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TRAVELS IN RUSSIA:
By Mr. COXE*.
Cuap. I.—Entrance into Ruffia.—Limits and Account of the Province difmembered from
Poland.—Cheapnefs of the Poft.—Journey to Smolenfko.—Hiftory and Defcription of
Smolenfko—Divine Service in the Cathedral.—Vifit to the Bifbop.—Dinner with a
Judge.— Journey to Mofcow.—Peafants.—Their Drefs, Cottages, Food, &c.
AUGUST 20. We entered Ruffia at the fmall village of Tolitzin, which in 1772 .
belonged to Poland; but it is now comprifed in the portion of country ceded ‘by the
the late partition treaty. The province allotted to Ruffia comprifes Polifh Livonia,
that part of the palatinate of Polotfk which lies to the eaft of the Duna, the palatinates
of Vitepfk, Miciflaw, and two fmall portions to the north-eaft and fouth-eaft of the pa-
latinate of Minfk ; this tra€t of Land (Polifh Livonia excepted) is fituated in White-
Ruffia, and includes at leaft one third of Lithuania.
The Ruffian limits of the new province are formed by the Duna, from its mouth to
above Vitepfk ; from thence by a ftraight line running directly fouth to the fource of
the Drug near Tolitzin, by the Drug to its juntion with the Dnieper, and laftly by the
Dnieper to the point where it receives the Sotz. This territory is now divided into the
two governments of Polotfk and Mohilef; the population amounts to one million fix
hundred thoufand fouls ; its produ¢tions are chiefly grain, hemp, flax, and pafture ; its
forefts furnifh great abundance of mafts, planks, alfo oak for fhip building, pitch and
tar, which are chiefly fent down the Duna to Riga.
At Tolitzin we were greatly aftonifhed at the cheapnefs of the poft-horfes, and when
our fervant had difcharged the firft account, which amounted to only two copecs, or
about a penny a verft t for each horfe, we fhould have concluded that he had cheated
the poft-mafter, had we not been well convinced, from the general character of the
Ruffians, that they were not likely to be duped by ftrangers. Indeed we foon after-
wards difcovered, that even half of the charge, which we thought fo extremely mode-
rate, might have been faved, had we obtained an order from the Ruffian embaffador at
Warfaw.
From Tolitzin, through the new government of Mohilef, the road was excellent, and
of confiderable breadth, with a double row of trees planted on each fide, and ditches to
drain off the water. We paffed through feveral wretched villages, ferried at Orfa over
the Dnieper, there only a {mall river, went through Dubroffna, and arrived in the even-
ing at Lady. The country from Tolitzin to Lady is waving and fomewhat hilly,
abounds with forefts, and produces corn, millet, hemp, and flax. In the largeft villages
we obferved fchools and other buildings, conftructing at the expence of the Emprefs ;
® From his Travels in the Northern Countries of Europe. London, 1802, § vols. 8vo.
+ Three quarters of a mile. :
alfo
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