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

MANUFACTORIES OF PETERSBURG.175

Whenever they journey into the country the Russian coachmen adopt this ancient mode of driving, in which they display much boldness and dexterity. My feldjäger placed himself before me by the side of the coachman, and we quickly traversed St. Petersburg, soon leaving behind us the handsome part of the city, and next passing through that of the manufactories, among which are magnificent glass works and immense mills for the spinning of cotton and other fabrics, for the most part directed by Englishmen. This quarter of the city resembles a colony. As a man is only appreciated here according to his standing with the government, the presence of the feldjäger on my carriage had a great effect. This mark of supreme protection made me a person of consequence in the eyes of my own coachman, who had driven me the whole of the time that I had been in Petersburg. He appeared suddenly to discover and to glory in the too long concealed dignity of his master; his looks testified a respect that they had never done before: it seemed as though he wished to indemnify me for all the honours of which he had, mentally and in ignorance, hitherto deprived me·.

The people on foot, the drivers of the carts and drowskas, all bowed to the mystic influence of ray sub-officer, who, with a simple sign of his finger, made every obstruction of the road vanish like magic. The crowd was, as it were, annihilated before him, and I could not bnt think, if he had such power to protect me, what would be his power to destroy me if he had received an order to that effect. The clifìi-eulty attending an entrance into this country wearies more than it awes me; the difficulty of flying from I 4