bridge ; but from the direction the horses had taken, it was evi- dent that they could not reach it. The wheels were within two paces of the brink ; the Counsellor, without hesitation, immediately leaped out ; his foot slipped, and he fell down the declivity ; notwithstanding this, he was 'able to sustain with his hands- the weight of the carriage, which was on the point of turning over ; the postilion then drove on, and it was by this fool-hardy manoeuvre that we escaped being thrown into the brook. He often gave us proof of similar intrepidity, particu- larly when we had rivers to cross, which are very dan- gerous in Russia, and remarkably so in the spring, when tlie melting of the snows suddenly transforms a brook into a deep stream. The method of ferrying over them is also ill contrived and dangerous. Two boats, fastened together by osier twigs, and covered with planks, con- stitute the only conveyance for all sorts of carriages. Two rowers tugging on the same side of this flying- bridge, force it on, while a pilot at the other end steers its course. In this manner the most difficult ferries are crossed. ^During, the passage, the boats are generally filled with water. Frequently a mere raft, constructed in the slightest manner, forms the ferry boat, so that the passenger is sure to be drenched to the skin. These sort of fiat-bottomed boats are fastened by a rope, and held till the current grows rapid, when they are let loo-^e, and kept as much as possible in a diagonal direc- tion. W'e had to pass the river Sura, near the little tovrn of Wasilkoi. When we arrived at the banks of it, the wind was exiremely boisterous, and tliis small stream, which, d':rinr '[ic summqr raontiis, is almost dry, was now so t the country, for a German mile round it, waj 82 J^oocled, and even ihe tops of the loftiest trees were om low the water. We xvaited a considerable time before the opposite side, and more than two hours had passed nnir ^^of^^^' ved: at last it came to our assist- ance We had judged, from its slow motion when empty, though furnished with an extra number of oars t iat witn our incumbrance it would proceed still more sion-^y ihe boatmen assured us, the moment they ar- rived the passage would be attended with much danger, and that it was absolutely necessary to wait till the wind aoated. The Counsellor did not attend to their advice, Jut determined, at all events, to embark without loss of tinie I comcided with him, for I braved fortune, and nened its power to render my situation more lamentable than It already was. The men, however, refused to t^ke us; it was necessary to show them our orders: they hen made the sign of the cross, and prayed God to be Umir helper. At first we proceeded extremely well, as we were under the shelter of a neck of land, which completely sfuelded us from the tempest: bat when we gained the rniddle of tne n ver, we began to be much incommoded. J lie wind blew with such violence, and drove us along wuh such rapidity, that, in spite of the efforts of the boalrr^n, we could no longer weather the storm. We tiieu drove towards a bush, which appeared to be of no very considerable size, and as we approaclied it, the altrighied rowers strained every nerve to avoid getting ioul of It. They uttejjd several loud exclamations, but 1 could not understanTwhat they said. Well, said I to myself, we can but run aground, and as we are so near tlie town, we shall soon be relieved. Their fears, how- ever, were not ill fbunded, as I soon perceived, when on drawing nigh the supposed bush, I found it was nothing ^ess than the top of a clump of trees, whose roots lay deeper under water than our longest pole could reach. We now got entangled among their branches, and were in danger of being destroyed. The cords of the raft seemed incapable of resisting such violent and repeated 83 shocks. The two boats on which it was placed, were on the point of breaking asunder, in wliich case the car- riage and horses must have floated down the stream. But ithis was not the greatest danger that threatened us; one k)f the boats was lifted up by the (op of a tree, and the other, which sunk in proportion, was filling with water Very fast. The declivity of the raft became so consider- able, that our horses with difficulty kept theit footing, ind began to be very unruly. We were ourseh es obliged /to hold fast by the wheels of the carriage, and were all i jbuttoo sensible that this perilous situation must scon yield J r.o something still worse. The Counsellor himself was at length convinced of jhe danger into which his rashness had plunged us: he rrevv pale and uneasy; then laying hold of a pole with /I hook, he grappled the bough of a tree; the Courier .;,lid the same, and the boatmen, abandoning both helm 'lind oars, followed their example. I remained the only Inactive person on board, and sat wrapped up in my 1'loak in the carriage, perfectly resigned, and awaited he worst that could biefal me with tranquillity. The Counsellor's mana?uvre saved the raft from falling j D pieces, and at length we got clear of" the bushes ; but . ■ •^ere after all unable to make the shore, and our boatmen . ' eing quite worn out with fatigue, we returned to our , 5rmer station. Fortunately a light barge soon came* to ur assistance ; this being fastened to the raft, our people gain set to work, with the addition of four fresh hands, ^ nd we soon arrived safe ontthe opposite shore. ■ \ Were I disposed to jest, I might ^y with Tamino,"^" , lat in going to Siberia, I had been obliged to pass through re and water before I fead been initiated in the dark lysteries of the country. One night we saw a large ' )rest in flames. At a distance the spectacle produced ' 1 grand effect, but when I found we were to pass through this new kind of danger made me shudder. Some riling pines which had fallen one against the other, ac- i!Iy ibrmed an arch of fire in the very middle of the A character in the Enchavited Flute. 84 ' m road, while others threatened to fall upon our heaajj We frequently observed trees burnt eight or ten feet at bottom, supported by the mere thickness of their bark, their tops and branches as ^'ct untouched by the flamc We came at length to a fir-tree on fire from top to bo: tom, which was overturned across the road. At firsi we hesitated what to do, as it was equally dangerous to proceed or to turn back. It was at length determined to proceed ; the postilion whipped the horses, and drove them over tlie lowest part of tlie tree. This agreeable passage was at least a thousand paces in length. There is nothing more common in travelling through Russia, than to meet with these fires. I had before seen several, but not so near at hand. The natives appear delighted at such accidents : the country is so encum- bered with forests, that they take no means whatever tc extinguish such conflagrations. We proceeded through Wolodimer, and Nichnei No- vogorod. The reader will not expect any descriptior of these cities. The sensations with vvhich I was op- pressed, precluded all observation of these places, which however, many travellers have already described, anc of which I could relate itothing r.aw. One morning as we were alDOut to depart from a vil lage where we had slept the preceding night, we hearc the'bells of some post-horses that were on the road com ing from Moscow. This agreeable sound, which I ha( in my ears ever since I left that city, excited a suddei sensation in my mind, and my heart beat violently. ** I courier !" cried a^easant, a courier !" I instantl; ran out. The sound drew nearer ; it was in truth ; courier, but not a courier disjfatched to announce m recal. An unfortunate old man, dressed in a bed-gowi and night-cap, with fetters on his legs, now made hi appearance, seated in a wretched kibitk. This prisonll was a lieutenant-coloneLof Rasan, a man in good cli ciimstances, and, like myself, a husband and a father he had been dragged out of his bed in the middle of tf. night, agd, like me, torn from his afflicted family, an destined also to the same spot where I was U's . - ' • A quarrel which he had had with the governor, was the cause of his misfortune. The irons witli which he wai loaded, had swelled his legs exceedingly ; he had no change of linen, no clothes, and, in sliort, was in tliG most deplorable condition that can be imagined. • He was escorted by a police ofticer, belonging to the town of Riisan. This man, who was a Greek by birth, and who spoke Italian very fluently, appeared to be very civil and well-disposed, and to do all in his power to alleviate the misfortune of his prisoner. He even went so far as to take off his chains, which our Counsellor would have been glad to have fastened on me. His good humour had pleased my odious guard to such a de- gree, that he allowed me to chat with him, though our conversation might naturally enough have displeased him, as it w^as carried on in Italian, a lar.guage of which he had not the least knowledge. I was delighted with this meeting ; the man was w^ell informed, and after three fonely wrecks, to find a human creature with whom I could converse, was an inexpressible plcasifre to me. From Uiis moment we generally travelled in company, and though we separated fi^m time to time, we sooii met again. The Colonel seemed to be a quiet good-, natured man, and to bear his misfortune with great dig. nity of mind. In comparing our different cases, the consideration of his calamity was well calculated to re- concile me in a certain degree to my own. In his es- cort he was more fortunate than me; but in other res- pects his condition was worse than mine, as he was in total want of every thing, not having had time to take any money with him. This unfortunate gentleman, being continually in sight, afforded me a spectacle that mitigated my own affliction. It revived my sinking resolution, and I endeavoured to imitate his firmness of mind. I was furnished with tea, and we often drank 11 together. He would smile as a token of gratitude: we w^ished much to relate our mu- tual sorrows, but that consolation was denied us. I cannot refrain from noticing a natural plwenoraenen which I saw on tlie road. It was a man one hundred II 86 m and thirty years old. His eldest son, who was eightj appeajied not more than fifty. He has a numeroSB progeny. When \vc arrived at his dwelling, we fbunff him lying on a couch, with nothing but a hard mattress luider him. Excepting his sight, which was grown very weak, he had all his faculties unimpaired. He still con- tinued to go into the woods in quest of bark to make his shoes; and I was much struck to observe that his hands were neither wrinkled nor thin, as is commonly the case with old people. As soon as he saw us he arose, dressed him- self, and offered me his bed. I was affected by this act of hospitality. That a man, almost a century older than myself, should offer me his bed, and sleep himself on the ground, was indeed a very singular act of kindness ! I felt peculiar delight in gaaing on the old man, and left him with much regret. J should have been glad to have asked him many questions relative to his manner of liv^ ing, which doubtless was a principal cause of his attain-, ing such an extreme old age, but our stay was too shori and indeed 1 was not sufficiently master of the Russia^' language. All that I was able {o learn on this subject vvas, that he had married late in life, and had never been addicted to the use of strong liquors. At the last post before Casan, wx met with General Mertens, whom I had formerly known. This officer, who was a German by birth, had lately been nominated Vice-Go vernor of Perm. We met on the banks of the Wolga, and as the environs were under water as far as the eye could reach, we made a long passage together. I rejoiced at thi^-meeting ; I had not spoken German for tlie last three weeks: We talked of the good old timesj and he listened to the story of my misfortunes with greal attention. The Counsellor, who formerly had served! under him, could not, from respect to thCoGeneral, in- terrupt our conversation. I learnt many occurrences that had taken place, few of which were of an agreeable nature. He was himself much out of huniour with for- tune. He was a Major-Genjeral pf considerable stand 4ng, and had been invested; with a civil employment ivithout having solicited 91 desired it, sent to Pei ki ^7 two thousand verstes from Petersburg, where he had left his family. The office of Vicc-Gcf\'ernor of that town was rather a degradation than an advancement. I shall conclude his story by observing, that Fortune, who had seemed to frown on him, in making him Vice-Governor of Perm, where in fact he was nothing better than an exile, had since smiled on him ; for when he arrived at that place, he received a commission which named him to the government of Twer, a city situated not far from Moscow, and which holds a distinguished rank among the Russian provinces. He arrived at the seat, of his government by a very singular road, having made his way per aspera ad astra. Ah ! why did not the Em- peror act in the same manner towards me ? Had he only ordered me to be condudled to Petersburg through Sibe- ria, I would erase from the tablet of my memory every circumstance of this narrative. We arrived in the evening at Casan, avoiding the inns as usual. It was late, and I saw but little of this re- markable city. Here the Counsellor had friends, as in all other parts, very usdiil friends, with whom he could lodge without expense. We alighted in the Tartar sub- urbs, three verstes from the city, at the house of Lieut. Justifey Temofectsch, a man about fifty years of age, and one of the best creatures in the world. He was married, but had no children : he seemed flattered by the friend- ship of the Counsellor, and wished for no greater honour than his high protection. It was easy to perceive that he was not in very affluent circumstances^ nevertheless both he and his wife receiv^ed us with so much kindness, and offered us every thing they had to offer in so cordial a manner, that I never shall forget their hospitality. Had my appetite been much greater than it wa;, they would have been so much the more happy. It was, however, far from being moderate, as all the post-houses we had slopped at, on the other side of Casan, were mere pig- sties. The Tschermists and the Wotiaks who keep ihcm, t pressing manner, to defer our departure till the storm had abated ; but he positively refu:^ed. I rej)resented the dangers we had to dread from such tempestuous weather, that our horses had iron about them, that the carriage contained much ! of that metal, and that such conductors alone were suffi- cient to attract the lightning. He told me with a sneer that all that was an idle story. I added, that prudent travellers generally got out of their carriages, and chose some open spot to remain inj when overtaken by thun- 93 I der-storras. But my Counsellor still sneered at me, and 1 asked me how I could give credit to such trash. Irri- j tated not only at his want of complaisance, but likewise I at his ignorance, which certainly ought not to have vex- I ed me at all, I threw myself into the carriage. Why i should I dread death ? said I to myself. Only creatures i like this man should fear it j for \\ hat has he to expect beyond the grave ? We continued our route, and the claps of thunder grew more loud and frequent. We passed over a heath which on one side the road was in a blaze. This kind of con- ; flagration is different from that of a wood. The flame ^ crawls along in a serpentine direction, at one time quick, i at another slow. Sometimes it^'darts upwards, but nc i ver continues long in that direction ; sometinifes it lurks I concealed and concentrated, till it finds fresh fuel to feed j upon. - * I Although this fire was by no means dangerous, yet the spectacle altogether was exceedingly terrible. Here the , flames of the heath and under-wood crackled ; there the lightning flashed, and the heavens were all on fire. — Such were the combined horrors of the route for several verstes together, when at length we cam.e to a wood of fir and birch of small extent. Having cleared the wood, we found the country all under water. A bridge of boats lay on the bank for the purpose of ferrying over to a village on other side, but it was unattended and empty. Th^pindation extended so far, that we stood at a great distance from the village, where the boatmen were now regaling themselves. We called loudly for these men, but remained a considerable time before we ! could be heard : at last a man crossed over to us in a small boat. Though the raft had but one rope, and the water we had to cross was stagnant, yet I was of opin- ion that a single boatman was insufficient for the purpose • of ferrying us over : but the Counsellor was determined to try the experiment, and accordingly ordered the man to bring the raft to the bank. The boatman replied that he could not do so on account of ^he shallows, as it would drive the raft aground, which, with our additional 94 weight, could not be got off a^ain ; but the man added, j that we had five good horses, which were well able to draw us to the raft. We therefore proceeded, the wheels sunk in stiff clay ; four horses reached the raft, but the fifth, endeavouring to do the same, slipped back, and remained with his hind parts deep in the water, and at last floundered on one side ; nor could any means in- duce him to get upon his legs again. In the mean time the other horses kept pulling on. My companions had jumped out of the carriage; I remained in it, secretly de- lighted at what had happened. At length, observing that the slight rope which fastened the raft was likely to be broken by the struggles of the horses, I thought il would be imprudent not to follow their example, and 1 accordingly stepped into the water, and climbed on board the raft. The Counsellor took the whip, and mounted the driver's seat; the postilion held the horses by t^ie reins, the courier beat them forwards with the bough of a tree, the boatmen laid hold of the rope, and I remain- ed with my arms folded, and my feet wet, exposed to a 'most violent shower of rain. In the midst- of all this bustle, a thunderbolt fell upon a birch tree. The report was terrible. They all let fall their arms, and only rais- ed them again to make a thousand signs of the cross up- on their breasts and foreheads. Gospodin poinila was repeated inces!;anily. The Counsellor was confounded, and the Courier upbraided him with not Jfl^g listened to his advice. I smiled, but did not utt^(|K\'ord. The distance from Perm to Tobolsk is computed to be nine hundred verstes, but the road and the country are far superior to those between Casan and Perm. Instead of those gloomy forests of pine, we now saw young woods of birch intermixed with extensive and fertile fields, in a high state of cultivation, and opulent villages, .either Russian or TartJ^r, situated at no great distance from each other. The c:ountenances of the peasants appear so contented and cheerful on Sundays and holidays, that tlie traveller can scarcely persuade himself he is really in Siberia. In these villages the houses are much cleaner than in those of the other Russians. The inns Jiavc each 95 two room;? ; the common one, called the isba, and tlie ther tlie gornitza. These chambers hav^whidows ziazed with transparent pebble ; there are tables cover- ed v/ilh decent tapestry, and a variety of fine images arc placed in every corner. They are furnished also with many household utensils, which we had not seen in any of the peasants' houses for a considerable distance ; such as glasses, cups and saucers, &c. I likewise re- marked more lio>pitality among the people of these parts than even among the Russians, whose language, I should observe, bears no resemblance to theirs. On working-days the country seems to be thinly in- Jiabited ; one may travel for hours together widiout incL uig a single man, and yet these apparently desert iands are so extremely fertile, that they appear as if they were cultivated by magic. Every holiday the young gifls, clad in white and red, or in blue, resort to the vil- lage green, and entertain themselves with singing and danciiig. The young men have their own amusem.ents ; parties of them were less frequently seen than of the other sex, gnd were less numerous, which must be attri- buted to the late levies, which had considerably diminish- ed their number in these parts, I did not observe the indiscriminate mixture of the sexes in any of their sp.orts. I saw a great number of children, most of whom were, however, born in the reign of Catharine. The pezgfcDts in general cherish a tender remembrance of the latelB||^)ress : they call her matuschka (little mo- ther.) On the contrary, they seldom speak of her son, the present Emperor, and when they do^ it is with great reserve. In all the government of Perm, Ekaterinabur Is the only town of importance. Here the Counsellor disco- vered my writings, which threw him into a violent rage. Had I not prevented him, he would have torn my books. I shall let the Governor see these," said he. You may, if you please," replied I ; " they contain nothing more than the draught of a memorial which I intend to * Celebrated fojf the mines in its neighbourhood 96. present io tlie Emperor; and I began the task with much the more confidence, as you had assured me, the most positive terms, this indulgence would be grant ed me." " That," replied he, will depend on th last instructions sent to the Governor." " What," sai I, then vou are not certain, after all your oaths, that am to remain at Tobolsk ! And yet you assured me, the word and honour of a man, that that city was to the end of my journey!" He appeared to be confounded, and assured me aga that he was not the bearer of any order that implieil-fny being sent further than Tobolsk. Here he paused: my reproaches doubtless made him forget what cl^e he had to say ; at least he said no more. He had, however, renewed my anxiety ; my fate still appeared to be Unde- cided. Tiumen was the first town we came to on the frontiers of Siberia. We passed through a forest about forty verstes short of this place, in which the direction-posts indicate that the traveller is already in the jurisdiction of To- bolsk. The Counsellor was inhuman enougli to point to these posts, and to explain the intention of them. I made no reply, though my heart was bursting with an- guish. Alas ! was it not enough to be a prey to all the ills that a ({uick sense of feeling created within me ? — Was it necessary that this executioner should resort to outward objects to increase my sufferingj# I was now actually in Siberia; and a circumstanceilPlurred at the first post, not at all calculated to assuage the agony of mind I had suffered at the sight of the direction-posts. — I shall relate the anecdote, which inflicted torments up- on my hc^rt never to be forgotten. \Vc stopped to change horses at a village, and as I Was sitting at the door of a cottage, breaking some bread into a bowl of milk, an old man of sixty, whose hair and beard were white as snow, threw himself on the ground, and inquired with extreme earnestness if we had brought him any letters from Revel. I fixed my eyes steadfastly upon him ; I doubted whether I had rightly i^ide Governor's palace forms a prominent object, was parti(ndarly strik- ing ; on a nearer \'iew, however, it appeared partly in ruins, having formerly suf!'ered by fire. It was now that I had an opportunity of fully ascertaininy^e diflerence between the coarse but kind disposition of Alexander Schulkins, and the unfeeling apathy of the Counsellor. When the latter awoke, he gave a loose to the most inde- cent exuUations of delight, and laughed immoderately, v/ithout tlie least regard to that delicacy which respect for the unfortunate so naturally inspires. He appeared lik** an executioner, who, the moment he has taken away the life of a lellow-creature, assumes a look of satisfactio'^ and applauds his own dexterity. The Courief-, on ti contrary, was silent and dejected, at seeing m.e so nc a place where my destiny was to be decided ; he gair, ^n me by stealth from time to time, with looks of soriL ^nd compassion. 99 We entered the town by water : the lower parts were overHovvn, the streets were full of boats, in which the inhabitants were carr> ing on the necessary business of the day. On the tenth of May, in the afternoon, we landed near the great market place.* Vv^e procured a kibick, and instantly repaired to the Governor's house. When we arrived at the door, the Counsellor entered, and left me in the carriage. This was a painful quarter of an hour indeed ! The servants stared at me, and whispered one another ; all this gave me great uneasiness. At last the Counsellor returned, and beckoned me to follow him. He then led me through the garden to a summer-house, where the Governor had been taking an afternoon's nap. I asked my conductor if I was to remain here ; and he answered me dryly: "Indeed, Sir, I cannot say." The summer-house was open ; I with a firm step entered alone; the Counsellor remained without. The Governor, M. de Kuschelef, who had been represented to me as a very humane man, by the people at Perm, seemed about forty years old ; his person was noble, and his counte- nance full of intelligence. His first words were, these : Parle-vouz Francois, Monsieur ? The question drove me almost frantic with delight, so happy was I to be at length able to explain myself. Oui, stammered I, with great eagerness. He then begged me to be seated. " Your name is familiar to m<)\d me on going awav, that he should im^mediafelv introciuf/e a ii-iend of his to me, whom he had brought into Siberia ' the preceding summer, and of whom he had a]iead\r I spoken in very flattering terms on the road; but as his praise was no recommendation with me, I had no desire to make this new acquaintance. My surprise was, how- ev€*r, the more agreeable^ when he introduced JM. Kini- akoff, one of the best informed young men I had ever met with. He accosted me in French, assured me he had repeatedl5ftread my works, and said many handsoml I -things to mc on that subject. He offered me his services, I lamented that I had experienced the same misfortune that had befallen him, and particularly that I had tra- i veiled in such bad company ; zuitk mch a miscreant /— j That was the flattering appellation with which he honour- j ed the Counsellor. **■ But tliis man calls himself your friend." Heaven preserve me from such a'friend ! You must ■tihink I wished to keep on good" terms with him, and this I still continue to do." Kijiifikof^';, the son of a man of rank of the town of 104 8imbiesk,* had been sent to Siberia, with two of fH brothers, and some other oflicers, for having lampoonea the Emperor. He alone had the good fortune to remain' at Tobolsk ; two others of them had Irkutzk for their prison ; his youngest brother was loaded with fetters, and closelv confined in a small fortress four thousand vern. from Tobolsk; another in the dreadfiil Beresow, a pla( . •quailing in horrors all that can be imagined of the in- I j nal regions. I derived no small consolation from meeting with a vjfic.n who appeared endowed with noble sentiments, and with whom, from the first quarter of an hour after our. juecting, I felt myself as familiat as if he had been an old acquaintance. He promised me books; what luxu- ry " — From him I learnt that the Emperor had proscribe^ All foreign literature throughout his dominions, and that m V })ieces werfe frequently acted at Tobolsk, in an in- di fferent manner indeed, but witli great applause ; he Jjtkewis** was pleased to add, that my arrival here v; as more talked of than that of half a dozen generals in chief would have been. He even offered me, with the Gov^er- rioi^s leave, his house and his table. We conversed together more than an hour, and parted highly satisfied with each other. Among otlier vi^-itors. Baron de Som- mmwg?, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Austrian service, and knight of the order of Maria Theresa, did me the quence of a love afl^air, while he waiat Higa, and his ri- val, a man of more interest than himself, had procured his exile, v.ithout reaping any advantage from it; for the young lady, a girl of eighteen, whom Sommaruga, had married, soon after left her relations, and flew to Tobolsk to share the mi.^fbrtunes of her husband. She undertook this long journey without knowing -a word of the Russian language, and under the sole escort of a common courier. •* Hearing at Moscow that her husband lay ill at Twer, she instantly flew to him, and after tliat He had fought a duel in conse- * A place situated two hundred verstcs to the south of Ca- san, in a very temperate climate. 105 accompanied him to Tobolsk, where I have often wit- nessed her unshaken attachment. She has evinced great kindness towards me. Not knowing how to cook vic- tuals, I frequently made my meal upon a slice of dry bread. From this lady, however, I have more than once I received a portion of her soup and roast meat. I I also saw here Count de Soltikovv, a man advanced ! in years, and in affluent circumstances, who had been exiled for usurious practices. He kept a good house here, and was a very agreeable companion : through his means I was furnished with newspapers. Three tradesmen from Moscow, two Frenchmen and a German, increased the number of unfortunate exiles at this place, having been concerned in smuggling transac- tioDS to the amount of not more than two hundred rou- bles. Tlie latter, whose name is Becker, is a very worthy and friendly man. His wife has just feft him in order to solicit his recal, and if she should not succeed, she in- tends to return here with her children. I embraced the hopes that this opportunity would likewise enable my own family to join me here. I also received the visits of four Poles, who had been I sent into exile for imprudencies of a political nature, — I They were poor, though of noble birdi, and received , I each an allowance from the state of twenty copecks, or about ten French sols a day. In a word, my chamber was crowded with guests, a circumstance extremely in^ convenient to me ; -and I felt relieved when the approach of night enabled me to retire to my bed, and to the in- dulgence of my own reflections. . In the course of the night a remarkable circumstance took place, the explanation of which I must leave to my good friends Doctors Gall and Hufeland. I had fallen asleep; towards twelve oVlock I awoke, and fancied myself on board a ship. I not only felt the rocking mo- tion of the vessel, but heard the flapping of the sails, and the noise and bustle of the crew. As I lay on the floorj J could see no objects through the window, except the sky, and this circumstance added to the force of the illu- sion. 1 was sensible it was such, and endeavoured to ■ 106 overcome it. I felt myself, as it were, furnished wi two separate mind:^, the one confirmed what I fanci the other convinced me that it was all imaginary, staggered about the room, though I saw the Counsell and every thing that surrounded me the evening befo remaining absolutely in the same place. I went to window; the wooden houses in the streets 1 thought we ships, and in every direclion I perceived the open s Whither am I going ? seemed to say one mind. N where, replied the other ; you are still in your own apa ment. This singular sensation, which I cannot w describe, continued for half an hour ; by degrees it came less powerful, and at length entirely quitted me, A violent palpitation.of the heart, and a o.uick convulsive pulse succeeded. Yet I was not feverish, nor did I feel any head-ache. My O'.vn opinion and conviction is, that the whole must hcive been the commencement of a spe- . cies of insanity. I was visited by Aulic-Counsellor Paterson, Surgeon- Major of the town, who was born at Revel. He as- cribed this strange delirium to the fatigues I had under- gone, both of body and mind. This explanation, how- ever, appeared unsatisfactory to me, though it was per- l haps the best that could be given. I had soon reason to entertain a very favourable opinion of this worthy per- son : he was a countryman of my wife's, and he quickly •gained my confidence by the nol^le frankness of his be- naviour. From my first arrival here, he gave me daily proof of his humanity, which even accompanied me to my desert ; for it is to him that I am indebted for many things of the first necessity, which, at Kurgan, where I was compelled to be my own physician, were of invaluable service to me. He also took all possible pains with the Governor in order to procure me the privilege of re- maining at Tobolsk, and if he" was not successfuJ, it was merely because the order that came with me did not state whether Tobolsk or the government of Tobolsk v/as be the place of my exile. In the latter case, tiic :;p .: not being positively specified, the Governor determine; as he thinks tit. All my new friends were of opi:ii:^ri. 107 that, the order being vague, (he Governor had it in his power to retain me at Tobolsk ; but, according to eti- quette, he could not assign to me the place wliere he jhimself resides. If ever he loses sight of this rule, it is in the case of obscure exiles, and where there is good reason to suppose that no inquiry would be made con- cerning them. But unfortunately this was not my case, my arrest having been attended v\i(h such singular cir- cumstances, that it appeared an affair of no small im- portance. The Governor naturally concluded, that he should be liable to those secret informations which are now so common : in short, his whole conduc t convinced me that he was unable to grant me this indulgence, not- withstanding the strong plea of health which M. Patersoii not fail to urge. I, however, received hopes of ob- taming permission to return to Tobolsk whenever mj health required it. As soon as I began to be free from the interruptions of visits, I set about my Memorial to the Emperor, and as 1 had already sketched the outline, the task was not difficult. It contained eighteen articles, and it is a du- ty I owe to my reputation, as well as to my wife and children, to insert an extract in this place, that my inno- cence and the whole tenor of my conduct may be exhi- bited hi the strongest light. It includes a short sketch of my hie, both public and private, upon which so many falsehoods, or at least so many ambiguous stories, have^ been universally propagated. * I jr. Memorial inhehaJf of the unfortunate Kotzebue, zvith corroborating Documents contained in the Papers tvkich iiQie been taken from him. Translated from the origi- md French.'* ARTICLE I. KOTZEBUE, a native of Weimar, son to the late Counsellor of Legation^ Kotzebue, was called to Peters- * A part of this was draw» ur at Kurgan ; Its sequel, and •he subsequent contents of this book, I did not compose till 9. :• period. 103 burg at the age of eighteen, at the instance ot Count Goiz, a friend of his father's, then Envoy from Court of Berlin, He was appointed Secretary toM. Eawr, Engineer-General, whom he served with prob in many atlhirs of importance, and with whom he co iinuedtill the decease of the General. Proof, — TheGeneral recommended him in his will the late Empress, and that Princess, by virtue of an menoi-uku.se, * named him a titular Counsellor, and dered him to be employed in the Administration of R vel, at that time newly organized. ARTICLE II. Kotzebue acted in the capacity of Assessor in t Court of Appeals in Revel, in 1783, and exercised that office during two years to the satisfaction of the superior Judges. Proof. — Count Browne, the Governor-General, re- commended him to the vacant place of President of the Magistracy, a station which confers the rank of Lieuten- ant-Colonel, and the Senate thereupon appointed him in 1785. ARTICLE III. Kotzebue filled this office for ten successive years, without incurring (he least reproach. First Proof — When Kotzebue, at the end of ten vears, was obliged to ask his dismission on account of the impaired state of his health, he received it with advanc- ed rank. ^The ukase to this effect is among his sealed-up papers. Second Proof. — A certificate was signed by the Go- vernor of Revel, relative to the irreproachable manner in which he executed the duties of his office. The origi- nal instrument is among the papers which are sealed up. ARTICLE IV. Kotzebue retired to the country in 1795, and built a small villa called Friedenthal, at the distance of forty- eight verstes from Narva, a spot on which he resided * A special ukase ; that is, one signed by the Empress's o hand. 109 11! the end of (he year 1797, in the midst of his famil)', md in the service of the muses. He was then invited o Vienna, as Manager of the Court Theatre ; the terms jeing very advantageous, he left his vill^i, and consider- xl the sacrifice he made as an offering due to his chil- Iren. He had asked and obtained the Monarch's con- cnt. Proof. — Tlie passport wliich the Governor of Revel iehveredto him in virtue of superior orders. ARTICLE V. Kotzebue resided at Vienna, but still retained his Li- ;onian villa, hoping one day to return thither. Me ac- quitted himself in all his duties with zeal and probity. Proof. — The flattering certificate of the theatrical Di- }-dttory. The original is among the seized papers. ARTICLE VI. The Emperor Francis II. was well satisfied with his ;ervice and conduct. Proof. — He granted him his dismission, which on i'.eveial accounts he had solicited, but retained him in hit :;ervice as dramatic writer to the Court Theatre, with a )ension for life of one thousand florins a year, with leave o expend the same wherever he should please. The )riginal decree, together with a letter written by Count 2!olleredo, make a part of the papers under sequestra- ion. ARTICLE VII. • Kotzebue, not satisfied with the above honourable certificate, as it regarded only his dramatic services, bought it incumbent on him to procure a testimony of lis conduct, as the subject of a monarchical State, before le left Vienna. For this purpose, he applied to Count ie Saurau, Minister of the Secret Police, and obtained "rom him the most satisfactory answer. Proof. — -The Minister's original note, together with m official letter from Aulic Counsellor Schilling, are^ 30th among his seized papers. ARTICLE VIII. -Kotzebue left Vienna, and went to reside at Weimar, n order to be near h.is mother. He purchased a hous« K 110 and garden in the neighbourhood, at which he resided twelve month'^, known and esteemed at the Ducal Court, which he had offen the honour to frequent. Proof. — A letter from the reigning Duchess of Weimar lo the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, which may be found among his papers. He appeals besides to the testimony of the reigning Duke, and to that of the Duchess Dowa- ger. ARTICLE IX. Kotzebue, as well to gratify the wishes of his wife as to embrace his two sons, who have tlie honour to be edu- cated in the Cadet-corps at Petersburg, resolved to un- dertake a journey to Russia: His duty as dramatic wri- ter to the Emperor of Germany obliged him to apply for a passport, which was accordingly granted. Proof. — The original instrument is among his papers ; j.nd it shows at the same time that he was bond Jide in the service of his Imperial and Royal Majesty. ARTICLE X. Kotzebue applied for a passport to his Majesty t Emperor of Russia, and obtained it. [Here the wriici tntered into all the necessary details.] Proof. — The original letter from Baron da Kriidener. ARTICLE XI. Kotzebue commenced his journey, and \f'as arrested on the frontiers of Prussia. This unexpected blow alarmed him: he however consoled himself with the no- tion, that a prudent precaution, under the circumstances of the times, might have occasioned this measure. — Fully relying on his own innocence, he consoled his family and proceeded to Mittau. Proof .^We appeals to the testimony of the ofiicer who escorted him thither. ARTICLE XII. At Mittau he was Informed that he must be conduct- c in the Cadet-engineers at.Vienna. These are so many hostages of his loyalty, which he has voluntarily delivered up. Seconi Proof. — The bulk of his estate, with the addi- I lion of Jiat settled on his wife, is in Russia, and he has j never attempted to dispose of it. I Third Proof. — Had he been a man of revolutionary 5 principles, it is natural to conclude that he would have i left Vienna to have visited France: he remained, how- ever, continually at Weimar, at which place he received his pension from Vienna. Fojirth Proof. — In the year 1 7 90, he was one of the first to satirize the horrid outrages of the Revolutionists, in a Comedy entitled The Club of Female Jacobins. In 1792, he wrote a treatise on nobility, which, although it may boast of nothing interesting, except the subject, at least exhibits the sentiments of the writer on that subject.* Fifth Proof. — It is more than a year ago, that, in a work entitled. On my Residence at Vienna, he declared publicly that he preferred the monarchical svstem of government to any other ; and that, unless he should be- ' come a knave or a madman, he never would adopt the system of the present dav. An author, well known throughout Europe, would certainly not have published such sentiments in evidence against himself, if he-had ii> tended ever to have renounced them. • A drowning man is glad to snatdi at a straw. I am better aware than any one can be that this book is good for nothing ; and I am sorry I ventured upon the task of writing it. I yielded in this instance to the particular entreaties of a man of the rrst consequence, who is much in favour of the Sovereign. , ISIy sitrtatlon at that time compelled me to undertake a subject whieh I had never, or at least very lately, considered with any degree of atten.ion. If the world knew the niocives whicii often induc^f an author to take up the pen, the judgment it passes upon their -.vorks would be rrwre charitable than it commoniv is. 112 Sixth Proof. — In 179.5 he presented to the Empres ])liin f or the establislinient of an University at Depart, a among other motives which he alleged in favour of establishment, tlie following may be found : namely, t the young men would be in less danger of imbibing p ciples of a seditious nature. ARTICLE XIV. Has Kotzebue had any connections with suspect persons? — No. Proof. — Let the book which is to be found among papers be referred to; it contains copies of all his iett of importance. ARTICLE XV. Can it be surmised that his income arose from an pure source ? He who surmises this, is exceedingly m taken. Proof — The above mentioned book, in which his are particularized. ARTICLE XVI. He has written, perhaps, on political subjects. — N Proof — In the aforesaid book may be seen the cata' logue of his literary labours. ARTICLE XVII. Can it be supposed that he does not entertain all due respect for the Emperor? — The contrary is positively the case. Proof — In the year 1796, he converted a generou^ trait of that Monarch's conduct into a drama, under ti title of The Emp£ror*s Head Coachman. This work, per- haps, is beneath its subject, but still it manifests the sen- timents of the author. ARTICLE XVIir. Is Kotzebue an immoral man? And ought lie not t be banished from society.? — No. First Proof. — On the perusal of the journal of his oc- cupations, and of all his actions (which are contained in the same book) what does the reader find? That hb planted a tree on his wife's birth-day ; that he gave p, fete chajupctre on the cutting of a child's first tooth. * ' will there be found, that he uniformly placed his happ'; ness in the endearments of domestic life. 113 Seco?id Proof. — His almanac, after the plan ofFrahh - lin, for the purpose of moral improvement, is a proof of ' his sincere love of virtue. From the tenor of his con- j fessions, it will be seen at first view, that they w^ere made I only for himself, and that he never could have imagined I they would have fallen, during his life-time, into the I hands of strangers. They may represent him as a weak, but not as a wicked man : People who know him, will bear witness that he is an affectionate husband and a good father; qualities surely very foreign to immorality. In a word, Kotzebue has proved that his public con- duct, during twenty years, is acknowledged to have been irreproachable ; he has proved that he has never mani- fested principles subversive of good order ; that his con- nections have been unexceptionable ; that he never has written on the subject of" politics ; that he has ever en- tertained due sentiments of respect for the person of the Emperor ; that his happiness has invariably rested in the bosom of his family, and that he has been a lover of peace and virtue. By what involuntary fault then has he had the misfortune to incur your Majesty's displeasure? Of this he is totally ignorant. He has in vain endeavoured to conjecture the cause ; unless it be that some malevolent person, some secret enemy, has perhaps detached sepa- rate passages from his writings, and exhibited them in an unfavourable point of view. If this presumption be well-founded, he confines the whole of his petition to one single favour, that of being allowed an opportunity of explanation. Your Majesty must be aware, that nothing can be written to which malevolent interpretations may not at- tribute evil designs. Kotzebue may have been mistaken ; it is the fate of every man. He may, like others, have introduced a word without due reflection, or given to a phrase a doubtful turn ; but he swears before the throne of the monarch, before that of the Eternal, that he has ■ always strenuously endeavoured to tread in the paths of ' v^irtue. If he has unknowingly swerved from them, he has been severely punished, and the paternal hand which has inflicted the blow, will surely raise up the penitent K a who bewails his fault. May your Majesty, wiio posses a feeliiig lieart, contemplate for a moment the horrors your pctitioner\s situation. His wife far advanced in ' pregnancy, perhaps dying of a broken heart; for her ^vorId has no longer any happiness in store ; her childr will soon fall into indigence ; her husband's reputati his honour being tarnished, who will not conclude t lie had been guilty of some crime ? After an illness twelve months duration, he finds himself deprived of eve thing, condemned to a dreadful climate, where sorr and inevitable sickness will soon put an end to his e istence. A beloved husband, the father of six childre abandoned by tlie world, must expire far from the sig of his family ! A severe doom for an innocent man! No, Paul the Just still lives; he will restore honour, and life and tranquillity to his unhappy petitioner; he will restore him to his afflicted family." Such is the substance of the Memorial which I intended to present to the Emperor. Just as I had concluded it, the Counsellor happened to come into my room, and 'ould be the answer ; am I never heard them call an exilboisk. The Governor not having men- tioned hny rf moval, my friend conjectured that he only ^ tor the departure of the two Senators and the ^i!Ior,to grant me a formal permission to stay. The jrs indeed set off' for Irkutzk, but the Counsellor mained. J have since learned that his stay was ;ned by a want of money, and that he had -he determ>ination of a tradesman of Tobolsk, lad of?ered to take with him free of post ex- condition that he would defray the rest. • '..-al tlie solution of this enigma may appear, A io divine it at that tim.e; and it is not to 126 be wondered at that botli the Govcrnorand myself shoi ': tve taken hlui for a spy. Tlie fourteen days, which had been granted me, now nearly expired. I waited on the Governor ounday morning to pay him my respects; as the ex of the third and fourth classes keep up a custom of p; renting themselves before him on that day in regimental but without swords. The Governor drew me on one side' and informed me that it was necessary 1 should prepare for leaving Tobolsk on the morrow, as he could not, i'ot reasons already known to me, allow me to remain there any longer. I was much dejected on hearing this, but submitted with a good grace, contenting myself with en- treating him to indulge me with a delay of two days, i'or the purpose of procuring several things I stood iifneed of, and which were not to be obtained at Kurgan ; and io dispose of my carriage (for which I had no further oc- casior.) in order to recruit my exhausted purse. The Governor granted my request in the most obliging man- ner, and I instc'iitly began my preparation?, that I might run no risk of trespassing on his goodnV The most opulent tradesman in the t!' ^•^e name I forget, had offered me a few days b«. odredj and fifty roubles for my carriage, whiciv eader has seen, had cost me more than three liir.es ,, .h; forest, a phenomenon in botany, which I have men;.^-r e since my return to several Jcarned naturalists, noiv.' c 129 whom had ever heard of it before. On a spot about six jhundred paces over, appeared an in:vimcrable quantity of red flowers, and on die top of each there seemed to lie a large flake of snow. Their appearance struck me, EUid, alighting from the carriage, I gathered several of fhe flowers, which I shall now endeavour to describe. On a stalk of about five inches in height, the leaves of which, as v/ell as I can remember, resemble those of tlfe lily of the valley, hung a kind of purse, not unlike a work-bag, of about an inch and a half square, with ten- ikils dangling from the upper end, as it v/ere, for the l^rpose ^O^iijtfing it up. This bag, which both within amjiwitliont was of a fine deep purple-colour, was fiir- nished with a leaf in the form of a heart, proportioned to the ©4ier parts of the flower, the top of which was as white as snow, and the bottom of the same colour as the bag. This leaf opened and shut with ease, and served in some sort as a lid. I am unable to express how beau- Uful this flower (which, I must observe, had no smell) appeared to tlie eye. I fear I have not beei\ able to describe it with any degree of preciseness, being but a novic^Wl the science of botany ; I can, however, posi- tively assert, that it would prove a very beautiful orna- ment to any garden.. The great quantity of them which I saw, induced me to believe it was a common flower in Siberia, and I therefore neglected to take any of them with me. I have regretted this a thousand times since, for I looked in vain for the flower on my return, and I could And no one that was acquainted with "it."* At the distance of a day's journey from Kurgan, we passed the nightat the house'of a priest, where we were accommodated^ ith a v/ell-furnished chamber, and good beds, and were treated in the most hospitable manner; * IvT Person, to whom I g-ave a description of this flower, on r^y vc.urn fi-om Kurg^an, was extremely desirous to procurs somri roots of it, and he inteiided to transplant them the fol- I lav, <^', mmer, shoUd he he able to discover vrhere they grew- Hi\ Ti : h_en obliged to make a very irregular tour on accounf cf . ~ds, it is very probable that I #iav have tluis made a 130 and where, to my great astonishment, no payment required from us the next morning. I learnt that the iage in common was at the expense of keeping up liospitable establishment, merely for the convenience travellers. Could the virtue and duty of hospitality carried further than this ? Not a peasant made his pearance at our departure even to receive our thanks.^ At four in the afiernoon we came in sight of Kurga A single steeple raises its head above a group of mea looking buildings. The town is situated on an elevat bank of the Tobol : it is surrounded whh a naked barren heath, which spreads itself on all sides, for yeral verstes, to the foot of some rising woodlands; iii^ intersected by a great number of lakes, choked up wi reeds. Tlie rainy w'cather by no means rendpted the landscape more inviting. The name of Kurgan, which signifies a grave, I had long considered as a bad omen. With tears in my eyes, and despair at my heart, I found myself arrived at the termination of my past, and the be. ginning of my future miseries ; and as the fiocds obliged us to approach the town by a circuitous route, I had am- ple leisure to contemplate the grave which was^lboutto receive its living victim. In the midst of a cluster of wooden cottages, of one story high, a single house, built of stone, and not in a bad style, now rose before me, and appeared like a palace in comparison with the others. I inquired the name ol its owner, and I learnt it belonged to a certain M. de Rosen, formerly Vice-Go vernor of Perm, who had an estate in this country. The capricious taste of this man, which had induced him to take up his abode in this corner ♦the \vorld, did; not tempt me to covet his acquaintance. "^Tis name, however, was German, and I ventured to ho^ejie Vv'as descended from a German famil}\ The namlrliad been long dear to my heart. It re;ninded me of z sincere and faithful friend, the old Baron de Rosen, and of his-in- ipomparable ladv, whom I revered like a second molhcr:; 21 generous pair, w^o had oflen soollied the vexalion-. oi fnv life, and Avh^-.-e name, at that moment, was suHi; " 131 to inspire consolation and delight, even at ^in immeasur- able distance. After many turnings and windings, we cnnie to a kind of flying-bridge, a mere raft, fastened at each end to the opposite shores of the Tobol, and exposed to all the vio- lence of the waves. Every carriage that drove upon it caused it to sink considerably, and the greatest care wa^ ! necessary to keep the emergent part m sight, without I which the boatmen, v/ho stood on that part which wa^ under water, would have had no guide to direct them 1 in crossing the ferry. \ Kurgan has two spacious streets, lying parallel to each other. We alighted at the house in which the common court of justice is held: my subaltern entered, and quickly- returned with the account of the gnroclnitschie, or the head of the police, being from home, and that the Pre- sident of the district acted in his place. We then drove to him, and arriving at his door, I was announced, and in a few minutes invited to v/alk in. I was introduced to an old man whose countenance was extremely engaging, but who imagined it was ne- cessary to assum.e a serious and important air on this oc- casion. He saluted me coldly, put on his spectaclesj opened every paper which concerned me, and read them with great comiposure one after the other, without pay- ing the least attention to me. I thouglit it Vv^ould be as well to give him a hint how I wished to be treated, both at the present time and in future, and taking a chair, I sat myself down. He cast a side glance at me, and «eemed much surprised, but continued to read on with- out uttering a single word. In an adjoining chamber I noticed a curious group of persons, consisting of several grown-up children, a hand- some woman (the President's second wife) his mother, who was alniost blind, and a middle aged man, in a Polish dress. They all fixed their eyes on me ui silence, and not a word was spoken till the reading of the papers was concluded. Probably the Governor had recom- mended me to the President, or rathei his own heart spoke in my behalf, as he then turned to me, and with 132 2. sir-ilirp; counlenance gave me liis hand, and welcome !ne to his hou>e. He presented me to his iamWy, aM to the Pole, whom he congr^tiilaled on having founcM companion in mi ■fortune, and whom he also recoifl mended to my friendship. I embraced him with cofl ini>eration, and we botii fcli that the similarity of oM destinies would soon make us brothers and fi-iends. ^ The President of the common tribunal of fhe province, and at the same time first magistrate of Kurgan, was named De Gravi. His lather, a Swedish officer, who had been taken prisoner at the battle of Pultava, had been sent into Siberia with many of his fellow-soldiers. He married a native of the country, and died in exile. His son served in the Russian army, fought during the seven years war, returned afterwards to the place of his birth, anil having changed a military tor a civil employ- ment, lived satisfied and happy on a moderate income; at least he always appeared cheerful and content. He had lately been nan)ed Aulic Counsellor, and though not foolishly vain, he seemed not a little flattered by the It-le. After the first compliments were over, he began to think about providing me with a lodging, which, accord- ing to the Go\'ernor's order, was to be one of .the best that could be found. Such lodging, however, being oi the number of those the Crown disposes of, and which the proprietor of the town is obliged to furnish gratis on the arrival of an exile, it is natural enough that everjf inhabitant does all he can to avoid this disagreeable tax, and that he whose lot it is to submit to it, accoinmodate? the unbidden guest with the worst room in the house. • M. de Gravi, who had been a 'ong time considering th's mritter, at last named for my host a kind of adjutant, a linle hump-bficked m.an. He then invited me to sup-^ per, but I begged he would excuse me, as I stood ir' great need of rest, and wished likewise to arrange mj affairs at my new lodgings. I accompanied my guide, who led me to a small low- built h.ouse, where I was nearly breaking my head ii goir.g in at the door. This beginning promised but nil ijry accommodation, and tlie rooms I v/as shown into Ivere still less inviling. They were nothing better iJian inere holes, in which a man could hardly stand upright; ihe wails were naked, there wa:. no bed, nor any ofhcr jurniture than a table and two wooden stools; the win- liows were patched with paper. I sighed iiom tlie to(- ■;rn of my heart; the mistress of the house retained my in a mo^t cordial manner, and with silent i!l-huniour !;out clearing the place of £ome linen, a lew bioken iis, and some old clothes, which she had been ac- •med to keep there. [ grew, however, in some degree reconciled to the );i^:ng, and began to make my little arrangements as , til as I'was able. Scarce!)' had I been an hour in the cuse, when the worthy De Gravi sent me a ham, two )a\ es of bread, some eggs, fresh butter, and other pro- Isions, out of which my dexterous Rossi prepared' an xccllent supper, rather indeed for himself than for me. ii'er this I endeavoured to invoke the power of sleep )r the first time at Kurgan, but the distress of mind un- er which I laboured, and the myriads of insects that tci lented me, did not allow me to close my eyes. The next day, rather early in the morning, I received le visits of the principal people of the town. These I lall name in succession, to give the reader an idea or 'hat is termed good company at Kurgan. Stephen OsipoiuUsch Mammejef was kapitan isprazvmk, r intendant of the province, as far as relates to the police, te repairs of bridges and public roads, the collection of &:c. Ke likewise heard and decided all ditferences ^ among the peasantry. He was a clever, jovial \ ery civil, and in easy circumstances. Some traits :ury even were to be found in his house, but luxury J ways accompanied by good taste. .1 remember, - tancc, to have remarked in one of the rooms se- •>mall tables and tea-boards, orna^nted with sonie 'v-'>Dies of engravings, execut(?d and varnished over .ufactory of Ekaterinabourg. These pieces of ,vcre very expensive ; but, instead of their be- ^cd either as tables or tea-boards, tliey were hung M against the wall like so many pictures, and the feet whi belonged to the former were placed in different parta the room as mere ornaments. Juda Nikitiich, a scdatel, or assessor of the comm^ tribunal, the brother to a female friend of the Governoi; who had given me a letter of recommendation to hi was a very shallow and insignificant personage. Another scdatd, still more insignificant than the forme The secretary of the tribunal, a good sort of a ms who had no very humble notions ot his own capaci^ He was the only inhabitant of Kurgan that took in Moscow Gazette. A very ignorant surgeon. Such \Aas the narrow circle, exclusive of the abs master of the police, in w hich I was to pass the glooi remnant of my days. The most interesting man in all die place was tainly the Polish gentleman of whom I have aires spoken, whose name was lii'an Sokoloff. He possessc an estate situated upon the new Russian-Prussian fron- tiers, and had neither taken arms nor had any concern directly or indirectly in the revolution of Poland. A Iricnd of his, who kept up a correspondence with some of the new Prussian subjects, imagined he might receive his letters with more certainty by having them addressee to Sokoloif, and, without informing him of the matter pointed out that way of communication to his correspon- dents. The first letter was intercepted. Sokoloff, wh( was a perfect stranger to the whole transaction, was a! dinner in the neighbourhood, with his friend Genera Wielhurski, when he was arrested with several others both innocent and guilty. They were a long time con; fined as state prisoners, in a fortress of which I ibrg«: the name. The business was reported at Petersburg and they all obtained their pardon on condition of beini transported into |^beria for life. Sokoloff and his companions were throw-n into kibick- and conducted to the place of their destination, Th road lay within a few verstes of his estate: In vain h petitioned to be permitted to bid farewell to his fam^ 135 I . ■ to take a little linen and some clotiic^ wIlIi him ; no at- tention was paid to his entreaties. In the same kibicik he was dragged on to Tobolsk. At that place he was separated from his friends, and sent to Kurgan, where he has led a most melanclioly lil'e tor three years past, without having received the least intelligence of his wife land six children. ' Not being allowed more than about fifteen French sols a day by the crown, he is obliged to forego every con- ivenlence and comfort of life, in order to provide himself with necessaries. During the winter he has been shut ap in the same hole with a landlord who w^as never so- mber, and a landlady who was always out of humour, sur- rounded with dogs and cats, poultry and hogs. In the uimmer, for the sake of being alone, he has lived in' a pow-house, where I have often visited him. A bare jedstead, a small table, a chair, a bason and a crucifix, jomprise the catalogue of all his furniture, and all his vealth. Notwithstanding the galling misery that oppresses him, le refuses every present that is oifered him, lives upon nilk, bread and quass, and appears always decently Iressed. He is beloved by every one in the town, and he only name by. which he is called is iranuschka.'^' Hc s particularly well received by M. de Gravi, as he unites o uncommon goodness of heart, the manners of polished ociety, and is able to preserve under the pressure of ad- versity an equanimity of mind, which I have often ad- tiired, and sometimes envied, being myself unable to ttain it. It was only when he was alone with me, after 'aving repeated twenty times over the history of our • tunes, told each other the names of our favourite cn, and concluded by naming every one of them, 'le tears would start into his eyes, and a deep me- • ly take possession of him. J happily for me, he did not spealdlFrench, nor even I circumstance very unusual among the natives wcrd signifies a man full of goodness and condescen- •ud a lover of children. 136 ■ ot Poland, often found it difricult to iinderstaH each other, for, -aUbough he spoke Rtis^^ian much betfl than I did, he had only learnt it at Kurgan, and his PolM accent often rendered it unintelligible to me ; but afforded them a most agreeable gymnastic exercise, and contributed greatly to their health. They swam over the stream without the least difficulty, and lay on the water without any apparent ef- fort, and in this manner floated down the current on their backs. They often gambolled together, pursued one an- other in the water, and tumbled one over the other with incredible dexterity. They indeed carried their sports nO far as to alarm an inexperienced spectator, who must every moment have concluded, that some of them would ^ink and be lost. Every thing, I must observe, was car- ried on with the utmost decency ; their heads alone were ribove the v/ater, and one might have doubted of their sex, had not their motions sometimes displayed a glimpse of tJieir bosoms ; a circumstance which, however, seemed totally disregarded by themselves. Whenever they were cription he gives of his situation accords with my Wn. He complains of an unpleasant climate, of the ' ^.aners and uncouth language of the inhabiiants. as applicable to my own case ; but that which iran sported me, wuv^he eloquent and energetic MG ^"^"!.^"^^'"g against the fear of dcLilh, contained in se ^"Ime passages of his works. I collected these with and rendered them faniiliar to my mind and ray hi I carried them alvvr.ys about me, as Frederic the carried the friendly poison, to which he intended toa| had all his hopes have failed him. I cannot better paint the situation of my mind, furnish the unhappy, into whose hands these sheets fall, with more efficacious consolation, than by transc ing some of those i^itences which frequent repet has imprinted, not on my memory alone. " Can the least of evils be deemed a great one? li task of despising death so difficult to learn ? Do wel 4;ee it practised every day on the most unimportant] casions, even the paltry love of gain? — A slave, der to escape from his master's fury, will throw^ hii headlong from the top of a house ! A fugitive,' fearful being taken, will#ab himself: Shall not courage the produce as great efFects as fear ?" " The loss of life is the only one which cannot be Ij mented when it is too late." Thou fallest into the hands of an enemy ; he dra^ thee^ — whither? To that very goal to which thou ha been travelling ever since thou wert born." Long life is the wish of all men; they are but litt ■solicitous that it should be a wise and good one : yet is in our power to embellish life with virtue, and we ai unable to prolong it." " Death is the threshold of the house of rest, and the tremblest to set thy foot thereon." " We are grown-up children, who fear death as ii Jants do their nearest relation in a mask. Wha^ relative is nearer akin to us than death ? Boldly tear off his masl take from him his axe ; deprive him of his attendant t}ie physicians, the priests and the mourners, and wh then remtiins ? ^Nothing but death." Be not terrified at the sound of lamentations ar groans! These arise from pain, and not from deat Every man who has suffered the gout, every eiriaciat< libertine, every vvomate> childbcJ, has supponcr) pai The more violent the p/Vlifi, tiie short£r its duratioi..** 147 *' I shall die — that is, I shall cease to feel pain ; mv fetters will be broken; I shall cease to lament niy wile nd niv children ; I shall no longer be a slave, even to llcath/' " Death frees thee from all ills, even from the fears tself inspires." ' Are we not dying daily ? The child grows and im- )roves in stature, but his life decreases. We divide vith death every one of our days. It is not in swallow- ng the last drop that we empty the cup of life ; to die is )nly to accomplish life." ^ ' All thy life long learn how to die, though thou wilt 36 able to make use of what thou hast learnt but one ;irgle time. Learn to die; it is unlearning to be a jlave." Neither children nor madmen fear death. How lumiliating to reason, not to be able to furnish what in-r sanity can procure !" ^ " To die is to become again what we once were. Is the flame less happy when it is extinguished, than it was before it was kindled? Are we not kindled and extin- guished by the breath of nature ? It is an error to say death only follows life; it precedes it likewise. To have terminated, and not to have begun existence, must be the same." ^ Death is either the end of our journey, or a point of repose, where we change our garments. In the lat- ter case we shall be gainers, for our clothes encumber us on all sides. But if it be the end of our journey, it weie |not worth while to have set out. We shall, how'ever, fall asleep, excessively fatigued, and shall not be