The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-05-12

v
are usually regarded as the most pictur-
esque cities of the world---yiz.: Edinburgh,
Naples, Constantinople, and Cairo, as seen
from the Citadel But on looking from
Ivan's Tower in the Kremlin, | am not
certain but that Moscow will rank with
the best of them. As for boldness of site
lit lacks that; but this defect is made up
by other attractions peculiar to itself.
Standing on the heights of Ivan's Tower,
and looking out from amid circle of bells,
you have before you city of 650,0OO
population, encircled in loop Of the
MoskYa River. The houses mostly are
light-colored, many of them white, with
green roofs. A large amount of foliage is
interwoven with the lines of streets, or set
of, with rich effect, isolated public build
lngs, or princely private residences whilst
from amidst this wide area there rise
nearly four hundred churches, with cust.
ers of domes, or towers, or steeples, or
truncated pinnacles,-some white, some
cerulean blue, some Russias favorite color,
green, some yariegated, some radiant with
gold, aud some shining like constellation
OF blazing stars. a spectacle such as this,
illumined by an unclouded summers sun,
is surprisingly unique, beautiful, and
picturesque.
The tower commanding this view is five
stories high, and contains two chapels, one
of which ought to be in great repute, as it
is dedicated to st. Nicholas, the patron
Of all ladies about to marry. Besides two
small silver bells of exquisite tone in the
upper tier, there are "a other bells ia
stories below, one of them weighing Ga
tons. The Guide Book says. "The ring.
ing of all these bells on Easter eve produ-
ces a wonderful effect" | should think
SO; particularly upon people who live in the
neighborhood, especially too, as no attempt
at harmony OF sounds need ever be expect
ed from Russian belfry. At the foot of
this tower, raised On low pedestal, stands
the world-renowned Great Bell Of Moscow
After having been re-cast several times on
account of accidents by fire, it was again
re-cast in 1888, but, by the falling OF
heavy rafters during another fire in 1877
the side Of it was knocked out, and il has
never been rung since, and probably never
will be.
Most persons who have not visited
Moscow, are under the impression that the
kremlin is a single building, or castle, OF
fortress, or something of that sort. 1t i.
an enclosure surrounded by walls 1896
feet in circumference, and pierced by five
gates, Within these walls are three
churches, an elegant new palace for the
Emperor, the Treasury, the Sacristy of the
Holy Synod, and other structures, together
with long lines of French cannon lying on
the ground-a souvenir reluctantly left by
Napoleon Though the Kremlin wall,
were designed as fertilization, they would
be no protection against modern artillery
The most sacred part of the Kremin is
the Gate Of the Redecmer," through
which no one must pass without uncover.
ing his head. Cabdrivers and guides grow
specially devout in passing through this
gate.
Our young Church of England minis.
terial friends, of whom | have before
spoken, were with us again. Having a
deep interest in the condition of prisons
and prisoners, they were anxious to visit
those in Moscow; and | Joined them in
what We expected to be successful en-
terprise of this sort. Armed, as they
were, with letter to some great parsonage
whose word would open the prison doors
we sailed out, but after going first to one
place and then to another, and through n
most vexatious amount Of circumlocution
aud after wasting much time, and being
jolted in droskies over rough pavements,
We had to return disappointed. We were,
however, compensated in another way, for
whilc sitting impatiently awaiting the ar
rival of one Of the party, he at length
came in, saying he had just seen a long
procession of prisoners bound for Siberia,
passing through the streets. Not to be
disappointed also in so rare a spectacle as
this, my other friend and myself quickly
chartered drosky, and, putting on extra
speed, soon caught up with the exiles. 1t
was indeed sad spectacle. There were
probably sixty or eighty of them, each
clad in a rough, gray frock, reaching to
the ankles, with the letter W. in yellow
on the back, and also q number Those
in front were chained in pairs by the legs
and wrists; next came some with chains
on the wrists alone, in gangs of four to
six. After these came women, also with
the gray frock and mark on the back.
Then came women, wives Of the prisoners,
who are allowed to go along and winding
up the procession came few rough wagons
with sick and old men, and children of
some Of the prisoners The chains were
not heavy, and the iron rod connecting the
couplets was light, but worn through SO
long march, they must be u grievous
burden. Six months of weary walking is
necessary to bring them to their destina-
tion amid Siberian wilds. Some, who are
sent for minor offences, are allowed the
privilege of emigrants in the new place of
abode, and not unfrequently the condition
is improved from what it was before. But
Others are doomed to lifelong labor in the
mines beyond the light of day. A de-
tachment Of Cossaeks guard the procession
on the long journey. They stop in differ
ent towns and rest in jails. People not
unfrequently make them presents Of food
or small sums of money as they pass
through the streets; regarding them more
as unfortuuates than as criminals. Ny
English friends, as the result of their
prison visitations 10 these Northern lands,
regard the system in Finland as most de-
fective Of any; iuasmuch as whilst COM
paratively too indulgent in some respects,
they put in chains even those convicted Of
minor offences. These gentlemen say that
when entering the large apartments Of the
prisons, the prisoners would all rise as
mark of respect, and that it was frightful
to hear the rattling of the chains.
Whilst waiting one day in the counting
room Of an English merchant, he told me
that his house, with others in Moscow,
trades not only with Eastern Russia, but
with Siberia aud Northern China. Trans
portation to the aforementioned is first down
the Volga aud then overland to China.
1t is by this route that the celebrated