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

296 RUSSIAN COACHMEN AND POSTILLIONS.

though more often anxious even to a degree of wildness that conveys the idea of some animal of the deer kind caught in the toils.

The Slavonians, born to guide a chariot, show good blood, like the horses which they drive. Their strange appearance and the activity of their steeds render it amusing to traverse the streets of Petersburg. Thanks to its inhabitants, and, in despite of its architects, this city resembles no other in Europe.

The Russian coachmen sit upright on their seats ; they always drive at great speed, but with safety. The precision and quickness of their eye is admirable. Whether with two or four horses, they have always two reins to each horse, which they hold with the arms much extended. No impediment stops them in their course; men and horses, both half wild, scour the city at full speed : but nature has rendered them quick and adroit, consequently, notwithstanding the reckless daring of these coachmen, accidents are of rare occurrence in the streets of Petersburg. They have often no whip, or when they have one, it is so short that they can make no use of it. Neither do they have recourse to the voice: the reins and the bit are their only instruments. One may traverse Petersburg for hours without hearing a single shout. If the pedestrians do not get out of the way sufficiently quickly, the fîilleiter, or postillion, utters a little yelp, like the sharp cry of a marmot roused in his nest, on hearing which every one gives way, and the carriage rushes past without having once slackened its speed.

The carriages are in general void of all taste, badly furnished, and badly kept. If brought from England they do not long resist the wear and tear of the