'Telegraph and travel. A narrative of the formation and development of telegraphic communication between England and India, under the orders of Her Majesty's Government, with incidental notices of the countries traversed by the lines.' [‎516] (555/782)

aielr \t i
IflWH i
TELEGRAPH AND TRAVEL.
[chap.
prominent and characteristic building of tlie place ; said to have
been erected by the Metropolitan, Samson, at his own cost in
1696. 1
" There is a house to the left of red brick, and at the corner of
a street. Looking out of one of its lower windows is a female
with a red kerchief over her head, perhaps observing me at my
open casement. There is a huge signboard and inscription
on the front side of her house, and a small piece overlaps on
which I can read .lEFJE^h which I make out to be, in Koman
letters, ' lebed,' a swan. On the house to the right is the con
tinual IlPO^ArKA or intimation such as ' Here is sold.' The
small upper domes on the church and tower are green, sur
mounted with gold. In the little arches are paintings. The
houses at Astrakhan have usually one story, and are of wood
or brick, red, white and of other hues. The small unpretending
quays on the outlet of the Volga are rather pretty, and the view
of the wooden bridges across this small river is pleasant enough.
Dined to-day with M. Victor de P., my fellow-traveller's
brother, who is a merchant of Astrakhan ; and a sumptuous
repast it was they gave me, inaugurated with caviare and shell
fish, and crowned with ice in profusion. The amiable hostess
could speak English, but general conversation was carried on in
French. We were quite en famille, six in all, of whom two were
ladies, Madame P. and her husband's sister; and a third lady
joined us after dinner. Among other topics w r as discussed the
literature of the day; and I was astonished to find not only
Morier, whose Persian romance is equally adapted to the conti
nental as English taste, but Dickens and Thackeray appreciated
in Astrakhan. 'Vanity Fair' and' Pickwick ' are said to be capital
in Russian ! As regards Russian original literature, 1 noted
down rather the substance than the actual exposition of the
views expressed. They do not consider themselves sufficiently
advanced in social civilization to present a gallery of finished
portraits to the satirist. ' It is all very right and proper,' said ^ ,
1 " Histoire des Decouvertes faites par divers Savans Voyagenrs." Lausanne,
1784. Tome ii.