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

132THE CUSTOM-HOUSE AND POLICE.

new persecutions, which, under the name of si?nple formalities, I had to undergo at the hand of the police, and its faithful ally the custom-house; but it is a duty to give a just idea of the difficulties which attend the stranger on the maritime frontier of Russia: the entrance by land is, I am told, more easy.

For three days in the year the sun of Petersburg is insupportable. I arrived on one of these days. Our persecutors commenced by impounding us (not the Russians, but myself and the other foreigners) on the deck of our vessel. ^We were there, for a long time, exposed without any shelter to the powerful heat of the morning sun. It was eight o'clock, and had been daylight ever since one hour after midnight. They spoke of thirty degrees of Reaumur *, which temperature, be it remembered, i¡` much more inconvenient in the North, where the air is surcharged with vapour, than in hot climates.

At length I was summoned to appear before a new tribunal, assembled, like that of Kronstadt, in the cabin of our vessel. The same questions were addressed to me, with the same politeness, and my answers were recorded with the same formalities.

" What is your object in Russia ?"

" To see the country."

" That is not here a motive for travelling."

(What humility in this objection !)

•* I have no other."

" Whom do you expect to see in Petersburg?"

" Every one with whom I may have an opportunity of making acquaintance."

* Nearly 100° Fahrenheit. — Trans.