JOURNEY FROM St. PETERSBURG TO TZARITZIN. 9

Some German gamekeepers have difcovered truffles in thevicinity of Mofco, fo that they are now fold in the market,in a frefh ftate, and at a very moderate price, throughout thefummer.

Every objeft we behold in Mofco is, Hke the city itfelf, in acertain degree gigantic. Several palaces, in particular, are of avaft fize, refembling caftles ; and they are inhabited by hundredsof fervants, who are born in a ftate of vaflalage. The foundlinghofpital is one of the moft extenfive charitable inftitutions inthe world. Some of the country refidences are planned, andthe architecture is finifhed, in a magnificent ftyle. But the in-ftitution particularly deferving notice, is the new AJfembly-Houfeof the Nobility; which during winter is vifited by at leaft onethoufand perfons of rank, of both fexes, who appear at theballs and mafquerades in very fuperb drefies. This is un-doubtedly the moft numerous private aflbciation of the kind;and the grand aflembly-hall is one of the moft fpacious roomsin Europe.

Several indifpenfable arrangements for our journey detainedus at Mofco tili the 191h of February. During our ftay in thatcity, the weather became fo unufually mild for the climate,that the deep fnow in the ftreets began to diflblve, and we hadthe greateft difHculty in driving with our fledges, (the beams ofwhich are covered with iron, the top forming the body of acoach,) through thefe almoft impaffable ftreets, tili we reachedthe open fields, where the fnow ftill covered the ground. Idirected my journey by the way of Penfa, to Saratof.

In the night of the 1 Cjth we arrived at the firft ftage on thisroad, in Novaya Derevna, whence, without changing horfes,

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