Museum of Mines

We had now but one sight to look at, when we should be glad  and ready to leave the country having been really so bothered by the Police what we began to get out of humour.  Thus our last visit was to the mining corps, and the museum of minerals attached to it.  The whole is indeed a very large fine looking building, and is considered as being a collection of minerals not surpassed in their kind in Europe.  The mines, are fac-similes of the different mines of Russia and the Urals generally, all under ground and made with great care and exactitude.  It gave us a very good idea of Siberia and other places, and the [49] the manner in which the convicts labor there.

Preparing for Moscow

We have now been hesitating for some time as regards taking a trip to Moscow, and have now finally concluded on starting immediately hoping to be able to return in time to witness the Entry of his Majesty [Emperor Nicholas I]  into the Capital, but it is so undecided and he is so fond of taking the people by surprise, that no one knows when it will take place, and it is useless for us to wait much longer, as the season [15] is getting to be so late, that if deferred we should be obliged to give up the trip altogether.  Orders have been given by the Police to every household to keep themselves in readiness for an illumination at any moment.  Have been to the Chancery Office where we were again examined as usual, and given a paper allowing us by presenting it at the Police office, to obtain a fresh passport for Moscow, presented ourselves at the Police Office General, and after again answering all the questions once again, and paying twenty-five paper roubles, &c, about five dollars.  We obtained a pass for Moscow, the Police retaining our original Passports until we may leave the Empire.  Four of us in Company (Americans) obtained a Diligence and guard and at 2 o’clock P.M. of Wednesday 16 Sep we started for the city of Moscow.  The road is the only good one in all Russia, being McAdamized its entire length which is here measured by Versts, the Verst being equal to about ¾ of a Mile English. [16]  The distance between the cities is some 670 Versts making about 500 miles, and this was to be accomplished without our stopping at all on the road excepting for Breakfast & Dinner.

A visit to the French Theater

Visited the French Theater, this Evening, and I must say that I have never seen any thing so well arranged in any other city.  There is not a column to be found sup-[15]porting the boxes giving a very light and open appearance to the whole.  The boxes are lined with crimson velvet, and containing chairs for each person.  The pit, also as generally in Europe, being quite fashionable, is filled with chairs, so that no one is crowded.  I have never seen such order & silence in the first theaters of Paris as is here observed.  One would almost think himself in church.  Every thing being so admirably conducted, the performance was very good and the company large.  The upper classes of the Russians generally speak in French.

Mikhailovsky Theater (1860)