the academy of Tcherkask, and learn French, German, &c. It was holiday-time when we were there; but their progress was well spoken of.

"Tcherkask stands on some marshy islands in the river. The houses are all raised on wooden pillars, and connected by foot bridges. The foot-paths run like galleries before the houses. When we saw it, every part was flooded, except the principal street, the great church, and the market-place. The antic wooden cabins, mixed with the domes of churches, tops of trees, and Calmuck ́tents, had an interesting effect, just rising from the water. The sudak still continued to poison the air; but the houses, notwithstanding the people are all fishers, are neat. The Cossacks

are much cleaner than the Russians. There is a spacious and ancient cathedral, nearly on the same plan as the Casan Church in Moscow. Detached from the rest of the building is a large tower, which, at a distance, gives a faint recollection of St. Mary's spire at Oxford. There are many other churches, full of very costly ornaments. I never saw so many pearls

at once, as on the head of a Madonna in the cathedral. These treasures are the spoils of Turkey and Poland.

"The manners of the people struck us, from their superiority to the Russians in honesty and dignity. A lieutenant at Petersburg, who once begged alms from us, bowed himself to the ground, and knocked his head on the floor. A lieutenant here, who was imprisoned, and also begged, made the request in a manly and dignified manner, and thanked us as if we had been his comrades.

"Both men and women are handsome, and taller than the Muscovites. This name they hold in great contempt, as we had several opportunities of observing. The procurator, the physician, the apothecary, and the master of the academy, being distinguished by their dress and nation from the Cossacks, seemed to have formed a coterie of their own, and to dislike, and to be disliked by, the whole town. The postmaster said they were much improved since he came there; that then they would have pelted any stranger. We saw nothing of this kind, except that, when we first landed, mistaking us for Russians, some boys cried out,

'Moscoffsky Canaille !--Canaille has become a naturalized word in Russia."

He thus sums up his observations on the constitution of the armies of the Don :

"Their government differs, in many respects, from the ancient Malo-Russian, and has lately suffered repeated encroachments. Their territory, which is almost entirely pasture land, is divided into stanitzas, or cantons; for many stanitzas now contain more than a single village. To each of these, a certain portion of land and fishery is allotted by government, and an annual allowance of corn from Voronetz, and northwards, according to the returned number of Cossacks. They are free from all taxes; even from those of salt and distilleries. The distribution of the land to the individuals in each stanitza is settled by the inhabitants and their Ataman. This Ataman was chosen by the people, and was both civil and military commander of the place. Paul had laid some restrictions on this right, which I could not understand. He had also ennobled the children of all who had the military rank of colonel, which was complained of, as introducing an unconstitutional aristocracy. From these Ata

mans, an appeal lies to the Chancery at Tcherkask. They used to elect their Ataman there, and to appeal to him only; assembling occasionally, as a check on his conduct; but he is now appointed by the crown, and greatly diminished in power. The allotment of land and fishery which each Cossack possesses may be let out by him to farm, and often is so; and it is a frequent abuse to insert the names of children in the return of Cossacks, to entitle them to their seniority in becoming officers. I met with a child thus favoured. This has taken place since the Cossacks, when called out, have been formed into regular regiments, which has depressed entirely the power of the village Ataman, by the introduction of colonels, captains, &c. Formerly, the Ataman himself marched at the head of his stanitza. Now he merely sends the required contingent, which is put under officers named by the crown.

"The Cossack, in consequence of his allowance, may be called on to serve for any term, not exceeding three years, in any part of the world, mounted, armed, and clothed at his own expense, and making good any deficiencies which may occur. Food, pay, and camp equi

page, are furnished by government. Those who have served three years are not liable, or at least not usually called upon, to serve abroad, except on particular emergencies. They serve, however, in the cordon along the Caucasus, and in the duties of the post and police. After twenty years, they become free from all service, except the home duties of police, and assisting in the passage of the corn barks over the shallows in the Don. After twenty-five years' service they are free entirely.

The

"The Procurator declared the whole number of Cossacks, liable to be called on for one or more of these services, amounted to 200,000. He acknowledged that, as they would allow no examination into their numbers, he spoke only from conjecture, and from the different allowances of corn, &c. occasionally made. whole number of male population he reckoned at half a million. The situation of a Cossack is considered as comfortable; and their obligations to service are deemed well repaid by their privileges and their freedom. FREE AS A COSSACK' is a proverb we have often heard in Russia. The number of Cossack guards, who are all Donsky, amounts to three regi