third or fourth generation resident in Kamtchatka, and was educated in the house of the Governor, Mr Rikord. So that, in reality, she is not a Kamtchadale, but, at most, only a demi-Kamtchadale. One or two of her sisters, however, are said to be wild as savages, because they never received any education; certainly a heinous neglect in their father, who is a clergyman.

ever,

In his Preface, Captain Cochrane confirms the statements of other authors with respect to the hospitality of the Russians; but, with regard to their character, he does not feel himself competent to give what may be termed a proper description, as he might be charged" with a want of impartiality." This is the less to be regretted, as Dr Lyall has, lately, fully and impartially treated of this subject; but still we should have liked to have had a few more of the Captain's remarks, even though partial, as it might not be suitable, situated as he is, and perhaps with the expectation of yet being employed by the Russian Court, to have freely spoken the truth, and all the truth. When he informs us, how"that no people have made more rapid strides towards civilization, moral and intellectual improvements, than all classes of the Russians, and that their catalogue of failings, for they do not merit the appellation of crimes, by no means exceeds those of other countries," we are inclined to demur, and to hope that at least a very few of the nations are more virtuous. As for their moral improvement, if Drs. Clarke and Lyall be right, it is but in its infancy, while their follies and vices are very numerous. The Captain is rather favourable to the Russians, as far as we can collect, for, when at Kazan, he was invited to a fête given by a Prince Tenisheff, of Tartar origin; and he remarks, that, "if the learned Dr Clarke had been living, and present, he would have found, in the delicacy and decorum everywhere prevalent, a strong proof that a Russian country-house is not now, at least, such as he has described it." And, at p. 185, he states, that, wherever he went, he fared well from the hospitality of the Russian colonists, as well as from that of his

friends at Irkutsk, who had provided him, according to the Russian proverb, with plenty of bread and salt. "This simple-sounding provision," he says, "included also some fine partridges, a hare, a large piece of roast-beef, and a quantity of meat pies, not omitting wine and rum. A traveller in Russia, whether native or foreigner, on taking leave of his friends previous to his departure, uniformly finds, at his lodgings, all the provisions requisite for his journey, with another lodg ing pointed out at some friend's, for as long as he pleases. Indeed, I have no doubt, as the sequel will justify the assertion, that a man may travel through the Russian empire, as long as his conduct is becoming, without wanting any thing, not even horses and money, excepting only the civilized (as the Captain calls them) parts between the capitals ;” and between which he was robbed,

as we shall see hereafter.

In undertaking such a journey, it is really a pity that the Captain was neither, to use his own words, "a philosopher, a botanist, a naturalist, or an historian," but merely "acted in the capacity of a rough pioneer," and cleared the way for the scientific traveller, to pursue the journey when it best suits him." The personal narrative, of course, after such a declaration, we can expect to be the only thing interesting in the volume. The most peculiar circumstance of the journey is, that it was performed nearly in the character of a beggar, and was intended to be on fool, for the best of all possible reasons, that the Captain's "finances allowed of no other" mode of performing it. Now, we can scarcely suppose this statement to be correct. In the 1st place, we believe the author has never ceased to receive the half-pay of a Captain in the Royal Navy, a sum which, in such hospitable regions as he traversed, was amply sufficient to have enabled him to have performed the same journey as a gentleman, though still on foot, or taking" a cart" when it came in his way. Indeed, we cannot conceive how a British Captain should so far lose all sense of propriety, as to accept of a pair of shoes or stockings from one, a pair of trowsers or a jacket from a second, or a cap

from a third; and, far less, how he could think of receiving "two roubles, as charity, from the master of a post-house," or food from a family "almost in a starving state;" in a word, of becoming a mendicant, and being dependant on charity for his daily support, without the least necessity. That such conduct was dictated by a romantic whim is perfectly evident, from the fact of the Captain's having half-pay, coupled with a report that has reached our ears. Although, on his advance to Siberia, he walked about in Moscow, and even dined at some highlyrespectable tables, dressed like a beggar, yet, on his return with his wife to that capital, he resided at an expensive inn, and kept a hired carriage all the time he was there, as well as at Petersburgh. Whim, therefore, dictated his mode of travelling, which was shabby, mean, and despicable, and sometimes in rags, or nearly without clothes. So far, therefore, from being surprised that the expenses of his journey, as he is pleased to call them, of six thousand miles, from Moscow to Irkutsk," certainly fell short of a guinea," we are astonished that they amounted to a single farthing. We should like to know his expenses from Kazan to London, which would develope the whim of the undertaking in toto. But enough of this. It is time for us to come to the narrative.

Our author, after having traversed France, Spain, and Portugal, on foot, offered his services to the Admiralty, and wished to undertake a journey into the interior of Africa, but received an unfavourable answer. Unemployed, "afloat," "he therefore determined to undertake a journey, varying only the object and the scene to that of the unfortunate Ledyard, viz., to travel round the globe, as

nearly as can be done by land, crossing from Northern Asia to America, at Behring's Straits." He accordingly procured leave of absence for two years, "and prepared to traverse the continents of Europe, Asia, and America."

We shall not follow our author from London to Berlin, as the journey possesses no novel interest. We shall simply remark, that, notwithstanding the important communication made to him, by one of "Napoleon's soldiers,' a secret mode of cure" for blistered feet *,—and which, he says, he never found to fail, yet he admits, that, when he reached Schlucton, his feet were in a" dreadful state;" and near Tamen, he had a "somewhat awkward induction of ulcers" on them.

66

The second chapter of the work, from Berlin to Petersburgh, is equally uninteresting as the first, nor should we have noticed it, except to correct an error. Captain Cochrane points out noble public buildings, in every style of architecture," as among the striking features of St. Petersburgh. Whereas there is little variety of architecture in that capital-less, indeed, than in any other city we know, one half of its size, in Europe; and there is not a Gothic edifice within its boundaries. If the author had exercised his eyes, or even perused an Essay on the Architecture of Russia, in Dr Lyall's lately-published quarto, he would never have made such remark.

Having received his passport, a general letter to all the civil Governors, and an open order of the Emperor Alexander to the Police, besides a letter to the Governor-General of Siberia, &c., the Captain, on the 24th May 1820, quitted the hospitable mansion of Sir R. K. Porter, at the new capital, "and, with his

knapsack on his back, trotted over a partially cultivated country." Falling into a melancholy mood, he gives us the first striking instance of what, we fear, will be reckoned a degree beyond eccentricity. But we shall use his own words:

It was ten o'clock, (for I had now a watch,) and I had reached six miles. The night was beautifully clear, though rather cold, from the effects of a northern breeze, while the moon was near her full. I looked at the beautiful luminary, and actually asked myself whether I were, as had been asserted, under the baneful influence of that planet? Smiling that I received no reply, I then considered my projects and intentions, and the conduct I ought to follow; and, sitting down at a fountain on the Poulkowsky hill, I read to myself a few lessons, which the time and the occasion seemed to inspire. "Go," said I," and wander with the illiterate and almost brutal savage!-go, and be the companion of the ferocious beast!-go, and contemplate the human being, in every element and climate, whether civilized or savage, of whatever tribe, nation, or religion. Make due allowance for the rusticity of their manners; nor be tempted to cope with them in those taunts, insults, and rudenesses, to which the nature of thy enterprize will subject thee. Contemn those incidental circumstances which but too often surprise mankind from their good intentions, and deprive the world of much useful and interesting information. Avoid all political and military topics, and remember, that

The proper study of mankind is man. Should robbers attack thee, do not, by a foolish resistance, endanger thy life. Man may become hardened by crimes, and persist in the practice of them, till, meeting with resistance, he will be urged to murder: but man is still a human being, even while seeking his subsistence by rapine and plunder; and seldom, from mere wantonness, will he spill the blood of his follow-creature. It is only by patience, perseverance, and humility, by reducing thyself to the lowest level of mankind, that thou canst expect to pass through the ordeal with either safety or satisfaction." Something like these were my selfdictated precepts, and I pledged their performance in a draught from the cool and limpid fountain.

According to the Captain's narrative, he soon found the utility of his precept, for at about the ninth milestone (he means verst-post) from

Liubane, he sat down, "to smoke a segar, or pipe, as fancy might dictate," when he was suddenly seized from behind by two ruffians, whose visages were as much concealed as the oddness of their dress would permit.

One of them, who held an iron bar in his hand, dragged me (says the Captain) by the collar towards the forest, while the other, with a bayonetted musket, pushed me on, in such a manner, as to make me move with more than ordinary celerity; while a boy, auxiliary to these vagabonds, was stationed on the road. side to keep a look-out.

We had got some sixty or eighty pa. ces into the thickest part of the forest, when I was desired to undress, and hav ing stript off my trowsers and jacket, then my shirt, and, finally, my shoes and stockings, they proceeded to tie me to a tree. From this ceremony, and from the manner of it, I fully concluded that they intended to try the effect of a musket upon me, by firing at me as they would at a mark. I was, however, reserved for fresh scenes: the villains, with much sang froid, seated themselves at my feet, and rifled my knapsack and pockets, even cutting out the linings of the clothes, in search of bank-bills or some other valuable articles. They then compelled me to take at least a pound of black bread, and a glass of rum poured from a small flask which had been suspended from my neck. Having appro priated my trowsers, shirts, stockings, and shoes-as also my spectacles, watch, compass, thermometer, and small pocketsextant, with one hundred and sixty roubles, they at length released me from the tree, and at the point of a stiletto made me swear that I would not inform against them,-such, at least, I conjer. tured to be their meaning, though of their language I understood not a word.

Having received my promise, I was again treated to bread and rum, and once more fastened to the tree, in which condition they finally abandoned me. Not long after, a boy who was passing heard my cries, and set me at liberty. I did not doubt he was sent by my late companions upon so considerate an errand, and felt so far grateful; though it might require something more than common charity to forgive their depriving me of my shirt and trowers, and leaving me almost as naked as I came into the world.

To pursue my route, or return to Tzarsko Selo would, indeed, be alike indecent and ridiculous, but being so, and there being no remedy, I made therefore “ for

heart.

The Captain soon reached the house of General Woronoff, who gave him food, and some clothes were then offered to him, "which," says he, "I declined, considering my then dress as peculiarly becoming" a phrase, the meaning of which we cannot comprehend. At Novgorod, every attention was paid to him by the Governor, and he had good quarters in the habitation of a Russian merchant, to whom he had a letter of recommendation from St. Petersburgh. So far well, but we really blush at the following confession from a half-pay officer in the British navy.

He had also the kind consideration to promise me a complete refit; and though this must have been at an expence of thirty or forty roubles, he positively refused my offer of reimbursement-an offer I was enabled to make, through the delicate kindness of his Excellency the Governor Gerebzoff.

The advance of our newly-rigged hero to Moscow is not marked, by any event of importance. Respecting that capital he says little, and that little is not very correct, as may be illustrated by a single fact. Dr Lyall has shewn, and indeed all the world knows, that Moscow is wonderfully changed since its renewal after the burning in 1812; yet the Captain says, "in every other respect than that of population, I found Moscow the same as in Clarke's time, beautiful and rich, grotesque and absurd, magnificent and mean."

From Moscow, our author pursued his route by Nishi, Novgorod, Kazan, and Perm, to Siberia, and then made an extensive tour by Yekaterinbourg, Tobolsk, Omsk, Tomsk, Irkutsk, Yakutsk, Kolima, and Nishni-Kolimsk, to Ochotsk.

He

then crossed the sea of Ochotsk, and after having made a tour, resided nearly a year in Kamtchatka, and got married; he returned to the town

of Ochotsk, and from thence, with a few detours, reached Moscow by the same road by which he had advanced. From Moscow he proceeded to Petersburgh, and from thence, by sea, to London. His work is illustrated by two maps: one of them of the Behring's Straits, and the other of country between St. Petersburgh and the Eastern Part of Siberia, and the Peninsula of Kamtchatka; both illustrative of the author's route.

Did our limits permit us, we should gladly copy his descriptions of the present state of some of the principal towns on the east of Russia, as well as in Siberia, as of Kazan, Perm, Yekaterinbourg, Tobolsk, Irkutsk, Ochotsk, Barnaoule, Tomsk, Nertchinsk, Kiakhta, &c., most of which are very interesting. As Tobolsk is generally known, we shall copy a few words respecting it.

Numerous large flocks of cattle are seen in the neighbourhood of Tobolsk;

(says the author;) provisions are cheap and abundant,-bread thirty-six pounds for a shilling, and the same quantity of meat for three; and hospitality eminently proverbial. But what is perhaps more remarkable, very good society is to be enjoyed here, and the strongest features

of content are displayed in this hithertosupposed metropolis of barbarism and cruelty.

collected that Pallas, and, more esBut the Captain might have repecially, Clarke, had long ago given us correct ideas of this wonderful eastern city. He well remarks, how

ever,

-that Tobolsk is not a place where convicts or malefactors are allowed to remain, but people who are exiled from political causes only; the principal part of whom are officers, who have still the privilege of

appearing in public, without the loss of The Governor has it in his power to beeither rank, fortune, or even character. responsible for his appearance when nefriend any individual, himself becoming cessary: and as no government transports fools, Tobolsk may very well be, from this circumstance, a highly-civilized and eligible place of residence. Malefactors and bad subjects are sent to Tomsk, Nertchinsk, and Ochotsk.

As to the education and moral habits of the natives of Siberia, they are cer tainly equal, if not superior in these respects, to that of the European Russians.

In descending the western branch of the Ural Mountains, I soon found my. self again in Europe: the land of malt, the fire-side home, again had charms for the traveller. The sensations I experienced upon quitting the most favoured quarter of the globe, were nothing when compared to the present. Then I thought I was going only to the abode of misery, vice, and cruelty, while now I knew I had come from that of humanity, hos pitality, and kindness. I looked back to

the hills, which are, as it were, the bar

rier between virtue and vice, but felt, in spite of it, a desire to return, and end my days. And so strong is still that desire, that I should not hesitate to bid adieu to politics, war, and other refined pursuits, to enjoy in Siberia, those comforts which may be had without fear of foreign or domestic disturbance.

In another place he says,

There is, however, so little of interest in Siberia, so little to be seen, that it is hardly possible to form an interesting work on that topic, unless the traveller be a botanist or naturalist, or otherwise versed in the mysteries of science. Siberia is, in fact, one immense wilderness, whose inhabitants are so scattered, that five and six hundred miles are passed by the traveller without seeing an individual, much less any cultivation, or any works of man at all worthy of description. The manners, customs, and dress of most of the inhabitants, are the same. The seve rity of the climate, is, in most places, coequal, and, in general, productive of the same results. The matter of interest is to be compressed in a small space; and

all that I may be said to have done, may consist in the fact of shewing others, that man may go where he chooses, as long as his conduct corresponds with his movements, and that he may, fearlessly, and alone, as safely trust himself in the hands of savages as with his own friends.

But though the Captain calls Siberia "an immense wilderness,” it is not to be concluded that it does not contain much fine and magnificent scenery. Pallas and other travellers have told us so; and our author frequently launches forth into its praises:

Thus, (says he,) having procured a guide, I left Boukhtarma for the line of demarcation on the Chinese and Russian

frontiers. I first crossed the stream which

gives name to the fortress, and then, over a good path, entered upon a most romantic country, near the village of Voronia. It is impossible, without a poetical imagination, to conceive the beauties of such a country; the magnificent and bold sterile precipices which are seen rising from the great level pasture base, are, I should think, quite unparalleled ; and the noble Irtish forcing its way amongst the numerous islands, near this part of the river, adds to the majesty of the scene.

And again, when at Malaya-Narymka, the last Russian spot on the frontier, he states, that

—an officer and a few men placed here are all that are left to mark the boundaries of two such mighty empires as Russia and China. I forded the little stream which forms the actual limit, and seating myself on a stone on the left bank, was soon lost in a reverie. It was about midnight; the moon, apparently full, was near her meridian, and seemed to encourage a pensive inclination. What can

surpass that scene I know not. Some of the loftiest granite mountains spreading in various directions, enclosing some of the most luxuriant valleys in the world; yet all deserted!-all this fair and fertile track abandoned to wild beasts, merely to constitute a neutral territory!

Dr Lyall has lately furnished the world with a frightful picture of the state of civil administration throughout the Russian empire, which, for the sake of human nature, we should have been glad to have found was overcharged in the colouring; but alas! on the contrary, Captain Cochrane, with a degree of candour and frankness for which we give him praise, has furnished numerous examples of its accuracy. For instanec, he states, when at Semipalatinsk, that

-the surrounding country is void of cultivation, and infested with robbers, who commit serious depredations, an instance