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702 COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.
According to the Ruffian hiftorians, George Danilovitch, Great-Duke of Mofcow,
during an expedition againft Wiburgh in 1324, built a {mall fortrefs in the middle ot
this ifland, which was then called, from its oblong fhape, Orekofiki Oftrof, or Nut
Ifland; from this appellation the fortrefs took its name of Orekovetch, which was cor-
rupted into Orefhek. Being befieged and taken by Magnus King of Sweden, the
Swedes tranflated the name into their own language, and called it Noteborg. It again
came into the poffeffion of the Ruffians, who retained it until 1614, when Guftavus
Adolphus forced the garrifon to capitulate. Since this period the Swedes encircled the
whole ifland with a wall and battlements.
In 1702 Peter advanced to the frontiers of Sweden with a confiderable army, and,
after feveral ineffe€tual attempts againft Noteborg, fent Prince Galitzin, Colonel of the
Guards, at the head of a felect corps, to take it by ftorm. The troops being landed by
means of rafts, clofe to the fortifications, which advance almoft to the edge of the water,
were expofed to fo dreadful a carnage, that Peter, conceiving the affault impracticable,
fent orders for the Ruffians to retire. Galitzin refufedto obey. ‘¢ Tell my fovereign,”’
he added, * that I am no longer his fubje@t; having thrown myfelf under the protec-
tioo of a power far fuperior to him.’” ‘Then, turning to his troops, he animated them by
his voice and example, and, leading them to the attack, fcaled the walls, and took the
fortrefs. Peter, {truck with this exploit, faid to him, “‘ Afk what you chufe, except
Mofcow and Catharine.”’ The Prince, with a magnanimity which reflects high honour
on his character, requefted the pardon of his ancient rival Prince Repnin, who had been
degraded by Peter from the rank of Marfhal to that of a common foldier ; he obtained
his requeft, the confidence of his fovereign, the efteem of Repnin, and the applaufe of
the public *.
Peter changed the name of the fortrefs into Schluffelburgh, becaufe, from the im-
portance of the fituation, he confidered it as the key t of his conquefts. From this pe-
riod it has continued in the poffeflion of the Ruffians; but has been chiefly ufed for a
ftate prifon.
The ifland, which lies midway between the banks of the Neva, is of an oblong fhape,
{carcely more than fix hundred yards in length, and two hundred and fixty in its greateft
breadth. The walls, which fkirt almoft the whole circumference, are built with {tone
and brick, about fifty feet high, from eleven to twenty thick, and ftrengthened with
battlements and round towers. We pafled over a draw-bridge into the fortrefs, which
we examined, but without being permitted to enter any of the wards where the prifon-
ers are confined. A range of corridors enclofes a large area, and contains feveral dun-
geons for the prifoners. We obferved the windows of thefe dungeons clofed with
brick, leaving towards their top a vacant fpace of a few inches fquare, which admits fo
little light, that the unfortunate inhabitants have only akind of twilight gloom. In the
middle of the area is the governor’s houfe, anda {mall wooden cottage, wherein a
ftate prifoner was confined. Further on we entered through a portcullis into the inte-
rior fortrefs, built by George Danilovitch; it is one hundred and forty feet fquare,.
open at top, with {tone walls remarkably high. Within is the fhell of a brick houfe of
one ftory, which reaches from one fide to the other, and contains eleven rooms, each fe-
venteen feet by twelve. This houfe was built by order of Peter III. with fuch expedi-
tion, that it was begun and brought to its prefent ftate in lefs than fix weeks ; but his
* T received thris anecdote from a defcendant of Prince Galitzin, and the truth was confirmed by many
Ruffian noblemen. ‘
+ Schluffel in German fignifies a key 5 and Peter affeted to give many places a German appellation.
depofition
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