zine of grain, the windows of which were secured with iron bars; and it was guarded by soldiers, who have a house adjoining it. The town of Vallmar appears, from the remains of walls still discernible, to have been at one period fortified. It is a small place, with only one street of any consequence, and the houses consist of merely a ground-floor. The dress of the females in this district bears a very strong resemblance to that of those in Wales, from their having handkerchiefs tied round their heads, with the ends hanging behind, and black hats like those of men. Like the Welsh peasantry, too, they wear neither shoes nor stockings.

In consequence of the great road for many miles being rendered impassable, from the depth of the sand, we took a more circuitous route, and passed the château of Baron Levistant, through whose domains we travelled for some miles. A singular practice is adopted here with regard to the willow-trees, which are exceedingly numerous; their tops being loaded with turf or earth to prevent their growth upwards and to cause them to spread out at the sides. The harrows we saw were exceedingly simple, and reminded us of the expedients adopted by the patriarchal agriculturists; being something like the shape of a gridiron, with shafts on each side, between which the horse is fixed. These shafts reach almost to the ground. The bars of the

196

STOCKELEN.

-

VALK.

body, which are placed transversely, are merely pieces of wood, about four feet in length, and two in breadth. The ploughs have two long shafts or handles like spades, with a cross board at the end to this are attached two shares, which gradually taper off.

After passing through a most tedious and thick wood of pine, we arrived at Stockelen (which is situate in the middle of it), where we remained all night at a miserable hut. Next day we continued our route through the wood for fifteen miles, till we reached the small town of Valk, which is situate on a river. The fields of rye were far from showing the best husbandry, being interspersed with most luxuriant crops of thistles. Buck-wheat appears to be much cultivated, and is used for making a kind of porridge. We saw many young women, who, while they were tending cattle, employed themselves in manufacturing shoes from the bark of trees. Along the sides of the roads in Livonia and Courland are double posts, chequered white and black. The object of these is not to point out distances, but to show the boundaries of estates, and the names of the proprietors. The country now became open, and we passed clusters of detached houses, built of coarse wood, with thatched roofs and unglazed windows. These buildings are very low, and the roofs project so far as almost to conceal the walls. They had a truly

desolate aspect, and, in fact, seemed to be deserted. After passing Kuikatz, we had a prospect of an extensive country. In this district the children, like those in Savoy and Switzerland, are so disguised, as, when seen from a short distance, to have quite an elderly appearance, being dressed like old persons, while their faces, too, are something like those of baboons. We passed through a few villages, built like ranges of barracks for soldiers, and arrived at Uddern, where, for the first time since leaving Prussia, we saw soldiers, who were escorting deserters.

of

The postmaster here informed us, by way hint, I suppose, that about six years ago, the English, who travelled this way, never asked the prices of posting, but paid whatever was demanded; an intimation that, in itself, contained evidence it was his object to impose on us, by exacting more than he was entitled to. We replied, however, that if such was really the fact, times had changed for the better, and we were disposed to pay no more than the regulated price. On leaving this place, we found the road tolerably good. The crops of rye looked well; but the corn was very backward, although it was now the middle of June. The windmills were of a different construction from those in England, the body of the mill not being raised from the ground, but resting immediately upon it. At length we reached Dorpat, and were so fortunate as to meet with a

198

ARRIVAL AT DORPAT.

comfortable inn, the luxury of which, after a long and fatiguing journey in such a country as this, was quite cheering, and forcibly reminded us of the words of the poet :

"Whoe'er has travell'd life's dull round,
Where'er his various tours hath been,
May sigh to think how oft he found
His warmest welcome at an inn."

CHAP. IX.

Dorpat. University. — Library. — Anatomical theatre.— Observatory. Female bricklayers. - Town. - Harbour. Churches.- Departure. - Lake Peipus. Chudleigh. Gulf of Finland. - Narva.- Superstition. The IvangoStupendous fortress. Waterfalls. - Apolga. Arrival at St. Petersburg.

rod. Strelna.

DORPAT, or Dörpt, as it is sometimes written, lies on the river Embeck, which flows from Lake Wosero, about fifty miles off, and loses itself at the same distance beyond the town, in Lake Peipus. It is situated in a hollow; and appears to have been strongly fortified by ramparts and ditches. The situation is cheerful, the air salubrious, and the town itself extremely clean. Although not of considerable extent, yet it may be ranked as a place of some consequence, owing to its university; it possesses, too, some interest, on account of its having been founded by Gustavus Adolphus. Happening to be here during the vacation, we had not an opportunity of seeing the students, or the professors. We were, however, conducted over the greater part of the university by professor Aderkas, a Prussian officer, who gives instructions in military tactics: this gentleman pointed out and explained