such
a display of fireworks, cannonading, and destruction of buildings and
boats as I had never seen before.

The boulevards are nicely laid out with broad walks, with occasional
seats, and planted on each side with trees and shrubs. Near to them is
the flower garden, which consists of numerous small gardens, containing
huts of painted wood filled with a variety of flowers and shrubs, mostly
of a common sort, and some cherry and peach trees planted in pots.

In this country fruit is scarce, and of course dear, so different to the
south of Europe, an important circumstance to the teetotaller.

We also visited the Moscow Hotel--not a coffee house, coffee being
little used--but one of the largest tea houses in the city, where
traders of all ranks assemble to settle their various bargains with
copious libations of tea, which they drink out of large glass goblets.

I have not the dimensions of this establishment, but perhaps some idea
of its size may be formed by the daily consumption of 14lbs. of tea,
requiring about six tons of water. The waiters are all dressed in white
jackets, pantaloons, and aprons.

Another day we took a drive to one of the cemeteries--of great extent,
but not containing any remarkable monuments.

Here we visited Peterskoi, another palace, more comfortable, being of
moderate extent and less decorated.

The chief interest attached to this chateau is that refugees, when
Moscow was in flames, fled to it for safety, and an apartment is shown
where by the light of the flaming city Napoleon dictated the dispatch
conveying the sad intelligence to France.

A little further on is the racecourse, which to our great surprise we
found attended by a concourse of people, and the riders mounted just
ready to set off. After witnessing two heats, displaying no
extraordinary speed, we left the ground. This sort of sport, we were
told, is not much encouraged by the Russians, nor should we suppose
there is much gambling, when a bet of L50 by Sir Robt. Peel occasioned
the greatest surprise.

The following afternoon we set off to Sparrow Hill, and partook of some
tea under a small tent commanding a splendid view of Moscow, and said to
be the spot whence Napoleon had his first glance of this wonderful city.

Some parts of the road were exceedingly bad, very deep ruts, reminding
me of some of the mud turnpikes in America. Whilst the horse was resting
our guide partook of some quas, the common drink of the country,