The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-01-21
BY GEORGE u. WESTON.

The 'Muyjick," or peasant of southern
Russia, is a contented being; his mind
is seldom tortured by ambition, neither
is it worried by ceaseless struggles for
wealth or position. The level plane of
his existence suits the sluggish blood of
these yelow-bearded denzens of the
steppes. AT work or at play, cold or
hungry. wet or dry. the same stolid con-
tentmcnt pcrvades his being. If sorrow
crosses his path, he dispels it with deep
potations of cathi, the fiery national bev-
erage Of Russia. His wants are few and
easily met. In tall boots of birch tanned
leather, loose trowsers and a sheep-skin
coat and cap, he will defy the cold Of
winter, its hardships and exposures. In
summer he dresses in canvas with shoes
made Of braided rope-yarns sewed to-
gether; fancy colored calico frock con.
stitutes in part his holy day attire. If "a
laborer, he goes to his daily work, taking
with him his dinner in a canvas bag,
which usually consists of some three
pounds of black bread, salted cucum-
Der or some picked olives, dried fish,
or if in the season grapes, melons or other
fruits. Ifa carpenter he carries his AK,
which is very dear to him, in his belt, or
sluug over his shoulder. On being en-
ployed away from his family and home,
he sleeps near his work in the open air !;
the teamster, also, lies down at night by
the side of his horses or oxen. | have
met on the main post-road of the Crimca
loaded teams journeying from Moscow to
the south coast late in autumn without
tent or lodgment of any kind but the
brown earth and blue sky of the open
steppcs. Though boorish in manner and
rough in appearance, the peasant is kind
hearted and extremely hospitable, sharing
his Loaf Of black bread with Christian,
Jew or Mohammedan. He is invariably
a hard drinker, and the intemperance and
degradation visible in Russian market
town of Sunday afternoon, or on some
religious or state festival, would not be
tolerated long in New England COM
munity. The "Kaback" or ratki shop
is a low public house generally kept by
hired agent Of the government (the gov
ernment receiving the profits and is an
institution peculiar to Russia. In these
vile resorts the mujicks, Doors and peas
ants gather to pass in drinking and go'-
siping their evenings and idle hours. Ia
these auJergS the heavy corn brandy of
the country is sold in sealed bottles of
various sizes from gallon to half-pint,
while still smaller bottle, holding only
gill and called poll Scarlich, is con-
sidered one square drink for stout peas
ant and costs him the sum of five cents.
The bottles are opened by the vender and
the contents are imbibed on the premises,
the same as soda or ginger-beer with us.
This wholesale drinking produces intoxi.
cation of the most beastly kind, and the
worst phases of drunkenness | ever wit.
messed were in and around the open doors
of Russian kaJach. On a Saturday
evening, and, in fact, all day Sunday,
men and women stand before the dirty
wooden bar and drink together, dance,
reel, stagger. and sing vile songs; ; anl
the noises, oaths and obscenity is disgust
ing, while the unsavory odor arising from
the greasy, sheep-skin garments would
suffocatc any but a Russian peasant.
Yet he seldom fights or strikes his fellow
his contented nature rises above the ey
citemcnt Of the drunken dcbauch. and
keeps him gentle, tractable and maudln
affectionate. When entirely overcome by
his too frequent libations, he is dragged
out of the way and left to sleep off the
stupor. So passive is through the various
stages OF inebraton that the police sci.
dom trouble him, and the cutters of a
Russian garrison town are frequently
ornamontcd with sleeping human swine
of the above description.
The American company, while en-
gagged IN clearing the harbor of Sebasto
pol of sunken ships, employed some 200
of these mujicks in various departments
of thoir works. Among the number were
many skilled workmen-joincrs, machin-
lists, smiths, etc. While thus engaged
many others learned trades; some took
up submarine diving, and became quite
proficient in the art of working under
water at the depth of ~ feet for hours
without coming to the surface, for one
roubc and q quarter lone dollar per-
day. At one time a force of some thirty
of these amateur divers were employed
on various wrecks in the harbor. Ac-
cidents sometimes happened, one of which
was fatal and occurred under my observe
ton. On the 18th of June, 1866, we
were at work on tho bulk Of the Constan-
tine-a lue-of- -battle-ship of 120 guns
sunk off Fort Nicholas in twelve fathoms
of water. The diver, Pole in this in
stance, was down under the keel placing
a blast of 200 pounds of powder SO as to
break off the stern-post preparatory to
raising it by a capstan purchase, when
suddenly a noise like the report Of pis.
tol was heard by all, and it was discov-
cred that the hose which conveyed the
air down to initiate the divers dress had
burst above the surface, and the pressure
of so much water collapsing the rubber
suit which encased him, forced the ali
Upward through the pipe and out of the
aperture, at the same time driving the
blood from his extremites to his head
md causing instant death, knew the
nan well in life, but in death | could not
him, so black and distorted
we're his features. On unscrewing the
helmet of brass, which protected his head
rom the shoulder-plate, blood flowed from
lis eyes, ears mouth and nose, present
ng the most revolving spectacle of the
lind | ever witnessed. will also add
hat the body lay "A hours in the bottom
# an open boat, awaiting the slow process
# red tape.
The dwellings of the lower order Of
Russian peasants are twelve or fifteen
eet square. built OF rough stones laid in
Mortar of clay mud. The roof is fiat an]
hatchcd with straw or willows, some.
lines covered with sward, a single door