of troops of the Royal Guards. They
were dressed in splendid red uniform, and were preceded by kettle-drums.
Then a company of the Prussian nobility in beautifully-decorated coaches,
each drawn by six horses. Next came the state carriages of the king.
The king himself was not in either of them, it being etiquette for the
king to remain in his palace, and receive the embassy at a public
audience there after their arrival. The royal carriages were sent out,
however, as a special though indirect token of respect to the Czar, who
was known to be in the train.

Then came a precession of pages, consisting of those of the king and
those of the embassadors marching together. These pages were all
beautiful boys, elegantly dressed in characteristic liveries of red laced
with gold. They marched three together, two of the king's pages in each
rank, with one of the embassadors' between them. The spectators were
very much interested in these boys, and the boys were likewise doubtless
much interested in each other; but they could not hold any conversation
with each other, for probably those of each set could speak only their
own language.

Next after the pages came the embassy itself. First there was a line of
thirty-six carriages, containing the principal officers and attendants of
the three embassadors. In one of these carriages, riding quietly with
the rest as a subordinate in the train, was Peter. There was doubtless
some vague intimation circulating among the crowd that the Emperor of
Russia was somewhere in the procession, concealed in his disguise. But
there were no means of identifying him, and, of course, whatever
curiosity the people felt on the subject remained ungratified.

Next after these carriages came the military escort which the embassadors
had brought with them. The escort was headed by the embassadors' band of
music, consisting of trumpets, kettle-drums, and other martial
instruments. Then came a body of foot-guards: their uniform was green,
and they were armed with silver battle-axes. Then came a troop of
horsemen, which completed the escort. Immediately after the escort there
followed the grand state carriage of the embassy, with the three
embassadors in it.

The procession was closed by a long train of elegant carriages, conveying
various personages of wealth and distinction, who had come from the city
to join in doing honor to the strangers.

As the procession entered the city, they found the