The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-03-13
THE GRAND-DUKE ALEXIS BOOK.

volumes OF the DOCK Wr1EI6n DY or IOT
the Grand-Duke Alexis of Russia on
his recent voyage around the world.
In the first volume, the grand-dnke gave
a somewhat humorous account of his
adventures in the United States.
The second volume of this superb
book, perhaps the most magnificent
that was ever issued from the Russian
press, opens with general criticism of
American institutions and popular man
ners. It is refreshing to hear what an
imperial prince has to say about the for
mer. He believes that the soil of Amer
lea naturally was destined for republi-
can institutions. "There us an aston
ishing self-reliance about Americans, :"
he writes, not without genuine enthu-
siasm and this, to the most casual
observer, together with their wonder
full, unparalleled information of the
general principles of government, ac-
counts for their fitness for republican
institutions. The gsmallest schOol-boy
in the United States knows the names
of eminent presidents of his country.
No one can convince anybody that Gen.
WASHINGTON was not the noblest man
ever placed at the head of any nation.
OF their war with Mexico they are very
proud, as we'll they may be, according
to my opinion for they routed large
Mexican armies, we'll armed and iutrep-
| idly commanded, with mere handfuls Of
| soldiers. Twas reluctant to converse
much on the recent civil war, as / still
| found considerable feeling on either
side and 1 principally conversed with
some intimate military friends on the
great events in which they bore con-
spicuous parts. Nothing could be more
| touching and thrilling than the modest
| accounts which these true heroes gave
| of exploits which TIE ancients would
| have immortalized in tablets of bronze.
| The infantry of America seems to suffer
| from someof the defects of the French,
| too much elan and too much indepen-
| dence of the privates-still, very admit
rable material. But did not know why
| thew were uniformed in so unattractive
a manner. Some of the militia regi-
ments in New York, aud even in the
west, look prouder and nicer than the
regular troops of the line. The artil-
lery is we'll armed, although some of
| the guns I saw seemed to have just is
sued from q protracted campaign. The
cavalry is splendidly mounted, and,
from what / saw, consists mostly of
capital fellows"
The courts of the United States, it
seems to the Grand-Duke Alexis, lack
the solemnity which surrounds those of
Great Britain and other European coun-
tries. "This," he writes, I" is the more
singular, as the people take the utmost
interest in judicial proceedings, both
criminal and civil. At first blush, it
almost might seem as though nearly all
intelligent men in the country were
lawyers, so well are they informed con-
corning the rudiments of the laws. Be-
sides, they are born orators their flu
ency of speech has oftentimes excited
my utmost surprise"
The grand-duke is not very enthusl-
tic concerning his impressions of Cuba.
He had looked for a climate of balmy
mildness, and, in its stead, he found
one of extreme and most disagreeable
changeability. He declares that, dur
| ing day of rain and storm in Havana,
he was more chilled than during any of
his protracted bear-hunts, in Russian
midwinter, on the frozen banks of Lake
Omega. But he speaks very highly of
the beauty of the Cuban ladies, some of
whom, he thinks, entirely realize the
most idealistic dreams of female beauty.
The men, on the other hand, looked to
him puny, and as entirely unworthy
physical representatives of the Castil-
| ian race. 'FThere is a striking differ
ence," he writes, "between the Spanish
battalions from the Basque provinces,
which / saw in Havana and Matanzas,
and the crowd of male Cuban spectators
who, with me, looked at them. The
former were tall, slender, erect, with
large heads generally; the latter seemed,
as rule, effeminate, and very little fit
for the hardships of the camp and
field"
Cuban food did not agree very we'll
with the northern stomach of his i'm
perial highness. He does not give any
! particulars of his disagreeable culinary
| experiences in the Gem of the Antilles,
| but the following extract will show
what he thought: "The sharp air and
| the long drive had given me keen ap-
petite, and sighed for a good steak.
This could not be had, and for cakes
and chocolate I did not care in the
least. I had begun to hate the very
sight of them"
At length the imperial traveller set
| foot on ii e soil of Brazil. What struck
| the prince as his most singular expe-
rience, after landing in the capital of
Brazil, was, that colored folks were
treated as the perfect equals of the
white race. "This was like Russia,
he says, "where we knowno distinction
of color" The first person who vel
coined him on his arrival was mulatto,
| a superior customs-officer, who ad-
dressed the grand-duke in excellent
French. cit is strange how similar
French and Portuguese sound when
WE'LL" he writes. " The Portuguese
language seemed to me to possess rare
beauties. 1t pleased me much better
than the Spanish"
Five days were devoted to the explo-
ration of Rio Janeiro and its environs.
&c 1t is magnificent place to live in for
short time" writes the grand-duke.
60 But soon got tired of the heat and
the insects. How longed to be boy
again, when and my brother used to
hunt for beetles and butterflies Such
superb specimens as 1 sawin the gardens
of Rio Janeiro But their humming
prevented me from getting my nights
rest.
The grand-duke visited the libraries
and scientific institutions, and was we'll
pleased with every thing he saw; but
he is ungallant enough to confess that
the ladies of Rio Janeiro did not make
very dSFeeable impression upon MIN.
"They are, as a rule, too round
faced" he writes land I met but few
among them t. at were even passably
good-looking. Nor was there any thing
striking about the men. / was present
at a sitting of the Brazilian Parliament,
and the assembly appeared to me as a
very ordinary body of men. Net one
of them seemed to be an orator of dis
tinction." The same unfavorable
opinion is passed on the Brazilian SOL
diers. They look like feeble half
breeds. The American negro troops
present by far a better appearance.
But this seems to be the great trouble
in all Central and South American
states. The armies everywhere look
languid and almost contemplate; and
yet, those countries wage war almost
continually"
In the correspondents synopsis now
occurs a considerable gap. He next
gives few extracts from the grad
dukes opinions on Japan. One of the
significant passages which he quotes is
the following: From all l can see,
El,o-o 80 ~,arx-