Ri,

THE RUSSIAN YRONTIER. 451

‘pon them, and who live for months upon the voyage down 1847.
Tom Volhynia to Memel on these floats, had a wild, savage Ar. 42.
‘Pearance, reminding me of the Irish. Soon after, reached
he Russian frontier. I rallied my companion on his rather
honghfy) aspect on approaching his native country. ‘It
® not exactly fear that I feel,” he replied, ‘but I do find a
Hagrecable sensation here,” striking his breast; perhaps
tis Something in the air which always affects me at this
Pot’ Arrived at Tauroggen ab eight o’clock, the distance
rom Konigsherg being about a hundred English miles.
The chief of the Custom House was very civil, and declined to
Rarch my luggage.
Biga, Aug. 16th.— The distance from Tauroggen to Riga
5 about 290 versts, or about 160 miles, which are accomplished
™ eighteen hours exactly, at an expense of 42s. The country
Snerally a plain as far as the eye can reach, with here and
hero only some slight undulations ; mostly a light soil and
andy, hut everywhere capable of cultivation. Large tracts
*Vered with forests of fir, interspersed with oak, birch, ete.
Fith patches here and there of cultivated land. The country
very thinly peopled ; the villages consist of a few wooden
hongeg thatched ; scarcely saw a stone or brick house. The
"llageg through which we passed on the high road on the
*giiming of our journey were generally peopled with Jews,
b dirty, idle-looking people, the men wearing long robes
Vith a girdle, and the women often with turbans, the men
Hg Wearing the long heard. These wretched beings créep
shout their wretched villages, or glance suspiciously out of
hei doors, as if they bad a suspicion of some danger at
"Very step, They never work with their hands in the fields
Ton the roads excepting to avert actual starvation.”
“St. Petersburgh, Aug. 20th.-—Called on Count Nesselrode,
the Foreign Minister, a polite little man of sixty-five, with a
Profugion of smiles. Like Metternich, he strikes me more 88