ere invoking Heaven in hymns of lamentation, in which
all of them joined with tears.

On reaching the gates of the city, this crowd of unfortunate creatures
passed through them with painful hesitation: turning their eyes once
more towards Moscow, they seemed to be bidding a last farewell to their
holy city; but, by degrees, their sobs and the doleful tones of their
hymns died away in the vast plains by which it is surrounded.

Sec. 3. Departure of the Russian governor from Moscow.

Thus was this population dispersed in detail or in masses. The roads
were covered to the distance of forty leagues by fugitives on foot, and
several unbroken files of vehicles of every kind. At the same time, the
measures of Rostopchin to prevent dejection and preserve order detained
many of these unfortunate people till the very last moment.

To this must be added the appointment of Kutusoff, which had revived
their hopes, the false intelligence of a victory at Borodino, and, for
those of moderate means, the hesitation natural at the moment of
abandoning the only home which they possessed. Lastly, the inadequacy of
the means of transport, either because at this time heavy requisitions
for the exigencies of the army had reduced the number of vehicles, or
because they were too small, as it is customary to make the carriages in
this country very light, on account of the sandy soil, and of the roads,
which may be said to be rather marked out than constructed.

Kutusoff, although defeated at Borodino, had sent letters to all
quarters announcing that he was victorious. He deceived Moscow, St.
Petersburg, and even the commanders of the other Russian armies.
Alexander communicated this false intelligence to his allies. In the
first transports of his joy he hastened to the altars, loaded the army
and the family of his general with honors and money, gave directions for
rejoicings, returned thanks to Heaven, and appointed Kutusoff a
field-marshal of the empire.

Most of the Russians affirm that their emperor was grossly imposed upon
by this report. They are still unacquainted with the motives of such a
deception, which at first procured Kutusoff unbounded favors, that were
not withdrawn from him, and afterward, it is said, dreadful menaces,
that were not put in execution.

If we may credit several of his countrymen, who were perhaps his
enemies, it would appear that he had two motives. In the first place, he
wished not to shake by disastrous i