f the rope did not improve
its quality, or bring me down to the Sultan's farm. I was four or five
miles from the earth at least when it broke; I fell to the ground with
such amazing violence that I found myself stunned, and in a hole nine
fathoms deep at least, made by the weight of my body falling from so
great a height: I recovered, but knew not how to get out again;
however, I dug slopes or steps with my finger nails (the baron's nails
were then of forty years' growth), and easily accomplished it.

Peace was soon after concluded with the Turks, and gaining my liberty,
I left St. Petersburg at the time of that singular revolution when the
emperor in his cradle, his mother, the duke of Brunswick, her father,
Field-marshal Munich, and many others were sent to Siberia. The winter
was then so uncommonly severe all over Europe that ever since the sun
seems to be frost-bitten. At my return to this place, I felt on the
road greater inconveniences than those I had experienced on my setting
out.

I traveled post, and finding myself in a narrow lane, bid the
postilion give a signal with his horn, that other travelers might not
meet us in the narrow passage. He blew with all his might; but his
endeavors were in vain, he could not make the horn sound, which was
unaccountable and rather unfortunate, for soon after we found
ourselves in the presence of another coach coming the other way. There
was no proceeding; however, I got out of my carriage, and being pretty
strong, placed it, wheels and all, upon my head; I then jumped over a
hedge about nine feet high (which, considering the weight of the
coach, was rather difficult) into a field, and came out again by
another jump into the road beyond the other carriage; I then went back
for the horses, and placing one upon my head and the other under my
left arm, by the same means brought them to my coach, put to, and
proceeded to an inn at the end of our stage. I should have told you
that the horse under my arm was very spirited, and not above four
years old; in making my second spring over the hedge he expressed
great dislike to that violent kind of motion by kicking and snorting;
however, I confined his hind legs by putting them into my coat pocket.
After we arrived at the inn my postilion and I refreshed ourselves: he
hung his horn on a peg near the kitchen fire; I sat on the other side.

Suddenly we heard a _tereng, tereng, teng, teng_. We looked round, and
now found the reason why