TRAVEL STORIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3035, 15 May 1912, Page 79

TRAVEL STORIES.

By Dr Sigel Ronsn

(Sr-ECIAL TO THE OTAOO WITNESS.)

Beyond question St. Petersburg is an interesting city. Aside from its mammoth public buildings—for Russia's capital is built on a gigantic plan architecturally, as -well as , topographically—the great crowds that throng the wide. "prospects" or avenues, on any fine afternoon present as many and as various types as those found in Calcutta, Cairo, or Constantinople. True, the basic characteristics of these Northern peoples with their numerous allied families differ widely from those indigenous to the South, and not the least absorbing phase of travel in Russia consists in comparing this Slavonic race with other branches of the human family, and the more ose has seen of the ethnological •world the deeper will this interest become. —An Amazing Pageant.— So I found it expedient to set apart only the morning for ordinary eight-see-ing—palaces, churches, museums, and the like,—and when the "passing show" was at its height to loiter along either the Nevski or the Voznesenski Prospect, where," from one end to the other of these fashionable avenues, there moved as motley and as amazing a pageant as one seldom sees in any of the world's great capital cities. Uniforms gav in bright colours, gold lace and braid dominate this neverending procession. It seemed to me half of the male members of the great concourse were resplendent in official garb. Then there was the carriage phase of the Prospect—equipages of all styles and sources from the public droshki with its embonpoint isvostchiki driving a horse that trots along at a lively clip under that peculiar inverted U-shaped harness fixture extending about three feet above the shoulders of the animal, to the glinting carriage with gorgeously-liveried coachman and footman, who look like gilded figures

rigid on the box as the prancing steeds whirl them past the admiring throng. From the very rich to the desperately poor but few intermediate classes are distinuishable. It is mainly the idle—idle rich and idle poor—that swell the ranks of these popular prospects, and these two divisions of Russian society impress one in St. Petersburg as practically the only two divisions into which Russian society is divided. This impression gains force the longer one remains. Visit the Hermitage, if you please, that vast and valuable playhouse, erected by the voluptuous Catherine II as a temple of revelry in which Bacchus and Venus and Apollo held supreme swayr—it is now a repository of untold wealth—and if the millions of value in gems, rare metals, and precious stones fashioned into every conceivable ornament, article of furniture and jewellery, don't impress you with this condition of Russian society, then striking object-lessons for naught. —Ancient Law Illustrated, — This museum of inestimable wealth is a forceful illustration of the ancient law of might, for many of the well-nigh priceless articles were obtained through looting and martial vandalism. The French under Napoleon were active for years in robbing European treasure houses, - and when Napoleon's power was broken much of this loot fell into the hands of Russia —in some cases the very articles" taken in former centuries being recovered by the descendants of their original owners. This treasure trove, however, is now likely to remain in its present repository, for the age of international looting seems happily past. —Modern System of Graft.— But if Russia to-day refrains from robbing her neighbours, the pilfering at home goes merrily on, and, starting in high places, tribute from the one below, and still the next below, is demanded, till the foot of the ladder is finally reached. Here, delving in mother eartlv Russia's millions of peasants are working like bees 'extractin its sweets arid immediately passing it to the man on the lowest rung! This system- of graft is the answer to the question one finds himself asking, when he rides for, days through fertile plains where, aside from the natural wealth of the soil, he is continually confronted by abject poverty. It was, cold in. Northern Russia in the latter part of' iSeptember—my heavy coat was acceptable enough—and yet the peasants, with scarcely an exception, were bare-footed and but scantily clad. .„■. - \~ >..'' ,;■ * Will these peasants/ever be able to exact from the Government ] their just deserts and enjoy the manifest rights and privileges of which they have for centuries" been denied? Personally I doubt it, and for two reasons. Firstly, "the great masses are ignorant, and it seems to be the. policy of the Government to keep them so. Secondly, the inseparable union of Church and State will always hold these poor ignorant people in bondage, for revolution is a blow at the very heart of their religious traditions—the Czar is the embodiment of spiritual as well as temporal power. They are religious bigotsreligion is all they have,—and to protest against present abuse's is to them an'act of sacrilege to the divinely-appointed Czar, and consequently an act of violence to their one consolation—their abiding faith in their religion. So Russia, in my opinion, will continue indefinitely the gigantic system of squeezing the next lower fellow, which is all vary well till -the last of the series is reached. Here there is no other alternative but to literally dig up from the soil the wealth that,' once produced, goes merrily iingling from purse to purse till the coffer at the top is reached. '—Russians at Church.— And this same religious zeal, in outward appearance at least, leavens the whole Russian lum-p and not the least interesting phase of Russian society is to observe Russia at prayers. I have visited cathedral to study ecclesiastical architecture and art, but with the commencement of' the first service I lost all interest in the material church—so much more interesting was the church spiritual. There can be no question about the religious fervour and sincerity of the middle and lower class Muscovites. I have watched a woman in rags bow before her favourite Ikon, and the face she uplifted to tho sacred image would have inspired a Raphael or Michelangelo to essay a masterpiece. There was passion, pleading, and faith portrayed in every feature, giving Expression to emotions of the dt*pest nature. Russians as Individuals.— The middle and lower class Russians as individuals are generally • most kind and considerate. It . is the political system and not the inherent nature of the" Russians per se that is responsible for the grave injustices that exist to-day in the realm of the Czar. On many occasions have the people of the proletarian clasfco particularly gone to no little trouble to do me ajavour, and because "of these disinterested efforts to serve me I entertain nothing but the highest opinion of individual Rufisian charactr. " Poor devils," said a resident Englishman to me one day, "they are not to blame. Why. these poor fellows will stick to you 'to the last ditch once you earn their- gratitude." And so I found them, most courteous, most considerate, and most oblig,ing. Even among the official classes—and they are all dominated by the instincts of gentlemen—l was never refused a courtesy. And so in justice to the Russians as individuals the grave cruelty that characterises then* system of politics must be considered as a thing apart. —-Public Buildings.— In the remaining paragraphs of this last number of the present series of travelogues I fain would take you with me through the great public buildings of Russia's capital—for they are all worth while, —but for the present this must be omitted. Especially would I have you visit the churches and cathedrals of St.

Petersburg, for some of them are magnificent. There's the superb Church oi the Resurrection marking the spot where Alexander II was assassinated, and the C'?chedral of Kazan, with its great semi-circular colonnade, suggesting St. Peter's-at' Home, curiously decorated with interior ornaments of si.lyer and gold—-the former cast from plate obtained in wiar, and the latter in some cases procured in an equally unchristian manner. The ~" "" Prince of Peacft" principle dees not besr- forcibly to the fore in these Russian church adornments, for in nearly every prominent sanctuary •war flags, swords, and, other trophies of battle occupy the most conspicuous plaofts/ , \ Architectural Anomalies.— But St. Petersburg with, all its magnificence and wealth nevertheless , presents some curious architectural anomalies. Great classical fronts with tremendous columns impress one as edifices constructed to defy the ravages Of time for hundreds of centuries. It is therefore something of a shock, when, upon closer inspection, these tremendous columns are found to be covered with coloured stucco or constructed of tinted cement. . Of course, this does not apply to all of St.' Petersburg's public buildings, but even the Czar's winter Palace is guilty, of this architectural bluff. It seeans cheap and tawdry when the pretentious material is discovered to be only ah imitation of the genuine stone. Then, .too, these .cenient imitations will often mingle with the greatest freedom and unconcern with columns, pilasters, and porticoes fashioned from the genuine stone-obtained from, the woiid ; s most "famous quarries. 'One can;: readiy imagine" the .incongruity, these in-,; artistic imitations offer to one with a sense: of the architectural fitness of things, especially when found among columns of granite,' porphyry, ,or marble of beautiful proportions and exquisite finish. So after some of' these fake examples have been discovered, one reserves his enthusiasm over, a magnificent facade or impressive colonnade till he learns whether the architectural effect is backed. by', 'genuineness or only a cheap make-believey There are other glaring inconsistencies in the make-up of; the Russian eapital— in the parks and streets, the bridges and monuments, where' ruin and neglect are found cheek by ]owl with scrupulous eare and attention. But St. Petersburg coonprehends a massive plan even if its builders have not been,able in all cases to fulfil the original, specifipations. The city leminds one of certain private buildings undertaken by a sometimes too amibitious owner wihere, on account/of a lack of; funds,' one can trace by ,the falling away iii materiaT and design the graduallydiminishing:: exchequer. But in a few cases of public construction St. Petersburg has built with' -■■all' the massiveness .and mag-: nificence comprehended by its famous founder—Peter 1 ; Great. In "the line of monuments an example, of impressive massiveness is to be found in the great monolithic column standing in front of the Winter Palace. This tremendous, stone shaft is 84ft long and 14ft in diameter, and was carved, from a single block of granite. The great column compares favourably with some of the monoliths of ancient' Egypt. - : —St. Isaac's Cathedral.--To me, however, not only the glory of; Petersburg but the Ultima, Thule of; all Russian architectural achievement is j embodied in the incomparable St. Isaac's Cathedral. My hotel faced the square lying in front of this magnificent sanctum ary, and I found myself irresistibly drawn on all occasions to this example of archi--tectural perfection. Seldom did I step from my hotel door that I did not cross i the open square and enter the cathedral, and seldom did I return to my hostelry , before paying a second visit to far-famed j St. Isaac's.;* -" : < <-'"":.- ■■■■;■■"".- ■■■■'■■'vl

—A Tremendous Cathedral.-T-

It is a tremendous cathedral—l abhor statistics, —but even &t. Peter's in Rome seemed scarcely to exceed its dimensions; In style it is Byzantine, with a central golden dome rising abovje a sub-structure flanked on its four sides by porticoes supported by mammoth columns of highlypolished granite. These columns can scarcely be encompassed by three men each with outstretched arms. There is no suggestion of stucco or cement in these columns, nor for that matter in any other part ,of St. Isaac's. "Every particle* of the material is genuine and without a blemish or flaw. The proportions of the sanctuary are noble, the setting most effective. But if the outside is impressive, the interior is awe-inspiring. No tawdry gilt or cheap adornment mars the classical beauty of St. Isaac's within or without. Its interior breathes the spirit /of eternity, of solemnity, of omniscence. One steps through the portal behind the wilderness of towering portico cohinuis, and he at once feels the hush of the sacred precinct upon him. Ikons, priceless in jewels and gold, line the walls and surround the central columns. Star-like clusters of candles constantly burn in front of.these sacred images.

—No Class Distiction.—

As the semi-darkness clears before one's sun-focused eyes one discovers groups of praying kneeling in the soft glow of the burning candles. A peasant in rags bows beside a Russian official in gold and lace. - A fruit-seller pays his devotions by the side of a lady iri robes of silk and .satin. No class distinctions are noticed here, no hauteur," no lofty mein is discernible. All enter on a common plain, all are humbled,, before the dominant note of religion. I moved about with cautious tread, for I seemed indeed in a hallowed sanctuary. The laous lazuli columns flanked' by great pillars of malachite mark thfe division of the altar from the "Holy of Holies." Tremendous wealth—not gaudy, bat impressive—characterises the whole interior; I gaze from my position near a central pillar first at one object of value and then

at another, and I am amazed at "the richness and cost of every appointment.?'Over alia spirit of sanctity abides like a saereo benediction. Prom the street-the roar ,01 traffic falls like a lullaby bri the, listening ear. There is an air of "peace, an odour of incense, .arid the consciousness of calm that is indescribably soothing. , —Melodious,Glory.— But, hark! a heavenly voice steals softly through the lofty dome and falls in gentlft cadence on the devout worshippers.; I listen, and truly, seraphio melody •could not be sweeter. Still hearer arid nearer the swelling chorus comes till one could imagine himself at the very gates of Paradise. Indeed at this moment the golden portals back of the sanctuary noiselessly swing ajar, and the choir of male voices—the sole music vendered>in.; Bussian churches—floods the \yhole edifice. JVave upon wave ot : melodious .glory fall from that matchless choir arid transport one on the wings of song to, realms of ecstatic joy. > ""'■'"']. '":':' Such voices that these trained .singers possess is nothing less than marvellous. Tones as deep ,as the greatest organ's roll mingled in perfect: harmony, with notes 'aa clear and bird-like as those of a lute. Majestically, and in measure, to ;the,,musio the choir moves forth into their places beside the altar. Arid' then for more than;' am hour I dreamed dreams of Paradise such as are only possible under the.in-; spiration of St. Isaac's matchless choir. . Still dominated by the gi'eat mysteiy of, man's ;:ultimate destinyj I passed out of * St.. Isaac's for the last* (tune, and, into: the: garish light of day. Beyond; the; square I' turned for a final look at, this, peerless sanctuary. High above the golden dome a massive golden; cross' stretched: heavenward its imploring arms. Nearly two thousand years ago this symbol of sacrifice, "this emblem of oppres* sion 'crowning---'(Russia's, most magnificent cathedral supported' the bleeding:: body, of the Man of Sorrow, the lowly the persecuted Jew!