PETERHOFF-ORNAMENTS OF PALACE-GARDENS. 117 The gardens are very extensive, the drives enclose thirty miles; and fish-ponds, temples, villas, &c., are too numerous to allude to in detail. The bathing-house of the imperial family is a most admirable building; and from a chaste marble structure you walk down into a large sheet of water, surrounded by a dense foliage of lofty trees. The vast amount of water at command enables the imperial owner to rival, if not surpass, the celebrated water-works at Versailles. Every possible surprise awaits the wanderer through these grounds. You are standing to admire some beautiful tree; the guide has touched a spring, and every branch, and every twig, and every leaf, is turned into crystal; and a fountain rises from that tree, which is metallic, although the spectator supposed it to be veritably a production of the forest. While passing over exquisite bridges from island to island, and in boats drawn by stationary ropes, we observed the imperial gondolas, which are much used by the royal family. On one of these islets we were pleased with what seemed to be a beautiful temple; and, ordering the driver to stop, we alighted from the carriages, and soon reached it on a movable platform, propelled by two men drawing on ropes on either side of it. Never was there a more blissful retreat than this peaceful spot. The temple was a lovely miniature villa. Statuary decked the outer niches of the walls. The entrance was through a long passage, roofed with ivy; a high wall was covered with the same, so trained as to allow medallions and marble entaglios on the wall to appear as within a frame. Here was a fountain, in the centre of a large basin, flowers rare and fragrant, and some most precious groups of statuary, forming a coup d'œil at once fairy-like and enchanting. Opening on the fountain was a fine spacious summer-room, furnished with a rich divan piled up with cushions. In front of it stood a small, low table, supporting a reclining Cleopatra, the poisonous asp upon her arm, and her left hand rested on her heart. Here, too, was a beautiful mosaic table. The next room was peculiarly tasteful, and full 118 VISIT OF GRAND DUKE TO NORTH STAR. of comfort. The table, writing-desk, statuary, all looked as though the most fastidious taste had directed the position of each object. The garden of this islet was radiant with roses, azaleas, fuchsias, carnations. The palace is a large building, painted yellow, and picked off with white. It has no very great architectural merits; but the chapel, which stands at one end, has a gorgeous dome, which reflects every ray of light from its gilt surface. We were shown through the palace with every attention, and were much gratified with the regal display of objects of art. The malachite, porcelain and statuary, were exquisitely beautiful; and there were several good paintings. In one large apartment there are more than three hundred portraits of the prettiest girls in Russia, executed for Catherine II.; and very pretty some of them are, too, in their national costumes. From the royal residence down to the bank of the Neva is a series of terraces, and one continued series of waterfalls, lakes and fountains. The basins, Neptunes, Tritons and cascades, must be seen, for no written description will do them any justice. Again and again did we drive round this fairy spot; and we left it never again expecting to see so much that is beautiful in the arrangement of gardens and grounds. When we returned to Vauxhall, to dinner, we found Mr. Vanderbilt, and learned from him that the royal yacht, which we had seen at the wharf with her steam on, had made a trip to the North Star, and brought as a visitor to him the Grand Duke Constantine, the second son of the emperor, and the High Admiral of the Russian navy; and, on his return to Peterhoff, he brought Mr. Vanderbilt in his yacht, and sent round one of the emperor's carriages, with the royal livery, to take Mr. and Mrs. V. round the place. The duke made quite a long visit on board the North Star, inspected every part of the ship with much interest, and requested permission to have some officers of the topographical corps allowed to come on board, to take drafts of the ship, her cabins, engines, &c. This was cheerfully acceded ADMIRAL GLASSENOFF-EVENING PRAYER. 119 to. These gentlemen came, another day, with their portfolios, and made capital views of the machinery, &c. With the duke was a gentleman, named Muller, who is on terms of some intimacy with him, and from whom we continued to receive very polite and useful attentions while we remained in Russia. After dinner we went to the parade-ground, in front of the palace, as it was expected that the emperor would be present when the band performed their evening music. While promenading I had the pleasure to meet Admiral Glassenoff, who had visited our yacht the day of our arrival, and with whom I had gone through our steamer. He was very polite, gave me every explanation as to the troops, and, pointing to a window, told me that the emperor was in that room, and was so engaged that he would not appear on the ground. He had that day given audience of leavetaking to our minister, Mr. Brown, who was recalled by the new administration. Admiral Glassenoff is a very intelligent man, about forty or forty-five years of age, and has the command of the Naval Cadets, who are now in three frigates, lying off in the Neva, just opposite the palace. The admiral speaks English tolerably well, and very much reminds me of General Totten, of the United States' Engineers, as I remember him when he resided at Newport. Just as we were talking, the band struck up a very solemn air; all hats were off instantly, and a death-like silence, for a few moments, pervaded the vast assemblage. It was the evening prayer, and is observed by the military with great solemnity. I have not often observed a more devotional observance than that which I was so happy as to witness on this occasion. In the evening we were all much fatigued; but our friend Mr. Muller insisted that I should ride a mile or two, to see the new splendid Tea House, which has lately been built for the heir apparent, who has just married. A pleasant ride brought us to this most elegant establishment. The Tea House is a miniature palace. It is a large, splendid mansion, but small for a regal residence. Here everything surpasses, in exquisiteness of furni ture and splendor, any palace I have seen in Europe. The rooms are quite of moderate dimensions, but the style of finish is beyond my previous ideas of domestic architectural beauty. The pictures, statuary, hangings, are all as beautiful as the art of Europe can furnish. The portraits of the emperor and empress, Alexander, and other members of the royal family, were in the best style of the art. I shall never forget the staircases, the bath-rooms, and the library. The bed-rooms, and every part of the establishment, were thrown open to our inspection; and the ladies who were with us regarded this as the great treat of the day. Other things we had seen were of days gone by, but this was the splendor of the present age; and perhaps no palace in the world is superior to this bijou in its completeness of arrangement. The timepieces of this palace are of vast value. The gardens are fine; and nature has done much for the grounds, as off to the right is a deep ravine, with fine walks and artificial terraces. Here, as at Peterhoff, I noticed the best specimens of gilly-flowers that I ever saw, whole beds of white double-flowers, and some of the deepest scarlet. Roses were just beginning to appear; but the wild ones were in profusion. We were all amused at seeing the nurse-maids, on the parade-ground, with the infants under their care. Some of these servants had headdresses which would have been worth looking at in Barnum's Museum. We noticed about a dozen Cossacks of the Don. They were stern-looking men, of large proportions, with head-dress of a peculiar cast. They carried long spears. Admiral Glassenoff informed me that a few of the Cossacks and Circassians are always near the person of the Czar, and that it is intended as a compliment to these valuable portions of the army. CHAPTER VIII. SMALL STEAMER-DRESS OF OFFICERS-VIEW OF ST. PETERSBURG— QUEER PROCESSION-HOTELS-POLITENESS MR. ROPES, U. S. CONSUL—SUMMER ISLANDS-PETER THE GREAT'S FIRST HOUSE-THE CITY — ADMIRALTY-STATUE OF PETER-NEFFSKY PERSPECTIVE-SERFS-VIEW OF CITY BY MOONLIGHT-WINTER PALACE AND ITS DEPARTMENTS-RE OF DIFFERENT SCHOOLS THE GALIA THE HERMITAGE-PAINTINGS WE left Peterhoff in the morning boat for St. Petersburg, but several of the party retained their rooms, and went to and fro daily; but I felt anxious to see as much as possible of the city in our brief stay, and therefore reluctantly left what I shall ever regard as one of the most attractive spots I ever visited. The charms of Peterhoff are not its palace and its imperial residents, but the glorious exhibition which is laid open to the admirer of nature. On getting on board the small steamer, we found a crowded deck. Very many of the passengers were officers; they all wore the dark gray or blue cloak reaching to the very heels, and the standing collar fitting close up to the ears. This, in such hot weather as we were then enduring, struck me as remarkable; but I afterwards learned that, such is the strictness observed in the army inspection, that not a spot or particle of dust is overlooked; and that, to protect the person, this immense cloak is part and parcel of every Russian officer. Most surely, all I saw |