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804 COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.
Yaitfk, and delivered to Count Panin at Simbirfk, who fent him, with his principal
affociates to Mofcow; where hearrived in the month of November 1774. On his ex-
amination, he acknowledged all the circumftances of his impofture, and was publicly
beheaded in the city of Mofcow, on the 21ft of January. His body was then quartered,
and expofed in different places.
Nothing can place the humanity of the Emprefs in a ftronger light, than that, at the
conclufion of a rebellion which almoft fhook her throne, the impoftor Pugatchef was
not put to the torture * ; and that only he and four of his principal confederates fuf-
fered death. ;
Cuap. XVI.—Defcription of the Knoot.—Penal Laws of Ruffia-—Abolition of capital
Punifbments by the Edict of Elizabeth.—Remarks on that Edict.— Abolition of Torture
by the prefent Emprefs.—Her Mayjefty’s Anfwers to the Authors Queries on Prifons.—
Outlines of the new Regulations —Their Excellence and beneficial Tendency.
ONE morning, as I ftrolled through the itreets of Peterfburgh, near the market-
place, I obferved a large crowd of people, and on inquiring the caufe of this concourfe
was informed, that the multitude was affembled to feea felon, who had been conviéted
of murder, receive the knoot. Although I naturally fhuddered at the idea of being a
fpeétator of the agonies of a fellow-creature, yet curiofity overcame my feelings. I pe-
netrated through the crowd, and afcended the roof of a wooden houfe ; from whence I
had a diltiné&t view of the dreadful operation. The executioner held in his hand the
knoot}: this inftrument is a hard thong, about the thicknefs of a crown-piece, and
three
having been honoured by every diftin@ion a fovereign could beftow, after being prayed for in the chapel
of the court, together with the imperial family, after being made a prince of the empire, and generaliffimo
of all the forces, a rank equal to that poffeffed by the Emperor himfelf, and after having conduéted a
brilliant and viCtorious campaign, he was buried without common military honours. A few foldiers from
a marching regiment attended the proceffion inftead of the battalions of guards, no artillery was allowed
excepting fome {mall pieces of cannon, which feemed to burlefque inftead of adding dignity to the ceremony,
and even the caparifoned horfe was forbidden to be led. ‘The populace felt-and difplayed their indignation
at this infulting and ftudied difrefpes& : but the vigilance of the police obliged them to murmur in fecret ;
and ina fhort time all feemed to have been forgotten, excepting by thofe who were able to appreciate the
merit of Suvarof.
The refentment of the Emperor did not confine itfelf to the remains of the deceafed hero, but extended
to his family. His fon, who, in confideration of his father’s fervices, had been fuddenly raifed to the rank
of major-general, was totally deprived of his military charaéter, and reduced to the poft of chamberlain,
which he held before his elevation, and his marriage with the daughter of the Duke of Courland was
broken off, by the interference of the court. i
It appears from recent accounts, that the Emperor Alexander has attempted to compenfate for the neg-
le& of Paul, by ere€ting the ftatue of Suvarof in the imperial garden at Peterfburgh.
* When I vifited the prifon of Mofcow, 1 faw feveral horrid inftruments, which had been made to
torture Pugatchef, but which, by the Emprefs’s pofitive orders, were not ufed. L’Evefque, who is fel-
dom miftaken, is therefore wrong, in aflerting that he was racked to death. ‘* J/ perit du fupplice de la
roue.”? Vol vp. 143.
+ The following are the exa& dimenfions and weight of a knoot, which I procured in Ruffia, and
which is now in my pofleffion.
Length of the thong 2 feet; breadth of the top of an inch; at the bottom 3.—Thicknefs *.—Length
of the platted whip z feet.—Circumference of ditto 23 inches.—Diameter of the ring 1 inch and §,—
Length of the leather {pring 3 inch and 4,—Length of the handle 1 foot 24 inches. —Length of the whole
5 feet g inches and j.o-Weight 11 ounces.
33 The
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