Twenty years around the world

by John Guy Vassar

A few evenings since, at one of the rude stations where we passed the night, a pleasing rencontre for my friend was the meeting of a general en route for his post on the shores of the Caspian. They had not met since they were cadets together, some fifteen years before. He was provided with some choice sherry and some old Havanas, which gave additional zest to an evening in a barbarous country.

This pretty, well-built town, occupied in part by Greeks, who have made fortunes in the grain trade, was sadly mutilated by the fleets of the allies. Many of the ruined houses and magazines have been restored. I counted thirteen cannon shot in the front of the house of an eccentric individual, who had made his repairs, and stuccoed the balls, mosaic like, in the front. The lower part of the city, under the bluff, was entirely destroyed, and the upper part, on the hill, badly damaged.

There are some two hundred vessels, of different nations, in the roadstead, waiting for cargoes of flint wheat, or the lighters loaded with the ordinary kinds, brought from Rastoff, or higher up in the Don. Large quantities are transported from the river Wolga to the Don, and floated down. The fisheries of the river are also important, and quantities of caviar are made from the eggs of the sturgeon, for exportation. The hide, wool, and tallow traffic is also considerable.

A monument to the Emperor Alexander, who died here after his visit to the Crimea, is erected upon the public square. The so-called palace, a large mansion house, where he died, is visited generally by Russian travellers. The room he died in has an altar in it, and the priest who was with him in his last hours still lives, and presides on festive occasions. I noticed here, also, that a few stray shots of the enemy had done their work.

I found one village near Rastoff almost exclusively occupied by Armenians. Their churches are handsome edifices, and will compare favorably with the Russian churches for beauty of architecture, and the towers and cupolas painted white, with green roofs, have a pretty effect. The interior decorations are not unlike the Russian Greek churches, which, in paintings, images, crucifixes, lamps, and candles, are more overloaded than the Latin Catholics.

The Armenians are generally a money-getting race, and surpass the Jews in financiering.

Among the different races which I have found in this country, the Kalmucks must not be forgotten. They remind me of the Chinese as far as traits of feature are concerned. They are mostly employed as shepherds. Their huts are made of a sort of felt, under which husband, wife, and children are grouped together. They use for covering the skins of sheep, and live upon black bread and loppered milk. They kill no animal for food, it being contrary to religious prejudice; but when one dies, I notice the great iron pot is partly filled with water, and placed over the fire in the middle of the tent. The intestines of the beast are boiled with slices of pressed common tea, which comes overland in the shape of cakes, and a soup is prepared for the whole family.

Russia comprises such an infinity of races, some half-civilized, and some barbarian, that it is not surprising, notwithstanding the upper classes are educated, and have the surface, or gloss, of high civilization, that one often discovers the traces of barbarism when least expected. They are hospitable in general, and I have received many civilities at their hands; but nevertheless the proverb, “Scratch the Russian a little, and under the surface you find the Tartar,” in many instances is not incorrect. They are trying to improve their condition, but what can be done by a people who rely upon the will of one man, whose word is law?

The routine of Bureaucracy is fearful. The laws are a mass of ukases issued by the different emperors, and many remain dead letters. For instance the Emperor Nicholas, hearing of a great conflagration from the use of lucifer matches, issued an edict prohibiting their introduction, which does not prevent the general use of them; still the ukase is not countermanded. The abuses of officials are also startling. The government was robbed to a great extent during the war by persons who are now living in splendor. Many were detected who had sent their ill-gotten gains to the bank on interest; these sums were confiscated.

The crown has now reduced the rate of interest from four to three per cent. on bank deposits, hoping to induce the people to invest in railroads, but they say they would rather have three per cent. certain than risk their money in new undertakings. There is no spirit of public enterprise among the people, and if there was, every possible obstacle would be thrown in the way by the officers and employees of the government.