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Excursions in the North of Europe, in 1830 and 1833
Excursions in the North of Europe in 1830 and 1833 Author:John Barrow General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1834 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: 34 CHAPTER II. ST. PETERSBURG. ( Imposing effect of the Public buildings -- The three great Streets -- The Quay -- The Admiralty -- The Palaces -- Statue of Peter the Great -- Churches -- The Museum -- Gardens -- Peterhofl -- Tzar- skozelo -- Cronstadt -- Ships of War -- Society -- Droskies -- Military -- The Knout -- Departure for Moscow -- Travelling -- The Road -- Appearance of the Country -- Approach to Moscow. On approaching St. Petersburg in the steam-boat from Cronstadt, there is so little remarkable in the appearance of the city, that, were it not for the glittering of one or two gilt spires which tower above the mass of building, there would scarcely be an object to interest the eye; but on landing, this is very far from being the case. It was a fine clear night when we entered this city; though past ten, it was still perfectly light, for during the summer months there is scarcely any darkness. The novelty of the scene, added to the pleasing thoughts of my having reached the renowned city of Petersburg, had almost caused me to forget that it was even so late as ten o'clock, and it therefore struck me as remarkable, that, with the exception of one or two'of our own countrymen, who were lounging on the quay with cigars in their mouths, and a few drosky drivers, not a soul wasto be seen in the streets, as I wandered with my fellow-traveller in quest of an hotel. At this early hour, in broad day-light as it were, Petersburg had all the appearance of a deserted city. We very soon experienced the bad accommodation which this Russian capital so notoriously affords to travellers. It was our inte...« less