The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-11-18

The Russian EmperOr's Crimean
Palace.

The Russian Emperor's Crimean
Palace.
A Sebastopol correspondent of the Bos-
ton Courier writes as follows
We have made another journey along the
south coast of the Crimea, the principal
objects of interest of which l described to
you year ago. AS before, Yalta was our
destination. On the road between Baider-
gate and Alupha, distance of twenty-eight
versts, we had the curiosity to count the
numerous windings or corners, and noted
the large number of one hundred and sew
enty.three. Leaving the ruins of the latter
place, we roamed for while among the
adjacent mountains and valleys, luxuriantly
covered with forest trees and vineyards,
with here and there villa. These country
seats, so romantically situated, and surroun-
ded by all that can delight the eye and cheer
the spirit, telong to the nobility, who,
though keeping their villas in perfect re-
pair and their vineyards constantly under
cultivation, yet strange to say, rarely resort
to them for residence. Lifting the eye,
mountains of marble tower above, and from
out the interstices of the somber piles shoot
forth the gay leaves and flowers of shrub
and vine. Herethe weired gipsy frequently
crosses our path, and the Tartar was seen
tilling the soil, and another driving his load
of vegetables and fruits toward Balaklava
At Alupha, five hundred Tartars are en-
ployed in cultivating the grounds of Prince
Woronzof, besides the exserfs, who are now
tasting the sweets of liberty in their old
quarters, with their usual routine of labor
The Woronzoff gardens are in the full bloom
and beauty of early autumn, and filled with
so glorious profusion of the choicest plants
and fruit-trees of every variety, that even a
Gushing, think, with all his Horticultural
products at Belmont, would deign to accept
the invitation we received to pluck and
gather to our hearts content. The vine
yard on this estate produces twenty thou
sand gallons of wine annually. After an.
other visit to the noted Woronzofr palace,
which l have before described in detail, and
a liberal enjoyment ofthe delights of Alupha,
we came unto Yalta, the chief watering
place of the Crimea, and found the
hotel filled with merry company. While
here the English yacht Claymore arrived
from Sebastopol, and with her passen-
gers before alluded to, we formed party
to visit Orienda, a pBlace OF the Emperor
six versts distant. The palace is built of
the white stone of Inkermann. and is too
simple in architecture to be imposing. The
interior, however, is beautiful, being fur
nished and adorned with exquisite taste The
building is square, and only two stories
high; the first story being surrounded by a
and Ornamented with marble statues. Pass
ing through the entrance hall we enter a
large pavilion, protected by glass dome,
its floor inlaid with marble, and the walls
and dome supported by eight marble pillars.
In the centre is collection of rare plants,
surrounding little fountain, the jet of
which is so disposed as to cover bouquet
of flowers, renewed every morning, in exact
imitation of globular glass cover. The
sofas, divans, arm-chairs, and so on, covered
with blue and white-6gured satin damask.
On the mantle are China vases, with figures
on blue ground. The door knobs are blue,
too, and the panels of the doors are inlaid
with enameled paintings in blue. 10 com.
plete the furniture of this apartment are
tete-a tete set of tables, two of which are Of
gutta-percha. inlaid with flowers of pearls,
and the other of papier-mdchie, also thus
inlaid, one of them in squares of pearls of
various colors and six very large mirrors,
with gilt borders, inclosed in wide white
marble frames, particularly chaste and un.
ique. The floor is inlaid with diamond figures,
and waxed. We next enter the writing.r room,
the furniture of which is of black walnut
and red damask. Then the boudoir, its
walls hung with white satin damask, with
gilt cornices, its furniture, rosewood and
white satin damask. The couch occupies
an arch in the room. Contiguous are the
bed chambers of the ladies of honor, prettily
furnished. which open into gardens of flow
ers and fountains. But l forbear, lest give
a surfeit of marble and pearl, and damask
and flowers and fountains. But such is
Oranda, palace of the Emperor of Russia.
Our party, triple alliance of Russian,
English and American, returning from i'm.
perial scenes, held social democratic meet
ing at the hotel in the evening. The next
day we secured afoot the suburbs of Yalta,
which are characterized by the usual varie.
ty and romantic attractiveness of a noun
famous region. After a peaceful Sunday,
spent in communion with Nature and her
visible forms, and marking, trust, with the
spirit that is not alone for the Sabbath,
out for all times, " the footprints of the
Creator" Monday morning found us on
board the yacht Claymore, bound for an
estate called Yourzof, sixteen versts from
Yalta' our chief object being to inspect
grotto' said to be very beautiful by moon
light Or artificial light. We took Bengal
lights tor the purpose, but on coming to the
mouth OF the grotto, 1.-THE sea was too bois-
ferrous to allow an entrance in boats with
safety. So, after indulging' in a parting
gaze into the cavern's depths, we sought a
landing place, and were soon on shore sur
rounded by Tartars, who came to greet us,