r sobs and the doleful tones of their hymns
died away in the vast plains by which it is surrounded.

CHAP. III.

Thus was this population dispersed in detail or in masses. The roads to
Cazan, Wladimir, and Yaroslaf 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 to 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
the less affluent, the hesitation natural at the moment of abandoning
the only home which they possessed; lastly, the inadequacy of the means
of transport, notwithstanding the quantity of vehicles, which is
peculiarly great in Russia; either because heavy requisitions for the
exigencies of the army had reduced their number; or because they were
too small, as it is customary to make them very light, on account of the
sandy soil and the roads, which may be said to be rather marked out than
constructed.

It was just then that Kutusoff, though defeated at Borodino, sent
letters to all quarters announcing that he was victorious. He deceived
Moscow, 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 honours and money, gave directions
for rejoicings, returned thanks to heaven, and appointed Kutusoff
field-marshal for this defeat.

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 favours, that were
not withdrawn from him, and afterwards, it is said, dreadful menaces,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 intelligence, the little firmness
which, in Russia, Alexander was generally, but erroneously thought to
possess. In the second, as he was anxious that his despatch should
arrive on the very name-day of his Sovereign, it is added that his
object was to obtain the rewards for which this kind of ann