RUSSIA.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 1, Issue 1, 1 January 1855, Page 16

RUSSIA.

The natives are in possession of much valuable information respecting Russia, the life of one of its mighty Emperors, Peter the Great, having been published in the Maori tongue, by an old and true friend of theirs. They will have learned, that there are vast hordes of people in this realm with no other clothing than that of sheep skin, and no other head-dress than that of fox skin. A troop of these would be likely to put a great Maori army to flight, as they might be mistaken for supernatural creatures, or a herd of wild beasts. In order to show the contrast between these poor and neglected people, and their great rulers, it will be necessary to give a short quotatian from a work which may be fully relied on. The author says :— #

"The imperial fetes are unequalled iu magnificence. The splendour of those of the Winter Palace, exceed perhaps, any of the kind in the world. The Emperor's day, or the day of St. Nicholas, is celebrated in December with great pomp. All approaches to the palace are lined with the dragoons of the guard. At an early hour, hundreds of four-horse carriages, with new harness and new liveries, drive up to the different entrances, discharge, and fall in line on the opposite square. The appearance of the numerous equipages, the beauty of the horses, gay colours of the caps, sashes, and clothing of the coachmen, and postillions, and plumes of the chasseurs, present a very stiking and curious sight. "The Winter Palace is three stories high. Its entresol is occupied by the domestics. The second story contains the private apartments of the Imperial family, and of the ladies of the court in waiting. The third is the abode of the Officers! af the household. The number of persons residing beneath the imperial roof, is more than one thousand. The first story of this immense building is connected with the first story of the Palace of the Hermitage by a gallery, and the two together, form the most spacious and extensive suit of rooms in the world. These are devoted to the ceremonies of the court. The gate of the ambassadors leads into a great basement hall, filled with plants of rare beauty and perfume. Beyond is the marble staircase, where a valet wearing a black cap and feather, a black velvet frock coat, and variegated small-clothes, receives the person to be presented, ushers him from one room to another, —from the Military hall to the hall of the Marshals, —from the hall of Alexander to the hall of St. George, from the hall of Peter to the other halls equally as magnificent, until he arrives in the apartment of the throne, the great audience chamber and place of presentation, where the diplomatic corps await the coming of the Emperor." (To be continued.)