The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-08-08
RUSSIA.

Being ia company, lew days ago, nth an
american gentleman OF the stricle,I yeraciy
and now resident in ONO, bul recently re-
turned from visit 10 Russia, we, IN The course
oi Conversation, learned number OF particu-
lars which are new aud interesting 10 Us, and
we have no doubt, viii be SO 10 tiiost OF on
readers.
The pessaniry in most parts Of that exien-
sive empIrc are totally unietteled aud ba.o
but vague IDEAS of civilized lie, and many ol
them IN state OF complete barbsrism. The
men never shave nor couib their boards; tie
consequence IS, they bccome firmly matted
aud iull 81 .ermln, which the iillhiness OF their
hsbils aud The idleness OF their dispositions
induce hem 10 take no great paias TO destroy.
Their miserable huts and their customary food
tally exactly with their disgust.g personal
appearance as 10 losthsomeness, and Their
clothing is principally the IMPRESSED skins oil
wild animals The Emperor, whom our 10.
iormant considers The most wise and sagaoious
statesman that Europe Can boast Of, has, at
present, a peace establishment sf one million Of
men. The private soldiers are all taken from
the above described peasantfy. Their boards
noLwi hsiandng the sacred yeneraiion in
which the possessors bold them, are smoothly
sh,ven, Their vegmiu al! destroyed, a compleie
suit Of military uniform is put OH them, and
the customary weapons o! var are put into
Their hands. All this, as strange as II may
appear, does pot cosl the government cent,
ior they are made TO support themselves. The
day is divided into four equal parts one SIX
hours is devoted TO drilling and field esolu-
tlons; SIX hours 10 sleep; six 10 labor at some
mechanic AT OF I" cuiiivsting gardens or fields
Tor lhe use OF the army contractors or the
market Ut the town, near which squadron
may be stationed; and the remaining SIX
hours they are oD duty as senlinels. They
are constantly relieving each other al the end
OF each qusner OF he la, and thus conlio
osl routine OF their several duties are kept up.
except when the hours OF labor return, then
each individual returns 10 that particular en-,
ployment which Was first assigned him. These
soldiers are taught 10. call the Colonel of the
regiment 10 which they respectively belong.
OUR FATHER, and they are taught 10 obey
higher military rank than 6 our ialhe'" they
dare not approach; but a disobedience Of
The orders ot their Colonel they con- der as
booming them To everlasting misery, aud they
would prefer the most torturng death TO disc
bedience Of orders.
Their sentinel duty consists in guarding the
premises OF tue nobility and gentry, aud The
nunbef is proporlionale 10 the standing OF the
guarded that is, from to 200 soldiers, and
when one IS placed as sentinel he stands
with his gun shouldered in soldier like man
ner and his accoutremeDts on in due order, and
never varies his position lll he is relieved by
successor. accompanied by proper officer,
at the end of his six hours.
AT the end Of each week, the svails ofeach
ones labour is presented TO the commssary,
who pays the current value OF he article, IN
money; part Of which money is returned IN
purchasing their scanty rsiions OF provisions
(Which, by the is better than ihey-kad
been accustomed 10 IN domestic lite} and a
part is applied as occasion requires, to fepIen.
ish their clothing, ammunition, &c. Alter Two,
three or four years in This service, and it APP
pearing that they have acquired The arts OF
civilization, learned a useful occupation and
the practical duties of soldier, they are sui
fered to retire 10 domestic life, lut must retain
all their military equipments and bold ,beu-