les from the earth at
least when it broke; I fell to the ground with such amazing violence
that I found myself stunned, and in a hole nine fathoms deep at least,
made by the weight of my body falling from so great a height: I
recovered, but knew not how to get out again; however, I dug slopes or
steps with my finger-nails, and easily accomplished it.

Peace was soon after concluded with the Turks, and gaining my liberty I
left Saint Petersburg at the time of that singular revolution, when the
emperor in his cradle, his mother, the Duke of Brunswick, her father,
Field-Marshal Munich, and many others were sent to Siberia. The winter
was then so uncommonly severe all over Europe that ever since the sun
seems to be frost-bitten. At my return to this place I felt on the road
greater inconveniences than those I had experienced on my setting out.

I traveled post, and finding myself in a narrow lane, bade the postilion
give a signal with his horn, that other travelers might not meet us in
the narrow passage. He blew with all his might; but his endeavors were
in vain; he could not make the horn sound, which was unaccountable, and
rather unfortunate, for soon after we found ourselves in the presence of
another coach coming the other way: there was no proceeding; however, I
got out of my carriage, and being pretty strong, placed it, wheels and
all, upon my head: I then jumped over a hedge about nine feet high
(which, considering the weight of the coach, was rather difficult) into
a field, and came out again by another jump into the road beyond the
other carriage: I then went back for the horses, and placing one upon my
head, and the other under my left arm, by the same means brought them to
my coach, put to, and proceeded to an inn at the end of our stage. I
should have told you that the horse under my arm was very spirited, and
not above four years old; in making my second spring over the hedge, he
expressed great dislike to that violent kind of motion by kicking and
snorting; however, I confined his hind legs by putting them into my coat
pocket. After we arrived at the inn my postilion and I refreshed
ourselves; he hung his horn on a peg near the kitchen fire; I sat on the
other side.

Suddenly we heard a _tereng! tereng! teng! teng!_ We looked round, and
now found the reason why the postilion had not been able to sound his
horn; his tunes were frozen up in the horn, and came out now by thawing,
plain enough, and much to the