The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-15 00:00:00

GLIMPSES OF RUSSIA.

-4,.. -

(Fr nt Mr. o.lphont's New Volume )

Inc goats navigation of Havel& is quite as pecu-
liar as its railway travelling. A native of the Western
States of America would open his eyes in astonish-
ment at being told of three weeks occupied in a
voyage down stream on the Volga, which might
easily be accomplished in eight days. But hie
wonder would cease on perusing the following sketch
of part of the progress:
Our delays seemed never ending ; fur though, upon the
following alai, the papers arrived, we were obliged to wait
until the barges bail fl rated themselves over the first
shallows—a feat we bad no sooner seen them accomplish he
safety, than it was rumoured that the second engineer was
nowhere to be found, hat that he was probably locked _ q
in the station house. However, the anchor was weighed
without further delay, and we glided gently past Nijni,
which looked more beautiful than ever. After rounding
the peninsula on which it is situated, we Wail upon •
lovely nook, where the monos cry of Pietchenkie, almost
hidden in a thickly-wooded glen, appeared en enviable re-
treat from the cares of the world. A straggling village,
picturesquely built or rough log., nestled along the base of
the cliff-, here shut 200 fret high, and completed a we
charming prospect then I had supposed the Volga capable
of affording.
Here the firm barge awaited u', heavily laden with Sibe-
rian iron, sad western manufactures for the Astrakhan sad
Persian markets. Having taken her in tow we proceeded
prosperoudy, till a sudden perk startled us; and scarcely
had we abscise( red that our vessel was hard and fast en a
'awl-hank, before the barge, which bail considerable way
on bet from the speed at which we had been going, scraped
rapidly put, and the tow rope, getting foul, swept over our
deek, carrying away some of the funnel stays, and creating
much cutifusaiin. There is great danger to money
loungers on deck when such occurrences take place. A
mere touch hum the end of the tew-r •pe as it sweeps along
would certainly break a leg, if it did no greater damage;
and the whole thing is so sudden, that occasionally then
is great difficulty in getting out of the way. Upon the
last voyage a man had been knocked overboard and
drowned, under similar cirsametsaces. Immediately on
the steamer touching the ground, those on board the barge
should have let go the anchor. Through some clemoi-
Sin this was not done, and the consequences might have
hen serious As it was, another detention for two or three
beers was the only annoyance which resulted from the
widest.
This was a fi•ting time and place to become enlightened
ispn the subject of prricartes. a word I bed never heard
before I experienced this practical demonstration of its
weans During the meet three weeks, perientes formed
the meat engroannit topic. of conversation, while they of-
dlordedesadosirable opportuaities of exercising all our 111111,
rir. Of all the navigatoie riven of Europe. there
hail lly nese so ascertain and diMisalt of sevenths as
the Volga. Seldom very deep. the 'haul is in away
plans tenni. aidesa• tie M[ is eingened Ohne mind, is
net dmilai. Them shallows ass WWI qe:s; and
pa An WO very frevently, either 11111 IR the
itelabilf were constantly tanning eiffeladdl. isms-
diately below Nijoi are esteemed eons* of the went 00 the
river, and numerous craft are generally to be seen hope-
lessly imbedded in them.
At last our boat dotted off, but it was only to drop an
char once more, and wait fa the missing engineer. er hile
gaging wistfully down the stream, in the direction we
seemed destineed never to go, I was once more aroused by
• sadden crash, and found that another barge bad fairly
run into us, toppling over and staving in • quantity of casks
she had on board, and very nearly bnaking ear redder. I
was standing neat the tiller chains at the time, sad a
suddenly jerked round, my leg was caught, nd • jammed
against the side of the weed, thus affording's' personal ex•
potatoes of the risk attendant upon this sort of ismeaseion.
Fortunately the buttons of my boot gave way, and I had
the satisfaction of seeing it severely crushed Waned of my
foot, which was just pulled out in time—sot, however,
without receiving a warning Nunes. The barge had suf-
fered more than we had, and all hands were employed stuf-
fing tow into • large hole in her aide. After having pro-
gramed only fourteen vents, we anchored for the sight, as
(the channels being so intricate) it is always oat of the
question to proceed after dark.
We have heard a great deal lately of the abuses
of English hotels ; we believe that the angriest of the
persecuted race of innkeepers would be satisfied if the
writers on this subject in the limes were condemned
to put up fora year with the acemnasodations and
pay the prices. of Russian hotels. We here present
our readers with a sample of these bowers of bliss—
which affords us an opportunity of introducing them
to a Russian prince, as we have already done to a
Russian nobleman :
The pretensions of the hotel at Yalta, are quits charm-
teristie of the growing importance of the place. It is net
• bad type of Russian hotels generally. Upon arriving,
the traveller walks through an archway, and up • Hair,
in hopes of seeing somebody. In this be is for some tinui
disappointed ; nor does he gala anything when he at last
discovers a slovenly-looking servant, and points indignantly
to his baggage below. The answer is extremely polite, ea-
premin of the deepest sympathy
.on the part of the speaker,
who at the same time gently insinuates that he is Prince
delimit. (There an awn three hundred Prince Oalit•
nos in Eassio.) Swaging !sader sever of • profusion of
apologies, our wanner epeasemmber we doors, goes op
and dowa more stabs, end sees ender sea with a cigar
in his mouth. Detensined to avoid • similar mistake, he
'respectfully addressee him in Preach or dermas or, if he
can muster enough Enesien, in that tongue, and intimates
a wish to find the saner fir the hotel, or some servant.
Upoa this, the gentleman walks off, evidently offended.
However, he is soon after bend shouting down the long
peones, and turns out to be mass other than the landlord
himself. Now begins a Beane breams, ending la the oe-
eupancy of a small uncorpeted ebanlir, with a very dirty
floor, containing a hard eon* a harder stretcher
(dignified with the name of " bear) a table, and • chair.
This accommodation is cheap at h. id. a sight. After mime
wrangling, a basin sad jag an throws into the hurls, and
by way eta pins of extra luxury, elm chest le weed ups
Ike hard mattress on the stretcher ,Mt this bee evidently
been a good deal used already. Milk and latter were
luxuries quite unknown at the Greed Hotel at Yalta ; sad
eggs were only procurable at la 1111111•01111 prim, while ve•
getable' were unheard-of aocenapealmeins to Moser. Than'
are no means of cilliog the teriten. neept hz weadlerieg.
through the paosages shouting 61 Obeiseisk. Mew=
the " chelaviek" is always in a Menai pot of the estair,
lishment when he is wanted; blink eneldmiag that
there is only one, this is not ertrholhaiiyi
If he is wile, our traveller will enilleMe the seitnidstenee
of Prince delimit, who is not the heat 1111111171111 at bevies
been mistaken for a servant, but only melees le moisten
the credit of Russian hotels, sad the eheneter fable Itinte-
try for civilisation generally. He sap that tierelgane Sad
the accommodation bad, because they de sot travel as be
dose. With the view of giving his usealightened English
friend the benefit of his eeperinee, be ushers him into the
small room occupied by " Madame la Princes" and five
children. The lady, however, is hardly visible amid the
piles of bedding with which she is surrounded, and which !
• number of servants are engaged is sap&ieg. The took
is rummaging among the sacks of provisions that Mock up
the passage ; the children are clustered round their own
somovar ; and hence it is quite elm, that emir Mead the
Priem is independent of everything exempt • roof; and as
the hotel does not leak, he, of nurse, Is perfectly mateated
with the accommodation it affords.

Thee who tnrl is Hama, sad sun particularly in the
Cringes, nut be prepared not Nay to rough it, bat to pay
the pews of fint-rste betels.

THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT AND THE TZLEOILOH.
—The ihnikor el the 9tb la* publishes sons feeds which
an of Moron to the amines said emineedel magic It
noise Set Se gmeemeent bee Just erne& two sew nesse
Parle Or Se tromeneelea of
imbed sad sienebere; me at 14111==buy et: '
Mm, the ether al the sleeks of the Northam lies There
ere now, Saline, Sur ollus wined to all—At the
Mlaistrysf the lanefer, 10E, Hee as Greed* Bt. Our
wade ; at IS, ise adebolieu dweits the Mzeluage ; end
at the Mather. wad °Seas Railway teenainl. TM Mrs*
peer eilatme Isle eabile is (elbows : " The pabli. ie '
based that se Isiegeogblii *stew sea leave Pans sales' '
it los bees unseated Mwe of the ahem elms. POTIOSI
wbe mak their doped* Moen. wedge onabilehed by
penes parties, who we always matriled idloweeele to
genet ties at the gonnuaent daces. what lbsziesion
ad eallb &Isis, will*ware smetinise essibellik bat
they woo frequently pay nob higher 'hues them doe
Hod bylaw. No inquiries Si other lanes as be roceivied
by the French telegraphic authorities eases proyeld."
CONSUMPTION or DossiN PAZEL—The MiTabefore
gei(iTis MAl*44.rbur asia
:I=zz
Bea at •to say me Ss Ober :—"ls be deed ?"
v. Tea, but use enthuse mete lemble, be stregeted MM. sad
I was afraid of big serpeleeL"—" TM Ober alma be
killed, en we shall be bellied." The gime, thlabing
that a seeder bed bees aimailhol, took shwa sus latooss
lady, sad, be wilsr le masse Mee thounivoi the miens
saspiolene eves Seiresesslallen lad melted, they sea-
bend test tiny Weeded be s gni who sew is% them-
selves la swag lap, whisk Sy- Med, sad sold to the
low *alias beeseinerre ma* Mie bealsen, tennis up
for say Miaissoy Sey sight Ism ia Se swig el bares
and rabies. Semen of nu aesenglises of these emu as
well as a whesdeeler at Monmegie. she was a *unmet of
theirs, have been takes Into cutely.
• CITT STATOR TO fill Rein/ PEEL—The sen-
mime for erecting this steam met at the Measieepkome ea
Friday last. The tits out ved
Se Imbeage was negati,
sad ides Arose reselaties MS. ommistee
eoaaesea—
to apply M the Cumildenene ef Bowen to prole Use
statue te be pissed es tie see *Meals& bat before dorm
so It was resehrod," Tin It Amid be left to Mr. Tito,
Mr. Casaiaglim. Mr. Mama, mad Ms. Haywood to re-
engage sad twat the glimpsed pedellel, sad to have a
fresh resin maimed ender drib ileselleu so acts enable
the smentese is have earths sionbestlea of *bat might
bs esemsended before a bad daisies wee sum to m this
Is pines* sebjeet." The seams is in booms, sad the pedes-
tal will be of red and grey Aberdeen groans

LADY CHARLOTTE OVERT, of Dona** has pro-
mised to supply %ha what, of Dowlais with water at her
owa expense involviag as outlay of 3,0001. The supply is
to be drawn front the Dowlais lands, mad will prove a meet
iavalaable boos to Dow's* widdi at prassat is mereeLC
.11C4, with thiassowaszy eimosat. sod M s masa ma-
II Wassquom is mliessali "Masi