Page:Autobiography of Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes.djvu/84

58 head of Navigation of the Gulf of Finland. Revel some [blank] miles to the East of Cronstadt is a far better port for Naval purposes than Cronstadt, and I believe more attention has been paid to it of late years.

While in St Petersburg the officers enjoyed the kind hospitality of the Russians and were welcomed. It was evident they knew but little about the Americans, whether they were black or white men, and this was made evident on one evening as we were coming out of the Opera. I heard a remark made by some one of a large party pointing out that group of officers that stood around were American. It was followed by that of others well dressed and evidently of the highest class "Oh! Non impossible, ils n'est sont pas noir." It produced a great deal of merriment among us.

The habits and appetites of the Common Russian are not cleanly. They will readily eat the skunk as if it were butter or grease and oil their bodies and heads with it; in fact they look as oily as whaling men. The Bazaar at St Petersburg is of large dimensions. The porticoes are on three sides, and are lined with small shops where all goods are sold at retail and in the greatest varieties. This is under Government control and good order prevails. I presume it has been introduced as an Eastern custom, and all frequent it at certain hours. Behind the little shops are the contracted dwellings of the Shopkeepers. The wares and merchandize vary much in kind and cost—most articles were to be purchased at reasonable prices, but as we were rather spectators than purchasers, we had not much dealings with them but in small articles of curiosity. I should have been glad to have known the Rules under which the Bazaar was conducted but no one to whom we made application could inform us. It all savored of despotic or imperial will, and there did not appear that liberty of trade which in all Marts gives life and activity to the Scene.

St Petersburg is a new city built after one design, and nothing but newness pervades all parts whether large or small. I think it is somewhat repulsive to a stranger's eye and tires by its uniformity; where one Ave. or street is seen, all are of like fashion. The interior of the houses did not strike me as adapted for a very cold climate. All apartments are warmed by stoves or furnaces; they may give heat but there is no cheerfulness in them. At the same time they appear to be well ventilated, and the apartments are large and roomy with large windows. Double sashes are in vogue but during the summer these are removed.

The Russians are a large [ms. torn] nor tall, but muscular and well developed in the legs and arms, might so far as the common people are concerned be called brawny. They did not appear to us active as the French, but more like the Dutch in figure a stolidity [ms. torn] our stay we saw great numbers of the common laborers asleep on the sidewalks on the hard stones. We were [ms. torn] with the want of Restaurants, of places of refreshment [ms. torn] amusement. Indeed in comparison to other cities its [ms. torn] quite new and uninhabited. We had some opportunity of seeing the turn out of the nobility as we frequented som[e of] the fêtes which were given. As regards the fair sex I have