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

also lost in them. The scarcest objects are buyers. I have seen nothing yet in this country without exclaiming, " the people are too few for the space ! " It is just the contrary in ancient communities, where the land fails the civilisation. The French and English stalls are the most elegant; while viewing them, the beholder might fancy himself at Paris or at London: but this Bond-street of the East, this Palais Koyal of the steppes, does not constitute the real wealth of the market of Nijni. To have a just idea of the importance of this fair it is necessary to recollect its origin, and the place where it was first held. Before flourishing at Makaricf it was established at Kazan : the two extremes of the ancient world, western Europe and China, met in that ancient capital of Russian Tartary to exchange their various products. This is now done at Nijni. But a very incomplete idea of a market for the commodities of two continents would be formed, if the spectator did not leave the regular stalls and elegant pavilions which adorn the modern bazaar of Alexander, and survey some of the different camps by which it is flanked. The line and rule do not follow the merchant into the suburbs of the fair : these suburbs are like the farm-yard of a chateau — however stately and orderly the principal habitation, the disorder of nature reigns in its dependencies.

It is no easy task to traverse, even rapidly, these exterior depots, for they are themselves each as large as cities. A continual and really imposing activity pervades them, — a true mercantile chaos, which it is needful to see in order to believe.

To commence with the city of tea : It is an Asiatic