it was made in Russia, and by a Russian.

On the day fixed for the adventure, Telouchkine, provided with nothing
more than a coil of ropes, ascended the spire in the interior to the
last window. Here he looked down at the concourse of people below, and
up at the glittering "needle," as it is called, tapering far above his
head. But his heart did not fail him, and stepping gravely out upon
the window, he set about his task.

He cut a portion of the cord in the form of two large stirrups, with a
loop at each end. The upper loops he fastened upon two of the
projecting nails above his head, and placed his feet in the other.
Then digging the fingers of one hand into the interstices of the
sheets of copper, he raised up one of the stirrups with the other
hand, so as to make it catch a nail higher up. The same operation he
performed on behalf of the other leg, and so on alternately. And thus
he climbed, nail by nail, step by step, and stirrup by stirrup, till
his starting-point was undistinguished from the golden surface, and
the spire had dwindled in his embrace till he could clasp it all
around.

But Telouchkine was not dismayed. He was prepared for the difficulty,
and the means by which he essayed to surmount it exhibited the same
astonishing simplicity as the rest of the feat.

Suspending himself in his stirrups, he girded the needle with a cord,
the ends of which he fastened around his waist; and, so supported, he
leaned gradually back, till the soles of his feet were planted against
the spire. In this position, he threw, by a strong effort, a coil of
cord over the ball; and so coolly and accurately was the aim taken,
that at the first trial it fell in the required direction, and he saw
the end hang down on the opposite side.

To draw himself into his original position, to fasten the cord firmly
around the globe, and with the assistance of his auxiliary to climb to
the summit, were now easy portions of his task; and in a few moments
more Telouchkine stood by the side of the angel, and listened to the
shout that burst like sudden thunder from the concourse below, yet
came to his ear only like a faint and hollow murmur.

The cord, which he had an opportunity of fastening properly, enabled
him to descend with comparative facility; and the next day he carried
up with him a ladder of ropes, by means of which he found it easy to
effect the necessary repairs.

This person must have put forth all the energies of his being