Several soldiers offered their services as guides, and conducted the students to the interior. The walls are nearly hidden by the standards, flags, shields, battle-axes, and other trophies taken from the French, Poles, Turks, Persians, and Swedes. All the sovereigns of Russia, since the foundation of the city, with the single exception of Peter II., have been intombed in this church. Their remains are placed in the vaults beneath the pavement, but the situations of their several resting-places are indicated by white marble sarcophagi, with gilded corners, crosses, and other ornaments. The tomb of Peter the Great is near the south door, opposite an image of St. Peter, which is just the size of the Czar at his birth. Next to him is Catharine I. Near the tomb of Paul is an image of St. Paul, of this Czar's size at his birth. The diamond wedding-ring of Alexander I. is affixed to an image by his tomb. On that of the Grand Duke Constantine, who waived his right to the throne in favor of Nicholas, are placed the keys of the Polish fortresses he captured. On the tomb of Nicholas there was a quantity of flowers, and also upon that of his daughter, who died in 1844. "This is the tomb of the present emperor's oldest son, Nicholas, who died at Nice in 1865," said Dr. Winstock. "It has been erected since my last visit, and you see it is covered with fresh flowers. He was only twenty-two, and had just been betrothed to the Princess Dagmar, of Denmark." "I thought Mr. Mapps said she was married to the present heir of the throne," added Lincoln. "That was quite true also. She was only engaged to Nicholas, and was married to his brother two years after the death of the former. It is said that the Czarwitz, on his death-bed, expressed a wish that his brother Alexander might succeed him in all things, including his intended wife." The party were then conducted to a building where the boat of Peter the Great is kept. As he built it with his own hands, it is a great curiosity, and the students were willing to believe that the Czar had done his work well. The excursionists returned to the omnibuses, and were driven to the Hotel Klée, where dinner had been prepared for them. The meal was not at all Russian, for the people in the hotel are German in their tendencies. It was at this hotel that Mr. Burlingame, of the Chinese mission, died; and several of the students visited the room in which he breathed his last. CHAPTER X. BILLY BOBSTAY AND FRIENDS.