Nothing can place the humanity o f the emprefs in a
j ftronger light, than that, at the conclufion o f a rebellion
which almoft ihook her throne, the impoftor Pugatchef was
not put to the torture*; and that only he and five o f his
principal confederates fuffered death.
* W h en I vifited th e p rifon o f M o fc ow , w ere not ufed. L ’Evefque is w ro n g , t h e r e -
I few fev era l h o r r id initruments w h ich h a d fo re , in a ife rtin g th a t he was ra ck ed to
been made on pu rpofe to to r tu re P u g a tc h e f , d e a th . “ I I peril du fupplicc de la r o w ”
b u t w h ic h , b y the emp re ife ap ofitiy e order«, V o l. V . p . 1411
C H A P.
C H’ A P. IV.
Defcriptim o f the- kHoot '.— Penal laws a/ Ruffia.— Abolition o f
capital ptinifhments by the ediSl'of Elizabeth.— Remarks
upon that edicl.— Capital punijhments not • reallyy though
apparentlyy fuppre£ed\— Abolition o f torture by the preferii
mnprefs.— Her majejly's anfwer to the author's queries upon
prifons.— OutlinesI o f the new codé< o f laws.— Its excel*
lence and beneficial- tendency,
ON E morning, a s - 1 - was cafually flrolling through the c h a p .
ftreets o f St. Peteriburgh, near the market place, I . Iv~ ,
obferved-a vaft croud of-people flocking to one particular
fpot. Upon inquiring o f my-Ruffian fervant the caufe o f
this concourfe,-he informed.me, that the multitude- was al-
fembled in order to fee a felon, who had been convidled of>
murder, receive the knoot. Although I naturally ihuddered ■
at the very idea-of being a fpqétator to-the agonies o f a fel—
low-creature, yet my cùriofity overcame my feelings. With,
the. affi fiance o f my* fervant I penetrated- through the croud,-
and afcended the roof o f a wooden houfe of one .ftorvj from,
whence I.had -a diftindt view of:the dreadful-operation, which -
was already begun. The executioner held in his hand the.
knoot* : this inftrumentisa thong, about the thicknefs o f a~
* T h e fo llow ir tg are the e^aft-dimenfions'- -— L e n g t lr o f th e'b àn d lè 1 foo t 2Ï indies.-__
and w e igh t o f a k n o o t , w h id i 1 p ro cu red in L e n g th o f th e w h o le »5 feet 5 inches and s . ■
Kuffia, and w h ich is now in m y pofleffion. — W e ig h t 11 oun ces.
- L e n g th 'o f thè th on g 2 f e e t ; -breadth o f " T h e read er w ill ju d g e o f the g r e a t fo r c e
IP ton 1 o f orv met, . ». . 1 . l . . . - . . . . . . . . . . . 0 ®
, j , u ' 1 vumvi "*11 J o tllC PlCdL 1UI LC
— . *. °* an_inch » at the b ottom £— w h ich th e ik ilfu l e x e cu t io n e r can-give to this .
1 mckneis L en g th o f the p la ited w h ip in ftrumen t, When informed , that i f he r e -
3 C ircumferen ce o f ditto i \ in ch es , ce iv es.a private
— D iam e te r o f th e r in g i inch and c rimin a l b y ftril
L en g th o f th e le a th e r f p r in g j in ch an d f . u p on th e rib s.
crown*-'