3|£ iatisfaition we exprefled at our reception, perhaps, induced
'— v— i* the fecretary (as the poft-mafter himfelf was abfent) to think
us proper fubjectts of impofition. The diftance to the next
ftation was about ten miles, and the fecretary demanded three
times the fum allowed by the public regulations, under pretence
of our not being provided with an order for poft-horfes.
We hinted fome furprize at this charge : this intimation,
though conveyed in the mildeft terms, the fecretary thought
proper to anfwer with expreflions of contempt and defiance;
he ordered the horfes again into the ftable, and declared we
ihould not ftir from the place until we difcharged the full
fum. Though we might eafily have been prevailed upon
by the fligheft apology to have fubmitted to the fraud, we
determined to chaftife his infolence. We repaired to the
diredtor of thecuftom-houfe, and were immediately admitted r
to our great fatisfadlion he fpoke German ; and after we had
laid our cafe before him, he told us, that the Ruffian had
demanded treble the fum he was intitled to ; he aflured us,
that we ihould receive, inftant redrefs, and that the offender
ihould be puniihed for his impofition. Having difpatched a
meffenger, to whom he whifpered a private order, he defired
us to wait his return,, and offered us coffee. While we were’
drinking it, he gave us various information relative to the
Ruffian pofts added feveral hints,.which,afterwards proved
Angularly ufeful; and he particularly cautioned us to procure
an order for horfes from the governor of. Smoleniko.
In the midft of this converi.ition we heard a carriage drive to,
the door,, which we perceived to be our own, with all, things
ready for our immediate departure| our. old friend, the poit-
matter’s fecretary, made at the fame time his appearance inti'
ve.ry fubmiifive attitude ; we interceded with the director for
his back, and obtained a. promife that he. ihould. not be beat,
but
but only reprimanded. After making thofe acknowledge- chap.
ments to our friendly director which were due to his polite- >— .— >
nefs, we took our leave, and proceeded on our journey.
We were much chagrined at finding that the excellent
new road lately defcribed terminated at L ad y : it was fome
fatisfadlion, however, that the remaining parts from thence
to Smoleniko proved far fuperior to thofe we had encountered
in the Lithuanian forefts. The villages were an exadt
counterpart to thofe we had left behind, and exhibited
fcarcely any thing more than a repetition of fcenes already
detailed, (
The Ruffians differ widely in their appearance and drefs
from the Polifii peafants. The moft ftriking contrail arifes
from their method of wearing their hair: the Poles ihave
their heads, leaving only a fmall tuft upon the crown ; while
the others fuffer their hair to hang quite down to the eyebrows
and over the ears, and cut it fhort round the neck. 1
The country was undulating and hilly, and more open than
ufual until we arrived within a few miles of Smoleniko, when
we plunged into a thick foreft, which continued almoft to the
gates of that town without the intervention of a fingle village,
or fcarcely of a fingle cottage.
In 1403 the town of Smoleniko, which belonged to the
Ruffians, was beiieged and taken by Vitoldus, and, together
with the whole province, united to the dutchy of Lithuania*-.
During the conftant and inveterate enmities which fubfifted
between the Ruffians and Poles, Smoleniko was a place of
great importance; though only fortified according, to the
cuftom of the time, partly with ramparts of earth and
. ditches, and partly with pallifadoes, and a wooden citadel t ;
* Dlugoffius, L ib. X. p. 1.04. et feq.
t RerumMofc. AyuSt. p. 52. Mayerberg Iter Mofc.p. 74.
I i a thefe