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578 COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.
calls. The intervals of thefe noifes were filled with finging, which is a favourite prac-
tice among the Ruffians, and has been mentioned by moft travellers who have vilited
this country. From the wretched harnefs, which was continually breaking, the bad-
nefs of the roads, the length of time we were always detained at the pofts before we
could procure horfes, and other impediments, we were feldom able to travel more than
forty or fifty miles a day; although we commenced our journey before fun-rife, and
purfued it till it was dark.
Augult 27. Near Viafma we entered the vaft foreft of Volkonfki, through which
we continued for a hundred and fifty miles without interruption, almoft to the gates of
Mofcow. This foreft, which ftretches on ail fides to an immenfe extent, gives rife to
the principal rivers of European Ruflia, the Duna, the Dnieper, and the Volga. The:
fources of the Duna were at fome diftance from our route ; but thofe of the Daieper and
the Volga rofe at {mall intervals from each other, not far from Viafma. ‘The country
in this part was more than ufual broken into hill and dale; though it {till exhibited
rather a fucceffion of waving furface, than any confiderable elevations.
On the 28th we arrived at the village of Gretkeva towards the clofe of the evening,
and imprudently proceeded on our journey another ftage of eighteen miles: the even-
ing was exceedingly dark, cold, and rainy ; the road uncommonly bad, and we were
in continual apprehenfions of being overturned. The greatelt danger, however,
which we encountered, was unknown to us until we reached the end of the {tation :
we were then informed by our fervants that wehad croffed a broad piece of water upon
a wooden bridge without railing, fo infirm that it almoit cracked under the carriage,
and fo narrow that one of the hind-wheels was for an inftant fufpended over the pre-
cipice. Our ufual good fortune, however, brought us fafe between twelve and one to
a cottage at Mofhaifk, where we fourd an excellent ragout of beef and onions prepared
by the trufty fervant, who always preceded us, and provided our lodging and fupper.
I have little to fay of Mofhaifk, as we entered it at fo late an hour, and departed the
next morning by day-break. We changed horfes at the village of Selo-Naro, and ar-
rived early in the evening at Malo-a-Vialma, embofomed in the foreft, and pleafantly
fituated at the edge of a fmall lake. This place was diftant only twenty-four miles
from Mofcow, where we were impatient to arrive; but we prudently deferred our
journey until the next morning, as we did not chufe to tempt fortune by expofing our-
felves a fecond time to dangers in a dark night and in an unknown country.
The road for fome way before we came to Malo-a-Vialma, and from thence to Mof-
cow, was a broad {traight avenue cut through the foreft. ‘he trees which compofed
thefe va{t plantations, fet by the hand of nature, were oaks, beech, mountain-afh, pop-
lar, pines, and firs, mingled together in the molt wanton variety. ‘The different fhades
of green, and the rich tints of the autuninal colours, were inexpreflibly beautiful ;
while the fublime, but uniform expanie of foreft was occafionally relieved by re-
celles of paltures and corn-fields,
CHAP.
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