The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-08-03
THE VEXATIONS OF ST. PETERSBURG,

Correspondence If tie Boston Transcriptl
ST. PRTERsBURG, July 2.-There are some draw
backs to the pleasure of a sojOurn in ST. Peters
burg, which must be considered in comparing its
attractions with those ofother cities Few travel
ers are so independent of personal comfort as not
to count the absence of it, in even Il moderate de-
gree, a serious defect in any place they visit and
! have praised this fine city so much in former let
tiers that think it high time to tell some unpcas-
ant truths about it. As for its situation with re-
gard to health, it is very bad. 4 century and n
half ago Peter the Great built his little hut on the
dead level of marshy ground through which the
Neva spreads its many arms to the sea- and although
millions upon millions have since been spent in drv
ing piles into the Quaking earth for foundation, and
in building upon them palaces and churches with
golden domeS, St Petersburg is but a gilded bog
alter all. The Neva not only rolls its rapid cur
rent through the heart of the city, but its waters
steals through the spongy soil to stagnatc a few
feet beneath every palace and howell and to rise in
more dangerous form under the fierce heats of the
summer sun.
As for the cline of St. Petersburg in summer, it
certainly has the charm ofvaricty-a variety which
is exceedingly trying to ones health and comfort
One day the heat will be so intense in the morning
that you long to cast yourself into the cool spark
ling Neva, and by afternoon you will need an over
coat. On the 4th of june the mercury stood at
100 in the shade; on the 5th at SEQ, and on the
9th, at $50. During the past week it has rapred
from COO to 900. But figures do not give an idea
of the peculiarly burning heat of the sans direct
rays through this clear atmosphere. The Rus
hottest weather, the gentlemen in overcoats, the
ladies in thick velvet coaks, and the workmen often
in sheepskn robes with a composure that is really
surprising. The extremes of temperature to which
their baths accustom them serve, perhaps to tenn
per their frames to the great Russian air bath
which is so trying to foreigner.
The drainage of the city is mseraby arranged
The are in the middle of streets about three
feet beneath the surface, with very slight fall to
ward the river. Many of them terminate in cess
pools, and do not communicate with the river As
they all swell and soon become cogged the authori-
ties have pleasant custom Of opening them of hot
day, and placing the sediment which has gathered,
in the form of liquid mud, along the streets
There it remains until Il is dry enough to be easily
carried away. As may be supposed, the smells
which often prevail in the streets of ST. Petersburg
If not as numerous as those of the city of Cologne
are certainly quite as disagreeabe. Is it STRANGE
that with mOrass veneered with pavement ard a
network of stagnant drains under foot population
whose indifference to personal cleanliness cannot
be matched by any civilized people, burning,
blazing sun in the sky for nineteen hours out of
| the twenty-four, st. Petersburg should be an ur-
healthy city about this time? One of the princi-
pal physicians tells that three-fourths of the
strangers who come here in the summer fall sick,
and those of the permanent residents who do not
the city as is the CUSTOM for the country, are
subject to frequent Illness During the hot weather
cholera prevails more less in the CITY, This year
it first appeared in Cronstadt, but it has since been
raging there though not with the vrulence of for
mer years, when the mortality fearful among all
classes. The water from the river (the Neva being
the only source of supply is clear and palatable:
but when say that it almost invariably ''dis-
agrees with travellers, mildly hint at its alarm
ing effects. Most persons take to beer, or temper
| the water with brandy or wine, and the lower
classes consume prodigiOus quantities of guess, a
drink made from the sour rye bread of the country,
and water OF the unceasing drinking of tea have
| already spoken. That goes on day and night
And now, in rehearsng the annoyances to be met
with here, come to the chronological department;
to the great variety and abundant supply of creep
| ing crawling, flying, hopping and Jumping crea.
| the population of Russia. If anv person. coming
! from country where certain of these vagabonds
fortunately rare, thinks that by especial care he
will eyade their attentions he will soon be convinced
! of his error. 1t may be as he walks through one
of the palaces, sits couch of silk and gold in
| a princely mansion, wakes in his bed from q
dream of home, or strolls down the Nevskoi Pros
pect near some fine Russian lady, on whose mantle
! there is perhaps something which would furnish a
| poet with as good material for moraZing verse as
| Burns once had, something which fhvmes with
home and venture to say is to be found in almost
every dwelling in this city of palaces, and which
moreover, has great market named after it (tht
wretched little insect lit may be at such times, OF
! while he is standing in crowd to his Imperial
| Majesty ride by; but he will surely know by ex
perience that even the police of st. Petersburg
cannot suppress the bugs, the flies and heas and
their brethren of the insect tribe, who hold high
carnival during the short and fiery summer.
As for the brisk and agile feas, the black Hus
sars of the great army whose common enemy is
man. their restless squadrons are in every public
and private place, ready to make a dash upon hin
who approaches. One soon gets used to them; bu
at first it is somewhat embarrassing to have one
the little rascas hop gay from your sleeve at the
dinner table and go friskng along toward the young
lady next you. They omnipresent, and proc
AGAINST all safeguards and preventives and lib
eral application of the famous Oriental Flea Pow
der, brought all the way from Cairo, by way O
Boston, only seemed to exasperate them into great
er activity. But they in turn may have their tor
mentors, for
A flea so naturasts say,
Has smaller fleas that on him prey;
And these have smaller still to bite EN-,
And so proceed Gd IN Jinitta.
The other biters and stingers, winged and many
legged, according to their station and duties in life
are very numerous very fierce and very persever
ing; but will pass from them to different kind o
thorns in the flesh, chief among which shall plac
the wretched condition of the streets, which rem
ders ocomotion so painful and wearisome If yol
ride in a droshky you are shaken about as if yol
we're travelling over corduroy road, for the un
certain foundation of the streets allow the pavemen
to sink here and there in manner that would as
tonish a Bostonian; and if you walk over the grea
wastes of undulatDg stone which they call squares
you will soon be foot sore enough to take to tn
droshky, despite its dirty driver and its nevitabl
!