und hat, and wear long loose
dresses almost reaching to their heels, with a band round their waist.
They carry a tin plate between their shoulders with a number on it;
never drive with blinkers, and rarely use a whip, but having a rein in
each hand, urge on their little horses at great speed over the uneven
pavement without once coming down, so far as we observed.

There are other carriages like our English cabs drawn by one or two
horses, but the droshky is in most general use.

We did not see many equipages, most of the nobility having left the
city, and very few gentlemen on horseback save a few Cossacks or other
military.

Passing through the streets, we were astonished at the vast number of
pigeons flying in all directions, and frequently alighting in the most
crowded parts of the city.

This bird, we were informed, is held sacred by the natives, and of
course would soon become very numerous if they were not diminished by
foreigners and others less scrupulous, who are supposed to convey them
quietly from their roosting quarters to form an important part in
culinary operations.

The working men go about in what we were used to call top-boots, and
even little boys have them, with the upper part variously coloured, but
mostly red, a favourite colour in Russia.

The serf wears a long coat reaching to the calves of his legs, with a
number of gathers fastened together at the waist by a strap, in which he
tucks his gloves, his whip or his axe. His shirt of checked linen, not
often washed, and his neck entirely bare, with the lower garment
consisting of wide linen trousers. With the use of stockings he appears
totally unacquainted, wrapping his feet in linen rags. His shoes are a
sort of sandal made of linden bark or leather, continuing his ragged
wrapper up to his knees, binding it round with pack thread. The covering
of his head is a deep crowned hat with narrow brim.

The serfs pay about ten or twelve roubles annually (about L2 sterling)
to their nobles, and also a certain proportion from the women and
children. If not able to make up the tribute they must beg, borrow or
steal to make up the deficiency.

Their food consists chiefly of vegetables, and coarse fish, with black
bread made of rye, but considered very nutritious.

Both sexes wear a crucifix on their breasts, suspended round their necks
by a string, which is put on at their baptism and never afterwards taken
off; those of the peasants are of lead, b