Russia in 1839 -Empire of the Czar: A Journey Through Eternal Russia

and an unusual noise was heard to proceed from the engine. The sailors rushed forward; the captain followed, without saying a word in reply to the questions of the passengers. At length he gave the order to sound. " We are on a rock," said a female voice, the first that had dared to break our solemn silence. " The engine is going to burst," said another.

I was silent, though I began to think that my presentiments were going to be realised, and that it was not, after all, caprice wliich had inclined me to renounce this voyage.

The Princess L, whose health is delicate, fell

into a swoon, murmuring some broken words of grief that she should die so far from her husband. The

Princess Dpressed the arm of hers, and awaited

the result with a calm, which one would not have expected from her slight frail form and gentle features.

The fat and amiable Prince Кneither changed

his countenance nor his place; he would have sunk in his arm-chair into the sea without disturbing himself. The French ex-lancer, half merchant, half comedian, put on a bold face, and began to hum a song. This bravado displeased me, and made me blush for France, where vanity searches out of all things to extract some opportunity for display; true moral dignity exaggerates nothing, not even indifference to danger; the Americans continued their reading ; I observed every body.

At length the captain came to inform us that the nut of the screw of one of the pistons was broken, and that all would be made right again in a quarter of an hour.