Embassy, and delivered to Monsieur Fonton his Lordship's letter. That
gentleman said he would give Sir Moses a letter to the officer at the
frontier, but he had chosen a very unfavourable time for his journey,
and had better remain five or six days longer at Berlin. The waters
were out, it would be impossible to pass, and he would be detained on
the road. There was a gentleman present in the office who told us he
had arrived on the previous night from St Petersburg, but had
experienced the greatest difficulty, and was the only person who had
succeeded in getting through, as it was quite out of the question for
a carriage to pass, and we should be compelled to remain on the road.

This information was very distressing, but Sir Moses was determined to
go on, and only stop when we should find it too dangerous to go
forward.

The same day we left Berlin, and proceeded _via_ Koenigsberg and Tilsid
to Mitau.

_Friday, the 20th March._--A deputation of the Hebrew community came
to welcome Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore at the Post House, at St
Olia, the last stage before Mitau, to express their gratitude to them
for what they had effected in the Damascus Mission, and to beg they
would accept their hospitality during their sojourn at Mitau. Sir
Moses thanked them for their kindness in coming so many miles to meet
us, but declined accepting their offer, as he wished to travel as
privately as possible. As we entered the town, hundreds of persons ran
by the side of the carriage to the hotel. We had splendid apartments
there, and were grateful for our safety, as we had suffered very much
from cold, heavy snows, and horrible roads, and had frequently been
obliged to travel all night.

Not wishing to attract any notice (in compliance with the suggestion
of Baron Brunnow), we refrained from leaving the house for the whole
day, and from attending Synagogue, which was a painful deprivation to
Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore. Many persons called, but Sir Moses was
under the necessity of refusing to see anyone. We had excellent
dinners--a dozen dishes, served on silver; but when, in the evening,
we sent for the bill, wishing to pay for our dinners of that and the
previous day, we found that they had been prepared at the house of
Madame Johanna Davidoff, a lady of this town, and she would not allow
us to pay for anything.

Sir Moses wanted to give her a costly present, but she declined
accepting it. "I am," she said, "amply repaid by