::^ >- s^LUYA ■"J'7130NVS01^ ^X\ i:^ ZP V :- >^^ l^^ 1 ir MEMOIRS O F PETER HENRY BRUCE, Esq. A MILITARY OFFICER, In the Services of PRUSSIA, RUSSIA, and GREAT BRITAIN. CONTAINING An Account of his Travels in Germany, Russ ia, Tartary, Turkey, the West Indies, 8cc. AS ALSO Several very Intereftlng private A n e c d o t e s of the C z A R, P ETER I. of Ru SSI A. LONDON, Printed for the Author's Widow; and fold by T. Payne, and Son, Mews- gate; and all other Bookfellers. MDCCLXXXII. ADVERTISE JVI EN T. ' I ^HE following Memoirs are taken from the -*■ manufcript of an officer of great merit and undoubted honour. It is immaterial to add, that they are genuine, as they bear fuch inter- nal marks .of authenticity, as will admit of no difpute. Any anecdotes that relate to the character of fo extraordinary a perfonage as the Czar Peter, cannot fail of being acceptable to the reader ; who will of courfe enjoy an additional pleafure in receiving them from the pen of a man who was in his fervice, and in his confidence. It is this circumftance that will render it unnecefTary to apo- logize for any deficiency in point of ftyle, as it is entirely difregarded in this narration, the chief merit of which confifts in a llridt regard to truth, without the leaft pretenfions to embelliiliments. As 6307P'^ 'o^ ADVERTISEMENT. As the manufcript leaves off abruptly, in the middle of the Rebellion, in 1745, i^ ^^^7 ^^ ^^' ceffary to mention, that the author was, about that time ernployed in fortifying Berwick ; and after having finifhed that work he retired to his houfe in the coimtry, where he died in the year 1757 CONTENTS. BOOK I. cr'HE author's df [cent. — His grandfather's going into the Prujfianfervice: —John Bruce's marriage and defendants, and the author's birth, Ofc. — Hii enteri'Jg into the Prujfian fervice — Lines on the battle of Ramillies. — A remarkable fiory of the author's landlady. — Hisfirfl cam- paign. — H's fecond campaign. — Defeat of the French. — Siege of hifle. — A remarkable accident to prince Eugene, — Captain Dubois. — A fad accident to the enemy's cavalry. — B n mot of the duke of Marlborough. — Siege of Ghent — Third campaign. — Siege of 'Tour .ay — Bat lie of Mal-laquet. — ^tory of a Swifs recruit. — Siege of Mens. — Fourth cam- paign. — Siege of Doway. — Siege of Bethune — A fad misfortune to fix Scotch officers. — Sieges of Aire and St. Venant. — Terrible Jioiy of the Jefuits at Tournay. Page i BOOK II. He goes into the Ruffian fervice, a captain. — Overtakes general Br uce at Prufs-Holland — A curiam fiory of a man at Elbing.—They arrive at Jawtroff^ wh're the Czar is privately married. — General Bruce's ra?ik and honour i.- — Account of the Ruffian army. — Their numbers and cloath- ing. — Expedition againjt the Turks. — Council of war at the Neifler — Prince Cantamire joins them without any troops. — Afwarm of locufls. — The Turks appear. — The Ruffians form on the river Pruth Engage the Turks three days. — The czarina faves the whole army and princeCan- tamire. — The king of Szveden upbraids the grand vizier. — The Ruffians return. —Colo;. el Pitt's lady and daughter carried off' by the Tartars — ■ The grand feignor approves the (rtaty. — Captain Bruce fen t e:-:prefs to Conjtantinopk, — Defcriptiou of that city. — Its mof^ucs. — Accommoda- a iions CONTENTS. rt'f^ns for "rangers. — SlreKgth. — The feraglig — Scutari, a fine Fiew. — The psrt and /jiirLcur..^-Suiuri>s.—y!rfcJial. — Air and climate. — The Turks contrafted. — D^meflic Accommodations.— Interna! gov(rnmcnt of the country. — Religion. — JVorfuip — The plague. — Their games. —Diet. — Reft. — Exercife cf their youth. — Drefs of their ladies. — Ointment of Pile. — Their predominant ii:tereft. — Matrimonial privilege. — Concubine marriage. — Policy of their religion. — Severities on the amorous ftranger. — Their laws fcr debt. — In criminal cafes. — Their panifhrnents. — The channel of the captain" s infcrmation.- — New difficulties to the treaty at the Pruth.- Change of miniftry. — Afrefh if eaty. — Frefh interruption to the peace — Againft which the czar remonftrc.tes. — Minijry again changed. — The Ruffian ambaffador, fcf. fcnt to the Seven Towers. Migciy preparations for war, which end againjt the king of Sweden at Bender. — Rcftexicns. 33 BOOK III. Marriage of the czarowitz. — The czar's celebration of his old wedding. — General Baur's difccvery of himfclf to hts Jiierds andbrst' c cfficers. — The emprefs Catherine's defcent and rife. — Prince IVJenzikof's rife; and the czar's narrow efcape from poifon, — Expedition againft the Swedes.— Defcription of the city of Mofco-j:. — An am'' affador from Perfia ■, a great fire in Mofcow. A young phyfician burnt by the ik'gy, who a'e -herefore deprived of the power of life and death, and holidays and convents abridged. — Manners of the gentry. — Defcription^ of the wurnen. — En- tertainments of the common people. — Marriage. — 'The princefs Natalia's humorous fancy in the marriage of the dtvarfs. — Three women punified for drowning ttseir hufbands. — The punifhmer.t of the knout — The czar's birth and marriage, — A virtuous young lady. — Mufcoviie robberies and murders. The czar's danger by them. — Rema> kable murder cf Swedifh cfficers by Jews. — Suppreffiion of the robbers. — Seat of empire changed from Mofcow to Peterfburg. — A defcription of the czarowitz's perfon and manners. — Ruffian reftnnions of confanguiniiy in marriage. — Ridiculous cuftom in burying. — Their images, — Their baths. — Manner of travel- ling. — Religious fafts. 69 BOOK CONTENTS. BOOK IV. City of NovogoroL—The Sterlit fijh. — Marfloal Zeremetof's military tmf- takes. — The readieft method to get out of the Ruffian fetiiice. — The city of Peterfhurgh. — The czar's ufual table. — His entertainments. — His prefent of boats to different ranks, and its good defign. — An ambaffador from Ufbeck Tartary. — A n.'val excurfon for his entertainment. — Cron- fladt end Cronelet. — Oranianhattm, Peterfljoff, and Catharlnhoff. — The grand dutchefs born, and the prince's behaviour on the occafion. . His difrefpeSt to the cz.r. -Navnl expedition, in which the czar was rear-adm>al. — His gallant ii£lion with Ehrinfhield. — He takes Al.,nd. —"His triumphal entry at Peterfhwg. — Promoted to be vice-admiral. He compliments Ehrenfhield's bravery. — His fpeech to the fenate. — His refeitment of the czarowitz's difrefpeSl. — He infli tut es frequent facial affe^nblits and a royal academy. — Court-martial on admiral Kruys. — The order of St. Catherine. — Ctnfufions in the revenue, and the confe- quent diftrefs.— Many delinquents punifhed. — Fifcals appointed. — The czar'' s public ente'tainments. — Mr. Slitter's perpettium mobile, — The old Finlander.— Hard frofi at Peterfhurgh. — Experiments on bears. Method of kiliiiig them.. log BOOK V. Dtfcent upon Sweden. — Birth of the emperor's grand fen Peter, and death of the princefs his mother. — The birth of Peter Petrowitz, Jon to the emperor. — A carnival. — The czar's double eagle. — The czar's attention to improve his capital and country. — His military rewards and punifh- ments. — Thirty tall grenadiers for the king of Pruffia. — A horrid mur- der at Riga. — Contyibuiions on Dantzig. — His fit erne in taking Wdf- mar. — Caference with the king of Denmark and arrival at Copen- hagen.— The combined fleets. — The Banes alarmed. — Refufe fubfiflence to' the troops. — A conference with the king of Denmark in his capital, with its confluences. — The lio^y of lieutenant-general Behn. — Otpreffive fcheme of the duke of Mecklenburg. — The dijirefs of his people. — The czarowitz difappears. — The captain refufed have to quit the Ruffian- a z fervice^. CONTENTS. fervlce. — The czar's return from Paris. — The return of his army to Peterjlmrgh. — Diforders in his ab fence redreffed. — Attempt to difcover a north pajfage to India. — The fatal expedition of prince Beckwitz. — A tiew regulation at Peterfhurgh^ and ajilk manufactory at Mofcow. 146 BOOK VI. Return of the czarowitz to Mofcow, and his exclufion from the fucceffion. — ■ His accomplices. — '''he princefs Mary concerned in it. — -i he trial oj the czarowitz at Peterfburgh. — His death and iharaSier. — The iwedi/h jitld-marfloal RheinfhieW s return home. — Negotiation at Aland, for peace with Sweden, renewed. — King of Sweden s death. — Tue d^ath of baron Gortz. -The fifcal^s information againjl the grander for mifde- meanours, and their trial. — Piiiice Gagaren'sunacccuntablt behaviour. — More of the czarowilz's confederates. — Death of prince Peter Pe- trowitz. — Prince Peter Alexowitz made aferjeant, taught his exer- cife, and made enfign. — Negotiations for peace renewed, but fruithfs. — The czar rcfolves to command it. — Memorable ief.ent on Sweden.—— The Britifh fleet came too late. — The czar difguftcd with Biitain.— The Jefuits banifhcd. — The czar feized with a fit at Revel. — General Weyde's illnefs, and the czar's concern for him. — Affairs of Sweden. — ■ Marfhal Weyde's death. — Ill treatment of his family. — His funeral.— ' The czar reproves Mcnzikof. — Captain Bruce's ineffectual attempt to quit the Ruffian fervice. — The new king of Sweden notifies his acceffion. — Afecoid invafion. — The Swedes attack our fleet with lofs. — The czar receives the duke of Holjletn into his protection. — Court martial on lieu- tenant-colonel Graves. — A curious law-fuit between two br 01 hers at Re- vel. — brefp preparations cgainfi Sweden. — Propofals on the:r part for a ceffation of hojldtties, rejected. — A third defcent on Sweden, which obliged them lofign the preliminaries, and conclude the peace. — The fleet and army in a ft or m and a child remarkably preferved. — The fleet ar- rive at Peterfhu ^/j. — The czar honoured by his Jenate with the title of Peter the Great, i^c. — A wife reformation in the bufuiefs of the law. — The captain again r-:fufed leave to quit. — Triumphal entry into Mof- cow. — A proclamation and Outb re^ai ding the fucceffion. i g j BOOK CONTENTS. BOOK VII. The nafonfor the Per/tan expedition. — Embark on the river Mofcow.—— Nifmi-Novogorod. — Embark on the gallies. — The Ceremifs Tartars. — • Cafan Tartars. — Manner of fiflnng in the Wolga. — Kinds of fijh.— Alabafier quarry. —Bulgarian Tartars, and the Maiden-Hill. — Kal- muck Tartars. — Afirachan. — Nagayan Tartars. — Short account of the Tartars in general. — The Nagayan Tartars manner of life. — Defarts near Afirachan rich with fait. — Fruits at Afirachan. — The Banyan . woman^s burning herfelf at her hujband's death. — The inhabitants of India. — The Banyans. 227 BOOK VIII. \Army embark at Afirachan., \%th of July. — Variety of wild fowl on the little iflands. — Teaki, the capital city of Circaffia. Herring in the Caf- pian. — Voyage to Bujlrow. — General IVaterang's account from the pro- vince of Andreof. — Circaffia and its inhabitants, their manners, reli- gion, iSc. — Continuation of the voyage and view of mount Caucafus, i^c. — The army land at Agrechan. — March into AJia. — Kindnefs of the DageJlanTartars. — The armypafs the river Sulack. — General Wa- ter ang joins the army. — Embarraffed on tkeir march, and fever epunijh- ment on the officers of the guards. — At rive at Tarku, with a defer ipt ion of the Dogejtan Tartars. — Interview with the ladies. — The Dagejlan ladies wait on the emprefs. — Ere£l a monument at Tarku, and march for Derbent through a fine country. — Sultan UJenacFs cruelly, and its confequences. — Twenty defperale Tartars. — A beautiful Tartar youth Jlain. — Undau'ted refolution of the priefi. — Arrive at Derbent. — De- fer iption of the city. — Remarkable tombs — Alexander and Melkeha- tura. — Jai.kcalh and fand hares. — Thirteen tranf ports lofl and buried in the fand.— -Suckary bread.— Two expreffies and one ambaffador ar- - rive at the army. — A Turkifh amb.iffiador obliges the emperor to return. Occqfton CONTENTS. — Occcifion of the troubles in Per/ia. — The army returti.-^CoId vights. — Dangerous andbarraffmg march. — "The jwj} icvju of Swetago-Kreft. — Fort at the river Nitzi defrayed and revenged. — The army re-imbark at Agrechan. — The ■provifions for the captains galley loji; aftarving voy- age. — Arrive at AJlrachan the i^tb cf October. 257 B O O K IX. Progrefs up the fVolga to Czaritza.-~-The ghoj} there. — A fhort bijlory of the Coffacks. — Stephen Ratzin's rebellion. — Ordered to furvey the Caf- fianfea, on which he proceeds to Jaick and Tetnbo. — IJland of Kula- la, and Turkijhn Tartars. — Gulf of Ifkander. — River Oxus and the Ufbeck Tartars. — The gulf of Carabuga. — River Daria. — River OJJa. ^Gulf of AJlrabat. — Provinces cf'Ierebat and Mafjend^ran. — Gulf of Sinfili and city of Refht — Difficult path of the Pyhs — The rivers Ar- defchin and Linker an., and the famous naptha oil-pits. — Ihe river Cyrusy or Kur. — The city of Baku. — City of Sh.imachie. — City cf Derbent. — The river Sulack. — Gulf of Agrechan, I/land of frenizeai and city cf Terki. — General defcription of the Cafpianfea, — Watch tower on John's ijland. — General Matujkin^s marriage to the widow in tears. — Contejl among the Kalmucks, and expedition againft them. — Defcription of their kibbets. — A battle ivith the Kalmucks. — Some odd cujloms ar,:o>ig them. The Baramtz, or Lambjkin. — Returns for Mofcow up the Wolga. — A narrcto efcapefrom the ice. — Proceed by land. — A cruel robbery in the woods. — A remarkable difcovery of a town, with an account of it. — A wild girl taken in the "wood. — Arrival at Mcfcovj. ^o? BOOK X. The duke of Holjlein. — The fall of baron Shcifrof. — The captain endeavours to get his difcharge. — A dignified troop of chevaliers. — A defcription of the cathedral. — Procejfwn to the coronation of the emprefs. — Coronation ceremony.— Proceff on to the church of St, Mchaek—Proceffion to the church ■ CONTENT" S. church of the Rcfurreclion. — Dinner in the hall of fokmnities.—New mode of promotion. — The captain obtains his furlough. — The captain leaves Mofcffzv. — A Swedifh colonel at Riga fufpeSfed of having Jl:)ot Charles the Xllth of Szveden. — The captain embarks for Scotland. — Puts into Erd- holntt a Daniff} harbour and fort. — Defcriplion of the harbour. — De- parts for El/ingohr. — Driven into Marf:rand, difniajleu. — Quarrel between Carnez's and his mate. — He arrives in Scotland. ' 347 BOOK XI. The captain fent engineer to fortify Providence., and goes out in the Rofe man of ivar. — Arrives at the ijland of Madeira. — Waits on the Portu- guefe governor , — Defcriptionof the ifland. — Ahard paffageloCarolina.— Miffes a fine prize. — A violent ftorm. — The fortifications at Charlefiown, Arrives at Providence — The ruinous condition effort Naffau. — Short hiflory of the Bahama Ifiands. — The cppreffive praEiices of governor Fitz-William. — Governor Tinker fucceeds him. — Short account of that gentleman. — The captain prevails en the inhabitants to carry materials for building fort Montagu. — Nature of the (lone — and maflich wood. — Defcription of fort Montagu. — Ihe governoj-'s letter about it. — A quarrel with lieutenant Stewart. — The captain confined, — and fet at liberty. 375 BOOK XII. The treatment of tzvo privateers and their ozvners. —Letter from lieutenant Moone. — Letter from a friend. — Letter from lieutenant Dromgole.—' Divifion of the quick-filver. — The captain applies again to the ajfetnbly to bring the -materials. — The ajfembly zvithdraza the governor's falary.—' Letter from lieutenant Moone. — Another from Charlejlozvn. — Letter from governor Glen, — Produce of the Bahama ijlands^ and the adjacent fea — Obfcrvations CONTENTS. Ohfervatlons on St. Salvador and the Bimini ijlands. — The inhahitants of Providence. — Defcription of fort Nqffau — Cqjt of both forts. — The cap- tain leaves Providence. — Arrives at Charleftown, —His report of the Jtrength of Charleftffwn. — A v'lftt from a Cherokee king.— Captain Frank- land's rich prize. — Ajimt defcription of Carolina, — Ihe captain fails for England. — Arrives at London, 403 i«a«« MEMOIRS o F PETER HENRY BRUCE, Esq. BOOK I. The author's defcent. — His grandfather's going into the Pru[]ian fervice. — John Bruce's marriage and defendants, and the author's birth, ^c. — His entering into the Prujfian fervice. — Lines on the battle of Rami Hies. — A remarkable fory of the author's landlady. — His firfi campaign.—-^ His fecond campaign. — Defeat of the French. — Siege of Lifle. — A re- markable accident to prince Eugene. — Captain Dubois. — A fad accident to the enemy's cavalry. — Bon mot of the duke of Marlborough. — Siege of Ghent. — Third Campaign. — Siege of Tournay. — Battle of Malplaquet. — Story of a Swifs recruit. — Siege of Mons. — Fourth campaign. — Siege of Doway. — Siege of Bcthu.ne. — A fad misfortune to fix Scotch officers. — Sieges of Aire and St. Fenant — Terrible ftory of the Jefuits at Tournay. THE following journal was originally written in the book i. German, my native language; but as I have lately enjoyed the leifure of a country retirement, I have, in this jear 1755, tranflated it into Englifh (to me a foreign B tongue). 2 M E M O I R S O F BOOK T. -ongue), for the entertainment of my friends, and the in- foi maiion of my family, that they might know their con- ntclions in Germany, and the particulars of a life fpent in war for a feries of years in different parts of the globe. — To begin then. The authorV Jsmcs Brucc and John Bruce, coufins and defcendants deiceut. ^f ^i^g family of Airth, in the county of Stirling, (a branch of the family of Clackmannan) in Scotland, formed a re- fclution, during the troubles of Oliver Cromwell, to leave their native country, in order to pufli their fortunes abroad ; and, as there were fome fliips in the port of Leith ready to fail for the Baltic, they agreed to go together to that part of the world : but as there happened to be two of tliefe fhip-mafters of the fame name, by an odd miftake the coufins embarked in different veflels, the one bound to Pruflla, the other to Ruffia, by which accident they never again faw each other. His grandfa- Johu Brucc, my grandfather, landed at Konigfberg, in [|^"f>°uffi"n°Pr^ffia J from thence he went to Berlin, and entered into fervice. ^i^g fervice of the elector of Brandenburg, and by degrees was advanced to the command of a regiment, which was the higheft military preferment he ever obtained, notwith- flanding the elector, in other refpe6ls, fhewed him many favours : amongft the reft the following was no fmall in- flance of his regard. My grandfather one day attending the eleflor in hunting, when his highnefs, in the eager pur- fuit of the chace, entered a large wood, and was fe- parated from all his attendants except my grandfather, who kept up with him. Night overtaking them in the wood, they were obliged to cUfmount, and lead their horfes, when, 2 after PETER HENRY BRUCE, E S Q^ 3 after groping their way for a confiderable time in the dark, book i. they at length perceived a light at a little diftance, and upon their getting up to it, they found themfelves at the miferable hut of a poor tar- burner, who lived a great way in the wood. Being informed by the poor inhabitant that they were a long way from any town, village, or other habitation, the prince, who by this time was both tired and hungry, afked him what he had got to eat ; upon which the poor man produced a loaf of coarfe black bread and a piece of cheefe, of which the ele6lor ate very heartily, and finilhed his meal with a draught of water, declaring he had never eat any thing with fo good an appetite before. He then enquired how large that wood was, and was told that it bordered on Mecklenburg Strelitz, and that it was of very great extent. Upon this my grandfather obferved, that it was a pity fuch a large tra6l of land fhould lie ufelefs, and if his highnefs would give him a grant of it, he would undertake to build a village in the middle of it, and an- other upon the fpot where they then were. To this the elector agreed, and foon after confirmed his grant by an ample charter, with great privileges annexed thereto ; and my grandfather, according to his engagement, built a vil- lage in the middle of the wood, which he called Brucen- wold (or Bruce-Wood) ; and another at the tar-burner's hut, which he called Jetzkendorf, its ancient name j for a village of that name had formerly flood there, part of the ruins being then ftill vifible. The elector flept upon fome ftraw till day-break, when he was awaked by the noife of his other attendants, who had been in fearch of him all night } and on their arrival he departed for Berlin. B 2 My 4 MEMOIRS OF no OK I. My grandfather married at Berlin a lady of fortune. *~~ of the family of Arenfdorf, and got with her feveral eflates John Bruf e's .,,- r j \ i i ttiiit inarriageand m land, of confiderable value. He had by her two fons andThe'au-' ''^"^ thicc daughters J the youngeft of his fons was my fa- ihor's birth. ^^^^^ , j-^-^ qI^\^{\ daughter was married to colonel Dewitz, v>'ho was afterwards governor of Pomerania, and who got with her a landed cftate in that province called Malchin ; the fecond daughter was made abbefs of a proteftant mo- naflery, founded for the education of young ladies, but fhe was afterwards married to lieutenant colonel Rebeur, who got Brucenwold for her fortune ; and his youngeft daughter was married to major general LattorfF, who got for her fortune his moft valuable eftates of KonikendorfF and Woletz : he thus difpofed of all the landed eftates he got by his wife in*-favour of his daughters, and gave his two fons an education only, and a fmall ftock of money. Having placed them in the elector's grand mufketteer guards, he left them to pufli their fortunes in the army, as he him- felf had done before them. His eldeft fon, Charles, was a lieutenant at the fiege of Namur, where he was killed ; his youngeft fon James, my father, married Ehzabeth Ca- therina Detring, of a confiderable family in Weftphalia, and was himfelf then a lieutenant in a Scotch regiment, commanded by the earl of Leven, in the fervice of Branr denburg, and I was born at Detring-Caftle, (the manor- houfe of that family) in the year 1692. This regiment was ordered to Flanders, and my father carried my mother with him, and we remained there till /i6gS, when the regiment returned to Scotland, and whi-. ther we accompanied him. The regiment being then put in, garrifon PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 5 garrifon at Fort \ViIliam, I was left in Fife to the care of book i.. a grand uricle, my grandfather's youngeft brother, who pofltfled a fmall eftate near Cupar, at which place I was put to fchool, where I continued three years, vvlien my father fent for me to Fort WiUiam, and 1 remained there three years more. In the year 1 704, my father got leave of abfence from i7°4»- the regiment, and fet out on a vifit to Germany, whither he carried his wife and family ; and after one year's ftay with their relations, he returned to Scotland, leaving me behind in the care of their friends, who undertook to edu- cate and provide for me. Their firft attempt in my favour was to get me made a page to the king of Pruffia, and when I was going to be prefented to his majefly by the marflial count Witgenftein, the prince royal enquired of him who I was ; and being informed, and alfo that I was going to be prefented to the king for a page, he afked me feveral queftions, and told the marflial that he himfelf would have me for his page. We returned without my being pre- fented to the king; and on my telling this piece of news to my friends, they would by no means confent ; alledging, that the prince did not ufe his pages well, which my coufin, a fon of general LattorlFs, had experienced, who had been page of honour to him, and was then a gentleman of the? bed-chamber to the king, for which reafon they would not fuffer me to accept the offer. The next thing they endeavoured was to get me into the Royal Academy, as a cadet ; but they were told that was now imprafticable, as I had refufed the prince's offer of being i^oGa his page : however, they fent me to the academy, at their own. d M E M O "I R S O F ROOK I. own charcre, to learn fortification and other neceflarv branches. ' My uncle Rebeur arrived at this time from Flanders ; he was ''° ' then lieutenant-colonel of the marquis de Varen's regiment, and when he was about to return, I exprefled a defire to go with him. He very kindly approved my defign, and on the fuggeftion of my friends, that it might be hurtful to me in my education, the cqlonel affured them that it would ra- ther be an advantage, as there were in almoft every town in Flanders exceeding good mafters for teaching fortifica- tion and gunnery, &c. and that I fhould have double ad- vantage in improving the theory by feeing many parts of it in real piactice : he farther offered not only to keep me with himfelf, but that no opportunity to improve my education lliould be neglefled. This kind offer was very fatisfa6lory to all my friends, and he performed his promife with a molt paternal care. Bis entering I fat out With him accordingly for the regiment, which Pruffianfer- v/as then in garrifon at Maeflricht, where we arrived in April 1706, and I was entered in the colonel's company to carry arms, and foon became a proficient in the manual exercifes j after which I found my duty very eafy, for I had only to mount guard once in a week, the refl of my time being devoted to the fludy of fortification, &c. This year was memorable for the defeat of the French army under marfhal Villeroy, at Ramillies : the battle was fought on the 12th of May, when the duke of Marlbo- rough gained a complete vi6lory over them : the vi£lory was followed by the furrender of many places both in Flanders and Brabant, This year was alfo remarkable for the king of Sweden's entering Saxony, and dethroning king Auguftus, where ■vice. 1706. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 7 where he raifed five millions fterling by levying contribu- book r. tions. Among the prifoners who were fent in here after the battle of Ramillies, was a marquis, who was a colonel of horfe : general Dopff, the governor of this place, not only gave him the liberty of the town, but alfo allowed him to go a hunting in the country ; yet, notwithftanding this polite ufage, and his own parole, this officer thought proper to make his efcape, but was foon fent back under a guard by marflial Villeroy, and was afterwards allowed the liberty only of the town, attended by a ferjeant for his vade mecum. After the battle the following French verfes made their Lines on the battle of Ra.. appearance : miuies, C'eft a ce coup, que Villeroy, ce mareflial incomparable. Pour avoir bien fervi le roy, aura I'Epee de connetable Gar pour un moindre evcnement, TaDard un governmens Varus rends moi mes legions ? S'ecrioit I'empereur augufte ; Tallard rends moi mes battaillions ? Dit Lou3, a Titre plusiufte, Tallard repond— He grand roy, demande les a Villeroy. At the houfe where I lodged with the colonel, I was told ^remarkable 1 , ftoryofthe a very remarkable ftory that happened between my land- author's Ikdy and her former huftand, who was a native of this town ; his name was Niepels, and was a captain of dra- goons in the Dui-ch fervice ; he courted our landlady at the Hague, fhe was the daughter of a merchant there, and after a folemn promife of marriage, he firfl feduced, and then left her pregnant : her father was fo incenfed at her, that he turned her out of the houfe ; but an aunt taking compaffion on her kept her, till fhe was brought to bed, and afterwards; fupglied her. with a httle money, with which, unknown to any 8 MEMOIRS OF BOOK L any of her friends, flie equipped herfelf in men's cloaths,' boueht a horfe, and went and offered herfelf as a voiun- teer in captain Niepels' troop : her offer was accepted, and flie continued fome time in the troop ; the captain ufed fometimes to tell his volunteer that he was very like an old miflrefs of his, but never had the leaft fufpicion that he was fpeaking to the very perfon : flie ftaid till the end of the campaign, when captain Niepels, being informed of his father's death, left the fervice, and went home to take pof- feffion of his eftate. By this accident (lie feemed to lofe fight of any opportunity to call the captain to an account, which was the fole motive of her adventure : however, (he fol- lowed him, but laid afide the cavalier, and re-affumed the female, and arriving at Maeftricht, flie prevailed upon his maid-fervant (for a little money) to allow her to fleep in a private room in the houfe for one night, as (he was a ffranger, and did not chufe to lodge in any public inn. Having thus • broke the ground, and got admifiion, flie had an opportunity to reconnoitre the houfe, particularly the captain's apart- ment, who was generally abroad the whole day, and came home late at night. She kept very clofe, till flie thought every body in the houfe was afleep, and then proceeding with a candle in one hand, and a poniard in the other, to his bed- fide, file awaked him, and afked if he knew her, and upon his demanding what had brought her there, flie told him, that he now mufl: refolve to perform his engagement to her, otherwife fhe was determined to put him to death. The captain thought proper to refufe, and, at the fame time, called to his fervants ; but, before any of them could arrive ilie flruck him in the bread j and notwithflanding all the defence PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 9 defence he could make, flie gave him feveral other wounds book r. in different parts of his body ; the fervants at length came ' to his afliftance, and finding their mailer ftreaming with '^ blood, they fent for a magiftrate and guards to fecure her. In the mean time, the lady never offered to move off, but continued upbraiding him with his treachery, although he entreated her to fave herfelf, as he thought himfelf mor- tally v.ounded; at laft the magiftrate came with a guard to conduct her to prifon, which the captain would not fuf- fer, but begged them to fend for a priefl, to whom, on his arrival, he confeffed how much he had injured the young woman, and defired the prieft, in the prefence of the magiftrate, to marry them without lofs of time, which accordingly he did : upon the furgeon's declaring that none of the wounds were mortal, the guard was withdrawn, and by the careful attendance of the furgeon, and the no kfs tender care of his now fpoufe, the captain foon reco- vered of his wounds. They lived afterwards in the great- eft harmony for feveral years, till an ill-fated accident put an end to his life : one evening they were walking toge- gether before the Trowen-Port, and paffmg by an arfenal where a number of old ufelefs arms were lying, a gentle- woman in their neighbourhood, with whom they lived in great intimacy, met them, and taking up an old rufty piftol, faid jocularly to captain Niepels, that it was de- creed he ftiould die by the hands of a woman, which he a(n;ually did, for the piftol went off and (hot him dead upon the fpot. Pie left three daughters, who were now mar- riageable j his widow (our landlady), fome time after his death, married his nephew. C One I a MEMOlPvS OF 17C16. BOOK r. One night as I was on guard with our lieutenant upoi^ ' Peterlberg, and (landing fentiy with my mulket in my hand, the but-end on the ground, and pulUng it after me in a carelefs manner over the gravel, it accidentally went off, and alarmed the whole garrifon : this accident ob« liged the lieutenant to fend a ferjeant to acquaint the offi- cer at Peterfport 5 and next day I was brought before the governor, where I appeared in great fear, having been told by the foldiers that I Ihould think myfelf well off if I had only to run the gauntlet j but, to my great joy, it ended in, a reprimand, and being told, if a common foldier had done- the like he would have been feverely puniflied : this re- proof made me more cautious in future when on duty. I was this winter made a ferjeant, it being cuftomary in the Pruffian fervice to go through all the low degrees before they can obtain an officer's commiffion ; by this promo- tion I was advanced two fleps above the ordinary rule. In ,707. the month of April, 1707, the prince-royal of Pruffia came to this place, and reviewed our regiment ; and in paffing; by him, and anfwering to my name, according to the mufter-roU, he recollefled me, and blamed the colonel for making a child firft ferjeant in his company ; but on the colonel's informing him that I performed my duty very well, and was affiduous in learning the military art, the prince feemed to be very well fatisfied. His firft cam- In May our regiment marched from Maeftricht, and P^'^"' joined the army at Mildert ; and on the 9th of Auguft, we advanced to Genap, with an intention to attack the enemy ; on the \ oth, at night, we pafied the Deyle at Florival, and marched till morning : at day-break we ar- rived. 1707. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. ti rived at Wavercn, and found the enemy had retired, upon book i. which we returned to Genap. The French kept retiring before us the whole campaign, fo warily, that we were never able to bring them to an engagement, which har- rafled our troops by continual marches and counter- marches, without being able to effecft any thing. To- wards winter the army marched to Afche, where we fepa- rated, and went into quarters. The prince of Orange was at this time declared general of the Dutch forces, though no more than twenty- one years of age. Our regiment marched to Huye for winter-quarters, where the Swedifli general, Oxenftein, was governor: this town lies on both fides of the Meufe, and is but indifferently fortified, yet it is ftrengthened by a caftle and three other forts, ere6led upon eminences, which protect the town. I mounted guard one day with a Dutch lieutenant, a very plain man, who could neither read nor write, but v/as advanced from a ferjeant for a pretty extraordinary exertion of perfonal courage and gallant perfeverance : the French had befieged and taken a town with all its fortifications, excepting one tower, where this ferjeant was ported with twenty men, and which he bravely maintained againft every eff^ort of the enemy, till the place was retaken the following year ; to tvhich he alfo contributed greatly from his fituation.. As I was one day out with a party, and pafling near a monafiery, we obferved a woman running, and feveral per- fons in purfuit of her ; we went and met her : being in- formed that we belonged to the garrifon of Huye, flie feemed to be overjoyed, and being thus relieved a little from her fright, flie told us that flie belonged to Namur, and had engaged herfelf to a French ofiicer without the G 2 con fen t 12 MEMOIRS OF BOOK I. confcnt of her parents, who, upon the officer's demand- ing her in marriage, had fliut her up in that monaftery, ''°'" from whence flie had juft made her efcape over the garden- wall by the help of a ladder, and that fhe intended to go to Liege, where ilie had relations who would protefl and favour her : the event juflified the aflertion, for on her arrival there, her friends procured a paflport for her lover, and file got the hufband of her own choice. 1708. In May 1708, we marched from Huye to join the army, fecon^ campaign. IS econ ^^^ came to Anderlech on the 23d, when the PrufTians, Ha noverians, and Dutch began to form ; on the 26th, we went to Bellinghen, where we joined the Englifli and other troops ; the army confifted of i§o fquadrons, and 112 bat- talions. The French army, under the duke de Vendofme, formed at St. Ghiflain, and confifted of 197 fquadrons, and 124 battaUons } the two royal princes, the dukes of Burgundy and Berry, were with the army. At Bellinghen we were joined by the electoral prince of Hanover, (his prefent majefty) and prince Eugene, whofe troops from the Mofelle were come to Maeftricht, and foon after joined us. Defeat of the The French opened the campaign with taking Ghent and Bruges by furprize j they made a fruitlefs attack on Damme, but they took fort Plaflendahl, between Bruges and Oftend j and on the 9th of July, they inveiled Oude- narde, but on our approach they raifed the fiege, and re- tired over the Scheld. We purfued them clofe, and brought them to an engagement on the i ith. It was fix o'clock in the afternoon before our lines were formed ; Prince Eugene commanded the right, and the duke of Marlborough the left wings. After a moft vigorous and well-conducted at- tack, the French were beat, and fled under cover of the 7 riJSht, PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 13 night, which faved them from being cut to pieces. Next book i. day 4000 of the enemy were found dead on the field of battle; 7 000 were made prifoners ; befides 535 officers (ge- ' nerals included) ; 34 ftandards, 25 colours, and 5 pair of kettle drums, but no cannon, the battle being fought without artillery on either fide. The lofs on our fide was 2972, killed and wounded. After this battle, the French retired behind the canal. The Siege of between Ghent and Bruges ; and count Lottum, the Pruf- fian general, was fent with a refpe6table detachment, to at- tack their lines at Ypres, which we took and levelled with little or no refiftance. The army then went and inverted Lifle, which was afterwards befieged in form by prince Eugene, whilft the duke of Marlborough covered the fiege. This fiege, which lafted fo long, and cofl: fo much blood, was attended with various events. A pretty remarkable occurrence happened to prince Eu- a remarkable gene in the time of it. His highnefs received a letter from princrEu- fbrae unknown hand, and upon opening it, he found its^ contained a greafy paper, which he immediately and fortunately let fall upon the ground ; his aid de camp took it up and fmelled ac it, and was direftly feized with a giddinefs, fo much, that they were obliged to give him an antidote : this paper was then tied about a dog's neck for an experiment, and -he died witiiin twenty-four hours, notwithftandiag a counter-poifon was given him. The officei-s about the prince exprefiing their concern at the accident, he replied, without the leaft emotion, " You *' need not wonder at it, gentlemen ; I have received feve- •<* ral letters of this fort before now." The ■ srene. H MEMOIRS OF 1708. BOOK I. The duke of Burgundy being defirous to know in what ■ condition the garrifon was, one captain Dubois undertook to get into the town, and having got undifcovered to the outworks of the place, he ftripped himfelf, and having hid his clothes, fwam over feven canals and ditches, and got fafe into the town, and returning the fame way brought the duke a letter from raarflial Bouffleur, which he carried in his mouth, fo enveloped that it was preferved quite dry. Sadacc'ident In the night of the 28th of September, we were alarmed my'scavaii-y. with a loud crack, and in half an hour another, and at midnight there was fuch a thunder-clap that the earth was fliaken under us : this fo alarmed the wiiole army, that we lay under arms till day-light, when we were informed that 1200 of the enemy's cavalry, having each fifty pounds of powder in bags behind them, were endeavouring to get into the town, but being difcovered and fired upon, they fpur- red haftily forwards, by which means fome of the bags got untied, and the powder pouring to the ground, catched the fire which flew from the horfe's feet, ftriking on the caufeway, and communicating with the powder in the bags, the whole blew up; about fixty of the men perifhed on en- tering the lines, and an hundred near the gate ; it was a fliocking fight next day, to fee the road ftrewed with half burnt heads, limbs, and carcafes of m.en and horfes; the reft of the corps threw away their powder and made off, but it was believed about three hundred got into the town. Some few days afterwards, fifty peafants were taken en- deavouring to convey powder into the town in their wheel- barrows : as they had the liberty to fell milk to the army, they brought it in barrels, two on a barrow j and on this 9 occa- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. J5 occafion, one of the barrels on every barrow proved to be book r. powder ; and being all convifled, they were every one " ■ ung up. About this time, Auguflus, king of Poland, and feveral ether princes, came here to be eye-witnelfes of this famous fiege. The enemy, in endeavouring to obftrufl our con- voys from Oflend, brought on themfelves tiieir defeat at Weynendahl. They had ftrongly fortified themfelves by a triple entrenchment round their camp at Oudenarde, where they had retired, beyond the Schelde, which greatly im- peded our communication with that quarter, and the duke' of Bavaria, at the fame time, befieging BrufTels, reduced us to the neceffity of living for fome time on turnips and onions. To relieve ourfelves from this diftrefs, and open the communication with our provifions, a fufficient body was detached from the army, and by a forced march in the night, croiTed the Schelde, and attacked their lines next day, when they gave us much lefs trouble than we ex- peded, fpr they fled with the utmoft precipitation, leaving us their whole camp, baggage, and all ; in the purfuit, our cavalry took a number of prifoners ; here we got a very~ happy relief of provifions of all forts in great plenty, after fo {lender a diet. We next marched to ihe relief of Bruf- fels, but before we arrived the duke had abandoned the fiege, leaving behind him fifteen pieces of heavy cannon, and two mortars j having thus happily fucceeded in our enterprize, we returned to the fiege of Lifle. Upon our breaking ground on the glacis, or covered way, I was with the pioneers ; the engineer who marked out the ground being killed, and our men quite expoftd to- the ijo8. 16 M E M O I R S O F BOOK I. the enemy's fire, I took upon n:e to finifli what he had be-' •gun, and very foon got ouifelves under cover; for which fervice the general of the trenches for that night, recom- mended me to our commander in chief, general count Lot- tura, who wrote to the king in my favour, and in the winter I got an enfign's commilTion * ; but I was generally employed as an engineer. The town furrendered the z^d of Oftober, and as we were then quartered in the barracks, we were better able to profecute the fiege of the citadel, which ftill held out, and was carried on by fap, under the direftion of general Coehorn, in very cold weather and hard froft : this fervice lafted to the 9th of December, when the citadel alfo furrendered; on the loth, marflial Bouffleur marched out with his garrifon, and was con- ducted to Doway. Surrenderor During the fiege, after we had made a lodgement upon the fecond counterfcarp, a Dutch captain, who was pofted there, fled from his poflr, on the approach of the enemy, without making the leaft refiftance; his ferjeant, rcflefting on the difhonourable retreat, endeavoured to perfuade him to return and recover it, but in vain ; the ferjeant then ad- dreffed himfelf to the men, telling them if they would fol- low him, he would endeavour to regain the port: they had deferted in fo cowardly a manner ; the men immediately * The commiflion was fent to his uncle col. Rebeur, who concealed it from Mr. Bruce on account of his youth, being only in his fixteenth year, till feme time next campaign ; coming to the knowlege of it, he walked to the door of his uncle's tent, and flicking his halbert in the grouniJ with fome refentment, cried out, " There {lands the ferjeant !" and walking a few fteps from it, he called out, " Here ftands the officer!'* and then received his commiflion. agreed. Lifle. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ i; agreed, rallied, and attacked the enemy with fuch bravery, Book t. that the poft was very foon regained. Upon a reprefen- tation of this aflion, the officer was degraded for cow- ardice, and the feijeant rewarded as he deferved, A fol~ dier without courage is like a dead corpfc j forrow hangs on the countenances of its late befl friends till it is bu- ried out of their fight. A bon mot of the duke of Marlborough was at this A bon mot of time much talked of in the camp ; when the king of Po- Madbo- land was going for Saxony, and the duke had taken his '^°"^'^° leave of him, wifhing him a good journey, his majefty alfo wifhed his grace a good voyage to England ; upon which the duke anfwered him in French, " Que le tems etant fort froid, il ne vouloit pas pafler la mer fans Gand ;" that is, the weather being very cold, he would not pafs the fea without gloves ; the word garni, in French, being the name of the city of Ghent, as well as the term for gloves ; and his grace was as good as his word. Our army, notwithftanding the rigour of the feafon, SieseoF marched immediately for Ghent, and we inverted it on the 17th of the fame month. The duke of Marlborough commanded the fiege, and prince Eugene covered. The garrifon confifted of 30 battalions and 19 fquadrons; but the water in their moats being all hard frozen over, and apprehending a furprize, they thought proper to furrender the 31ft of December. The garrifon marched out the 2d 1709. of January, 1709, and was condufled to Tournay ; the duke of Argyle immediately took pofTefllon of the town and citadel. The enemy foon after evacuated Bruges, Red- fort, Plaffendahl, and Leffinghen, which finifhed this me- D morable 1709. i8 MEMOIRS OF BOOK I. morable campaign, and our army went into quaiters : our regiment marched to Bruirels, where we wintered : the French made propofals this winter for a general peace, but they did not fucceed. Third cam- In the beginning of June we marched to join the army, *'^'^"" which was formed the 21 ft, between Courtray and Menin, 110,000 ftrong j from thence we paffed the Lower Deyle, and encamped on the plains of Lille. The French army, which confifted of 130,000, encamped on the plains of Lens, where they entrenched themfelves fd ftrongly, that it was thought imprudent on our part to attempt to force Siege of them, and it was then refolved to befiege Tournay : the Touniay. _ _ a j enemy had fo little fufpicion of fuch an attempt, that they had withdrawn a part of the garrifon to ftrengthen their army. The town was accordingly invefted oa the 27th, under the command of the duke of Marlborough, and the lines of circumvallation were begun the 30th > count Lot- turn commanded the attack on the citadel, where I was employed for the firft time as engineer ; the other two at- tacks, againft the city, were commanded by generals Schul- lemburg and Fagel, and the prince of NafTau, at this time, took the two forts, St. Amand and Mortagne, which were very neceflary in covering the liege. The 6th of July, the lines of circumvallation were finiflied, and on the 7th at night, the trenches were opened : on the 1 3th, our bat- . teries began to play upon the town. In fliort, the town furrendered the 28th, and the garrifon to the number of 4000, retired into the citadel ; and two captains, four lieu- tenants, and 1 50 men, deferted and came into our camp, and 800 of their wounded were conveyed to Doway. la this 1709. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 19 this fiege we had 3,210 men killed and wounded ; the earl book i. of Albemarle was appointed governor in the town. On the I ft of Auguft, they began to fire upon us from the citadel, which was immediately returned from our bat- teries, and on the 3d, one of our fhells fell into a powder- magazine of their's, which blew up : a cefTation of hofti- lities on both fides was foon after agreed to, on condition of furrendering on the 5th of September, if they were not then relieved by the French army. During the truce, a number of deferters from our army, being then in the ci- tadel, got leave to attempt the making of their efcape, but being informed againft by one of their number, they were all caught and hanged. The conditions of the truce being made known to the French king, he would not agree to the propofition of fur- render, which being communicated to the befiegers, hofti- lities were recommenced. The enemy fprung many mines, and our counter-mining occafioned many (kirmillies un- der-ground ; on the 26th, they fprung a mine, which blew up 400 of our men, and killed Mr. Du May, our chief engineer ; after this they fprung feveral others, which did us confiderable mifchief, efpecially one which left an open- ing fixty paces long and twenty foot deep, and which bade fair to have blown up a whole Hanoverian regiment, had it not been very opportunely difcovered, fo that we loft only one private centinel killed by it. On the 30th, we can- nonnaded and bombarded them fo warmly, that they beat a parley on the 31ft in the morning : they now ftipulatedfor conditions, but no other terms could be received than fur- rendering prifoners of war, which they were not, even yet, D 2 difpofed 30 M E M O I R S O F BOOK I. difpofed to agree to, fo that hoitilities were renewed, and upon our redoubled efforts, with every warlike engine, 1709. . JO they at laft were obliged to furrender on our own terms, and march out on the j:th of September with 3500 men, befides their fick and wounded. Before Tournay an exprefs arrived from prince Menzi- koff to the duke of Marlborough, informing his grace that die czar's army had obtained a complete viflory over the. king of Sweden at Pultowa, on the 8th of July laft. The battle of Our next operation was directed againft Mons : the ele6lor of Bavaria, who refided there,, hearing thereof, re- tired to Namur. Marfhal Bouffleur was now fent by the French king to affift marfhal Villars, with orders rather to-, hazard a battle than fuffer Mons to fall in the general ca- reer of our arms. On the 8th, prince Eugene joined us with his army, when we were very much fatigued with, marching night and day in rainy v/eather, and through bad roads. On the 9th, we obferved the enemy moving: towards Blarignies, in order to poffefs themfelves of the woods and hedges of Taniers and Malplaquet j upon which we moved forward in order of battle \ but as the Englifli were foraging, they could not join us that day, and the two armies began cannonading each other, which continued till night, and Vt^as renewed next morning, when we did not choofe to engage, as we expe6led to be joined by twenty-three battalions from Tournay. This day I very narrowly efcaped, being {hot by one of our own foldiers, who being out of his- rank I ordered him to it, and as he took no notice of the orders, I ftruck him acrofs the fhoulders and puihing him into it, he ftepped back and cocked his piece which he dire6lly PETER HENRY BRUCE, ES(^ 2^ dire6lly prefented to my breaft j I inftantly parried the muz- book i. zle downwards, and the bullet went into the ground be- tween my feet ; the fellow immediately flung down his ^^'^' mulket and run for it, but was purfued by the adjutant on horfeback, and being a flout fellow, he took the adjutant by the foot, threw him out of the faddle, and was juft: go- ing to mount, when the major came up with and fecured him. But to return j the enemy by our delay, got time to cut down the wood, and entrench themfelves ; in the even- ing we converfed with the French officers, and entertained each other witii fuch fare as we had, in a very friendly man- ner ; this we were the more induced to, from a perfuafion on both fides, that a ceflation of arms was to take place previous to a peace, bat we were undeceived by midnight, when every man had orders to repair to his poft, and pre* pare to engage the enemy early next morning. On the I ith, at two in the morning, we attended at; prayers, and then prepared by forming in the order of bat* tie ; about eight we advanced and attacked their entrench*, ments, which we carried, driving the enemy with great dif-r- order and confufion in their trenches, out of which we beat them, with numbers flain on both fides : the regiment our's was engaged with, happened to be that with whofe officers we had been fo focial the night before, and in it was a lieu- tenant, who had a brother a lieutenant in our's, and who was with us, a French refugee ; the lieutenant in the French regiment, furrendered himfelf a prifoner to his brother, and was affedlicnately received under his protedion ; but unfor- tunately, at the very inftant, a foldier of our's ran him. through the. body, and killed him in his brother's arms:: the 1709. 22 M E M O I R S O F BOOK r. the fellow alledged in excufe for himfelf, that he did it to protefl his officer, not knowing the other ; yet he had feen the brothers the evening before converfing together as fuch. Fatal miftakes occur too frequently in the fury and rage of contending foes, met on purpofe to conquer or die, nor is it poffible to brand this poor fellow with any foul defign on this occafion : — but to my ftory. The French retiring over a hedge, we purfued them clofe, and finding them rein- forced, we were obliged to retire in our turn, and making our way back through the hedge, we loft our colonel and feveral of our men ; but being fupported by our line of re- ferve, w^e v/ere enabled to force the enemy a fecond time from the hedge, and to drive them to their fecond entrench- ment, from which we alfo diflodged them, and purfued them to their third, where I found myfelf fliot through the leg, and was obliged to be carried out of the field, and ar- riving at a little cot, I there found the corpfe of my colonel, and got my wound dreiled. After a very clofe engagement of fix hours, the enemy gave way, and left us mafters of a dear bought field, which coft us not lefs than 20,300 men. The particulars of this famous battle of Malplaquet, having been fo well defcribed by better pens, I fhall fay no more of it, only that the enemy loft, by their own confef- fion, 540 officers killed, i©68 wounded, 301 taken prifon- ers ; and 15000 men killed, wounded, and taken. We had two generals killed, counts Lottutn and Fettace. After this aftion, it was currently reported that marfhal Villars was for hazarding another battle to prevent our tak- ing Mons, but was oppofed in it by marlLal Bouffleur; and that the king of France had fent the duke of Berwick to deter- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 23 determine upon the different opinions of thefe two able ge- book i. nerals, upon the fpot. His grace came, and viewing the ground with their late entrenchments, exprelFed h,s furprize at their extraordinary ftrength, declaring, as they had been beaten out of that poft, they muft be very rafli indeed to venture an engagement on the open field. While the furgeon was attending the wound which con- fined me, he told me a diverting llory of a young Swifs recruit, who, when his regimentals were making, had pro- cured a round iron plate bordered with fmall holes, which he defired the taylor to faften on the infide of his coat, above his left breafl, to prevent his being fhot through the heart : the taylor being a humourous fellow, faftened it in the feat of his breeches, and the clothes being fcarce on his back when he was ordered to march into the field, having no op- portunity to get this aukward miftake reiStified, before he found himfelf engaged in battle, and being obliged to fly before the enemy, and in endeavouring to get over a thorn hedge in his way, he unfortunately ftuck faft till he was overtaken by a foe, who, on his coming up, gave him a pufli in the breech with his bayonet, (with no friendly de- fign), but it luckily hit on the iron-plate, and pufhed the young foldier clear out of the hedge ; this favourable cir- cumftance made the Swifs honeftly confefs, that the taylor had more fenfe than himfelf, and knew better where his heart lay. — But to nobler deeds. Our eminent leaders well knowing their advantage by a Siege of reputation for habitually beating the enemy, immediately invefted Mons, and the trenches were opened on the 25th, ynder the command of the prince of Naffau j and, notwith- 4 Handing 24 TVIEMOIRSOF BOOK I. ftandlng the continual heavy rains, the fiege was briiivly " puflied on till the 20th of 06lober, when this town alfo J709. fnrrendered, and the garrifon marched out 8000 men, be- fides 1000 that were left behind, and afterwards enlifted in our army. The viclory at Malplaquet, and the taking of Tournay and Mens, finifhing this campaign, our army feparated, and went into quarters for the winter. Our regiment went to Maeftricht ; and not being yet recovered of my wound, I was obliged to travel in a waggon with eight wounded foldiers, under the care of a ferjeant, to Bruflelsj in the evening of the 20th, we arrived at Notre Dame de Hall, half-way between Mons and Brufiels, where one of our wheels broke, and the waggoner hearing that there was a party of French in the town, thought proper to fet off with his horfes j the French having got notice of us, came, and after enquiring for the horfes, and finding they were gone, fat out in purfuit of them : happily for me, I had for- merly been fome time in this place, and was pretty well known to the people, who conveyed me to a place of fafety, which, for once, faved me from being ftripped ; the party returning, ftript the eight wounded foldiers, and carried the ferjeant a prifoner to Namur : the ferjeant, on his ar- rival there, was examined by the governor, whom he in- formed that he had been on duty, conducing thefe wounded men to the hofpital at Bruflels, and that the French party had ftripped them naked, and plundered them of a month's pay. The governor feverely reprimanded the ofticer, telling him, he ought rather to have aflifted the poor defencelefs wounded men, than to have ufed them in the manner he 6 had 1709. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ.' 25 had done ; and ordered him to reftore both the cloaths and book i. money to the ferjeant, and fent the ferjeant, under his own pafs, to Maeftricht, A piece of generous humanity feldom met with in an enemy. Being ftill ill of my wound, I determined to remain at Hall, aUhough it was an open place, and vifited almoft every day by parties of the French : here I was attended by an able furgeon, who having none but myfelf under his care, had the more time to obferve the various efFedls of his treatment of the wound, which could not have been the cafe had I proceeded to Bruflels, where every place was full of the wounded of our army. While I continued here, I met with great kindnefs from the clergy of the place ; but I ftaid no longer than I was able to walk with crutches, when I obtained a French pafs, and moved to Maeftricht, where I found a lieutenant's com- miflion waiting for me. Early in the month of April 17 10, we left our winter- 17 10. quarters, and on the 15th, arrived near Tournay, the place pa°gn' ""*' of our general rendezvous; and on the 20th, the army being formed, was ordered to march at five o'clock in the afternoon, and marched all night in tv^o columns. Our motion was fo fudden, fo fecrer, and fo regularly con- ■• du6led, that we entered the French lines next morning, without the fmalleft refiftance : fo little did they appreher.d this morning vifit, that they were out foraging. Our ap- pearance fpread fuch an alarm amongft their troops near Lens, that they made a very hafty retreat,-. and we encamp- ed in their room upon the plains of Lens. On the 2 2d, early in the morning, we laid our bridges over the Scarp, and tlie whole army paQed the fame night, E and 2« MEMOIRS OF BOOK I. and next morning we invefted Dovvay j on the 25th, we be^an our lines of circumvallation, and were joined by i7fo. _ Siege of the prince of Anhalt Delfau, who fucceeded count Lot- turn in the command of the Pruffian troops, and now commanded one of the attacks againft the town, and the prince of Naflau the other ; on the ayth, our lines were finiflied, when our cavalry had provided a great number of fafcines and gabions for the fiege ; on the ift of May, our troops took pofTeflion of the caftle of Pignonville, and on the 3d, Chateaux-Loway, where 340 men furrendered them- felves prifoners ; the 4th, our trenches were opened at both attacks, and our men V\'ere covered without any lofs, as they were not perceived at their work from the town ; the 9th, at ten at night, the enemy made a vigorous fally at the prince of NafTau's attack, which put the workmen in great diforder, and levelled fome parts of the parallel, but they were at laft repulfed with confiderable lofs, and pur- fued to the very counterfcarp ; the aclion was fo very hot that we loft 300 men killed, or wounded, in it, and, perhaps, the enemy were not better off : the parallel was repaired the fame night, and next morning, at day-break, a battery of eight guns, and four mortars, began to play with great fury, from prince Anh alt's attack, upon a fconce in the morafs, which had greatly annoyed us by flanking our approaches : it was now foon difmounted. They made a fally the fame night on our fide, but were repulfed with confiderable lofs. Our heavy artillery arrived on the 10th, and on the nth, a battery was completed on each attack, each mounting twenty-four guns and eight mortars j the 12th, our ap- proaches were advanced to the firft ditch ; the 14th, our d. batteries. PETER HENRY BRtJCE, ESQ. ii; batteries being completed, and mounted with forty-eight book i. guns, and thirty-two mortars and howitzers, we began to ' play on the enemy's outworks, but chiefly from the prince of Anhalt's fide, as the ground in the other was fo boggy, that they could not approach there with fuch regularity. The enemy made a fally on the 17th, but were fo warmly received, that they retired in great confufion, leaving above 100 prifoners behind them; on the 21ft, they made an- other, in which a great many fell on both fides. Our army was now llrongly entrenched in their lines to prevent the enemy from harraffing us in the fiege, as they out- numbered us by 10,000 men, and we had reafon, from their continual motions, from the 26th to the 30th, to believe that they meant to attack us, and oblige us to raife the fiege ; but on the 30th, they encamped within gun-fhot of our entrenchments, which flackened our progrefs in the fiege, as every regiment that could pofilbly be Ipared was taken off to ftrengthen the army. The enemy continued four days in this pofition without offering to difturb us, when marflial Villars thought proper to retire to a league diftant from us ; upon which the befieging regiments re- turned to their pods, and we now again puflied on the fiege with all pollible vigour. The enemy made frequent fallies, and fprung feveral mines, which, however, did not prevent us from making ourfelves maficrs of the counter- fcarp on the 5th of June; and on the 17th, we ftormed and took a ravelin, and after filling the moat with faf- cmes, we laid our bridges to the main breach of the town : on the night of the 22d, the trenches were opened at Fort- Scarp, which was a regular pentagon; and on the E 2 25th, i'8 M E M b I R S ' O F BOOK I. 25thj at two o'clock in the afternoon, the enemy beat the chamade, and furrendered both town and fort on the 26th. The bcfieged had upwards of 3,000 men killed, and our lofs was 8,000 killed and wounded. On the 29th, the mar- quis d' Albergotti marched out at the head of his garrifon, confiding of 4,527 efFeftive men: general Hompefh was made governor of the town, and brigadier des Roques, the chief engineer, was made commandant of Fort- Scarp, g; jjf 3g, After a few days relaxation from fuch hard duty, we thune. marched with an intention to befiege Arras, which the enemy perceiving, entered their new Hues, and thereby pre- vented us J and then the fiege of Bethune became the ob- je6l, and was invefted on the 15th of July; the trenches were opened the 23d for two attacks, the one by general Schuylenburg, the other by general Fagel. The French army made a feint as if they meant to relieve the town, but finding us ready prepared to receive them, they were fatisfied with fhowing themfelves, and withdrew to their lines. The fiege advanced brifkly ; on the 29th, they made a fally at Fagel's attack, where they almoft deftroyed a re- giment of Pruflian guards, who had unluckily fired upon them all at once, and having no fire in referve, the enemy poured in upon them with great deftru6tion ; our regiment marched quickly up to their afliftance, and faved them from being entirely cut off. There happened, the fame A fad ro'if- ^^y> ^ ^^^ misfortune to fix officers of a Scotch regiment, fortune to j^^ ^gj.g fluting: in a row on the banquet, and had their fix Scotch ° ' officers. legs all fhot off by a cannon-ball, except one, who faved one of his by having it on the banquet j and he was the 3 °^^y PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ; 29. only one who fumved the rough amputation, the reft died book i. of their wounds : this ill-fated ball came from one of our own guns at Schuylenburg's attack, diredled at a baftion, but unhappily mifling that objeft, the ball flanked our own trenches. The town threw a great number of bombs at our batteries, but falling fliort, they dropped, for the moft part, into our approaches, which kept us who were em- ployed there in perpetual motion to fliun them. One day I happened to ftep into a demolilhed cellar, on a neceffary occafion, when I had fcarce well got there, till the centry called out, " Gare la bombe," and down it came into the cellar, and I made the beft of my way out of it, which I had fcarce cleared till it burft, and threw down a great quantity of ftones and rubbifli about me, but I efcaped un- hurt. The garrifon beat the chamade on the 28th of Au- guft, and on. the 31ft, M. de Vauban marched out at the head of 1,700 men remaining of the garrifon, having loft near 2000. It coft us 3,665 men, killed and wounded: major general Keppel was appointed governor. The fieges of Aire and St. Venant came next in our route ; sieges of we marched on the 2d, and they were both invefted on the venant. ^' 5th of September. The prince of Anhalt commanded the fiege of Aire, and the prince of Naffau that of St. Venant. About this time the enem.y intercepted a convoy of our's* coming up the river Lys in boats with warlike ftores and provificns, which they took and deftroyed, killed and wounded a great number of the efcoit, and took 800 pri- foners : this, however, did not retard the fieges a moment, for St. Venant furrendered on the 30th, and Mr. Bruyn, the engineer, was appointed governor j we loft 940 men, kdled and 3«> M E M O I R S O F BOOK T. and wounded at this fiege. The French governor was af- ' ' terwards committed to the Baftile for his bad behaviour. "°" At Aire the trenches were opened the 12th of September for two attacks ; on the 21ft, the befieged made a fally, in which they were repulfed with the lofs of 40 men ; the 23d, we took a redoubt with little oppofition : at this time marfhal Villars refigned the command of the French array to marflial Harcourt, who was fent by the king for that ^ purpofe. The 8th of Oclober we took another redoubt, fword in hand, and at night made ourfelves mafters of the covert-way : after much labour and fatigue to us, the enemy beat a parley on the 3d of November, and on the 12th, general Goefl^riant, the governor, marched out at the head of 3,628 men, befides 1,500 wounded left in the town ; our lofs on this occaiion was 7,000 men, killed and wounded ; count Naffau Woudenburg was appointed governor of this town, and our whole army marched to the plains of Lifle, where they feparated on the 1 5th of November, and went into winter-quarters J and thus ended this campaign, and the laft I ferved in this country. Perhaps no age or country, not even excepting thofe fields ftill famous for the celebrated vidories of Julius Gcefar, can parallel the rapid fuccefs of the combined arms in thefe wars ; they were continually conquering armies of fuperior numbers of well-difciplined troops, abundantly fupplied with every warlike weapon and engine of deftruclion, and com- manded by generals of renowned martial knowledge and experience, and ftill beating them from plain to plain : nei- ther could they find a refuge in their ftrong walled cities and towns, well fortified with every additional ftrength of out- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 31 out- works ; thefe fell by numbers in each campaign, and book i. the conquering heroes fhine illuftrious in every page of • martial ftory, grateful to the eye and ear of youthful ar- '^ dour, and pleafing to the wifli of military ambition. But we fliall not find them deferving fuch admiration in the lines of civil life, where humanity conftrains us to commi- ferate the childlefs parent and the helplefs orphan, the fe- vered brother, and the widowed dame's bewailed lofs of many dear connedions ; and friends lamenting friends, whofe lives were facrificed to raife the ftru61ure of the hero's fame, built on the havock of the defolating fword ; unflieathed on this occafion by the boundlefs ambition of that afpiring prince, whom nothing could pleafe iliort of univerfal monarchy, Lewis the Fourteenth, but was at length obliged to fit down with Gallic fovereignty. Tournay, of which the earl of Albemarle was now go- Terrible ftory- vernor, became our quarters for this winter. An affair "fjou/j^^""*' happened here a httie while before, in the Jefuits college, which amazed tlie whole town. A flioemaker, near the college, having a handfome wife, one of the fandtihed fa- thers made frequent vifits to befpeak flioes and flippers for himfelf and others of the fraternity ; at length, giving an order, he defired the fair dame, when they were done, to biing them home to the cloifter, and receive the payment for tliem, and fhe accor iingly carried them ; fhe was ad- mitted into the houfe, but never returned, which much alarmed the poor huiband and his neighbours, who were naturally led to enquire after her at the college, when they, were told, that flie had received the money and went away again : as the veracity of thefe fathers was held facred, no b.ody. 32 MEMOIRS OP 1750. BOOK I. body durft piefume any farther enquiry at the college, and "the voman could not be found. Some few days after, a boy ;n the night-time getring into a garden, next to that of t)ie Jefuits, to fVeal fruit, faw from the top of a tree (being moonlight) ihcle very holy fathers bufy in burying a corpfe in the garden. The boy, knowing that the woman could not be found, told his faher what he had feen ; the father, who lived in the neighbourhood of the fhoema'ker, immediately acquainted him of it, and they both, with the boy, went to the governor, who, upon their information, fent for the magiftrates, and they proceeded altogether to the Jefuits college ; upon going into the garden, the boy direfled to the fpot where he had (ecn the corpfe buried : \ipon digging there they found the body of the poor woman with her throat cut, and all her clothes torn in pieces. The fathers declared their ignorance and innocence of the v.'hole matter, charging the foul deed upon two of their fociety who had difappeared. This was all the redrefs the poor man could get for the lofs of his wife, notwithftanding the boy declared there were eight of them at burying the body. The flioemaker, his neighbour, and his fon, thought it prudent to retire to Holland, where they turned Proteflants, to avoid 'the mercilefs vengeance of thefe facred fathers. This flory was told me by feveral ofEcers, who were at that lime in garrifon here. BOOK PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 33 BOOK II. He goes into the Rujftan ferv'uc, a captain, — Overtakes general Bruce at Pn'fs-Holland. — A curious Jlory of a man at Elbing. — They arrive at Jazverqff, where the Czar is privately married. — General Bruce" s rank and honours. — Account of the Ruffian army. — Iheir mimbers ami cloath- ing. — Expedition againjl the Turks — Council of war at the Neifler. Prince Cantamire joins them without any troops. — Afzvarm of locifls. — The Turks appear. — The Ruffians form on the river Pruth. — Engage the Turks three days. — TJpe czarina faves the whole army and prince Qin- iamire. — The king of Sweden upbraids the grand vizier. — The Ruffians return. — Colonel Pitt's lady and daughter carried of by the Tartars — The grand fcignior approves the treaty. — Captain Bruce fen t exprefs to Conflantinople. — Defcription of that city. — Its mojques. — Accommoda- tions for firangers. — Strength. — The feraglio. — Scutari, a fine Fiezv. — The port and harbour. — Suburbs. — Arfenal. — Air and climate. — The Turks contra/led. — Domejlic Accommodations. — Internal government of the country. — Religion. — Worjiyip. — The plague. — Their games. — Diet. — ReJ}.^Exercife of their youth — Drefs of their ladies. — Ointment of Pilo.— Their predominant intereft. — Matrimonial privilege. — Concubine marriage. — Policy of their religion. — Severities on the amorous firanger. — Their lazvs for debt. — In criminal cafes. — Their punif/jments. — The channel of the captains information. — Nezv difficulties to the Treaty at the Pruth. — Change of minifiry. — A frcflo treaty.— FrcfJo interruption to the peace. — Againjl which the czar remonflrates. — Miniflry again .changed. — The Ruffian ambafflidor, ^'c. fcnt to the Seven Towers Mighty preparations for war, which end againjl the king of Sweden at Bender. — Reflexions. T HIS winter I received an invitation from general book ir. Bruce *, of the ordnance, at Mofcow, ■ to enter into the fervice of the czar, if I ftiould wifli, or think it ad- Hegoesimo the Ruffian * This general Bruce was grandfon to James, who lefc Scotland with ^^l"'''" cap- ,- , tain. my grardfather. F vifeable 34 MEMOIRSOF BOOK II. vlfeable to quit that of PrufTia ; and acquainted me that he was then at Elbing, in Pruflia ; where he would be for *''°* fome time, fo that if I accepted his offer, I might reach him before he left that place. Pleafing as the idea was to my- felf, I could form no refolution in the matter before I had confulted my relations at Berlin, whofe friendfliip I had al- ready experienced, and it was by their unanimous confent and advice, that I determined to accept of his invitation, and having obtained leave to quit the Pruffian fervice, with the rank of captain, I prepared for my departure, and left lyii. Tournay on the 25th of March, 171 1. I took'the route of Oudenard, Ghent, and Safs, and came to Rotterdam the 30th ; from thence I proceeded by Delft and the Hague, and got to Amfterdam the ift of April, and took (hipping in a Dutch veffel for Koningfberg. We paffed the Texel on the 13th, and entering the Sound on the 2d of May, we anchored at Pillaw the 7th, after above a month's paflage : this is a harbour and fort belonging to the king of Pruflia. I directly waited on the governor, who told me, he had a letter from general Bruce, defiring him, when T came there, to forward me to Elbing ; but the governor, thinking the general would not fo foon leave that place, intreated me to ftay with him a day or two, to give him the particulars of the lafl: campaign. After dinner, an officer came in, who told the governor, that he was informed by a gentleman jufl: come from Elbing, that the general was to leave it that fame day : this fixed my immediate departure, and tak- ing a boat for the oppofite fhore, I got on horfeback, and arrived at Elbing in the evening, where I found the general had fat off in the afternoon, having received 5 an PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 35 an exprefs from the czar to join him with the utmofl book ii. expedition. Major-general Balck, the governor of Elbing, told me, ^"' general Bruce had defired him, on my arrival there, to forward me immediately after him ; fo I took horfe di- reflly, in a very dark night, and overtook him next morn- Overtakes ge- ing, the 9th of May, at Prufs-Holiand, jiifl: as he was a?p,ufs!^Hoi. preparing to proceed on his journey. He received me very ^^'^^' kindly, and feeing me much fatigued, defired me now to travel in his own fleeping waggon, where, indeed, I flept all day long, having neither refled, nor tailed victuals, from my dining with the governor of Pillaw. This ma- chine is in every refpecl a chariot, only the bottom is ex- tended fuflicient to fuffer one to lie at full length on a bed ; and I found afterwards every officer, in the Ruf- fian army, provides himfelf with one of them, which is very neceflary on their long marches through ill-accom- modated countries. General Bruce had engaged feve- ral officers of our artillery into the Ruffian fervice, two of them for engineers. On our journey, the general entertained me with a ftory which happened during his flay at Elbing, where he faved an old man from being burnt : this old man had an only fon, who was a druggiil in town, to whom he had given all he had in the world, upon condition that he fhould maintain his father while he lived : the fon had behaved pretty well to him, but his wife treated the old man in fuch a cruel manner, that he was obliged to leave the houfe and board himfelf, for which the fon, at the inftigation of his wife, refufed to pay, and the people with whom he F 2 '• lived, 36 MEMOIRSOF BOOK II- livej^ threatened to throw him into prifon : this iinduti- ~^ ful treatment fo afFeded the old man that he turned quite frantic, and in his madnefs wrote an obligation with his own blood to furrender himfelf, foul and body, to the de- vil, if he, in exchange, would give him a certain fum of money : this was the eQky on the part of the old man to- ward the agreement, and to found the devil's fentiments on the fub)e6V, he carried this paper to the crofiing of two roads, apprehending that the moll likely place to meet him, and there he made a hole and depofited the obligation : returning feveral times to the fpot, to fee if the devil had accepted his bill, and finding no money, he grew quite out of humour with the devil, and exclaimed bitterly againft him ; fome labourers at work hard by, obferving his re- peated vifits to that fpot, went to it when he was gone, and dug up the paper, which they carried to the magiftrates : the old man was taken up, tiied, and fentenced to be burnt. The general being informed of the whole ftory, interefted himfelf for the old man, and convinced both the magiftrates and judges, that his prefent diflrelTed fituation, and dread of future want, had driven the poor old man delirious, and that not he, but his unnatural fon, was the obje6l of punifliment : the experiment was eafy, and the truth would foon difcover itfelf : the old man was fet at liberty, the fon bound to pay his board quarterly, and the effect foon jufti- fied the meafure by his father's return to his reafon and judgment. They come On the I J th, we arrived at Warfaw, and at Jaweroff javverort;" ^^ ou thc 29th, whcrc we founj the czar and czarina, and there ^^Watei'^ '^ they were privately married, at which ceremony the gene- married, ral PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 37 ral was prefent, and upon this occafion he was made mafter- book ii, general of the ordnance, in the room of the prince of Melita, who died a piifoner in Sweden. General Bruce Gmerai' was at this time knight of four orders, viz. St. Andrew, fnd'honouS. the White Eagle, the Black Eagle, and the Elephant ; and here I received my commiiTion as captain in the artillery, and engineer. I went from hence to Lemberg to get my- felf equipped with the uniforms of my new corps, and was recommended to a merchant there of the name of Gordon, who Ihewed me a great deal of civility. When I return- ed to Jaweroff *the army broke up, and we went in his m.a- jefty's retinue to Soroka, upon the river Neifter, where we joined the Ruffian army. This place is fix hundred miles fouth from Elbing. The Ruffian army is commanded by a field marflial, and Account of in his abfence by the general of the ordnance, who has un- der him a lieutenant general and major-general: the regi- ment of artillery confifts of 2,400 bombardiers, gunner?, miners, and matrofles ; befides every battalion of the army is attended by one field-piece, a threc-pounder. The army is reckoned by divifions, each confiding of nine regiments, one of which is grenadiers ; each divifion is commanded by a general, a lieutenant-general, a major-general, and a brigadier. A regiment confifts of two battalions, or eight companies, and is commanded by a colonel, a lieutenant - colonel, and two majors ; and a company Iconfifts of 1 50 private, commanded by one captain, two lieutenants, one enfign, two ferjeants, one fub-enfign ; and has befides, one captain at arms, one quarter -mafter, one clerk, a furgeon- barber, two drums, one timberman, five denzigs (or offi- cers 38 MEMOIRSOF BOOK II. cers fervants), and fourteen waggoners; making in all 183: each company has their own feparate colours, there '""' being four to every battalion. The generals have no re- giments, nor the field officers, companies j nor have the captains, the paying, clothing, arming, and recruiting of their companies : this is performed by a commiffary, or paymafter ; the neceffary recruits are demanded from and provided by the governors of the different provinces. A regiment takes its name from the town or province where they were firft raifed, which name they always retain, ex- cepting the fegiments of grenadiers, which bear the name of the commanding general of the divifion ; ihe companits of a regiment are cummonly diftingulflied by numbeis, from the ift to the 8th ; they always charge in battle four men deep, the two foremoft ranks kneeling. The czar's own divifion, at this time, confifted of four regiments, each of which have a company of grenadiers, which no other re- giment h .s ; the firft of thele regiments was that called Prebrafinfky, of four battalions ; the fecond that of ba- menoflky, uf tliree battalions ; the third that of Inger- manlanihky, three battalions ; and the fourth, that of Aftrachanfky, of two battalions ; in all thirteen battalions, including the four companies of grenadiers ; each company of this divifion has a captain-iieutenant additional : there were likewife in his majefty's divifion two other grenadier companies, who were bombardiers, gunners, and miners. Each battalion of the army has at leait one oMicer that is an engineer. Their nuin- The forccs of Ruflia, including garrifcns, confift of cioathilig. 200,000 foot, and 100,000 cavalry ; befidcs Cofiack and Kalmuck PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 39 Kalmuck Tartars, who can, upon occafion, bring 150,000 book 11. men into the field. All the army wear white cockades ; — — — - the horfe are clad in blue, faced with fcarlet ; the foot in green, faced with fcarlet ; and the artillery in fcarlet, with blue facings. The army, which we joined at Soroka, confifted of five divifions, of 6,000 men each, commanded by count Ze- remetof, field-marflial ; the firft was the czar's own divi- fion, the fecond general Weyde's, the third prince Rep- nin's, the fourth general Hallard's, and the fifth general Rentzel's ; in all 30,000 foot, attended by a very numer- ous train of artillery, and intended for an expedition againft the Turks. We were to have been joined by 30,000 dragoons, who had been detached to deflroy a magazine erected by the Turks upon the Neifter, a little above Ben- der, which fervice they performed, and beat the Turks there, but were prevented from joining us, as we did not wait their return : befides thefe, there were 50,000 Kalmuck Tartars, and 20,000 Coflacks in full march to have joined us, and with thele reinforcements we fhould have been 130,000 ftrong. His majefty being now refolved to march upon that ex- Expedition pedition, without wailing the junction of the reft of his ^ur^f '^^ forces, iffued a general order for all the women, who at- tended the army to be fent awav : the czarina, however, in- fifted on attending his majefty in the expedition, which was granted, and the generals petitioned her to obtain the fame liberty for their wives, that they might attend her majefty, which was alfo granted ; and the reft of the offi- cers wives, conceiving themfelves equally entitled to the in- dulgence. ^o MEMOIRSOF BOOK II. dulgence, all went, notwhhftandlng the order. This cir- cumftance, although it confiderably augmented the train ''^"* of our baggage, proved "in the end a very fortunate one. Our prefcnt fudden march feems to have been occafioned by the fecret engagements of Brancoven, prince of Mol- davia, who undertook not only to join us with his whole forces, but to provide us plentifully with provifions and forage, both which were foon out of his power ; for the grand feignor coming at the knowledge of this intended revolt, divefted him of his principality, and gave it to Cantamire, prince of Wallachia, with orders to him to feize Brancoven, and fend him to Conftantinople ; and with orders at the fame time to throv/ a bridge over the Danube, to facilitate the paffage of the Turkilh army to oppofe us $ but the Turk was difappointed as well as we -, for fome of their principal men ufing Cantamire extremely ill, he protracled the building of the bridge inftead of haftening it ; and in the mean time difpatched an officer to the czar, praying him to join him with all expedition with 30,000 men, which number he thought would be fufficient, with his own troops, to prevent the Turks from pafllng the Danube. The czar having juft been difappointed, if not deceived, by Brancoven (for he afterwards made a merit of it to the Turk), could place no confidence in the fincerity of Cantamire, nor was it fufficiently underftood, till it was too late to prevent their paffing that river. Coiinc'ii of ^" ^^^ ^4^^^ °^ June, our army pafTed the Neifter, when war at the j^jg inaiefty called a council of war, which was held in ee- Neiller. ' ■' _ ' •= neral Bruce's tent, when prince Cantamire's letter was read ; the czar then mentioned his intention to march forward, 4 ' without I PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 4.1 without waiting the jun6lion of the reft of the troops; all book ir. the generals exprefTed their approbation of the meafure, ' except general Hallard, who faid nothing. The czar ob- '^"' ferving his filence, ordered him to declare his mind, and give him his opinion freely : the general replied, that as the council were fo unaninous he never would have made any objedlion, had not his majefty infifted on his declaring his Itntiments ; he then frankly told the czar, he was very much furprifed that the king of Sweden's misfortune did not ferve as a fufficient warning ; for that prince had been mifled by the advice of the traytor Maj;eppe : he could not help thinking our prefent ftate was a fimilar one ; "The " prince of Moldavia has already difappointed us, and for " any fecurity we have, the prince of Wallacliia may do the " fame ; for although he fliould mean well himfelf, yet he ** may want the power to ferve us ; for it is to be feared his " troops, who have long been ufed to the Turkifh govern- " ment, will not enter into his fentiments." — And this proved to be exaftly the cafe. The marchj however, was refolved on, and we fat out the fame night to avoid the intenfe heat of the day, and con- tinued to march for three nights through a barren defart heath, without a drop of water all the way, which was fe- verely felt both by man and beafti On the i8th, we arrived at the river Pruth, where we loft a number of our baggage- horfes by their drinking too plentifully of the water; we paired the river on the i^th, near JaiFey, the capital and refidence of the prince of Moldavia. At this place, prince PrinceCama- Gantamire joined us in perfon with very few attendants, both Ihem w'i'thout the.Walachian and Moldavian troops having left him for ^"^ "^°°P'' G. fear 42 MEMOIRS OF BOOK II. fear of the Turks. We continued our march down the Pruth till the 21ft, when we met a prodigious fvvarm of ;v '^"' locufts, which, at their rifin^, overlhadowed the whole army A warm of ' '^ ^ locuib. lii^e a cloud ; they had not only deftroyed the grafs of the fields, but alfo the tender bark and leaves of the trees : here again we loft a number of our carriage-cattle for want of forage ; it was very remarkable that the locufts never left our army, and we no fooner pitched our tents than they came down and covered the whole camp ; we tried by firing can- non and fmall arms, and burning trains of powder on the ground to chafe them away, but all in vain ; they attend- The Turks cd US on our march along the river till the 27th, when we appear. dlfcovered the Turkifh army croffing the Pruth. Upon this, general Janus was detached with a body of troops, and twelve pieces of cannon, to difpute their paffage ; but he- was too late, for half their army had pafled before he could get up to them, fo that he found it prudent to retreat to the army. It was very furprifing, that we had not the leaft intelligence of fo numerous an army, which confifted of no lefs than 200,000 men, till they were within fight of us. The Ruffians ^^^' ^^''Tiy drew Up in order of battle, at fome diftance form oil the fj-Qm the river, in hopes to bring them to an engragement ; river Pruth. ^ ^ o a » but they kept out of the reach of our cannon, and extend- ing their numerous army, endeavoured to furround us, and cut us off from the river. We remained under arms till night, and being convinced of their intention, we made a very diforderly retreat to fecure tlie river, our divifions be- ing all feparated from each other in the dark, and as we were now greatly deficient in horfes, we burnt a number of our PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 43 our baggage waggons, that they fliould not fall into the book ii. enemy's hands ; and it was furprifing, that from the num- — — — — ber of fires that were blazing in the night, the enemy did *'' * not perceive our confufion, which afforded them a fine op- portunity to have deftroyed our whole army, and they might eafily have done it with a fmall part of theirs ; but happily for us they feemed to pay greater attention to their own fafety than our deftru6lion, for they happened to be very bufy entrenching themfelves, by which means we efcaped their notice. At day-break, our fcattered troops were again put in order, and our army formed into a hol- low fquare, the river ferving for the fourth fide, which enabled us to give our fquare a larger extent ; and our waggons were formed into an inclofure within, for the pro- tcftion of the ladies. On the other fide of the river, and oppofite to us, the Crim Tartars were placed, where the king of Sweden had pitched his tent to difcover the motions of our army. The Tartars annoyed us much in watering, but bringing a few pieces of cannon to play upon them, they were foon obliged to keep at a diftance. Our army was furrounded by a che- veaux de frize, which was the only proteftion we had. The Turkifh army furrounded us on all fides, with a de- Engage the fign to ftarve us into a furrender, and this they certainly days. would have done in a fhort time, had they not been too eager in attacking us, which they did three days and three nights together ; but fortunately for us, they attacked only one fide of our fquare at a time, which enabled us to re- lieve our weaiied troops, from time to time, as they became harralTed with fatigue, and it alfo enabled us to ufe our G 2 large 44 MEMOIRS OF BOOK II. large train of artillery, which did great execution among " them, and luckily they had none to annoy us with, as theirs was not yet arrived. The czarina Qj-j ^{^g fourth day, the czar, beine informed that our laves the ■' o whole army ammunition w^s all fpent to three charges of cannon and and prince Camamire. fmall-arms, ordered all the officers in the army, with a, number of feleft men, to mount on horfeback and attend his perfon ; his intention was to force his way through the Turkifn army in the night, and to go through Tranfil- vania into Hungary : but the czarina coming to the know- ledge of this dangerous refolution, and forefeeing the ha- zard that would attend the czar, and the lofs and difgracc that would fall upon his arms and army, very luckily hit upon a better expedient, which faved us all from de- flru6lion. She collected all the money, plate, and jewels which were in the army, for which flie gave her own re- ceipt and obligation to pay the refpedive owners, and with this valuable prefent fhe had the addrefs to prevail on the grand vizier to conclude a peace, and the tranfaflion was immediately finiflied in the name of the field- marfhal, without the czar's knowledge who was juft going to fet out on his very dangerous expedition, which her majefty flopped by telling him, that the grand vizier had agreed to conclude a peace on reafonable terms. Tiiiis piece of confummate female difcretion was followed by a moft punc- tual dlfcharge of her obligations for the plate, &c. on her return home. The principal conditions of the peace, on our part, were to deliver up to the Turks, Azoph, Tai- ganrog, and Caminiek, and that our troops fliould evacuate Pxilandj for the performance of which, the vice-chancellor 5chafirof, PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQi_ 45 Schafirof, and major-general count Zeremetof, were deli- book ir. vered as hoftasfes. They infifted alfo, that prince Canta- * mire of Moldavia fliould be delivered up to them ; but were told, that the prince had left our camp; which, in- deed, was believed by moft of ourfelves ; for the treaty was no fooner thought on, than the czarina fhut him up in her own coach, which was known only to the fervant who carried him his victuals. The czar ever afterwards entertained a great regard for prince Cantamire, and gave him feveral landed eftates both in Ruffia and the Ukraine, befides fettling a penfion of 20,000 rubles a year upon him. The king of Sweden hearing of this peace, went with The king of the cham of Tartary who was at that time ftrongly inte- brlS"the^' refted in his favour, to the grand vizier, to know why he S^and vuier, had concluded a peace fo haftily, when he had it in his power to have made the czar and his whole army prifoners. The vizier informed him, that as the fultan had vefted him with full powers for war or peace, he could not refufe them peace, feeing they defired it upon terms honourable to the grand feignor, and by which he had gained more than could have been expeded. The king anfwered, that if he had carried the czar a prifoner to Conftantinople, they could then have obliged him to grant what terms they pleafed ; and told the vizier, if he would now give him 20,000 of his beft troops, he would yet recover the opportunity that had been negle£l- ed, and was on the point of being loft for ever. The grand vizier replied, " God preferve us from breaking a treaty of •' peace without any reafon, as I have already accepted the " hoftages for the performance of it." Poniatoflky, a Polllh general 46 r^I E M O I R S O F BOOK 11. general in Staniflaus's intereft, being prefent, and feeing the ~ king now filent, anfwered, " There is ftill a remedy '^"' " without breaking the treaty, which is to put the king at " the head of 20 or 30,000 of your beft troops, whereby " he may ftop the czar, and oblige him to a more honour- " able peace before he proceeds any farther :" The vizier then faid, " This feems to me at leaft an indirefl vio- " lation of the treaty, in which it is provided, that the king *' may return into his own dominions, through the czar's " territories, with a ftrong convoy of Turks, after which, " if he pleafcs, he may make peace with the czar." The king looked full at the grand vizier, and laughed in his face, without making any anfwer ; but in retiring, he turn- ed fo fliort on his heel, that he tore the vizier's robe with his fpur, and mounting his horfe, he went off highly difpleafed : he then concerted meafures with the cham to attack us with his Tartars on our march, of which the vifier being informed, reinforced us with 30,000 fpahis, the beft ca- valry in the Turkifli fervice, to condu6t us to the Neifter ; the vizier fent us alfo feveral waggon-loads of provifions as a prefent to our army. The Ruffians Matters being thus accommodated, we decamped on the T^efcon'of ^^ °^ J^^b^ ^" good order, with drums beating and colours abaiiiv. flying: our artillery and baggage marched between us and the river, and our chevaux de frize were carried, eadi by two men, between us and the Turks, to be in readinefs in cafe the Tartars had perfevered in their plan to attack us i Colonel Pitt's we marchcd this day in view of the Turkifh army. At lady and ftttine out, colouel Pitt had the misfortune to lofe both daughter car- ° ' ried oft" by jjjg yyifg gnd daughter, beautiful women, by the breaking: the Tartars. " j o or PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 47 of one of their coach-wheels ; by this accident, they were book ii, left fo far in tlie rear, that the Tartars feized and carried ^ 1711, them off. The colonel addrefled himfelf to the grand vizier, who ordered a ftri<5l enquiry to be made, but to no pur- pofe. The colonel being afterwards informed ihat they were both carried to Conftantinople, and prefented to the grand feignor, obtained a pafs, and went there in fcarch of them, and getting acquainted with a Jew dodor, who was phyfician to the feraglio, the doftor told hint there had been two fuch ladies as he defcribed, lately prefented to the fultan ; but that when any of the fex were once taken into the feraglio, they were never fuffered to come out again. The colonel, neverthelefs, tried every ex- pedient he could devife to recover his wife, if he could not get both, till becoming outrageous by repeated difappoint- ment, and very clamourous, they fhut him up in a dun- geon, and it was with much difficulty he got releafed by the interceffion of fome of the ambaffadors at the court; and was afterwards told by the Jew doclor, that they both died of the plague : with which information he was obliged to content himfelf and return home. The grand feignor receiving the news of the peace, and The gmnd the advantages he had thereby acquired, ordered public pro'esthe' rejoicings for three days, and teftified his approbation of ''"'^* the vizier's condu6l, not only in the reception he gave him, but by complimentary letters and magnificent prefents. For want of horfes our march was fo flow, that it was the 1 ith of July before we reached Stepanovva, when we eroded tl,e Pruth, and on the 1 4th arrived at the Neifter, after a fi^ort, but very dangerous campaign. Next day wc crolFed tliis 2 river 48 MEMOIRS OF BOOK II. river and reached the camp where we found our dra- ' goons, Coflacks, and Tartars, who weie now rejoiced at '^"* our fafe return, having heard very difmal accounts of us. The balfa, who efcorted us here, faid when he faw thefe troops, that if they had joined us, we fhould have been an over-match for the Turkiih army. Our army now fepa- rated and took different routes : the czar fct out for Ger- Captain many, taking general Bruce with him, but not before he' Bruce fent j^^^ wrotc frcfti iuftruftions for baron Schafirof, and dif- exprels to Coiiftantino- patched them by exprefs for Conftantinople, of which I was the bearer ; fo that I returned with the bafla who had con- duced us to this place, and who had now only 2000 troops, the reft having left us on the difappearing of the Tartars. The fultan, upon the reprefentations of the king of Sweden, had, in the mean time, twice broke this peace, and re- newed it again with the fame eafe ; this was apprehended, and occafioned the inftru6tions I now carried. On our way to Adrianople, I received many civilities from the baffa, and we arrived there the 2 d of Auguft, where we found baron Schafirof and count Zeremetof, and who foon after fat out with us for Conftantinople, where we arrived the 25th, being met at fome diftance from the city by count Tolftoi, our ambaftador, who had been confined in the Seven Towers ever fince the declaration' of the war, but was now releafed. A defcnption This city is fituated on a point, or tongue of land, that o t at city. .^^^ ^^^ .^^^^ j^j^^ ^g^^ j^ jg ^£ ^ triangular form, and four- teen miles in circumference ; the houfes are generally built of wood, and the ftreets fo narrow, that in moft of them, two loaded liorfes cannot go a-bieaft -, and the houfes project 3, fo »7i»t PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ.- 49 fo much at the upper parts, that in many places one may book ir. with eafe ftep out of the window of one houfe into tlie — — — — window of another on the oppofite fide of the flreet : this capital error in building the city does not feem to have proceeded from want of rocm, for it abounds in gardens and large fquares and courts ; and it is owing to this cir- cumftance that a fire is always attended with fuch devafta- tion, for it burns with irrefiftiblc fury till fome garden or fquare puts a flop to its progrefs. The moft regular part of this city is the Befeftin, inclofed with walls and gates, where the merchants have their fhops, which are ranged and difpofed in fuch excellent order, that a buyer may dii^ patch his bufinefs in a quarter of an hourj every trade has its own feparate department in the place j the gates are fhut every night at ten o'clock. In another part of the city is the Hippodrome, an oblong fquare of four hundred paces by two hundred, where they exercife on horfeback : towards the end, oppofite to the feraglio, are two obelifks ; the firfl confifts of one flone feventy feet high, and ftands on a fquare pedeftal of marble, adorned with feveral hiero- glyphical figures in relievo; the other is a fpiral pyramid built of free ftone, without any ornament or infcription ; near thefe fi:ands the ferpentine column, a brazen pillar of confiderable height ; it is compofed of three ferpents wreath- ed and twifled together, with their tails on the ground, and ending at top with three gaping heads and forked tongues, exprefi'ive of hiiung. At fome diftance from this are two other columns, in a large court appointed for the exercife of the bow and arrow, where the archers very frequently hit a mark not bigger than a fliiliing, at the diftance of H an 5° MEMOIRS OF BOOK II. an hundred paces. The Meidan, or parade, is a very large fpacious fquare, and is the place of general refort of all *'"'■ ranks. Among the principal mofques, or churches, in this city, the firft is that of St. Sophia, formerly a Chriftian church ; it is an hundred and twenty paces long and eighty broad j on each fide is a portico, fupported by thirty columns, each fixteen feet high, ornamented with very fine cornices ; it is covered with a dome, or round roof, enriched with grand Mofaic work, and finely gilded j the pavement is of marble, and covered over with matting. The tomb of Conftantine the Great is ftill preferved, and which the Turks hold in great venera- tion, although they fuffer neither image or pidlure in their mofques ; this being the only ancient building which now remains here of that kind ; for all the reft were built by the fultans, or fultaneffes, whofe names they bear : they are built after the fame model, differing only in fize, with a num- ber of fountains, and variety of painting, fo that a defcrip- tion of one will convey a juft idea of all the reft. The next is themofqueof thefultanefs Valide, ftanding in the middle of a large fquare courts and is environed with arched canopies, in the form of porticos, under which are many fountains, with cocks for the people to wafti themfelves at before they enter the mofque ; it has but one gate, which is furrounded with a portico of confiderable height, paved with white and black marble, and fupported by fixty-four columns of red marble, eight of which are porphyry, and placed near the entry j the plafond is adorned with painting and figures after the Turkifii manner ; the portico is covered with lit- tle domes, furrounding a large one in the middle, and ail covered PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 51 covered with lead ; at the four corners of the building are book ir. four very hiejh turrets, ending in a globe, or crefcent, from which their priefts call the people to prayers, having no bells for that purpofe. The city is rendered very commodious with houfes, called Accommoda- ons for rangers. Hans, or caravan ferais, for the entertainment and accom- ^°"' ^°'' modation of foreign merchants ; the Hans confifl: of four fides of building, inclofing a large fquare court, with a foun- tain in the middle ; the walls are very flrong, and the win- dows well fecured with bars for the fafety of the property lodged there, the roofs confiil of little domes, covered with lead, like thofe of the mofques : the Hans contain only two ftories, divided into rooms which have not the leaft com- munication with each other ; the lower ftory is divided into warehoufes for goods, and the upper flory into lodging- apartments for the merchants, who muft provide every thing for their accommodation, for they find nothing when they come in but the bare walls. The caravanferais are a poorer fort of inns, and built in the fame manner as the Hans, which ferve the poorer fort of ftrangers, and fervants of the caravans, and have ftabling for their camels. Be- fides thefe, there are no other public houfes of enter- tainment. The city is furrounded by a high and thick wall, with Strength, battlements, after the oriental manner, and towers at fome diflance from each other, defended by a lined but Ihallow ditch, and on the land-fide thefe v/orks are double ; thofe, with the Seven Towers, are all the ftrength of Conftanti- nople. The feraglio is built on the point of the land jet- The feragUo. ting into the fea } it occupies a fpace of four miles in cir- H 2 cumference, 52 MEMOIRSOF BOOK II. cumference, the greateft part of which 4s laid out in gar- *" " dens ; the v>'ho'.e ftructure is irregular, for it is indeed only ' * a medley of confuled building, ornamented with a number of thofe little gilded fpires and globes without beauty or or- der J the principal entry is near St. Sophia, and refembles the gate of an old paltry town, without architecture or or- nament ; through this gate we entered into a large court, where, on the right, are the apartments for the fick, and on the left are magazines of arms for a thoufand men ; from this court we pafled into another, bordered with two large porticos ; on our right hand are the kitchens, and ftables for an hundred horfe on the left ; but we were permitted to go no farther. The feraglio, with its gardens, &c. is. furrounded with a very high wall of grey ftone, with a parapet at the top, and battlements like thofe of the city, and which inclofes the old and new feraglios : in the old one, the reigning fultan fliuts up the wives of his predecef- for, who, at their entrance, look back on the pleafures of this life as gone for ever ; the new feraglio is contiguous to his own palace. The great officers of ftate are but meanly lodged, moll of their houfes are inclofed in a kind of park, containing a garden, and a large court, having ftables on one fide, and kitchens on the other. The many gilded globes and fpires, refembling fteeples, which appear in all parts of the city, contribute very much to its grand appear- ance, efpecially at a diftance. Scutari, a Oppofite to the feraglio, on the fide of Afia, and diftant fine view. a^out a mile and a half, acrois the water, lies Scutari : it is a large town, adorned with a royal mofque and a palace, or pleafure-houfe, of the grand feignior's. The brow of a hilL PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQi '53 Bill, near Scutari, prefents one of the grandeft and mofl: book ir. beautiful pi'ofpetSts, perhaps, the world affords : here you — — — - have before you, in one view, tlie cities of Conflantinople, Galata, and Pera, the fmall feas of the Bofphorus and Pro- pontis, with the adjacent countries on the Ihores of each. The port and harbour have their peculiar beauties j the The port and' harbour is three- miles long, and one broad, clean and deep "°°^''* throughout, and fo fteep to the fliore, that the largefl: vef- fels come fo clofe you may flep on board or a fliore with- out a boat j at the entrance of the port (lands Leander's tower, a high fquare building; there is a fountain on the rock, and fome pieces of cannon, which might defend the city on that fide in cafe of neceffity. On the oppohte fide Suburbr,- of the port are four confiderable towns, but which are ra- ther confidered as a part of the fuburbs of the city, as their diftance from it, over the port, is fo fmall, that a perfon may eafily be heard on the other fide ; they are named Pacha, - Galata, Pera, and Tophana, and are eight miles in circum- ference. Pera is the place where the foreign ambafTadors, and all the Franks refide, for they are not permitted to live in the city ; Galata is, properly fpeaking, a city of itfelf, handfomely built, being furrounded by walls, and has large fuburbs, is exceedingly populous, and moftly inhabited by Franks and Jews, and is a place of great trade. Franks is the general denomination of all ftrangers that are Chri.fiians. At the end of the port Hands the grand arfenal, which co- ArfenaU . vers a confiderable fpace of ground, and contains arms for 60,000 men, where alfo the gallies are laid up in an hun- dred and twenty arches. The 54 BOOK ir. 171 1. Air and cli- mate. MEMOIRS OF Tlie air is extremely pure, and fo wholefome, that th'e inhabitants are never fubje6l to any epidemical difeafe but the plague, which vifits them every year, and then makes a dreadful havock amongfl: them. It is imagined they would live till they dropt into the grave through mere old age, if their days were not cut off by this peftilential ma- lady ; they are fo little acquainted with any other mortal diflemper, that when they are told the plague is hardly known in Britain, they naturally afk, " What then do the " people die of.?" The climate, being in 41 deg. 30 min. north, is fo temperate, that the winters are never cold, and the fummer's heat is greatly allayed by the cooling breezes from the feas. The Turks feem to contrail us in almoft their whole man- ner : with us it has always been deemed honourable to be efpoufed to one woman, they many feveral wives -, we reckon our cloaths the moft commodious for being fhort, they wear theirs down to their heels ; we efteem long hair and a fmooth face ornaments to the countenance, they (have their heads and let their beards grow; we write in a flrait line from left to right, they in a crooked one from right to left : they crouch down to make water like the women. Domeffic ac- They have no houfhold furniture, fuch as beds, tables, chairs, looking-glaffes, or pi£lures -, the bare walls, with a plafond, or ceiling, and a fopha, are all the riches or ornaments in their rooms j the rich, indeed, paint their ceilings and walls in the Morefco tafte, and their fophas are two feet high, and reach from the one end of the room to the other, under the windows, and are ten feet broad, covered The Turks contrafted. conimoda tions PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. S5 covered with Turkey or Perfian tapeftry ; befides thefe, book n. there are matts laid along the other fides of the room, five 1 7 1 1* or fix feet broad, covered with cloth or velvet, and over thefe are laid large cushions, fluffed with hair or wool ; thefe cuftiions, in the houfes of the grandees, are curioufly embroidered, or covered with a rich cloth of gold. Loiter- ing in floth and idlenefs, crofs-legged like fo many taylors, the Turk waftes almoft his whole time, lolling on thefe cufliions, or fophas, fmoking tobacco, and drinking cof- fee or fherbet, without either diverfion or amufement, but playing with fliells, or at trick- track, or the goofe. Their provinces, cities, and towns, are governed by internal go- It of nry. bafias, fub-baflas, waiwodes, cadis, (or judges), and col- ,he"couin ° ledtors. The bafia is inverted with the fupreme executive authority, and is accountable for the revenues of his go- vernment to the grand fignior ; but to fecure a free tole- ration to be as arbitrary a tyrant in his province as his maf- ter is in his empire, he farms his oppreffions at an annual tribute to the fultan, of money and flaves, exclufive of the ordinary duties, cuftoms, and imports of the province: the fultan thus gratified, and a wide door opened to the rapa- cious avarice of the imperious bafia, he exercifes all man- ner of cruel oppreffions, when there is any thing to be got by it, in his whole dominions, without regard to quality or condition, widow or orphan, it is all the fame. The in- creafing treafure of fome of thefe bafTas enables them to maintain a rtanding army of their own, whereby they be- come formidable to the grand feignior himfelf, v/ho then is obliged to wink at their crimes rather than run the hazard of puniflaing them ; for the bafia can rely on his forces 5 v/hile 56 ME M O 1 R S OF B001-: n. while he is nble tc pay them; fo that between the defpotic ' "~' tyrant and his grim lieutenant, it is no very deftrable pn^Mlege ''* " to be a Turkilh fuhicf^. The waiwode is a city magifi-'ate : the coiledor is a receiver of the cuftoms, and. has great au- thority to take cognizance of all fraudulent pra6iices in the -pecuniary revenues, and in all his decifions he is both judge and jury ; and his fentence is always regulated by the proiit it yields. The cadi is a judge of the law. Helig'ion. The Turkifh religion acknowleges four prophets ; :Enoch, Mofes, Jefus Chrift, and Mahomet ; they believe that Judas, who intended to betray his mafler to the Jews, ■was by them crucified in his ftead, and that Chrift was tranflated into heaven j they upbraid the ChrilVui:!s with •folly and impiety, for believing that he, whom they adore as God, was put to fuch a Ihameful death, and the very -fight of a crucifix fills them with ang^r and rage. They believe that Chrift will come to judge the world, but that -he will firft reign a thoufand years upon the earth, and •marry, and beget children ; but they will not acknowlege •a Trinity of perfons in the Godhead, alledging, that fuch an opinion would abfolutely deftroy the uniry of that fove- reign Being, without which he could not be God. They fay that Chrift was fucceeded by Mahomet, after whom there Ihall come no other prophet They believe that there is an infinite number of angels, fome good, others badj feme white, others black : they imagine, that every man has two angels who conftantly attend him, the one writes down all his good, the other all his bad a6lions. They are of opinion, that the fouls of the wicked enter not into hell till the day of judgment, but remain with their bodies 3 in PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 57 in the grave, where they are tormented by the black angels ^o°k ii. till the laft day, when they will be fent to hell, and fufFer Tm""" moft cruel punifliments for a certain period, according to the enormity of the crimes they have committed in this life, at the expiration of which they will be releafed and ad- mitted into paradife, where they will enjoy the fame hap*- pinefs that is appointed for good men j for, fay they, it is inconfiftent with Divine goodnefs to punifli a being eter- nally for the offences of fo ihort a life. They pray five Woi-nilp. times a day ; at day-break, noon, three o'clock, fix o'clock, and an hour after the clofe of the evening : on Friday, be- ing their fabbath, they ademble for public worfhip, when the Iman, or prieft-, fays prayers, and delivers a kind of fermon, or exhortation, to his hearers, but none of their women are fufFered to appear at their public devotions. They keep Lent, which lafts thirty days, and they are ob- liged to faft every day from morning till night during all that time, being permitted neither to eat, drink, or fmoak tobacco : lent ends with the moon, and every body is fo impatient to fee the new deliverer that is to releale them from their loathed abftinence, that they run to the tops of houfes, and even of mountains to fee its rife ; and as foon as it peeps in the horizon, they falute it with feveral reve- rential bows ; their caftles alfo proclaim the welcome news by repeated difcharges of their great guns : the three fuc- ceeding days are fpent in mirth and jollity. They are al- lowed at no time to eat hog's flelh, or drink wine. They are fo entirely abforbed in their faith of predeflination, that they ufe no precautions in the time of the plague ; and are offended at the Chriftians for taking care of their health on I fucli 58 MEMOIRSOF BOOK II. fuch occafions, by fliunning the houfes where the Infec- tion is, afferthig they ought not to forfake dying or dead 1711. men. The plague, which fvveeps away fuch vaft num- bers of the inhabitants, feems in fome degree necef- fary to the prefervation of the country, as they are increafed one fifth part of their number yearly ; which is eafily ac- counted for, when it is confidered that every man is al- lowed to marry four wives and keep feveral concubines j and there are befides, fifty thoufand flaves brought into • Turkey every year ; fo that the country would foon be overftocked with inhabitants, and the people in danger of ftarving, if their numbers were not curtailed by this ma- lady : yet, notwithftandlng the terrible havoc made by the peflilence, the land is flill full of people. Genius. Their manners and cuftoms, as I obferved before, are oppofite to ours in almofl every refpeft : they are fo far from ftudying to improve their underftanding, that they in a manner glory in their ignorance ; and their ambition is fo- fmall that they never attempt any thing that has not fome fordid interefled view for its obje6l ; living for the moft part a reclufe and lazy life, fcarce ever looking beyond the fphere of their own families j and provided their wives are hand- fome, their horfes well curried, and their fervants fubmif- five and refpeflful, they have not the fmalleft: curiofity about the affairs of the reft of the world. Contented with their lot they fit whole days on a fopha, without any other oc- cupation than drinking cofiee, fmoaking, or carefTing their" wives ; fo their whole life is a continual revolution of eat- ing, drinking, and fleeping, intermixt with fome dull re- creations. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 59 creations. Yet they cannot be accufed of luxury in eat- book ir. ing, for a fowl boiled with rice, coriander- feed, and fugar, is the beft difli that is ferved up, (which they call pilaw) ; Diet!^' * that, with a difli of fifli, &c. and a defart of fweetmeats, makes their meal. When the hour of dinner comes, a fervant brings an odlangular table of walnut-tree, inlaid with ivory, not above a foot and a half diameter, which he places on the fopha, and having laid the cloth, ferves up the diflies one after another ; another fervant fpreads a napkin on his mailer's knees, and ftaiids behind him to carve and help him to what he choofes, for it is beneath the grandeur of a Turk to do any thing for himfclf. They never drink at meals, though they are in no hurry in dif- patching them, but as foon as the table is removed, a fer- vant brings a cup of fherbet, and then the coffee and to- bacco, with which his mafter beguiles the reft of the day : their veffels are all earthen or porcelain. At night, a mat, fheets, and coverlet, are brought, and they fleep in Rem the fame place where they ate, drank, fmoaked, plajyed, and loitered all the day. This is their conftant courfe of life, after they ceafe to be youths ; for from the age Exerdfe of of fifteen to twenty they learn the ufe of arms, the art of ^^^'' ^°"'''" riding, the bow, throwing the dart, and other exercifes of that nature ; and, indeed, they are excellent horfemen, notwithftanding their high faddles and fliort ftirrups, for they rule their horfes with great dexterity without whip or fpur, inftead of which they ufe a batoon, three feet long, holding it by the middle, and ftriking with the ends as they find it neccfTary to dire6l the horfe's mo- tion. Their horfes are very fwift, and llretch them-i I 2 felves 6a M E M O I R S O F BOOK II. felves fo far, in running, that their bellies feem to touch the ground. The Turks throw the dart fo admirably ''"■ well on horfcback, that they hit the mark at full fpeed, very feldom mifling their aim ; and what is more furprifing, they will throw their batoon as far before them as they can, and following at full fpeed, catch it on the ground as the horfe pafTes, without giving him the leaft eheck. Drcfs.. The men's drefs confifts in long and wide breeches, reaching to their ancles, with leathern flockings faftened to the lower part of them, and is called a chackfir, and fliort boots of red leather : a fliirt of very fine cotton cloth, made exactly like a woman's fmock, only wider, cfpecially at the- fleeves, which are open : over this they v/ear a cafetan, which; is a kind of long caffock, with narrow fleeves buttoned at the * wrift ; the fummer cafetan is made of white cotton cloth, and in winter of filk fluff quilted with cotton, and are girt about the waift with a filken fcarf, in which they faflen their poniard, the handle of which is made of filver or ivory, en- riched with jewels :. they never appear with a fabre but when they go into the country. The upper garment is a cloth gown, which they call a vefl ; in fummer it is lined with tafFety, and in winter with coflly furs, thefe with the turban complete the drefs of the man. Drefs of the The habit of the women is not much different,, and' '^ ^"' that chiefly confifts in being a great deal richer. They wear a cafetan of gold brocade, faflened before with large pearls,, or a fmall knot of diamonds ; it covers their flioulders en- tirely, but is cut fo low before at the top, that their breaft would remain naked if it was not covered with their fmock, 9, and; 17II- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 6i and a little waiftcoat they wear over it ; this waiftcoat fits book ii- very clofe to the body and keeps up the breafts : above ' the cafetan, they wear a leathern girdle, covered with plates and ftuds of gold and filver, fet with precious ftones of beautiful luftre. Their fmock is always of the fineft flowered filk, and hangs over their chackfir, which, in fummer is made of the fanne filk as mod agreeable in the ex- ceflive heat. Their upper veft is either of fine cloth or vel- vet, embroidered, or of rich cloth of gold. Their head drefs is very elegant and becoming ; the talpo is a large high velvet cap, fomewhat refembling a clofe crov/n, is made to fit neat round the head, and widens upwards ; it is adorn- ed with the richert embroidery of gold, filver, and pearls, and is fo high, that it would fall back on the flioulders, were it not artificially fupported above the head, where they plait and fold it with much art : it is alfo enriched with long firings of pearls curioufly interwoven and ftrewed with diamonds, rubies, and all forts of jewels ; it is faftened to the head, with a frontlet two fingers broad, andfo rich that it may compare with a diadem ; round the frontlet are little gold chains, with a diamond hanging at the end of one, an emerald at another, 8cc. which dangle upon the fore- head and on both fides of the face. Their hair is braided in a long trefs, four fingers broad, hanging down an incre- dible length, on fome even to the heel ; they wear a little curl on each fide of the forehead, which hangs in a ringlet down the fide of the face, and thefe curls ingrofs much of their attention ; they dye them black, as they do alfo their eye-brows, which are extremely regular, for they fliape them, with a razor ; the women, in general, paint, and are, not- 62 MEMOIRS O F BOOK II. I7ii< Ointment of pilaw. Their predo- minant inte- rell in mar- riages, &c. Matrimonial privileges. Concubine tnarrla<'es. notwithftanding, moll: charming creatures. They feem to be made for love, their aftions, geftures, difcourfe, and looks, are all amorous, and admirably fitted to kindle that foft paffion : fince they have nothing elfe to do they make it their only bufinefs to pleafe. Befides their elegance and beauty, their extreme neatnefs is none of their leaft con- liderable charms ; they bathe twice a week to keep them- felves clean ; and then, by a peculiar art, they crack all the joints in every limb ; and to deftroy all excrefcent hairs they anoint the fkin with pilaw, which makes the hairs fair off, and gives an additional whitenefs and foftnefs to the fkin. The Turks, who are commonly governed by their in- terefl in their marriages, are obliged to court by proxy, and to be Satisfied with a chara6ler inflead of an interview, which he is only indulged with for the firfl time when they marry ; but there are fo many other conveniences allowed them, that they have not the leafl reafon to complain, for they are permitted to marry four lawful wives 5 and thofe who defire a greater variety may marry twenty concubines if they pleafe, for this alfo is a fort of marriage, not to mention the pretty Haves whom they buy and fell. Thofe who are weary of their wives may turn them away when they pleafe, paying their dowry. It is a pity we have not fuch a faHiion, for if we had, we fhould fee many a fatal knot untied. The concubine-marriage is flill more commodious than the other j the man takes the woman he fancies before the cadi, and tells him that he is willing to keep her after fuch a rate, and when he has no farther occa- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 63 occafion for her, he will give her fuch a certain fum of ^°°^^^- This is the uftial refuge of flrangers, for if they are Severities oa caught in making free with their females, they run a rifque Uranger. of coming under the talons of the fub-bafTa for a heavy fine, which if they cannot pay, they are pretty fure of meeting with the baftinado : and as for the poor kind finner, (he is immediately mounted on an afs, with her face toward the tail which flie holds in her hand, and in that pofition flie is carried through the town, and then fold for a flave ; this feverity makes moft ftrangers conform to the cuftom of concubinage, or purchafing a flave, to keep clear of the baffa ; though the women are far from being cruel, yet by the feverity of the bafla, and the fufpicious vigilance of the cautious hufband, it is almofl impoflible for a gallant to thrive in this place. The Turks have no written laws but what are con- Their laws tained in the Koran ; all civil affairs are judged by the ' cadi, according to evidence upon oath, without any re- gard to writings ; and the highefl: bidder is fure of the decifion in his favour ; but he that lofes, if it be for debt, mufl pay it immediately or go to prifon ; and if it fo hap- pens that his efFeds are infufficient to fatisfy the demand, the poor debtor muft receive a baf1:inadoe on the fole of his foot for every piafler of fuch deficiency, unlefs the fum ex- ceeds five hundred ; for they do not punifh with a greater number of baflinadoes as the floutefl man would not be able to endure it without the manifefl danger of lofing his life; and after this his creditor may take or fell him for a flave. 5 Judg- 64 M E M O I R S O F BOOK II. Judgment, in criminal matters, belongs to the baffa, who proceeds in the fame manner ; for money atones for crimi 1 ^^^ "^°^ barbarous crime, and without it juftice degene- cafes. j-ates into cruelty ; fo that the ftake and the gibbet is only the portion of the poor villain : nor can there be a ftronger proof of a man's poverty, than his being executed for rob- bery or murder. There is, indeed, a provifion feemingly favourable to murderers, for if the perpetrator is lucky enough to get out of the way before he is difcovered, the bafla and waiwode can charge the blood on the people be- fore whofc door the murder was committed, if it happens in a town or village, and levy vipon them forty thoufand afpers, (the ftated price), fo that there is feldom much di- ligence ufed to apprehend the criminal himfelfj nor are thefe tribunals lefs favourable to the robbers who infeft the country. The moft ufual punifliments in Turkey for capital of- fences are beheading, drowning, hanging, ftrangling, burn- ing, impaling, and the ftrappad©e ; the two laft are the moft cruel, and are appointed only for Turks who renounce the Mahometan faith, or renegadoes who return to the Chriftian religion : robbers and murderers are hanged ; women are drowned j perfons convicted of rebellion or fe- dition are beheaded ; and burning falls to the lot of Chriftians and Jews who blafpheme againft Mahomet or the Koran, or lie with a Turkifli woman. The channel The bafla. Under whofe efcort I came from the river tain's^ infor- Neiftcr to Conftantinople, fhewed me much civility on the ^auon. W ay, and treated me with great kindnefs after our arrival : it was owing to my acquaintance with him that I obtained moll PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ.. 6j moft of thefe accounts of their government, laws, cuftoms, and n o o k n. manner of living. At our firfl: arrival we lived very com- fortably here, but that was foon interrupted by the refllefs intrigues of the king of Sweden, the cham of Tartary, and Newdifficui- the French ambaffador. By an article of the treaty at the "1"^^'^ [f^■i^c river Pruth, the grand vizier engaged, that the Swedifli king ^'"'^* fliould leave the Turkifli dominions; but the king appear- ing in no forwardnefs to depart, we ftill held Azof be- yond the time ftipulated for our furrendering it, and this produced a fecond declaration of war, which was the more readily entered into, as the vizier, who had negotiated with us had been difmified, and was fucceeded by another, en- Chniiq;e of tirely in the Swedida intereft ; but the fultan being inform- ed, that this rainifler had been won over to that interefl: by largefles, difmifled him ; and, by the mediation of fir Robert Sutton and count Colyar, the Britilh and Butch minifters at this court, a peace was again concluded on the 16th of April, 1712, and the grand feignor acquainted the ,^,2, king of Sweden with it by letter, defiring him to think of j'^J^^.^ returning into his own dominions. This peace was of no long continuance, for the Swedes Fredi inter- foon interrupted it in Poland, where the flaroft Gruzinfki, [he !«"«! who had been in Turky with the king of Sweden, made an irruption with a body of 4,000 Wallachians, Coflacks, &c. and penetrated into Great Poland, where iie furprifed and carried off a v.hole regiment of Ruffians,, who were free from all fufpicron of an enemy : ano+her party got beyond Pofnania, where they took a magazine and 300 Rulfians. Gtneral Baur, coming at the knowlege of what had hap- pened, pcfted to Pofnania, and haftily collecled a body of K 4, coo '66 MEMOIRS OF BOOK II. 1711. A gain ft which the czar remon- ilratesf Miniftry a- gnin chang- ed, and the Rufii-in am- feaffador, &c, fent to the Seven Tow- ers. Mighty pre- parations for war. 4,000 Ruflians, with whom he furprifed and attacked Gru- ■ zinfki, who fo little expelled it, and was fo much oiT his guard, that he did not difpute the matter a moment, but left his camp as it flood. General Baur purfued him fo clofe,. night and day, that he came up with him at Kruterfchien, where Gruzinfki, not chooling to riique an engagement, and taking his officers with him, abandoned his troops, and re- turned into Silefia ; the whole body of the troops furren- dered prifoners of war. The czar now remonftrated againft this violation of the- treaty by the Turks ; and the king of Sweden, although. he was the aggreflbr, exclaimed loudly againft the Ruffians,, who had purfued fome of the Coffacks into the grand felg- nor's territories : and the fultan fuffering himfelf to be im- pofed on by the cham of Tartary, the French ambaflador (M. Defaleurs) and the Swedifli miniftry, once more broke the peace, on pretence that there were ftill fome Ruffian- troops remaining in Poland. The fultan, however, to fa- tisfy himfelf, difpatched an aga into Poland, to know if any of our troops were in that kingdom j and this aga having alfo tafted the fweets of Svvedifh influence, made his report accordingly j while the grand vizier, falling under the im- putation of being influenced by the czar, got himfelf dif- miffed, and Solyman Baffa was made vizier; the refult of all which was another declaration of war, and an ordeF. for the Ruffian ambaffador, hoftages, and all the officers in their retinue, to take up their abode in the Seven. Towers. This fudden declaration of war was accompanied with orders to all the baffas to raife troops j and the fultan, with his PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. ty his whole court, removed to Adrianople. King Aiiguftu?, book ir. and the republic of Poland, had prepared a folemn embafly ' to the fultan, which was now on its v/ay, at the head '^ '* of which was the palatine of Maffovia, with a fplendid retinue of three hundred perfons ; but the fultan, who acknowledged Staniflaus as king of Poland, prevented the arrival of this embafiy, by feizing them on the road and imprifoning them. King Auguftus, however, had addrefs enough to bring the cham of Tartary over to his intereft ; and Ali Coumourgi, the grand feignior's reigning favourite, coming into meafures with the czar, found means to perfuade his mafter that the aga, who had been fent into Poland, had made a faife report refpefting the Ruffian troops there. Solyman the vizier, and the mufti, being minions of the favourite, although they had both advifed the war, now finding it no longer agreeable to him, came as eafily into his defignsj and, notwithftanding all thefe mighty preparations, they foon prevailed on their inconfift- ent mafter to liften to propofals for an accommodation, which was now again fet on foot. The negotiation was foon fettled, as the chancellor Schaferof and count Zere- metof had full powers, and engaged for the c^ar that his troops fhould, bona fide, evacuate Poland ; and the grand feignior engaged to oblige the king of Sweden to depart the Turkilh dominions. Upon matters being brought thus far towards a conclufion, I was difpatched for Peterf- burg, where I arrived the j 3th of Oilober ; but before I got there, our troops had evacuated Poland. This peace, for tvv^enty-five years, was afterwards ratified by the czar ; and on the king of Sweden's refufing to comply with the K 2 grand 68 MEMOIRSOF BOOK II- grand feignior's requifition to depart the Turkifli dominions,' ^ the cham and bafla had orders to force him to it ; and that brought on the famous action of Bender, the particulars of which are fo univerfally known, that I think it need- Ms to repeat them. BOOK PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ; e<^. BOOK iir. Marriage of the czarozvltz, — The czar's celebration of his old wedding.—^ General Baur's difcovery ofhimfelf to his friends and brother officers. The emprefs Catherine's defcent and rife. — Prince Menzikof's rife ; and the czar's narrozv efcape from poifon. — Expedition againji the Swedes.—- Defcription of the city of Mofcozv. — An ambaffador jrom Perfia ; a great ■ fire in Mofcozv. A young phyfician burnt by the clergy, zvho are therefore deprived of the power of life and death, and holidays and convents abridged. — Manners of the gentry. — Defcription of the zvomen. — En- tertainments of the common people. — Marriage. — The princefs Natalia's humorous fancy in the marriage of the dzvarfs. — Three zvomen punifoed for drozvning their hufbands. — The puniflmtent of the knout.— The czar's birth and marriage. — A virtuous young lady. — Mufcovite robberies and murders. — The. czar's danger by them. — Remarkable -murder of Szvedifb (ifficers by Jews. — Suppreffion of the robbers. — Seat of empire changed from. Mofcozv to Peterfburg. — A dejcription of the czarozoitz'sperfon and man- ners. — Ruffian reflri5lions of confanguinity in marriage. — Ridiculous cujlom in burying. — Their images. — Their baths. — Manner nf travelling. — Re~ ligious fajis.. T HE czar Had been in Germany to concert meafures book hi with his allies, and then went to Carlfbad, to drink — the waters for his health, from which he found benefit ; ^larm"* <■' and from thence he returned, by the way of Drefden, to ''l« ^/.aro- Targau, where he met with his fon, the czarowitz, on the point of his marriage with the princefs of Wolfenbuttel, fifter to the emprefs of Charles the Sixth : tlie czarowitz was in the twenty-fecond year of his age, and tlie princefs in her eighteenth. Here the queen of Poland made great; preparations lor celebrating the nuptials, and the ceremony was performed by a prieft of the Greek church, with no great: yo M E M O I R S O F BOOK in. great pomp, on the 25th of October 171 1, the day after — " - — the czar's arrival ; the czarowitz was led to the altar by the *''*' czai'j and the princefs by duke Anthony of Wolfenbuttel, her grandfather j the queen of Poland, and her court, the duke of Wolfenbuttel, father to the bride, and the duchcfs, her mother, were prefent. There was a magnificent enter- tainment at the queen of Poland's ; and if the czar would have fuffered the old duke to put himfelf to that expence, he intended the fplendor of his grand-daughter's nuptials to have been beyond example ; but inflead of fplendor in the introduction, it were to be wiflied there could have been greater happinefs in the fequel of this matrimonial engage- ment, which here indeed could fcarce well be expe£led, as inclination, on his part, had no fhare'in the union. The czarowitz was entirely given up to low, fenfual pleafures and mean vicious company, and had no defire at all to marry, nor had any other view at prefent than an endeavour to fiiun the danger he was in of forfeiting his fucceffion to the crown : and the princefs, whofe amiable perfon and engag- ing accompliiliments defcrved a better fate, entirely mifled her road to iiappinefs. The czar's A few days after the marriage, the young couple took ofh"okr the route for Wolfenbuttel, and the czar that of Silefia, wedding. £qj. peteriburg, where the czar's marriage with the czarina was publicly folemnized the 20th of Februa:y, 171 2, in the following manner. M. Kyking, one of the lords of the admiralty, and Jaguzinfki, adjutant-general, were fent to invite the company to his majejlys old leedding, which were the terms they were ordered to ufe. The czar was mar- ried in his admiral's uniform, which occafioned the naval officers PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 71 officers to bear a principal fliare in the folemnities of the book hi. day ; Vice- admiral Kruys, and -the rear-admiral of the ' gallies, were the bridegroom's fathers; the emprefs-dowager and the vice admiral's lady, were the bride-mothers ; the bride-maids were two of the emprefs Catherine's own daughters j but as thefe princeffes were too young to bear the fatigue, the czar's two nieces, daughters to czar John, his majefty's elder brother, performed as proxies : after the ceremony, all the company met at the czar's palace, accord- ing to invitation, in a moll: magnificent procellion. Prince Menzik8fF carried the marihal's ftafF, and vice-admiral Kruys was in the fledge, with the czar on his right hand j, the whole entertainment was very fplendid j the evening, concluded with a ball and fire-works, and the city was il- luminated the v/hoh night, which finifhed the old wed- ding. Prince MenzikofF was foon after fent into Poraerania, to take the command of the Ruffian army, confifting of 36,000 men, and was then joined by the Danes and Saxons; his majefly foon followed, and taking Berlin in his way, had a conference with the king of Pruffia ; from thence, by Hamburgh, he went into Holftein, where he took Frederickftadt, jointly with the king of Denmark; Taking leave of the Danifh monarch he went to Schon- haufen, where he had another interviev^ with his Pruflian majefty. The troops left in Hohlein, affifled the Danes in reducing Toningen, and making general Steinboch and his army prifoners of war ; and thofe in Pomerania took Stettin, and blockaded Stralfund. Prince MenzikofF at that time levied, by contribution, from the city of Ham- 8 burgh 72 MEMOIRS OF BOOK III. burgh 250,000 crowns; from Lubeck ioo,o©o, and from Dantzig 150,000. Genetar' At the tin^ our troops were in Ilolfteln, general Baur, rei-o/wm- "^ho commanded the cavalry, and was himfclf a foldier of feif to his fortune, his family or country beins^ a fecret to every body, friends and ■'_ _ ■' _ _ _■'_•' brother offi- took an opportunity to difcover himfelf, which furprifed ■ccrs and pleafed thofe who were about him. Being encamped near Hufurn, in Hohrein, he invited all his field-officers, and fome others to dine with him, and fent his adjutant to bring a miller and his wife, who lived in the neighbour- hood, to the entertainment. The poor couple crfhie very much afraid of the Mufcovite g- neral, and were quite con- fufed when they appeared before him, which he perceiving, bad them make themfelves quite eafy, for he only meant to (hew them kindnefs, and had fent for them to dine with him that day, and talked with them familiarly about the country: the dinner being fet, he placed the miller and his v/ife next to himfelf, one on each hand, at the head of the table, and paid great attention to them, inviting them to make free and eat heariy. In the courfe of the entertainment, he aiked the miller a great many queftlons about his family and his relations : the miller told him, that he was the elded fon of his father, who had been alfo a miller at tl.e fame mill he then j;oneired ; that he had two brothers, tradefmen ; and one fifter, married to a tradefman ; that his own family cor.fifted of one fon and three daughters. The general aihed him, if he never had any other brother than thofe he had mentioned : he replied, he had once an- other, but he was dead many years ago, for they had never Jieard cf him fmce he enlified and went away with fol- diers PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 73 diers when he was but very young, and he muft certainly book iu. have been killed in the wars. The general obferving the " company much furprized at his behaviour to thefe people, ''*' thinking he did it by way of diverfion, faid to them, " Gentlemen, you have always been very curious to know " who and whence I am ; I now inform you, this is the " place of my nativity, and you have now heard from this " my eldeft brother, what my family is." — And then turn- ing towards the miller and his wife, he embraced them very afFedionately, telling them, he was their fuppofed dead bro- ther; and, to confirm them, lie related every thing that had happened in the family before he left it. The general in- vited them all to dine with him next day at the miller's, where a plentiful entertainment was provided, and told them that was the houfe where he was born. General Baur then made a generous provilion for all his relations, and fent the miller's only fon to Berlin for his education, who turned out an accompliflied you^g man. As general Baur was the perfon by whofe means the emprefs Catherine arrived afterwards to fo great a height of grandeur, this leads me to relate her flory, as I heard it told by thofe who knew her from her infancy. She was born at Runghen, a fmall village in Livonia, of The emprefs Catheiinc's very poor parents, who were only boors, or vaflals ; her defcent and father and mother dying, left her very young in great want ; " '" the parifli-clerk, out of compaflion, took her home to his houfe, where flie learnt to read. Dr. Glack, minifter of Marienburgh, feeing her there, enquired of the clerk who file was ; and being informed flie was a poor orphan he had taken into his houfe out of charity, what from a L wilh 74 M E M O I R S O F BOOK m. wifti to relieve the poor clerk from a burthen he V/as not well able to fupport, and a liking to the little orphan, the do6lor took her home to his houfe, notwithftanding he had a numerous family of his own. Here her company and opportunities for improvement were better, and her deportment fuch, that (he. became equally efteemed by the doftor, his wife, and children ; her fteady, diUgent, and careful attention to all their domeftic concerns, ingratiated her fo much with the doftor and his wife, that they made no diftinftion between her and their own children. She ever after fliowed her acknowledgment with the utmoft gra- titude, in richly providing for all thofe who could lay claim to any alliance to the doftor's family ; nor did flie forget her firfl: benefaftor the clerk of Rughen. In this happy fituation flie grew up to woman, when a Livonian ferjeant, in the Swedifli fervice, fell paflionately in love with her ; flie likewife liking him, agreed to marry him, provided it could be done v/ith the do61or's confent, who, upon en- quiry, into tlie man's character, finding it unexceptionable, readily gave it. The marriage -day was appointed, and indeed, cam.e, when a fudden order came to the ferjeant that very morning, to march direftly with a detachment for Riga, who was thereby difappointed from ever enjoying his lovely bride. Soon after this, general Baur, at the head of an army, came before the town and took it, in the year 1702, when all the inhabitants were made prifoners, and amongft the reft this lovely bride. In the promifcuous croud, overwhelmed with grief, and bathed in tears at her unhappy fate, the general obferving her, faw a ;V iie f^ai quoi in her whole appearance, which attraded him fo much, that PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 75 that he afked her feveral queftions about her fituation j to book hi. which ihe made anfwers with more fenfe than is ufual in 1712. perfons of her rank ; he defired her not to be afraid, for he would take care of her, and gave immediate orders for her fafety and reception into his houfe, of which he gave her the whole charge, with authority over all his fervants, by whom fhe was very much beloved from her manner of ufing them ; the general afterwards often faid, his houfe was never fo well managed as when fhe was with him. Prince Menzikoff, who was his patron, feeing her one day at the general's, obfervcd fomething very extraordinary in her air and manner, and enquiring who fhe was, and on what footing fhe ferved him, tiie general told him what has been alreadv related, and with due encomiums oa the merits of her conduct in liis houfe : the prince fetid, fuch a perfan would be of great confequence to him, for he was then very ill ferved in that refpecl ; to which the general replied, he was under too many obligations to his highnefs to have it in his power to refufe him any thing he had a mind to, and immediately calling for Catherine, told her, that was prince Menzikoff, and that he had oceafion for a fer- vant like herfelf, and that the prince had it m.uch more in his power t6 be a friend to her than he had, adding, that he had too great a regard for her to prevent her receiving fucli a piece of honour and good fortune. She anfwered only by a profound courtefy, which fliewed, if not her con- fent, that it was not then in her power to refufe the offer that was made : in fhort, the prince took her home the fame day, and fhe lived with him till the year 1704, when the czar, one day dining with the prince, happened to fee L 2 her. 76 MEMOIRS OF BOOK III. Iier, and fpoke to her j flie made a yet ftronger impref- ' fion on that monarch, who would likewife have her to be '^'*' his fervant ; from whence flie rofe to be emprefs of Ruffia. Prince Men- ^^ priHce Mcnzikof was alfo a perfon raifed from a very zikoft'snie, |q^ degree, I was told the following; circumftances of his ;md the czar s o ' cj nairow ef- rife, Hc was bom of gentle, but very poor parents ; and cape tiom , . poifon. they dying, left him very young without any education, infomuch that he could neither read nor write, nor ever did he to the day of his death : his poverty obliged him to feek fervice in Mofcow, where he was taken into the houfe of a paftry-cook ; who employed him in crying minced-pies about the ftreets; and having a good voice, he alfo fung ballads : whereby he vs as fo generally known that he had accefs into all the gentlemen's hom'es. The' czar, by invitation, was to dine one day at a boyar's, or lord's houfe, and Menzikoff happening to be in the kitchen that day, obferved the boyar giving diieiiions to his cook about a difh of meat he faid the czar was fond of, and took notice that the boyar himfelf piit fome kind of powder in it, by way of fpice ; taking particular notice of what meat that difh was compofed, he took himfelf away to fmg his ballads, and kept fauntering in the ftreet till the czar arrived, when exalting his voice, his majefty took notice of it, fent for him, and afkeJ him if he would fell his bafket with the pies : the boy replied, he had power only to fell the pies, as for the bafket he mull firll alk his mafter's leave, but as every thing belonged to his majefty, he needed only lay his commands upon him. This reply pleafed the czar fo much, that he ordered Alex- ander to flay and attend liim, which he obeyed with great PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ jy joy. MenzikofF waited behind the czar's chair at dinner, and book in. feeing the before mentioned difh ferved up and placed before " him, in a whifper begged his majefty not to eat thereof; the czar went into another room with the boy, and alked his reafon for what he had whifpered to him, when he in- formed his majefty what he had obferved in the kitchen, and the boyar's putting in the powder himfelf, without the cook's perceiving him, made him fufpe6l that difli in par- ticular; he therefore thought it his duty to put his majefty upon his guard. The czar returned to table without the leaft difcompofure in his countenance, and with his ufual chearfulnefs ; the boyar recommended this difh to him, faying, it was very good ; the czar ordered the boyar to fit down by him, for it is a cuftom in Mofcow for the mafter of the houfe to wait at table when he entertains his friends, and puttmg fome of it on a plate, defued him to eat and fliew him a good example. The boyar, with the utmoft confufion, replied, that it did not become the fer- vant to eat with his mafter ; whereupon the plate was fet dov\m to a dog, who foon- difpatched its contents, which, in a very ftiort time, threw him into convulfions, and foon deprived him of life : the dog being opened, the efrecl of the poifon was cL-arly difcovered, and the boyar was immedi- ately fecured, but was found next morning dead in his bed, , which prevented all farther difcovery. MenzikofF's remarkable introduction foon gtvined him credit and confidence with his royal mafter, which from > being one of the meaneft and pooreft, raifed him to be one of the richeft fubjefts in tiie Ruffian empire ; he was not only dignified with the title of a prince in Ruffia, but alfo declared a prince of the Roman empire. He was tall, well- 4,, Ihaped;^ , 7 8 M E M O I R S O F BOOK in. fliaped, very handforne in his perfon, and of great pen<;- tralion : he a6led as vice-czar at the imperial court, the ''' ' czar himfelf appearing at all public meetings as a pri- vate perfon, attended by two fervants ai moft, and, in- flead of pleafmg himfelf v/ith the pomp of grandeur, his delight was the improvement of his empire, which he vi- fited every v\'here in perfon. 1713.. The czar, in his return from Germany, came to Riga, ^Xtt'ih" where he met the czarina, who had been delivered of a bwedcs. princefs, and foon after fet out for Peterfburg, v/here he got three hundred veflels in readinefs, and embarked the beo^inning of May 1713, vs'ith 12,000 men, and landed at Helfingfoo, in Finland ; returning immediately to Peterf- buro-, be embarked 6000 more, and went back himfelf with great expedition, and landed them at the fame place. He gave prince GaUtzin the command of the army, confifting of 2o,oGO foot, 4000 horfe, and a large train of artillery, ' to a£l by land, and he himfelf put to fea with twenty men of war in queft of the enemy's fleet, but found them fo advantageoufly fliellered, that he did not think proper to attack them, but returned and joined the army at Shrendo; from thence he marched to Abo and befieged it, and the place furrendcred the Sth of September : then leaving orders with his generals to follow and diive the Swedes out of Fin- land, he returned to Peterflnngh, where he launched feve- ral men of war and gallies. This city being then in its infancy, many thoufand work- men were employed in building, and lodgings wcie very fcarce. I had the good fortune to be accommodated in lieutenant-general Bruce's houfe, who was commandant of "Peterlburgh, and brother to the m after-general of the ord- nance ; PETER HENRY BRUCF, ESQ. 79 nance ; but the mafter-general being left in Germany, fent book hi. me orders to go to Mofcow, and ftay In his houfe with his lady, till he (liould arrive ; tor which place I fet out the beginning of this year, and coming in view of it, in a clear fun-fliine day, I never favv fo glorious a fight as this city prefented at a diflance with the vafl: numbers of gilded domes and fteeples : but my expeftatioiis were greatly dif- appointed when I entered it, finding only ill-built wooden houfes, and timber- llreets interfperfed with churches, and brick-houfes, with large courts and gardens, the habita- tions of the grandees and people of fortune ; and coming to general Bruce's houfe, I met with a very kind reception from his lady, who treated me with the affedtion of a mo- ther : thev had then no child. Mofcow is divided into four parts ; the firft is called the Defcripnon Middle, or Red-Town, which is furrounded by a flrong "f Mofcow. brick wall ; part of it is taken up by the caftle, called Kre- raelin, being two miles in circumference, and inclofed by three ftrong walls, each higher than the other, with a deep ditch on the outfide, planted with a great number of can- non ; and the two rivers, Mofcow and Neglina, flow by two (ides of this divifion of the city. The caftle is fo ex- tenfive, that it contains the czar's palace and dwellings for his courtiers, the archbifliop's palace, with many others ; and two cloifters, one for monks, the other for nuns ; be- fides fifty churches, all built fquare, each with five domes, the larger one in the middle, and the four leffer ones on each corner, and are all covered with copper gilt : in the middle of the caftle ftands a very high fteeple, called Ivan Welika, or Great John, in v.hich is a bell that weighs 336,0001b.; it is 19 feet high, 23 in diameter, 64 in cir- cumference, 8o MEMOIRS OF BOOK in. cumference, and two in thicknefs, and was founded in ' "— czar Boris-Goodanof 's time, and requires twenty-four men '^'^* on each fide of the clapper, to draw it from one fide to ■ the other j the bell itfelf is moveable, but is never rung except on fome great occafion. The other part of this di- vifion, without the caftle, is nioftly inhabited by the grandees : here alfo ftands the grand market, which is a very large fquare, divided into ftreets, where the merchants and tradefmen have fliops for the fale of goods ; and as every kind of merchandize, or manufafture, is clalled by itfelf, in its own department in the market, makes it very conve- nient for the buyer, who may fuit himfelf with very little trouble. All the fliops are locked at fun-fet, and the four gates of entrance into the fquare, are fhur by the officer of the guard, who places Gentries all round it, and is account- able for the property in the place : the fhops are opened at day-break. This is the only place allowed for the fale of goods, and is much the fame with the befeftin at Conftan- tinople. The fecond part, or divifion, is called Zaargorod, and is furrounded by a ftrong wall with battlements, after the Oriental manner, and towers at proper diftances ; this is alfo called Bela-Stena, or White- Wall ; the river Neglina runs through it ; here are the czar's flables, a foundery for cannon and bells, the arfenal, prince Menzikoff's palace, general Bruce's houfe, and many other gentlemen's houfes of rank. The third divifion is called Skorodom, or the Houfe- Market, which the word imports, Jkoro fignifying hajle, and dom, a houfe. Here one may buy a wooden houfe of any dimenfions, have it carried to the place where it is to (land. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 8i ftand, fet up, and ready to dwell in, the third day after the book hi. purchafe J this part is furroundtd with mud- walls fupported with planks ; the river Jagufa runs through it. The fourth divifion is called Strelitza Slaboda, where the military are generally quartered, and is furrounded by an entrenchment ; it flands on the other fide of the river Mofcow, with a fine bridge built over it by prince Galitzin, favourite of the princefs Sophia, his majefty's eldeft fifter, who gave him fo much trouble in the reign of czar John. It is generally computed that there are in this city fifteen hundred churches, chapels, and cloyfters ; this furprifing number is accounted for by every grandee's having a chapel and priefl of his own. Mofcow lies in ^^ deg. 36 rain, north latitude, and is in circumference fixteen Englifli miles. A great number of foreigners live in the city, as Greeks, Armenians, Perfians, Turks, and Tartars, and are allowed the public exercife of their religious worfnip. At a fmall diftance from the city, flands a large fuburb called Inoi- femfka Slaboda, or Foreign Town, where the Englifli, Dutch, and Germans live ; there are four ProteHant and one Roman Catholic church in itj but none of them are. allowed to have fleeples or ufe bells. It is pleafantly fituated on the river Neglina, on the banks of which are a number of pleafure-houfes with fine gardens ; the famous general le Fort, built a magnificent palace here ; the people live very agreeably among themfelves, without interfering wiih the natives except upon bufinefs. As the country abounds with great plenty of every neceflary of life, people live at a very cheap rate, and regale themfelves wiih balls and M enter- 82 M E M O I R S O F BOOK III. entertainments, which they can furnifh at a very fmall ex- pence. In the fummer-time they carry tents, and pitch them in the neighbouring woods, where they make merry with dancing on the green till night. The czar, when in Mofcow, ufed always to make one in their parties of pleafure and entertainments, and paid them frequent vifits. An nmbafTa- An ambafTador from Perfia came here with a very great f°J. a°greaT' fctinue, and remained waiting the czar's arrival ; the pre- cow'" ^^°^' ^^"^^ ^^ brought were ten Perfian horfes, a very large ele- phant, a lion, a tyger, an oftrich, and feveral kinds of parrots, and other birds ; befides a great quantity of Per- fian filks and tapeftry, and other rarities. Soon after there happened a great and dreadful fire, which confumed the greateft part of the city, efpecially the wooden houfes 5 the fire broke out in a maiden monaftery without the town, and a flrong weft wind blew the fire upon the city, which fet it all on a blaze : the only method they ufe to ftop the pro- grefs of a fire is, by pulling down houfes at a diftance before it, as it is impoffible to ufe fire-engines > the ftreets being all of timber, burn at the fame time with the houfes. On this occafion, a poor fuperflltious man feeing the fire ad- vancing to confume his all, took a picture of St. Nicholas, and holding it between him and the fire, prayed fervently for that faint's prote6lion, but in vain, for the flames foon feized his houfe, for which he became fo enraged at the faint that he threw him into the fire, faying, fince he would not fave him, he might now fave himfelf : this coming to the ears of the clergy, the poor man was fentenced to be burnt alive. All the brick buildings, fuch I as PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 83 as churches, and other religious houfes, noblemen, and book hi. gentlemen's houfes, efcapcd this conflagration, only the roofs of the latter were burnt without being otherwife da- '^'^* maged, for all the houfes of three or four ftories high are arched to the top, and their flreet-doors and window- fhutters are of iron. After the fire, the city was very foon rebuilt from the Skorodom before mentioned, as every body could fit the dimenfions of his premifes with a houfe ; and it was truly furprifing to fee with what difpatch the timber was conveyed to the place appointed, and with what dexterity the timber- men rear it. In two days the houfe was under roof, when the purchafer gave direftions where the doors and windows fliould be, the parts being cut out they put in the frames, which are all ready prepared. An inftance of the fuperflition of the people, and power . of the clergy, happened fome time before this fire. A p'lyfic'an . bunit by th* young man, whom the czar had fent to Leyden for his edu- clergy. cation, having finiflied his fludies in phyfic, returned a gra- duated phyfician, and at a merry-meeting with his friends, they queftioned him concerning his religion : he being then in his cups, told them, he was as much of the Greek church as ever, but that he had lofl all his faith in faint's piiStures, and to prove what he faid, he took one down from the wall, and threw it in the fire ; whereupon he was immediately feized, and put into the hands of the clergy, who very foon fentenced him to the flames, and burnt him in a moft cruei manner; laying the fire at fome diftance from him to keep him the longer in tor- ment. The czar, being informed of the cruelty of the M 2 clergy, 84 MEMOIRS OF BOOK lit. clergy, as he had formerly aboliflied the dignity of pa- 1713. Who are triarch, took this opportunity to deprive them of the power of hfe and death, and made a law that all the *''rUed°ot''th' clergy fliould apply themfelves to fludy, allowing them power of lite f^yg years for that end ; after which they were to undergo ami death, -^ _ _ ■' ^ an examination, and thofe who were found capable to perform their fun6lions were to be promoted, the others Holidays and to be difcarded. And as three fourth parts of the year b°idre'd! ^' ^^'^^'^ hoUdays in commemoration of fome faint or other, whereby the people were for the moft part idle, he made a law that no holiday fhould be kept but in commemoration of our Saviour, the Virgin Mary, the twelve Apoftles, and St. Andrew, and St. Nicolas, the tutelar faints of Ruflia. And as there were in the empire many thoufand convents full of lazy monks, who lived in idlenefs, he reftriv^led the nimiber of thefe houfes to fifty, each houfe to contain no more than fifty monks, each monk to be above forty years of age ; the reft of them to be appropriated to hof- pitals for fuch of the army and navy as were become unfit for fervice, and other indigent perfons not able to main- tain themfelves j and their revenues for their fupport : and the monks, who had been bred to no handicraft, and were fit for fervice, to be employed in the army. The people of rank and fafhion in Mofcow having laid afide the old cuftoms and manners of their fathers, now live very gay, drefs in the French fafhion, and converfe "with more freedom than formerly ; and as the fair fex are allowed all manner of freedom in company, they live in a perpetual round of pleafure and diverfion, fpending moft part of their time in balls and entertainments, inviting each other Manners of the gentry. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 85 other by turns to their houfes ; and as they were left lonely book m. by their hufbands, who are for the moft part employed abroad, the ladies took Swedifli officers who had been '*' taken prifoners at Pultowa into their families; fome as ftewarts, others as governors to their children, and fome to teach them mufic and dancing. So that all their balls were made up with Swedifli gentlemen, and other foreign- ers, of whom they were very fond. The Ruffian women are of a middling ftature, generally Defcripdon . ot the wo- well proportioned, and might pafs for handfome in any part men. of Europe j their features far from defpicable, were it not for that prepofterous cuftom of painting their faces, which they lay on fo abundantly, that it may truly be faid they ufe it as a veil to hide their beauty. As for the fecond rank of the people, they ftill retain Entertam- , ^ , . , , /• !• • 1 • • ments of the much 01 their old manner or living ; at their entertainments common peo- none but the men appear j the mafter of the houfe waits ^ '^' on his guefts till the defert of fweatmeats comes on the table after dinner, when he takes his feat amongft them, and does all he can to encourage them to drink, for it would be a great reflexion upon them if any of the com- pany ihould get out of the houfe without being drunk. When the guelfs offer to go av^'ay, the miftrefs of the houfe makes her appearance, at a call, and barely enters the room, when turning round to the corner where the family-faints are placed, croffing herfelf, makes a very low bow, and then pays her refpefts by a bow to the company, without coming a ftep farther, but remains (landing, clad in a loofe gown lined with fur, and a fable cap on her head, and her face covered over with paint and patches ; but 86 MEMOIRS OF BOOK HI. but her whole body is unconfined, wearing neither flays, — waiflcoat, or petticoat, or e>.'en garters to her ftockings, and ""'*' fhe wears very high heeled flippers : in this fituation, the landlord introduces all his guefls to falute his fpoule, one after another, and a fervant is ready behind her with a falver .and four glafTes filled with brandy, wine, mead, and beer, which every body is obliged to drink to the good health of the lady ; after which flie retires without fo much as opening her mouth; after that other females of the fa- mily are introduced in the fame manner, and thus they end their entertainments very drunk. Marriage. j^ Ruffia they commonly marry very young ; the parents make the match without confulting the inclinations of their children, who do not fo much as fee one another till they are introduced in their bed-chamber : this was alfo cuflomary among the firfl rank, till the czar put a flop to it by allow-, ing young people to pay their addrefTes in perfon, without impofing a match upon either againfl their inclinations, whereby many fatal marriages were prevented ; but the old cuflom flill prevails among the inferior ranks. When the maiden becomes marriageable, the parents fend for a broker, or match-maker (commonly an old woman), and give her inflruftions to look out a proper hufband for their daugh- ter j delivering her, at the fame time, an inventory of what they propofe to give with the damfel, as money, jewels, plate, houfliold-goods, and her clothes, even to her fhifts ; likewife, the number of boors, or vaflals, who are com- monly valued at ten rubles each per annum. With this lift, the broker goes from one bachelor to another, whom fhe deems a fuitable match for the young lady, enquiring of them PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ, $y them if they have an incUnation to marry, rtie can recom- book iir. mend them to a pretty young lady with a handfome for- — — — — tune ; (hewing them at the fame time the conditions. If ^ the inventory pleafes the young man, he figns his name to it ; and, after flie has got feveral fubfcribers, flie returns the paper to thofe who employed her ; then the parents of the girl make enquiry into the charafters and circumftances of the fubfcribers ; and having pitched on three or four of the mofl: eligible, they are invited by the father to an enter- tainment, where there is a meeting of friends, upon which occafion the glafs goes brifkly about : the mother, daughter, and other female relations, take their ftations in the houfe, fo as to fee the company without being feen by them ; en- quiring of the girl which of them (lie would choofe for a hufhand, and when the point is fettled, as to their choice, the company, after a hearty drink, is difmiffed, none know- ing who is to be the happy man. The next day fome of the girls relations are fent to confer with thofe of the in- tended bridegroom. If the match is accepted, two or three women, deputed by the intended bridegroom, are permitted to examine the perfon of his intended fpoufe, before whom flie appears flark naked, to fhew if there be any perfon al defe6l ; after this the friends fettle the marriage^ the in- tended couple not being allowed to fee one another till they they meet in the bed-chamber. . The princefs Natalia, only fifter to the czar, by the The princefs fame mother, ordered preparations to be made for a grand mormls Van-" wedding for two of her dwarfs, who were to be married ; ^;^)^"^|^^'^^J' on which occafion feveral fmall coaches were made, and little ^^^'-^ifs. Shetland horfes provided to draw them j and all the dwarfs ia 8S M E M O I R S O F BOOK III. in the kingdom were fummoned to celebrate the nuptials, ■ to tlie number of ninety-three ; they went in a grand pro- ceflion through all the ftreets of Mofcow j before them went a large open waggon drawn by fix horfes, with kettle- drums, trumpets, French horns, and hautboys ; then fol- lowed the marflial and his attendants, two and two, on horfe- back ; then the bridegroom and bride, in a coach and fix, attended by their bride man and maid, who fat before them in the coach ; they were followed by fifteen fmall coaches, each drawn by fix Shetland horfes, and each con- taining four dwarfs. It was fomewhat furprifing to fee fuch a number of little creatures in one company together ; ef- pecially as they were furnifhed with an equipage conformable to their flature ; two troops of dragoons attended the procef- fion to keep off the mob, and many perfons of fafliion were invited to the wedding, who attended in their coaches to the church, where the fmall couple were married ; from thence the proceflion returned in order to the princefs's palace, where a grand entertainment was prepared for the company ; two long tables were covered, on each fide of a long hall, where the company of dwarfs dined together ; the princefs, with her tvso nieces, princefs Anne and Elizabeth, the czar's daugh- ters, were at the trouble themfelves to fee them all feated and well attended, before they fat down to their own table. At night the princefles, attended by the nobility, conducted the married couple to bed in grand ftate : after that ceremony, the dwarf-company had a large room allotted them to make merry among themfelves ; the entertain- ment concluded with a ball, which laftcd till day-light. The company which attended the princeiTes on this occa- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ tg occafion were fo numerous, that they filled feveralBooK rii. rooms. ■ Some little time after this I faw three women buried Thr'cM'o- alive for drowning their hufbands : they had, it feems, ["^drowning ■ croffed the Mofco in a boat, all three together in fearch of ''^^'1 ^^^' ° ^ bands. their huibands, whom they found all drunk in a public houfe, and endeavouring to perfuade them to go home, were fe- verely beaten by them ; however, by the afliftance of feme other people, they got them at laft into the boat where they fell afleep ; the wives to be revenged on their hufbands for beating them, when the boat had reached the middle of the river, threw them one after another into the river, and after they had drowned them, they came a-fhorc very unconcerned. The matter immediately came to light j they were feized, tried, condemned, and ordered to be put alive into the ground up to their necks, there to remain till they died ; two of them lived ten, and the other eleven days ; they fpoke the firfl three days, com- plaining of great pain, but not after that ; they had cer*- tainly got fome fuftenance in the night time, or they could not have exifled fo long j the oldeft of them was not twenty years of age. If a man kills his wife, or flave, under corre6tion (as The punidi- they term it), he is only whipt with the knout > which is knout. thus performed : a lufty fellow takes him upon his back, and another ties his feet with a cord, which comes through between the legs of the perfon who carries him. In this poflure he is held fo faft that he cannot flir, and being ilript to the middle, the executioner with the knout, which is a flrap of dried elk-fkin, untanned, faflened to a flick, which N he 90 MEMOIRSOF BOOK III. lie applies to the back fo dexleroufly, that every lafli brings ' fj-jg blood, or leaves a wale as thick as one's finger: this is. called the moderate ; but when the fentence orders it to be more fevere, then the executioner, advancing three or four fteps, till he is within reach of the offender, gives the firil ftroke in the middle of the back, retreating at every flroke, and is fo expert that he never hits twice in the fame place ; each fli-oke brings the flefh with it. Where the punifhment is ordered with the utmoft feverity, he flrikes the flanks, and often cuts into the bowels, which few furvive, It is a general- remark that lean people turn fat after the knout ; and that it is an infallible cure for thofe who are hide-bound. Befides this, they have another way of chaftifing, called the batoags, v/hich is ufed in families for the corredion of children and flaves, and alfo in the army. The perfon to undergo this, after pulling off his clothes to his drawers, is laid fiat on his belly on the ground j one fits acrofs his head and neck, another upon his feet, each furniflied with, a good fwitch, with which they foundly tickle his back. The czar's During my refidence in Mofcow, I was told the follow- mTrrirge'! i"g particulars of the czar. He was born in the year 1672, and was married in 1690, at the age of eighteen, to Otto- keffa Lupochin, a boyar's daughter, by whom he had prince Alexis : fome time after he turned her away, and fliut her up in a monaftery, on fufpicion of difloyalty to his bed. It was faid, that in one of her jealous fits, fhe charged prince Menzikoff with carrying the czar to drabs of his former- acquaintance, who had been his cuftomers for cakes ; upbraiding him with his firfl occupation, and that Menzikoff ever after bore an irreconcilable enmity to both PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 91 both her and her fon. After the divorce, one mifs Mons, a book m. very beautiful young lady, born at Mofcow, of foreign pa- ~- rents, was much in favour with the czar j but when he was '^'^' abroad, Mr. Keyferling, then refiding at Mofcow as envoy from the king of PrufTia, paid his addreffes to, and mar- ried her. When the czar returned, he was fo much offended at Keyferling, that he ordered him to leave Mofcow, which occafioned his immediate recall by the king his mafter, who fent another in his room. It was believed, if his public charafter had not protefted him, he would have feverely felt his majefty's difpleafure. The czar was feme time after fmitten with the charms of A virtuous another beautiful young lady, the daughter of a foreign "^ * ^' merchant in this city : he firfl: faw her in her father's houfe, where he dined one day ; he was fo much taken with her ap- pearance, that he offered her any terms fhe pleafed, if flie would live with him ; which this virtuous young woman modeftly refufed, but dreading the effeSrs of his authority, file put on a refolution, and left Mofcow in the night, with- out communicating her defign even to her parents. Having provided a little money for h;r fupport, flie travelled on foot feveral miles into the country, till fhe arrived at a ("mall village where her nurfe lived with her hufband and their daughter, the young lady's fofter-fifter, to whom fhe difcovered her intention of concealing herfelf in the wood near that vil- lage : and to prevent any difcovery, Ihe fet out the fame night, accompanied by the huiband and daughter. The hufband, being a timber-man by trade, and well acquainted with the wood, conduced her to a little dry fpot in the middle of a morafs, and there he built a hut for her habi- N 2 tation* ^1 M E M O I R S O F BOOK III. tation. She had depofited her money with her nurfe to pro- ' cure little neceflaries for her fupport, which were faithfully conveyed to her at night by the nurfe or her daughter, by one of whom flie was conftantly attended in the night- time. The next day after her flight, the czar called at her fa- ther's to fee her, and finding the parents in anxious concern for their daughter, and himfelf difappointed, fancied it a plan of their own concerting. He became angry, and begaa to threaten them with the effeds of his difpleafure, if (he was- not produced : nothing was left to the parents but the moft folemn proteftations with tears of real forrow running down their cheeks, to convince him of their innocence and ignorance what was become of her, afluring him of their fears that fome fatal difafter muft have befallen her, as no- thing belonging to her was miffing, except what fhe had on* at the time. The czar, fatisfied of their fincerity, ordered: great fearch to be made for her, with the offer of a confit- derable reward to the perfon who fhould difcover what was become of her, but to no purpofe : the parents and re-- lations, apprehending fhe was no more, went, into mourn-- ing for her. Above a year after this (he was difcovered by an acci- deiit. A colonel who had come from the army to fee his- friends, going a huntings into that wood, and following his game through the morafs, he came to the hut, and lookr ing into it faw a pretty young woman in a mean drefs. Af* ter enquiring of her who fhe was, and how flie came to live in fo foiitary a place, he found out at lad that (he was the lady whofe difappearance had made fo great a 9 noife : PETER HENRY BRUCE, E S Q^ 93 noife : in the utmofl confufion, and with the mofl: fervent book m. intreaties, flie prayed him on her knees that he would not " betray her ; to which he repUed, that he thought her dan- ger was now pad, as the czar was then otherways engaged, and that flie might with fafety difcover herfelf, at leaft to her parents, with whom he would confult how matters (hould be managed. The lady agreed to his propofal, and he fat out immedia about captain Horn, as they concluded he durft not return there to inform againft them. The captain, however, to prevent thofe villains from doing more mifchief, and to get them punifhed, determined to return ; and difcovering himfelf to a nobleman's fteward near Smoleniko, who happening at that time to be fending fome carnages with provifions to his mafter at Mofcow, the cap- tain PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 99 tain took the opportunity and went with them, and on his book hi, arrival made the difcovery as has been related. The four villains being fecured, were examined, and confefled what I '''^" have mentioned, but pretended they had done a meritorious aflion, by deftroying his majefly's enemies, who were en- deavouring to make their efcape from prifon. Horn's prefervation was a happy circumftance, for they might have done much mifchief if they had not been detefted, as they had now alfo recommendations from the four lafl: unfor- tunate gentlemen. The villains were tried, condemned, and all broke alive on the wheel. The czar being informed of thefe frequent murders and Supprcffion robberies, whereby he was continually lofing many of his bers. moft ufeful fubjecls, fent the moft exprefs and pofitive orders to Knez Romadanoflki, whom he had appointed vice-czar in his abfence, to put an effeflual flop to thefe diforders at his peril. The vice-czar immediately iffued his orders to all houfe-keepers and publicans to give in the names of thofe who belonged to their families, and to be anfwerable for every one who lodged under their roof, and on pain of death, to fecure all thofe who could not give a fatisfa(5lory account of themfelves, and difcover all fufpc6led perfons. The eivd of every ftreet was barricadoed, and had a guard, and none were fufFered to appear in the ftreets at night v.?ithout a pafs from the vice-czar : parties of dragoons were ftationed on all the public roads, and the people in the country were made anfwerable and liable for thofe who lodged under their roofs in the fame manner as the inhabitants in the cities. Great numbers were taken, who were executed in a very extraordinary manner, being hi;ng up by one of O 2 their roo MEMOIRS OF COOK HI. their ribs on an iron hook, in which torment they Hvcd ■ eight or nine days : I faw them hung up by dozens in one '^'^' day. Thefe executions hadfo much the defired eliecc, that one might travel through RufTia, by day or iiight, with as much fafety as in any part of the world. jy,^. On the firft of January, 171 4, general Bruce arrived in Seat of cm- ]y[ofcow, to remove and conduct his family to Petcrfburgh, pire changed -^ * ' ... from Mofcow yy^j^en a thoufand of the heft and moft fubftantial families to Peterfburg. . , , r \ r in Mofcow had received orders to prepare tor the lame pur- pofe, in order to people that new city, propofed for the feat of empire. The emprefs, dowager of czar Feodor, (filler to admiral Apraxin), with her court ; the emprefs, dowager of czar John, with her three daughters ; namely, the princefs Anne, dowager of'Courland (afterwards emprefs of Rufiia) ; the princefs Catherine, afterwards duchefs of Mecklenburg ; and the princefs Profcovia, (who died unmarried) ^-the prin- cefs Natalia, the czar's only fifler by the mother, and his two daughters the princefles Anne and Ehzabeth j with all the families of rank and quality, fet out this fpring for Peterfburg, with all the foreign merchants, as no more merchandize was to be allowed to come to Mofcow by the way of Ajxhangel ; fo that this metropolis, once thepleafanteft and moft agreeable city in all Ruffia, became quite deferted, none remaining in it but the vulgar; which was a great mortification to all ranks of people, being obliged to leave a place of fuch plenty for one where every thing was both fcarce and dear. Dcfcription The czarovv'itz arrived in Mofcow this v/inter, where I faw oftheczaro- j^- £ ^.^ ^^.Q. j.^j^g^ jjg j.gpj. ^ mean Fhilandifh girl for witz s perfon *"" ^^ » and manners, jjjg miftrefs. I Went often with the general to wait on him, and he came frequaitly to the general's houfe, commonly 6 attended \ PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. loi attended by very mean and low peifons. He was very book iii< flovenly in his drefs j his perfon was tall, well made, of a — — — — brown complexion, black hair and eyes, of a flern counte- ''"^* nance, and ftrong voice. He frequently did me the honour to talk with me in German, being fully mafter of that lan- guage : he was adored by the populace, but little refpefled by the fuperior ranks, for whom he never fhewed the leaft regard ; he was always furrounded by a number of debauch- ed ignorant priefts, and other mean perfons of bad charac- ter, in whofe company he always reflefted on his father's conduct for aboli(hing the ancient cufioms of the country, declaring, that as foon as he came to fucceed, he fhould foon rellore Ruflia to its former ftate ; and threatening to deflroy, without referve , all his father's favourites. This he did fo often, and with fo little referve, that it could not mifs reaching the emperor's ears j and it was generally thought he now laid the foundation of that ruin he after- wards met with. The czarowitz remained in Mofcow till the emperor arrived at Peterfburgh ; who finding that his Ton had left his confort in a melancholy fituation, he ordered the prince without delay to return to his family. The Ruffians may not marry any one that is related to Ruffian re- them within the fourth generation ; thofe of an equal degree conVanguU of confanguinity call each other brother and fifter, with the Hagcl""'^'^' diftinciion of firft, fecond, and fo on, to the fourth degree ; and thofe of ' a higher or lower degree, are called uncles, nephews, &c. with the fame difiindion. At their chriften- ings they commonly have three or four godfathers, with an equal number of godmothers, who, after that ceremony, reckon therafelves fo ntarly related that they can no more marry 102 M E M O I R S O F BOOK iti. marry each other than if they were children of the fame parents. They have a very ridiculous cuflom at their funerals. Juft cuftom in bu- before the coffin is fhut up, the father-confeflbr of the de- 'ying. ceafcd, puts a teftimonial, or pafs, for the other world, in writing, between the fingers of the corpfe, in thefe words : ?ay at the delivery of his amiable, but unhappy wife: in this difagreeable fituation, fhe had only the princefs of Eaft Friefland, a relation of her own, to comfort her. The czar, fenfible of her diftrefs, treated her with the higheft efteem, allowed her a fplendid court, and {pared no coft to aggrandize it, and appointed frequent balls and afTejnblies at her houfe on purpofe to divert her, and Ihe had every n^ai^k of refpe6t and regard fliev/n her by 'the czarina j in- deed,, 126 MEMOIRSOF BOOK IV. deed, fhe had greatly endeared herfelf to them both by the * gentlenefs of her difpofitions, and the fweetnefs of het '''*' temper and manner, but the brutal condu6l of her hufband embittered all. When the czarowitz returned from Carlf- bad, which was in confequence of the emperor's exprefs or- ders, he not only fliewed the utmofl difregard to the princefs, but maltreated thofe of her court in fuch a manner, that they were all going to leave her, which ill ufage threw her into a deep melancholy ; his father's frequent remonftrances on the fubjedl feemed only to make bad worfe, for he ac- cufed her of carrying complaints of him to the czar, and told her plainly, if it was not for the fear of his father's an- ger, he would turn her whole court out of doors, and ob- lige her to live after the old Ruffian cuftom. Alt'iough they lived in the fame houfe, they were fuch Grangers to each other, that they were never feen to eat or converfe together, except when he came to upbraid her with her numerous houfliold. This was not the only mortification this amiable princefs underwent ; none of the grandees paid their court to her, except when ordered by his majefly, out of fear of difobliging the prince, fo that the foreign minifters were the only perfons that could venture to pay her any refpe6l. All this bad ufage of fo good a princefs was the more furprifing, when it is confidered flie was his own free choice. The czar had fent him to travel for his improvement, and recommended to him the choice of a princefs abroad for his wife ; and feeing, in the courfe of his travels, the princefs of Wolfenbuttel, filler to the emprefs of Germany, he made his addrefles to her, and wrote to the czar for his confent, which PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESa 127 which was readily granted. His majefty arriving foon after book iv. at Torgau, concluded that unhappy marriage. " It was very remarkable, that the prince never appeared at His diucfpea any of the public meetings, when his majefty was attended ° ^ ^ "^'^' by all perfons of quality and rank, fuch as birth-days, cele- brating of viftorieSj launching of fliips, &c. General Bruce, who lived next door to the prince, had orders always to give the prince notice the day before, of fuch public days or meetings, and I had the honour to carry and deliver the meflage; but his highnefs, to avoid appearing in public, either took phyfic, or let blood, always making his excufc, that he could not attend for want of health ; when, at the fame time, it was notorioufly known that he got drunk in very bad company, when he ufed conftantly to condemn all his father's anions. Immediately on his majefty's return to Cronflot, he put Naval ex-ne- out tofea with the fleet, on an information that the Swedifh ^hkh the fleet, under admiral Watrang, had failed with an intention ^zaiwas ° _ rear-adnural, to block him up in the harbour ; and that their rear admi- ral, Ehrenfhield, had feized on the port of Twerwin, in Fin- land, where he had funk feveral of our fhips, and taken about two hundred prifoners ; by which acquifition, they hoped to be able to repulfe any defcent on the ifland of Aland, Our fleet was commanded by admiral Apraxin, vice-admiral Xruys, and, as rear-admiral,- the czar himfelf ; and failed diredly in queft of the enemy. The czar was fent to watch their motions -, he foon reported their ftation, and that their vice-admiral, Lilie, v/as detached with fev^eral men of war and bomb-veffels, (Veering towards Revel ; he defired the admiral to advance with the fleet, and on rejoining them, 9 it 128 MEMOIRSOF BOOK TV. it was determined to difpatch vice-admiral Kruys in queft of — ' the Swedifli vice-admiral, and to fend twenty gallies under '^ ' the command of general Weyde, and commodore Ifmaie- witz, to pafs within the enemy's fleet as near the fhore as they could go. The gallies performed this fervice under favour of a calm ; the enemy endeavoured to prevent them, and fired many guns at them, but the draught of their large fhips did not fufFer them to come near enough to do any execution j on which fifteen more gallies were fent under brigadier le Fort. The Swedifti admiral hereupon made a fignal for his vice-admiral to return, which he did, with- out a fingle effort made by admiral Kruys to intercept him, notwithftanding his fuperiority ; for this he was dire6lly put under arreft, and afterwards tried by a court-martial at Pe- terlburg. His aiiant ^^^ ^^^^ ^^V °"^ ^^^*- P^^^^^^ ^lofe by the enemy, and aftion with fuftained all their fire, with the lofs only of one galley, which Ehrenlliield. •' a j had the misfortune to run aground, and they blocked up admiral Ehrenlliield, who refufmg to furrender to the czar's fummons, by his adjutant-general Jaguzinfki, was vigoroufly attacked at three in the afternoon by the czar's own dlvifion, now vice-admiral. The a£lion was gallantly fought on both fides for two hours, when, notwithflanding their fuperiority in number of guns, the Swedes were boarded and taken, and Ehrenfaield, having received feven wound's in the en- gagement, delivered himfelf up to our vice admiral, by whom he was politely received, and by whofe exprefs orders he was moft carefully attended in the cure of his wounds, , none of which were mortal : the czar had ever afterwards a very great regard for him. The PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ ,2g The Swedes loil in this engagement one frigate of twenty- book iv. four guns, fix large gallies of fourteen guns each, ami three " demi-gallies of four each, all taken ; they loft alfo in this aftion nine hundred thirty-fix foldiers and Tailors, of whom five hundred feventy-feven were alive, and made prifoners of war. The lofs on our part was, one colonel, two captains, four lieutenants, one adjutant, one hundred and three fol- diers, and eighteen feamen, killed ; one brigadier, feven captains, feven lieutenants, one enfign, three hundred and nine foldiers, and fixteen feamen wounded ; amounting in the whole to one hundred and twenty-four killed, and three hundred and forty-one wounded. The Swedifli vefTeis and prifoners were fent to Revel. After the viclory, the fleet failed to ihe ifland of Aland, He takes A- v^'here the czar landed 16,000 men, and took the fort and ''^"'^' other pofts, intending to tranfport his troops, encamped at Abo, to this place, diftant only twelve leagues from the coaft of Sweden, with a defign to make a defcent at Stock- holm ; which obliged the Swedes to recall their fleet, under Watrang, to guard their coafts : but it was now too late in the feafon to begin an enterprize of that importance ; fo his majefty returned by Revel to Cronflot, where he flopped a few days, and from thence to Catherinehoff, the 1 8th of September, where he found the czarina delivered of another princefs, to whom he gave the name of Anne. On the 2oth of September, part of our fleet, with the His mum h. Swedifli vefl'els and prifoners being arrived, the czar made „ ^"'[y ''^ a triumphal entry at PeterflDurgh, and approaching the ad- miralty and fort, he was faluted from one hundred and fifty guns. They came up the river in the following order : £ I. Three tJH, 130 M E M O I R S O F BOOK IV. I. Three Ruffian gallies. ' *" 2. The three Swedifli demi-gallies. 3. The fix Swedifli gaUies. 4. The Swedilh frigates, all with the Swedifli colours hanging down. 5. The czar in his galley as rear-admiral, 6. All the refl: of our gallies. When the gallies came oppofite the triumphal arch, which was ereded in front of the fenate-houfe and oppofite the fort, they faluted with all their guns, which was re- turned with the like difcharge from the cannon of the fort and admiralty j then all the men came a-fliore, and began a procefiion in the following order. 1. A company of the guards, with major-general Ga- litzin at their head. 2. The cannon that were taken laft winter by prince Galitzin from majnr-general Arenfelt, near Wafa. 3. Sixty-three colours and fl:andards taken in that action. 4. Two hundred Swedifli lubaltern officers, foldiers and feamen. 5. Two companies of the guards. 6. The Swedifli fea-officers. 7. The flag of the Swedifli rear-admiral. 8. The Swedifli rear-admiral Ehrenfliield. 9. The czar, as rear-admiral, followed by the remainder •f the regiment of guards. As foon as his majcfty came under the triumphal arch, the grandees, fenators, and foreign minifters, repaired thi- ther to congratulate him on his vitTiory , but the czarowitz neither appeared in perfon, nor by proxy. The governor of Mufeow, in the name of the empire, complimented his ma jelly PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 131 msjefly on his bravery, and thanked him for his great and book iv. eminent i'ervices. The triumphal arch was magnificently adorned with feveral emblematical reprefentations ; and ' amongft the reft, the Ruflian eagle feizing an elephant, alluding to the Swedifli frigate called the Elephant, with this infcription, Aqitila non capit Mufcas. The proceflion proceeded in the fame order to the fort. Promoted t» where the vice-czar, Romadanoffky, feated on a throne, and furrounded by the fenate, caufed rear-admiral Peter to be called before the affembly, and received from his hands a relation, in writing, of the victory obtained ; which be- ing read, they took it into confideration, and propofed fe- veral queftions to the rear-admiral ; after which, they una- nimoufly declared him vice-admiral of Ruffia, in recom- pence of his faithful fervices done to his native country ; which being proclaimed in the aflembly, the whole houfe refounded with, " Health to the vice-admiral !" The czar having returned them thanks, went on board his floop, where he hoifted his vice-admiral's flag, having received many <:omDliments on that occafion. His majefty, attended by numbers of the nobility andHecompU- officers, went to prince Menzikof's palace, where a grand renftieid'» entertainment was provided ; after dinner, he fhewed parti- ^'■^^^'^y* cular marks of his attention to rear-admiral Ehrenfliield ; and, addreffing the company, he faid — '* Gentlemen, Here " you fee a brave and a faithful fervant of his mafter, who ■" has made himfelf worthy of the higheft rewards at his " hands, and who ihall always have my favour while he is ^* with me, although he has killed me many a brave man :" " I forgive you," faid he, turning to the Swede with a fmile, S 2 " and 132 MEMOIRS or BOOK IV. «« and you may ever depend on my good-will." — Ehrenfnield, ■ having thanked the czar, anfwered, — " Hovv^ever hononr- "' " " ably I may have adled with regard to my m.afler, I did *' but my duty ; I fought death, but did not meet it j and «' it is no fmall comfort to me, in my misfortune, to be a " prifoner of your majefty's, and to be ufed fo favourably, " and with fo much diftin6tion, by fo great a fea-officer, " and now worthily vice-admiral." Mr. Ehrenfliield affirm- ed, that the Ruffians had fought like lions, and that no- thing but his own experience could have convinced him, that the czar had made fo good foldiers of his fubjedts j fuch is the effecl of ftricl difcipline, time, and prudence. The troops were difciplined in fuch a manner, and were brought to fuch a degree of reputation, efpecially the infantry, that there were no troops in the world they would yield to. The czar, on this occafion, addrelTed the following dif- courfe to his fenators : HisTpeech " Brethren, who is the man among you, who, twenty to t e enau. ^^ y^^j-g gg^^ could have conceived the idea of being em- " ployed with me in fliip-building here on the Baltic, and " to fettle in thofe countries conquered by our fatigues and " bravery ? Of living to fee fo many brave and viftorious " foldiers and feamen fprung from Ruffian blood ? And to " fee our fons coming home accompliflied men from foreign " countries ? Hiftorians place the ancient feat of all fci- " ences in Greece ; from whence being expelled by the fa- ** tality of the times, they fpread into Italy, and afterwards " difperfed themfelves all over Europe j but by the per- " verfenefs of our anceftors, they were hindered from pene- " trating any farther than -into Poland ; the Poles, as well as PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 133 " the Germans, formerly groped in the fame darknefs hi book iv. *' which w© have hitherto Hved, but the indefatigable care " of their governors at length opened their eyes, and tiicy " made themfelves mafters of thofe arts, fciences, and fo- " cial improvements, which formerly Greece boafted of. It *' is now our turn, if you will ferioufly fecond my defigns, *' and add to your obedience voluntary knowledge. I can «* compare this tranfmigration of the fciences to nothing " better than the circulation of the blood in the human " body ; and my mind almoft prognofticates that they will, «' fome time or other, quit their abode in Britain, France, " and Germany, and come and fettle, for fome centuries, " among us ; and afterwards, perhaps, return to their ori- " ginal home in Greece. In the mean time, I earneftly re- *' commend to your pra<51:ice the Latin faying, Ora et la- " /or^ (pray and work) ; and in that cafe be perfuaded you " may happen, even in your own life-times, to put other " civilized nations to the blufli, and raife the glory of the " Ruffian name to the higheft pitch." The fenators heard this harangue of their monarch with a moft refpe£lful fi- lence ; and anfwered, that they were all difpofed to obey his orders and follow his example. Whether they were fin- cere in their declaration is another queftion. The next day a grand entertainment was given at the h!s refent- vice-czar's, Romadamoflky, where a battalion of the guards, czlrovicz's* and a company of grenadiers were ordered to attend. Ilaving ^ifrefpea^- marched through the whole town, they were drawn up before the vice-czar's palace, and went through their exercife. The czarowitz being yet only a ferjeant of grenadiers, marched all the v/ay on the right, with his halbert on his Ihoulder, 4.. and. 134 -M E M O I R S O F LOOK IV. and paffing his own palace, the piincefs, his confcrt, !odk- — ' jng out with her friend the princefs of Eafl Friczland, and ''"*' feeing him march in fo gr^?2d a. manner, fainted away and v/as carried to bed, Wlien the exercife was over the of- ..ficers were all invited to the entertainment, but the men remained under arms, and the czarowitz ftood upon his poft till the battalion marched off again. This mortification was put upon the czarowitz for his negle6l of duty, in not meeting his father at his triumphal entry, nor wilhing him joy on his fafe arrival : it is certain, a vi6lory by fea gave him greater joy than any other vi61:dry whatever j fo that a negle(St of this kind t\'as worfe taken than any thing elfe that could have happened. However, wlien his majefty heard of the princefs's illnefs, and what had been the occafion of it, he went to fee her, and told her, that flie ought not to be furprifed at the prince's being a ferjeant, for he him- felf had gone through all the loweft degrees both of the land ar.d fea-fervice, till he had rifen by his merit to be a general in the army, and now vice-admiral of the navy ; and notwith- flanding the prince had not attended to his duty as he ought to have done, yet he had recommended him to the vice- czar, and procured him an enfign's commiffion in the guards, and that he was now come to give her joy on her hufband's preferment. This kind condefcenfion in the czar, in a great meafure, reflored the princefs's drooping fpirits. The rejoicings on this occafion continued a confiderable time, for the grandees gave entertainments in their turns ; but, notwithrtanding his majeliy's refentment againfl the prince for his former negled of duty, he never appeared ^t any of thofe public meetings, although he had regular 7 notice PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ.. t^S notice fent to him by general Bruce, who fent me feveral book iv. times to inform him of his majefty's difpleafure at his non- - appearance ; but the old excufe — want of health — ferved '''*' on every occafion. As the czar had the welfare and aggrandizing of his Heinftitutes nation very much at heart, he neglefled no opportunity to dal'affe^" accomplifli his fubjeds. H€ at this time made a regulation ^''*'' for holding aifemblies ; he appointed two every week to be held at the houfes of the grandees alternately; one room being allotted for converfation, one for cards, and one for dancing ; to meet at eight o'clock and end at eleven ; the matter of the houfe to provide a fide-board of liquors, which fhould not be prefented until called for,, atid to find cards and mufic : free admilfion- to be given to all of the rank of gentlemen, foreigners as well as natives,- with their wives and daughters. This new regulation extremely pleafed the ladies, as it freed them from the fevere reftraint they la- boured under, not being permitted to appear in public com- pany ; but by this means they both learned to converfe and drefs. His mcjefty alfo inftitutcd an academy this winter for the And n roj-at education of young gentleman ; and was at much pains t^.^"'-'"")' provide able maftcrs from abroad for teaching the feveral fciences. He likewife gave orders to the admiralty to get lesdy, againft the enfuing fpring, fifty Ihips of the line,; with a great number of gallies and other veiFels, to- enable him to make a defcent on Sweden next year, and to keep his' forces employed, as he had been obliged to withdraw his troops from Germany by the king of Denmark's taking Hoi- ilein, and the king of Prufila Pomerania under fcvqueflra- tion t 136 MEMOIRS OF BOOK IV. tlon; which much dlfpleafed the czar, as he wanted, by all — — — — means, to have a footing in Germany, and to be admitted '''*■ a member of that empire ; but the emperor, and the reft of the princes of the Germanic body, jealous of his grow- ing power, took this method to get his troops out of thtir country. Tiie king of Sweden, attended only by colonel During, and two fervants, and travelling three hundred German miles in fixteen days, arrived at Stralfund the 22d of November, and diredly commenced hoflilities againfl: the Pruffians, which defeated the whole fcheme of the Ger- manic body, by his not agreeing to the fequeftration, brought a new enemy on himfelf, and afforded a decent pretext for the czar to re-enter Pomerania with his army. Court mar- A court-martial was now appointed to enquire into the '!'?«;•'' ""•'''■'conduft of vice-admiral Kruys, for not attacking the Swedifli fquadron agreeable to his orders ; and he was found guilty, and fentenced to be fliot for cowardice and negleft of duty. He complained of the feverity of his fentence,- alledging that no other nation, converfant in naval affairs, would have paffed fuch a fentence for his conduct on that occa- fion J which being reprefented to the czar, he tranfmitted copies of the trial to all the neighbouring maritime powers, efpecially Holland which was the admiral's native country, for their opinion concerning the fentence j and they all agreed that it was juft, and would have been inflided on any of- ficer, in their refpedive fervices, who had been guilty of the like behaviour. This declaration of the maritime powers being fhewn to the admiral, he prayed for mercy, which the czar granted with refpedl to his life, but banilhed him to Oloneiz for the remainder of his days ; ar^d having fet out. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 137 out, and tiaveljec] one day's journey toward the place of his book iv. exile, his majeily recalled him, then gave him a free par- ' don, and appointed him one of the commiHioners of the ' ^ admiralty, but was never employed at fea again, in which office he ended his days with credit. The czar, this year, inftituted the order of St. Catharine, The order of in honour of the czarina, to perpetuate the memory of that ^.^' ^''''^^" love and fidelity which flie manifefted towards him in his diftreffed fituation, reduced and furrounded by the Turks on the banks of the Pruth. The enfign of the order is a me- dal, enriched with precious ftones, and adorned with the image of St. Catherine, with this motto. For Love and Fi- delity : the medal is pendant to a broad white ribbon, wore over the right flioulder. The emprefs had the liberty of beftowing it on fuch of her own fex as (he thought proper, and appeared in it herfelf for the firft time at the feftival of St. Andrew this year ; the czarina firfl conferred the order on her two daughters, the princefs Anne, afterwards mar- ried to the duke of Holftein, and the princefs Elizabeth, af- terwards emprefs of Ruffia ; and fome time after flie be- ftowed it on the emperor's three nieces, the daughters of czar John, viz. Anne, duchefs dowager of Courland, Ca- therine, duchefs of Mecklenburg, and the princefs Pafkovia j and alfo on the princefs Menzikof. His czarifh majefty having, with infinite pains and afli- Confufionsia duity, been fearching into the caufcs of the diforders that lIldTe^co^! had crept into the adminiftration of his affairs; and, at ^^^."^"'^'^- ' _ ' ' trels. length dilcovered from whence it proceeded that his army and fleet had been fo ill paid and fuftered fo much, that many thoufand workmen had miferably perifhed for want of T fubfift- 138 MEMOIRSOF BOOK IV. fubfiftence (it was computed that upwards of one hundred thoufand men loft their lives at Peteriburgh) his trade de- cayed, and his revenues in confufion, took a firm refoJution to remedy thefe evils; and in the beginning of lyiS) efta- bliflied a grand inquifiiion under the direction of general Knex Dolgoruky, to examine certain lords and others, who, it was faid, had defrauded his majefty of feveral millions. Many deiin- Moft of the great men in Rufiia were affected by this nifhed! ^"' enquiry, and were obliged to give an account of their con- du6l. The great admiral Apraxin, prince Menzikof, and Bruce, ro after of the ordnance, alledged for their excufe their abfence in foreign parts, or in the field on duty, fo conftantly, that fo far from being able to difcover, or prevent the ill pra6lices of their officers, they were ignorant of what was done at that time in their own houfes, which was ad- mitted for their excufe : but their unfaithful officers fuffered feverely for their infidelity, as did all others who could not juftify thcmfclves. Korfakof, vice-governor of Peterft)urgh, Kekin, the prefident j and Sinawin, the firft commifiioner of the admiralty ; with an incredible number of other of- ficers of the fecond and third rank, were called to an ac- count ; Korfakof publicly fuffered the knout ; Apouchin and Wolchonfky, both fenators, fuffered the fame, and had red-hot irons drawn over their tongues j fome of infe- rior degree were chaftifed with the batoags, and were fent into Siberia and other remote places, and all their eftates confifcated. Several delinquents were put to the torture to make them confefs the truth, as by their law no man can be condemned, if the matter is ever fo clearly proved againft him, unlefs he confeffes the faft, The PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 139 The fevereft torture they have is the ftrapado, which is book iv. thus infliiSled ; they hang up the malefador with his hands ~~ tied behind him, with a large beam fattened to his feet, upon which the executioner every now and then gets up to expedite the diflocation of his joints, which gives exquifite torment j a fire is lighted under his feet, the fmoke and heat of which both Itifles and burns him. If they want to improve upon this torture they lliave his head, and when he is hung up as before, they prepare cold water to drop, from a confiderable fall, on the crown of his head ; which is the mod exquifite torment that can be invented. This inquifition, which had filled Peterfburgh with fuch conflernation, being ended, things were put on a much better footing to prevent in future fuch frauds in commif- faries, and lighten the burthen on the flioulders of the peo- ple ; an entire new fet of officers were appointed, called fifcals, or informers. The fifcal-general was always to at- p-,. . tend his majefly ; a head, or over-fifcal, was appointed in the army, navy, and one in every government ; and ordinary ones were appointed in every regiment, fhip, or garrifon, and every court in the nation j whofe bufinefs it was to re- port every thing they obferved wrong in the fervice or admi- niftration to the head fifcals, and they to the fifcal-general, who laid their informations before the czar. This new fet of men were more feared than the czar himfelf ; fome of them being very litigious, and bringing people often into trouble without a caufe, wheieof we had afterwards too many inftances, which the czar perceiving put a flop to, by infli6ling the punilhment on them they in- tended for others, if they could not prove their informations : T 3 this 140 MEMOIRS OF BOOK IV. this obliged them to behave with more moderation afterwards. ■"^ Neverthelefs, thofe againfl: whom an information was given, underwent very great hardfhips, being, the m.onient they were arrefted, deprived of their falary or pay, to which they can lay no claim till they have cleared themfelves of the alledged crime and are reinftated in their office or com- miffion ; and if they acquit themfelves ever fo honourably, they feldom or ever receive their arrears. In cafe of a fur- lough, none in the fervice were allowed pay till they en- tered again upon duty. If an officer, a native Ruffian, was broke by a court-martial for neglefl of duty, he was commonly fentenced to carry arms as a private foldier, and never arrived at his former rank except his merit raifed him, and then he loft his feniority. It is to be obferved, that if this were not the cafe with the Ruffians, the greateft part of them would endeavour to be reduced to get free from the army. The diftin6lion made between their pay and that of foreigners, creates no fmall difcontent among them and very juftly. Officers of equal rank, and in the fame regi- ment, have three different pays ; for inftance, a captain, who is a foreigner, has eighteen rubles * a month ; a cap- tain, of foreign parents, born in Ruffia, has fifteen rubles j and a native Ruffian has only twelve rubles ; and fo through every rank in the fervice in proportion : this makes them look on all foreigners with an evil eye. The czar's The czar now gave frequent balls and entertainments at public enter- j^- q^^,j^ winter and fummer palaces, and not at prince Men- tainments. ^ _ ^ zikoff's as formerly ; but finding this inconvenient, ordered a large houfe to be built mid-way between them, for a * The value of a ruble is about 4s. ilerling. They have befides, forage, quarters, &c» general PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 141 general Poft-Office, with fpacious rooms above liairs for booi: iv. public balls and entertainments ; but on grand fettivais, ' ■ and extraordinary occafions, the entertainments were given ''^ at the fenate-houfe ; between which and the fort was a fpa- cious open place where they played off the fire-works. Upon thefe public meetings, a great many tables were co-* vered for all degrees of perfons ; one for the czar ami the grandees ; one for the clergy, one for the officer?- of the army, one for thofe of the navy ; one for the merchants, ftiip-builders, foreign ikippers, &c. all in different rooms ; the czarina, and the ladies, had their rooms above flairs j all thefe tables were ferved with cold meat, and fweet meats, wet and dry, interfperfed with fome diflies of hot meat : thefe entertainments commonly ended with very hard drink- ing. After dinner, the czar went from one room and table to another, converfing with every fet according to their dif- ferent profeffions or employments ; ei'pecially witli the maf- ters of foreign trading veffels, inquiring very particularly into the feveral branches of their trade. At thefe times, I have feen the Dutch fkippers treat him with much fami- liarity, calling him by no other name but Skipper Peters with which the czar was highly delighted. In the mean time, he made good ufe of the information he got from them, al- ways laarking it down in his pocket-book. The emperor having engaged one Mr. Slitter, a famous Mr. sikter'* architedl, with a number of good tradefmen in his fervice, raobHe.'""* he was lodged in the fummer-palace to be near the czar. This gentleman had, at this time, a multiplicity of bufinefs on his hands in building palaces, houfes, academies, manu- fadlories, printing-houfes, Sec, and as he had but few hands for 142 MEMOIRSOF BOOK IV. for drawing his plans, I offered him my afliftance In that ■ way, provided he would inftru6l me in the rules of archi- tecture, which he gladly accepted of, and I attended him every day. The czar was frequently with him, and feeing my drawings, was fo much pleafed with them, that I was afterwards much employed in drawing his plans, both of civil and military architeclure. Mr. Slitter was of a weak fickly conftitution, and being much fatigued with continual bulinefs, he fickened and died, when he had been but one year at Peterlburg ; he had fpent much time in endeavouring to contrive a perpetuum mobile, the intenfe ftudy of which had much impaired his health, and before he died he had brought it the length of being put in motion ; the model of his machine was a cir- cular brafs frame, eighteen inches deep, and two yards dia- meter, with hollow plates of the fame metal, four inches in length placed round on the infide, into which a cannon ball was put 5 the plates being moved by fprings, forced the ball in a perpetual round ; each of the plates dire6ling feveral wheels which occafioned many different motions ; but the fprings and wheels frequently breaking, it took up much time in repairing then). Mr. Slitter always locked himfelf np when he was at work upon it, and nobody was fuffered to enter the room except the czar, who was frequently fliut up with him. After his death, his foreman was employed about it, but he alfo foou after fickened and died, and the machine was locked up ; and I never could learn whether any perfon afterwards attempted to bring it to perfedion. During my attendance on the aichitedf, 1 only had twice an opportunity of feeing it. At PETER HENRY BRUCfi, ESQ. 143 At this time Knez Golitzin, general of our army in Fin- boc: ;v. land, fent an old man to Peterfburgh, aged one hundred ' " and twenty years ; of a healthy conftitution, had all his The oW Fin- fenfes entire, and walked ftrait. The czar took much plea- fure in converfmg with him, and offered to keep him at court, where he might end his days in eafe ; but the old man begged his majelly to permit him to return to his na- tive place, faying, he had been ufed to hard labour and fpare diet, and if he fhould now alter his way of living, it would very foon cut him off: if he were allowed to live in his former way, he hoped God would add fome few years more to his daysj upon which confideration, the czar, having given him a prefent, *fent him home again j I heard fix years after this that he was ffill aUve. There was fo fevere a froft here this winter, that numbers of people loft their nofes, ears, fingers, and toes by it 3 it was very common with people in pafTmg each other to call out to take care of their nofes, for thcfe bit by the froft are not fenfible of it themfelves, when it is eafily perceived by others, on feeing the parts affe61:ed white with the froft ; the only cure is to rub the part with fnow, till they recover their feeling ; it is dangerous .in that condition to enter into a ftove, or warm room, as it is commonly attended with the lofs of the part affected. The river Neve was covered with ice the latter end of September, and was paffable in twenty- four hours, occafioned by large fhoals of ice coming down from lake Ladoga ; they were cemented by the froft, and as the ftrong current forces one piece above another, it becomes very thick, and fo rugged a furface, that people were em- 5 ployed 144 MEMOIRS OF BOOK IV. ployed in cutting fmooth paths every v^^here acrofs the rivers, — from one part of the city to another ; it was the firfl of '^'^" May before the river broke up again, when the people were warned by the firing of a gun to get off the ice; then it broke very fuddenly with a great noife, and in two or three hours time there was no more ice to be feen ; fome part of it floats down into the fea, but the much greater part fmks to the bottom. Notwithftanding this precaution, great numbers are drowned here every fpring, the break is fo fudden. Expenment Having been often told, that the bears are buried all win- on the ear. ^^^ ynJer the fnow, and have nothing to live on but fuck- ing their pawsj as this appealed to me incredible, I pro- cured a cub, and brought him up till he grew very large : I fixed a maft in the ground, with a wheel on the top of it, and put a ring round the maft, with a chain about the bear's neck, placing a large box at the foot of the maft for him to lay in. He ufed to climb up the maft, and fit upon the wheel, where he played many tricks which were very divert- ing; I fed him with bread and oats, but never gave him fiefti : fometimes he broke his chain, and found his way to fome fhops where they fold honey, in the neighbourhood of my quarters, where he uled to till his belly with honey, as they did not dare to prevent him for fear. Upon the fall- ing of the fnow, in the beginning of winter, he took to his box, where he remained a month without once offering to ftir out, nor had any thing to eat, but fucked his paws ; I laid bread at the door of his hut, but he would not come out to eat it, yet he ate it when thrown in to him. Toward the PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. j^j the fpring, a young hog happening to ftroll too near his book iv. cell, he got hold of it and pulled it in ; but all we could ' do, we could not fave it from him, and after he had once ^ drawn blood and tafted flefli, he grew fo fierce that he be- came unmanageable, attacking every body that came near him, fo that I was obliged to kill him > his fkin ferved me for a cover to my faddle. It is remarkable, that when he was beaten, he would put his nofe between his fore-paws, from an inflindlive knowledge of his natural weaknefs, for the leaft ftroke on the nofe kills them. The Ruflians kill many thoufands of them every winter Method of for their (kins, and only eat their paws, which is efteemed '""'"S'^^'^ a delicious repaft ; they never flioot them for fear of fpoil- ing the fkin, but as the bears commonly build their hut at the root of a tree, they mark the tree, and when they are buried in the.fnow, the fteam of their breath afcending, makes a hole up through the fnow, by which their den is difcovered ; the country people go in a body upon Iketzers, to prevent their finking down in the fnow, furround the place, and making a noife, frighten him out of his hut, and as he cannot make his way through the loofe fnow, they are commonly killed by a ftroke on the nofe. U BOOK ,46 M E M O I R S O F BOOK V. Defcent v.pon Szveden. — Birth of the emperor's grarJfon Peter, and death of the princefs hh mother.— 'The birth of Peter Petrowitz, fon to the emperor. — A carnival. — The cza/s double eagle. — The czars attention to improve his capital and country. — His military rewards and pun'fJments, — Thirty tall grenadiers for the king of Prvffia. — A horrid murder at Riga. — Contributions on Dantzig. — His Jcheme in taking Weifmar. — Conference ivith the king of Denmark and arrival at Copenhagen. — The combined fleets. — The Danes alarmed. — Rcfufe fubf fence to the troops. —A conference with the king of Denmark in his capital, with its confc- qiiences. — Theftory of lieutenant general Bohn. — Opprefjive fchcme of the duke of Mecklenburg. — The dijlrefs of his people, — The czarotvitz dif- appears. — The captain refufed leave to quit the Pufjlan firvice. — The czar's return from Paris. — The return of his army to Peterfhurgh. — Diforders in his abfencered>c{fed. — Attempt to difcover a north pafage to Pddia. — The fatal expedition of prince Beckwilz. — A new regulation at Peterfjurgh, and afilk manufa^ory at Mofcow. BOOK V. ^ S to the operations of this year's campaign, field- ' -i- -^ maiflial count Zeremetof was fent, in the month of March, with 12,000 men, to ftrengthen the army of the allies in Pomerania, who were to reduce Weifmar, the only place the king of Sweden had now left in Germany. Defcent on "^^^^ ^^^'"' ^^ ^°^" ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^" ^"^ ^^'^ ^'^'"^ ^^^^^' ^^'^^ Stt'eden. ^-j^g \^q^ embarked his troops on board the gallies, and went with them to Cronflot, where he joined his fleet, confifling of fifty fliips of the line ; he (ailed from thence to Revel, where he continued to the end of June, and then failed to Gothland, and ftationed the fleet fo as to prevent the Swedes from fending any reinforcements from Stockholm into Po- merania. In the mean time, a body of cavalry were de- tached PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. i^y tached from the army in Finland, round the Bothnic gulf, book v to penetrate the northern provinces of Sweden, which threw . that kingdom into great confternation. About the middle '"'^' of September, the czar failed from Gothland to the coaft of Sundermania, and landed 15,000 men at Jevel, within a few leagues of the Swediflr army, and having laid wafte all the country round them, he re-embarked with a great? booty and failed to Revel, and from thence to Peteriburgh, where he arrived the beginning of Oftober. On the 22d of that month, the Imperial princefs, con- j^,r,h of tj., fort to the czarowitz, was delivered of a fon, who was bap- emperor's t^ granclfcn, Pe- tifed by the name of Peter, and had the title of grand duke ter, and death conferred on him to the great joy of the cz.ar, but that was cefs hii'mo. foon intei rupted by the death of the princefs who brought him ' "' into the world, v^'hich happened on the ninth day from her delivery, in the twenty-firft year of her age, having been married four years and fix days, to a hufband utterly unworthy of fo virtuous and every way deferving a princefs. When fhe was convinced of her end approaching, flie defued to fee the czar, and when he came, (he took her leave of him in the moft moving language and affe^ling manner, recommending her two children to his care, and her fervants to his proteftion ; and having embraced her children, and bedewed them with the tears of maternal af- fe6lion, fhe delivered them to the czarowitz, who carried them to his own apartments, but never once returned, or made the leaft enquiry after their motlier and his amiable confort J indeed, he had never, from the day of their mar- riage to that of her death, nor on the prefent moving ten- der fcene» Ihewed the fmalleft conjugal regard or concern for U 2 her, I7'S- 148 MEMOIRS OF BOOK V. her, fo that fhe may be faid to have been truly unhappy. When her phyficians would have perfuaded her to take feme medicine, Ihe faid with emotion, " Do not torment *' me any more, but let me die in quiet, for I will live no " longer." She expired on the firft of November, and her corpfe, by her own defire, was interred, without being embalmed, in the great church of the fortrefs on the fe- venth, with all the funeral pomp and honours due to her birth. Bnth of Pe- On the day after the princefs's interment, the emprefs was Ihe emperorl brought to bed of a prince, to the unfpeakable joy of the fon. (.2ar J the rejoicings on that occafion lafted eight days, and he was alfo baptifed by the name of Peter. The folemni- ties on this occafion were attended with moft extraordinary pomp ; as fplendid entertainments, balls, and fireworks : at one of the entertainments, three curious pies were ferved up } upon opening the firft at the table of the grandees, out ftepped a naked female dwarf, having nothing on but a head-drefs ; flie made a fpeech to the company, and then the pie was carried away ; at the table of the ladies, a male dwarf was ferved up in the fame manner ; out of the third, at the table of the gentlemen, fprung a covey of twelve partridges, with fuch a fluttering noife, as greatly furprifed the company ; in the evening a noble firework was played off, in honour of the new-born Peter, with feveral curious devices, and on the top of all was this infcription, in large chara6lers : HOPE WITH PATIENCE. A carnival. Thefe rejoicings were followed by a kind of carnival ; the czar having united the patriarchal dignity, and the great 9 revenues PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 149 revenues belonging to it to the crown, and to render the book v. chara6ler of the patriarch ridiculous in the eyes of the peo- """ pie, he appointed Sotof, his jefter, now in the eighty- fourth year of his age, mock-patriarch, who on this occa- lion was married to a buxom widow of thirty-four, and the nuptials of this extraordinary couple were celebrated in mafquerade by about four hundred perfons of both fexes, every four perfons having their proper drefs and peculiar mufical inftruments ; the perfons appointed to invite the company were four of the greateft ftammerers in the king- dom J the four running footmen were the moft unwieldy gouty, fat men, that could be found ; the bride-men, Rew- ards, and waiters were very old men ; and the priefl: that joined them in marriage was upwards of one hundred years old. The proceflion, which began at the czar's palace, and croffed the river upon the ice, proceeded to the great church near the fenate-houfe, was in the following order ; firft, a fledge, with the four footmen ; fecondly, another with the ftammerers, the bride- men, ftewards, and waiters} then followed Knez Romadanoffki, the farcical czar, who reprefented king David in his drefs, but inftead of a harp, had a lyre, covered with a bear-flcin, to play upon ; and he being the chief chara6ler in the fhow, his fledge was made in imitation of a throne, and he had king Da:vid's crown upon his head, and four bears, one at each corner, tied to his fledge, by way of footmen, and one behind ftand- ing and holding the fledge with his two paws ; the bears being all the while pricked with goads, which made them roar in a frightful manner; then the bridegroom and bride, on an elevated fledge made on purpofe, furrounded with cupids ■:o MEMOIRS OF BOOK V. cupltls holding each a large horn in his hand; on the fore- part of the fledge was placed by way of coachman, a ram »7's- with very large horns ; and behind, was a he-goat by way of lacquey ; behind them followed a number of other iledges, drawn by different kinds of animals, four to each, as rams, goats, deer, bulls, bears, dogs, wolves, fwine, and afTes j then came a number of fledges, drawn by fix horfes eacli, with the company ; the fledges were made long, with a bench in the middle, fluffed with hair and covered with cloth J twenty perfons in one fledge, fitting behind each other, as on horfeback. The procefllon no fooner began to move, than all the bells of the city began to ring, and all the drums of the fort, toward which they were advancing, began to beat upon the ramparts ; the different animals were forced to make a noife ; all the company playing upon, or rattling their different inllruments, and altogether made fuch a terrible confufed noife, that it is part defcription. The czar, with his three companions, prince Menzikof, and the counts Apraxin and Bruce, were clad like Friefland boors, each with a drum. From church the proceffion returned to the palace, where all the company were entertained till twelve at night, when the fame proceffion went by the light of flambeaux to the bride's houfe, to fee the young married couple fairly bedded.. This carnival lafted ten days, the company going every day from one houfe to another, at each of which were tables fpread with all forts of cold meat, and with fuch abundance- of flrong liquors every where, that there fcarce was a fober perfon to be found during that time in Peterflaurgh. On the tenth day, the czar gave a grand entertainment at the fenate- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 151 fenate-houfe, on the clofe of which, every one of the guefl:s book v. was prefented with a large glafs with a cover, called the ' Double-Eagle, containing a large bottle of wine, which every body was obliged to drink ; to avoid this I made my efcape, pietending to the officer upon guard, that I was fent on a meffage from the czar, whicli he believing, let me pafs, and I went to the houfe of a Mr. Kelderman, who had formerly been one of the czar's tutors, and was ftill in great favour with him ; Mr. Kelderman followed me very foon, but not before he had drank his double-eagle, and coming into his own houfe, he complained that he was fick v/ith drinking, and fitting down by the table, laid his head on it, and appeared as if fallen afleep j it being a common cuftom with him, his wife and daughters took no notice of it, till after fome time they obferved him nei- ther to move or breathe, and coming clofe up to him found he was ftifF and dead, which threw the family into great confulion. Knowing the efteem in which he flood with the czar, I went and informed him of the fudden death of Mr. Kelderman, His majefty's concern at the event, brought him immediately to the houfe, where he condoled with the widow for the lofs of her hulband, and ordered an honour- able burial for the deceafed at his own expence, and pro- vided an annuity for her life. Thus ended that noify car- nival, but it was fome time before the m.embers could fully recover their fenfes. On the 14th of January, 17 16, in the fifty- firft year i7'6. of her age, died Martha Apraxin, czarina dowager, the widow of czar Feodor, his majefty's eldeft brother ; {ha was lifter to the great admiral Apraxin j flie had only lived four ip M E M O I R S O F BOOK V. four weeks in the matrimonial ftate ; her funeral was by . torch-lii;ht, and the pomp thereof fuited to her exalted '^'^' rank; the corpfe was depofited in the church of the fort- refs, where already lay one prince, two princefles, the czar's children, and the imperial princefs. The czar was all this time indefatigable in the improve- The czar s ... attention to j^cnts of his couutry, not only in building fliips, forts, and improve his "^ i • i t t <- capital and houfes, but he provided his new academy with able mai- *^°"""^* ters, to teach all the branches of learning neceffary for the education of young gentlemen ; he alfo erefted printing- houfes, well fupplied with able tranflators of all languages, v.'ho tranflated all the moft valuable books then in Europe into the Ruffian language, his agents abroad buying up the moft valuable books, and v/hole libraries at audions > and it was truly furprifing, to fee fuch a grand colleftioii already in Peterfburgh. Here was alfo an elegant chamber of rarities, containing every thing that was curious in all the different parts of the world, and likewife a fine collec- tion of coins, medals, &c. &c. over which prefided, as keeper, Mr. Shumacker, a very ingenious and learned man, who had formerly been fecretary to Dr. Erfkine, his majefty's chief phyfician. The famous globe of Gothorp, mentioned before in the obfervatory, was a prefent from the king of Denmark, and brought to Peterfburgh at a vaft expence.. The king of Pruffia prefented the czar with an amber ca- binet, reckoned one of the greatefl curiofities in Europe of its kind ; there was a curious colleclion of wild beafts, birds, &c. one of the largeft elephants in all Afia, with all his warlike accoutrements, attended by feveral Indians ; rein-deer, with their fledges, and Laplander attendants ; the Vene- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. ,53 Venetian gondolas, with their gondoliers, &c. 6cc. all which book v. fhews, that the czar intended, in the courfe of time, to make " Ruflia worthy the obfervation of every traveller. At Mofcow he erefted large manufadories for woollen and linen cloth, as alfo glafs-works for making window-glafs and looking- olafs, under the diredtion of Engliflimen. The RuRians had formerly only ufed ifinglafs for their windows and coaches ; for at the building of Peterfburgh, they were obliged to take all their glafs from England. Although they fliipped yearly great quantities of hemp to all parts of Europe, yet they were obliged to bring their fail- cloth and cordage, manufactured abroad, from their own hemp. To remedy this evil, the czar erected manufadlories for fail- cloth, and rope-walks at Mofcow, Novogrod, and Peterf- burgh ; and that nothing might be wanting for the im- provement of his country, fkilful miners were got from Hungary and Saxony, who difcovered metals of all forts, gold, filver, copper, lead, and iron ; which laft article they were obhged formerly to purchafe from Sweden, but they now fupply other countries with it. It was furprifing to fee fo many great things undertaken and put in execution by one fingle perfon, without the af- fillance and help of any one ; his own great genius and in- defatigable apphcation to things, prefiding over all, and feeing every thing with his own eyes, without trufting to the reports of others ; fo that never monarch was lefs irapofed on than himifelf. It is to be obferved, that the natives, from the highefl to the loweft, if they difcover any thing of value in their grounds, let it be of what quaUty it will, keep it a fecret, left their ftaves fliould be employed to work it ; fo all difcoveries of , X that 154 M E M O I R S OF BOOK V. that kind are owing to foreigners : by this means many va- kiable things remain undifcovered, which otherwife might redound to the riches of this nation. In the month of February, colonel Swarts arrived here from Cafan ; he had been fent thither with a German re- giment of twelve hundred men, compofed of the Swedifli prifoners, and now brought intelUgence that he had fallen in with a body of fix thoufand Cuban Tartars, who had made an irruption into the kingdom of Cafan, and were returning home with about eight thoufand Ruffian captives whom they were carrying into flavery -, that he had not only relieved the captives, but defeated the Cubans, and made a great number of them prifoners, among whom was the chan's fon, whom he caufed to be hanged up immedi- ately, with feveral of his companions in robbery : for this fervice the czar made him a prefent of an eftate of an hun- dred boors. His military ^^ ^as an invariable maxim with the czar to reward merit rewards and vvhcrevcr hc fouud it : after a victory by fea or land, every pumfhracnts. _ / ■' ■' officer was prefented with a gold chain and medal, of a value proportioned to his rank, and every foldiera filver one, or a month's pay in lieu of it ; and the officer who had diflin- guiflied himfelf out of the common way had the firft pro- motion : on the other hand, the foldier or officer who had mifbehaved, was punifhedwith great feverity. The czar took no notice of people on account of their high birth and family, but promoted merit in every ftation, even in the meaneft plebeian, faying, that high birth was only chance, and if not accompanied with merit ought not to be regarded. Hiftory fcarce affiards an example where fo PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 155 fe many people of low birth have been raifed to fuch dignl- book ^. ties as in czar Peter's reign, or where fo many of the higheft ' 1716, birth and fortune have been levelled to thelovveft ranks in life. On the 6th of February, their majefties fet out for Dant- zig, accompanied by the princefs Catherine, fecond daughter of czar Ivan, (or John) and niece to his majefty, and arrived the 29th. On the 19th of April, the princefs was mar- ried to Charles Leopold, duke of Mecklenburgh. I was ordered this winter to difcipline thirty grenadiers. Thirty tail intended for a prefent to the king of Pruflia ; they were for"he'king collefted from different parts of the czar's dominions, and of''^'^^- were from fix feet fix, to fix feet nine inches high, witiiout Ihoes ; they were taught the Pruflian exercife, armed in their manner, and clad in their uniform and caps : amongft the number, there was one Indian, who had attended the elephant, one Turk, two Perfians, and three Tartars, and it might probably be faid with propriety, that no prince in the world had a guard compofed of fo many different na- tions as the king of Pruflia, confidering the prefents of men fent him from all parts of Europe. By orders from prince Menzikoff, I fet out on the 25th of March from Peterfburgh, to condu6l the thirty grenadiers to Berlin ; and as the roads were ftill good for travelhng on the fnow, we were furnilhed with horfes and fledges to Riga: we arrived at Narva the 30th, and at Riga the 12th of April, where I refted three days to refrefh the men. Here we faw twelve men broke alive upon the wheel j their crime was as follows : A man who kept a tavern, or inn, without one of the a horrid gates of the city, and had alfo a windmill on his ground, Ri^'a^ ^^ X 2 _ having 156 MEMOIRSOF BOOK V. having detefted one of his men-fervants in feveral frauds, . turned him away, and retained his wages for fome little '^'*' indemnification ; the fellow, at his going away, threatened his mafter he would make him repent detaining his wages j whereupon he went and affociated himfelf with eleven more as bad as himfelf. Soon after this they went to the houfe in the middle of the night, and meeting one of the maid- fervants going for water, they murdered her, and put her body under the ice ; they then entered the houfe and {ta- bles, and murdered three other women, and five men-fer- vants ; at laft, they entered the landlord's apartments, and murdered his wife and three of his children before his face ; the fourth, a boy of five years old, had hid himfelf in the confufion, below a bed unperceived ; they then forced the landlord to open all his cherts and drawers, and carried away what was portable and valuable out of the houfe j they then tied the landlord neck and heel to the foot of a large table, at which they fat down and regaled themfelves with the beft things the houfe afforded : here they concluded putting hay and flraw In all the apartments, and then fet the houfe on fire, that the villain of a landlord, as they called him, might be burnt alive, and which would alfo confume the murdered bodies, and prevent any pofilbility of difcovery j and to make all fure, they brought the fervant maid's body from under the ice, and laid it down by her living mafter ; after this well-laid plot, they fet the houfe on fire, and fled with their booty. The little boy, who v/as hid under the bed, was forced fromi thence by the fmoke, and the father perceiving the child called to him, and defired him to take a knife out of his pocket, and cut the cord from off his hands. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. isy hands, which the child did : the father being thus cleared, book v. took his Httle fon in his arms, and made his way through ' the flames, and immediately retired into the covered way of ''' ' the town, for fear of being difcovered by any of the villains who might be flill lurking near the place. The houfe and outhoufes being all in flames, the governor ordered the gates to be opened, and fent out a party of men to try to fave what they could from the fire ; but before they could get to the place all was burnt to the ground ; fo that the plot of thofe villains was fo well laid, that if it had not been owing to the miraculous prefervation of the child and his father, it might have remained a fecret to this day. The landlord difcovering himfelf to the officer that was at the head of the detachment, intreated that he might be pri- vately carried to the governor, to whom he .difcovered the whole of this dreadful fcene, and who gave orders to fecure and examine all perfons who fhould enter the town that morning ; by which caution the villains, apprehending themfelves fecure from every pofTibility of difcovery, as all evidence had periflied in the fire, were, on their entering the town, every one taken. The i6th of April I fet out from Riga, and went by Mit- tau and Polangen, and arriv^ed at Memel the 24th3 having travelled all the way in waggons ; from hence I went by water to Staken, paffing the haff, or bay of Courland, which is fifteen German miles, and from thence to Konigf- berg, where I arrived on the 26th ; where I was kindly re- ceived, and great care was taken of the men, as they were to be of the king's guards. It being rumoured about the town that thefe men were of feveral different nations, it brought I great 1716. 15S MEMOIRS OF so OK V, great crouds of people to fee them. We remained here h\ free quarters to the 2d of May, when I fet off for Elbing, and arrived at Bantzig the 5tb, when I found the city fo crouded, that I could not get my men quartered there, and was obliged to march forward to Clofter of Oliva. There were at this time refiding in Dant7.ig, the czar and czarina, king Auguftus of Poland, and the duke and duchefs of Mecklenburg, with all their numerous retinues; the czar was at prefent gone to Pillau to review forty-five of his gallies, that were arrived there from Peterfbur^h, with eight thoufand men on board ; I waited, therefore, upon the czarina, who ordered me to (lay at Oliva till his majeflry's return, which happened on the 9th ; and he came next day with the duke of Mecklenburgh to Oliva, where he reviewed the grena- diers, making them go through their exercife, and was very well pleafed with their performance : his majefty then or- dered me to proceed to Berlin, by flow marches, for fear of fatiguing the men. H'lscontri- The Dantzigers did not fecm much pleafed either with Dantzig. the czar, or the king of Poland at this time ; who had ob- liged the city not only to renounce all commerce with the Swedes, but to equip four fiiips of war to cruife againft them ; and alfo to pay the czar one hundred thoufand rix- dollars. His majefty fetting out from thence, the loth, for Mecklenburgh, with all his retinue, was faluted by one hundred and fifty pieces of cannon, to convince him they were in no want of artillery. I fat out with my men the next day, and got to Stolpe the 15th, where I underftood that the czar and the king of Pruflia had held a private confer- ence three days before } in which they had agreed, as I after- wards PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 159 wards learnt, not to fuffer the king of Sweden to make any book v. attempt on the dominions of the Dane ; nor to affift the ' Danes in any attempt againfl the Swedes, wlio were already ''" ' fufficiently reduced ; having loft all their foreign provinces, and had now nothing left but Sweden itfelf. I cannot here omit mentioning the czar's defigns relative Hisfcheme to the town and fort of Wcifmar, which lay very conve- Wcirmaf. nient for the duke of Mecklenburgh, being near to Schwe- rin and Roftock. The czar had promifed the duke to take that place from the Swedes, and put him in pofl'effion of it; for this pm'pofe he aflembled an army of twenty-fix thoufand men to befiege it j but the troops of Denmark, Pruflia, and Hanover, having got pofieflion of it, put each two battalions of their troops in garrifon, without admitting any of the Ruffian troops, which entirely fruftrated that defign, to the no fmall difappointment of the czar. This tranfaction of the allies he could never digeft, but refented it upon every occafion, as will be afterwards feen in the intended de- fcent on Schonen, and other tranfa6lions. The czar had it always much at heart to get footing in Germany : firft, he offered to aflift the emperor with twenty-five thoufand men, at his own expence, againft France, if he fhould be admitted a member of the Roman empire j but in this he was difappointed ; fecondly, by the marriage of his niece with the duke of Mecklenburgh, and promifinghimWeifmar j intend- ing thereby to get a fafe harbour for his fiiipping in thofe parts. It was afterwards propofed to the duke to exchange Meck- lenburgh for an equivalent, which muft have been either Courland or Livonia. But the princes of the empire having grown very jealous of the czar's exorbitant power, fruftrated him in all his views of getting any footing in the empire. Even 1716. i6o M E M O I R S O F BOOK V. Even the regent of France interefted himfelf fo far as to get the czar's promife to withdraw his forces out of Germany. On the 1 6th of May, I fet out from Stolpe, and arrived at BerHn the 27th, with all the men, in good heakh and high fpirits. I was conduced, by an officer upon guard, to tlie houfe of field- marflial count Wartenfleben, to whom I delivered a letter from prince Menzikofi ; the field-marflial immediately ordered the men into quarters of refrclhment, till the king fliould return from Potfdam, which he did in two days after; and when his majefty reviewed the men, he declared they were the beft fliaped, and handfomeft men of their fizes, he had ever feen ; and was very much pleafcd with them. When I had delivered up my charge, I retired ; and the next day the field-marfhal prefented me with a purfe of two hundred ducats : the diftance between Peterfburgh and Berlin is 12 10 Ruffian werfts, or 807 Englifli miles. As many of my relations refided in and about Berlin, from whom I had now been abfent ten years, I pafTed three months very agreeably among them : they endeavoured to perfuade me to leave the Ruffian, and return to the Pruffian fervicc, from an opinion that it might eafily be obtained at prefent, as I had juft brought his majefty the moft defireable pi'efent he could receive ; and my friends confulted field-marflial Wartenfleben and general Gerodorf about it, who were both of opinion, that it might be eafily accomplilhed at prefent, if I could obtain my difcharge from the Ruffian fervice. While my relations were ufing all their intereft to get this change brought about, an exprefs was brought me from field-marfiial count Zeremetof, with orders to join him immediately at Rof- tock, in Mecklenburg, and to attend him as aid-de-camp to Denmark, and arrival at Copenhagen. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ i6i Denmark, as he had none at that lime that could fpeak the book v. language. Upon which I fet out immediately from Berlin, 1716* and I arrived at Roftock the 24th of Auguft ; the marfhal fet out next day for Warnemunde, where we found our troops embarking. His majefty the czar had held a long conference with Conference the king of Denmark at Ham and Horn, near Hamburgh, rfDcmntrif which lafted from the aSth of May to the 4th of June ; in which a defcent upon Schonen was agreed upon and con- certed. On the 5th of June, the czar fet out for Pyrmont, to drink the waters j and returned the 30th to Schwerin, the refidence of the duke of Mecklenburgh. The 4th of July, he went to Roftock and Warnemunde, where the forty-five gallies were arrived from Dantzig, with eight thoufand troops on board, vvith which he then fet fail for Denmark, and was met atProveftein by his Danifh majefcy, who went on board the czar's galley, and they arrived together at Copenhagen the 17th. On the 28th of Auguft, marflial ZeremetofF fet fail from Warnemunde with ten thoufand men, and arrived at Co- penhagen the aytli. The marflial going afhore to the houfe fitted up for him in the city, the cuftom-houfe officers came on board to fearch his baggage, but were prevented by the officer then upon guard j upon which they ftopped the (hip from entering the harbour, and I was fent to the cuflom- houfe to knov^' why the fliip, with the marflial's baggage, was hindered from entering iiito the harbour ? There they told me it was to fearch for merchandize ; I replied, it was not cuftomaryfor Ruffian generals to turn merchants, and af- fured them there v;as no merchandize at all on board the Y fliip ; I7i6. 162 MEMOIRS OF BOOK V. Ihip ; and that the marfiial would certainly refent fiich in- jurious treatment : upon this an order was fent to bring the flilp into the harbour, and upon landing the baggage, the cuftom-houfe officers had a watchful eye on every thing that was brought on fhore. The next day, a gentleman was fent from court to the marfhal, to apologife for the inde- cent behaviour of the cuftom-houfe, and to affure him the officers concerned in that rudenefs were all fined and turned out of their places. Thecombin- ^^ ^^'^^^ ^^^^ admiral Norris, and rear admiral Graves,, ed fleets. j^y before Copenhagen with an Englifli and Dutch fqua- dron, to whom the czar now propofed to join the Ruffian and Danifh fleets, and drive the Swedes into port j which was agreed to, and the czar to command the combined fl^et, with admiral Norris to command the van, the czar the centre, and the Danifli vice-admiral the rear divifions ;. and admiral Graves was to convoy the trade of both na- tions to their refpedive harbours. The czar accordingly hoifted his imperial flag, and weighed with the fleet j but paffing by Bornholra, they vvere informed that the Swediih fleet were gone to Carlfcroon ; upon this the combined fleet feparated ; the czar went to Stralfund, embarked his-, troops that were quartered there, and carried them to Co- penhagen. The Danes ^7 ^^^^ augmentation, our army confifted of 24,000 alarmed. men, all encamped very near the capita!, which roufed the jealoufy and alarmed the fears of the Danes fo much, that they drew their forces together from all parts of Zealand to Copenhagen ; great part of which were encamped upon the ramparts all round it, and they placed a ftrong guard at every gate. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 163 gate, with flii6t orders not to fuffer above one hundred ^°"k: v. Ruffians to enter the city at once to get water, as there was 5 none elfewhere to be got. This water was brought from the king's park, a confiderable diflance, into the city through pipes : but one hundred men being found infufficient to carry water for fuch an army, they permitted fifty more to enter at a time, one party being ready to enter as foon as the other came out j but as they were often hindered from fup- plying themfelves by the Danifli foldiers, who thought them- felves entitled to be Hid ferved, this occafloned great dif- orders ; at lafl, it came to blows, and fevcral were killed and wounded on both fides : the Ruffians findins; the eruard too partial to their own people, feized, difarmed, and drove them off. After they ari'ivcd at the camp, they began to dig for water every where, and happening upon one of the pipes that conveyed the water into the city, they cut it, by which they were afterwards very well fupplied : but being ill fupplied with fire-wood for dreffing their vi(5tuals, they began to cut down the trees in the park, and had cut down a great number before a flop could be put to it by their ofii- cers ; feveral of the ring- leaders were feverely puniilred for it. The Danes had agreed to ferve us with provifions only for Refjfe fub- the 1 6, coo men the czar ftipulated to bring to their affifl- troo^,s, ance, and now refufed fubnilence for the 8000 brought from Stralfund, alledging they came without their confent or knowledge : fo that from henceforth there was nothing hut jealoufy and miflrufl on both fides, which, however, d^ not interrupt the court diverfions of balls, affemblies, and mafquerades. During the three months the czar v/as Y 2 at 164 MEMOIRS OF BOOK V, at Copenhagen, he attentively vifited their colleges and aca- demies, and faw every thing that was curious in the place; ''' ■ he went ajfo alffioft every day out in a boat, founding and furveying the coafts both of Denmark and Sweden fo exactly, that the leaft bank of fand did not efcape his obfervation ; and he laid down the whole in a chart. One day when he was coafting Schonen, to difcover a proper landing-place, on his return he met with a frefh contrary gale of wind, which prevented his reaching Copenhagen with day-light j the czarina fent to the governor to defire the gate might be left open till the czar's arrival, which he promifed to dcvj and upon my being fent by the marflial to fee if this was complied with, I found it ihut ; and was told by the offi- cer of the guard that the keys were fent to the king, I re- ported this to the marflial, who went himfelf to the gover- nor, who, after fome frivolous apology, that the keys had been fent by miftake to the king, told him, now that his majefty was at reft, he durft not difturb him. It was one o'clock in the morning before the czar could make the land, and not being able to make the harbour, or get the boat near the flioie, he jumped out up to the neck in water, waded afliore, and walked in his wet clothes all the way up to the gates, which finding fiuit, he returned to the fuburbs, went into the lodging of an officer of his own guards, where he fliifted himfelf with the officer's linen and clothes, and refted the remaining part of the night : in the morning he drefTed in the officer's regimentals, and although they were much too fliort for him, yet he walked up the city in them, where he was met by the czarina, the mar- fhal, and feveral others. Many were the apologies for the miftakes PETEIl HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 165 mlilakes and blunders committed, and both the governor ^ook: v. and colonel of the cruaid were put under arreft ; but the ~"^ , 1716. czar laur;hed at it, and interceded for them, faying, they had only done their duty ; and they were accordingly re- leafed. A few days after this the two crowned heads met, and held A fonference a council o' war, attended only by their prime minifters and of Denmark, {' n 1 r 1 vvith its con- neld-mariiials, theicby to keep the meafures they were to fequenas. take a profound fecret :. it was refolved at this meeting to make a defcent on Schonen without lofs of time. Not- withftanding the method taken to keep this intended expe- dition a fecret, it was immediately known all over the city, inforauch, that I heard every ftep that was to be taken from a Danifh officer in a public coffee- houfe; When I informed the marfhal thereof, he was very much furprifed ; and the czar, with the prime minifter, coming at the time to dine with him, he repeated what I had heard in the town, where- with the czar feemed very much dilTatisfied. The troops, however, were all in motion getting ready to embark, and a demand was made for one month's pro- vifion for the army -, to which we were told, there was no occafion for any, as there had been a plentiful harvefl: at Schonen, where we would meet with every thing we flood in. need of ; and befides, as there was an open communi- cation with Copenhagen, we could be fupplied from thence as we had occafion. The czar not relifhing this, toid the king it was now too late in the year to attempt fuch an en- terprize, as nothing was provided beforehand, and therefore it ought to be laid afide tdl next fpring ; but if his majefty was refolved to venture on the defcent this feafon, the czarj agree- i66 MEMOIRS OF BOOK V. agreeable to the treaty made at Stralfund, would affift him — with the lifieen battalions therein ftipulated. The khig ^^'^' then defired the affiftance of thirteen more battalions, which the czar refuled, faying, that he had occafion for his troops elfevvhere. To this the king returned, that (ince matters flood thus, he defired none of his troops, and wiihed that they might all fpeedily be withdrawn from his dominions, that the tranfports which coft him 40,000 rixdollars a month might be difcharged : accordingly, all our troops embarked on the 19th of September, and we lay near a month wind- bound before Copenhagen, and became {o diftrefled for fire-wood, which was not to be procured at any price, that the czar ordered ten of his gallies to be cut up for that pur- pofe, and difcributed among the fleet. The fioiy of While we were at Copenhagen, a circumftance happened genmi^"^' to a lieutenant-general of our fervice, whofe name was Bohn. Bohn, which I cannot omit mentioning. He was born on the ifland of Bornholm, where his father had been a minif- ter ; his mother was left a very poor widow, and now hear- ing that her fon was at Copenhagen, a general in the Ruf- fian fervice, flie came to fee him, and calling at his lodgings, was told by his fervants that he was not at home : The de- fired the fervants to tell their mafter that Ihe was his mo- ther, and was come from Bornholm on purpofe to fee him, and would call again next morning. Upon this informa- tion, the general flew into a great paflion, faying, his mo- ther had been dead many years ago, and that this muft be feme needy perfon or other, or perhaps, out of her mind ; and ordered his aid-de-camp, if fhe called again, to give her ten ducats, and fend her away, that he might not be 9 , farther I7»6. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ.. 167 farther troubled with her. The mother calHng next morn- book v. ing, the aid-cle-camp did as he was directed, and offered her the ten ducats as his mafter's charity ; fhe threw them with difdain upon the ground, and faid, with tears in her eyes, fhe did not come to beg charity, but to fee her fon ; and fmce he could both deny and defpife his mother, fhe would return from whence fhe came, and trouble him no more. This made fo great a noife all over the town, that it came to the czarina's ears : flie fent for the woman, who foon fatisfied the emprefs that flie was the general's mother; he was fent for, and received a reprimand for his unnatural behaviour, and was ordered to fetile two hundred rubles a year on his mother for her life, which was complied with; and he was, in the mean time, twitted with general Baur's generous behaviour to his poor relations, who was not afhamed of them, though of a lower degree than his. This reprimand put the general into great confufion, and he was afterwards very much difregarded. We weighed from Copenhagen early in the morning of the 12th of Oilober, with a frelh breeze at North, and ar- rived the next day at Warnemunde, in Mecklenburgh ; the whole army difembarked the fame day and encamped. Two days after our departure from Copenhagen, the czar had a grand entertainm.ent from the Danifli monarch, and having t'aken leave of that court, fat out next day, with the emiprefs, in his way to Hamburgh, and having pafled the Belt, and taken a view of Toningen and Frederickftadt, proceeded for Lubeck and Schwerin. Field- marflial count Zeremetof was now ordered to march 9pprcffive ... fclieme of the with 12.000 men through Pomerania mto Poland; and duke of Mecklen- 12,000 burgh. 'i6S M E M O I R S O F BOOK V. 12,000 men were quartered in Mecklenburgh, under the ""■ command of general Weyde, at the duke's own defire, as '''' " a means to diftrefs and humble the nobility of his country, v^ho were at law with him at the Imperial court to fup- port their rights. When the marflial was fent into Poland, with part of the army, I was ordered, on account of the language, to remain with general Weyde as his aid-de- camp, at his own requeft : we were quartered at Guftrow, and the army upon the eftates of the nobility, by an order from the duke himfelf, v/ho laid them under moft oppref- five contributions, which utterly ruined them. : they had re- courfe to the Imperial court, and the diet of the empire, for redrefs of their grievances, who did all they could to per- fuade the czar to withdraw his troops out of Germany ; but the czar was now gone from Schwerin to Havel- berg, where he had a private interview, for two days to- gether, with the king of Pruflia, and then went to Hsm- burg, and from thence to Amfterdam, where he arrived the 6th of December, and waited for the arrival of the emprefs, who, v/hen Hie was preparing to fet out from Wefel, was 3717. delivered of a prince, the 2d of January, 1717 ; but the child died the day it was born, fo that it was the loih of February before fhe arrived at Amfterdam ; and their majefties went to the Hague the 9th of March, where they continued till the 4th ot April. A report was fpread that the circular troops of the em- pire were forming an army upon Grander Heyde, near Ham- burgh, with an intention to diilodge our troops in Meck- lenburgh ; upon which our army took the field, and cn- campeJ at Gadebuih, uiider the command of lieutenant- 8 general 1717. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. ,69 general Lacy, major-general Slippenbacli, and bregadier-ge- book v, neral Le Fort j general Weyde was then indifpoled at Guf- trow, and fent me to Grander Heyde to learn what number of troops were encamped there i when I came I could nei- ther fee nor hear of any troops being aflembled at that place : I then proceeded to our refident in Hamburgh, to obtain in- telligence, but inftead of hearing of any circular troops form- ing againft us, it was currently reported there, that the Ruffian army were going to make an irruption into the ele(5lorate of Hanover ; which falfe report fo much alarmed the Hanoverians, that many of the people of property moved off their efFefts, to fecure them in Hamburgh, and other places of fafety : all this being occafioned by our forming- a camp at GadebuOi, fo that we were alarmed on both fides v/ithout the fmalleft foundation. Upon my return to Guf- trow, and reporting what had paft, I v/as immediately dif- patched to our camp, with orders for our army to break up and return to their quarters. This falfe alarm being over foon fettled people's minds again ; but the poor fubje(5\s of Mecklenburgh, were daily more and more harafled by our troops, at thedefpotic commands of their unrelenting prince, which occafioned many petitions from the ladies cf the no- bility and gentry, to the duchefs, to commiferate their de- plorable fituation, and intercede for their relief. She really pitied their miferable condition, but could not prevail with the duke to Ihew them the fmalleft favour j on which flie de- termined to fend an exprefs to the czar, to plead in behalf of the diftrelfed people, and to lay before him fevei al griev- ances of her own : but as fhe could fend none of her own domeftics without the duke's knowlege, ihe therefore fent Z Mr. 170 MEMOIRSOF BOOK IV. Mr. Beftuzof, then gentleman of her bed-chamber (after- •' terwards great chancellor of Ruffia), to general Weyde, de- *^''' firing the general to (end an exprefs, in his own name, to the czar : upon this the general fcnt me with Mr. Beftuzof to Schwerin, to receive the duchefs's commands, and to get into the duchefs's apartment unknown to the duke, who was of a very fufpicious temper. We went by a back door through the garden, and on entering the houfe, he was the firft perfon we met, which put us into fome confufion j we made him a low bow, and paft without his fpeaking a word, or taking any notice of us; but inftead of going dlretlly to the duchefs as we had propofed, Mr. Beftuzof conduced me to his own apartments, where I remained till it was dark, when I was introduced to the duchefs who gave me my in- ftrudions, with which I returned the fame night to Guf- trow. The general having by this time prepared his dif- patches, I fet out next day on my way to Holland, and ar- rived at Amfterdam the 8th of May; but the czar being gone from thence to Paris, I waited upon the czarina, who or- dered me to follow his majefty ; and having received her packet, I fet out the next day and got to Paris the i 3 th, fix days after his majefty's arrival. The reception and honours paid the czar at Paris are fo well known, that it would be tedious to repeat them ; I fhall cnly therefore juft mention that it was now the duke of Orleans (regent of France) ob- tained a promife from him to withdraw his troops from the German dominions. Having received his majefty's difpatches for Amfterdam, on the 3d of June, I fet out and arrived there the 9th ; and receiving her majefty's commands, I fet out thence the 3 next PETER HENRY B'RUCE, ESQ. 171 next day and got to Schwerin the 16th, v/here I delivered book v. both tlieir majefly's difpatches into the duchefs's own . ■ — hands. The contents of v;hat I brought were fo very ac- '^''' ceptable, that I met with a very gracious reception, and had a handfome prefent made me j and, to prevent difcovery, I left Schwerin privately in the night time, and fet off for Guftrow. The czar's difpatch to general Weyde, brought him orders to levy no more contributions on the inhabitants of that country. The duke was fo much diflatisfied with this new order, The diftrefi that he employed his own troops to exact contributions from them, with greater rigour than ever, which reduced his nobility to the neceffity of felling their plate and jewels, and at lafl: their equipages and furniture, and became fo en- tirely ruined, that they were obliged to fly their country j and their boors for the moft part, went into the Pruffiati territories, where they offered themfelves, with their wives and children, for vaflals or flaves. At the defire of fome of my friends, I engaged a number of thefe poor families for their behoof, and that with the confent of their late owners who told me that they had no farther ufe for them, being reduced to fo low a ftate that they were left without the means to cultivate and fow their lands for want of cattle and feed ; fo that their mifery and calamity were paft de- fcription, which made the princes of the empire intereft themfelves earneftly in their behalf, in an application to the czar to withdraw his troops from thence, which was loon after complied with, and the affair at lafl: ended in the utter ruin of the duke himfelf, for his country was put under Z 2 fequef- 172 BOOK V. MEMOIRS OF fequeftration, and he was obliged to live feveral years an exile at Dantzig. »7'7. . whtn we fet out on our expedition to Denmaik, the czarowits had his fathers's exprefs orders to attend him ; he rather chofe to abfcnt himfelf than obey, and abfconded without the knowlegc of any body : meflcngers weie fent all over Europe in queft of him, and he was at length dif- covered at Naples^ by captain Romantzof of the guards. The captain acquainted count Tolftoi, our ambaffador at Vienna, with the difcovery, and the count went to him at Naples, and perfuaded and prevailed with him to return to Mofcow, and fubmit himfelf to his father's clemency, affuring him that no prince in Europe would rifque the czar's refentment by proteding him. The cnptam My fricnds at Berlin had by this time procured mc a to'qu^U the"^ company in general Gerodoif's regiment of thePruffian ai my, Ruffian fer- j£ j ^.q^jJj procure my discharge from the Rufiian fervice j and as 1 had a company in their artillery under general Bruce, and was aid-de-camp to general Weyde, I applied to them both, and to prince Menzikof for my difcharge, but could by no means obvain it ; fo I was obliged to con- tinue in the Mufcovite fervice, very much againft my in- clination, nor could I think of quitting it without my dif- charge, knowing I could not be admitted into the Pruffiaa fervice without it. The latter end of June, we received orders from the czar to march out of Mecklenbargh, after nine months free quarters, leaving four battalions there for the duke's fervice^ at his defire j and we began to march the firft of July. By thofe. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 173 thofe and 4000 of his own troops, he thought to prevent the book v. circular troops from entering his territories. Our army were — "" 1717, no fooner gone, than he got . intelligence that a body of Hanoverians were on their march to enter into his territories, upon which he ordered geneial Schwerin, with his own and the Ruffian troops, to Iccure the pais which was at a mill- dam, by which the Hanoverians were to enter; there the Duke's forces entrenched themfelves with feveral pieces of cannon. The Hanoverians advancing, endeavoured to force their way, and a very bloody rencontre enfued, in which a number were killei and wounded on both fides, and the Hanoverians obliged to retire : but upon a complaint being made to the czar, that his troops had been the aggrelTors, he ordered them to leave Mecklenburgh and join our army ; the duke's troops foon followed and were retained in the czar's fervice, and the duke himfelf retired to Dantzig. On the 1 3th of July, our army aflembled at new Bran- denburg, and we marched through Stettin and Landlberg, to Polifli Schwerin, where we arrived the 25th ; and as we were now in the dominions of Poland, we refted till the 7th of Auguft, and then marched by Friedland to Tuchol the ift of September, where we were to remain till farther orders. The czar left Paris the 21th of July, and travelled by the The czar's . , . . return frorm way of Soiffons, CharleviUe, Namur, Huy, and l-iege, tak- Paris. ing a minute view of all the fortifications in his way, but more particularly at Namur, where the governor fhevved his majefty a mofl refpeftful attention during his (lay ; he ar- rived at Spa the 28th, where he ftopt to drink the waters, and went the 2d of Auguft for Amfterdam, in which city die. 174 MEMOIRS OF BOOK V. the czarina had impatiently waited his return. After a mondi's ftay at Arnfterdam, in v/hich time he had fcviral ''"^' private conferences with baron Gortz, miniPcer to the duke of Holftein, at Loo, (a palace belonging to the prince of Orange), the czar fet out tl;e 2d of September on his way to Berlin, and arrived there the i 9th ; and the czarina in three days after, being met at fome diflance from the city by the queen of Prudia, and the margravine of Brandcn- burgh, who condu6Ved her into Berlin ; where the duke and duchefs of Mecklenburgh came to pay them a vifit. Tiiereturnof Their majefties continued here but three days, and then PeteribuLh'. ^'^^^^ ^he route for Dantzig, where they arrived the 15th of September, and where general Weyde waited on the czar to receive his commands. His majefty fet out on his jour- ney for Peteifburgh, and we returned to Tuchol the firft of O£lober. Mr. Gruzinfky, a commilTary appointed by the king of Poland, attended us through Poland, till we arrived in the Ruffian territories. We began our march on the 2d of 06lober, by Warfaw, Wilda, (the capital of Li- thuania), Riga, and Narva, paffing many rivers in our way, fuch as the Viftula, or Weixel twice, twice over the Weper ; and over the Zaas, Memel, Wilda, Swenta, Dwina, and Narva ; as we were in no hurry, refting in good quarters, four days in every week, and plentifully fupphed with pro- vifions, we fpent feven months moft agreeably on this march, and arrived at Peterlbujgh the i 9th of February; the di- flance from Guftrow, our head quarters in Mecklenburgh, to Petc'ibutgh, is 1,959 Ruffian werfts, or 1,30^ Englifh miles. The Polifli commilTary, Gruziniky, was handfomely rewarded, by the czar, for providing fo plentifully for the troops. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. jy^ The czar having arrived at Peter {burgh on the 21 ft of book v. 06lober, after an abfence of fixteen months, a muhiplicity ' of affairs of great importance waited his return. Great Difordei-s ip charges were exhibited againfl; thofe who liad been entrufted redieffX^' with the reins of government in his abfence : in order to examine into the accufation againfl the parties concerned he attended the fenate every morning at four o'clock ; but finding it would require much time to judge thofe wha were accufed, he erected an extraordinary court of juflice, to enquire into thefe matters. Wolchonfky, the governor of Archangel, and many others being capitally convifted^ fuffered death j many more were knouted and fent into ba- nifhment. Various attempts had been made by the czar's orders and An attempt dire6lions, with fhips from Archangel, to difcover a north nonh'plffa^e paffage to the Eafl Indies j but that was found impra6lic- **'i"'''*' able, by reafon of the many large fhoals of ice, like iflands, floating upon thofe feas. Before the czar fet out for Ger- many, he fent a gentleman who underftood the mathema- tics, as his envoy, with prefents to feveral of the northern Tartar princes, to difcover if there was a continuation of the fea to China, by the north of Tartary. This gentleman being returned, reported that he met a very friendly re- ception, and great civility from many of the Tartarian princes, who efcorted him for his fafetyfrom one to another, till he came within the 70th degree of north latitude, to a province called lakuti, on the river Lena, which empties. itfelf into the Frozen Sea at 80 degrees, near an ifland. called Tazata, the prince of that country would neither ac- cept his prefents, nor fufFer him to proceed down the- river^ but: 176 M E M O I R S O F BOOK V. but threatened if he did not return fjom whence he came, ' " he would give orders to cut him and his men to pieces j this '^' " put an end to his farther progrefs and difcoveries, and he was obliged to return. He made a very accurate map of the feveral Tartar kingdoms through which he pafied, with a particular defcription of the countries and the inhabitants, much more than was before known of thofe wild parts ; which map, Sec. he prefented to the czar. He reported, that they were all vagabond Tartars, living in tents, and fniftiiig their refidence from place to place for pafturage, as all their riches confiflied in herds of cattle ; but he ob- ferved a fort of houfes, or huts, on the fides of rivers, and fome corn, and in thefe fuuations their chams generally rcfided. But while the northern Tartars remain fo favage, it will be impofTible to make a full difcovery of thofc parts. The Fatal ex- About this time his majefty received a very difagreeable pedition of account of the ifTue of an attempt that was made on the prince Becke- witz. eaft fide of the Cafpian fea, towards Ulbeck Tartary. The czar having been informed, that great quantities of gold fand came dov^'n the river Daria, he fent pri.xe Alexander Beckewitz, at the head of 3000 men, to land at the mouth of that river, and build a fort there ; and then to proceed farther up the country to difcover the mines from which this gold fand came ; the prince accordingly built a fort without the fmallcft oppofition, although the Ufbeck Tartars were upon the very fpot ; but, inftead of hindering, ihey gave him every affiftance in their power, providing the troops with all kinds of provifions, and maintained a moft friendly intercourfe with each other. The fort being finiflied, the prince wanted to proceed up the river to difcover the mines, which '7'7« PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ ,77 which the Tartars obferving, told him, if he propofed to book v, follow the courfe of the river, he would find it unfurmount- " able, by its many turnings and windings ; and if he wanted only to come to the mines, there was a much nearer way by land, which they could march in three days, and that they were ready to conduit them. The prince, trufting to their feeming friendlliip, and having no reafon to fear their inconfiderable number, left a captain with 200 men to garrifon the fort and fecure the fhips ; fet out through a defert with his Tartarian guides, and having marched (even days, inftead of three, they were in the utmoft diftrefs for water; and, at length, after abundance of fatigue, they ar- rived at the mines, but found there, before them, the cham of Uibeck with 50,000 of his Tartars, who now, with every appearance of friendflaip, offered prince Beckewitz all the afliftance in his power j afTuring him, fmce he underftood that the prince was to eredl a fort there, he would give or- ders to his people to provide materials for the building j and offered to canton the army in the kibbits, or tents, with his own men, as they had fuffered To much on their march through the defert for want of water, and might now be diArefled for provifions, with which he alfo offered to fupply them till they could be otherways provided : the cham all the while entertaining the prince, and all his officers, with fo much feeming friendly familiarity, that they thought themfelves extremely happy. When the prince propofed cantoning the men among the Tartars, all his officers to a man protefted againft it, alledging, the Tartars ought not to be trufted ; for fo long as they kept themfelves together in a body, they had nothing to fear from the Tartars, not- A a withftanding 178 M E M O I R S O F BOOK V. withftanding their numbers; but as foon as they feparated themfelves, they would run the rifque of being every one mafiacred. The Tartar cham obferving that they were not inclined to truft him, laid to the prince and his officers, that they bad no reafon to miftruft his kindnefs, as it entirely pro- ceeded from his regard to the czar, their mafter, whom he knew to be engaged in great wars in Europe, which could not be carried on without gold ; and for that reafon, he freely gave them liberty to take as much of it as they pleafed ; for his own part, he neither valued gold nor fiKer, as it was of no ufe in their country, for they lived without that, or even bread, confcquently had no ufe for either; their \\hole riches confifting in herds of cattle, which, with their tents,, they could remove at pleafure ; and, confcquently, could not fear having either caftks, towns, or villages, rifled or taken from them ; for they lived here one day, and elfcr where the next. As to his offer to quarter their men a- mongft his people, it was made with a kind intention, and to provide for them till the arrival of their own ftores from their fliips, which could not be long, as he had fent a party of his men with camels to haften them forward. The general, at length, by thefe infmuations,. againft the advice of all his officers, was prevailed upon to quarter his army amongft the Tartars ; while this was doing., the. cham was entertaining the prince, and his principal officers^ in his own tent, till late in the night, when, in the height of their merriment, a Tartar entered and told tlie cham, his orders Vv^ere executed ; on which the cham put on a. ftern countenance, ordered all the officers to be difarmed and PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 179 and bound, which was inftantly done; he theu told the book v, ])rince that all his troops were mafTacred, and that fince he ' ' had prefumed to enter into his territories, and taken poflef- fion without his leave, he, and his officers were to be put to death : the officers were that inftant difpatched before his face, and prince Beckewitz was ordered to kneel down on a piece of red cloth, fpread on the ground for that pur- pofe, to meet his fate ; but the prince began to upbraid the cbam with his treachery, and afTured him, that the czar would refent it in the moll ample manner ; he was imme- diately cut on the legs with their fcymetars till he fell, and then they inhumanly cut him in pieces. At the fame time, the party that had been fent to the fort for provifions, fur- prifed and maflacred the whole garrifon that was left there, and then deftroyed the fort and burnt the fliips, leaving not the leaft appearance that any thing of that kind had ever been there. This difafter occafioned various conjeflure and fpeculation all over Ruffia, as not the leaft accounts had been received ei- ther of the men or fliips, till at laft it was concluded theymufl: have all perifhed in the Cafpian fea. The whole of this affair was difcovered to the czar by an officer, a German by birth, who had been taken prifoner at the battle of Pultowa, in the Swedifli fervice, and went on this expedition as a captain and aid -de-camp to the general, and was an eye-witnefs to the whole tranfa^lion, from firft to laft ; he was preferved in the general maflacre by his hoft, in order to fell him ; but as he had not been ufed to hard work, he was often fold from one mafter to another, till at laft he fell into the hands of an Armenian merchant, who had a correfpondence with other Armenians A a 2 at i8o MEMOIRS OF BOOK V. at Aftrachan : he dlfcovered himfelf to this merchant, who, ' on havuig fecurity for the money he coft, gave him his U- berty > by which means we got this information, otherwife it might have remained a fecret for ever. Prince Alexander Beckewitz was the only fon of prince Archilla, of Ivcria and Mongrelia, who fell in difgrace with the Perfian fovereign for refufing to refign his wife to him (mother to this prince), a mod beautiful woman ; this ob- liged the prince to fly his country, and put himfelf under the prote6lion of the czar. He dying foon after, left his only fon, prince Alexander, all the immenfe treafure he had brought with him. This prince married a princefs of the houfe of Galltzin, the greateft beauty in all Ruffia ; this lady, intendhig to go to her hufband, was unfortunately drowned in the Wolga, on her way to Aftrachan, AnewregH- The czar, finding the abufes in the management of his larioi, atPe- ..pyej-nje arofc chiefly from the confufed method of his courts, andaiiikma- j-^g j-jQ^y modelled them on a new plan, formed on his own nutadory at < r n ^ r i r i Mofco;v. obfervations at Pans. The firft was the fenate ; the fecond for foreign affairs ; the third for finance ; the fourth for juflice ; the fifth for revifion j the fixth for warj the fe- venth for marine ; the eighth for commerce ; the ninth for receipts and expenditure j and the tenth for arts, fciences,. mines, buildings, &c. At the fame time, he ere6ted a filk manufactory at Mofcovv, having engaged a number of filk- weavers at Paris, and being fufFiciently fupplied with raw filk from the province of Gilan, on the fbuth coaft of the Caf- pian fea, which is effeemed the befl in Perfia, and is brought acrofs that fea to Aflrachan, from thence up the rivers Wolga and Ocka to Mofcow. BOOK PETER HENRY BRUCE, E3Q^ iBi BOOK VI. Return of the czarowitz to Mofcozv, and his exclujion from the fucceffion. — His accomplices. — 'Fke princefs Mary concerned in it. — The trial of the czarowitz atFeterjhurgh. — His death and chara5ler. — The Swedifh field- marfJoal Rheinfhield" s return home, — Negotiation at Aland, for peace with Sweden, renewed. — King of Sweden's death. — The death of baron Gortz. — The fifal's information againft the grandees for mifdemeanours, and their trial. — Prince Gagarens unaccountable behaviour. — More of the czdrowitz's confederates. — Death of prince Peter Petrowitz — Prince Peter nlexowitz made afefeant, taught his exercife, and made enfign. ':— Negotiations Jor peace renewed, but fruillef. — The czar refolves to command it. — Memorable d,fent on Szveden. — 'fhe Britif:) fleet came too late — The czar difgujied with Britain. — The Jefuits ban'floed. -The czar feized with a fit at Revel. — General ^cycle's illnejs, and the czar's concern fo^ him. — Affairs of Sweden. — Mayf}:al IVeyde^s death. — /// treatment of his Jamily. — His funeral. — -J he czar reproves Menztkof. — Captain Btuce's ineffeElual attempt to quit, the Ruffian fervice. — The new king of Sweden notifies his accejfion. — A fecond invafion. — The Swedes attack cur fycct with lofs. — / he czar receives the duke of Holftein into bis proteEiion. — ourt martial on Iteutena-ii colonel G>aves. — A curious lazv-fuit between two brothers at Rtvel.—Frejh preparations againfl Sweden — Fropofals on their part for a cejfation oj hofiiiities, rejeSled.—- A third defcent on Sweden, which obliged them to fign the preliminaries,, and conclude the peace. — 7^1? fleet and army in a form, and a child re- markably preferved.- The fleet arrive at Peterfburgh. — The czar ho-' mured by his fenale with the^ title of Peter the Great, tfff, — A wife re- formation in the btiftnefs of the laiv. — The captain again refufed leave to quit. — Triumphal entry into Mojccw. — A proclamation and oath regardr ing the fucceff.on.. I S majefty fet out for Mofcow on the 3d of Fe- book vi. bruaiy,. having, received inieUigence that tuuiit Tol- ftoi was on his way thither from Naples, with the czarowitz^ Retu'ni'ofthe where they arrived the nth, A giand council was held at ,"''Mo:^ovr 6 Molcow. lt2 M E M O I R S OF 1717. and his ex- clufion from the fuccef- ' fion. BOOK VI. Mofcow on this occafion, confining of the great men of the empire; the czar being determined to exert, in a mod folemn manner, his juftice on the prince for his difobedi- ence. The council being met, the czarowitz was brought into the hall as a prifoner before them : at his entering he prefented a writing to his majefty, containing a confeffion of his crime. The czar demanded of him what was his defire : the prince implored his mercy and begged he would fave his life ; his majefly granted his requeft, on condition he made a full difcovery of all his accomplices, and renounce all his claim and title to the fucceffion, under his hand ; upon this the prince figned an inftrument fetting forth that, find- ing himfelf not qualified for government, he difclaimed all right of fucceffion to the crown j and afterwards confirmed it upon oath, acknowleging his brother Peter, lawful heir to the crown. This being done, all the minifters and great men prefent, took the oaths, excluding prince Alexis from the crown, and acknowleging prince Peter to be the undoubted fuccellor to it, engaging to fland by him with their lives, againfl all that fliould dare oppofe him ; and that they never would, under any pretence whatever, adhere to prince Alexis, or affifl him in the recovery of thefaid fucceflion. The fame oath was afterwards adminiflered to the army and navy at home and abroad, and to every fubje6t of the Ruffian em- pire. Neverthelefs the prince was ftill kept under confine- ment, and nobody admitted to him, except count Tolfloi, and fuch others as were appointed by the czar. This being over, the prince's accomplices were fecured j in which number were his mother, formerly czarina, now abbefs of the monaflery of Sufdale, and her gallant, the boyar Glebof, His accom plices. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 183 Qiebof, who not only had lived a lewd life with the mother, book vu but was a principal agent in the confpiracy, between her and her fon, the czarovvitz ; the letters they had written to each other were publiQied, and weie both treafonable and fcandalous. Next the boyar Abraham Lupochin, brother to the late czarina, and uncle to the prince ; Alexander Kikin, firft coinmiflioner of the admiralty, formerly a very great favourite vviih the czar; the biihop of Rofi;cf, and Puftinoi the late czarina's confeiTor and treafurer, were all tried ajid fentenced. Glebof was iiDpaled alive, and the other four were broke alive on the wheel. A high fquare wall was built before the Caftle gate for that purpofe : the impaled corpfe of Glebof was placed in the middle, and the heads of the other four, were each on a long pole, fet up at the corners. Several others futfered death at the fame time, among whom fifty priefts and monks, late compa- nions to the czarovvitz, who had led him into all manner of debaucl'.eiy, weie all beheaded on one block, which was a tree provided for the purpofe of holding them all at once. In this confpiracy, the princefs Mary,, half-filler to the Theprincers czar, was alfo concerned ; fhe was afterwards confined in a ceniedlTit, monaftery near to lake Ladoga ; and the late czarina Otta* kefa Lupochin, was confined in the fortrefs of Slutelburgh, upon an ifland in that lake. All the czarowitz's doraeftics, and his raidiefs Euphrofma, were taken up ; as was alfo prince Wafilia Dolgoruky, lieutenant-general and colonel of the guards, knight of the order of the elephant, arid direftoi -general for enquiring into the mifmanagements o£ the czar's revenues ; in which poll he had behaved with> the.utmoil infolence, to prince Menzikof, admiral Apiaxin,: and: i84 M E M O I R 6 O F BOOK VI. and feveral others. He was banlfhed to Cafan for life : the • -Siberian czarovvitz,.- and the fenators Woinof, V/orof, and '^^'' John Kikin, brother to Alexander Kikin, were alfo banifii- ed J but the fenators count Peter Apraxin, brother to the admiral, and countSamarin were acquitted. One of the czar's pages and feveral nuns fuffered fevere corporal punifhment, and were, with moft of the czarowitz's domeilics, fent into baniftiment; but Euphrofina making it appear that it was by her perfuafion the prince returned, and that after her firft lying in, having conformed with the Ruffian faitli, fiie was actually married to the prince, when they were on their journey, by a Grecian prieft, who was feized at Leipzig and brought prifoner to Mofcow ; flie was not only fet at liberty, but had feveral of the czarowitz's jewels reftored to her, and a handfome fortune appointed for her fupport, out of the treafury. She could never be prevailed upon to marry : Ihe was but of mean extradion and a captive of Finland. When this grand inquifition at Mofcow was finilhed, his majefty fet out from thence, and arrived at Peterfburgh the 4th of April, and the czarowitz, arriving two days after, was confined in the fortrefs. The czar was no fooner come to Peterfburgh than he went to the dock, and ordered the men of war that were ready, to he launched, and to get his fleet equipped with all expedition, to endeavour to prevent Britain and Holland from compelling the king of Sweden to a feparate peace with the former. About the latter end of May the firft conference was held at Aland, whither it was transferred from Abo at the defire of baron Gortz, as it was much nearer Stockholm, and there- fore more convenient for the difpatch of bufinefs. The pleni- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 185 plenipotentiaries from the czar, at this congrefs, were count book vr. Bruce, grand-mafter of the ordnance, and baron Oilerman, ^ a privy-counfellor ; and from tlie king of Sweden, baron Gortz and count GuUenburg. None of the foreign minifters were admitted to tliefe conferences but baron Mardefelt, envoy from the king of Pruilia. From the numerous executions and punifliments after „, '■ 1 he czaro- the inquifition at Mofcow, every body beheved that bufmefs «itz's tiiaiat . . . Fcterfburg. at an end ; but from the frefli difcoveries made every day, it appeared, the prince had not been genuine in his confeflioii of all his confederates in the confpiracy ; and the accom- plices appearing fo numerous, and the plot fo deep laid, the czar found it abfolutely necelTary to bring the prince to a formal trial. For this purpofe he fummoned all the nobility and clergy, the principal officers of the army and navy, the governors of provinces, and many others of dif- ferent ranks and degrees, to attend at the fenate-houfe, to examine and try the faid prince. The trial was begun the 25th of June (the particulars of which have been fo fully related by others, that I thought a repetition of it needlefs), and continued to the 6th of July, when this fupreme court, with unanimous confent, paffed fentence of death upon the prince, but left the manner of it to his majefty's determina- tion : the prince was brought before the court, his fentence was read to him, aad he vyas re- conveyed to his prifon in the fortrefs. On the next day, his majefly, attended by all the fenators His death and bifhops, with feveral others of high rarik, went to the fort, and entered the apartments where the czarowitz was kept prifoner. Some little time thereafter marlhal Weyde B b came and charac- ter. 1 86 M E M O I R S O F BOOK VI. came out, and ordered me to go to Mr. Bear's the drugglft, whofe fliop was hard by, and tell him to make the potion 1718. . ftrong which he had befpoke, as the prince was then very ill : when I delivered this mefl'age to Mr. Bear, he turned quite pale, and fell a fhaking and trembling, and appeared in the utmoft confufion, which furprifed me fo much, that I afked him what was the matter with him, but he was un- able to return me any anfwer ; in the mean time the mar- fhal himfelf came in, much in the fame condition with the druggiil, faying, he ought to have been more expeditious, as the prince was veiy ill of an apoplectic fit ; upon this the druggiil delivered him a filver cup with a cover, which the marfhal himfelf carried into the prince's apartments, daggering all the way as he went, like one drunk. About half an hour after, the czar with all his attendants with- drew with very difmal countenances, and when they went, the marfhal ordered me to attend at the prince's apartment, and in cafe of any alteration, to inform him immediateljr thereof : there were at that time two phyficians and two furgeons in waiting, with whom, and the officer on guard, 1 dined on what had been drefled for the prince's dinner. The phyficians were called in immediately after to attend the prince, who was flruggling out cf one convulfion into another, and, after great agonies, expired at five o'clock in the aftemoon. I went diredlly to inform the marfhal, and he went that moment to acquaint his majefly, who ordered the corpft to be imbowelled ; after which it was laid in a coffin, covered wiih black velvet, and a pall of rich gold tif- fue fpread over it ; it was then carried out of the fort, to the church of the Holy Trinity, where the corpfe lay in flate PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 187 ftate till the nth in the evening, when it was carried back book vr. to the fort, and depofited in the royal burying-vault, next the coffin of the princefs his late confort ; on which occa- lion, the czar and czarina, and tlae chief of the nobility, followed in proccluon. Vaiious were the reports that were fpread concerning his death : it was_ given out publicly, that on hearing his fentence of death pronounced, the dread thereof threw him into an apople6tic fit, of which he died j very few believed he died a natural death, but it was dan- gerous for people to fpeak as they thought. The miniilers of the emperor, and the ftates of Holland, were forbid the court for fpcaking their minds too freely on this occafion, and upon complaint againft them were both recalled. Thus died prince Alexis, undoubted heir to that great monarchy ; little regrened by people of rank, as he always fliunned their acquaintance and company. It was faid, the czar had taken uncommon pains in the education of this prince, but all in vain ; indolent and (lovenly by nature, he kept the lowefi: of company, with whom he indulged himfelf in all manner of vice and debauchery. His father, to put a ftop to this, fent him abroad to fee foreign courts, thinking thereby to reclaim him, but all to no purpofe ; on which he ordered him to attend him in all his expeditions, thereby to have a watchful eye over him himfelf; but the prince evaded this, by continually pretending to be fick, which might pro- bably be the cafe, as he was moft part of his time drunk. The czar, at lail, thought to reclaim him by marrying him to fome foreign princefs ; what effect that had has been al- ready mentioned. After the death of his amiable princefs, his majt'fty ordered him to attend him in his expedition to B b 2 Ger- i88 MEMOIRS OF BOOK vi. Germany ; and being on his journey, under pretence of go- ing to join'him in Mecklenburg, he fled privately, and fought ''"^' the proteftion of his broiher-in-law, the emperor of Ger- many, whom he endeavoured to engage in a war againft his father. It was made appear on his trial, that he threatened v\'hen- ever he came to the throne, to overturn 'all his father had done, declaring, that he then would be revenged on prince Menzikof, and his fifter- in-law, by impaling them alive, as- alfo the great chancellor count Goloflcin, and his fon, for perfuading him to marry the princefs Wolfenbuttel j that he would fend all his father's favourites into baniftiment, and expel all foreigners out of the country ; that he would re- leafe his mother out of confinement, and put dame Cathe- rine, and her children, in her place ; after this, he would form his court of people who had the ancient manners and cuftoms of RufTia mofl at heart, for h€ hated all innova- tions. Nothing could have touched the czar more fenfibly than threatening to overthrow all he had been doing for fo many years for the vi'elfare and glory of his country, with fo much danger, toil, and labour, without ever fparing his own perfon ; which made him fay, with great emotion, that he would rather give his dominions to a worthy ftranger, than be fucceeded by fo worthkfs a fon: at the time of this expreffion, he had no other fon but the czarowitz, which fhewed plainly, he had the good of his country more at heart than the fucccflion in his own family. The Swedidi Count Reiufhicld, the Swedifli field-marfljal, who had RefnS'f been a prifoner at Cafan fince the battle of Puliowa, arrived, return home. ^^ Peterfburgh with twenty officers, to be exchanged fot the. 6 two PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 189 two Ruffian generals, knez Tiubetzkoi and count Gollowln, book vi. who had bofh been prifoners at "Stockholm fince the battle of Narva. Count Reinfliield was very gracioufly received by the czar, who recommended him to the particular care of field-marflial Weyde ; he was daily invited by one grandee or other, where the czar always made one of the party j and on thefe occafions converfed very familiarly with the count, telling him, one day, that he defired nothing fo much as to be perfonally acquainted with his brother king Charles, which he hoped would foon happen by concluding a lafling peace to both their fatisfaftions ; and that he hoped to have a perfonal interview with him, where matters might be con- certed between themfelves without many witnefles. Count Reinfliield being detained much longer than he expefted, v/as afraid that the king, his mailer, would not confent to the exchange, which made him fo uneafy, that he complained thereof to our marlhal ; who affured him, that if the king of Sweden fliould refufe the exchange, he fliould not be de- tained, for the czar would let him go on his parole ; but, in a few days after, I was fent at midnight with the agree- able news that he was to fail in the morning for Stockholm, as a yacht lay ready to take him and his officers on board. When I came the marlhal v/as afleep, but I communicated the good news to his officers, who received it with fo much joy, that, by their noife, they awaked the count ; and, on his enquiring what the matter was, I'ftepped up to his bed- fide and delivered my meflage, which fo agreeably furprifed him, that he got up and embraced me, faying. If ever I went to Sweden he would make me a fuitable return for the- good news I brought him, as he had nothing then to re- wiai'di iQo M E M O I R S OF BOOK VI. ward me with, according to his wilh. I ftaid with him till ' day-hght, and then went 011 board the yacht with him. About eleven o'clock the czar, attended by madhal Weyde, came on board to take his leave of the count, and prefented him with a fword from his own fide, which was enrichtd with diamonds, wifhing him a good voyage to Stockholm. Negotiation Baron Gortz being returned from the king of Sweden with pLiceTvith"^ his final refolurion, the conference at Aland, between our bweuenre- n-jjnifters and thofe of Sweden, were continued. The czar newed. fet out from Cronflot with his fleet, in the month of Augufl:, for Revel, and from thence he went -to Abo to be near the place of conference ; where it was agreed, that the czar fhould give up Finland, and part of Carelia, to the king of Sweden ; and he fliould have in lieu thereof Wyburgh, part of Carelia, all Ingria, Efthonia, and Livonia ; and the czar was befides to aflift the Swedes to recover Swedifh Pomerania, and Bremen and Verden ; and to reinftate the duke of Hol- ftein in his dukedom, as alfo to perfuade the duke of Meck- lenburgh to refign his dukedom to Sweden for ever ; for which he was to have^an equivalent elfevvhere (fuppofed to be Courland) ; and to replace Staniflaus on the throne of Poland, according to the agreement' made with king Auguf- tus at Alt Ranftadt ; and if Great Britain interfered in re- taking Bremen and Verden, that they would, with their joint fleets and forces, make a defcent on Britain with the pre- tender, and place him on the throne. Upon this, it was agreed, that baron Gortz fliouId once more return to the king of Sweden with thefe propofals : for which purpofe he fet off the end of September, in full expeftation of prevailing with the king to come into them. In PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 191 Ih the mean time, nothing was done to diftuib the king of book vr. Sweden in his expedition againft Norway, as the czar re- ' turned with his fleet to Cronflot, and arrived at Peterfburgh the 15th of September, where he found the czarina deUvered of a princefs, whom he named Nataha. His majefty or- dered the fleet to be laid up at Cronflot, fo that every body confidered the peace with Sweden at no great diftance : thefe hopes, hovi'ever, were foon blafted by the death of the king KingofSwe- of Sweden, which happened in the night between the 29th ^^n's death. and 30th of November, being fliot through the head be- fore Frederick flial in Norway, and it was generally believed to have been done by one of his own people. Field mar- _fi>al Reinflaiekl being then in the trenches, and going to wait on the king, found him kneeling on the banquet, with his head on the parapet inclining to one fide ; the marfhal think- ing he was afleep, endeavoured to waken him, but found him cold and dead. Baron Gortz was arrefted in his way to Frederickflial to The denth ©r wait on the.king, and foon after beheaded, and his corpfe ^'°" ^^^^' buried under the gallov\'s ; feveral perfons in the confidence of Gortz, were arrefted, and an officer was diipatched to Aland to feize on fecretary Stamble and all his papers, by whom we were apprifed of the king of Sweden's death, and that his fifl:er, the princefs Ulrica, had been proclaimed queen. Secretary Stamble went to Peterfliurgh, where he remained under the czar's protection, and afterwards enr gaged himfelf in the Ruffian fervice. This fudden change overturned all advances towards peace, which then, to aU appearance, only waited for figning. The,. •r92 TVl E M O I R S OF BOOK VI. The fjfcal-general, on ilie czar's returnj gave information •^-^^^•^^^^^^^-^— againft feveral great men in the adminiftration, for oppreif^- ThefiiWi's Jig file fubje^s and defrauding his majefty of confidcrable i'S'ilr f^i'"s "^ money. The czaf direclly eftabliflied a tribunal to gr.iiideesfor enquire int.0 thofe njatters ; and appointed marfiial Weyde ors, and their prefident of this court, faying, he was the only man he had never found faulty in any one thing, and joined with him as affiftants, the lieutenant-generals Butterlin and Slippen- bach, major-generals Galitzen and Jaguiinlky, and the bri- •gadier generals Wolkof and Mamonof. This tribunal was to examine into the mifmanagement of fuch perfons as the fifcal-general fliould lay before them, and to pronounce fen- tence on thofe who fliould be found guilty, as the nature of their crime deferved, without refpe6l of perfons. The firfl: that was cited before this court was prince Menzikoff, who pleaded guilty to the charge laid againft him, and having fubmitted to the fentence of the court, delivered up his fword, and went to his own houfe to remain in confine^ ment till his majefty's pleafure was known ; th.e next were the great admiral Apraxin, and his brother, a fenator and governor of Aftracan, and direftor-general of the falt-v/orks : being all three found guilty, they received fentence to be dif- roiffed from their employments, and their Cilates to be con- fifcated to his majefty's ufe, and themfelves to be fent into baniflimient : they were accordingly degraded, and their trials .publiflicd in print. Prince Dolgoruky, paymafler-general, was next called upon, but he pleaded his own caufe fo well, that he was acquitted. Several others were tried and found guilty, and when every body expelled their fentence would have been put in execution, the czar, in remembrance of their PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 193 their former merits and faithful fervices, reftored them again book vi, to his favour, after their paying great fums into the treafury. "" — Prince Gagarin, governor of Siberia, was next impeached Prince Gaga- by the fifcal-general, on a charge for having, by parties of countabk be- Tartars, he kept for that purpofe, way-laid and robbed his •^^^■'°^''- majeity's caravan coming from China, whereby feveral men of the detachment fent by the faid prince to pro- te6l that caravan, had been killed, fo that the crime was not only for plundering his majefty's caravan, but of de- flroying the lives of fo many of his innocent fubje6ls ; by which unlawful and wicked means, he had accumulated im- menfe riches. The proofs againft him were fo clear, that the court fent him prifoner to the fortrefs till his majefly's farther pleafure (hould be known : upon his commitment, the czar himfelf went to the fort, and examining, told him if he would make a fair confeflion to him how far he was guilty of the crimes laid to his charge, upon the faith of his royal word, he would pardon him ; upon this, the prince freely confefled his being guilty of the whole charge laid againft him, and figned this confeffion in writing. The fenate wa* ordered to meet next day ; prince Gagarin's con- feflion was produced, and read before the fenate ; and then his majefty told then], that he had fully pardoned the prince on his making the faid confeflion j and that he had convened them on purpofe to Ihew them that he inclined more to le- nity than feverity, by which he hoped to reform thofe who had been hitherto reraifs in their duty. Prince Gargarin be- ing then brought from the fort into the fenate, his confef- fion in vi^riting, and figned by himfelf, was publicly read before him ; and being aflced if he now acknow- C c ledged 194 M E M O I R S O F BOOK VI. ledged the fame before the fenate, he faid that he was in- ■■ nocent of the crime laid to his charge ; but the czar had ''' ' frightened him fo much, that he forced him to write and fign that confeffion againft his will. This declaration con- founded the czarfo niuch, that he remained forae time fxlent, and the whole fenators looked amazed : at laft the czar faid, that although the prince laid fo notorious a falfliood to his charge, and prefumed fo much on his own innocence, he fiiould neverthelefs have fair play for his hfe ; and then or- dered the witnefles againfl him to be produced : at the head of whom appeared his own fecretary, who proved undeni- able fafts againft him. The prince, not knowing till then that his fecretary was an informer againft him, was fo much confounded, that he fell down on his knees, and faid, he h id been a hardened finner, and deferved no mercy. This unaccountable behaviour in prince Gagarin, after being fully pardoned, greatly furprifed every body ; fonie thought him mad, others that he was aftiamed to confefs to the whole world fo publicly, that he had been guilty of fuch atrocious crimes, who had always pafl'ed for a pious and godly man. He was charitable to a great degree, and the prifoners in Siberia loft a very good friend in him; ef- pecially the Swedifli officers, who could not enough extol his liberality to them. On his arrival at Peterft>urgh, he was very profufe with his prefents, efpecially to the czarina, to whom he gave fome not only curious, but valuable.; and it was owing to that lady's powerful intercelTion, that he was pardoned at all : but after fuch bare-faced infult to majefty itfelf, in full fenate, no body durft prefume to fay one word in his behalf. The czar being exafperated to the; 5 higheft PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 195 higheft degree againft prince Gagarin, ordered a gallows, book vr. in imitation of Haman's, fifty cubits high, to be erefterl before the fenate haufe, on whicli he was hanged m pre- fence of all the fenators, to mod of whom he was either re- lated or allied. His fentence was to hang till he dropt in pieces from the gallows ; but to entice fomebody to cut him down fooner, the prince put two bags with money, in each fide pocket of his breeches : this was prevented by placing a ftiong guard every night, to watch the corpfe, fo that he aftually hung till the money, with part of his limbs, fell down ; the money was Ihared among the foldiers, and the gallows, with the remainder of the corpfe, was at laft re- moved. At this time there were feveral more of the late czarowitz's More of the domeftics, put to death j as Puftinoi, his confeffor ; AfTona- confederates. fief, his mafter of the horfej Woinof, his fleward of the hourtiold ; Dubroffky, a gentleman of his bedchamber, and four others of his fervants : the firfl: four were beheaded, and afterwards twifted on wheels ; the reft were knouted. On the 15th of January, 171 9, Mr. Jefferies, the Britifli re- 1719. fident at the court of Sweden, arrived at Peterfburgh from Stockholm ; but inftead of bringing any propofals of accom- modation, as was expedled, he faid he came to demand thofe of the Ruffian court. Inthebeginningof February, baron Ofter.^ man was fent from Aland to Peterfburgh, for frefli inflruc- tions, and the conferences went on in the mean time, between the counts Bruce and GuUenburgh ; but in the month of April, baron Ofterman was fent to Sweden, to declare, that unlefs they accepted in two months time, of the conditions for- merly agreed on, they rauft expedl a vifit from forty thou- C 2 fand 1^6 M E M O I R S O F BOOK VI. fand plenipotentiaries, who would force them to it, fword in hand. Deat'h'of Prince Peter Petrowitz, his majefty's only furviving fon, Fe'trowE'"^ died on the 6ih of May, in the fourth year of his age, to the great grief of his father : his corpfe lay fome time in ftate, and was carried, with gi'eat funeral pomp, to the church in the fortrefs, where it was depolited in the royal burying vault. piiuce Peter After this, the great-duke, Peter Alexowitz, fon of the made fer- late czarowitz, grandfon to his niajefly, was taken from iiTs'exerdfe ' undcf the carc of his governefs (who had educated his mo- and made en- thcr), and was made a ferjeant in the guards, and mailers were appointed to inftru6t him in all manner of fciences. I was ordered to attend him two hours in every day, to teach him the military exercife, gunnery, and fortification : a cor- poral with twenty-four men and a drum, mounted as his daily guard 5 the duke exercifed thofe men every morning himfelf, with his halbert in his hand, and took great de- light in it ; after the excercife, he always fiied three brafs cannon, of one pound fhot, which were placed before his door for his diverfion. The czar came frequently to fee him perform his exercifes, and was vaftly pleafed with his fprighthiiefs and attention ; and feeing fome draughts and models of fortification laying on the table, he afked the young prince the ufe and advantage of each particular work, to which he gave his anfwers fo readily, and with fo much judgement, confidering his years, that his grandfather was fo well pleafed, that he embraced him moft heartily, and made him a prefent of his pidlure richly fet with diamonds, and gave him an enfign's commiffion in the firft regiment of 4 guards j PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 197 guards: and finding he had a genius far above his age, he book vi. ordered feveral artifts, as fliip builders, archite(5ls, &c. to ' wait upon him, and fliew him flieir draughts, and explain '^'^ them to him. It was very remarkable that he y»ould not amufe himlislf with any kind of children's play, for when his fifler, the great-duchefs, propofed to amufe him with play, he told her that it became one of her fex better than him, for he ought to employ his time in improving himfelf as became a prince. This fort of behaviour made him be admired by every body, and filled their minds with great ex- petSlations from him, as he was then the apparent heir to the crown of Ruffia. The queen of Sweden at laft named baron Lilienfled, to Nerrotiations fupply the place of the late baron Gortz, at the cone;refs of *"oi P"«re- ^' -' ^ _ _ =" newcd, but Aland ; where he arrived in the month of June : but the death '"litieis. of the king of Sweden, whofe ambition had given great um- brage to all his neighbours, had now wholly changed the difpofitions of the princes of Europe towards that king- dom. The king of Great Britain fent lord Carteret, his am- baflador, to Sweden, to conclude a treaty and an alliance with that crown ; by which it was agreed that Bremen and Verden fliould remain with the king of Great Britain, for a million of crowns, and in cafe the war with Ruffia conti- nued. Great Britain fhould pay Sweden three hundred thoufand crowns a year, and a6t with her forces againft the czar. A fhort time after this the Swedes made peace with the king of Pruffia, on terms fomewhat fimilar, for ceding to his ma- jefty Stetin, and its diftridts j and at the fame time the king, of Poland had concluded a treaty with the emperor and his Britannic majefty. The folves to com- mand it. 198 M E M O I R S O F COOK VI. The czar, now finding himfelf forfaken by all his allies, — ' was refolvcd to make a defcent on Sv.eden, thereby to force The'cwrrc- them to a peace, ordered all his gallics and Hiips of war to be got ready, and eoibarked on boaid his fleet 40,000 men, under the command of Apraxin, his great admiral ; with orders to wafte and deftroy the coafis of Sweden. The ad- Mcmorabie Hiiral held a council of war at the i; md of Capd, and Ihaped defcent on }^jg courfc for the Dalder Ifles, where he took feveral pri- Sweiien. foners of note ; he then went and ruinpl the chief copper- mines, and burnt the woods, and feveral nobkmen's hcufes thereabouts ; from thence he went to South Telle, where he landed fifty coflacks on horfeback, who advanced within a league of Stockholm, defeated an out-guard, and brought oft a major and eight men prifoners. The 19th of July, the fleet arrived at Landfort, having taken on their paflage two fliips laden with corn, bound to Stockholm ; the gal- lies, in the mean while, v\'ere divided into three fquadrons, one landed between north and fouth Talle, another on the coafl of GeeHe, and the third at Nikoping; feveral detach- ments of dragoons and Coffacks were landed at Sandmar, who burnt and deftroyed all the country near to Stockholm. Our fleet, at the fame time, arrived at the mouth of the river of Stockholm, where they took five barks laden with provifions ; from thence they proceeded to the northward, where a number of towns and villages were deflroyed, efpe- cially thofe near which the mofl: confiderable iron -mines of the kingdom lay ; the deftruclion of which was an irre- parable lofs to Sweden. In fliort, the landing the Ruffian troops in fo many different places of that kingdom, made it impoffible for the Swedifli army to prevent it : no fooner had PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. jg^ had they deftroyed one place of the country, than they im- book vr. mediately removed to another. According to the report of ~ the damages fuftained by thefe defcents on tlie coafts of Svve- '^'^' den, they confifted in the deftruflion of eight towns, ele- ven palaces, one hundred and thirty noblemen and gentle- men's houfes, one thoufand three hundred and fixtv-one viK lages, forty-three mills, twenty-fix magazines, two copper- mines, fourteen iron-mines, befides all their corn and cat- tle ; and all the inhabitants they met with, old and young, of both fexes, were taken and carried off in tranfports ovei* to Finland, to the amount of fixty thoufand and upwards, where they were detained till the conclufion of the peace. The Swedes, relying too much on thepromifed fuccours from their allies, would not come into the meafures that had been agreed on between the czar and their late fovereign ; the czar, therefore, now infilled on keeping all Carelia and KeckQiolm, over and above what he formerly demanded of Sweden : but thefe propofitions were rejedled with fcorn, the congrefs of Aland broke up, and the minifters retired. The Englifli fleet, under admiral Norris, came before TheBiiafii Stockholm the 2iil of Auguff, eight days after our fleet i-.ue.'''^"^''^ were retired into their different harbours. Soon after Mr. Berkeley arrived at Aland, with letters from lord Carteret and admiral fir John Norris, for his majefly, defiring a pafs from count Bruce to Peterfburgh ; but the count being in-- formed of the contents, refufed to fend the letters to the • czar, nor would he give Mr. Berkeley a paflport to Peterf- burg, but fent him back with an anfwer to lord Carteret; v/herein he told him, that he found the contents of the let- ters they had fent to his majefty fo Angular, and fo little" con- 20O MEMOIRS OF BOOK VI. confiftent with the ties of alliance and friendfliip, that ftlll fubfifted between his czarifh majefly and his Britannic ma- jefty, that he could not prevail on himfelf to do what was defired of him, until he firft received orders from the czar, his mafter ; befides, he was perfuaded, his Britannic majefly would not fail to acquaint the czar with his thoughts or pre- tenfions on a matter of fo great importance, either by let- ter to himfelf, or by his minifter at Peterburgh ; and there- fore there was no occafion to ufe fuch extraordinary ways The czar and meaus. Upon this anfwer, the fieurs Jefferies and Bmain! "" Weber, the Britifh and Hanoverian minifters, received or- ders to leave the court of Peterfburgh, as did all Britiflifub- jefls to quit the Ruffian fervice ; on which the czar caufed all the Englifh merchants in his dominions to be put under arreft, threatening, if the Britifli nation made war upon him, he would confifcate all their effefls, which amounted to above fifty millions of rubles. The jefults At this time the Jefuits, thofe pefts of fociety, who had baniflied. r • n- i » i i • ^ got footmg ni Ruma, through the recommendation of the emperor, were now banifhed for intermedling too much with ftate-afFairs, and ordered to quit the Ruffian domi- nions within four days after having notice given them j as the world was fufficiently apprifed of their dangerous ma- chinations, in troubling the political affairs of every coun- try they are received into. The padres were now in great hurry and confufion, being obliged to fet out immediately, leaving their rich chapel to the Capuchins, who were the only order of the Romifli profeffion that were fuffered to remain in Ruffia ; and they were tolerated for the fake of the Roman Catholics, who were numerous in the Ruffian army. It i7'9' PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 2or It came out on the late trial of prince Menzikof, that Mr. book vr. Wefaloffky, his late fecretary, had been principally concern- ed with the two Solowiofs, the prince's agents, in carrying on an illicit trade to the great detriment of the nation ; the two Solowiofs fuffered for their crime, and as Wefalofflcy was then envoy at the Britifli court, he had orders to return home, and Mr. Beftuzof was appointed to fucceed him at that court : but as Wefaloffki dreaded, not without reafon, to be brought to an account for malpra6lices, thought pro- per, inftead of returning, to write a letter to the emperor, in which he acknowledged his guilt, and that, to avoid his majefty's jufl: relentmenr, he had changed his name, and was refolved to return no more to Ruffia, but to fpend the re- mainder of his days in fome remote and free part of the globe where he fliould never be heard of more. It was, however, generally believed, that he married and fettled in England, and was afterwards naturalized there. Mr. Bef- tuzof had not long fucceeded him, before he difobliged the court of London by a memorial, wherein he refledled on the miniftry, for which he was ordered to depart the king- dom. When his majefty went to furvey the fortifications of Re- The czar Vel, in the month of September, I had orders to attend him • ^"^^'^„'^"''; * ' *■ * • h: at Kevel. he propofed to make that one of the flrongeft places in Eu- rope, and alfo for the equipment of his fleet. One day when he was furveying the fortifications, and giving orders about the additional works he thought necefl^ary to be made, he was feized with a violent fit of the colic, which threatened his life, but the vigour of his conftitution got the better of it. He foon after returned to Peterfburgh, where he made D d great 202 MEMOIRSOF BOOK VI. great prepsr.ations for the enfuing campaign : by his orders "—— I remained fix weeks after he was gone, to draw the plans, and give the neceffary dire(5lions for creding the out-works. Notwithftanding the perpetual hurry of bufinefs his majefty was continually employed in, he did not negle6l to folace himfelf every evening, when the fatigues of the day were over, with fome diverfion or other, efpecialiy aflemblies," which were held every evening at the houfes of people of rank, who held them by turns, at which meetings he converfed very familiarly with all ranks and degrees of people, which made thofe affemblies very much frequented. General At my rctum to Peterlburgh marflial Weyde was juft ar- nefs, and the rived from Olonitz, where he had been drinking the mineral aemfoThijn. waters for his health, which, inftead of being of fervice, had made him a great deal worfe. His majefty interefted himfelf fo much in the marfhal's recovery, that he went in perfon every day to fee him, and gave drift charge to the phyficians never to leave him, but to ufe their utmoft fkill for his prefervation ; declaring, that if he died, he fhouid lofe the befl: general and the moft faithful fervant he had in his whole empire ; and now by much care and attention, the general recovered his health pretty well again. The czar had made marflial Weyde a prefent fome years ago of an eftate in Livonia, of the value of twelve thoufand rubles a year, by charter to him and his heirs whatfoever: he had only two daughters, the eldeft was married to major- general Le Fort, nephew to the grand Le Fort, the czar's peculiar favourite; and fhe, dying foon after, left only one daughter. The youngefl, and then only daughter, being a&ed in marriage by Mr» Weber, the Hanoverian minifter, was PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 203 was refufed, on account of his belonging to a foreign court; book vi. befides, his maiefty did not approve of the match. Then 1720* Mr. Romanzof, adjutant-general to the czar, made his ad- drefTes, but that was not agreeable to the lady herfelf, as he was a Ruffian and of a different religion. The marflial, apprehending the czar would infill on that marriage, be- trothed her, againft her inclination, to lieutenant-general Bohn, a man flie could neither love nor efteem, being of an age more like a father than a hufband ; the grief thereof threw the young lady into a lingering indifpofition. * The czar being now informed, that the queen of Swc- Affairs of den had refigned the crown to her confort, the hereditary ^^'^="' prince of Hefle CalFel, and that the regent of France had paid Sweden fix hundred thoufand crowns of arrears, with afTurance, that the fubfidies fliould be regularly paid in fu- ture ; befides one million of crowns they got from Britain for Bremen and Verden, and the ftipulated fubfidy of three hundred thoufand, while the war lafteJ with Ruffia ; all this made the Swedes take frefli courage, and they gave the czar to underftand he was not to expe6t peace, unlefs he gav^e up all the provinces he had conquered from them fince the commencement of the war. On the other hand, the czar finding his enemy thus largely fupplied with money, fup- ported by an Englifli fleet, favoured by the kings of Pruffia and Denmark, and on the point of concluding a peace with Poland, while he himfelf was deferted by every ally, fent a numerous army into Finland, and endeavoured to make himfelf mafter of the Bothnick gulf by a large fleet. Early in the fpring 1720, admiral Norris arrived in the 1720. Sound with a Britifli fquadron ; and failing from thence, he D d 2 joined 204 MEMOIRS OF BOOK VI. joined the Swedifh fleet before Stockholm ; and the 5th of ■ March, the palatine of Maflbvia arrived at Peterfburgh as ^ ' ' ambaflador from Poland, inviting the czar to enter into a peace with Sweden, jointly with Poland ; but the czar had already formed his refolutions to force Sweden to a feparate peace, and to convince the world, nDtwithftanding the power- ful afliftance afforded his enemy, while he ftood by himfelf alone, he had it flill in his power to command his own terms with the Swedes. Martkat Marfhai Weyde now loft his only daughter, who died the death? '" ^^Y ^^^ ^^^ *° have been married to general Bohn, of a broken heart, at being obliged to marry fo much againft her inclination ; her affefticns had been engaged to Mr. Weber, the Hanoverian minifter. Her father took the lofs of his only child fo much to heart, that he fickened again, and died the 4th of June, very much regretted by both their majefties, and by all ranks of people ; but more efpe- cially by the army, who adored him, notwithftanding his ftri61: difcipline, for he had the art of making them obey his orders with pleafure, by his affability in checking thofe in private who tranfgreffed againft his orders : (o that court- martials and puniOiments were rare during his command of the army. Notwithftanding this (enity, the Ruftian army was never under better difcipline, or in finer order.. The marfiial was born at Mofcow, of German parents ; had made feveral campaigns in his youth in Hungary, un- der prince Eugene, and was employed by him as one of his aid de camps, under whom he always confeOed to have learned the miUtary art. He was made a prifoner of war in the year 1700, at Narva, and detained at Stockholm till the; year PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 205 year 1710, when he was ranfomed, and was appointed ^^ field-marfhal, when count Zaremetof died after his march - through Poland. >7^°- The marflial no fooner expired than lieutenant general m treatment Romantzof came to the houfe in his majefty's name, and °^ ^"^ f-'^'y- fealed up every thing in the prefence of general Le Fort and me, and then took an inventory of all the plate and fur- niture in the houfe, to the great furprize of the general, who was father to the marfhal's grand daughter, the only undoubted heirefs to his great fortune. Upon this general Le Fort defired to know, fince all the money, to the amount of fixty ihoufand ducats, was fealed up, how his father-in- law was to be buried, as he had no cafli to defray the charges. Romantzof then tuld him, that his majefty intended the marfhal's corpfe (hould have a fplendid funeral, and that no coft fhould be fpared, and then one of the chefts was opened, and ten thoufand rubles taken out, which were delivered to me, with orders to lay it out as I fhould be directed by ge» neral Le Fort, and when that was expended. I might call for more ; keeping an exad: account of every thing that was laid out, which I was to deliver in with the proper re- receipts and vouchers, after the funeral ceremony was over. This mal-treatment of Mr. Le Fort proceeded from a^ refentment in Romantzof, as he apprehended it was owing, to Mr. Le Fort, that he did not fucceed in his addrefles to. the marflial's daughter; and to mortify him flill more ef-- feftually, he begged and obtained the marfhal's eflate of the- c^ar, who refufed him nothing, as he was then. a rifmg fa-- vorite ; and to fatiate his revenge, lord Nerelkin, a near re-- lation of the czar's, being jufl arrived from his travels, and wanting. 2o6 MEMOIRS OF BOOK VI. wanting a houfe, Mr. Romantzof advlfed him to purchafe ^ the late marfhal's, with all the furniture and plate, whicTi *'"■ was done by appraifement, on an order from court j but no part of this eflimated price was ever paid, and the heirefs, then a child, had only the few jewels her grand-father left, and twelve thoufand rubles for her portion : the remainder was generally believed to have been applied to Mr. Romant- zof s own ufe. In this general plunder I fuffered alfo j the marflial by his will, had left me two hundred ducats, his beft fuit of cloaths, and his befl horfe with the furniture ; 1 received the money and cloaths, but the fine horfe and fur- niture were brought to the czar's ftable, and for which I was promifed three hundred ducats, but never got any thing. This was chiefly owing to Mrs. Le Fort, the general's fecond wife, to whom he was married in Germany : as flie had been very fevere on Mr. Romantzofs condu6t, he refented it in part againft me, as flie was my near relation, although 1 was otherwife very much in his favour. As this was the firft inflance of foreigners being ufed in fo arbitrary and unjuft a manner, it occafioned much fpe- culation amongfl all ranks of people, efpecially as it hap- pened to a man of fo great perfonal merit, and general efteem, bcfides to one who was nephew and heir to the grand Le Fort, and fon-in-law to marflial Weyde, both great favourites of the czar j fo that after this none could think themfelves fecure in their poffeffions. This unjuft a6lion gave me (uch an idea of Ruffia, that nothing after could induce me to fettle amongft them, notwithftanding all their proffered advancements and advantages. 4 The PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 207 The marrtial's corpfe being embowelled and embalmed, lay book vr, in ftate twelve days, in a coffin under a canopy, dreflcd in a white embroidered fuit of cloaths, in boots, with a full-bot- His funerui. tomed wig, and the order of faint Andrew about his neck. Several ladies and gentlemen watched the corpfe every night, which is the cuftom of the country. As there was nobody in the houfe belonging to the marlhal, but his domeftics, I fuperintended the whole. The laft night being at fupper with the company who were to watch, I took a fancy to frighten them, by removing the corpfe into another room, tktid laying myfelf down in its place ; accordingly, when the company were entered the room, and feated foms time, I began to ftir under the cover that was laid over me, on which the company took to their heels, and ran out of the houfe, nor did they return to afk what was the matter, but fpread a molt dreadful report of the vilion they had fetti*. Next morning crouds came to enquire into the wonder of that night, but went away no wiler than they came : the re- report reached the czar's ears, who ordered my attendance, and demanded of me what the affair was. Without the leaft> hefitation, I told how it had happened, before the czarina and the two princeffes, which diverted them very much, but her majefty thought proper to give me a very fevere repri- mand. The 16th of June, being appointed for the interment, it was attended with great pomp, and the proceflion was conducled in the following manner. 1. A battalion of the guards, the officers in black fcarfs, and the drums covered with black. 2. A harbinger on horfeback, in a mourning cloak. 3. A mar- XJIO, 208 MEMOIRS OF BOOK VI, 3. A roarflial with a ftalf, covered with black and white crape. 4. A pair of kettle-drums, covered and carried by two men in black. 5. Four trumpets, four hautboys, and two bafToons, in pairs. 6. A white ftandard, with the deceafed's coat of arms. 7. A gentleman on horfeback, in complete armour, with a fword in his hand. 8. A black ftandard. g. A horfe in mourning, led by two men in black. 10. A mafter of the ceremonies. 11. A war-horfe with complete furniture, led by two of- ficers in their regimentals. 12. A helmet. 13. A cuirafs. 14. A pair of gilt fpurs. 15. A maifhal's truncheon. 16. A fword. 17. The order of faint Andrew ; all thefe carried fepa- rately on velvet cuftiions, by officers. 18. Two officers with their fwords pointed to the ground, followed by twenty- four halbardiers, in pairs. 19. The ccrpfe of the marfl:ial drawn by fix horfes, ca- parifoned with black cloth, each led by a groom in black, attended by three gentlemen on each fide ; the canopy was fupported by eight lieutenant-colonels, and eight colonels held up the taflels of the canopy j the corners of the pall were fu, ported by four brigadiers. 20. A marilial. 21. Mlfs 17 so. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ; ^og 21. Mifs Le Fort, grand-child to the deceafed; Book vr. 22. A colonel's lady (his niece.) 23. General Le Fort's lady j both thefe ladies led by two gentlemen each. 24. A great number of ladies in pairs, 25. His majefty, attended by all the grandees and foreign minifters. 26. The officers of the army and navy. 27. The proteftant minifters, merchants, and burghers. 28. Another battalion of the guards j which clofed the proceffion. In this order, they went to the monaftery of Alexander Newlky, at three miles diftance ; minute guns were fired from the fort, all the while till the corpfe was interred, and was concluded by three vollies from the two battalions of guards. His majefty, with the reft of the company, returned to the houfe of the deceafed, where a grand entertainment was pre- pared for them. Every one of the company was prefented with a mourning ring, of the value of two ducats, with the dates of the marftial's birth and death engraven thereon $ near feven hundred of thefe rings were given among the com- pany. At this meeting, a debate happened between prince Men- zikof and prince Galitzin, abufing each other in a very unbecoming manner. The czar being in the next room, overheard them, and fent for Mcnzikof, and gave him a moft: fevere rebuke, telling him he ought not to forgot himfelf, but confider he was only of yefterday, whereas prince Ga- litzin was of the ancient family of the Jagellons, princes of Lithuania, afterwards kings of Poland j and ordered him to E e alk 210 MEMOIRS OF BOOK VI. afk pardon of Galitzin before the whole company," which he was obliged to do. The two princes lived ever after in *^"' enmity, but the family of Galitzin were too powerful to fear the refentment of Menzikof. Captam ^^^^ ^^y ^^^^^ ^^^^ funeral, Knez Repnin was declared Bruce's inaf- fj^^]^ marflial, and fending; for me, aiked if I chofe to be his feftual at- _ ' ° ' ' tcmot to quit aid-dc-camp. I told him I had already ferved under two fervice. field marfhals in that ftation, and as I had been fo long, in that employ, I hoped he would cxcufe me : he took my refu- fal fo much aiiifs, that he threatened to make me repent it. As I was now heartily tired of the Ruflian fervice, I thought this a favourable opportunity to afk my difcharge, which I did next day, by prefenting a memorial to the czar himfelf : his raajefly aiked me why I wiflied to leave his fervice ? I- anfwered, that fince maifiial Repnin had. threatened me, for> refufmg to ferve him as aid-de-camp, it would be unfafe for me to remain any longer in the army. The czar replied, that' I was not to be under the command of the marflial, and had. nothing to apprehend from him. I could not then pre- fume to infift farther on my difcharge, for fear of fharing' the fate of captain Dean, of the fleet, who was fent intOi banifliment, for laying down his commiffion, upon a pro- clamation by king George the Firfl, forbidding all Biitifli fubje6ts to ferve inRuffia; a copy of which proclamation was given captain Dean, by Mr. Jcfferies, the Britifli minifter. The captain was releafed fome time after, and returning to England, was fent conful to Oftend. The czar having appointed me to be a captain in his own divifion, I got my company in the regiment of Aftrachan, which was then at Revel, to which place I received orders to PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 211 to repair dire6lly, there to infpefl and forward the additional book vr. works of the fortification, planned by his majefty lafl: year. On my arrival, the 24th of July, I found the works well ad- vanced fince I had left it. I was now billetted on the houfe of a merchant in town, who led me to a houfe of pleafure he had at the farther end of his garden, which confided of a cellar, a room for fervants, and two rooms over them, handforaely furnilhed. The landlord feeing me feemingly much pleafed with my lodging, faid he was afraid I (hould be difturbed with fome noife in the night-time, and named an officer of my acquaintance, then in town, who had been obliged to leave his houfe on that account : I afked him what noife could diflurb me in a place fo remote from other houfes ? He faid it was haunted by a ghoft : I told him if that was the cafe, 1 could, upon occafion, atSt a ghoft my- felf, and as two of the fame profeffion feldom agreed under the fame roof, it Ihould be my bufinefs to diflodge the other : at the fame time I ordered my fervants, before the landlord and his people, to load their pieces with ball, that in cafe of any difturbance, they might be ready to go and fire on thofe who made it. Thofe orders prevented any difturbance .all the time I lodged there, and others were not afraid to lodge in that haunted houfe after I left it. About this time the new king of Sweden fent an adju- Thenewking tant- general to Peterfburgh, to notify to the czar, his accef- "luti^es*^ hU fiun to the throne, by the confent of the (jueen, his fpoufcj ^"(non. and the ftates of the kingdom ; and as he had a particular efteem for the czar, be wiflied for nothing more earned ly than to conclude a firm and lafting peace with himj to which hewas ready to contribute every thing in his power. E e 2 Tlic ai2 M E M O I R S O F BOOK VI. The czar anfwered, that he heartily gave the king of Sweden ■ joy on his acceflion to the throne, and thanked him for his notification of it to him ; that he was moft wilHng to con- ■€lude a lafting peace with Sweden, if his Svvedifh majefty would alfo come to a firm refolution on that point. This gentleman was detained for fome time at Peterfburgh, that he might be an eye-witnefs of the preparations that were going forward for next campaign, and v/as fhevvn all the (hips, gallies,- and troops; and, after many civilities, was dif- patched to Stockholm, with the czar's anfwer to the king of Sweden's letter. The czar, to return the compliment he had received from the king of Sweden, fent adjutant-general Romanzof to Stockholm, to felicitate the hereditary prince of HcfTeCaflel on his acceffion to the throne, and aflure him how true an efteem he always had for his perfon ; that he earneftly wifhed to find in him, the fame inclination to peace that he had himfelf. This envoy was received with as much fplendor at Stockholm, as that of his Swedifli majefty had been at Peterfburgh ; was carried wherever the court went, and was always one in every court-party of pleafure ; and after fome flay there, he returned to Peterfburgh, highly pleafed with the honours he had received at the Swedifli court. A fecond ia« In the mean time, our forces in Finland were not inactive j prince Galitzin advancing as far as Aland with his gallies, to attempt an invafion on Sweden as foon as the froft broke; and before the arrival of the Britifh fquadron under fir John Norris, but was prevented by the ice : however, it drew the attention of the Swedes to that fide, and favoured the execu- tion of another defign. The prince had ordered brigadier a Von I PETER HENPvY BRUCE, ESQ. 213 Von Mengden to embark 5000 men at Wafa, and proceed book vi. direftly to Uma, in Lapland, which he did ; took feveral officers and foldiers prifoners, and burnt the town, in which were feveral magazines j and then penetrating into the coun- try on both fides, burnt and deftroyed two gentlemen's feats, forty-one villages, containing above one thoufand houfes, feventeen mills, one hundred and thirteen magazi-nes, and other buildings.; which done, they returned to Wafa loaded with booty, and without futfering the fmallell lofs. On the 7th of Auguft, the Swedifh- vice-admiral attack- The Swede* • ed our fleec under Ameland, commanded by prince Gahtzinj fleet with lofs,. but they met with fuch a warm reception as made them flieer off, with the lofs of four frigates and two gallies, one hun- dred and fifty pieces of cannon, and four hundred prifoners taken, befides two hundred men killed, and three hundred wounded : the prifoners, &c. were afterwards carried in tri- umph into Petcrfburgh, at which ceremony both the czar and czarina were prefent, which was conducted with great pomp, becaufe no victories were fo much prized by the czar as thofe he gained at fea.; The feafon of the year at length obliged admiral Norris - to leave the Baltic, where it may be faid he had done much, by fufFering the Ruffians to do little. The czar not doubt- ing but the Britifh fquadron would return next year, and . feeiiig, from the conduct of the Swedes, that they muft be conflrained to fue for the peace they had rejedled when of- fered to them, began early to prepare for a decifive cam-. • paign, by augmentrng his navy, to put himfelf in a condi-N tion to face both the£ritifh aad Swedifh fleets. Mf,: 214 MEMOIRS OF BOOK VI. Mr. Stamke, rainifter of the duke of Kolftein, had been at Peteifburgh, fince he left Aland on the king of Sweden's 1720. The cz.ir re- death ; and had done every thing that lay in his power to duke of Hoi- obtain the friendfhip and protection of the czar for that hfsproteaion. P^'^^^^> ^^^^ mafler, who waited at Breflaw in Silefia, to know the fuccefs of this negotiation. The duke of Holftein, be- ing fon of the late king of Sweden's eldeft fifter, claimed a right to the crown preferable to that of the-princefs Ulrica, who was the younger fifter, but novv confidered himfelf far- ther removed from it, by the refignation the queen had made of her right to her hufband, the prince of Hefle. The czar, commiferating the unfortunate circumftances of the duke, whom the late king of Sweden defigned for his fuc- celTor, determined to afford him his protection, and for the firft proof of it fent him a hundred thoufand crowns, with an invitation to come from Breflaw to Riga. Couit-martiai The over-fifcal having laid an information this winter on lieutenant- ggainft lieutenailt-colonel Graves, of the artillery, an Eng- Graves. lifliman, for embezzling his majeUy's ftores, and felling them to foreign fliip-mafters, I fat on the court-martial. In the courfe of the trial we found the accufation to be entirely falfe, and proceeded from malice, becaufe he refufed the fif- eal feme ftores he wanted, who had fuborned two gunners as Vt'itnefl'es againfl the colonel, but who were both found guilty of perjury, and fent to prifon. The fifcal being ill- pleafed wiih our proceedings, complained to the fifcal-gene- ral of our partiality ; and he laid the matter before the czar, «?iho oidered the court-martial, the accufed, and evidence, to repair to Peterlbur^h, vvliere the affair was brought befoi-e a board PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 215, a board of general officers ; and the litigioufnefs and villany book vr. of the fifcal appeared fo evident, that he and his two wit- eiTnes were knouted and baniflied to Siberia. We had our travelHng expences paid, and returned to Revel; but, not- withftanding colonel Graves was honourably acquitted, he could never recover the fix nmnths pay for the time he was under arrefl on his trial, which is fufficient evidence of the hardfliip officers labour under in tliis fervice : the plea they ufed was, that he had done no duty in that time. The co- lonel was fo much difgufted with this treatment, that he left the fervice without taking leave. At my return to Revel, a comical law-fuit was commenced A cunous between my landlord and his brother, both merchants in the tween two town J the cafe was thus : — The two brothers had always "^"^ ^^^' lived at great variance with each other ; my landlord, who was very rich, was determined, in cafe he fliould die, his brother fhould not fucceed him ; he had been married fe* veral years to a very handfome woman, without having any children by her ; the blame whereof he attributed more to himfelf than to his wife.; and being refolved that his wife, at any rate, ihould have a child, to deprive his brother fronx being his heir, he took a lieutenant into his houfe as a lodger, a handfome young fellow, to whom he gave all manner of opportunities to converfe with his wife, having before-hand concerted the matter with her, by which means flie fooa proved to be with child : fhe then made the gentleman a. pre{ent of a purfe with a hundred ducats, defiiing hitn, at the fame time^ to leek out another lodging, as her h ifband was grown Je.^ous and began to fufpetft her, vviiich maie it abfolutely ncceffarv for him to remove, promifing, that 2i6 M E M O I R S O F BOOK VI. if he ever ftood in need of her afliftance, he might depend " "upon her. The gentleman finding her very pofitive, not- withftanding all his remonftrances, was, at laft, obliged to comply, flattering himfelf to find frequent opportunities to converfe with herj but. in this he found himfelf miftaken, for flie fhunned all occafion of ever being alone with him. This exafperated him fo much, that one evening, when he knew her hulband to be from home, he forced his way into her bed-chamber, and defired to know why fhe fhunned his company. She very frankly told him, that fhe had co- ;habited with him, not from luft, but with an intention to have a child by him to inherit her hufband's eftate ; and as fhe was now with child, {he hoped he would not envy its being heir to a good eftatej and defired, therefore, he would not be an inftrument in defaming her and ruining his own child ; defiling him to give over any thoughts of enjoying her any more, fhe being fully determined againfl it. After this fpeech fhe gave him a diamond ring, and a purfe with .fifty ducats and retired, locking herfelf up in another room : upon this he went away in a great paffion, and in a fit of ill-humour, divulged the whole intrigue to fome of his companions, who foon fpread it over the town, by which means his brotiier got notice of it, and commenced the law-fuit ; but the hufbaiid acknowledging the child to be his, the fuit was.dropt in courfe. Frefh prepa- ^^ ^'^^ Swcdcs fliU perfevered in refufing peace on the .fiw'^Tn ^^""^ terms that had been agreed upon by the late king, the czar was now determined to compel them j and for this purpofe augmented prince Galitzin's army in Finland with five bat- talions and two grenadier companies, from his own divifion, and PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 217 and two other regiments from Revel; we all embarked on book vi. board the gallies early in the morning of the 9th of May, 1721, and arrived in the evening at Elfuigfoo, in Finland, *^"' being fifty Englifli miles over. The Swedifh monarch had fent Mr. Dahlman, his adju- Propofah on tant-general, to the czar, with propofals for a fufpenfion of a ceiil'tion of hoftilities for one year, and, in the mean time, to fettle ^°eed'to' affairs towards a lading peace ; but as the czar had made great preparations for the enfuing campaign, he would by no means confent thereto. He confented, however, to the mediation of France, which Mr, Campredon, the French minifler at the court of Sweden, had, in fome fort, before propofed. Upon this declaration, Mr. Campredon, at the defire of the Swedifli court, fet out for Peterfburgh, to know what were the propofitions of the czar, and found his raa- jefty in the fame mind he was before the congrefs of Aland, notwithftanding the many advantages he had gained fince that time. Mr. Campredon returned to Stockholm, and Newftadt, in Finland, was appointed for tiie congrefs, where the plenipotentiaries met. In the month of April, the duke of Holfteln arrived at Riga, where the Ruffian court then refided, and was moft gracioufly received by the czar and czarina ; and, at thi^s meeting, the foundation was laid of a nearer alliance with that prince. Our operations in Finland were pufhed with great vigour : we were no fooner arrived at Elfingfoo, than fent, under lieutenant-general Lacy, to make a defcent a third de- on the coafts of Sweden j 5000 men, and 370 Coflacs, with j^^"'""^"'*' their horfes, embarked on board of fifty gallies, were under fail the 27th of May, and landed next day near Gevel, on F f the 2i8 MEMOIRS OF BOOK VI. on the Swedifli coaft, and marched along the coaft to Sun- ~ deihani, and from thence to Uma, which is ahove a hun- dred leagues. In all that way we met with lo. little refifl- ance from the Swedes, having, as it feemed, lofl their for- mer bravery, that we had only eleven men killed ; v/hereas they had one hundred and three of their's kiUed, and we took forty-feven prifoners, with one ftandard and four co- lours, two brafs and five iron cannon, three trumpets, and ten kettle-drums ; we alfo took and burnt fix of their gal- lies, lately built, with two merchant -fhips, and twenty-five other vefiels j and burnt and deftroyed a magazine of arms and ammunition ; ruined a manufa6tory of mufkets, and two iron forges ; burnt and deftroyed thirteen mills, four towns, five hundred and nine hamlets, ninety-eight parifhes, and three hundred and thirty-four barns, &c. &c. which ob. This deftrudive expedition alarmed the Swedes to fuch a I'^rth^^'^e^t fiegree, that their plenipotentiaries at Newftadt had orders minaries, and jq fjp-j-j ^he preliminaries direftly ; upon which we received conclude the ° •■ , ■' '■ peace. orders to reimbark with our detachment, and return to Finland, and we arrived at the Junfer Sheerin, the 9th of September, where the peace was proclaimed. On the 14th, we went and joined the grand army, under the command of prince Galitzin, at Elfingfoo, where the peace was celebrated with every demonftration of joy, every one now being in hopes of enjoying fome eafe and reft after this long deftruc- tive war, which had lafted twenty years ; but we found our- felvcs miftaken, for the Swedifii war was no fooner ended than another was begun, as will be k^n hereafter. On the 16th, 1 was ordered to demolifli the fort at Elfingfoo, and three thoufand men being employed on that fervice, the 7 mate- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 219 materials were foon tlirown into the fea, which choaked up book vr. the harbour, and the fort was fo effe£lually rafed, that not — — — — 1721. the lead appearance remained of a fort having been on the fpot. On the 7th of 0(5lober, the army embarked on board The fleet and the galUes, to return to Peterfburgh, and general Lacy failed ftorra,'"and a the fame day with the vanguard, and we followed him the abli'^preferv- next with the main body, under the command of prince Ga- ^^' litzin ; and major-general Von Mengden brought up the rear. On the loth, we were overtaken by a violent ftorni, in which we loft feveral gallies, and a number of our men ; we faw feveral wrecks on the rocks, which were of general Lacy's detachment, and met a number of feather-beds, ta- bles, chairs, and barrels, floating on the fea ; amongft the reft, a barrel floating palTed one of the gaUies, was taken up, and in it was found a child afleep, vvhich proved to be the child of a major, who, with his lady, perifiicd in the ftorm ; and, as they were both foreigners, the infant was left a deftitute orphan without a relation to take care of it ; but the cafe being made known to the czarina, her majefty took care of the child. We had feventeen gallies dafhed to pieces in this ftorm, and feveral hundred men drowned. We reached Sand-Ifland on the nth, and on the 13th Black- Ifland : it was ftill blowing frefti with froft and ino\Y, (o that it was with difficulty our men could manage the fails, or handle the oars. On the 17th, we got to White-Ifland, making our way through the fhoals of ice, with a great deal of fnow, whereby we were fo benumbed, that we were ob- liged to keep ourfelves in heat by hard labour. On the 1 8th, we got to Beloforof, where we refitted our damaged F f 2 • gallies, 220 MEMOIRS OF BOOK v(. gallies, and on the 20th arrived at Cronflot. We did not flop here, but proceeded and got into the river Neva the Fleet arrive ncxt day, where the galhes were colleCled, and followed "Lurg. each other up the river in grand parade, each fainting the fort as they paffed, and coming oppofite to the fenate- houfe, were ranged at an anchor, in fix lines, acrofs the river; and on a fignal made by a rocket, we difcharged all our guns and fmall-arms at one general volley ; which was returned' by the fort and admiralty with all their cannon : this was repeated three times, and the prodigious noife made us all fo deaf, that we could fcarce hear for feveral days after. This falute being ended, all the officers, above the degree of a fubaltern, came afhore, by invitation, to the fenate- houfe^. where a grand entertainment was provided for all ranks oi people, on which occafion numerous fire-works were played off, and the entertainment lafted till day break, when the officers retired on board the gallies, and brought them to* the wharfs where they were to be laid up ; the men debarked^ and we were put into winter-quarters, hoping now to enjoy: our eafe for fome time after fo much fatigue and danger. Great rejoicings were now every where difplayed through- out the empire ; nothing was to be feen but treats, balls,, and mafquerades ; the prifoners on both fides were fet at- liberty ; a general promotion took place both in the army-, and navy ; our plenipotentiaries were loaded with favours j. general Bruce was made a count of the empire, and had a. prefent of ten thoufand rubles given him ; Mr. Ofterman was made a baron, and had a prefent of eight thoufand j . the fecretary got two thoufand ; a general pardon was given to all thofe whofe crimes deferved arbitrary punifhments j. aad PETER HENRY BRUCE, E S Q^ 221 and all who were under fentence for public debts, which book vr. amounted to feveral millions, were difcbargsd; • — On this important occafion, the fenate, with the grandees, The'cza'r ho- the chief cler;2;v of the empire, and the deputies of the fe-"""''e'ithout bread, or any fort of vegetable ; and in the winter their cattle fare as other wild hearts. Their food is flefli (efpecially that of horfes), fifh, wild-fowl, and venifon, and have a great plenty of milk, butter, and cheefe ; but mare's milk is the moft efteemed among them, and from it they make a very flrong fgif it, of. which they are very fend ; it is clear as water, but Icouldi Tartars. 2^0 MEMOIRS OF BOOK vn. I could never learn how it is made. The Kalmucks are d\l vided into an infinite number of hordes, or clans, every one '''" under their own particular chan, and all of thofe acknow- ledge the authority of one principal chan, who is called Otchicurti-chan, or the king of kings, and who derives his pedigree from the great Tamerlane. He is a very potent prince, and lives in great fplendor ; is formidable to all the neighbouring Tartars, and to the Ruffians themfelves, who are obliged to keep confiderable garrifons on the right-fide of the river, all the way from Saratof to Aflrrachan to pre- vent their excurfions, as the Kalmucks are in pofi'effion of the oppofite fliore, and are alfo under the necefilty of fur- nifhing the Negayan Tartars about Aftrachan with arms to defend themfelves, in the fummer, againft the incurfions of the Kalmucks, who formerly ufed to come every fummer to ravage the country of the Nagayans about Aftrachan, but fince they have been made fenfible of the effefls of the fmall arms and cannon now put in their hands by the Ruffians, they content themfelves with coming once a year to the great plains of Aftrachan for the conveniency of food for their cattle, at a feafon when their more northern pofl^ef- fions are quite deftitute of it. This is commonly done with not lefs than one hundred thoufand men, and they rarely return without having received their accuftomed prefent of bread, brandy, and tobacco, from the governor of Aftrachan. There is no doubt but the Ruffians are powerful enough to curb the infolence of thefe vagabonds, v«^ere it not for the confideration of ,a benefit arifing from the traffic for their furs and horfes, which they bring every year in great abun- dance to Aftrachan j and alfo for the fervice they are of to tlie PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 241 the Ruffians in their wars with the Turks and Crim-Tartars, book vir, being accounted the moft alert at pitching and removing ' their tents of any people in the world, which they are ac- '' cuftomed to by their conftant incurfions to fome or other of the neighbouring countries. It is principally from this view that the Ruffians looked upon it as a piece of policy rather to allay their fiercenefs by fome prefents, which, however, by continuance of time, they now demand as an obligation, than to engage in a war again ft a multitude of vagabonds who have fo little to lofe > having neither houfe nor fixed refidence in all their dominions, but live the year round in tents covered with felts, in which, however, both for neat- nefs and conveniency, they far exceed all the neighbouring nations, even thofe who live in fixed habitations. The Kalmucks, as well as the other nations of Great Tartary, are Pagans. As to their perfons, they are of a low Mature, and generally bow-legged, occafioned by their be- ing fo continually on horfeback, or fitting with their legs below them ; their faces are broad and flat, with a flat nofe and little black eyes, diftant from each other like the Chi- nefe ; they are of an olive-colour, and their faces full of wrinkles, with very little or no beard ; they fhave their heads, leaving only a tuft of hair on the crown. The bet- ter fort of them wear cnats of ftuff or filk, above which tliey wear a large, wide, fur coat of flieep-fkins, and a cap of the fame : in the time of war, they cover their head and body with iron net-work, which they call a pantzer, the links of which are fo clofe, that it is proof againft any kind of weapons except fire-arms, as a bullet will break it, and generally carries fome broken pieces into the wound, I i which 242 MEMOIRSOF BOOK VII. which makes them ftand in great awe of fire-arms. Their only weapons are the fcymitar, lance, and bow and arrow ; '^"' but they are coming into the ufe of fire-arms, which, in time, will make them more formidable. Their cattle are large, and their fheep are of the largeft kind, having great fat tails, weighing from twenty-fix to thirty pounds ; their ears hanging down like our dogs, and inftead of wool they have foft curled hair, fo that their fkins are all converted into fur coats. Their horfes are but fmall and of a bad fhape, but fwift, hardy, and ftrong, and many of them pace natu- rally, and trot at an incredible rate. They eat the flefii of camels, cows, and flieep, but univerfally give the preference to that of the horfe. They are, in their own way, the happieft people on the earth, being fatigued with no kind of labour, but divert- ing themfelves with fifliing and hunting; and I can conceive nothing preferable to their way of living in the fummer : but in winter they are obliged to crofs the river, and live on the bare plain of Allrachan, where their only firing is the dried dung of the cattle, and the cattle themfelves ftarv- ing on the fcanty produce of a barren defart. Here they re- main till the fpring, when their former habitation, on the eaft fide of the river, is overflowed for near a month to a vaft extent by the melting of the fnow, and their country appears one continued fea over-grown with trees : as foon as this fubfides, they return with great joy, fwimming their loaded camels and cattle over the river, where the interven- ing iflands make their pafl'age eafieft. It is to be obferved,, that the Kalmucks, when they go upon any expedition, have no regard either to bridges or boats ; they no fooner come 2. , . to PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 243 to a river, than in they plunge with their horfes, and Aid- book vir. ing from their backs hold faft by the manes till they get over, and then immediately mount again, and {o proceed. But to return to our paflage down the river. The 2d of July we arrived at Kamufinflci, which is a well fortified town, lituate on the river Kamus, and has a nu- merous garrifon of foldiers and CofTacks. A canal was begun here to make a communication between the rivers Wolga and Don, or Tanais, and after being greatly advanced, was at laft found imprafticable by the vaft quantity of hard rock lying in the way, which could only be removed by blowing at fuch an immenfe expence of time and treafure that the attempt was dropt. Oppofite to Kamus, a branch of the Wolga points its courfe into the country, north-eafl, one werft, quite contrary to the current of the great river ; but afterwards refuming its former courfe, returns to the fouth- eaft, and continues in that dire£lion, till it falls into the Cafpian fea. About forty miles from this, and at a fmall diftance from the river- fide, are to be feen the ruins of a great city, formerly called Czarefgorod, built, as is related, by Tamerlane : its palace and walls were all of brick, and have ferved the city of Aflrachan with materials, thefe many years, for building their walls, churches, and monafteries. The 4th of July, we came before Czaritza, which is forti- fied with feveral baftions and towers, but all of wood, and inhabited only by foldiers and CofTacks. All about here, and even as far Aflrachan, the ifland of Zerpinfko excepted, which, being twelve werfls long, fupports the cattle belong- ing to the garrifon, the foil is fo very barren, that it affords no manner of corn : this defeat', however, is eafily fupplied I i 2 by 244 M E M O I R S O F BOOK VII. l^y the help of the river, the fertile lands of Cafan fur- niftiing thofe parts, and even the city of Aftrachan, with ''"■ wheat and rye, at a very moderate price. Forty werfts be- low Czaritza, this great river cafts out her fecond branch,^ which joins the firft, and with it falls into the fea. From hence, on both fides the Wolga, as far as the fea, grow vaft quantities of liquorice of a very large fize, its ftalk being as thick as a lufty man's arm, and fometimes above four feet high, the feeds lying in cods upon the ftalkj yet this is inferior, both in fize and fweetnefs, to that which grows near the river Araxis in Afia. The 6th, we arrived before Zornayar, feated on the right fide of the river, on a high fliore, near a vaft plain, without trees or eminences > the form of the place is a fquare, forti- fied with wooden towers and ramparts, and garrifoned with foldiers and Coflacks, all horfemen. A few werfts below this is a third branch of the Wolga, called Buchwoftowa, which falls into the two preceding; and at twenty w^erfts farther down flie fends out her fourth branch called Doni- tolka, which does not mingle with any of the other three, but flows by a particular channel into the Cafpian fea. In paffing the left fliore, we frequently vifited the Kalmucks in their kibbits, or tents, which wc always found pitched on the moft delightful places I ever faw, their country being a large plain, full of wood and meadows ; and we were much diverted with the numbers of their children of both fexes, running naked along the fliore ; and upon our throwing bread into the water, they fwam in crouds to take it up^ there being none of them but can fwim to admiration.. About fixty werfts above Aftrachan is the fifth branch of the. Wolgaj PETER HENRY BRUCE. ESQ. 245 Wolga, and is called Mitufka, which, at fome diftance from book vir, the main river, divides again into tvi'o llreams, one of which unites with the Donitolka, and the other returns again to ^' the Wolga. Twenty-five vveifts above Aftrachan lies the ifle of Bufan, and ten werfts below that ifle is the fixth branch of the Wolga called Baltzick ; and lome werfts lower, the feventh, called Knilufle, which forms the ifle of Dolgoi, upon which flands the city of Aftrachan : having encom- pafled this ifland, it falls through feveral channels into the Cafpian fea. On the loth of July I arrived at the city of Afl:rachan, where I joined the army again. They were all furprifed to fee me, as they had been informed by a galley, which pafl^ed us in the night, when we were in our greattft danger, that we were all drowned. Here my agreeable companion, the Capuchin, entered into a cloyfter of his own order, as there happened to be a vacancy by the death of one of their bre- thren, which was very fortunate for the Capuchin, as the confufions then in Perfia made it impra6licable for him to proceed thither, as he at firft propofed. I met w^ith the ut- moft gratitude and civility from him and the reft of his brethren, and when I went away, upon our expedition over the Cafpian fea, I left every thing I had no occafion for at their convent 5 and he fent me afterwards, by every fliip that arrived, provifions of all kinds, by which means I was better pi-ovided than any officer in the army : fo that I loft nothing by my civility to the Capuchin. The city of Aftrachan is fituated on the confines of Eu- Ailiachan. rope and Afia, which are divided by the river Wolga. It ftands on the ifland of Dolgoi, which is formed by the bratKhes 246 MEMOIRS OF BOOK VII branches on that river, as has been already mentioned, in 46 deg. 22 min. north lat. two thoufand fix hundred and thirty werfts from Mofcow, allowing nmety werfts to a degree. The city is of a confiderable bignefs, and at prefent inhabited al- moft entirely by Ruffians ; the former inhabitants of the country, being Tartars, are not permitted to live within .the walls, but in the adjacent fubuibs, which are only fenced round with pallifades : the fortifications of the city are all of ftone, very high, and at a difirance make a very gallant appearance, efpecially toward the river, by the great number of ftone turrets and fleeples ; but the houfes within the city being all of wood, and very low, its in fide does not appear anfwerable to the reft. There is a great train of artillery in this place, no lefs than five hundred brafs cannon, with a pro- portionable number of mortars ; the garrifon, in peaceable times, is commonly fix thoufand men, under the command of a governor and other officers. Aftrachan being fituate ' on a navigable boundary, between the two moft confiderable quarters of the globe, is naturally the feat of an immenfe trade ; being frequented not only by the neighbouring Tartar nations, but by Perfians, Armenians, and Indians : the In- dians have a particular diftri6l afllgned them within the walls of the city. Nagayan Czar Iwan Bafilowitz, having conquered the kingdom of Tartars. Cafan, in the year 1552, turned his arms againft the Nagayan Tartars, and took Aftrachan, their capital, by aflault, in the year i 554; and to fecure his conqueft he furrounded the city with a ftrong wall. Czar Michael Fedrowitz, befides ftrength- ening the city with fome new fortifications, built that part of it called Strelitza-Gorod, or the city of foldiers, as the military PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 247 military had their quarters afTigned them there. I will now book vn. endeavour to give a fliort defcription of this country and its inhabitants. It feem,s beyond a difpute, the Tartars were unknown to Shoit ac- the ancient geographers, who comprehended them under Tartars. the generaf appellation of Scythians and Sarmatians ; it is evident the Tartars confift of feveral nations, diftinfl: among themfelves, in their names, language, and cuftoms. The Nagayans, with the Tartars of Cafan, and fome others- inhabiting between the Wolga and the Don, or Tanais, are faid to have been Indians, who revolting from their fove- reigns about the year 121 2, emigrated and fettled themfelves on the Palus Meotis, near the Euxine fea, and extending their conquefts to the river Don, and from thence at laft to- the Wolga, near which they inhabit at this day. The Na- gayans are feated along the fhores of the Cafpian, from the- river laick, to the Wolga. Aflrachan, their principal city, they relate to have been built by a Tartar king, whofe name being Aftra, gave his city the name of Aftra chan, or king. Before this country was conquered by the RufTians, it was inhabited altogether by Tartars, but now they are neither fufFered to refide within this city, nor build a new one, nor fortify any of their towns or villages with walls. The Nagayans live for the moft part in round huts made TheisTaga- of bull-rufhes, or canes, and feldom exceed twelve or thir- manner o£ teen yards in circumference, with a hole at the top to let out ' '^' the fmoak ; yet the leaft of thefe huts has a falcon, or hawk, as thofe Tartars are great mailers of this fport: they have hawks of all forts and fizes, each bred to fly at different kinds of game. The Ruffians call the Nagayans, vagabonds^ as 248 MEMOIRS O F oooK VII. as they have no fettled habitations in the fummer, but ram- ■ ble up and down. They pack up their huts in carts ; their ' *^' wives, children, and goods, on camels, horfes, and oxen ; and move about from one place to another, where they can find better pafturage for their cattle. When winter approaches, they begin to reaflemble with their flocks, to pafs it in Se- veral troops near Aftrachan, where they are furniflied with arms to repulfe any inroads from the Kalmucks, or other Tartars from the River laick j and as foon as the winter is over, they are obliged to return all their arms. They pay no tribute to the Ruffian emperor, but are obliged to ferve him in his wars under their own commanders, as they are, in time of peace, governed by their own petty princes and judges. To fecure their obedience to the emperor, he has always fome of their princes, or myrzas, hoftages in the caftle of Aftrachan. Their rchgion is Mahometanifm, of the fame fe£t with the Turks, except fome few who have embraced the reli- t^ion of the Greek church : they are ufed to dedicate fome of their children, Uke the Nazarites, to God or to fonie faint or other j they are diftinguiflied from the reft by a ring, which the boys wear in their right ear, and the girls in their noftril. They live upon what their cattle, hunting, and fifli- ing fupply them with. They make ufe of fifh dried in the fun inftead of bread, although they alfo make cakes of meal and rice ; they eat camels and horfe flefli, and they hold mares milk in great efteem : their common drink is milk and water, yet, belides wine, hydromel (or mead), and brandy, they find indiff'erent good beer in Aftrachan : their cattle are much the fame with thofe of the Kalmucks. The Naga- I yans PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 249 yans In their perfons are handfomer than the Kalmucks, ef- book vn. pecially their women j the men wear a loofe coat of fome "" -* coarfe cloth, and over that a fort of cloak of flieep ikin, the woolly fide outwards, with a cap of the fame on their heads; the cap is commonly of a black colour. Their women are clad in white linen, with a plaited coif on their heads, both fides of which is ornamented with a great many pieces of filver coin, hanging down. The climate here is very hot ; the heat in the months of September and Oflober much ex- ceeds the dog-days in Britain ; notwithftanding which, the winter, which feldom continues longer than two months, is fo exceffive cold, that this great river is frozen up, and the ice ftrong enough to carry horfes and fledges. On the weft fide of the Wolga, towards the Euxine Sea, Defam near lies a vaft defart, above three hundred and fifty werfts in rich with"fait. length, and fouthward, along the fhore of the Cafpian, another near four hundred werfts long j on neither of which ftands city, town, or village, nor is there a hill or even a tree to be feen in all this immenfe extent, only here and there a little fpot of grafs ; neither is there any water, but what the river Kifliar or fome ftanding pools of fait water afford: yet thefe very deferts are enriched with prodigious quantities of fait ; for from ten to twenty werfts diftance from Aftrachan, there are large fait veins, which being congealed by the fun^ fwims on the furface of the water of the thicknefs of a finger, as clear and tranfparent as rock cryftal, and fmells like a vio- let ; from hence all Ruflia is fupplied with fair. The three principal of thefe falts-pits, are called Mozakofski, Kain- kowa, and Goftofski, where the fait is in fuch abundance, that one may buy a hundred weight for two pence, on the K k Ipot, 250 MEMOIRS OF BOOK vii. fpot. It is carried to the Wolga, and from thence tranfported .- — to other parts. FriiitJaVAf. The Ifle of Dolgoi, or Long liland, about Aftrachan, and truchan. j-^^^g other parts of this province, abound with mod excel- lent fruits, yielding neitlier for beauty nor flavour to any, even thofe of Perfia or the Indies ; their apples, quinces, nuts, peaches, and melons, exceed their other kinds in good- nefs, and efpecially the water-melon, the rhind of which is of a lively green colour, the meat carnation, and the feeds black, moft pleafant to the eye and delicious to the palate, and are fold fo verycheap as two for a penny, and fo large that one is fufficient for two men, and fo refrelhing, that peo- ple in fevers may eat them without danger. It is not yet above one hundred years fmce the grape was feen in thefe: parts, but the Perfians having brought fome fetts of the vine to this place, they were firft planted by a monk, a German by birth, in the garden belonging to his convent, fituated in the fuburbs of Aflrachan j this fmall flock has been fmce improved and encreafed to that degree, that not only the walks and arbours of the gardens, but large vineyards are planted ; the grapes are fo extraordinary large and plentiful, that the tables are not only liberally provided with excellent wine, both red and white, but made in fuch quantities that our army was now fuppUed with it. Befides this, there is to be found near Aftrachan, and all along the Wolga,. abundance of fimples, which grow very large. The herb efula is here about as high as a man, and the angelica root as thick as a man's arm. About thirty werfts below Aftra- chan, is one of the beft fifheries in the Wolga, and from which. PETER HENRV BRUCE, ESQ. 251 which the city is plentifully fiirnifhed with falmon, fturgeon, book vir beluga, ofotrin, fterlit, and many other kinds of delicious fifla J and the fmall iflands hereabouts abound with sreat va- '''"• riety of wild-fowl ; and although the neighbouring coun- tries are not fertile in corn, yet that defe6t is fo well fupplied from the fruitful country of Cafan, that, taken altogether, this city may juftly be reckoned one the mod conveiiient and pleafant in Europe. But to return where I left off. The day after my arrival here, I waited on his imperial majefty, and prefented him with the three pieces of alabafter I had brought with me from Tenefowa, which pleafed him fo much, that he gave immediate orders to work that quarry, which proved to be moft excellent of its kind. The emperor obferved, when I had prefented him with thefe pieces of ala- bafter, that no mineral of any kind whatever, had been dif- covered to him by any of his own fubje£ls, but that many had been difcovered to him by foreigners : but his majefty did not reflecl upmi the hardftiips thofe were put to upon whofe la!)ds any thing of that kind was fovind, as they not only loft the benefit of it, but were obliged to work the mine by their vafTals, without the leaft emolument to themfclves ; which verifies the common faying they have in Ruflla, that every thing they have belongs to God and their emperor. I was quartered, in this city, at the houfe of a widow, who had a maid fervant that had been purchafed as a flave from the Tartars : this fervant had ftoleii feveral things from her miftrefs, which being found in her cuftody, flie was feverely punifhed for the theft ; for which fhe threatened to be re- venged on her miftrefs, who difregarded the menace at that time : however, fhe was feized, in a few days after, with K k 2 fuch 252 MEMOIRS OF BOOK vn. fuch a fit of madnefs, that they were obliged to bind her; -———— on which the girl difappeared, and in her cheft were found '^"' a variety of herbs, roots, and powders ; and upon the phyfi- cians examining into the nature of them, they foon found out the caufe of the woman's diforder, and applying the proper remedy, (he recovered her fenfes again. A party of Tartars brought back the flave, who, upon examination, confefled what flie had done, pretending that fhe underftood witch- craft, and could avenge herfelf on thofe who injured her : on which fhe was firft whipt through the city, and delivered to the Tartars to fell her at fome diftance. TheBanayan The Armenians have one of the fuburbs of this city al- bumtng her- lotted for their refidence, and carry on a great trade from huftand'r iisiice into Perfia ; but the Banyans without doubt contri- death. tjufg moft to its flourifhing condition. They are a fort of Pagan Indians, whofe principal purfuit is trade, and have their fa6lory within the city. One of their chief merchants dying at this time, his widow defired leave of the emperor to burn herfelf with his corpfe, according to the cuftom of their country: but his majefty, unwilling to encourage fo bar- barous a cuftom, refufed her requeft, and the Indian fadlory were fo much diffatisfied with it, that they threatened to withdraw from the city with their effeds. His majefty finding no argument could prevail on the woman to alter her relblution, at laft gave them leave to do as they thought proper. The corpfe being drefTed in his cloaths, was carried to fome little diftance from the town, where a funeral pile of dry wood was raifed, and the body laid upon it : before the pile were hung Indian carpets, to prevent its being feen. The wife in her heft, apparel, and adorned with ear-rings, feveral PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 253 fcveral rings on her fingers, and a pearl necklace, attended book vir. by a great number of Indians of both fexes, was led by a "■" ~ bramin, or priefl:, to the funeral pile, which on her approach *'**' was kindled : Ihe then diftributcd her upper apparel and jewels among her friends and aquaintances, of whom (lie took her laft farewel with a great deal of ceremony, and the pile being in full flame, and the carpets taken down, fhe leaped into the midft of the fire ; her friends then poured quantities of oil over her, which foon fufFocated her, and reduced both corpfe to afhes, which were carefully gathered and put into- an urn, to be conveyed to their relations in India. This barbarous cuftom was firft introduced upon a politi- cal account J for polygamy, caufing abundance of heart-burn- ing and jcaloufy among the women that were rivals in their hulband's affeiflions, it often happened that fuch as thought themfelves neglefted, ufed frequently to procure their huf— band's deaths j wherefore, to make them more careful of the lives of their hufbands, it was ordered that thofe wives only.who were willing to accompany their hufbands to the other world, by being burned with his corpfe whenever he died, fliould have the reputation of being honeft and virtuous; and fuch as would not give that proof of their afFe(5lion, Ihould be deem- ed infamous for ever after the death of their hulband. Not- withftanding the obligation to burn with their hufbands, impofed no other penalty on fuch as refufed than being ac- counted infamous for not conforming to fuch a dreadful cuftom, yet fuch was the fenfe of honour and love for repu- tation, among the Banyan women, that there are innumer- able examples among them, of fuch as have voluntarily la- crificei 254 M E M O I R S a F B.QOJ^ VII. CI ificed. their lives upon tlie burning pile : and what makes .- then)! undergo this with fo much cheaif uluefs, is a perfucifion, that if a woman has fb great an aJffe(5tion for her hufband, as to burn berfelf vvith him after his death, Ihe fhall H\'e with him in the, other world feven times as long, and fhall enjoy him with f&ven times as. much fatisfaction as ftie lias done in this, without a rival;, fo that they look upon..this kind of death, as ^ paflage through which they are to enter into the enjoyment of thofe pleafures, of which they had but: a fmall Ihare of in this world. This cuftom prevails only among the Banyans, and not in general over India. India is inhabited by three diftuicl forts of people; firfl, the Indoftans, who are the ancient natives of tlie country, an idle and a flovenly generation ; fecondly, the Moguls, who came out of Grand Tartary, a warlike people, and much addided to arms ; thefe are all Mahometans ; thirdJy, the Banyans, who came originally from China, and are all Pagans, and who apply themfelves entirely to manufa6lure and trade. The Banyans are incomparably more ingenious, fubtle, and civil, than any of the other Indians ; there is no trade in Perfia, or the Turkifh dominions, which is not ' principally managed by them, nor any commodity through- TheBany- out all the Indies which they do not deal in. The Banyans *"*' are diftinguiflied from thofe who profefs Mahometanifm by their habit, for they do not wear their hair long, neither fhave their heads, nor do their women cover their faces, as the Mahometans do. Black teeth are in fo much efteem amongft them, that they call the white-teethed Europeans londra, or apes. They wear no breeches, as the other Indians do PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 255 do, but only a piece of thin iilk fluff, which is wrapped book vir. about them, hanging dowji to their hams, over wbich they wear their Iniocks, and on them their upper garment, which ^'"' they tie with a girdle round the waift ; under thefe a nar- row waiftcoat, the fleeves of which reach no farther than the elbow ; they wear llioes of velvet, brocade, or gilt lea- ther, faftened to their feet with ftraps, and they pull them off when they go into any room, wher^ the floors are gene- rally covered with tapeftry, but when they walk abroad they wear wooden fhoes. Their bramins, or priefls, are diftinguifhed from the reft only by what they wear about their heads, which is made of linen cloth, wrapped feveral times round the head to cover their /acred hair, which is never cut ; they have alfo two pieces of packthread next their fkin, croffing the breaft from the fhoulders to the waift, which they never put oif, though it were to fave their lives. They are, moreover, in fuch reputation for fan6tity, that no marriage is holy where the bride has not been confecrated by the facred ini- tiation of the prieft, to whom flie is always condu6ted for that purpofe ; and he rates this part of his holy office at an exorbitant price, befides a ftrong felicitation to relieve the bridegroom from his drudgery ; and thus the crafty prieft,, by impofing on the fimplicity of his flock, improves his na- tural talent to the beft advantage, and fatisfies at once both his appetite and his avarice. But this is not all, for the liufband retains fo much pious regard for his co-partner, that if they go any journey, or upon any occafion are de- tained from home, he recommends his whole family, but efpeciT- 256 MEMOIRS OF 180 OK VII. efpecially his wife to the care of the prlefl: in his abfence, """"""^ to fupply his place till his return j and the wife makes it her care to cherifh his languifhing fpirits with powerful re- ftoratives, at which the Indian women are the moft expert of any in the world, as they are alfo perfe6l miftrefles of the eafieft methods, upon certain occafions, of difpatching their hulbands to the other world. Thefe are the accounts I received at Aftrachan. BOOK PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 257 BOOK VIII. Army cmhiirk at 4!^rachan, i8/Z' of July. — Variety of "diild fowl on the little ijliinds. — Terki, the capital city of Circajfia. — Herring in the Caf' plan. — Voyage to Bujlroiv. — General kVaterang's account Jront the pro- ■vince of Andreof. — Circqfia and its inhabitants, their manners, religion, &c. — Continuation of the voyage and view of mount Caucafus, ^c.-— The army land at Agrechan.^-March into Afa. — Kindnefs of the Da- gcjlan Tartars. — The army pafs the river Sulack. — General Waterang joins the army. — Embarraffed on their march, and fevere pun'ijhnent on the officers of the guards. — Arrive at Tarku, with a defcription of the DageJIan Tartars. — Interview with the ladies. — The DageJIan ladies wait on the emprefs. — EreSt a monument at Tarku, and march for Der- hent through a fine country. — Sultan Udenach's cruelty, and its confe- quences. — Twenty defperate Tartars. — A beautiful Tartar youth Jlain.— Undaunted refolution of the pricjl. — Arrive at Derbent. — Defcription of the city. — Remarkable tombs.— Alexander and Melkehatura — Jackcalts and fand hares. — Thirteen tranfports loft and buried in the fand. — Suck~ ary bread. — Tzvo expreffes and one ambajfador arrive at the army. — A Turk)]}) ambajfador obliges the emperor to return. — Occafton of the troii • bles in Perfia. — The army return. — Cold nights. — Dangerous and har- raffing march. — The new tozvn of Szvetago-Kreft. — Fort at the river Nitzi deftroyed, and revenged. — The army re-imbarkat Agrechan. — The provifions for the captain's galley loft ; aftarving voyage. — Arrive at Af- trachan the i c^ih of OElober. GEneral Waterang had been difpatched fome time ago, eqok viii. through the great defart of Aftrachan, with an army of 7,000 dragoons, ar.d 10,000 Coffacks, attended by 2o,ooo Kalmuck Tartars, with a very large train of camels to carry their provifions and water ; and with orders to at- tack and deftroy the province of Andreof, to revenge the many ravaging incurfions made by them on the fubje^Sls of L 1 Ruffia; ll^^. 25S M E M O I R S O F BOOK viii. Ruflia ; the general was fiiortly after followed by io,ocO' " Coffacks and 20,000 Kalmuck Tartars more, to augment his army, and enable him to complete the deftruftion of that province. Armyc-mbriik On the i8ih of July, our army embarked- an board two* ' hundred and fifty gallics, attended by thirty-five Hore and hofpital-fhips J our infantry confided of 33,000 of thofe v^-arlike veterans, who had been in every campaign during the long war with Sweden. We fat out from Aftrachan the ■ fame evening, under a general falute from all the artillery of the city and fleet ; we dropt down with the ftream all night,, and arrived next day at the mouth of the river, which is lixty werils from Aftrachan, where we got fight of the Caf- pian for the firft time. We went down the wefternmofl ftream of the Wolga, which is the only one tliat can carry vellels of heavy burden ; the rcil: of the ftreams, which form . . a prodigious number of fmall iflands, are to the eaftward,, and fall into the Cafpian fea in thirty-two different channels. Variety of Thefe ifiands feed a vaft number of cattle in the fummer ;■ wild fowl on 110 • • r the little and as they are all furrounded by valt quantities of thick, tall reeds, the great number of wild fowl, efpecially fea-fowl, is paft defcription ; upon firing of a gun, they rife in the- air like a cloud, when numbers of them may be killed with great eafe j a greater variety is not to be fecn any where in. the known world. Befides fwans and common wild geefe, there is a very large kind called by the Ruffians i>al'^i, or CEop-geefe, and by others pelicans ; their bills being a foot and half long, and two inches broad, are forked at the ends ; fome of thefe fowls, from the head to the feet, are above feven feet in length ; under then" bills tiiey have a 9 llirivelled. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 259 flirievelled fkin hanging, refembling a bag, which when book vrir. dilated, contains three gallons of liquor j this bag they make ' 1712. life of to hold the fifli that they catch, which they after- wards eat at their leifure. There is another kind called fpoon-geefe ; their beaks are long and round, and at the extremity are flat like the mouth of a fpoon beaten out ; this fowl, when it puts its beak in the waterj makes a mod hideous noife, fomewhat like the braying of an afs : an- other kind, by fome called the red geefe, by others flamin- gos, are in great flocks on the Cafpian fhores ; they walk after their leader in a very regular order, and at a diftance appear not unlike a regiment of foldiers following their commander ; their legs are very long, of a fcarlet red, and they have very long necks, the plumage of various colours, but their heads are like fcarlet, their bodies are of different colours, beautifully variegated, and their wings fcarlet ; it is in every refpefl a mofl: beautiful bird ; they exceed in height a tall grenadier, with his cap on his head, yet their bodies are not much bigger than that of the fwan : there are alfo black geefe of the ordinary fize, and this kind are no where elfe to be met with, and are preferable in tafle to any of the other geefe. As for wild ducks, their variety is incredible, and to defcribe their different kinds almofl im- poffible. 1 cannot, however, pafs over two of them with- out notice, which I thought the moft extraordinary ; the one is called the fcarlet-duck, from the colour of its feathers, which are fliaded by other beautiful coloured feathers, and has upon its head a large tuft of feathers refembling a crown, intermixt with all the colours of the rainbow j it is very large, and delicious eating ; the other is the yellow- duck, L I 2 whofe 26o M E M O I R S O F BOOK VIII. whofe feathers are entirely of that colour; thefe are alfo very • large and fat and mofl: excellent eating, and what is very un- ''"■ common, they build their nefts on the tops of the higheft trees, and when their young come out of the flicll, they carry them in their beaks to the vvat^r : no fowl is more ef- teemed than thefe, for their delicious tafte, or eafier got, as they commonly betray themfelves by the noife they make, which is heard at a great diftance ; they are always in pairs, and when you kill the one you are fare of the other, as it never leaves its dead mate till you kill it alfo. Terk;,theca- On the 2oth wc weighed from the mouth of the Wolga, «ffia.° '^' under the command of the great admiral Apraxin ; their majefties, the emperor and emprefs, having failed before us for Terki, the capital city of Circaflian Tartary, which is the mofl fouthern boundary of his majefty's prefent domi- nions : this city is ftrongly fortified, and flands on an ifland- formed by the rivers Terki and Buftrow, and is garrifoned by two thoufand regulars and one thoufand Coffacks, who are all horfemen ; the native Circallians are not permitted to live near the city, but inhabit the country at fome diflance from it» The vvind turning contrary, our fleet came to an anchor to- wards evening, and next day the wind being flill foul, the whole fleet took to their oars, and keeping as near the fliore as polTible, for there is no coming nearer to it than four or five werfls, becaufe of the fliallownefs of the water, and the whole fnore even to that diflance being overgrown with firong high reeds, which makes it impoflible to land any where, even in a canoe. Towards night a favourable gale relieved the poor wearied foldiers, who had rowed haid all day. The wind coiitinued favourable all night : at one o'clock in PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ.. 261 in the morning we had heavy rain, with thunder and light book viii. ning. The weather cleared up on the morning of the 2 2d ; 1722, and as the wind continued in our favour, we failed all this day in fight of the fnore, and came to aii anchor at night near Labugin, in ten feet water. This day afforded us an amuf- Hemn^s m ... the Lalpian.. ing entertainment, with a kind of fifli of the fize and fliape of a herring; they fwam and fkipped on the furface of the water continually, without offering to go down, notwith- flanding we purfued and killed numbers of them : we con- cluded it was their conftant way of living, but having, baited fome hooks with them, we caught a fturgeon and two be- lugas, which convinced us that they fled to the furface to efcape the purfuit of the fifli of prey, in the fame manner: as the flying-fifli rife to efcape the purfuit of the dolphin : thefe little fifli have exactly the fliape and tafle of herrings, and I am perfuaded they are nothing elfe. Early in the morning of the 23d, we weighed again, voyage to with the wind flill fair, and got out of fight of land; and "^'^°"° jii the afternoon our divifion lofl fight of the admiral, which gave us no fmall trouble as we had neither pilot nor compafs on board, (indeed the refl of the fleet laboured under the fame inconveniency), and when the night came, not know- ing how to fleer, we dropt anchor in eighteen feet water, and waited the return of day-light. Early in the morning of the 24th, we got under way again, and about noon got fight of the land, to the great joy of every body on board, as it was the only rule for the diredlion of our courfe ; but the wind being againfl us, we were obliged to have rccourfe to. the oar, and rowing along the coafl, which was flill clofely covered* 262 M E M O I R S O F BOOK viii. covered with fli'ong reeds, above two werfts from the land, ' which made it ini pi actable to land any where on this coafi:, except in the mouth of a river. At night a fignal v/as made by our commanding officer, to come to an anchor, which we did in nine feet water, where we caught very good fidi of fevcral kinds. At day break of the 25th, by fignal, we got under way with the oar, the wind being contrary, flill rowing as near the reeds as poffible: feveral of the gal- lies fent out their pinnaces to the reeds, when on firing of a mulket fuch multitudes of different forts of water-fowl rofc, that they killed great numbers of them. At night we came again to an anchor in fourteen feet water, after a hard day's labour. The wind proving fair in the morning of the 26th, we got early under way, and towards the evening arrived in the mouth of the river Buftrow, which flows by the city of Terki, fituated three werfts from the fhore, and here we found the reft of the fleet which had kept up with the ad- miral. General Wa- While wc wcrc here, his majefty received accounts from coimf fsom' g^n^i'^l Waterang, with the agreeable news that he had de- the Province feated and cut to pieces a body of five thoufand men, of ot Andreoi. *■ ■' the province of Andreof, and that he had burnt and de- flroyed their capital city, laid the whole province wafte, and carried off all the inhabitants that he could meet with, old and young of both fexes, amounting to many thoufands ; and fent them to Aftrachan under theefcortof five thouiand ColFacks, and fifteen thoufand Kalm.ucks; and had befides given liberty to feveral thoufand Ruflian flaves of both fexes, who were then on their way to Terki, to be tranfported from PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 263 from thence by fea to Adrachan. For this fignal fuccefs. book viir, we had orders to fire three vollies, from all our guns and ' fmall arms. I cannot here omit giving fome farther defcription of Ciicadia and Circaflia, and its inhabitants. Terki, the principal city, is tants"'theVr feated in a very fpacious plain, very fwampy towards the !]'^j'^"j"^g^ "^^* fea-fide, in 43 deg. 23 min. north latitude: it is about three werfts in compafs, well fortified with ramparts and baftions in the modern ftyle, well floied with cannon, and has always a Gonfiderable garrifon in it, under the command of a governor. TheCircaffian prince who refides here, is allowed five hundred Rufilans for his guard, but none of his own fubjefts are per- mitted to dwell within any part of the fortifications. Ever fince the redudion of thofe parts to the obedience of Ruffia, they have put in all places of ftrength, not only Ruflian garrifons and governors, but magiftrates, and priefts for the exercife of the Chriftian religion ; yet the Circaffian Tartars are governed by their own princes, lords, and judges, but thefe adminifter juftice in the name of the emperor, and in matters of importance, not without the prefence of the Ruf- fian governors, being all obliged to take the oath of alle- giance to his imperial majefiry. The apparel of the men of CircaJTia is much the fame with that of the Nagayans, only their caps is fomething larger and their cloaks, being likewife of coarfe cloth or Ihecp Ikins, are faftened only at the neck, with a ftring, and as they are not large enough to cover the whole body, they turn them round according to the wind and weather. The men here are much better favoured than thofe of Nagaya, and the women extremely well fhaped, with exceeding fine features, fmooth dear complexions, and beau- 264 M E M O I R S O F BOOK viir. beautiful black eyes, which with their black hair hanging • in two trefles, one on each fide the face, give them a moft '"* lovely appearance ; they wear a black coif on their heads, covered with a fine white cloth tied under the chin : during the fummer they all wear only a fmock of divers colours, and that open fo low before, that one may fee below their navels ; this with their beautiful faces always uncovered, (contrary to the cuftom of moft of the other provinces in thefe parts), their good humour and lively freedom in con- verfation, altogether render them very defirable : notwith- ftanding which they have the reputation of being very chafte, though they feldom want opportunity ; for it is an efta- bliflied point of good manners among them, as foon as any perfon comes in to fpeak to the wife, the hufband goes out of t'ne houfe : but whether this continency of theii's pro- ceeds from their own generofity, to recompence their huf- bands for the confidence they put in them, or has its foun- dation only in fame, I pretend not to determine. Their language they have in common with the other neighbour- ing Tartars, although the chief people among them are alfo not ignorant of the Rtifiian ; their religion is Paganifm, for notwithftandlng they ufe circumcifiom among them, they have neither prieft, alcoran, or mofque, like other Mahome- tans. Every body here offers his own facrifice at pleafure, for which, however, they have certain days eftabliflied rather ■by cuftom, than any pofitive command: their moft folemn facrifice is offered at the death of their nearefl friends, upon which occafion both men and women meet in the field to be prefent at the offering, which is an he-goat ; and having killej, ihey flay it, and ftretch the fkin with the head and J horns PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 265 horns on, upon a crofs at the top of a long pole, placed book viii. commonly in a quickfet hedge, (to I;eej) the cattle from it), • and near the place the facrifice is offered by boiling and roafling the flefli, which they afiervvards eat. When the feafl: is over, the men rife, and having paid their adoration to the fkin, and muttered over fome certain prayers, the women withdraw, and the men conclude the feremony with drink- ing a great quantity of aqua vitse, and this geneially ends in a quarrel before they part. The river Buftrow is the fouthern boundary of Circaffia,- and the province of Andreof are their next neighbours, who dwell between the river Koifu, which rifes out of Mount Caucafus, and the Buftrow. Thofe people were reduced by general Waterang. Their majefties having embarked on the evening of the ConnnuatJon 26th, the fleet failed early in the morning of the 27th, with a age.'and^' very favourable breeze, and pafled the ifland of Trenzini, and Mown Cau. foon after we faw land on both fides of us, occafioned by a '^*''*^> ^'■"* peninfula which formed a large bay, upwards of forty werfls long, and here we had the firft view of the high mountains of Caucafus, which feem to hide their heads in the clouds. The mountains of Taurus and Arrarat, are fo contiguous to the Caucafus, that they appear like a continuation of the fame mountain, which crofTes all Afia, from Andreof, or Mongrelia, to the Indies. Mount Arrarat is one entire vaft rock, exceeding even Caucafus itfelf in height, its top be- ing covered with fnow all the year round. It is faid to be the fame on which the ark refted after the Deluge. The Ar- menians, who call it Meflina, believe there are ftill fome fragments of that ark on this mountain, but that by the length of time they were all petrified -, which mufl; now re- M m main 266 MEMOIRSOF BOOK VIII. main uncertain, as the mountain is inacceffible from the — furrounding precipices. Thole high mountains are of great ^''"' ufe to mariners in thefe parts of the Cafpian, as moft of them have very little knowledge of the compafs ; the differ- ent appearances they make toward the fea, ferve as an in- flru6lion to the pilots in determining whereabout they are. But to return to our .voyage: — we arrived the fame evening in the mouth of the river Agrechan, where we anchored for the night, when we had rain, thunder, and lightning. The Army By a fignal from the great admiral, early in the morning chllr' "^^"^^ of the 28th, we began to land our troops, which was per- formed with much difficulty. By reafon of the fhoal water, our gallies could not come within a confiderable difl:ance to the fliore, and the men were obliged to carry their arms, ammunition, baggage, and provifions, a long way in the water on their backs ; the unloaded veffels were all hauled up on the fliore, and a ftrong entrenchment thrown up about them for their fecurity, under the guard of a colonel and fix hundred men, with all our fick, who were afterwards reinforced with a thoufand Coflacks from general Waterang's army. Here a great number of Circafllan and Dageftan Tartars came to us, with little waggons, horfes, camels, and oxen to fell, and being well convinced we could not well proceed without fuch accommodation, they took advantage of our neceffity, and made us pay what they pleafed to de- mand for them. I bought a waggon and two horfes for my baggage, and one to ride on, for which I was obliged to pay fix times their value. March inw We remained here till the 4th of Auguft, when we de- ** camped, and began our firfl march in Afia : the heat was PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 267 fo intolerable, that numbers of our men dropt down by the book viii. way, and notvvithftanding that, we marched twenty-jfive werfts this day, and arrived on the banks of the river Sulack at night. On the 5th we marched ten werfts farther up the river, to a place intended to ferry over our army ; on our march we were met by the fiiafkal, or prince, of Tarku, Kiudnefs of the chief of the Dageftan Tartars, who was attended by a very xanarsr ''" grand retinue, and welcomed his imperial majefty into the Dageftan territories, and offered his afliftance to the utmoft of his power -, his fubjedls, at the fame, brought us all manner of refreftiments for the army. After our army palled by him in good order, he feemed to be much furprifed at the regularity and fine difcipline he obferved they were un- der, having never feen any regular troops before ; and after feeing our camp formed, he left us feemingly well pleafed. The Tartars brought fuch quantities of grapes, melons, oranges, pomgranates, apples, pears, &c. to the camp, and our people devoured them fo voracioufly, that many were feized with fevers and fluxes ; on which no fruit was per- mitted to be brought into the army. Here we found feveral fmall boats, of which we made two ferries to waft the army over the Sulack. On the 6th his majefty paft over with his own divifion The army and fome other regiments, and formed a camp on the other suilck! "^" fide, and in the evening the governor of Gorfki, and the governor of Axay, two Dageftan princes, came to wait upon his majefty : the firft brought him a prefent of three fine Perfian horfes, with rich furniture, and fix hundred wag- gons for the baggage, each drawn by two oxen, befides fifty fat oxen to kill for the army : the latter prefented his majefty M m 2 with 268 M E M O I R S O F BcioK vni. with fi\' fine Perfian horfes, with very rich furniture, and one hundred oxen for the army; recommending themfelves and their country to his majefty's proteflion. The next day we had fuch a violent ftorm of wind, that it blew down all our tents, and made the river fwell to that degree, that it overflowed its banks, and we were obliged to remove at fome dirtance from it ; feveral men who were crofling at that time, were drowned in their pafTage : our ferries got fo much da- mage by this ftorm,^that we did not get all the army over General Wa. before the loth, when we were joined by general VVaterang, the aoiiy. with his dragoons and Coflacks, and one thoufand of the latter were immediately fent back to reinforce thofe left in the entrenchments, that covered our gallies at the mouth of the river Agrechan. The general brought with him prifoner, the chief of the province of Andreof, whom the emperor caufed to be hanged up the fimeday, for an example to otiiers. This irritated the other chiefs of the Dageftans to fuch a de- gree, that they were determined to be revenged, which brought us into no fmall trouble. EmbarraCed We began to match again on the nth, with one half mardrand of the dragoons and Coflacks for our advanced guard, and fevere pu- ^j^^ Other half to cover our rear ; and went thirty werftsthat nilnmcnt on •' the officers of jgy notwithftardiug tl^.e intenfe heat, which made many of the <^uai"dsi ^ our men drop by the way. When we halted in the middle of the day, we difcovered great numbers of armed men on horfeback riding on the fides of the mountains: his majefty was at that time in the rear, and riding along the army, enquired of the men if their pieces were loaded ; and being informed they were not, he gave orders himfelf to load them, ordering, at the fame time, all the officers of his own divifion PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 269 divifion to meet at the head of the grenadier company, where book viii. having met, he harangued and reprimanded us feverely * for neglc£t of duty ; we were then difarmed, and our fwords, (viz. the field officers, who were at the fame time generals, and all the captains,) were put all together into a waggon ; the field-officers were ordered to march on foot in one rank, and the captains were formed in three ranks behind them, and every officer was loaded with four mulkets on his flioulders ; in this pofture we marched near two hours in the moft intolerable heat, when the emprefs being in- formed of our milerable fituation, came up in her chariot ' with the utmoft hafle, and pleaded fo effe£lually in our favour, that we were relieved from our heavy burdens, had our fwords reflored, and were admitted to kifs his majefty's hand, who told us, that he had only punilhed the officers of his own guards, becaufe they ought to give a good example to all the reft of the army. — This vv'as difcipline with a vengeance. — The poor captain of the grenadiers died the next day of the fatigue, being a corpulent man, and feveral others fickened, fome of whom died alfo. We loft feveral horfes this day by their eating a poifonous herb and want of water ; but none of the camels or oxen were affi^ded, and I concluded they had not eat any of it. On the 1 2th, we reached the city of Tarku, ten werfts j Arrive at the fliafkal met the emperor half-way, and conducted him fciTption^of ' to the city ; it ftands on the fide of a hill, quite open, with- Xam^f ^^^ out any walls, and our army encamped on a fpacious plain below the town. Being now arrived at the capital of Da- geftan Tartary, I fliall endeavour to give fome defcription of the province and city, from the heft information I could obtain. 270 M E M O I R S O F BOOK viii. obtain. Their territory reaches from the river Buftrow, their boundary with Circaffia, all along mount Caucafus, as far as Derbent, and they are neither fubje6t to the Turk nor the Perfian, but are in general governed by the fliafkal, who is their fupreme head : his office is not hereditary but eledive. The whole country of Dageftan is divided into fmall diftrid^s, or lordfhips, each under the jurifdiclion of its proper lord, or myrza, who, though hereditary, is neverthelefs not abfo- lute, but his authority is controlled by that of fome of the chief men among them. All thefe petty lords acknowlege one whom they call fhafkal as fupreme head, to whom they pay their refpedl:, but not paflive obedience. Thefe people are generally very mifchievous, barbarous, and favage, liv- ing for the moft part by robbery and plunder ; a great part of their livelihood is for the men to fteal children, not fpar- ing even thofe of their own neareft relations, whom they fell to the neighbouring Perfians, leaving the care of their cattle to their wives in their abfence. They are called Da- geftans, from the word Dag, which fignifies in their lan- guage, a mountain, and are from thence called moun- taineers J they pretend to be the defcendants of the Amazons, and firmly believe that Thaleftris, the queen of the Amazons, went from hence to Hircania on a vifit to Alexander the Great, to obtain that favour which ladies, although ever fo defirous of, feldom care to beg. The Dageftans are all Ma- hometans, ufing circumcifion and all the other ceremonies of the Turks. Their habit is a long clcfe coat, commonly of a dark grey, or black, coarfe cloth, over which they wear a cloak of the fame fluff ; and in winter, of flieep fkins : they wear a fquare cap of a great many pieces fewed together; I their PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 271 their flioes are for the nioft part made of horfes hides, book viir. fewed together only at the inftep ; the pooreft man among them is provided with a coat of mail, head- piece, and buckler, befides a fcymitar, javelin, bow and arrows. This city of Tarku, being the metropolis of Daseftan, interview '^ " with the la- contains above three thoufand houfes, and is very full of dies. inhabitants J the houfes all two Tories high, platformed at top, ftanding clofe to each other : the women walk upon them in the cool of the evenings, as the men do in the ftreets. Every houfe has a garden flored with all kinds of delicious fruits, and all well fupplied with fine fprings of water : as for their women, they are incomparably beautiful, both in feature and fliape, with a fair clear complexion, accompanied with lovely black eyes and hair ; but as the men are very jealous, they are always locked up, fo that it is no eafy matter to get fight of them ; and I believe we fhould not have feen any of them if it had not happened twice by accident. We had the liberty to go into the city to buy necefTaries, and were ordered on thefe occafions to go in ftrong parties and well armed, for we placed no great confidence in the fidelity of the inhabitants ; and being in town one day with feveral officers, vyell efcorted, we faw one of the principal inhabitants going into his houfe, when we made bold to throng in with him much againft his in- clination ; but, being informed by our interpreter, that we were officers of rank, and that we begged the favour he would indulge our curiofity by fhewing us the infide of his houfe, he at laft relu6lantly confented, and led us into his apartments j the floors were all covered with very fine Per- fian 272 M E M O I R S O F BOOK viii. fian tapeftry, without any other kind cf ornament, excepting •^^ fome fine mattraffes, and filk quilts, upon which they lie at '^"' night ; they have neither chairs nor tables, but all fit or lie on the floor : inftead of glafs in the windows, they have blinds, very curioufly checkered of plaited reed, through which they can fee what pafTes in the flreet without being feen within ; the walls and cielings are all white, without any ornament. After this he led us into a fquare court, divided in the middle by a high wall, which feparated his own apartments from thofe of the women ; having fhewed us alfo his garden, very well ftored with all kinds of fruit, he invited us to fit down with him on a fofa under a piazza, and entertained us with coffee, fruits, and fweet- meats j when captain Brunie, one of our company, fliewed him a very pretty fliaving-glafs he carried in his pocket, and obferving he w^as much pleafed with it, the captain made him a prefent of it, which feemed to ingratiate us with him. After fome converfation with our hoft, we begged the favour of him to let us fee his women in their drefs, only at a diftance ; to which, though unwillingly, he at laft confented, and went himfelf to their apartments to order them to get themfelves ready, as we apprehended, and re- turning prefently, he fat down again and converfed fome time with us. He then went again, and brought out four of his wives, and eight of his concubines, and placed them all in a row that we might have a full view of them, in which pofture he left them ftanding, and returning himfelf to the fofa, he fat down with us : the ladies, however, feemingly difpleafed to be gazed at, at fuch a diftance, advanced with one accord, and feated themfelves upon the fofa oppofite to us. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 273 us, at which forwardnefs our hoft feemed not at all pleafed, i^ook vin. and they, not regarding him in the Icaft, examined our drefs ' very narrowly, and put a great many queflions to us, by our interpreter, efpecially relating to the cuftoms and drefs of our women, and how many women were allov/cd in our country to each man ; on their being informed that no man was allowed to have more than one wife, and that the wo- men had the fame liberty as the men to walk abroad and vi- fit their neighbours ; they clapped their hands, and cried out with emotion, " O ! happy, happy country !" Our hoft not being at all pleafed with their condu6l, ordered them immediately to their apartments, and they obeyed with much relu(5tance. They were all moft lovely creatures, but the concubines excelled the wives in beauty ; the reafon is ob- vious, for they are married to their wives by proxy, and the others they take from choice. After fome fliort ftay we took our leave, having invited our hoft to come next day and fee us in the camp; upon his coming we entertained him very handfomely, and he appeared to be moft delighted with our regimental mufic ; and he told us at his taking leave, that as we had fliewn him fo much politenefs and civility, we fliould always be welcome to his houfe while we ftaid in thofe parts ; but although we attempted it we never could again obtain admiffion. The next view we got of the Dageftan ladies was at the TheDatref- emprefs's tent ; the fliaf kal's ladies, attended by other ladies ^?."t'of,"ihg of rank and failiion, came to wait on her majefty ; they emprefs. came fo clofe fliut up in coaches that they could not be feen ; when they arrived at the emprefs 's tent, they were feated on culliions of crimfon velvet, laid on Perfian carpets, that N n were 274 MEMOIRS OF I7IX. BOOK VIII. were fpread upon the ground, and there they fat crofs- legged according to their cuftom. After they were feated, the emprefs gave orders that the officers fliould be admitted to fee the ladies, who were", indeed, all of them extremely lovely ; her majefty had ordered, that when one company of the officers had gratified their curiofity, they fhould re- tire and make way for others ; by which means the vifit of the ladies lafted till it was pretty late at night, when they were attended back to the city by her fervants, with abun- dance of torches, highly pleafed with their reception ; and not only being informed, but alfo feeing how unconfined our women live, they certainly were as much taken with it as thofe of our hofl ; and I dare fay, if we could have beat up for volunteers among thofe lovely daughters of the Ama- zons, their men would now have been left as womenlefs as they were in thofe ancient times. His majefty's manifeftos having been publiflied, not only throughout Dageftan, but alfo at Derbent, Backu, and Shamachie j letters were received from Derbent, on the 15th, with affiirances, that the manifeftoes were received with great joy there, and that they would, with the utmoft plea- fure, put themfelves under the emperor's prote6tion when- ever he arrived there with his army. Upon this news it was ordered, that every perfon belonging to the army, from the higheft to the loweft, fliould bring a Hone of the middling iize, into the middle of the camp, where a crofs was erected, round which they were piled up for a lafting memorial, I fuppofe, and after this divine fervice was performed. We broke up on the i6th, and marched twenty-five werfls, in, a fcorching heat, to the river Manas, which afforded us 3 plenty Ere£l a mo- nument at Tarku, and march for Derbent, PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 275 plenty of water, but we could get no forage, and were ob- book viri. liged to fend our horfes in among the mountains for grafs, ■ ■ ' where great numbers of them were taken and carried off * ^** by the Tartars, and among the reft all my three horfes.' When we moved next day, the 1 7th, general Waterang was fo good as to order two dragoons todifmount, and yoke their horfes to my baggage-waggon, but I was, myfelf, reduced to walk on foot, which was extremely fatiguing in that hot climate. Madam Campenhaufen, one of her majefty's la- dies of honour, obferving me marching on foot before my company, fent in the evening to enquire the reafon, and being told my misfortune, was fo kind as to acquaint the emprefs with it, who was gracioufly pleafed to order her equerry to give me a horfe with furniture ; and his majefty being informed of my necellity, gave orders to provide mc with another, fo that I vvas again mounted, and my fer- vant alfo, on horfeback : that night, however, I bought two camels for my baggage, at fifteen rubles each, and gave my waggon .to one of my officers v/ho was in want of one : I was foon fully convinced of the ufefulnefs of the camels, who not only carry heavy burdens, but feed where no horfe can fubfift} and can .live feveral days without water, if they get but a handful of fait in lieu of it. This day we paffed the river Manas, and at no great diftance from it, the river Boinack, over a ftone bridge, and encamped for the night at Old Boinack, having marched thirty werfts, and conie through large fields of cotton and faffron. We loft this day a number of horfes by heat, fatigue, and want of forage. It is to be obferved of this country, that the fum- mer is fo exceffively hot, and all the grafs is fo entirely N n 2 withered 276 MEMOIRS OF BOOK viii. vvlthered and fcorchcd up, that the inhabitants are obliged -"- — '^ • to feed their cattle with hay, which they provide in the winter *^**' when the country abounds with grafs and pafturage. From this place his majefly difpatched three Coflacks, with a guide, to fultan Udenich, who lived at fome diftance among the mountains, requiring him to fend a deputation in order to a conference, and defiring him to fupply the army with bcafls of burden, to tranfport our baggage to Derbent. Sultan Ude- On the 1 8th we marched twenty- five werfts, and encamped anVitsTonfe- on the bauks of the river Nitzi, where the guide returned to quences. ^^^^ ^-^j^ fultan Udenich's anfwer, having his nofe and both ears cut off, and informed his majefty that they had, in his prefence, put the three Coflacks to death, in a moft cruel and barbarous manner: the fultan bade him tell the emperor, that whoever of his people fell into his hands they fliould be treated in the fame manner, and as to the defued con- ference, they were ready to hold it with their fcymitars in their hands. On the 19th, the Tartars appeared on the fide of the hill,, about twelve thoufand Itrong, to put their threats in exe- cution i and'as we were fufficiently on our guard by the re- turn of the melTenger, the army was immediately under arms without ftriking their tents, and his majeftymarched in per- fon toward the Ci'emy with only his own divifion, which con- fided of fix battalions, ordering only a part of the army to. follow. Upon our approaching the foot of the hill, we fired . fmartly on each other, without much damage on either fide, and as they flcod upon a very high eminence, we could not bring cur cannon to bear on them ; the emperor perceiving they kept their ftation without advancing towards us, or- dered. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 277 dered the dragoons and CofTacks to march round, and attack book vni, them upon the hill, which they did with great expedition, and as they afcended the declivity we faw them all the way, but they were not difcovered by the enemy till they were dole at their backs, when a great flaughter enfued, and tlie Tartars fled with the utmoft precipitation, leaving between fix and feven hundred men dead on the fpot, and forty were taken prifoners ; among whom were fome perfons of diftinc- tion, and their Mahometan prieft, who had been one of their principal leaders, and not only advifed but perpetrated witii his own hands, that horrid cruel murder of the three Cof* facks, cutting open their breads while they were yet alive, and taking out their hearts, and whofe bodies were after- wards found ftuck upon flakes near the fultan'^s palace, by cur dragoons who purfued the enemy to the very gates, which they alfo entered, putting every one they met with to the fword, amounting to upwards of three thoufand men j for they had fent away their women and children to the mountains, before they fat out on this expedition, in which, befides the flain, the fultan's refidence and fix other villages were burnt and entirely deHrroyed". In the purfuit, a party of the dragoons had driven twenty Twenty def- Tartars into a narrow place, front which there was no pof- ^'^^.^^^ ^'^' fibility of efcaprng, and finding themfelves fo clofely hemmed in, they fell on their knees, and otFered, in this fuppiicating pollure, to deliver up their fire arms with the butt ends fore- mofl, upon which twenty of the dragoons were ordered to difmount and fecure them ; but upon their approach, thefe defperadoes rofe up and threw their javelins, and killed every or;e of the dragoons, and then made fo bold an attack with their fcymitars in their hands, that they wounded i 1-/ZZ, 278 M E M O I R S O F T500K vin. wounded feveral more, not giving over till they were every ■ one cut to pieces. General Romantzof was ordered to march with our fix battalions, to affifl the dragoons in deftroying the fultan's re- fidence, and on our way we were attacked by a body of fix hundred horfe, who were commg from a neighbouring chief to Udenich's afliftance. In the^r attack they advanced and .retired in a very uncommon manner: they were formed only twelve in front, but fifty in depth, following each other with their drawn fcymitars ; when the front ranks had made an attempt on our fcrewed bayonets, they wheeled about and placed themfelves again in the rear ; having continued to attack us in this manner near half an hour, they thought proper to march off with the lofs of fsveral men and horfes killed and wounded. In this attack one of their command- ers who had diflinguiflied himfelf with fuperior courage and activity, made frequent attempts and wounded two of our men : general Romantzof obferving him, and feeing me with a rifle-piece in my hand, defired I would endeavour to bring him down, which I did at his next attack, by flioot- ing him through the thigh, and he tumbled from his horfe, which with his own perfon was immediately fecured. The general was pleafsd to make me a prefent of his horfe and fur- niture, with his fcymitar, bow and arrows -, the bridle and furniture were overlaid with fluds of gilt filver, the handle and fcabbard of the fcymitar, with the fame in filigree work j the horfe I fold for fixty ducats, the fcymitar, bow and ar- rows, I brought with me to Britain, and flill have them in my poffeflion. By this means general Romantzof made me fome amends for the horfe and furniture left me by marfhal PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 279 marflial Weyde, which had been detained from me as I book vnr. mentioned formerly. This rencounter being ended, we con- ~ tinned our march toward Udenich's refidence, and found '^'^" all the way we went, the road ftrewed with dead bodies, which had been killed by our dragoons in tiie purfuit ; and . among the reft a youth between eighteen and twenty years a beautiful of age, whofe head had been but newly cut off : the beauty flab?' ^°^^^ of his face and perfon were, even in death, fo extraordinary, that every one ftood to look on him as they paft the corpfe, declaring they had never feen any one comparable to him ; but as the admiration of this corpfe retarded our march, the general ordered the body to be removed out of the way- After having marched about fifteen werfts, we were met by the dragoons and Coffacks on their return, ricWy laden with plunder; and general Waterang having informed Ro- mantzof that all was over and completely finiflied, we re- turned all together in one body, and on our arriving at the eminence where the enemy made their firft appearance, we found twenty-one of the prifoners hung up by way of re- prifal, for the cruel death of our three Coffacks : one of the prifoners was fent back to fultan Udenich, with his nofe and ears cut off, with a letter reproaching him with his favage cruelty toward our innocent meffengers. The prieft was quartered for his inhuman barbarity. While this detachment were abfent on that fervice, lord Undaunted admiral Apraxin, who commanded the army in chief, had thjprieft.° been examining fome of the prifoners, and afking them why they had put our innocent meffengers to fo cruel a death, they replied that they knew nothing farther about it, but that it was done by their fultan's orders at the inftigatiort o£ a8o M E M O I R S OF BOOK VIII. o^ ^"^^^ piieft : the piiefl: being thereupon interrogated, very — boldly anfwered, that he would have done the fame to every '7*** one of our people whom he could have got in his power, to revenge the treatment the Tartars of Andreof had re- ceived from us, whofe chief we had put to fo ignominious a death, and whofe friends and allies they were ; befides, they were a fr«e nation, and would fubje61 themlelves to no prince on earth. The admiral then alked him how they could ven- ture to attack fo numerous and regular an army, who were fo far fuperior to any force they could raife, and all the afllftance they could expedl from their neighbours j to which the prieft replied, that they were not at all afraid of our foot foldiers, who were not able to follow them into moun- tains, and as to the CofTacks they had been ufed to beat them often on former occafions : but what difconcerted them mod was our blue coats, (meaning the dragoons), who kept fo clofe together on horfeback. He then told the admiral ■ to afk him no more queftions, for he was fully determined not to anfwer any, and that he neither afked not expefted any favour from fuch Chriflian dogs j upon which he was taken away. Another prifoner being brought before the admiral's tent to be examined, he would give no anfwer to any queftion that v/as put to him, on which he was ordered to be flripped and whipped ; but on receiving the firft lafli, he fnatched a fword from an officer's fide, and flew with it towards the admiral, whom he would certainly have killed, had not the two centries before the tent, run him through the body with their bayonets ; and even after he fell he pulled the mufket out of the hands of one of the centries, who in ftruggling to wrefl it from him, had a large piece of 6 flelh PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 281 flefli bit out of his arm by this dcfperate fellow, who was book viir. heia fooii difpatched. His majcrty coming up at this time, ~ — he admiral told him that he was certainly come into this ''*'' country to be devoured by mad dogs, having never had fuch a fright before in his whole life : the emperor replied, fmiling, if the people of this country underftood the art of war, it would be impoflible for any nation to cope with them. The emperor, with a view to keep thefe people in awe, ordered a fort to be ere£led on the river Nitzi, under the dire6lion of baron Renne, lieutenant of the guards, as en- gineer, and all the Kalmuck Tartars, with fome CofTacks, were left to cover and prote^l the works. The army moved again on the 21ft, and marching all the way through vineyards and orchards, we came at night to the river Durback, twenty werfts. Here we were met by a meflenger, with a handfome retinue, from the ftrong city of Buku, to congratulate his majefty on his fafe arrival in thofe parts j recommending themfelves and their city to his protection ; earneftly requefting to be relieved from Myr Maghmud the ufurper, again ft whom they had found means to defend themfelves the two years laft paft, and be- feeching the emperor to haften to their relief. We marched again on the 2 2d, through orchards and vineyards, fifteen werfts, when we arrived at a fmall river, where we found plenty of grafs, having fuffered greatly for want of it all the way from Tarku to this place ; and next day, the 23d, we continued our route through thefe delight- ful vineyards, fifteen werfts, to Derbent. His majefty was Arrive at met half way by the governor and principal citizens, who O o pre- 282 MEMOIRSOF BOOK vni. prefented him with the keys of their city, offering, at the fame time, to admit his troops into the citadel, to garrifon it *^"' for the piote6lion of their city, which had defended itfelf a confiderable time againft the arms of the ufnrper Magh-' mud : this generous offer met a very gracious reception. We marched through the city the fame day, under a triple falvo of all their artillery, and encamped on the fouth fide of the town, being now entered for the firfl time into Per- fia. We could now plainly fee Mount Arrarat from our camp, rearing his fummit far above the reft of the Cauca- fus. The emperor now appointed a governor and three thoufand men to garrifon the caftle, to whom the inhabi-'! tants with much joy, gave the immediate pofleffion of, as they were thereby relieved from the fatigues and hard- fliips they had fo long undergone, in defending their city againft the forces of the ufurper; On the ramparts were mounted one hundred iron, and fixty brafs cannon, twelve and nine pounders, with large ftore of ammunition. At a fmall diftance on each fide of the caftle, ftands a high v^'atch tov/er^ from which they can difcover the approach of an enemy at a great diftance, Pefcript'ion The city of Derbent, in the province of Shirvan, lies in of the c:tj'. ^^ ^^^ ^^ min. north latitude, is fituated on the ftiore cf the Cafpian ; the walls are carried into ten feet depth of water, to prevent any one's paffmg that way ; its length from eaft to weft, is nearly five werfts, but its breadth is not pro- portionable. It is not only the frontier of Perfia, lying on its utmoft confines on this fide, but may with great pro- priety be called the gate of it, reaching from the mountain into the fea. The city is divided into three diftin6t quar- ters : \ PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 283 ters ; the caftle, fituated upon the top of the mountain, book vin. had always a ftrong Perfian garrifon. The fecond, and principal, reaches from the foot of the mountain to ihe lower ' toA-n, which makes the third, and reaches to the Tea- fide. This laft, which was formerly inhabited by Greeks, is not now much frequented, being for the mod part converted into gardens, fmce the place was regained from the Turks. The whole city is inclofed with a very ftrong wall, fo broad that a waggon may drive along the top of it without the lead inconvenience, and flanked with fquare towers at proper di- flances. The walls are built with large fquare ftones, which appear like a heap of fea-fliells cemented together, yet are hard and durable as marble., and when poliflied look ex- tremely beautiful. Moll of the quarries in the Caucafus, are of this kind of ftone. The houfes are built and fur- niflied in the fame manner as thofe of Tarku; the inhabi- tants are all Mahometans, except fome Jews, whofe chief bufmefs is trading in flolen children, brought to market here by the neighbouring Tartars of Dageftan ; or fome Turkifb or Ruffian captives, which they pick up on fome of their excurfions, which the Jews carry farther into Perfia, and difpofe of. The mountain above the city, which is for the mod part covered with wood, prefents us with the ruins of a very ancient wall, which, if any credit can be given to the tra- dition of the natives, had formerly a communication all the way to the Euxine fea, through an extent of country near three hundred werfls in length : this much, however is cer- tain, the ruins of it flill appear in fome places fix feet high, in others two or three, and in others the track of it is O o ^ quite 284 BOOK viir, tytit Remarkable tombs. Alexander and Mclke- hatun. MEMOIRS OF quite loft. On fome of the adjacent hills are alfo to be feen the ruins of feveral old caftles, of a fquare form, two of which remaining undemolifhed to this day, are garrifoned by the Perfians. The natives in general are of opinion, that the city of Derbent was built by Alexander the Great, and that the long wall, which reached to the Euxine, was built by his order, to prevent the incurfions of the Scythians i^ito Perfia. Near to our camp we faw fome thoufands of tombs, co- vered with ftones half round (cylindrical) but exceeding the ordinary ftature of men, having all of them Arabic infcrip- tions. The report is, that in former ages, (yet fince the time of Mahomet), there was a certain king in Media, named Kafian, received a fignal defeat in a battle he fought againft the Dageftan Tartars at this place, and that the bodies of his officers, flain in the battle, were buried in thefe tombs. The relation feems not to be altogether fictitious, there be- ing at fome fmall diftance, near the fea, forty other tombs- exceeding thofe in bignefs, inclofed by a wall, which having each its banner, are faid to be the fepulchres of fo many lords of the firft rank, and other holy men who accompanied them : here both Perfians and Tartars, of both fexes, come to pay their devotions, by kiffing thofe fepulchres, and lay- ing their hands on them while they are at prayers. The inhabitants of Derbent have an old tradition among them, concerning Alexander the Great and Melkehatun, a v^idow fultana, in the province of Irvan. On an expedi- tion into thofe parts, Alexander went as his own ambaftk- dor to the city of Berda, where the fultana refided, to de- mand a furrender of herfelf, her city, and country, to the difcre- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 285 difcretion of the conqueror : Melkihatun being a woman of book viii, curiofity and tafte, had fome time before procured a pic- — ture of Alexander, drawn from the life, fo that he had ''"" no fooner prefented himfelf before her than fhe knew him : having deUvered his meflage, file defired him to dine with her, after which he fliould receive his anfwer to carry to the king his mafter ; upon which he was carried into a great hall, where a table was covered with gold and filver, and the fide diflies of gold plate were full of her jewels. The great conqueror being feated with the queen, Cht earneftly prefiTed him to eat, at which the great Alexander was very much furprifed, and afked the queen if her table could af- ford no other viftuals than what he faw before him, for thefe would not allay his hunger : flie faid, — " O ! Alexander, I " thought you could live on nothing elfe, lince for the fake ** of riches, you have laid fo many countries wafte, and left *' the poor inhabitants to perifli for want : you fee now, if •' you had all the treafure this world affords, and had no " vidluals, you muft perifli." Here flie ordered a curtain to be drawn afide, which difcovered his own picture, that hung juft oppofite to him, thereby fhewing him by what means fhe knew him -, telling him, that notwithflanding he was now in her power, flie would prefent him with all her treafure, as fhe found that riches were his only motive for ranfacking the world ; begging, in return, that flae and her fubjefts might be ^allowed to cultivate and enjoy their land in peace. The behaviour and wife difcourfe of the queen fo pleafed the great Alexander, that he granted her what flie could afk or defire, without accepting any of her prefents, except her pidure^ and after being regaled with fubflantial vi6luals. ni24 ; 2S6 MEMOIRS 'O F^'I T.oovi VIII. vldiinls, he departed very well fatisfied" with the lady and her eatertainment. They fay he then proceeded to the pro- vince of Shirwan, and laid the foundation of Derbent, and gave order that a wall fhould be built from thence to the Euxine fea, with watch-towers at every mile's diftance, '^'' which was accordingly executed. They alfo fay, it was at Derbent where he received a vifit from the Amazonian queen Thaleftris, whofe territories extended from hence to the ri- ver Buftro, on the borders of Circaffia. Thirteen ftore-fliips having arrived at t-he mouth of the river Millukenti with provifions, from Aftrachan, for the army, we marched thither, fifteen werfts, on the 24th, and found them at anchor. Here his majefty propofed to make a harbour for his Ihips on the Cafpian, as there was no other place near Derbent fit for that purpofe, andl received or- ders to ereft a fort to cover it : th-e dragoons were imme- diately fet to work to provide fafcines and palifades, and the jackaiisand infantry to break the ground. The firft night after our fires were lighted, we were vifited by creatures called jackals, which howled in a moft pitiful manner ; the light of our fires had brought fuch numbers from the mountains, and they made fuch a difagreeable noife in the very front of our camp, that we could get no fleep for that night, and being ignorant what they were, our furprize continued till day- light, when we fliot feveral of them, and found them to be of the fox kind; after this we fired evening; guns, which terrified them fo much, that they kept in the mountains. We found alfo at this place a number of fmall creatures, called fand-hares, fomewhat larger than rats ; the head, fore-part, and tail, exaftly refemble thofe of the lion j their 4 fore- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ.. 287 fore-legs are very fliort, and their, hinder ones very long, book viir. fo that inftead of running they jump, backwards or forwards, at a furprifing quick rate, fpringing full three feet from the ground. We had much diverfion in chafing thefe creatures, although we could catch but few of them, as they foon get into their holes, for, they burrow like rabbits : they are very fat and good to eat. , This night we loft above feven hun-'." dred of our horfes, all of which fwelled and burft by eat- ing a poifonous herb which abounds in thefe parts ; but none of our camels or oxen fuffered by it, who, upon trial, would fcarcely fmell at it. The natives are particularly careful to keep their horfes from feeding where this herb grows,, which, is only found near the fea-fide. We had fuch.a furious ftorm of wind on the 25th, from Thirteen . . , 11 1 •■ n n • • I tranlpoi-ts loft the nortn, that all our thirteen Icore-lhips, with our pro- and buHed in vifions, were driven alhore and foon beat to pieces, but the '^^ men were all faved, and in lefs than three hours there was not the leaft appearance of any of the wreck to be feen, which was all buried under the fand occafioned by the fhortnefs of the waves which fucceed each other i'o quickly, that the fand s are thereby raifed to a great degree : the next day it was quite calm, and all hands were fet to work to dig for our loft provifions, and with fome toil and labour we recovered them j they confifted chiefly in rye meal and flour all in facks, and the fait- water had not penetrated above an inch into them, and all within that was entirely fafe J it was immediately diftributed to the army, with or- ders .to bake it into bread, and after that to make fuchary of it. The Ruffian foldiers always bake their own bread, Suchary making ovens in the ground wherever they come ; and when ^''^''"^' they 288 M E M O I R S O F BOOK VIII. they are ordered to make fuchary of it, they cut the loaves, ■ which commonly are of fix pound weight, into fmall fquare pieces, and dry them in an oven, or in the fun, by which they turn fo light, that a man can eafily carry as much bread as will fervc him twelve or fourteen days, and this kind of bread is fo hard, that they foak it before they eat it ; but they never make it but on neceflary and prefllng occafions. The Ruffians are fo fond of fuchary, that they always have plenty of the bed kind of it in their houfes and ufe it in foups ; it eats very pleafant, and will keep above a year. Twoexpref. Tvvo mefTengers now arrived in our camp; the one from fesandan ^^q ^.j^y ^f shamachic, and the other from Baku, implor- ambairador •' ' ' r i.trive at the ing his majefty's affiftance againft Myr Maghmud, the ufurper ; and very foon after thofe, came other three mef- fengers, viz. from the Armenians, Melitener, and the Georgians, who are all of them of the communion of the Greek church ; praying the emperor to fend them fome of his troops to enable them to defend themfelves againft the ufurper, as they were fully determined to perfevere in their allegiance to their rightful fophi ; and the next day an am- baffador arrived from the young fophi himfelf, who was very preffing to have our army advance with all pofTible dif- patch to his affiflance ; offering to give his majefty poflef- fion of the ftrong cities of Relht, Shamachie, and Baku. Upon this we made all the difpatch we could to finifli the fort and harbour ; after which we intended to fet out upon this expedition. Having fo many hands continually em- ployed on the works, the fort was finilhed on the 5th of September, which confided of four baftions, furrounded by a moat, into which water from the river was led j and a 5 covert PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ; 289 covert way palifaded ; a captain with 200 regulars^ and book viir. 300 Coflacks, were put into it for its defence. " " Our army was in readinefs to fet forward next day, when, a Tuikifli to our great furprize, a Turkilh ambaffador arrived from obik^fs^'the Shamachie, informine the emperor that they had taken '^'np'-'w ^ . *=• ^. ■' return. poffeflion of that city, and that it was by the orders of the grand fignor his mafter, that he came to fignify to his ma- jefty, the umbrage taken by the Porte at the progrefs lie had made in thofe parts ; and hkewife to defire him to with- draw his forces ; and if the emperor fhould refufe, to de- clare war againft Ruffia. Upon weighing this matter duly, his majefty did not think proper to proceed, as he did not choofe, at this junflure, to have any rupture with the Turks ; more efpccially, as he was then at fo great a di- ftance from his own country with the flower of his army j he therefore immediately refolved to return back, fo that this was the utmoft limits, for this time, of our Perfian expedition, and the provinces which had now fo earneflly fought our affiftance, were afterwards obliged to put them- felves under the protedlion of the Turks. All thefe troubles and diforders at this time in Perfia Occadon of were occafioned by the indolence and floth of Shah Huflein, inVei^s. ^ their king, whofe only enjoyments we*re the pleafures of his haram, (or feraglio,) fufFering his eunuchs to govern at plea- lure. This encouraged the Tartars, Moguls, and Arabians, to make feveral irruptions into his provinces, and they were only removed thence by the force of money. Georgi-chan, the prince of Georgia, was governor of the city of Can- dahar, on the frontier of India, who being informed or ap- prehending that Myr Weis, the tax gatherer, was endeavour- P p ing 290 MEMOIRS OF BOOK VIII ing to excite a revolt among the Aghvans, communicated the affair to the court of Ifpahan : Myr Weis was fent for,. ''*''■ where his fine parts enabled him very foon to make many friends, and at tlie fame time to difcover the weaknefs of a court quite immerfed in foftnefs and pleafures. He found means to be fent back to Candahar with fome autiiority; where he was no fooner returned than he aflaflinated prince Georgi-chan, and forced the Aghvans to revolt. Thus he raifed himfelf to the fovereign power, which he maintained till the died, the court of Perfia not being able to reduce him to obedience. He was fucceeded by his brother, who was foon afTaffinated by his nephew Myr Maghmut, fon of Myr Weis. It was he that made himfelf m after of all Perfia, and drove Shah HufTein from the throne. What became of that prince after his flight, none could ever tell. The army Our army decamped on the 6th of September, and Vv'e fet out on our return to Derbent, to the great mortification of thofe people, who had fo long relied on our affiftance, whofe meflengers now left us with heavy hearts, finding all their hopes fruftrated, being now left at the mercy of the ufurper Myr Maghmut. The Turkifh ambaflador attended us till we entered again into Dageftan. We paffed through and encamped on the north fide of Derbent, on our return, to the general joy of the whole army, who did not in the leaft relifli this expedition among fuch a favage barbarous people. On the 7th the Turkilh ambafl^ador had his au- dience of leave, and went to Derbent, where he remained till he heard we were re-embarked for Aftrachan. We had now left behind us the five hundred men in the fmall fort on the river Millukenti, and our governor and three thou, fand PETER HENRY BHUCE, ESQ: '291 fand men in garrifon at Derbent, and this day marching book vrir, fifteen werfts, we refted on the 8th. The heavy dews now ■ began to fall in the night-time, which rendered it very cold ; coUi nigius, the fudden change from the fcorching heat of the days to the coldnefs of the nights, made it intolerable. We marched again fifteen werfls on the 9th, and refted on the loth, in the night of which the hills were very thick covered with fnow, which made it fo exceeding cold, that we heartily re- pented having left our warm cloaths behind us at Aftrachan, thinking we lliould have no occafion for them in fo hot a climate. On the 1 ith we marched twenty-four werfts to the river Nitzi, where we found the fort finiQied by baron Ronne, for the defence of which we had left one hundred fol- diers, and two hundred Coflacks. It was at this place where we were attacked by fultan Udinach's army, and we now found they had carried away in the night, the bodies of their countrymen v/e had hung up by way of repiifal for the murder of the Coflacks. A meflenger ar- Dan^erbus rived here from Derbent, to inform us that Udinach, joined maich!" "^ by Perfian Ufmei and fultan Mahmut of Utimifhof, had af- fembled twenty thoufand men with an intention to attack us in the night-time, which obliged us to ftand to our arms all night long, which was bitter cold, and we conti- nued in that pofture till next day at noon, the enemy ho- vering all the while within fight : however, we moved again, and made an afternoon's march of twelve werfts, in conti- nual view of the enemy, who endeavoured to attack us feveral times on our march, but as conftantly fled on our approach, fl;ill hovering near us, and took two of our Cof- P p 2 facks 202 ]\r E IVI O I R S OF BOOK viii. facks prifoners, and we took three of their Tartars. The wind blew lb very hard this day, that we were ahiioft blinded '^"' with the land and duft, of which they thought to avail them- felves, but were fruftrated by our vigilance. We continued under a^ms all this night, which proved very dewy and cold, but as we were attacked in the night in feme part or other, our continual motions kept us in fome heat. Next day fee- ing the enemy drawn up very near us, we formed and con- tinued all day in order of battle, and remained all the fol- lowing night in the fame order, and not a man offered to ftir out of his rank, being attacked this night in almofl every quarter of the army j yet we no fooner offered to ad- vance toward them than they fled. We now again loft fe- veral hundreds of pur horfes by that poifonous herb before mentioned. On the 14th we marched twenty- four werfts in conftant view of the enemy, who ftill kept Ikirting the mountains, every now and then attacking us with fmall parties, on which occafions we took two more of them prifoners, but were obliged to continue all this night alfo under arms, without either pitching our tents or lighting fires, by which means officers and men were reduced fo low by continual marching, watching, and cold, that our whole army, were become very feeble and unfit for duty. On the 15th, not- withftanding the low frate to which we were reduced, we marched to Tarku, twenty-five werfts, and before we got there the enemy difappeared. We difpatched two trumpe- ters, attended by two Cofl'acks, to acquaint the fliaf kal with our approach, but when we advanced near the city, we found them lying murdered on the road -, their cloaths and horfes PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ.. 293 hoi-fes were found in the pofleflion of feven Dagpftan Tar- ^°°^ ^^"• tars belonging to Tarku, whom we apprehended and quar- tered them in the city in the prefence of the fliafkal and the inliabitants, and hung up their quarters in the moft pubUc places for an example to others. His raajefty upbraid- ed the fliafkal in fevere terms, both for the murder of his meflengers, and his treachery in joining and conniving with his enemies to annoy his army : the fliafkal in his own vin- dication aflured his majefty that he was innocent of what had happened, but tbat his brother, and two of his own fons, had put themfelves at the head of a difafFecled body of his people, and rifen in rebellion againft him ; and as he had now fecured them, he entreated his majefliy to take them, and the reft of the malcontents, and do with them whatever he pleafed : they were accordingly all delivered over to us, and fent as prifoners or hoftages to Aflrachan. We marched again on the 16 th, ten werfl:s from Tarku, without the leafl: mo'efl:ation : on our way one of the pri- foners brought from Tarku, fnatched a fabre from the fide of one of our Cofl^acks, with which he very near cut off hi& right arm, but, upon his endeavouring to make his efcape,, was fliot through the head by another CofTack who was at- tending him. Refuming our march on the 17th, we went twenty-feven werfts j but our guide led us quite out of the road, into fenny and marfliy ground quite over-grown with reeds, which occafioiied great confufion in the army, and obliged us to return in a very dark night to extricate our- felves. Our guide being fufpefted of treachery was put in irons, and being found guilty, he was hanged next mornmg. The 294 MEMOIRS OF BOOK VIII. The i8th, we marched twenty-five werfts to the banks of the Sulack, where the river Agrechan feparates from it. Here we found a plain beautiful fpot of ground on both fides the river ; the country overgrown with large tall trees The new ^^^ excellent pafturagc, which enticed his majefty to build Swecn?!- ^ "^^ ^"^ ^^^^ fortified town at this place to keep the Da- Kreii. geftan Tartars in awe, and I had orders to lay a plan be- fore him. The plan confifted of five baftions, and two demi-baftions next the river on the fouth-fide, with rave- lins and a palifaded covered way ; on the north- fide were fix baffions, alfo with ravelins and a palifaded covered way; the two fides to communicate by a bridge in the middle over the river. The emperor approved the plan, and all hands were immediately fet to work under my dire6lion in chief, with fix engineers under me to carry on the work : when the works were laid out and the flreets regulated, a num- ber of hands were employed in feUing timber for building houfes, fo that fortifying and building went on at the fame time. His majefly named the new city Swetago-Kreft (or Holy-Crofs), and appointed general Waterang commander in chief of the army which was to be left for the protec- tion and accomplilhment of the works ; the army confiiled of 7000 dragoons, 5000 regular infantry, and 6000 Cof- facks ; in all 18,000 men. Tort at fhe At thls time an exprefs arrived from Derbent, which in- ^eftroyed^and formed his majcfty that a body of io,coo rebel Perfians had revenged. attacked our fort at the river Millukenti, and that the gar- rifon had made fuch a vigorous defence, * that the enemy were obliged to retire with the lofs of 600 men ; and that ihe other fort, at the river Nitzi, had been furprifed and taken PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ, 295 taken by fiiltan Udinach, who had quartered all the garri- book vnr. ion, and crucified the officers on the fame fpot of ground where we formerly executed his people : the exprefs alfo ^ brought intelligence, that fultan Udinach was no fooner in- formed of our army's being gone to the river Sulack, thaa thinking himfelf in perfefl fafety, he had brought all hi.s people down from their retreats in the mountains, and that they were then enjoying themfelves in great fecurity in the vallies. The emperor now loll no time in difpatching a. body of light horfe, confifting of 10,000 Cofl'acks, and 1 5,000 Kalmuck Tartars, who went with fuch expedition, that they came upon them living in the utmoft fecurity ; put feveral thoufands of their men to the fword, the two fultans Udinach and Maghmut, very narrowly efcaped, leaving their women, children, and cattle, a prey to ths yanquifhers, befides their flaves, the whole amounting to feveral thoufand of both fexes. Among the flaves were four hundred and thirty-feven Ruffians, of both fexes, who were now left to inhabit the new city of Swetago-Kreft ; the emperor allowed the captors two rubles a head for tha Ruffians J the reft were fold ; as the Colfacks and Kalmucks ferve the emperor in his wars, no purchafe no pay, having, only bread allowed them while they continue in fervice, all the piifoners and booty they take is their own, to difpofe of as they can to the beft advantage. When the remaining pri- foners, on this occafion, were offered to fale, there were found among them upwards of two hundred Georgian flaves, all Chriftians of the Greek church ; for thefe an agreement was made with the captors at ten rubles a head^ which her majefty, the emprefs, paid for their redemption, and 2f^6 'MEMOIRS OF BOOK viTi. and they were likewife left to people the new town. The reft of the Coflacks who were not employed, and the Kal- '^**' muck Tartars, were now fent home to their own country through Circaflk and the deferts of Aftrachan, richly pro- vided with flaves and cattle of all forts, having made a pro- fitable campaign of it. The army re- His majefty was now preparing to move homewards, and grechanr and I had accommodatcd my affairs to ftay in this place, but I J^^P'°'^![pS-eceived orders to attend the emperor to Aftrachan, and to tain's galley jeave the direction of the works to lieutenant-colonel loll, a Vary- ing voyage. Brunie, as engineer in my abfence, which I obeyed with great pleafure; and as I had neither fold my camels, nor horfes, the general kindly took upon himfelf to difpofe of them to the befl advantage. We marched, on the ift of Odober, thirty werfts, along the banks of the river Agre- chan, to the entrenchments that prote6led our gallies, and on our arrival, we found them all out and ready at anchor to receive us. We embarked the fame evening, and the fleet lay there all night ; the next morning, a boat coming from the fliore with provifions for the ufe of my galley, funk before flie could reach us ; the men were faved, but every bit of the provifions loft j I fent immediately to the ad- miral a report of our misfortune, and defired a fupply of provifions -, and he returned for anfwer, that he could not fupply us, as the reft of the gallies had little enough for their own fubfiftence. Makarof, his majefty's fecretary, be- ing then on board with me, was much furprifed at the an- fwer ; faying, that a fmall fliare from each galley could not have been miffed, and that, from fo many, would have been fuf- ficient for us. The fecretary advifed me immediately to make 6 the PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 297 tlie beft of our way to Aftrachan, without any regard to the book vir. admu'al's fignals, ofFerhig to be anfwerable for the confe- quences if I fliould be called to an account for it; which ''"' advice I was determined to follow whenever I met with a favourable wind to put it in execution. The 2d in the afternoon, the fignal was made to weigh, and the weather being quite calm, we rowed along fhore till it was dark, when another fignal was made to anchor; the next day it being ftill a calm, we rowed till night, and while we lay at anchor, a furious ftorm arofe, which beat the fliort waves fo violently againft our galley, that flie fprung a leak, and notwithftanding all our exertion with the pumps, the water gained fo fail upon us, that we ex- pelled (he would very foon go down ; I run down to the cabin to fee what water was under its floor, and upon entering there, I heard a noife of water below the fecretary's bed, and immediately called the carpenter to take up the boards, and then we difcovered the leak, which was a hole fo bis: that I thruft my hand through it ; we got it immediately flopt, and the pumps then foon cleared the veflel to our great joy : feveral of our gallies were lofl in this ftorm, but moft: of the people faved. When day-light appeared, we faw four gallies funk at a fmall diftance from us, with their mafts only above water, and men hanging by them, where they remained till the boats went and brought them off. Three gallies were fo deeply loaded, that they funk and all the men perifhed. On the 4th, the ftorm being abated, and the wind favourable, the fleet failed all day ; but the two fol- lowing days, being quite calm, we were obliged to have re- courfe to our oars again, and row along fhore, which was Q q very 2o8 MEMOIRS OF BOOK viri, very mortifying to the poor foldiers, who were by this time- — ' reduced to very fhort allowance. The fecretary and I dif- *^"' tributed to them what little provifions and brandy we could /pare, which went but a fhort way among fo many men. The 7th, having a favourable wind, we not only made all the fail we could, but likewife applied to our oars, and by this means we foon left the fleet out of fight, and contir uued under fail all night} but it being calm in the morn^ ing, we were obliged to row, notwithftanding the miferable condition the poor, foldiers were reduced to by hunger : two of them died tliis day, more for want of food than ficknefs : at noon the wind began to blow frefli, which relieved the foldiers from the oars, and we continued faihng all that night, but I had loft three more of my men. We had a fair wind all day of the 9th, and made the beft ufe we could of it till we ran a-ground in the evening, but with the afiiftance of a warp-anchor, we got her towed off again without the leaft damage. This little obftruftion to our voy- age greatly diflieartened the poor ftarving men, and two more of them died that night ; and the furvivors were more like ghofts than men, and were now reduced fo low that they could no longer handle the oars or fails, and even begged leave to eat their dead companions : from this., however, as we failed with a fine breeze, we got them perfuaded to refrain, in hopes that one day more would bring us to the mouth of the Wolga. On the loth, the wind ftill favoured us, till in the evening we happily fell in with a fifliing-boat with plenty of fifh, and the poor flarved men fell to eating them fo voracioufly, that they had not patience to broil them j fo that I was obliged to fet off the boat for fear of the men killing, I7Z** PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 299 killing themfelves ; but as the fifliermen had given us a bag book viir. of fuchary, or bifcuit, it was divided in fmall fliares among them, which, v\'ith the broiled fifli, a little refrelhed them ; and the joyful information that feveral provifion-fhips were lying at the mouth of the river, greatly revived their faint- ing fpirits; I kept one of the fifnermen on board for a pilot, and ordered the boat with the fifli to follow us, in cafe we fliould have farther occafion for them. We conti- nued to fail all night, but four more of my men died this night, who certainly would havebeen eaten by their com^ panions, had we not been provided with plenty of fifli. The nth, in the morning, we got into the mouth of the Wolga, where we found ftore-fliips full of all forts of pro- vifions, and of which I had what we wanted, by giving a receipt ; yet I loft three more of my men before I got on fhore, fo that I had fourteen in all ftarved to death on the voyage, and nine more died of too great plenty after we came on fliore. Here we waited the arrival of the fleet, which was on the 14th, in the evening. Admiral Apraxin's galley being the firft that entered the river^ he enquired what galley that was on fliore ; and on being informed, he or- dered me to come on board his galley. Secretary Makarof went with me, and when we got on board, he had a long conference with the admiral in his cabin, and then I was called in and received his commendations for what I had done, and was difmifled ; but from the caution he gave me not to mention what had happened, I had reafon to believe he was afraid this proceeding of his might come to the em- peror's ears. Q_q 2 On 300 MEMOIRS OF BOOK vm. On the 15th, the fleet proceeded up the river to Aftra- ' chan, and on our arrival, were faluted by all the artillery of Atrivai at the city, to the inexpreffible joy of the whole army. We 15th of Oilio^- debarked the next day, and were put into quarters of re- ^^^' frefliment, of which we flood in great need. One of our hofpital fhips, with 360 men, had been caft away upon the coaft of Turkiftan, or Turkomania, on the eaft fide of the Cafpian j of which number only one enfign, a prieft, and feven men returned to give the difmal account : the reft had all either died or been made prifoners by the Tartars. We loft on this deftru6live expedition, above one third of our whole army, not in battle, but by ficknefs and fatigue. At this time an exprefs arrived from Refht, the princi- pal city of the province of Gilan, upon the fouthernmoft coaft of the Cafpian, defiring his majefty to fend them a fufficient number of our troops to defend them againft the ufurper Myr-Maghmut, and offering to put their ftrong city into our poffeffion. His majefty fent a colonel and two engineers with one thoufand men to their relief, by fea to Refht ; but at the time of their landing, the ufurper being near the town with a numerous army, the inhabitants were afraid to admit our troops into the town j our troops therefore, were obliged to entrench themfelves near the fea- fliore. On receiving inteUigence of this, general Lewafof was fent with four thoufand more men to join them, and on their arrival, the inhabitants admitted them into the city J the general immediately added feveral outworks to ftrengthen the place, and we remained in full poffeffion of PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. se river. The troops liere were in good health and high fpirits, and kept up a weekly correfpond- cnce PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 323 ence with the garrirons of Derbent and Terki in CircafTia; book ix. neither of which had been molefted by the Dageftan Tar- ' tars fince we left them. A number of hands were now em- '''*^ ployed here in making bricks to face the works, and for building houfes. This fort promifes fair to be an efteclual check upon the irruptions of the Dageftans into the Pvufiian territories, in which they ufed to do much mifchief, and carry off great numbers of the inhabitants into flavery. The multiplicity of the works going forward at this tim.e, requiring another engineer, I left my other affiftant, lieutenant Brackley, here ; and having given fome farther diredlions about the plan of the place to lieutenant colo- nel Brunie, who was chief engineer, I laid in plenty of pro- vifions in the galley, which was brought up to the town, to ' ferve us on our way to Aftrachan. I waited on general Wa- terang to receive his commands, and take my leave of him, and having likewife done fo of all the reft of my acquaint- ances, we dropped down the river Sulack to the fea. On the 1 6th, we coafled along fliore, in fine deep water, Gulf of and reached, on the 17th, the extremity of the peninfula, inand of"' which forms the gulf of Agrechan, and came to an an- Md'dty of chor in the evening, between this point of high land and ^ *'"'''• the ifland of Trentzeni, oppcfite to the city of Terki in Circaffia, in fix fathom water. This gulf is forty five Eng- lifli miles from north to fouth, and twenty from eaft to weft. The ifland of Trenzeni is the largeft in the Cafpian fea, and notwithftanding its fine harbour, there are no inhabi- tants upon it ; nor indeed are any of the other iflands in- habited, excepting that there are a few fifhermen's huts to T t 2 be 324 MEMOIRS OF BOOK XI. be feen on fome of them on the weft coaft, but none on tViC eaft ; they are in general flocked with cattle, flieep, and goats. ''*^" And now as all the coaft from hence to Aftrachan had been founded on our former expedition, I judged it needlcfs to ccaft it again, fo that we took our departure, from Trent- zeni on the i8th, and fleering onr courfe north for Aflra- chan, we arrived at the mouth of the river Wolga on the 24th of September, having been gone five months and fix days on the fervice : the diflance from Trenzcni to this place, is one hundred and ninety Englifh miles. General de- The Cafpian fea, in its utmofl length from Jaick, which theCafpian ^^ ^^^ northern extremity, and lies in 46 deg. 15 mini ^^- north latitude, to Aflrabat, which is its fouthern extremity, and lies in 36 deg. 50 min. is 9 deg. 25 min. which makes fix hundred and forty-fix Englifli miles, at fixty-nine miles to a degree. The breadth of the Cafpian is various; its greateft breadth to the northward, from eafl to wefl, is between the gulf of Yembo and the mouth of the river Wolga, and is two hundred and fixty-five Englifh miles ; the broadefl part to the fouthward is from the river Orxantes, on the eafl fide^ to the river Linkeran on the wefl, and is two hundred and thirty-five Englifh miles. Its whole circumference, includ- ing gulfs and bays, is three thoufand five hundred and twenty-five werfls. The coafl of the Cafpian, from the point of land forming one fide of the gulf of Agrechan, on the wefl, to the river Kulala in Turkumania, oppofite to it on the eafl, all i"ound by the north, is low, flat, and marfhy, over- grown with reed, and the water fhallow ; the dire6l di- fiance, from that gulf to Kulala, is one hundred and feventy Englifli miles j on all the refl of the coafl from Kulala PETER HEN^RY BRUCE, ESQ. g-25 Klulala, by the fouth, and back to tiie gulf of Agree!) an, book ix. the country is mountainous, with- a bold fliore and deep water, as has generally been taken notice of in the courfe '^^^' of the furvey. Near the mouth of the Woiga, on the ifle of Ivan,) or Watch tower John's ifland,) /lands a tower, where a guard is conftantly iflaid!"'* kept, who mud obferve every day whether any incrcafe or decreafe happens in the waters of the fea, but they have not yet been able to difcover the fmalleft difference ; from which circumftance it is certain that there is neither flux, or reflux in the Cafpian ; and what makes it the more furprifing, is that in the fpring, when all the ice and fnow melts, and pours down from the mountains, and all the large rivers and innumerable lefTer ones are fwelled to fuch a degree that they overflow all their banks, and which all fall into this fea like a deluge, yet neverthelefs it even at thofe times is not in the lead raifed by it, fo that it remains a great myftery what becomes of all the water that perpetually falls into it from the clouds and rivers. The water is as fait as that of the ocean, except near the mouths of the rivers, where it is brackifla by the mixture of fo much frefli water from them. I muft acknowlege this was the moft pleafant jaunt I ever had in my whole life : we had always plenty of provifions on board, befldes taking and killing fuch abundance of fifli and wild fowl of various kinds, that we could fcarce make ufe of them all ; and during the whole voyage, notwith- ftanding the violent heat, we had only feven men fick. I fhould have found it ftiil more agreeable could we have con- verfed with the Turkumanian and Ufteck Tartars, which would have enabled me to give fome account of them ; but 326 MEMOIRSOF BOOK IX. but the Tartars in general, although they have no fixed habitations, are very jealous of admitting any ftrangers *'^^' into their country. On the 25th of September, we got up to Aftrachan, where I waited on General Matufkin with a report of my proceeding, and prefented him with a draught of the Caf- pian fea, and gave another to governor Wolinfki, who had formerly been ambaffador to China, and who was afterwards fent ambaffador to Perfia ; on both which occafions he de- fired I might be permitted to go with him, but it was refufed, although I earneftly petitioned for leave. On his return from his lafl: embaffy, he was married to the princefs Na- relkin, the emperor's firfl coufin, being the daughter of his mother's brother, and was at the fame time made go- vernor-general over the kingdom of Aftrachan. General Ma- General Matufkin, after the taking of Baku, was pro- tufkin's mar- , r ■<• 1 i 1 riage to the motcd to the rank of lieutenant-general, and was at the tears."' '" fame time major of the firfl: regiment of guards, and in great eftcem with his majefty. He was an old bachelor when he married a beautiful buxom young widow, whofe firfl hufljand, major general Glebof of the dragoons, had been concerned in the late troubles with the czarowitz, for which he was condemned, but died in prifon, and his eftate being confifcated, the widow was reduced to very low cir- cumflances. General Matufkin, who was appointed judge on that trial, v/as folicited by the mournful widow, who implored him on her knees, bathed in tears, to commife- rate her unmerited fufterings, being now reduced to the utmofl mifery and want. In this fupplicating pofiure, fhe lb captivated the old bachelor, that he diredly made her 9 an t PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 527 an offer of himfelf, and all he had for her relief, which book xr. the v/idow joyfully accepted, on which the general applied to the emprefs to procure his majefty's confent. When the affair was mentioned to the emperor, he was much dif- pleafed at the general's feeking to match himfelf with the widow of a rebel, offering him at the fame time any other lady he fhould pitch upon ; but the general told him that it was impoffible for him to love any other woman, and humbly befeeched his majefty to grant his requeft, otherwife he would lofe one of his mofl faithful fervants : being fe~ conded by the emprefs in his application, his majefty became at laft curious to fee this widow, who had made fuch an impreffion on the heart of the old fpark ; and when flie was introduced to the emperor, he declared he was not at all furprifed at the conqueft ihe had made, and not only gave his confent, but honoured their marriage with his prefence, attended by the whole court. The lady ever afterwards went by the name of the Widow in Tears. There happened at this time, a great confufion among conteft the Kalmuck Tartars, occafioned by the death of the cham's ?J"?"s tii« •' K.almucks, eldeft fon, who left five fons ; the eldeft of whom, with and expedi- two others, were born of a concubine, and the two young- them." eft of the beft beloved wife : the eldeft, whofe name was Dafan, claimed the right of fucceffion, in confequence of his feniority, which was a good title, notwithftanding his mo- ther w^as a concubine ; the two youngeft, born of the wife, and whofe names were Dunduambu and Batu, claimed in right of the marriage, and were favoured by the old cham, their grandfather, and by his fecond fon, Shurundun- duck, their uncle, who threatened prince Dafan with de- ftru(5tion to himfelf and his hord, or clan, which con- fifted 328 MEMOIRS OF BOOK XI. fif^ed of feven thoufand men, if he offered to difputc ' the fucceffion with prince Dunduambu. They were at .that time prevented by the old cham, but he dying, prince Shurundunduck told his nephew, Dafan, that he was determined Dunduambu (liould fucceed his grandfather in the fovereignty, and if he would not fubmit peaceably, he lliould be compelled to do it. But finding their threats had no effect upon the prince, they began to afi'emble an army of twenty thoufand men, which obliged prince Dafan, with his two brothers, and his whole herd, to retire near to Aflra- chan, and he with his brothers came into the city, begging to be proteded againfl the ufurpation of his younger bro- ther, offering at the fame time to fubmit his claim to the decifion of his imperial majefty. Upon this the general and governor held a council, with the principal officers of both tlie army and garrifon, in which it was refolvcd lo fend fome troops fox their proteiftion ; the governor intend- ing to go himfelf to reconcile the contending parties, if poOible. This being the refolution of the council, governor Wo- linfki defired me to go with him on this expedition, to which I anfwered that it was not my turn, but if he would procure an order from the general for my going, I would certainly go with great chearfulnefs ; and accordingly, on the 20th of Odober, I received an order to embark with four hundred men of our two battalions, one hundred dragoons, and four field-pieces, to proceed up the river to the place appointed for the rendezvous by prince Dafan ; the go- vernor propofing to follow immediately with fome more troops, fent me before to fatisfy the impatience of the prince. On "FETER HENRY BRUCE, ^ESQ, 329 On the 22th, we arrived at the defert of Beriket, fixty book ix. werfts above Aftrachan, where we pitched our tents, but it being intenfely cold, Dafan provided us with fixty kib- Dcfcripd'on bets, which is the name of their tejits, which are both bcts!^^"^ warm and large, having a fire in the middle, and a hole at the top to let out the fmoke ; they are twenty-four feet diameter, and capable of being enlarged or contra6led at pleafurej they are all round, the fides being made of a kind of checkered wicker-work, and the crofs flicks neatly jointed for folding together or extending : when they ere6l a kibbet, they join as many of them together as will make a circle, of the dimenfion they choofe, and having fixed the outfide, which is fix feet high, they raife with their lances a round board, three feet diameter, with a hole in the middle of it, and fmall holes all round the edge ; the large hole ferves for their chimney, the fmall holes receive the ends of fo many ftrait rafters, and the other ends being fixed to the fides, the roof is formed, which is both ingenious and pretty : having thus ere6led the frame of the kibbet, they cover it over with thick felt, more or lefs according as the feafon is cold or warm, beginning at the bottom and pro- ceeding to the top, where they place a krine, which they can turn at pleafure againft the wind, to prevent fmoke. The kibbet is furprifingly warm, and withftands wind and rain better than a houfe, and they are eredled with greater eafe in and lefs time than v/e could fet up an officer's tent» Prince Dafan, with his hord, was encamped at two werfts diftance from us, and fent us feveral cattle and flieep for provifions to our party : he fent alfo a jar of fpirits U u diftilled 330 MEMOIRS OF BOOK IX diftilled from mares milk, for the ofiicers, which was as clear as water but ftrong, and of an agreeable flavour, ''■^' On the 23d, we were reinforced by a detachment of two hundred men ffom our battalions, and three hundred and fifty CofTacks, which made us now a body of one thou- fand and fifty ftrong. By this opportunity I received a let- ter from the governor, telling me that he would join us himfelf in two or three days, but not a word of orders how we v>'ere to a6l, in cafe any exigence fhould require it ; being the fenior officer I took the command of the whole till the governor fhould arrive. On the arrival of this reinforce- ment, prince Dafan fent more cattle for their provifion, and a fufficient number of kibbets for their accommodation. This evening we received intelligence that Shurundunduck, and his nephew, Dunduambu, were encamped with an army of twenty thoufand flrong, oppofite to Zornayar, which being upwards of one hundred and fifty wcrfls from A battle vvltii us, made us conjedlure it would take forae time before they ihe Kai- could come up with us ; but we foon found cur miflake, for we were alarmed very early m the mornmg of the 24th by the breaking up of prince Dafan's camp, and feeing his people coming towards us in the utmofl: confufion. On this I drew up our men in all hafle, and ordered the dragoons and CofTacks to mount and go to prince Dafan's affiflance : we foon faw Shurundunduck's army advancing, which obliged Dafan and his people to take refuge in our rear, whom I perfuaded to difmount fuch of his horfemen as had fire- arms, and to bring as many of his men as had bows and arrows, to fight on foot as we did, and I fent fome officers 5 ^^^ PETER PI ENRY BRUCE, ESQ.. 331 and ferjeants to draw them up in order: with thefe we cook ix. formed a fqiiare towards the river, and fecured their bag- —^ gage and cattle in our rear. The enemy being advanced '^''* in the form of a crefcent, and within gun-lhot of us, made a halt to confult the mode of their attack. Dafan was in the utmoft perplexity, and begged me to keep them at a di- ftance with our great guns and fire-arms, affuring me if we did not, they would rufh in upon us with a very fud- den and furious attack, and throw us all into confufion. On this emergency, I was very much at lofs how to act, having no orders, and advifcd with the reft of the officers ; when it was agreed to fend an interpreter with a drum, to inform them of his majefty's troops being there for the pro- te<5tion of prince Dafan, who had entirely fubmitted the decifion of his claim to his imperial majefty, and that it was expe6led they would do the fam.e, being equally fub- je(5t to the emperor ; and as the governor of Aftrachan was hourly expedled, who might fall upon ways and means to reconcile their differences, they ought to wait his arri- val. The meflenger was fent, and brought back an anfwer : —That they knew very well Dafan had procured Ruffian troops to protect him from their juft refentmentj but as they were a free nation, they would do themfelves juftice, without fubmitting to the arbitration of any perfon what- ever, and that they were determined to attack their bre- thren at all hazards, notwithftanding our troops, and if \v& interpofed in their behalf, and fhould meet with any dif- after, the blame would lay at our own doors. Having returned this anfwer they began to advance in a femicircle, intending to furround us, on which I ordeicd tlie U u 2 field- 532 MEMOIRS O F BOO K IX. field- pieces to be fired among them, and then loaded with " grape-fliot : all this time they avoided coming near our troops, but bent their whole force againft their own countrymen, which obliged me to form a front againft them, both to the iight and left, and then began to play on them with grape- iliot and fmall-arms, which made great havock amongft them, and their horfes not being ufed to the thundering, noife of fire-arms, became unmanageable, and threw their whole body into the utmoft confufion ; on which our dra- goons and CofTacks, feconded by prince Dafan's men, at- tacked them with fuch vigour, that they foon gave way on all fidss and fled, while we plied them with the field-pieces as long as they were within reach; We had two dragoons killed in this a^ion, and feven wounded, and five Cofl^acks killed and feventeen wounded j. five of our foldiers were wounded with barbed arrows ; but of Dafan's men, there were three hundred and feventy-four killed, and upwards of five hundred wounded. Our dra- goons and Coflacks returned from the purfuit with fixty- three prifoners, and Dafan's men took fome hundreds j we could not afcertain the lofs of the enemy in this fiiort: a6lion, but it muft have been very confiderable. In the evening, when all was over, governor Wolinlki arrived, and I acquainted him of the tranfa61:ions of the day : he was much pleafed with the meffage that had been fent to Dun- duambu and Shurundunduck, and efpecially that we were not the aggreflbrs in the aftion, nor had fired upon them till we were adlually attacked. He faid he wotlld have come come up fooner, but he did not imagine they would have made an attempt in defiance of our troops, but fince they had: 17*3. PETER HENRY BHUCE, ESQ. 333 had done fo, he vvouid now confider them as rebels, and book ix. make an example of them as iuch. He then gave orders to hang all the prifoners, (who amounted to fome hundreds), and Dafan's men executed the orders with great fatisfaftion. Among the prifoners was Dunduambu's greateft favourite and principal counfellor, Vv-hom Dafan put to the mod: cruel torture imaginable, and he had no fooner expired under the torment, than they divided his body in four, and fluck up the quarters on fo many ports, and his head on another. The governor, judging from what had happened, that a reconciliation would now be impracticable, advifed prince Dafan, with his two brothers, to retire with their people under the cannon of Krafnayar, where they would be fafe from any attempt of their enemies, as it was impoflible that our troops could remain any longer in the field in that ad- vanced cold feafon, there being at this time a great fall of fnow, which they immediately agreed to. We broke up our camp on the 25th, but we had fcarce marched five werfts, when the enemy made their appearance in the fame manner they had done the day before, and fent a melTenger to the governor, to let him know they were fenfible he in- tended to carry their enemy out of their reach, which they were refolved to prevent, let the confequence be what it would ; neverthelefs, if the governor could prevail on Da- fan to agree to a partition of the fovereignty with Dundu- ambu, on reafonable terms, they were willing to hold a conference with him on that head. It was direftly agreed that five chief men from each party fhould meet in the middle fpace between the two armies, where they conferred together above three hours, without being able to come to an. 334 MEMOIRS OF 1723, BOOK IX. ai) agreement, and then they returned each to their own party. The enemy having obferved that Dafan's party, dur- ing the conference, were tranfporting their wives, children, and cattle over a branch of the Wolga, now fet upon Dafan's men with a niofl: furious attack, and numbers were flain on each fide before we could come up to prevent it, as the ene- my ftill avoided coming near as much as poffiblc ; but upon our horfe engaging them, and our firing with our cannon ai-.d fmall arms brifkly upon them, they retired quite out cf fight. Our dragoons returning from the purfuit, brought back twenty-five prifoners, who aflured us, that Shurun- dunduck was retired towards Zornayar -, on which the go- vernor fet out for Aftrachan, leaving orders with me to fee prince Dafan, and his Kalmucks, all over the river, and fafe under the cannon of Krafnayar, where I arrived the 30th : but the prince finding his cattle could not fubfift in fo narrow a diflricl, divided the hord, and diftributed them among the numerous iflands formed by the feveral branches cf the Wolga, where thfy were to remain in full fecurity till his majefty's pleafure was known. I fet out on the 3d ef November, having prince Dafan, and his two brothers, under my convoy, and arrived at Aftrachan that evening, where we found every necefiary accommodation provided for their reception. Some odd On this expedition I obferved fome peculiar Cuftoms cuftomsa- a^on"; the Kalmucks, which I cannot omit mentioning, ^noi'g then.. ""'^"& o As I attended the governor into Dafan's tent, we found the prince and his two brothers, with their principal men, feated in a cii-cle round the fire, having a large iron pipe, filled with tobacco, which they handed about from one to another, each PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 335 each taking one pull, filled his mouth as full of fmoke as it book ix. would hold, and keeping the fmokc a confiderable tinae in ~ their mouths, they at length blew it out at then* noflnls ; immediately after this they all parted without fpeaking one word J this we underftood to be the concluTion of a conful- tation among them. As they are great lovers of horfe-flefli, which they pre- fer to every other kind, and obferving we were no admirers of it, prince Dafan entertained us with the flefli of a fuck- ing-foal, both roafted and boiled, and I muft confefs I ne- ver eat any thing more delicious. In mentioning this Tar- tar nation before, I faid they paft the winter in the defert of Aftrachan j but I was now informed that the greateft part of them live in the defert of Beriket, towards the rivers Jaik and Yembo, bordering on the Turkumanians. The fmall-pox is as much dreaded among the Kalmucks as the peftilence amongft us : when any of them are feized with it, they immediately break tip their camp and fly, leav- ing the fick perfon in one of their worft kibbets with a killed flieep, part of which is roafted and part raw, and a jar of water and fome wood for fire j if they recover they follow the hord, which feldom happens, for they almoft all die for want of attendance. They live but four months at moft in the deferts, and they inhabit a moft pleafant country all the reft of the year? their way of life exa6\ly refembles that of the old patri- archs, their whole occupation confifting in the care of their flocks and herds, fiftiing, and hunting. When they go upon an expedition, every one takes a flieep with him for his provifion, and three horfes which he rides alternately j and 1723- 336 M E M O I R S O F Boojc IX. g,-,^j when any of them fail, they kill it and divide the flefh, putting pieces of it under their faddles, and after riding ibme time upon it, they eat it without any farther prepara- tion ; this, in their eftimation, is the heft way of dreffing it ; they generally return from their excurfions with only one horfe, having eat all the reft. Biiraiietz or J |-,gj j^qj-}^ heard and read of an herb that fn'tw about lanib-fkiu, _ J^ Aftrachan, called baranetz, or lamb-lkin, which was. al- ledged to grow upon a fmgle ftalk in the fliape of a lamb, and which when ripe was covered over with hair, or wool, and that it confumed all the grafs that grew near it, and tliat when taken off", it ferved for fine fur for caps, or lining deaths ; but as there is no fuch herb, I was at a lofs to conceive how fuch a miftake could arife : however, on en- quiry, I was informed, that the baranetzs, or lambs, are cut out of the flieep's bellies, a little before their lambing-time, their fkins being then in their greateft beauty, with-the hair lying in fhort, fraooth, pretty curls, and of different colours, as dark and light greys, black and white j the dark grey are the moft valuable, and are fold as high as ten fhillings ftcrling a piece, and the black at five ; the light grey and white at half a crown. This branch of trade is very pro- fitable to the Nagayan Tartars, as the Indians, Perfians, and Rufliansj buy all they can produce. 1 bought by commif- fion for couBt Bruce and general Le Fort, of the beft kind, to the value of two hundred rubles. Returns for I had ordcrs from general Matufkin to go as foon as pof- thc Woiga^ fible to JVlofcow, to deliver my report of the Cafpian fea to the emperor j but as there is no pofhbility of travelling by land to Saratof, I was obliged to vv-ait tiil the river'Wolga 9 was PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 337 was frozen. On the 8th of January, I fet out from Aftra- book ix; chan in fledges on the ice, in company with feveral others, - for Mofcow, making in the whole a party of twenty men, '^*^* all well provided with arms ; but as it rained very hard, we went but ten werfls to Saliterdwor. The rain continuing the two following days, the ice became fo weak, that fome of the horfes fell in feveral times, and it was with much diffi- culty we faved them from being drowned ; fo that we could only travel eighty wcrfts in the two days, and were obliged to lodge both nights on the ice, in the middle of the river, as tliere was no pofiibility of getting afliore for the water. On the nth, it being froft, we went fifty werfts, but one of our horfes dropt through and was drowned : this night, however, we refted in fafety on (hore. The next day proved rainy, and we could only go forty werfts, but paft this night alfo on fhore. On the 13th, although it was frofty, the ice was fo much rent in feveral places, that it was with much difficulty we could get the horfes over the openings ; one of them broke his leg, which obliged us to fhoot him ; and after travelling forty werfts, we were forced to ftay all night on the ice. The next day it rained, and the ice became fo full of rents, that we were often put to hard fhifts to extricate ourfelves : two of our fledges and horfes fell in, which we faved with great difficulty. At noon we went on fliore to refrefli the horfes, and went to a fiflier's hut at a fmall diftance to get fome fifli : in this interval a party of fifty Kalmuck Tartars, all in armour, furrounded our fledges, where we had left all our fire-arms excepting three ; with thofe we had, cocked in our hands, we ran in hafte to the fledges, and fecured the reft of our X X . arms, 33:8 M £ M O I R S O F B.ooK IX. arms, the Tartars looking at us with furprize. Their myrra^, ' or commander, came up to me and offered me his hand, "'*' faying, in broken Ruflian, that he knew me fmce the ac- tion with Shurundunduck ; we gave him a dram, and he. went away with his party. They are not to be trufted, for the Tartars will rob where they can do it with fafety ; this accident determined us to be no more without our arms on Gur journey. We travelled this day forty werfts, but would- not venture on fliore all night for fear of the Kalmucks^ who were encamped thereabouts. On the 15th, we reached Zornayar, forty werfts, where we refted on the 16th; and as our horfes had now brought us three hundred werfts, without relief, no other horfes being to be had all the way, the men taking provifions and forage with them to ferve them on the road, their hay being all twifted for the eafier conveyance, we returned them for Aftrachan^ with a certificate to the governor, at the defire of our con- duftors, of the lofs of two of. the. horfes, as they belonged to government. On the i^lh, being provided with fi'efh horfes, and' having procured ropes to pull out the horfes and fledges in^ cafe-they fhould break through the ice again ; the day prov- ing rainy, feveral of our horfes fell in, but were faved, having a rope faftened to each of them ; and at night we reached Stupingar, fixty werfts, and the next day, notwith- ftanding it was hard froft, feveral of our horfes fell in : we travelled feventy werfts, and refted the night on fliore. On the 19th, we went feventy werfts, and at night reached Cza^ ritza, where our two battalions wintered laft year. Here we got frefh horfes, and next day got to Dubofka, fixty werftsj 4 i^ PETER. HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 339 m rainy weather j here we were again fupplied with frefh book ik. horfcs, and reached Belekli, feventy werfls. On the 21ft, ' we found the ice fo much weakened by the rainy weather, that we were in continual danger. We got to Kamufinka, feventy werfts, on the 2 2d; and here getting frefh horfes, we could only travel eighty werfls the two following days under fuch conflant rain, that the water was now a foot •deep over the ice, fo that we pafl the dangerous rents with the utmofl difficulty, and for the night of the 24th, we took up our quarters on a woody ifland, making a large iire to dry ourfelves. On the 25th in the morning, we had got but a fhort way ^ ,^no-w from the ifland, before we found the ice fo full of large ^["i"^ *"■""» ' _ ° the 1C9. •rents, that it was impoffible for us to proceed farther upoa it, and in endeavouring to make the fliore, feven of our fledges fell in through the ice, and five of our horfes were drowned : the refl we faved with extreme danger to our- felves, as the ice was continually yielding and breaking un- der us, till at lafl after every effort with poles and ropes, we got all fafe to the land; but our fledges and baggage lay fix hours in the water, and mufl have been loft but for the lucky afTiftance of a party of men who were palling this way, by whofe help we got them pulled out, and in about half an hour afterwards, the river broke up witla a thundering noife, and nothing but water was to be feen ; Co that we had a very narrow and miraculous efcape. We fortunately were near a wood, where we made large fires to warm and dry ourfelves, being near perifhed with wet and cold ; and what augmented our mifeiy was the perpetual rains pouring day and night down upon us. Such a rainy fea- X :y 2 fon 340 M ;E M O I R S OF BOOK ix.fon in the time of winter, and the breaking up of the ■ ' Wolga, had not been known in the memory of man. By *'*^' the overturning of my fledge, I loft a whole fuit of Tarta- rian armour, a blunderbufs, a pair of brafs barrelled piftolg, a filver-hilted fword, a little trunk in which was my pafs, and an order to fupply us with horfes on our way, and fome money for my travelling charges. The three following days, we dragged our fledges with much toil over the fands, and having travelled two hundred and twenty werfts, we reached Saratof on the evening of the 28th : this place is one thoufand werfts up the Wolga, from Aftrachan. We ftaid here four days to dry our baggage, which had all been nioft thoroughly wet ; I got my bara- netz, or lamblkins, fo carefully dried and drefled, that they looked as well as ever. The governor gave me another pafs, and an order for horfes, in place of that I had loft ; and as this is the firft place from which we could travel by laud, we left the river Wolga, and proceeded acrofs the country on a hard beaten road of fnow, being now quite in another climate, where winter appeared in its full rigour. The governor informed us that the roads were peftered with robbers, on account of the very bad crops laft fummer, and advifed us to be on our guard. A cruel rob- Wc left Saratof on the 2d of February, and travelling bery in the ^^^y ^erfts, arrived in the evening at a Angle houfe in a wood ; and next day, after a journey of fixty-three werfts, through one continued wood, we came again to a fingle houfe, but when we were within three werfts of it, we faw feveral fledges before us attacked by robbers, and carried oif ;■ * we made all the hafte we could to go to their affiftance, and 3j. before. PETER HEMRY BRUCE, ESQ. 341 before we got up, the robbers had made off into the wood, book ix. with the horfes and fledges loaded with merchandize : we ^~~~~~"" found nine men ftiipped naked, and three foldiers who had been their efcort, killed befide them. We took both the living and the dead with us to this houfe, where we found only a boy, and enquiring of him for ihe people of the houle, he faid they were gone to a fair fixty werfts off, and were not to come home that night. As we con- ceived ourfelves to be in a very dangerous pl.ice, we barricaded the court- yard belonging to the houfe, and kept a very ffridl watch, placing a centry at each corner; having our fire- arms in readinefs, we kept ourfelves very quiet. One of our company whole appointment it was to watch the mo- tions of the boy, obferved him at three o'clock in the morn- ing, go to the back door and open it, but being clofe be- hind him, found the boy talking to a man without, in a very low voice ; two others of our company getting behind him, pulled the fellow into the houfe, and faftened the door j the ftripped travellers no fooner faw him, than they unani- moufiy agreed that this fellow was one of the gang who had robbed them; upon this wc tied him neck and heels, and upon our looking out at the back door, we difcovered a number of men at a fmall diftance, upon the fnow, waiting as we imagined, for intelligence, but on our firing a few fhot among them, they retired into the wood. We then proceeded to examine the fellow we had taken, who faid he was the landlord of the houfe, and was well known to be an honed man, and had no connection with thieves or robbers, and threatened that he would make us repent the injury vve had done him in his own houfe ; but as all tiiofe: who/ 341 M E M O I R. S OF BOOK IX. who had been robbed averred that he was the chief of the gang, and had himfelf killed one of the foldiers, we deter- *^**' mined to carry him and all that were in the houfe, with us; and accordingly fet out. On the 4th, travelling fixty-four werfts, we came to Penfe, a fortified town, with a ftrgng garrifon, where we delivered up our prifoner to the governor, and the plundered mer- chants, on their examination, declared that he was adually the ringleader of the gang ; upon which the governor or- dered him to be put to the torture, to make him confefs where, the reft of his companions were to be found j but he was fo obftinale, that he would not anfwer any of the ■queftions that were put to him. On which two of the robbed inerchants propofed to go in fearch of them, if the gover- nor would fend a fufficient force to take them, if found, alledging they might be cafily traced by the track they had made through the fnow, in going into the wood : the go- vernor readily confented, and ordered fifty dragoons, and as many Coflacks, to mount and attend them. The next day in the evening, they returned with twenty-three robbers, and the fledges and horfci belonging to the merchants j they were found in hutts in a thicket of the wood, not above three miies from the before mentioned houfe. This wood runs eaft and weft feveral hundred werfts in length, and its nar- roweft breadth, where we crofted, is one hundred and ftxty werfts, without any inhabitants. AwmarkaWc I vvas Jhcrc informed by the governor, that about fix to^r wfth an inoKths ago, a large village, or town, had been difcovered account o{ it. jjy j{g Q^yj^ inhabitants, who fent a deputation to the emperor for that purpofe. This town lies two hundred miles weft: from PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 343 from Penfe, and at the fame diftance from any other inha- book ix. bited place ; it is fituated on the fide of a lake in the mid- die of this great wood, and confifts of above two thoufand '^'*' families ; they gave the following account of themfelves. — In the very troublefome times, after the death of czar Iwan Wafilewitz, the tyrant, to the reign of czar Michael Feodorewitz, (his prefent majefty's grandfather), a great number of robbers had aflbciated themfelves and committed great ravages over all the country ; their leader, or comi. mander in chief, was a degraded colonel, and an experienced officer ; their depredations were io audacious, that czar Michael Feodorewitz found it neceflary to fend large de- tachments of the military againft them, but the robbers commonly attacked thefe parties by furprize and defeated them. The czar on this offered a very high reward for the heads of their leaders, and a free pardon to all the refl. The chiefs being apprehenfive that they fliould one day or other be betrayed by their followers, came to a refolution to make a general plunder, once for all ; which they did, and car- ried off large quantities of corn, horfes, cattle, all forts of" labouring utenfils, and all the women they could meet •with, and retired into thofe inacceffible woods, where they fettled, cleared, and manured the ground, and lived ever fince, governed by their own laws, without ever after mo- lefting, or having the fmalleft intercourfe with any of their remote neighbours. I was alfo informed, that a wild girl, about eighteen years of age, had been lately taken in the neighbourhood of this town. A woman who lived here, alledged, fhe was her aliild, faying, that about eighteen years ago fhe was going thcougli!. 344 MEMOIRS OF BOOK IX. through the wood to fee a fick fifler of her's : being then ■"— big with child (lie was feized with her labour-pains, and ^'* was deUvered ; and as flie was then in extreme agony, fhe did not perceive by what means her child was conveyed from her ; but hearing the common report that a wild girl was frequently feen in the wood, fhe always faid it could be no other than the child flie had loft. Many attempts had been made to catch her, but to no purpofe, fhe being fo nimble-footed that none could over- take her. When the emperor heard of it, he fent or- ders to the governor to raife the people of the country, and furround that part of the wood where fhe had been ob- ferved to frequent, and fet up their nets with which they ufed to catch the deer, and in this manner fhe was taken without receiving any hurt j the girl was immediately fent to Mofcow, under the care of her fuppofed mother, where I afterwards faw her. She was of a fwarthy complexion, and I was told fhe was much overgrown with hair j fhe was very fliy of being feen, and always fitting in a dark corner, trembling with fear when any body approached her. It was generally fuppofed fhe had been fuckled by a bear, but how fhe fubfifted all the time afterwards muft remain a fecret till fhe learns to fpeak and gives the account herfelf. On the 7th of February, having obtained an efcort of twenty Coffacks to conduft me to Saranfki, ninety werfts, and my travelling companions intending to continue here fome time, I left Penfe, travelling all the way through one continued wood, which made it very dangerous on account of the many robberies and murders committed on the road, and arrived at Saranfki on the evening of the 8th, without any PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 345 any moleflatlon. All the way, however, we went, we met book ix. many real obje61s of compaflion, wearing the vifible marks ' of hunger and famine in their countenances, occafioned by ''*" the failure of the lafl: year's crop, which drove many to feek relief by plunder. After this I travelled through a well inhabited country, without the leaft danger, and came to Arfama, one hundred and twenty vverfls j from thence to Murvin, one hundred and twenty; and from thence to Wolodimer, one hundred and twenty more; and from Wolodimer, one hundred and eighty werfls, to the city of Mofcow, where I arrived on the aad of February. From Anirai it Saratof to Mofcow it is eight hundred and fifty-fix werfts by land j but following the courfe of the river, it is one thoufand feven hundred and eighty. At this time great preparations were making for the emprefs's coronation, at which ceremony all the great men and grandees of the empire had been fummoned to appear. General Matulkin, and governor Wolinlki, with the two battalions of guards I left at Aftrachan, were ordered to re- pair to Mofcow with the utmofl expedition, and arrived five weeks after me j which, if I had known, would have faved me a very troublefome journey befides a great ex- pence. The day after my arrival in Mofcow, I waited on prince Menzikof, who ordered me to attend him to his majefty, and after waiting a quarter of an hour in the antichamber I was called in, and found there, his majefty, attended by the duke of Holftein, admiral Apraxin, chancellor Golof- kin, and the princes Galitzin, Dolgoruki and Romadonof- (ku The emperor examined the chart of the Cafpian fea, Y J with 24^ MEMOIRS OF 1724. BOOK IX, with its gulfs, bays, and foundings, very narrowly; allcing '■ me a great many queftions, efpecially concerning the river Daria, of which I prefented him with a draft at large, with which he feemed very much pleafed, as the drawing exhi- bited the fituation of that river, which appeared to be well calculated for a fort and fafe harbour, fecure from any at- tempts that could be made by the Ufbeck Tartars. His ma- jefty then gave the duke of Holftein a fliort account of prince Bekewitz's unfortunate expedition to that place j adding, that if he had had patience till he had been well fortified and fettled, and not fufFered himfelf to be over-reached by the treacherous infmuations of the Tartars, by this time he might have been fully mafter of that valuable river, with all the gold mines ; but as he was now in full poffeffion of the provinces on the oppofite fide of the Cafpian fea, he flill intended to fettle a colony at that place, and to ere£l: forts along the banks of that river, toward the mines, for their prote6lion j and the forts could be eafily fupplied with pro- vifions from the neighbouring provinces, without having any dependence on the Ufbeck Tartars for them. From all this difcourfe, I apprehended I fliould be again fent to thofe parts very much againft my inclination. After I had given an account in what forwardnefs the fortifications of Swetego-Krefl-, on the river Sulack were, and of our expe- dition againft the Kalmuck Tartars, I was difmifTed, being ordered by prince Menzikof to attend the duke of Holftein's: levee while he remained in Mofcow. BOOK PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQi 347 BOOK X. 'The duke of Holflein. — The fall of baron Shqfirof. — The captain endeavours to get his difcharge. — A dignified troop of chevaliers. — A defcription of the cathedral. — Procejfion to the coronation of the emprefs. — Coronation ceremony. — Procejfion to the church of St. Michael. — Proceffion to the church of the Refur region. — Dinner in the hall of folemnities.—New mode of promotion. — The captain obtains his furlough. — The captain leaves Mofcozv. — A Swedip colonel at Riga fufpeEled of having pot Charles the Xllth of Sweden, — The captain embarks for Scotland. — Puts into Erd- holm, a Danifl: harbour and fort. — Defcription of the harbour. — De- parts for Elfingohr. — Driven info Marjlrand difmafted.— parrel between Carnegie and his mate,— He arrives in Scotland. HIS royal highnefs Charles duke of Holftein, was the book x. only fon of the eldeft fifter of Charles the Xllth, king of Sweden, whom that monarch intended for his fuc- The 'duke of celTor ; he was now betrothed to the princefs Anne, the ^''l^*'''- emperor's eldeft daughter j his highnefs was in the 25th year of his age, of the middling fize, well proportioned ; his lips were thick, and his tongue large, which occafioned a defecl in his fpeech ; in attending, when very young, his uncle, the king of Sweden, a winter's campaign in Poland, where the cold was very intenfe, and feeing the king endure it with fo much indifference, the prince was afliamed to complain, till at laft his toes were fo feverely froft-bitten, that they began to mortify, and he was obliged to have fome of them cut off ; the prince was very affable, and of a chearful difpofition, fond of all kinds of diverfions. He was now lodged in the Inoifemlka Slaboda, (or quarter of foreign- Y y 2 ers). 348 M E M O I R S O F BOOK X. ers) : all manner of diveiTions were here pradifed for his ■■ amufement ; he was much pleafed with the Englifh country- ''**■ dances, and as I was pretty well acquainted with them, I was always next to his highnefs at thofe entertainments. I had the good fortune to be fo much in his favour, that he afked if I wiflied to enter into his fervice. I replied, that 1 would accept the honor with great pleafure if I could ob- tain my difcharge from the emperor's : his highnefs faid he would fpeak to prince Menzikof about it, which he did next day, and the prince told him that his majefty would grant it at his defire, notwithftanding his intention to fend me on an expedition over the Cafpian fea, to fortify and fecure the harbour at the mouth of the river Daria ; which in- formation put a flop to all my hopes. This difappoint- ment made me refolve to get out of this flate of flavery at any rate, from which it was impoIB.ble for any one that was ferviceable to extricate himfelf with honour. The fall of ()n niy retum to Mofcow, I had the mortification to hear baron Sha- <• i r n i it foot. the diiagreeable account of the fall and difgrace of my for- mer benefadlor, baron Shafirof, the vice-chancellor, in whofe fuite I was a year at Conftantinople, where he was an hoftage, and afterwards ambaffador; he was without dif- pute one of the ableft minifters in the whole empire, very high in the efteem of the emperor, who always employed him in negotiations of the greateft importance. The baron's misfortune was occafioned by his endeavouring the ruin of prince Menzikof, which at lad ended in his own. When his majefly fct out on his expedition to Perfia, he appointed prince Menzikof regent of the empire in his abfence: by the afTiftance of baron Ofterm an, the prince difcovcred that 5 the PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 349 the vice-chancellor had embezzled large fums out of the book x. public revenue, and that he had concealed two hundred thoufand ducats in fpccie, befides Jewels to the value of '''■*' feventy thoufand ducats, the property of the late Knez Ga- garin, whgfe daughter was married to baron Shafirof's fon. When prince Gagarin was executed, it was made death to any perfon who fliould conceal his effefts, and the baron himfelf publiflied the decree ; the baron alfo flood charged with feveral other crimes, for all which he was condemned to be beheaded, and was fo near fufFering the fentence, that his neck was on the block, when the fentence was mitigated to perpetual banifliment into Siberia. Ofterman fucceeded the baron in the office of vice-chancellor j baron Shafirof had raifed him from a low degree, and was afterwards re- warded with ingratitude ; he was by birth a German, from a fmall town belonging to the duke of Mecklenburgh, of mean parents, and the baron pafling through that country, engaged him as a fervant ; in this fervice he fo ingratiated himfelf with his mafter, that he raifed him by degrees to the office of fecretary in chancery, and as fuch he was fent as fecretary to count Bruce to the congrefs at Aland ; where he conducted himfelf with fuch addrefs, that he was appointed the count's colleague, in which lituation he be- haved with much haughtinefs : yet, after betraying his mafter and benefaclor, he fucceeded him as vice-chancellor, and after the death of count Golofkin, he was promoted to the ••ffice of high-chancellor : but when the emprefs Elizabeth afcended the throne of Ruflia, Oilerman was baniflied to Siberia, there to bewail his former ingratitude, meeting with the reward due to all ungrateful perfons. In 35° MEMOIRS OF BOOK X. In the beginning of March, I prefented a petition to the college of war, in which I reprefented my fervices for thir- The'captain tcen yeats in their army ; that the fituation of my own pri- ^ef^hirdlf!" vate affairs in Scotland, where I had not been for twenty chaige. years, now reqiiired my perfonal prefence to regulate them ; and defired my difcharge from this fervice for that purpofe. Prince Menzikof and the other generals feemed furprifed at my requeft, telling me that his majefty had fignified his pleafure to give me one of the regiments that were then under the command of general Waterang, at Swetego-Krefl on the river Sulack ; from this I faw plainly that it was determined to fend me once more over the Cafpian to the river Daria, to lead a fad life among the Ufbeck Tartars : I told them it was impoflible for me then to accept the honour his majefty meant to beftow on me, as the fituation of my affairs would not fuffer me to remain longer in their fervice ; and the board then abfolutely refufed to grant my difcharge. I now urged to them the privilege promifed by his majefty to all foreigners, that they were not to be detained in the fervice againft their own inclination ; to this they replied, that they did not look on me as a foreigner, but as one of themfelves } to this compliment I only anfwered by a low bow, and retired. As I had received a promife from his majefty before we fet out on this expedition into Periia, that upon our return he would give me leave to go and fee my friends, I now laid my cafe before the duke of Holftein, who advifed me to prefent a memorial to the emperor the, next day, at eleven o'clock, when he would be with him ; v/hich I accordingly did, and had for anfwer, that my dif- x:harge could not be granted, but that I fhould get a fur- lough PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 3^1 lough for one year, to go and fee my friends, and fettle my book x. affairs ; at the expiration of which it was expefled I fliould ' return. Upon my accepting thefe conditions, I received **' his majefty's order to prince Menzikof, to grant me a fur- lough : upon my producing the order to the war office, they demanded that count Bruce and general Le Fort fliould become furcties for my return, which I refufed, telHng them that the furlough his majefly had granted me was fuf- ficient, which 1 infifted upon j on this the office forced me to give an obligation under my hand, to return at the end of the year, wiiich they conceived in the ftrongeft terms they could exprefs, and gave me the alternative, to fign it, or remain where I was : the matter being fo far fettled, they told me that as foon as .the emprefs's coronation was over I fliould receive my difpatches. The city of Mofcow was now vallly crowded with fo- reigners as Vv^ell as natives, where all people of rank, be- longing to this great empire, were obliged to attend, every one endeavouring to out-do another in grand equipages, fo that nothing now was minded but aflemblies, balls, maf- querades, and grand entertainments, fuch as had never be- fore been known in this part of the world. Yet every body was much furprifed that neither the grand duke, nor his lifter the grand duchefs, the children of the late czarowitz, were to be prefent at this folemnity, but were left unnoticed at Peterlburgh. To aggrandize the coronation, a troop of chevaliers, or a dignified horfe-guards, were raifed, mounted on fine horfes ; lieute- v'a°ii'e''rs! ^^^ nant-generallagufinfki commanded them as captain ; major- general Mamonof, as lieutenant; brigadier- general Le- 3 wentof. ,., MEMOIRS OF BooKX. wentof, was cornet; the quartermafters were colonels, the • corporals lieute.iant-colonels, and the fixty troopers were '''*■ all captains. Their coats were green cloth, the waiftcoats fcarlet richly laced with' gold ; on their breafts and backs the emneror's arms in embroidery ; their cartouch cafes were of crimfon velvet, with cyphers embroidered in gold; their grenade pouches and belts of crimfon velvet and gold j their fvvord hilts gilt, and white cockades in their hats ; their holfters and piftol-cafcs ornamented with cyphers in gold, laced and fringed with the fame ; the bitts of the bridles, bread and crupper-leathers, were covered with mafllve gold, and their kettle drums and trumpets were filver, with the emperors arms in embofied work of gold and filver. Defciiptlonof The cathedral in which the ceremony of coronation was to the cathedral. ^^ performed, was richly adorned and illuminated with a num- ber of branches in form of crowns, and a very large one in the middle of fine filver of exquifite workmanfhip ; they were all full of wax candles gilt. The fleps to the altar, and the pavement of the church to the throne, were covered with rich tapeftry wrought with gold j in the middle of the church was a canopy of crimfon velvet, adorned with the arms of Ruflia, viz. an eagle, fable, with an efcutcheon on its breaft, of St. George killing the dragon, and all round it was the ribbon of the order of St. Andrew, and on the two fides were the arms of the kingdoms of Cafan, Aftrachan, Siberia, &c. the canopy was embroidered with gold raifed-work, with rich fringes, ribbons, tufts, gold lace, &c. it was fupported at the four corners with pillars covered with red and gold filk. Under this canopy was the throne ; the fleps and pavement of which were covered with PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 353 vvith CI imfon velvet, on which were placed two elbow chairs [book x. for their imperial majefties, which glittered with precious ftones, and a long table covered with cloth of gold, which hung down to the ground : their ufual feats in the church were covered infide and out with cloth of gold, and the bottom was covered with red velvet trimmed with gold ; a place was made near the throne, for the royal princefles, adorned with tapeftry and cloth of gold, with an eagle of gold embroidery fparkling with jewels. Her imperial majefty prepared herfelf for her coronation, by three days fafting and prayer, and the people had notice given them by the fecretary of the chancery, preceded by an officer, with kettle-drums and trumpets. The 7th of May, the day appointed for the grand coro- Proceflion to nation, eight battalions and four companies of grenadiers [ioVot°the of the guards were, early in the morning, drawn up in the ^"'P'^^^^* kremelin, or fort of the palace -, our grenadiers hned the road from the palace to the cathedral, oppofite to which was St. Michael's church, the burying-place of his ma- jefty 's anceftors j the road between them was lined by two battalions, and the road from the cathedral to the gate of the kremelin was lined by the other fix battalions ; and from the gate to the monaftery of the Refurre£lion, the burying place of the princefles of the czarian family, was lined by the regiments of Le Fort and Buterfki, who fup- plied the place of four battalions of our divifion then at Peterlburgh. At nine o'clock in the morning, the clergy met in the church, and read prayers for the profperity of their imperial Z z ma- 354 MEMOIRS OF »7»+- in pairs by feniority; BOOK X. majefties, and then went in their pontificals, and joined the ~ proceflion, which began at ten in the following order. 1. One half of the horfe-guards. 2. The emprefs's pages, and their governor. 3. The deputy-mafter of the ceremonies, Williaminof, with his mace. 4. The deputies of the provinces, 5. The brigadier-generals, ' 6. The major-generals, 7. The lieutenant-generals, _ 8. The two great heralds at arms of the empire, Plelhof and count SoufFe, both in habits of crimfon, and gold em- broidery, with the imperial eagle wrought upon them, with their ftaves in their hands. 9. The grand-mafter of the ceremonies, Shubarof, with his mace. ID. Knez Demetri Galitzin and baron Ofterman, privy- counfellors, carrying, on two cufhions, the imperial man- tle, which was of cloth of gold lined with ermine j the clafps were fet with many large brilliants j and on the man- tle was embroidered, in relievo, the imperial eagle. 11. Knez Dolgoruki, a privy-counfellor, carrying on a cufhion the globe, which was of fine gold, with a crofs on the top of it fet with diamonds, rubies, fapphires, and eme- ralds : this globe was much admired, as being the workman- ihip of ancient Rome. 12. Count Pulhkin, a privy-counfellor, carrying on a culhion, the fcepter, enamelled and adorned with diamonds and rubies, with the imperial eagle at the top j the fame 6> that 17»4» PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 2SS that was ufed at the coronation of the ancient emperors of book x. Riiffia. 13. Count Bruce, a privy-counfellor and mafter of the ordnance, carrying the crown, which was immenfely rich with brilUants, feveral of which were very large, befides fine oriental pearls of an extraordinary fize and an even water ; among the other precious ftones, of various colours, in this crown, there was a true oriental ruby of uncommon luftre as large as a pigeon's egg, and fuppofed to be the richeft that has yet been known ; this fupplied the place of a globe on the top of the crown, and the crofs was all covered over with brilliants. 14. Count Tolftoi, grand-marflial, with his ftaff In his hand, on the top of which was an imperial eagle of maffive gold, and an emerald as big as a hen's egg. 1 5. His imperial majefty, Peter the Great, fupported by prince Menzikof and knez Repnin. 16. Her imperial majefty, Catherine, led by his royal highnefs the duke of Holftein, and attended by the high admiral count Apraxin, and the high chancellor count Golof hin ; her train was borne by the princefs of Menzikof, the duchefs of Trubetzkoi, the countefs of Golofkin, the countefs of Bruce, and general Butterlin's lady } they were followed by twelve married, and twelve unmarried ladies, clad in robes, and walking in pairs. ly. The married ladies were, four lieutenant-generals ladies, viz. Jaguzinlki, Matulkin, Dolgoruki, and Kura- kin ; eight major-general's ladies, viz. Gunther, Zernifhof, Balk, Le-Fort, Trubetzkoy, UfliakofF, Romanzof, and Cir- Z z 2 kaflci J I7H- 356 M E M O I R S O F BOOK X. kaflki ; thefe were followed by twelve young ladies of the firft quality, in pairs. 1 8. The colonels, and other military officers, and thofe of the national nobility fummoned to attend, all walking in pairs. 19. The other half of the horfe-guards clofed the procef- fion ; during which, all the bells in Mofcow rang, which was accompanied with the mufic of the drums and trumpets. Coronation The proceffiou having entered the .cathedral, the regalia ceremony. -^rgf-g placed on a long table fet there for that purpofe -, and the duke of Holftein having led the cmprefs to the throne, retired to his place, and the emperor led her to her feat^ attended by prince MenzikofF and knez Repnin, and the counts Apraxin and Golofkin, and the ladies who bore the train ; their majefties being feated, the archbifhops and other prelates alfo fat down, but the gentlemen and ladies flood during the whole courfe of the ceremony : when the an- them was fung, the emperor flood up, and taking the fcep- ter from the table, ordered the great-marfhal to call the archbifhops and prelates, enjoining them to proceed to coro- nation. The archbifhop of Novogorod then addreffed the emprefs thus : " Orthodox and great emprefs, mofl gracious " lady, may it pleafe your majefly to repeat the creed Atha- " nafian of orthodox faith, m the prefence of your loyal " fubjedls."' — The emprefs having repeated this creed, kneeled down on a cufliion, and received the archbifliop's benediction; and after prayers were faid, her majefly flood tjp, and two archbifhops took the coronation mantle, and prefented it to the emperor, who put it on the emprefs, with-. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 357 without laying the fceptre out of his hand; then* majefty's book x. ttien kneeUng down, the archbifliop faid prayers,, at the ^ conclufion of which their majeftits rofe up, and the emperor, ^^^ taking the crown, placed it upon her head, but ftil! held the fcepter himf^lf ; the archbifhops then pronounced their be- nediftion in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft,. and put the imperial globe into her majefty's hand. This being done, their majefties took their feats and received the compliments both of the clergy and laity, while the choir fung their ufual anthem for their profperous reign j at the conclufion of which there was a general falvo from all the artillery, and the bells of the whole city were rung. This done, their majefties being conduced from the throne with the fame ceremonies with which they afcended, they proceeded ta the foot of the altar, and from, thence to their ufual feats j and during the liturgy her majefty took off her crown, which was committed to the charge of the fecre- tary of the cabinet; and after the prayers for the communion fervice were fung, the emperor led her majefty, who was dreffed in the crown and imperial mantle, along a walk of fcarlet velvet, doubled, and tapeftry wi ought with gold, to the fanduary, where (lie kneeled on a culhion embroidered with gold, where two bifhops attended with the holy oil in feparate veflels, and an archbilhop anointed her on the fore-- head, breaft, and hands, in the name of the Father, Son,, and Holy Ghoft ; other archbilliops wiped off the oil with'< cotton, and the archdeacon attending with the holy facra— ment, faid aloud, " Approach with piety and faith." Upon which flie received the confecrated bread from the. archbilhop, with a little warm wine ; two arch-priefts of the 353 M E M O I R S O P BOOK X. the cathedral carried a gold bafon, and an abbot held a gold ""~~~~~"~' ewer full of water to vvafli, and two other abbots held the '**' napkin for her majefty to wipe her hands. This done, their majefties retired to their feats, and there was a fecond falvo from the guns, and ringing of the bells in the city. At the clofe of the fervice, the archbifliop of Plefkow made an ha- rangue, in which he mentioned the rare virtues of the em- prefs, and fhewed how well fhe deferved that crown which file had now received from God and her hufband ; and con- cluded with a congratulation to their majefties in the name of the ftates of the empire. ProceflTion to When this office was over, the duke of Holftein went S! Michael?'^ to attend the emprefs to the church of St. Michael, to which fhe walked much in the fame order as fhe came from the pa- lace, but with her crown and mantle on, and under a rich canopy, fupported by fix major-generals on poles of maffive filver, on each of which were eight eagles of filver gilt, with crowns, &c. and tufts of folid gold, hung to gold twift ; the fcepter and globe were carried before her, and her train borne up as before ; prince Menzikof walked be- hind the emprefs, fupported by Printzenftein, chancellor of the exchequer, and Plelkof, prefident of the chamber o( finances, each carrying a purfe of fcarlet velvet embroid- ered with gold, in which were medals of gold and filver, which the prince threw away among the populace in the way to church j when her majefty arrived at the door, an archbifliop met and walked before her with a crucifix ; while the litanies were finging, the emprefs went and paid her de- votions at the tombs of the emperor's glorious anceftors ; at her leaving this church, there was a third falvo of the guns and PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 359 and bells, with kettle-drums and trumpets j and the joyful book x. fliouts of the people rent the ikies. ^ 1714., From hence her majefty went m a coach drawn by eight p,occnion to horfes to the monaftery of WofneHnki, or the Refune6lion, ')"='-;'^"'''^'» °f •' _ 'the Refurrec- the place of interment for the ladies of the imperial blood : """• flie was attended 1. By one half of the horfe-guards, and their officers. 2. Twenty-four valets on foot, marching four a-breaft; their coats were green faced with fcarlet ; their waiftcoats fcarlet fpread over with gold and filver lace; their hats laced with gold, and the hilts of their fwords gilt. 3 . Twelve pages in green liveries, the facing and veft of cloth of gold, fcarlet filk flockings with gold clocks, and their fword- hilts filver gilt. , 4. The emprefs in a moft magnificent coach, drawn by eight horfes, with four running footman before, richly dreft-,, and twelve chamberlains and other officers of the court magnificently dreft, marching on both fides of the coach. 5. Twelve heydukes alfo on both fides of the coach, at a proper diftance from the chamberlains, clad in green coats and fcarlet waiftcoats richly embroidered with gold, with the emperor's arms and cyphers, the fleeves fringed with: gold, and turned up with fcarlet velvet ; their fcarlet velvet caps were edged with green velvet and gold twifl, with a ftar of gold embroidery, with a tuft of an apple of filver ; om the fides were two filver eagles, and two herons of filver,. with a plume of red and white feathers behind ; inftead o£ a belt they wore two filver chains, faftened to a fl:ripe of fcarlet velvet with gold twift ; the hilts of their fabres were large and gilt 3 their boots, whicli were of Morocco leather,. were 36o MEMOIRSOF BOOK X. were adorned with buttons^ and other ornaments, the work of the goldfmith. 6. Lieutenant-general Lacey rode behind the coach, with two heralds at arms, and threw gold and filver medals among the populace, which were carried for that purpofe in purfes by the proper officers. 7. Six negroes dreft in black velvet edged with gold, in- ilead of fcarves and bracelets, they had ornaments of red and white feathers, and they had plumes of the fame in their turbans, which were faced with muflin ; their collars were of filver marked with their majefties cypher. 8. His royal highnefs the duke of Holftein in a coach and fix, with rich blue liveries. 9. The counts Apraxin and Golof kin, in one coach and fix, with their fervants in rich liveries. 10. Two coaches and fix, with the ladies of the firft rank. 11. The other half of the horfe-guards clofed the procef- fion, and in their paffing by were faluted with the points of our fpontoons, and colours pointed to the ground, the mufic playing and drums beating till they were paft. At the monaftery, the emprefs was handed out of the coach by the duke of Flolftein j her train was borne as be- fore ; and having performed her devotion at the tombs of the ladies of the imperial family, in that monaftery, fhe returned to the palace, and was handed by the duke of Hol- ftein to her apartments where the emperor expe(5led her, and where they paft fome time while the fervice was getting ready in the hall of folemnities. Dinner m the This hall, for its largencfs and ornaments, is one of the hall of folem- ... ^ . , . .,,, nities. nneit m Europe, and the wnidov/s bemg proportionably large makes PETER HENRY BRUCE, E3Q^ 361 makes it very light ; the roof refts on one fingle pillar in the book x, middle, the cornices and pedeflals are of fine work in plaifter ' " of Paris ; all the wamicottmg 13 of curious workrftanfiiip, and three feet in height ; all round was hung with crimfon velvet and rich cloth of gold ; the floor was covered with Perfian carpets of extraordinary fize and beauty. Round the pillars a table was fet, witli vefiels of gold and filver, adorned with precious flones and pearls ; the table where their majefties were to eat was fet upon a raifed floor, covered with fcarlet velvet, laced with gold, under a canopy of the fame, bordered round with deep gold fringe ; the table, where the duke of Holftein was to eat alone, was at a little diflance from the other in the middle of the hall ; and at fome little difl:ance below that was a table for the ladies, alfo in the middle of the hall ; and on each fide were long tables, one for perfons of the firfl: quality, particularly thofe who had aflifted at the coronation ; another for the prelates and prin- cipal clergy who had officiated on the fame occafion ; at the lower end of the hall was a theatre for the mufic. Their majelties, and the duke of Holftein, were ferved in gold plate, the other three tables in filver. When every thing was ready, the company moved for the hall, and entered in the following order : 1. The mafter of the ceremonies. 2. The two cup-bearers, and count Apraxin, who offi- ciated as carver during the feaflr. 3. The great fi:eward, followed by the grand marflial. 4. The emperor, and his two fupporters. 5. The emprefs, led by the duke of Holftein, and fup- poited as in the former proceffion ; the train of the impe- A a a rial J7I4. 36a M E M O I R S O F BOOK X. rial mantle being borne by the five ladies beforemen- tioned. 6. The principal ladies of quality, both of the court and empire, with her majefty's maids of honour. 7. The other perfons of diftindlion both fexes, clergy and laity. V/hen their majefties were under the canopy, an arch- bifhop faid grace, and then the whole company placed them- felves according to their rank. At every courfe the grand marftial gave orders to the mafler of ceremonies to go with the officers and order it : all the officers in waiting flood at the hall door, from the firft to the lafl:, to receive the diflies, which they carried up to the table in the following order : 1. The grand marfhal. 2. The great fleward. 3. The chief carver. 4. The officers who carried the fervices, who were all colonels ; each difh was guarded by two gentleman of the horfe-guards, with their carbines. 5. The mafler of the ceremonies. The great fleward ranged the diflies, and took them off, every time bending the knee, and all the others who waited on their majeflies with plates or glafTes, ferved them on the knee : they eat and drank out of gold, and the pyramids of fweetmeats were ferved up to the royal tables in gold plate ; the duke of Holflein was alfo ferved in gold, by officers of the firfl rank. There were at the fame time before the hall, oxen and all manner of fowls roafled for the populace, and on a 9 flage 17*4- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 363 ftage ere«5led there, were fountains of red and white wines book x running for them to drink. Before the court rofe from table, prince Menzikof dif- tributed to every perfon of rank and difl:in6lion, who had ^fliiied at the ceremony, a large medal of gold reprefenting it i and then their majefties returned to their apartments in the fame order they had entered, and the officers in wait- ing, with thofe of the horfe and foot guards, filled the tables, and when the repaft was over, we returned to our refpe6live quarters. The v/hole night was fpent in great rejoicings, by fire-works, illuminations, bonfires, drums, mufic, and ringing of bells ; the ftreets fwarmed all night long with crowds of people. The three following days, the emprefs received the congratulations of all the foreign minifters, and the deputies of the provinces. On the fourth day, her majefty gave a very grand en- tertainment, and in the evening was exhibited a magnificent fire-work, reprefenting the emperor placing the crown on her head, with this motto, " From God and the Emperor j" the city was again completely illuminated, and univerfal joy difplayed itfelf in every form. The whole concluded by a general promotion at court, A new mode and in the army and navy, in the Venetian manner, by bal- lotting, and this was the mode ; a white iron box was made with three apertures, and a round opening before, to admit a man's hand ; the three apertures were painted white, red, and black ; the white for advancement, the red was againft it, and the black denoted incapacity. The box was covered with fcarlet cloth, and every perfon qualified to ballot, had a little ball of white leather given him, which A a a 2 he of promotion. 36 MEMOIRS OF BOOK "x. he could put into either of the apertures without its being • obferved. Brigadier Knez Ufupof, a major in the guards, ^'''^ was to fland the ballot for a major-general, and all the of- ficers of the guards, being eighty-four in number, were fummoned to give their fuffrages ; but when the boxes were examined, there was found thirty-two to twenty-three againft him, and twenty-nine, declared him incapable. His ma- jefly was very much furprifed at this, as knez Ufupof v.'as well known to be a very brave officer, and one who had al- ways obferved flri6l difcipline, which was thought the real caufe of his having fo many enemies; on this the ballotting was entirely laid fide, and promotions went on according to the ufual form. Tiie captain I had uow oucc niore an offer of preferment made me, obtains his , j coHCcivcd it intended to detain me in the fervice, furlough. ^ I begged to be excufed accepting any till after my return from Britain ; but finding prince MenzikofF, at the inftiga- tion of count Bruce, very much bent for my flaying, I laid my cafe in fuch ftrong terms before the count, that he at laft confented and fpcke of it to the prince, who at length granted my much wifhed furlough on the 2-th of May. I received the pay and forage money due to me from the re- giment, but could not get the two years pay that was due to me as engineer, and which amounted to twelve hundred rubles, but was told the money appropriated for the pay- ment of that fervice was at Peterfburgh, and I rauft go there to receive it ; which if I had done, would have efFedlually put a flop to my journey. I empowered major-general Le Fort to receive my pay, and fell my houfe and furni- ture in Peterfburgh, and to remit me the money to Scotland ; but cow. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 365 but a flop was put to it till my return, and at the expira- book x. tion of my furlough, every thing I had left there was fe.zed, i'o ihat I had no reafon to boaft of any advantage I reaped '"*' in Ruffia, after thirtccen years fervice. Their majefties left Mofcow on the 27th of May, on The ca tahi their icurney to Peteifburp;h, and I fet out the aSth. I ar- '^"""^ '^^"^' . rived at;H' BOOK X. was not difengaged from the Ruffian fervice ; and as tlvere- • was an appearance of a rupture between the two nations, fuch a flep might prove of the moft dangerous confequence to me, which he could not refufe to admit, if the rupture fhould take place. It is to be obferved that the DanilTi army is chiefly compofed of foreigners, and the Danes and Norwegians are employed in their navy. Here I met with Mr. Pritzbaur, a captain of horfe, with whom I had been intimately acquainted in Mecklenburgh j l>c informed me two of my relaiions were then at Copenhagen, viz. general Dewitz and colonel Arenfdorf, a firll coufui of my father's, and endeavoured much to perfuade me to go with him to fee them, as I could daily get an opportunity of another vefTel : but as I very much longed to fee my friends in Scot- land, I would not confent. However, Mr. Pritzbaur in- filled on my making his houfe my home, the four days I flayed at Elfmghor. Driven into We departed from hence on the 28th, and on the 30th ^fmaftedf ^^^'^ Overtaken by a violent llorm, which carried away our main-mad, with fails, and rigging, and in this diflrefs, with much difficulty, we reached Marflrand, a town and fort in Sweden j here again I met feveral acquaintances, officers who had been prifoners at Mofcow, who now treated me with much civility ; feveral Ruffian foldiers who had been made prifoners by the Swedes, and afterward entered into their fervice, now earneftly folicited me to intercede with the governor, to let them return to their native country ; but he faid it was not in his power to difcharge them, as they had voluntarily enlifled. It was eight days before we were in a condition to put to fea again, and we departed on the 7th PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 373 7lh of Auguft J in two days after we were forced by a con- book x. trary wind to run into Hamer found, a place plcafantly fi- — — • tuated near a large wood ; the days we w.re detained here, a quaVrci be- we paffed in fowlin;^ or eatherins nuts. Here the mafter '"'^'^'^ 9"!"'^" and his mate quarrelled, and went each with a broad fword '"•"'^• into the wood to fight. A lad called Carnegie, the mailer's nephew, acquainted me with their defign. I followed them with my fowling piece, the youth directing me the way they had gone ; we came up with them when they were going to begin the combat, to which I put a flop to by prefenting my piece at them, threatning to fire on the firft aggreflbr i and coming clofe to them, I reafoned them out of their folly, and returned with them on board, to fight it out over a bowl of punch, by which means they were fully reconciled again. On the 14th, we weighed, with a fair wind at eafb, and Thecaptaliu pafi'ed by Chriftianfand, and the Neus or Naze, and before scotTand! night had loft fight of Norway, and the 17th came in fight of land, which the Captain took to be at the entrance of the Firth of Forth, and ftretching to the northward, in- tending to fetch Montrofe, he pafled it in very foggy wea- ther, and falling in with a fifliing boat, we were informed we were oppofite Aberdeen. Here I left the Ifabella, and arrived at Aberdeen in the fifliing boat, after a tedious voy- age of fifty days. I fet out next morning for Fife ; and had the pleafure to find my mother, brother, and filler, well at Coupar on the 20th, after an abfence of twenty years. I got pofleffion of a fmall eftate left me by a grand uncle, upon which I fettled, and after marrying I turned farmer, in which occupation I remained fixteen years, till the war was 374 MEMOIRSOF BooKX, was proclaimed with Spain, when the government wanted ' engineers. I was on this recommended by his grace the *^**' duke of Argyll, to his grace the duke of Montagu, mafter general of the ordnance, who employed me as chief engi- neer, at twenty fhillings per day; and was fent to fortify Providence, one of the Bahama iflands : fo that I once more launched out into a new world for the fake of my family, who were by this time become pretty numerous. BOOK PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 375 BOOK XI. The captain fent engineer to fortify Providence, and goes out in the Rofe man of zvar. — Arrives at the ijland of Madeira. — I'i^aits on the Portii- guefe governor. — Defcriplion of the ifland. — Ahardpajfage to Carolina. • Miffcs a fine prize. — A violent fiorm. — The fortifications at Charlefiozvn. — Arrive at Providence. — The ruinous condition of fort Najfau Short hiftory of the Bahama Jfiands. — The oppreftve praSIices of governor Fitz-iyUUam. — Governor Tinker fuccceds him. — Short account of that gentleman. — The captain prevails on the inhabitants to carry tnaterials for building fort Montagu. — Nature of the fione — and mafiich wood. — Defcription of fort Montagu.— The governor's letter about it. A quarrel with lieutenant Stewart. — Ihe captain confined,^and fet at li' berty, THE firft of July, 1740, I was appointed chief en- boq^: xt* gineer to fortify the Bahama Iflands, at twenty fiiil- ——, lings per day. I fat out from Scotland the 8th of Aueufl: -r^, '''*°' . , . o > I he captain and arrived in London on the 16th j and having received. '^"* ^"sincer • n n.- r 11 it . , tofoniryPro- my inltructions trom the board, I was ordered to go out vidence, and with John Tinker, efq; who was appointed governor of the R°ofe°mM of' Bahama Iflands, and the Rofe man of war, commanded ^^^° by Thomas Frankland, efq. was appointed to carry us there. We embarked the 6th of November, and failed the next day from Spit head, where Vv-e lay at anchor till the 9th, and then endeavoured to fail through the Needles, but were obliged, by a contrary wind, to return again to Cowes, where we lay till the 1 2th ; when we failed through the Needles, having feven veflcls under our convoy, one of wliich carried ftores and recruits for the Bahama Iflands J »7»3- 3^6 MEMOIRS OF BOOK xilflands; but the wind ]^rovlng contrary, we were forced on the 15th to go into Torbay, and as we were going in we obferved a Spanifli privateer boarding a merchant-man j we immediately put about, chafed, and came up with her at 3 p. m. having fired five chace-guns at her, when flie ftruck ; as we were then under all our fails, with a brifk gale, they let us pafs by them without attempting to come on board, and getting under our ftern, they endeavoured to get away again ; on this the captain ordered to fire with fmall-arms at her, and the fellow that was hoifting the fails being ftiot, they put out their boat and came on board. She had only a captain and twenty men on board, and two EngUfh mafters of veffcls, v/hom they had taken the day before ; having fent her lieutenant and twelve of her hands with her prizes for Spain. They fcem to have been ill provided with cloaths when they fet out, for we faw none they had but what they had plundered from the Engllfli ; they had fixty-four pounds in money, were well-armed, with plenty of ammunition and provifions ; the Englifli maflers told us, flie was a prime failor, had fixteen oars, and only for the covi'ardly fpirit of the crew, it would not have been in our power to come up with her ; for they were fo inti- midated, that at every gun we fired, they flopt their oars to fay their j4ve Maria. Governor Tinker had a narrow efcape here, for one of his piftols going off by accident, the ball went through his cloaths. We got into Torbay the next day, where we found the Argyle, of fifty guns, captain Lingen, bound for Ireland, and the Portmahon, of twenty guns, captain Paulet, for Gibraltar } the next day we burnt our prize, and fent the 6 captain PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 3;7 captain on board the Argyle; he was a Genoefe by birth, book xi. had formerly been in our Eaft India company's fervicc, and "' ~" as he was well acquainted with our coaiis, we thought It befV to fend him to Ireland ; at firft he pretended not to underftand Englilh, but as he happened to be known by the mafter of the Rofe, who had failed with him to India, he could no longer pretend ignorance of the language. On board the Argyle he endeavoured to bribe the guard to let him efcape, which was no fooner difcovered than he was clapped in irons -, the reft of the prifoners were fent on fliore. We left Torbay the 23d of November, and next day had a gale of wind and a heavy fea, which broke over the fhip and occafioned a great rolling : I had then the lieutenant's cabin, where the Ikuttle was forced in, and the water came " in and wetted all my cloaths and bedding, which obliged me to fet up all night : next day we had a violent ftorm, which made us take in our fails, lower our top-mafts, and drive before the wind. On the 26th, we entered the bay of Bifcay, and were tolTed about by foul winds in that heavy fea for feveral days, and loft fight of all our con- voy ; at the fame time a moft violent epidemic diftem.per raged in our fliip, by which we loft a number of the men, fo that at laft we were forced to bear away for England again, and arrived at Falmouth the 5th of December. Here we found the Argyle and Port-Mahon windbound, but none of the fhips that had been under our convoy were heard of. During our ftay here, we fent our furgeon and feveral of the people aftiore fick, and got another far- gcon and nine feamen out of a merchantman j and our C c c yawl. 37S M E M O I R S O F BOOK XI. yawl, in going afliore for water, was ftaved to pieces, and one of the failors dangeroufly hurt, and four of our peo- ple deferted : we pafTed our time agreeably enough on fliore at this place, having frequent balls and afiemblies till the 17th, that we put out to fea again, and had very boifterous weather for nineteen days fucceflivcly, which increafed the diftemper among the people. Arrives at the On the 5th of January we made the ifland of Madeira j deira. " but as no body on board had ever been there, except the- mafter, he infilled it was the ifland of Porto Sandlo, which lies fifty-one eafl from Madeira ; and depending on his judgment, we flood away to the weflward, and failed two days without difcovering land, but finding our millake, were obliged to return, and arrived at Madeira on the 9th, towards night. The next day we were carried afhore by the Portuguefe in their boats, none of our own people durft venture on the great furf, which is almoil continually on the landing-place here even in calm weather. This is a con- fiderable advantage to the Portuguefe, who carry every thing on board and afhore at Madeira. The method they take in landing is this, they keep themfelves very dexteroufly with their oars on the top of a high wave, which carries them a great way on flaore, where a number of men (land ready and pull the boat out of the reach of any fucceeding wave. In going on board they put the pafTengers and goods into the boat on dry land, and the boatmen feat them lei ves ready with their oars in their hands, and a fufficient number of- men run with the boat and pufli her upon the top of a wave, and fo go off without the leaft difficulty. I could 6 not I'ETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 379 hot but be furprifed to fee with how much dexterity this was book xr. performed -j-. '- When we came afhore, I accompanied governor Tinker Wak'on'tiie to wait on the governor of the place ; who was fahited by governor^ a numerous guard, and afterwards condudled by two gen- tlemen towards the Portuguefe governor, who received us on the top of a high outer ftair, and carried us into a large hall ; Mr. Tinker, with his retinue, being feated on one fide of the room, and the Portuguefe gentlemen on the oppo- fite, the Madeira governor took his feat diredlly facing Mr. Tinker, and after exchanging a few words in a very- ceremonious manner, we went away, efcorted with the fame formalities as we had at entering* We dined with Mr. Baker, the Britifh conful, where the Portuguefe governor came after dinner to return governor Tinker's vifit, which was as fliort and as ceremonious as the former j and here ended all the intercourfe between the two governors. We went next to fee their churches and monafteries, condu6led by an Irifli prieft j next day, we dined with Meffieurs Scott, merchants, and afterward walked up the fouth-fide of the hill, where we faw a number of pleafure-houfcs, but parti- cularly tl:at belonging to the providore, where there were three artificial flats below each other in front, with water- works and flower-pots, prettily laid out, although fmall. DefcHpnon All the fouth-fide of this ifland is an entire mountain, co- °' '''"^'lands vered with vines, interfperfed with houfes, and orange, le- mop, and other kinds of fruit-trees ; the north-fide of I The f;ime metliod is praftifed at Deal, in Kent, when the furf is heavy i?ri the bcaeh, which often happens. G c e 2 the IJZi. 380 MEMOIRS OF BOOK XI the mountain is not inhabited, but referved for pafturage for their cattle ; the inhabitants dwell all along the fouth- fhore, and the bay is. commanded by two forts,, well fup- plied with cannon. The laft day of our flop, here, we dined with Mr. Chambers, and fpent the evening with Mr, Gordon, both merchants -, from the latter I bought feveral pipes of wine, at ebven pounds five fliil lings the pipe, which I fent in a fnow to South Carolina ; they put an anchor of brandy into every pipe tiiat goes abroad, both to ftrengthen and preferve it.. A haid paf- On the 1 3th of January we went on board, and failed ^a^to aio- ,^ ^^^ night, when the captain's French cook jumped over- board and fwam on fhore -, we had now loft nineteen men in all fmce we left Spithead ; the next day we had a vio^ lent ftorm, and fuch a heavy fea, that the waves broke over the quarter-deck in fuch. a manner that the people could not {land to their duty, and every bed and hammock in. the fhip were foaked with water. The diftemper began to- rage more and more among us ; the governor, captain, and. moft of the officers were fick in bed. All this occafioned a lownefs of fpirit over the fhip ; the ftorm continued all the 15th, during which we were in a moft difagreeable fituation in our wet clothes.. On the i6th, the ftorm abated, but the ficknefs increafed, very few who were feifed efcaping, with life, fo that the corpfe of fome one or other was. every day committed to the deep. The 17th, we paft near Tene- rifFe, and the ifland of Palma ; and the i8th, we got into, • the trade-wind, when we fteered due weft; as by this me ms, the Ihip's crew were relieved from their toilfome la- bour : the fick were all brought upon deck, the Ihip was tho- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 381 thoroughly cleanfed, by which the ficknefs very much abated, boo k xr. and the men were encouraged in all forts of diverfions, thereby to keep them in perpetual motion. We chafed '''*" fcveral fail, but when we got up with them they proved to be either Englifh or Dutch. On the 3 i fi, we were be- calmed in lat. 24. 51. north, and faw a great number of tropic birds ; and this day five more of our people, and a negroe belonging to the captain, died. February the 3d, we had a ftrong gale, with fuch a ^ifta fbe tumbling fea as made the fhip roll away her fore-top and?"*^" top-gallant malts,, which came down upon deck with all their fujniture ; after this we had tolerably good weather. On the 16th, in the morning, in lat. 30. 46. we chaced a fliip and got up with her at ten o'clock ; fhe hoifled Dutch colours and ftruck. on our firing ; on coming ciofe up to her, the captain oidered the mafter of her to come on board, but thty pretti^ded not to underfland him ; our lier.ienant, with twelve men in the fhaloup, were fent on board_ to examine her papers, who reported, that fhe waS' a Dutch lliip from Curacoa for Amfterdam, loaded with: dollars and tobacco, and had four French gentlemen paf- fengers : we were unanimoufly, however, (except governor Tinker) of opinion, that if fhe were ftridlly examined fhe: would prove a lawful prize, and the captain feemed deter- mined to fecure her j Mr.. Tinker endeavoured to difTuade him, by infinuating the trouble and expence feveral captains had brought themfelves into by carrying Dutch fliips out of their courfe ; captain Frankland afked my opinion : I told him, that if it was my cafe, 1 would not carry her out of her courfe, but. would go along with her till 1 had narrowly exa-r 382 MEMOIRS OF BOOK xr. examined her : ar.d as I underflood both the French and Dutch langua°^es, I offered my affiftance ; but the governor '^**' fo intimidated the captain, who was but young, and this his firft voyage as a commanding officer, that he let her pafs without farther enquiry, to the diflatisfadion of the whole fhip's company, as we had afterwards certain information of her fafe arrival at Cadiz, with one hundred and thirty thoufand pounds fterling on board. A violent On the 1 8th, at fix in the morning, in latitude 31 deg. '^°''"' 13 min. we met with a terrible hurricane, attended with heavy rain, thunder, and lightning ; it carried away our fore maft fails and all over board, after that our main- top- mart, and at eight o'clock our mizen-maft ; and as their mafts had got under the fliip, they were faftened to hef bottom by the wet fails being thereby in great danger of foundering ; at the return of every heavy iea the ends of cur broken mafts and yards ftruck her bottom with fuch violence that it was a miracle they did not make their way through. All hands were fet to work to clear away the rigging, which, when performed, a high wave at laft re- lieved us from that incumbrance ; and in this pitiful lituation we were tofled up and down the remainder of the day, and all the following night. The next day the weather being a little fettled, we hoifted our main-fail and fet up jury- mafts; we went under thefe till the 26th, when we faw a ihip not far from us, ftranded on a fand-bank, and a fmall fchooner failing along the coaft ; on our firing a gun to bring the fchooner to, the mafter came on board, and in- formed us we were at Cape Roman, to the northward of Charleftown, Carolina j he pibted us to Charleftown bar„ where PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 383 where a pilot from the town came on board. I went in the book xi. fchooner to Charleftown, where I found this city in a de- ~ plorable fituation, the one half of which had been laid in *^*'' aflies by a dreadful fire, and the ruins were flill fmoaking: a vaft quantity of merchandize, to a very confiderable amount, was quite confumed. Our fliip lying without an opportunity to get over the bar, was driven out to fea by a land-breeze, which carried away her jury-maft ; two vef- fels were fent out to her afTiftance, but it was the 2d of March before llie got over the bar : in the time they were driven out to fea, both the mafter and gunner died. We found here the Phoenix, captain Fanlhaw, and the Tartar, the honourable captain George Townfend, both twenty-gun fliips, flationed at this place, and our ftore fhip, who had pullied through the bay of Bifcay, made a good voyage to Providence, where flie landed her recruits and ftores, was returned here. The fnow alfo arriving from Madeira with our wine, I fold the half of mine, by v.'hich I had the .other half free. The gentlemen of the council and afiembly, and others - of Charleftown, (hewed us a great deal of civility during our ftay here, with daily entertainments and balls. The 23d we faw their militia reviewed, which confifted of fix companies of one hundred men each ; the officers appeared all in uniforms, and the men performed their exercife fur- prifingly well ; the review concluded with an elegant en- tertainment and a ball at night. The next day I went with governor Tinker, and the captains Townfend and: Frankland, by invitation, to colonel Vander Duflen's plan- tation, where wt fpent fome days very agreeably j after our. 584 MEMOIRS OF BOOK XL our return to town, we went to view Johnfon's fort, which ■ ftands two miles from the town, and commands the pafTage The'fortifi- hito the harbour. At our arrival the governor was faluted Chadeaown. With eleven eighteen-pounders. This fort is a trinngle, badly executed, mounted with twelve fix -pounders; below it is the fea battery mounted with thirty guns, nine, twelve, and eighteen-pounders : on our departure we were faluted with eleven nine- pounders. Upon a point of land at the fouth end of the town, ftand Broughton's battery, which commands both Cooper and Afliley rivers, and is mounted with forty-five guns, nine, twelve, and eigliteen-pounders^ and betwixt Grenville and Craven baftions, upon the car- tain along the bay fronting Cooper river, there are one hundred and thirty guns of different fizes, the carriages of feveral of which were burnt in the late fire. There was but one brafs mortar of eleven inches, and eight cohorns, all the reft having been fent to general Oglethorpe, on his ex- pedition againft St. Auguftine. Governor Tinker finding it would be yet a confider- able time before the Rofe man of war could be fit to go to fea, defired Commodore Fanfliaw to fend the Tartar to carry us to Providence j which he complied with, and we went on board on the loth of April. We ftruck feveral times going over the bar, but received no injury from it $ we had a pleafant paflage till the 19th, in the evening, when fitting after fupper, and all very chearful^ we were alarmed by the call of breakers, by one of the people ; captain Townfend immediately ran upon deck, and ordered the helm a lee, which was inffantly done, and the fails were fhifted with great regularity and expedition, not a voice PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ.. 385 voice was heard but the captain's; and when the fliip was book xr. -about, one might eafily have thrown a flone from the ftern upon the rocks of Abbaco: it happened very luckily *''''' to be fine moon light. Mr. Buckle, the lieutenant, w'ho was then in bed preparing himfelf for the night watch, upon comparing his reckoning with the pilot's, apprehend- ed we were twenty leagues to the weftward of the ifland of Abbaco ; but the ftrong currents that run here occa- fioned the miftake. Next day captain Townfend loft a very fine black boy, who coming up with a kettle of boiling water, fell with it, and fcalded himfelf in fuch a manner, that he died foon after, to the great regret of his mafter. On the 21 ft of April, juft as we had got over the Arrive at Pri. bar at Providence, a fudden ftorm of loud thunder and ^"^"*'^^' lightning, with a prodigious heavy rain, burft upon us, with fuch a terrible noife, that we could not hear the falute of the cannon of the fort, although we were op- pofite to it, which fome people confidered as very ominous. On our landing we were met on the fliore by great num- bers of the inhabitants, convened to congratulate their new governor on his fafe arrival on the iiland, expecting, as they exprefled themfelves, to Uve under a milder government than they had experienced under the arbitrary power of their late governor. Captain Laws, who commanded a floop of war ftationed at this place, and who had loft his rank by accepting the command of the floop, expelling our arrival, and to fliun his being under the command of a junior officer, vvenc a few days before our arrival to Jamaica, and left his ready-furniflied houfe (one of the beft in the town) for D d d my 386 M E M O I R S O P BOOK XI. niy ufe, having paid his year's rent (at twenty pounds fter- ling per annum), of which there was nine months to come, ''"^'' for which I was certainly much obliged to him ; it had alfo> a garden with a large grove of orange trees. There was an independent company at this place, con- fining of one hundred and fifty men, of which the gover- nor is captain ;. with three lieutenants, the oldeft of whom- was John Howel. Mr. Howel was now prefident of the. Bahama iflands j he had formerly been a furgeon to the pirates, and upon an aft of grace, he purchafed the lieute- nancy, and was alfo furgeon to the company, and colonel of the militia for the fake of the title. The fecond lieu- tenant was William Stuart, who was major of the militia ; this gentleman adted in a double capacity, having purchafed' the furgency from the former ; but the governor made him part with the furgency to James Irving, who came with uS/ from Gharleflown. The third was William Moone, who- came from London in the florefliip with the, recruits j Mr.- Moone had no commiflion, but a(5ied under the governor's warrant a confiderable tijiie, in expeftation of one ; of: which he was at laft difappointed by the arrival of Patrick. Dromgole, a nephew of the former governor's, with a. commiflion for third lieutenant, wliich was a very great- hardfliip to Mr. Moone. The only people of note here.,, were chief juftice Rowland ; James Scott, fecretary and clerk of the admiralty ; John Keowin, provoft marflial ; Chaloner Jackfon, colle6tor ; and Mr. Smith, the parfon. The ruinons Upon viewing fort NafTau, I found it in a very ruinous condition of •* _ " . _ •' I'ort Naflau. condition ; the barracks, which were built of wood, were, ready to tumble down, and there was no other building. within 174>' PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 387 v;lthln the fort; the powder magazine was a houfe which book xr. flood at fome diftance from it, expofed in fuch a manner that any body might fet fire to it. I found no more than fixteen guns, mounted upon very bad carriages ; the reft were all fcattered up and down, and fome buried within high water mark in the fand, fome of which were fpiked up, others rammed full of flones and fand ; the carriages trucks and fhot were alfo difperfed, fo that with much dif- ficulty I colIe6ted them together : the inhabitants had made ufe of great part of them for ballaft in their veflels. Hav- ing got them all colle6led in one place, I drilled thofe that had been nailed up, cleaned the whole from ruft, and proved them by firing, I had now fifty-four guns of fix, nine, twelve, and eighteen-pounders, fit for fervice, and mounted them on the new carriages which came out of the ftore-fiiip from England. My greateft difficulty was the want of mafons, of whom there was not one in the place, which obliged me to commiflion fome from the northern colonies ; but all I could get were two bricklayers from Philadelphia, Vyjho knew nothing of mafonry. So that I had the trouble of teaching them and fome of the foldiers, to form, cut, and lay ftones ; and as no labourers were to be got without finding them in provifions, which were not to be procured here, as the inhabitants themfelves lived principally on tortoife and fifli, (any kind of flefli- meat being a great rarity,) I was obliged to fend to New York for provifions. The former governor, as well as the prefent, had provided a quantity of lime ; fo that my next concern was to provide ftone for a new fort. The har- bour is formed by Hog Ifland, v/hich is three miles in D d 392 M E M O I R S O F TsooK XI. was a perfon of a mofl infamous charadler : but by keeping — — *—— up a correfpondence with a new fet of pirates, who fre- *'"*'■ qucnted the Bahamas, he, by their affiftance, maintained himfclf in this government two years, till 1701, the lords proprietors appointed Mr. Hafket, go- vernor; who, on his arrival, profecuted and confined Eld- ing, with feveral others, under pretence of enforcing the laws againfl: pirates and their abettors. In this the inhabi- tants thought Mr. Hafket adled with too great feverity, and too much regard to his own interefl, and not having flrengtli to fupport his authority, they, in open rebellion, in about five weeks after his arrival on the ifland, feifed and confined him in irons a clofe prifoner fix weeks ; but being prevailed upon to fpare his life, they put him on board a ketch in the harbour, with firicl orders to the commander to carry Mr. Hafket to England, from whence he came ; and chofe one Lichtwood, who was one of their accomplices, for their prefident and deputy-governor in his room. Lichtwood continued in his office about two years, till the French and Spaniards, in 1 703, when they were at open war with England, furprifed the ifland fo completely, that they found the inhabitants feafling with their prefident, and their neg- le£ted fort without any garrifon. The enemy deftroyed the fort, fpiked the guns, burnt the town and church, plun- dered the inhabitants, fomc of whom, and fome negroes, hid themfelves in the woods, and carried their deputy-go- vernor, with many others, prifoners to the Havannah. Shortly after this, thofe formidable enemies returned again, and carried away all the inhabitants and negroes they could find. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ^ 393 find, the few who efcaped fled to Carolina and Virginia, boo i: xr. leaving the ifland entirely defolate. It was afterwards for fome years the refort of pirates only, '''*'' who made it their general rendezvous : they dug holes in the ground in the woods, and hid their ill-gotten treafures there, where they remained, as many of them were killed or died at fea ; and fome part of their depofits are now and then occafionally difcovered to this day. Soon after this defolation, the proprietors appointed Mr. Birch to fucceed Mr. Harket, as governor ; but on Mr. Bircii's arrival at Providence, and finding the ifiand quite deferted of inhabitants he returned. From this time the lord's proprietors have not concerned themfeves in thofe iflands, but gave up their right in them to the crown, hav- ing met with nothing but expence and trouble while undei* their dire£tion. The king was folicited by the merchants of London and Briftol to fortify thofe iflands, as a fecurity to their trade ; and, in compliance with their requeft, his majefty (George I.) appointed Mr. Wood Rogers, their governor, and fent him out with an independent company of one hundred men, with a large quantity of all kind of fl:ores to fortify the place. On Mr. Rogers's arrival, in 1717, the pirates vo- luntarily furrendered themfelves to him, and accepted the benefit of an a6t of indemnity which had been paflr, and have ever fince been the principal inhabitants of the ifland: Under the moderate governments of Mr. Rogers, and his fucceflbr, Mr. Finney, the people found themfelves happy, and many families came and fettled here, befides many Pa- latines, who, by their induftry and improvements upon E e e their 7 94 M E iM O I R S O F BOOK XL their plantations, furniilied the markets with all forts of provifions. The oppref. After Mr. Fnmey's death, Richard Fitz Wilhanfi, efq. was: of governor" appointed govemor, in 1733, who brought an addition oft itz William. ££jy j^gj^ jQ j.j^g independent company, with a large quan- tity of all forts of flores, and an engineer (Mr. Thomas More), to fortify the place ; but his fudden death prevented him from making any great progrefs in the work. The governor exerted fo arbitrary and tyrannical a power, that the beft of the inhabitants, and all the Palatines, with- drew from the ifland, forfaking their fine improvements, to flicker themfelves in other parts, where they were fure to meet with better ufage. The governor's agents for putting thofe opprefTive fchemes in execution were, lieutenant Stuart, one of the council ; James Scott, judge of the admiralty ; and one Archibald, his fervant, who ufed to knock down any one who dared to refufe to enter into the governor's ' meafures : on which three of the mofl: confiderable inhabi- tants found means to get to London, where they entered a complaint againft the governor before the king and council. They were Mr. Colburgh, colle6lor Jackfon, and Mr. White > their petition, too long to be here inferted, contained many charges of a very extraordinary nature againft the governor. GnverroT In confcqucnce of which, Mr. Fitz William was fome cced- him. time after ordered to return, to" make his defence ; and, after a tedious and expenfive trial, he loft his government, and was fucceeded by John Tinker, efq. who, upon his fetting out, was determined to make the people eafy and happy uur der his government ; and to turn out all Mr. Fitz William's favourites, efpecially thofe who had advifed and aiTifted him in PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. ^95 ill his opprefllons ; of which he made a beginning at Charles- book xr. town with his fecond lieutenant, William Stuart, who was ■ — » there at our arrival, whom he obliged to difpofe of his fur- *^*'' gency to James Irving, lately arrived from Guinea in a fliip with Haves ; and when Mr. Tinker arrived at Providence, he turned out the two lieutenants, Howel and Stuart, the one from being lieutenant-colonel, the other major, in the militia, and appointed two of the chief inhabitants in their room. James Scott was difplaced from being chief judge, and Mr. Rowland was re-inftated; with many other changes, to the great joy and fatisfa6lion of all the inhabitants, who now cxpefted to enjoy their own in fafety. John Tinker, efq. had formerly been fattor to the South- Sea-Company at Panama, and afterwards appointed, by the African Company, governor of Cape Coaft, in Guinea. The council at Providence, at this time, confided only of three j the lieutenants Howel and Stuart, and John Snow, the governor's fecretary : the ufual number is fix. To fupply this deficiency, the governor propofed to captain Fx'ankland and me to be of his council, which we both declined ; but we both accepted to be chofen members of the afrembly, which confifted of twenty in number, and of which James Scott was the fpeaker j fo that collector Boothby, and Mr. Thom- fon, one of the inhabitants, were appointed to be of the council. In the mean time I was employing myfelf in providing ma- '^'^^ <^aptaJn tr J o J r a prevails on terials for ereding fort Montagu, on the eaft point of the har- the inimbit- bour, three miks from Naflau. As the lime which the two go- thcm;nti4is vernors had provided was at too great a diftance, I made lime p^ortjlk"'^ upon the fpot. I found great inconvenience in providing ftone, '•'^"• E e e 2 which ion. .^96 MEMOIRS OF BOOK XI. which was to be carried from the woods on the heads of the ■ negroes ; and as they could not carry a ftone of any fize, it *'*'' would have proved an endlefs work, there being no fuch thing as a wheel carriage in the ifland. Mr. Bullock, one of the inhabitants, arrived here on the 8th of June, from the Havannah, where he had been fome time a prifoner, who aflured us that the Spaniards were fitting out two men of war, of 80 guns each, and three large gallies, full of men, to make a defcent on Providence. Upon this I took the op- portunity to lay the defencelefs ftate of the ifland before the alTembly ; afluring them, that if they would fupply me with materials, I would, in a fliort time, put the eaft fide of ths harbour in a pofture of defence, as that was the place where we had the moft to fear, having always been the enemy's landing place : to this requeft they unanimoufly agreed, and ordered all their veflels and boats to bring me a fufiicient quantity of ftones of proper fizes for erecting the fort, and alfo a number of maftich trees, for palliiades. This very foon enabled me to employ all my own hands upon the build- ing, which I carried on with the utmoil difpatch and dili- gence. Upon the loth of June the governor laid the foundation ftone, in the prefence of the principal inhabitants, and named the fort Montagu, and the fta battery Bladen's Battery. Natuveof the All the ftonc on this and the adjacent iflands is of fo foft a "°"^* nature, when raifed from the quarries, that we could cut and fliape them into any form with very little labour ; and after they have been fome time expofed in the open air, they turn hard as flint, with this excellent property, that in firing into the walls, the ball lodges as in a mud wall, without 4 making PETER HENRY '^RUCE, ESQ. 397 making the lead breach ; this I proved by feveral fhotfrom book xr. an eighteen-pounder. 1 found no fmalldifficuhy in getting frefh water for the mortar ; I was at firft fiipphed by a fmall '''*'"' pool of rain warer, but when that was dried up, I had re- courfe to digging a well through ihis foft 1 ock j and getting as low as the level of the fea, we found water very frefli, by the fea Vv'ater having filtered through the ftone, and left its fa- line particles behind. We found afterwards that the farther we dug from the fea, the water proved to be fo much the freflicr. The mafters of veflels provided themlelves with fil- tering ftones, which contained feveral gallons, to redlify their fpoiled water on board. Tiie maftich wood, which the in- Andmaftldi habitants delivered for pali(ades, was as hard and heavy as "'°°'^* iron ; I was obliged to form them while the wood was green, for when they are fully dry, there is no jioflibility of work- ing them. The inhabitants affirmed to me that they would laft above a century : they are fo hard that a mufket-ball makes no impreflion on tliem ; they afllired me they were proof againfl: fwivel fhot, but this I did not think proper to try. Fort Montagu and Bladen's Battery were finifhed the a defcHption latter end of July, 1742, and mounted eight 1 8, three 9, tagu?"^ and fix 6 pounders. Within the fort is a terraflcd ciftern, containing thirty tons of rain water, and fo contrived as to receive all that falls within the fort, with a drain to carry off the fuperfluous water ; there are barracks for officers and foldiers, a guard room, and a powder magazine, bomb proof, to contain ninety-five barrels of powder ; two of its fides are clofe upon the fea, and the two land fides are well fecured by maftich pallifades. When i 393 -MEMOIRS OF BOOK xr. When the fort was finifhed, I invited the governor and principal inhabitants to it, and then deUvered his excellency *^**' the keys thereof, under a difcharge of all the cannon. The the governor and the inhabitants were now extremely well pleafed to confider themfelves in a condition to repel the invafion of an enemy, as the back door through which the place had often been furprifed, was now fhut up ; and in this good humour the governor wrote the following letter to the duke of Montagu. New Providence, Aug. 28, 1742. «' My Lord, Thegover- i • r^ 1 leaves Piovi- a ncw vellel built of mahogany, by rlorentme Cox, w'ho *"''^' alfo commanded her, and we failed the fame day, with cap- tain Jelf and his officers, and arrived next day at Abaco, where the wreck lay. We were detained feveral days in col- lefting the crew of the Swallow, who were difperfed over the ifland ; and with the addition of their number (120) we were fufficiently crowded in the Pelham. Stuart's floop recovered the mortars and fliells, and the guns, anchors, fails and rigging belonging to the Swallow, which were all fold at Providence ; and, as I was credibly informed by letter, were afterwards fold to the Spaniards. We had fine weather and a pleafant pafliige in the Pelham, attended daily by a number of fliarks. Captain Cox, a native of Ber- mudas, who are efteemed the mofl dexterous fifhers in the world, caught upwards of a fcore of them in a day : his method was by hanging out a rope, with a noofe at the end of it, through which he hung a piece of beef j when the PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 433 the fhark approached the beef, it was pulled forward through ^o^^ xir, the noofe, fo that the fliark in purfuit of it was flun"- by ' the tail, which is hirge and broad, and in that manner was pulled on board. Some of the fliarks were fo large, that when their tail was even with the gunnel, the half of their bodies were under water ; we cut thcfe over-grown ones through the middle, and let them drop into the water again, where they were foon torn to pieces by their voracious com- panions, which afforded us diverting amufement ; but as the young are good eating, we brought them on deck, and cut them up for the people, who were thereby plentifully fupplied with frefli provifions, which was a fortunate cir- cumftance, as we had not provifions for- fuch a number ; but it is a common faying, that a Bermudian will never die for want at fea, if he is provided with fiiliing tackle. In the evening of the 2ifl: of January we arrived before Arrive at • Charlcltown. Charleltown bar, and as it was then growmg dark, low water, and blowing hard, we did not think it prudent to venture over the bar ; but two of the Englifh feamen be- longing to the Swallow informing captain Jelf that the Irifli failors on board, who were the greater number, had en- tered into a combination to fecure us, and carry the vefTel to Auguftine, made us attempt to get over the bar. We were no fooner on the bar than flie ftruck, and thumped eighteen times with fuch violence that every fhock lifted us from our feet ; but as the tide was then beginning to flow, it was with no fmall difficulty we got her about again, and put out to fea, but fo leaky that it required our utmofl ef- forts to keep the vefTel from going down. We fired fre- quent guns of diilrefs, which prevented the mutineers from K k k at- 434 MEMOIRS OF BOOK XII. attempting at that time to enter upon the execution of ~~ their projeft. Captain Jelf, in the miclft of our confufion, and under favour of the darknefs, had fent off his officers in the boat to the commodore to inform him of our danger ; and by. day-break next rcorning two long boats were dif- patched full of men, well armed, to our affiilance ; and a twenty gun fliip was fent down to the bar to be ready to follow us in cafe of need. This armament quite con- founded the mutineers, and we were no fooner within the bar, than they were all fecured in irons on board the man of war, and we got at lad fafe to Charieftown on the 2 2d, chiefly ovving to the ftrength of our vefTel, otherwife we muft have peiiflied ; but fhe was very much fhattered by the many fhocks flie got on the bar. The ditlance of Pro- vidence to this place is 7 degrees, or 420 geographical miles. Here I met a kind reception from the governor, council, and affembly, who defued that I would, without lofs of time, proceed to furvey the place, and give my opinion touching what I thought was farther neceffary to be done for their greater fecurity and defence. After I had taken a full furvey of the place, and had examined the nature of the morafs that lies before the town, and founded Hog Ifland Creek, I gave in the following report. Report of the " As this town is built on a point of land, and furrounded Chadeftown. " on the eaft, fouth, and weft fides by Cooper and A(hley, " tv.'o large navigable rivers, which render thofe three fides ** ftrong by nature, yet I obferve that all that has hitherto " been done toward fortifying this place is all toward thofe *' rivers i whereas the north fide of the town, toward the main 4 ^^ l[ land. PETER HENRY 'ARVCE, ESQ. ^ J > « land, is neglefled and left open, expofed to the infults ofBooKxa. " an enemy, who, by the neainefs of the woods, might at ' '' any time furprize the town. This place is fubject to "'^' " the fame danger by fea ; for although the bar is a great " fecurity, and fort Johnfon commands the ufua! paHage " to the town, yet as there is another pafTige at Hog Ifland " Creek, of greater depth of water than is upon the bar it- •' felf, and an enemy may pafs that way without being ex- " pofed to the guns of fort Johnfon, or to thofe upon the " curtain-line next the river, they may by that means get " behind the town, where it is altogether defencelefs, and " make themfelves mafters of it. " I am therefore of opinion that a canal ought to be " cut at the free-fchool, fix or eight fathoms wide, and " eight or ten feet deep, from the one marfh to the other, *' it being only 120 fathoms in length ; this would prevent •• a furprize by land. In the next place, to prevent a fur- *' prize by fea, a fafclne battery ought to be eredled at *' Rahte's point, being the only proper landing place, and " another battery at Anfon's houfe, each of fix or eight guns " of the largefl: fize, to command the pafTage through Hog «* Ifland Creek, fhould an enemy attempt to pafs it ; befides, " Rahte's point might be flanked by the guns of Craven's " baftion, as well as by thofe at Anfon's houfe ; and after " that pad'age is thus fecured, it would be neceflary to erecl ** a large battery upon the marlh oppofite to the town, " part of which is folid and fiim, and what is not may be " made fo by driving piles ; this battery fhould be in form " of a horfe-flioe, mounted v/ith thirty pieces of cannon " of the largeft fize, which would not only command Re- K k k 2 « beUion 436 M E M O I R S O F BOOK XII " bellion-road, but alfo both channels (that of Johnfon's " Fort and Hog Ifland) by which the keeping up of John- '7+5- €c fon's Fort will become needlefs, more efpecially if the bat- " tery begun at the point near Granvill's baftion was finilh- «< ed, and that will alfo render Broughton's battery need- " lefs. " In the next place I am of opinion that it would be very " neceflary to ere6l a regular fort, with four baflions, upon •' the neck of land between the workhoufe and free-fchool, " which would not only cover the town, but command both *' rivers ; and it would be a confiderable addition to the " ftrength of fuch fort if it were furrounded with pallifades, *' which, in cafe of an attack, might be lined with negroes " either from the town or country : no danger could arife " to tliC inhabitants from their being entrufted with fire •* arms, fince they would be immediately under the eye of *' their mafters, and they would have no accefs to the fort, " or any communication with the works, but within the " pallifades alone, where they would prove a great annoy- " ance to an enemy.. •' The more I confider the fituation and circumftances of " the place, the more I am confirmed in opinion of the " utility and necellity of a fort or citadel, as the town is " quite open on that fide to the incurfions of the Indians ; *' two hundred of whom, by approaching in fmall parties *' through the woods, might do great mifchief in one *' night. Your country negroes are quiet at prefent, but *' they have not always been fo ; and their late attempts at '^' Antigua, New York, and Jamaica, may be fufficient warn- " ing to any country, where they ar.e fo numerous, to pro- " vide PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 437 " vide againft accidents, and confuler of a force that may book xir. " be turned againft them ; the town negroes alfo will be " more faithful when they know it is impofilble for them ''*^' " to efcape if they fhould miibeliave. I could mention " many more advantages that would arife from fortifying " this important pafs,- for there is no doubt but there are " people in all towns, who, on the approach of an enemy, " would wifh to be as far removed from the danger as pof- " fible, who, knowing there is no efcaping, will do their " duty ; befides, it will greatly encourage every man to " exert himfelf when his wife, children, and mofl: valuable " efFeds are in a place of fecurity. I might likewife take " notice that within this fort there might be houfes for the " governor, the council, and affembly ; and barracks for " officers and foldiers, befides work-houfes, prifons, maga- " zines, arfenals, flore-houfes, &c. It is therefore my opi- " nion that no enemy vi^e may expedt in this part of the •' world would venture to attempt this town, knowing of " fuch a llrength, till they had made themfelves mailers of " this fort } and as that could not be attacked but on the " land fide, two or three hundred men would defend it, " unlefs in the event of a general afl'ault. •• I have prepared two plans of a fort, which I herewith *' lay before you ; the one of four regular baftions, the other " of two baftions, with a raveline before the curtain, to- " ward the continent, and two demi-baftions next the town. «' My not laying before you an eftimate of the charges of " fuch works, is owing to my being an entire ftranger to " the prices of materials and labour ; but it may be cafily <' computed by gentlemen converfant in building, as I " hava 438 M E M O I R S O F BOOK XII." have annexed both the quantity and quaUty of the feveral " works that are neceffary to be done. But in cafe this *'*** " government fhould find the expence of erefting fuch a " fort to exceed their expeiSlation, and be thereby deterred *' from putting it in execution ; then my next propo- *' fal is to cut a moat, or ditch, with a curtain line from " Craven's Baftion to the work-houfe, flrengthened in the " middle by a baftion, and a demi-baftion next to Afliley " River, by which means the town will be inclofed on the " land fide from one river to the other, and this may be done «' with fods." A committee of fome of the members of the council and affembly were appointed to make an eftimate of thofe vvorks : and as an entire want of ftone in this country obliges them to build their works of ftrength with brick, and they have no lime but what they make of oyfter and other fea fliells, together with the very high price of labour, they found the execution of thofe plans would amount to a ccnfiderable fum i and as their treafury, at this tim-e, was not in a condi- tion to fupport the charge, they were of opinion that they fhould endeavour to negotiate a loan from England at three per cent, or obtain an a6t of parliament to enable them to raife one hundred thoufand pounds of their own currency, by iffuing paper notes, and to petition that an able engineer might be fent from London to execute thofe plans, as they did not choofe to truft the execution of them to colonel Bsile, their prefent engineer, alledging he had already run them into great expence in erefting works of no fignifi- cation. They preffed me very earneftly to ftay with them by offering to double my pay, and to fliew me other fa- vours. PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. ..q voufs. I obferved if they had applied to me when I camcj,Q„j. out to Providence, I could have carried oti their woiks at- the fame time ; but as that opportunity was now pall-, it ''+^- was at ])refent out of my power to comply with their re- queft, without an order from the board of ordnance, Be- fides, as thofe gentlemen were very dilatory in their deter- minations, and in a bad underftanding with their governor, I fhould have met with great difficulty to pleafe both par- ties. However, as they feemed moft pleafed with my lafl plan, as the eafieft and cheapefl, at the defire of governor Glen, I gave full inftruclions to colonel Baile how it was to be performed, and recommended him to the committee for the execution of it, with afllirances that they might fafely truft him. The two batteries at Rahte's Point, and Anfon's Houfe, for the fecurity of the paflage through Hog Ifland Creek, were begun. The gentlemen of Charleftown made me a prefent of fifty guineas, alledging that as I was only on my way to England, and not come there with any intention to flay and ferve them, they could not make me the return they intended to have done, if I had come with a defign of being ferviceable to them in putting my plans in exe- cution. We had a vifit at this time from a war captain, or Indian vifu from a king as they called him, with about one hundred Cherokee Cherokee Indians in his retinue, under pretence of renewing his al- liance with king George ; but the real objeft, I believe, was to receive the cuftomary prefents. They come all naked on thofe occafions, and return well clad ; they are \v&\l fliaped, generally of an olive colour, with their faces painted in many c]j.iferent ways, according to their different ideas of conveying ter- 440 MEMOIRS OF BOOK XII terror to their enemies. Some have one fide black, and the o'-her red -, others with four different colours ; their heads ''*^* were adorned with all forts of feathers, intermixed with down, by way of powder ; they cover their nakednefs with a fmall piece of fldn, or leather ; they are exceflively fond of fpirits, which they will drink till they are quite drunk. Their camp was a mile from the town, to which they re- turned every night, and after a week's flay, being all new clad, and receiving the cuftomary prefents, they decamped, and returned home. I omitted to mention that their king, or chief, with two of his principal officers and three wo- men, were new clothed before they made their pubhc entry into the town ; then the chief with his two nobles were brought in ftate in a coach drawn by fix horfes, to the council chamber, where they made their fpeech, which confifted in a very few words, afiuring us of their fleady attachment to the crown of Britain : after the ceremonial part of their vilit was ended, they (liook hands with every one in the room, took their leave, and were condui5led back to their camp, in the coach that brought them ; they were neither painted nor adorned with feathers, as the reft, but were decently clad in blue cloth, and each a gold laced hat, with which they feemed very well pleafed. Captain Captain Thomas Frankland brought in here a very rich Frankiand's pj.gj-j(.}i prize, whofe principal loading confifted in piftoles, a few chcfts of dollars, and a great deal of wrought gold and filver ; the quantity was fo great, that the fhares were deUvered by weight, to fave the trouble of counting it ; fo that piftoles were now feen in Charleftown in greater plenty than the dollars had been in Providence, which could not but PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 441 but be very mortifying to governor Tinker, who was thereby book xii. deprived of the profits accruing from her condemnation, • confidering captain Frankland was ftationed there ; but he '"'' met with this mortification in general, as no privateer would ever enter with their prizes into the harbour of Pro- vidence after the treatment thatSibbald and Dowall had met with. After all the cargo was taken out of this prize, and the veflel was to be put up to fale, the French captain told captain Frankland that if he would engage to reward him handfomely, he would difcover a hidden treafure to him,, which no one knew of but himfelf. Captain Frankland engaged to reward him very generoufly, and he did difco- ver thirty thoufand piftoles in a place, where no one could have thought of finding any thing. The French captain afterwards told governor Glen, that captain Frankland's ge- nerofity confifted only in one thoufand piftoles ; a poor reward, he faid, for fo great a difcovery. Captain Frank- land made another very accidental difcovery : he had taken into his own fervice a brifk little French boy, who had be- longed to the French captain, who, having a walking Ilick of no value, one of the failors had taken it from him : the boy lamented his lofs fo much, that captain Frankland or- dered fearch to be made for it, to return it to the boy : the ftick was brought to the captain, who feeing it of no \ value, alked the boy how he could make fo much ado about fuch a trifle. The boy replied brifkly, he could not walk like a gentleman, and fiiow his airs without a ftick in. his hand ; upon the captain's going to return him the ftick,. he gave him a tap on the flioulder with it, and finding fome- thing rattle in the infide of it, withdrew to a room by him- LIl fclf. 442 M E M O I R is b F BOOK XII. felf. and taking off the head of it, he found Jewels (accord- ing to the French captain's report) worth twenty thoufand ''*^' piftoles ; who had given the flick to the boy when he fur- rendered, in hopes of faving it, as no body would take no- tice of fuch a trifle in a boy's hand. Upon the whole, (he was a confiderable prize to captain Frankland. About the fame time, captain Jofeph Hamer, of the Flamborough man of war, brought in here a Spanifh prize, with fuch a quantity of dollars on board that he fliared twelve thoufand for himfelf. A fiiort de- Carolina is now fo well known, that I need not give a Cajorina^^ defcriptiou of it; yet I cannot omit mentioning that it is, in general, very low and flat, the foil being, for the moft part, fand interfperfed with fwamps and marflies, which yield great plenty of rice, with which they have carried on a confiderable trade ; but as the demand for it was leflened by the war, the inhabitants turned their thoughts to the culture of indigo, and have brought that article to con- fiderable perfe6lion. They have abundance and variety of fruits ; but their oranges and vines are frequently blafted by the north winds ; mulberry trees grow here in plenty to great perfection, fo that they might eafily breed a number of filk worms, which would add a very beneficial branch to their trade. The face of the country is covered with wood j their live oak, which is an evergreen, is, in my opinion, preferable to Englifh oak for fliip-building ; their pines grow to a prodigious fize, fit for any marts. Their woods abound with all kinds of venifon and wild fowl, efpecially turkeys and fummer ducks ; the latter came from the interior parts of the country, fince the planting of rice j they are ex- PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 443 extremely beautiful, and are kept about gentlemen's houfes book xir- as a rarity. Whilftling birds are here in great variety, of which the mocking bird is the mod entertaining ; they "^^" come in numbers out of the woods, and are fo very tame and familiar that they perch on the houfe tops, and on the trees before the windows, efpecially when they either hear mufic or finging, to which they liften with great attention, and afterwards repeat the notes. I took feveral of them and the fummer ducks to bring with me to Britain, but in fpite of all my care they died at fea. The Rofe and Flamborough men of war having got their The captain orders in the latter end of May to fail for England, and S.^"' ^°*' take fuch merchant men as were ready to fail under their convoy, I took my pafiage with captain Hamer in the Flam- borough. I put a quantity of quick-filver, mahogany plank, dyeing-wood, and cotton, on board two of the merchant fliips for London, in equal proportion, not being able to get thofe goods infured here. The one was afterwards taken in the Englifli Channel, and carried into St. Malos ; the other arrived fafe at Cowes in the Ifle of Wight. We failed from Charleftown on the ift of June, with five merchant men under our convoy ; and after two days fail in fine wea- ther, with a fair wind, we left the five fliips under our con- voy in the night, and made the beft of our way homewards, with very pleafant weather. We paft to the northward of the Azores, or Weftern Iflands, and one evening we difco- vered three fail to windward, bearing down upon us. In the morning one of them, which was a prime failor, hav- ing left the others at a very confiderable diftance, came pretty near up with us, and perceiving her to be a fliip of L 1 1 2 war. 444 BOOK'XII MEMOIRS OF war, captain Frankland made the fignal to put about and meet her ; which fhe perceiving, immediately made back to »?«■ j^er conforts, and we proceeded on our courfe again, and faw no more of them ; nor did we fee any more fliips till we got into the Channel, where we met a large man of war and a frigate, under Dutch colours. On hailing them, they told us they were from Helvoetfluys, bound for the Mediterranean, to cruize againft the Algeiines, and at part- ing they faluted us with nine guns, which we returned by the fame number. In the evening we got into Plymouth harbour, followed by two merchantmen, a Dane and a Dutchman, who both informed us that the fhips we had hailed were French ; that the man of war was the Eliza- beth, who had a little before had an engagement with the Lion, and that the frigate in company had the Pretender's elded fon on board, which our captains would not believe, but regarded as a mere fable j but the event afterwards evinced the truth of it. After one day's flay in the Sound we failed for the Downs, and arrived off Dover the 25th of July, when, according to our fliip's reckoning from Caro- lina, we had failed five thoufand two hundred miles. I went afliore at Dover, and got to- London on the 27th. On my arrival I found every body in the utmoft con- Anive at . /- i r i > r i • London. iternation upon the news of the Pretender s fon bemg landed in the north of Scotland, at a time when both the king and army were abroad, which afterwards brought the nation to no fmall trouble and expence. After I had de- livered my report and accounts to the board of ordnance, and fettled my own affairs, I was ordered to repair to PIull, where the magiflrates had petitioned the board to fend them 4 ^^ PETER HENRY BRUCE, ESQ. 44^ an engineer to direct them how to carry on their fortifi-Eooic xtr. cations, which they were at this time repairing at their own charge. I arrived at Hull on the 8th of 0£lober, where I '■*^' found people of all ranks induftrioufly employed in deepen- ing and clearing out their moats and forming their para- pets } next day I attended lieutenant-general Jones, deputy- governor, tlie mayor and aldermen, round the ramparts ; I was furprifed to fee the great progrefs they bad ma-^e in fo fhort a time, and to as good purpofe as if they had been direiSled by an able engineer. At their defire I left them further diredtions how to proceed for the better defence of the place ; and having received a great many civilities from them, I proceeded, in obedience to my orders, to join the army under marflial Wade. On the 15th I arrived at Doncafter, where the Dutch troops had joined us ; on the i8th the mardial reviewed the army, and broke up the camp on the 2 ill to proceed north- ward ; the Dutch behaved on the march as if they had been in an enemy's country, robbing, plundering, and abufing the country people} the particulars of their beha- viour are too fliocking to relate. On the 31ft we arrived at Newcaftle, where we encamped in very cold, bad weather; and here receiving intelligence that the rebels had befieged Csrlifle, we broke up to march to its relief, leaving near one-fourth of our army fick in the hofpital. On the 18th of November we got to Hexham in North- umberland, in extreme cold weather, which march, with the fudden tranQtion from a warm to a cold climate, en- tirely ruined my health, being feized with a rupture and an afthma, which difabled me from {landing the hard fa- tigues 44^ MEMOIRSOF BOOK ixi. tigues of a winter campaign. We were informed here that Carliflehad furrendered to the rebels, on which we marched '^**" back to Newcaftle, where we arrived the 22d. The wea- ther was now become fo intenfely cold, that the army could not pitch their tents, fo they were quartered in the town and adjacent villages. In this fituation we received intelli- gence that the rebels had marched for Wales, which made us leave our warm quarters, and march fouthward. On the 6th of December we reached Ferrybridge, from whence we fent our fick to Doncafter, and our horfe and dragoons to join his royal highnefs the duke of Cumberland, and wq arrived at Leeds on the nth, where we were informed the rebels had returned back for the North, on which our army marched back again. FINIS. ■y University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 305 De Neve Drive - Parking Lot 17 • Box 951388 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90095-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. -II a I, i\ 'C^ L 006 060 994 8 £M^ w^ M D 000 704 936 4