The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-05-10

and twenty years ago, ] was captain
II The Northern Light, large schaon-
er ttsaing between liull and ST. Pc
iefsbnre a long acquaintance With
the sieissiiudes q he Russian eli
mate had made me somewhat reck-
less. The consequences was. that one
soih Il October. oaud my vessel
tight locked 10 ice had stayed a
week too long. ia ny oagerness 70
take a toll cargo q timber; q prison.
er iill tbe middle or ead Of April, far
away from ny friends, aud doing
what Iiyery-siablc keeper would
cal eating nay own head of.
Being, however, ot sansuine tenn.
permanent. and having no wife 81 home
70 be anxious sbSut, / resolved to
make the best Of il, and enjoy myself
as web as ! could saw all the
sights of ST. Petersburg, from Peter
The Greats wooden house down TO the
mammoth. / visited Moscow. !
went bear hunting. ! drove about ia
sledgcs. ] fell III loye and frll out
again Nor did | neglect business
/ frequently attended lhe Exchange,
and made myself known to the chief
( laii0w. hemp, and timber merchants.
] studied Russian commerce. / ar
ranged for cargoes for two years 70
CONS Tie Anglo Russians are very
hospiiable, and. thanks 70 the kind
ness 81 Mr.. Anderson, the English
banker, my hotel expenses were yeiy
small. Ny fur coat were my chief
expense; they cost me large sum
then but reconef they would last
me my life, and so they have at
least, | wear them to this day.
Nevertheless, ! pinsd for the hour
of liberty. An idle lie did not suit a
man Of my temperament-one who
had been az sea ever since he was
twelve years old. Like all sailors, !
v@s always grumbing against The
sea, and yet ! was never happy away
from il. AT last the order OF my re-
lease came. The ice on the Ncya,o
posile the custom house especially be-
gan 10 melt into thin bars an inch or
SO wide. il became dangerous to
yeuture on il, except where ii was
piled with snow. The ice.slabs on
the quay began 10 break, when /
pushed them with my stick, into gias-
IS fragments. Here and there some
spaces began 10 open, and dirty brown
snow water pooled on the surface
There bad been several warm days,
but now rain and wind came, and they
soon melted the walls OF my crystal
prison. Slpdgcs still yentured on the
Neya, though The water rose up to
the horses knees.
One morning, when looked out
OF my window ca the ground floor at
Miss Bensou's on tie English quay,
the water had all gone from the sur
face Of the nee, ,lhat was tue well known
sign that The ice had become too po-
rous and spongy TO hold water, and in
few hours would break away from
I the banks and begin TO float sea%ard.
Mad just Fat down to breakfast,
iwhon a handicapped Of cannon broke
from the fortress.
I What is tiiai. Miss Benson Z" /
said to our hostess al the head Of the
table.
MAT" She replied, " is the signal
lihat ue commander OF the citadel,
with his officers. is crossing the river,
TO present the emperor at the winter
palace with a goblet Of Neya water
in token Of the return Of spring. The
emperor viii give him the cup back
filed with ducats."
Hurrab Y I cried "theh hey for
old England =
II took me some days TO get the
ship of, for il was tedious going back
wards and forwards to Consmdl. l.
was the butter week time; that seven
days feast which precedes Lent, and
is followed by the rejoicing Of Easter.
In the intervals Of business, as went
to and fro to my agents, amused
myself with observing the revelry OF
this great Russian festival.
There were thousands of peasants
devouring phnni (paneakes,) and ca
Ware, honey cakes, and nuts. There
were swings, see-saws, and .round-
abouis. he great square OF the adj
miralty was tie Chief scene OF the
amnsemenis. Close to the winter
palace, the war-ofiiee, and The senate
house, there were scores Of temporary
ihealers, and long lines Of ice noun
lains, down Which tie sledges kept
rushing incessanily, amid tie shouts
and laughter Of tie gcod-uaiured bat
wild-looking peasants. AZ the doors
Of the theatres stood the tea-sellers.
with huge brazen semoeare smoking
in the centre OF their tables, and sar-
rounding by countless tea-pols. The
sAop-keepers themselves Ia tar caps
and gloves, stood by their stall.,siamp-
ing, and clapping Heir hands, and
shouting:
Gentlemen, will you please 70
take a glass 81 warm lea, with lemon
or cream iIoa will you take the
sugar (for true Russian keeps
/ Bis sugar n his mouth. and does no4
pot il Ia his tea cUp) The Admiralty
square was sfrewn VIII nui shells
here and there was a drunken bear OF
a peasant, q mere ieeling bundle o.