irst, because his great object in coming here was to see our
dock-yard establishments, and to profit also by observing our mode of
making draughts of ships, and laying them off in the mould-loft; and to
acquire some knowledge in the theory of naval architecture and
navigation, which he had heard, when in Holland, was superior to what he
had seen or could obtain in that country, though it was assumed that the
mechanical part of finishing and putting together a ship was there fully
equal, if not superior, to ours.

In the next place, he was equally annoyed by the crowds he was
continually meeting in the streets of London, as he had been in
Amsterdam, and which he could not bear with becoming patience. It is
said that, as he was one day walking along the Strand, with his friend
the Marquess of Carmarthen, a porter, with a hod on his shoulder, rudely
pushed against him and drove him into the kennel. He was extremely
indignant, and ready to knock him down; but the Marquess interfering,
asked the man what he meant, and if he knew whom he had so rudely run
against, and "that it was the Tzar." The porter, turning round, replied,
with a grin, "Tzar! we are all Tzars here." But that which annoyed him
most of all, was the intrusion of our countrymen into his lodgings, and
into the room even where he was eating, to which they gained access
through the king's servants. Disgusted at their impertinent curiosity
he would sometimes rise from table, and leave the room in a rage. To
prevent this intrusion, he strictly charged his domestics not to admit
any persons whatever let their rank be what it might. A kind of forced
interview, however, was obtained by two Quakers, the account of which,
as given by one of them, is singular and interesting.

One month's residence having satisfied Peter as to what was to be seen
in London, and having expressed a strong desire to be near some of the
King's dockyards, it was arranged that a suitable residence should be
found near one of the river establishments; and the house of the
celebrated Mr. Evelyn, close to Deptford Dock-yard, being about to
become vacant, by the removal of Admiral Benbow, who was then its
tenant, it was immediately taken for the residence of the Tzar and
his suite; and a doorway was broken through the boundary wall of
the dock-yard, to afford a direct communication between it and the
dwelling-house. This place had then the name of Saye's Court. It was the
delight of Evelyn, and