b o o k Minik is a large place : two churches and the monaftery
j— ^ which belonged to the Jefuits are conftrudted of brick ; and
the remaining buildings, though formed of wood, have a
neater look than the generality of dwellings in this country.
On returning to our inn, we received an invitation to dinner
from aPolilh count; but as the weather appeared fine, as our
carriage was at the door, and all things prepared for our immediate
departure, we determined to give up an opportunity
of focial enjoyment to the expediency of purfuing our
journey.
Augiift 1 8. We were confiderably fatigued with our
journey from Minik to Smolewitzo, which, though fcarcely
thirty>miles, employed us, on account of the badnefs of the
roads and other unexpected delays, near twelve hours. The
weather was cold and rainy, the wind high, the roads worfe
than ufnal.; and the evening, when it fat in, extremely
dark. We were almoft beginning to defpair of reaching
our deiiined itation, when a noife of folding doors thrown
open, and the rattling of our carriage upon a wooden floor,
announced our adtual arrival. The leathern blinds of our
carriage having been clofely fattened down, in order to exclude
the wind and rain, we were for a few moments held in
-fufpenfeinto what kind of place we were admitted. Upon
alighting, we.found ourfelves in the middle of a large barn
-or fhed, at the further end of which we defGried two large
pines, branches and all, in full blaze upon an hearth with-
.,cut» chimney: round itieveral figures, in full black robes
and with,long beards, were employed in ilirring a large
iCauldron fufpended over the flame. A belief in witchcraft,
-or a littlev fuperitition, might eafily have reprefented this
j>arty as a group of magicians engaged in celebrating fome
myftic rites; ’but, upon nearer infpe£tion, we recognized in
them
J O U R N E Y T H R O U G H L I T H U A N I A . 231
• j CH A P them our old friends the Jews, preparing their and our VI1> *
evening repaft. *
■\Ve fat out the next morning before day-break, as was our
ufual cuftom, having no inducement to remain any longer
than was abfolutely neceflary in thefe hovels, abounding in
vermin, and in which filth and wretchednefs are united.
Near Boriiow we crofled the Berezyna, which has been er-
roneoufly laid down by fome modern geographers, as forming
the new boundary between Ruflia and Poland ; and on
the other fide of the town paffed a camp of 2000 Ruffian
troops, who were marching to Warfaw.
At Boriiow the Jews procured us ten horfes, and placed
them all in two rows, fix next the carriage, and four in front “ .
There was indeed much ingenuity in. contriving this arrangement,
which, was effected in the following manner.
The two middle horfes in the hinder row were harneffed as
ufilal to the fplinter-bars, their two neareft neighbours
were fattened to-the extremities of the axle-tree, which pro-
je&ed confiderably on each fide beyond the boxes of the forewheels,
and the two outermoft were tied in the fame manner,,
by means of long ropes, to the axle-tree of the hind-wheels:
the four horfes in front were harnefled to the pole and to-
the fplinter-bars of the pole. Well aflured that horfes,.
ranged in this primitive manner, would require more room
than the narrow roads, of Poland generally afforded,,we endeavoured
to perfuade the drivers to place them two by two ;. -
but inch was their obftinacy or want of comprehenfion, we.
could not prevail upon them to make any alteration. We
therefore unloofed two horfes from the Hindermoft. row,..and
* The. ufual method ;of-harneffing„was by placing four a-breafl,- and -two ire the fore-
moil row,...
for