b o o k . qqie origin of this fortrefs is thus traced by the Ruffian
hiftorians. In 1324 George Danilovitch, great-duke- of
•Mofcow, being upon an expedition againft Wiburgh, built a
fin all fortrefs in the middle of this ifland, which was then
called, from its oblong ffiape,OrekofikiOftrof, or Nut liland;
from this appellation the fortrefs took its name of Oreko-
vetch, which was corrupted into Oreffiek. Being befieged
and taken by Magnus king of Sweden, the Swedes tranflated
the name into their own language, and called it Noteborg.
It again came into the poffeffion of the Ruffians, who retained
it until 16 14 , when Guftavus Adolphus forced the garrifon
to capitulate. It was probably fince this laft period, that the
Swedes encircled the whole iiland with a wall and battlements,
the fame which fubfift at prefent.
In 1702 Peter advanced to the frontiers of Sweden with
a confiderable army ; and, having made feveral ineffectual
attempts againft Noteborg, he fent prince Galitzin, colonel of
the guards, at the head of a felect corps to take it by ftorrn.
That officer having, by means of rafts, landed his foldiers
clofe to the fortifications, which advance almoft to the edge
o f the water, they were received with fuch cool intrepidity
.by the garrifon, and expofed to fo dreadful a carnage, that
Peter, conceiving the aflault to be impraftable, fent imme-
•diate orders for the Ruffians to retire: Prince Galitzin, however,
refufed to obey. “< Tell my fovereign,” added he,
«“ that I am no longer his fuhjetft ; having thrown myfelf
“ under the proteftion of a power far fuperior to him-”
Then, turning to his troops, he animated them by his voice
.and example, and, leading them to the attack, fcaled the
walls and took the fortrefs. Peter was fo much ftruck with
this exploit, that, upon his next interview with. Galitzin, he
¿aid to him, “ Aik what you chufe, except Mofcow and Ca-
j “ tharine.”
tharine.” The prince, with a magnanimity which refledts CHAP-
the higheft honour upon his charadter, inftantly requefted
the pardon of his antient rival prince Repnin, who had been
degraded by Peter from the rank of marihal to that of a common
foldier : he obtained his requeft, and with it the confidence
of his fovereign, the efteem of Repnin, and the an-
plaufe of the publick Pi
Peter changed the name of the fortrefs into Schluflelburgh
its prefent appellation, becaufe, from the importance o f its
fituation, he confidered it as the key\ of. his conquefts.
From this period it has continued in the pofleffion of the
Ruffians : but, fince the boundaries of the empire have been
confiderably extended, it is no longer of that importance as
it was when it was fituated upon the frontiers of the Swediffi
territory ; and for its great ftrength and infulated fituation
it has been chiefly ufed for a ftate prifon.
The ifland, which lies juft midway between the oppofite
banks, is, as I have before obferved, of an oblong ihape
fcarcely more than 600 yards in length, and 260 in its
greateft breadth. The walls, which fkirt almoft its whole
circumference, are conftru&ed with ftone and brick, about
fifty feet in height, and from eleven to twenty thick
and are llrengthened according to the antient mode of for’
tification, with battlements and eight round towers We
pafled over a draw bridge into the fortrefs, which we examined,
but without being permitted to enter any of the
wards wherein the prifoners are confined. A range of corridors
open on the inner fide enc'lofes a large areafand contains
feveral dungeons for the prifoners. We obferved the
* I received this anecdote from one o f
the defendants o f Prince Galitzin,. and Its
truth was confirmed by many Ruffian no-
. blemen.
t Schluflel in German fignifies a key •
and Peter aitefled to give many places a
German appellation*