LEAVING ST. PETERSBURG.--NOVGOROD THE GREAT: ITS HISTORY AND TRADITIONS.--RURIK AND HIS SUCCESSORS.--BARBARITIES OF JOHN THE TERRIBLE.--EARLY HISTORY OF RUSSIA.--AN IMPERIAL BEAR-HUNT.--ORIGIN OF THE HOUSE OF ROMANOFF.--"A LIFE FOR THE CZAR."--RAILWAYS IN RUSSIA FROM NOVGOROD TO MOSCOW. 211 CHAPTER XII FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MOSCOW.--UNDULATIONS OF THE GROUND.--IRREGULARITY OF THE BUILDINGS, AND THE CAUSE THEREOF.--NAPOLEON'S CAMPAIGN IN RUSSIA.--DISASTER AND RETREAT.--THE BURNING OF MOSCOW.--THE KREMLIN: ITS CHURCHES, TREASURES, AND HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS.--ANECDOTES OF RUSSIAN LIFE.--THE CHURCH OF ST. BASIL. 230 CHAPTER XIII. THE GREAT THEATRE OF MOSCOW.--OPERATIC PERFORMANCES.--THE KITAI GOROD AND GOSTINNA DVOR.--ROMANOFF HOUSE AND THE ROMANOFF FAMILY.--SKETCH OF THE RULERS OF RUSSIA.--ANECDOTES OF PETER THE GREAT AND OTHERS.--CHURCH OF THE SAVIOUR.--MOSQUES AND PAGODAS.--THE MUSEUM.--RIDING-SCHOOL.--SUHAREFF TOWER.--TRAKTIRS.--OLD BELIEVERS.--THE SPARROW HILLS AND THE SIMONOFF MONASTERY. 252 CHAPTER XIV. A VISIT TO THE TROITSKA MONASTERY, AND WHAT WAS SEEN THERE.--CURIOUS LEGENDS.--MONKS AT DINNER.--EUROPEAN FAIRS.--THE GREAT FAIR AT NIJNI NOVGOROD.--SIGHTS AND SCENES.--MININ'S TOMB AND TOWER.--DOWN THE VOLGA BY STEAMBOAT.--STEAM NAVIGATION ON THE GREAT RIVER.--KAZAN, AND WHAT WAS SEEN THERE.--THE ROUTE TO SIBERIA. 271 CHAPTER XV. AVATCHA BAY, IN KAMTCHATKA.--ATTACK UPON PETROPAVLOVSK BY THE ALLIED FLEET.--DOGS AND DOG-DRIVING.--RAPID TRAVELLING WITH A DOG-TEAM.--POPULATION AND RESOURCES OF KAMTCHATKA.--REINDEER AND THEIR USES.--THE AMOOR RIVER.--NATIVE TRIBES AND CURIOUS CUSTOMS.--TIGERS IN SIBERIA.--NAVIGATION OF THE AMOOR.--OVERLAND TRAVELLING IN SIBERIA.--RIDING IN A TARANTASSE.--A ROUGH ROAD.--AN AMUSING MISTAKE.--FROM STRATENSK TO NERTCHINSK.--GOLD-MINING IN SIBERIA. 289 CHAPTER XVI. THE EXILES OF SIBERIA.--THE DECEMBRISTS AND THEIR EXPERIENCE.--SOCIAL POSITION OF EXILES.--DIFFERENT CLASSES OF EXILES AND THEIR SENTENCES.--CRIMINALS AND POLITICALS.--DEGREES OF PUNISHMENT.--PERPETUAL COLONISTS.--HOW EXILES TRAVEL.--LODGING-HOUSES AND PRISONS.--CONVOYS.--THRILLING STORY OF AN ESCAPE FROM SIBERIA.--SECRET ROADS.--HOW PEASANTS TREAT THE EXILES.--PRISONERS IN CHAINS. 313 CHAPTER XVII. CHARACTER OF THE SIBERIAN POPULATION.--ABSENCE OF SERFDOM, AND ITS EFFECT.--A RUSSIAN FÊTE.--AMUSEMENTS OF THE PEASANTRY.--COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE.--CURIOUS CUSTOMS.--WHIPPING A WIFE.--OVERLAND THROUGH SIBERIA AGAIN.--CHETAH AND THE BOURIATS.--IN A BOURIAT VILLAGE.--VERCKNE UDINSK.--SIBERIAN ROBBERS.--TEA-TRAINS AND TEA-TRADE.--KIACHTA.--LODGED BY THE POLICE.--TRADE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA. 334 CHAPTER XVIII.