The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-05-10
From per.,n 80 81. Pe.er.burr.

"Ringbolt,n the correspondent Of the Boston
Courier. writes as follows from St. Petersburg.
March 81: tf taH
do not know the exact distance from Berlin to
St. Petersburg. The time occupied was altOge-
Their forty -four hours, including stops, which were
frequent, and varied from five 70 thirty minutes in
duration, and III instance at the frontier Gus.
tom.house we were detained an hour and q half.
Z timaiing the rate Of speed II twenty-five miles
OH hour The whole distance may therefore be
computed to be about eight hundred miles. There
are four classes of cars. You nave heard the old
saying, that None but princes, fools and Ameri-
cans occupy the first" Had there been only
three ,Isssss in this rain we might have
a,testec the truth Of this prOverb, but as we felt
sufficiently above medioority IN the second seats,
we were content TO abandon the first to the
exclusive use of the Urinces aud the fools.
Whenever the train stopped and the doors,
which are always upon the SIDE, were opened
by the guards. volumes OF smoke rolled Gus
aud curled up into the air. The window, by
the popular will Of the majority, being
kept continually closed these frequent
re pites at the station saved us from sufocation.
There Is really very little difference 10 the ar
engagements Of the first and second class car
risges certainly not enougk to warrant the pay
inent of twenty nve per cent. additional fare. Fhe
price Of second class ticket from Berlin to St.
Petersburg il thirtY.siX thalers. equal TO about
thirty Elk dollars 10 our currency. From III P. NJ
at which hour we got fairly under way, until day
light Of the next morning. the time may be con-
sidered ss 80 much distracted from existence
not so exactly, for il was well invested in sleep.
Our busy day in Berlin had so greatly fstigued as
that wrapping our fur coats around US and reclin-
ing on the comfoI tably cushioned arm chairs In
the corner, spirits managed TO get out IN some
way through the tobacco smoke, and Travelled
back in pleasant dreams TO the enjoyable day we
had Just passed. How they managed to fnd us
again WIS ny stery ut soul and body did come
together in the morning, to look at one OF the
most dreary prospects remember ever to have
Here we were in Eastern Prussia, of whose
starvation you have read-ot tue failure OF its
crops, and OF the likelihood that they will fail
again. For the relief OF its people, Hamburg,
Berlin, Dresden, and all the German cities have
held fairs aud contributed large sums with much
generosity during the past winter. And yet the
aid has been very inadequate, for thousands OF
the wretched people have been starved TO death.
Not only have the crops failed in this region. but
the distress from similar cause has been general
in Europe and the north of Africa. GsunV
fsmins has stalked from the frozen cline
FIJI and through these miller lai u1es
hrougn the sunny south of France, and across
TIE Med terra1esn to Algeria. Never was there
a year OF sucn general misery from the lac OF
food. Whole populations, these Ne were now
amongst included, have lived on roots and gras
and the bark Of trees-so long as they could live
and then have died. Meanwhile, millions Of men
whose only use is that Of being at all times ready
to murder each other, have been supported at the
public expense Of he people living under the
various European governments. One half the
cost of these Standing armies, invested in food
would have saved every one Of those poor
wret hes from miserable eath. Christian ma
lvns OF the world standing ~ TO cut each 9th sr'
throats, and complacenty looking upon the star
walton Of their own childfen
Inc line Of railway is over an almost complete
level. There sTe bat few trees 70 be seen, anc
only here and there clump Of scrubby frs aud
birehes v hich look If they pa ticipatei IN thS
general misery Of humanity. SO tar as the eye
could reach, on either side, EXTENDED the un
broken plains, still 50 much submerged b. th'
overflow of streams that the whole distric
seemed one dismal swamp. Over this hOvsret
immense hOCks OF crows, sailing around IN Ia
air snd darting down on the dry patches, VIII n
the foods have not rOtted the winter wheat, bu
have left q partial allowance for them, If moi,
for man. The scene was Overshadowed by heavy
lnurky clouds, and altogether the view and on
reflections, as conrasted with those Of the bugh
yesterday, inclined Us TO an unpeasing meiaa
cboy such was the character of the cOuntrl
through which We passed IRON daylight UNI
abouI nine O'Clock, aud such il probably was for
part Of the previous night IL would have bee
pleasaDier had the night been longer.
he Bullets or restaurants are everywhere ex
cellent throue huut the entire route. What nav,
heretofore said of German cookery is proof OF q,
frrst prejudice N its favor. nor DO | think that
is much ex ieeded by the Ru sian cuisine; but i'm
paruai Ju ice impresses the convlcuon that thes'
establishments are so much superior TO thoss v,
have at hame that the worst OF them IS b stte
than the best Of ours. In the first place, III
coffee always is coffee, and Is weu made. o.
never hear that short Eat Of Indigestion, " fiE
minutes Tor refreshments" in which time there !
peTpeDdicg llr repast Of sponge cake, bake
beans and minced pies, washed d0vsu vita tb
black broth of barDt beans. on this road ther'
is ample time allowed TO sit down before cleA
aablecloth at little table by Yourself, where
clean waiter brings you clean napkin, sad the
You have bouilon soup, chicken OF q slice o
cold beef, or any OF the yAroas German con
pounds which We do not Affect. aud fortanats.
are not compelled 10 eat. The wiae AMI bser AZ
always good likewise, anl the prices are mods
a,e. You are not hurried, for alsr.n bells dii
fsrent intervals gise you notice Of the passage q
the time allowed, SO mat when You resume yoa
q At In The railway carrisge yOnr stomach Is E
y pesce with ali the world and yourself. and il
travellers blessing Is worth anything more tina
his curse TO a man, The Gefmsn restaurAnteu
heaps % much greater richesin benedicuoas TIA
the American saloon" keeper.