The population at Moscow use at least three times as many votive tapers
in honour of their saints as the inhabitants of St. Petersburg, and in
numerous churches many a ton of wax is said to be used for pious
purposes. Wax lights are a great trade, and occupy much space.

Great numbers of pigeons nestling under the eaves of the shops are fed
by the owners with the sacred feeling that they are emblems of the Holy
Ghost.

No idea can be given of the noise and pertinacity of the traders calling
to you, and even pulling you by the sleeve; and in the midst of all this
bustle there is an ample supply of edibles undergoing various culinary
operations; along with fish and other sorts of meat, eaten with black
bread made of rye; they have various fancy cakes, and in some places
large dishes of soup, with a number of wooden spoons for each to help
himself.

Besides these, there are second-hand markets, dealers in old clothes,
books, and pictures, and others with bundles of ribbons round their
bodies or a pile of hats one upon another making known such dealer to a
considerable distance.

These densely-crowded districts form a striking contrast to other parts
of the city, where scarcely a person is to be seen, and it should be
further mentioned, to their credit, that we only observed one
altercation, and another person in a state of intoxication, being the
first disorderlies we had seen since entering the country.

The Sundays here, as in most Catholic countries, are spent as fete days
or holidays, and having heard much of the singing gypsies, we proceeded
one evening to Ratge public gardens, about a mile out of the city, and
found a large assembly of persons promenading the grounds, with two
bands of music playing alternately.

About eight o'clock we observed a general move towards a pavilion,
brilliantly lighted with a great number of variegated lamps, and in a
short time appeared seventeen ladies and ten gentlemen, all evidently of
this peculiar tribe.

The singing of solos, duets, and occasionally a full chorus, was
singularly wild, and strikingly delightful. So eminent have they been
considered, that it is related of Catalini, that after one of the
performers had finished, she tore off a cashmere shawl which had been
presented to her by the Pope, and embracing the gypsy, insisted on her
accepting the splendid gift, intended for the matchless songster.

The evening amusements closed with the siege of Canton, exhibiting