The herald., 1896-06-15
. bapd OF juvenile outlaws, mostly Tor
ai0uars and fook the fovn

.
eigners, and took the town.
Perhaps at that time the old Musco-
vite capital was the most profligate and
debauched place in the world. Peter 60
ing about by night found opportunity to
become acquainted with his subjects
and mankind. There were in Moscow
adventures from nearly all the conn
tries Of western Europe The ozar knew
these in his teens. He got Boris Galitsin
as sort of special director, with the
understanding that he was never to
fatter his pupil. At the house Of Count
Dolgorouki, Peter first saw an astrolabe
and perceived the possibility Of navigat-
ing the seas by star charts. He learned
the European method Of drill and form
ed his companions into a battalion. At
the villa of Ismailof he was shown an
English boat and was surprised to learn
that 1t would sail against the wind.
Peters mother, Natalia, had supersti-
tious dread of the water. She would
not even cross the bridge Of small
stream. But this maternal hydrophobia
worked the other way with her son.
As Peter came to his majority he
cleared hA way. He had already driven
the regent Sophia into exile To his half
brother Ivan he paid little attention.
After the mother Of Ivan was immured
in the Dievitchi monastery the imbecile
son was neglected until the year 1926,
when he died. Peter, however, had al
ready surprised his mother and man
kind with his audacity. In the year Of
his majority he made hts first venture
into the open world. With suit Of
more than 100 he set ont across 400
miles o: the most forbidding country on
the earth to Archangel. There he first
saw the SEQ. There the first Russian
dockyard was built under his hand.
There the first Russian ship sailed un-
der the Muscovite flag to foreign port
There the czar became "the skipper Pc
ter Alexievitch. " There, sailing five
days from shore and steering the ship
himself, he was aboot to be wrecked,
when an old sailor, Antip Panof, push
ed him aside at the risk Of his life, took
the rudder and got safely to port. It
was doubtful whether Peter would kill
him or make him an admiral.
Soon the c1ar began the organization
Of the Russian army. At the same time
he became bombardier in the ranks,
for he would begin everything at the
bottom and learn it himself. He
became inspired with the purpose Of
getting Russian seaboard and of bring
ing his empire into the family of ma
tions. With this end in view he under
took his first foreign expedition for the
conquest of the sea of Axov. Having no
feet, the expedition failed at first. but
Peter planted himself on the Don, put
5000 men at work and built the FIRST
Russian feet.
From that day forth there was war
before him and conspiracy behind. Azov
was blockaded and taken. The news
spread everywhere. and as far west as
Warsaw the people shouted, "Long life
to tho czarr' The first plot to assassi-
nate him was made by the Miloslavskis,
but they were detected, seized, dismem-
bered and beheaded. The suppression Of
the insurrection gave opportunity to Pc
ter to begin his travels and to enter on
his career as ship carpenter. gunner,
microscopic and statesman incognito in
western Europe.
In his twenty fifth year the czar set
out for Holland. He became "Mr. Peter
Mikhailof." His double character of
mastmaker and emperor presents for the
ensuing year one Of the prime humors
Of history. At Saardam the czar got
himself into "a carpenters coat and
apron and went to work with his ak.
Nobody could strike such blows or learn
50 quickly. He was presently recognized
and went to Amsterdam. where he con-
tinued to hew ship masts, make sails,
study with microscope and learn the
details of fishery. he also became stu
dent Of fleets and navies and Of naval
laws and treaties. He went about incog-
nito, rode unobserved in procession
given at The Hague to his own embas-
sadors, and having exhausted his oppor-
tunities ns carrerter set out for Eng