wer-plats are seen
fenced in, adjoining the dwellings. Lines of beehives find place near
these cheerful homes, where the surroundings generally are suggestive of
thrift and industry.

In passing through Poland the country presents almost one unbroken plain
admirably adapted to agriculture, so much so that it has been called the
granary of Europe. The Polish peasants are extremely ignorant, if
possible even more so than the Russians proper of the same class; but
they are a fine-looking race, strongly built, tall, active, and well
formed. There are schools in the various districts, but the Polish
language is forbidden to be taught in them: only the Russian tongue is
permitted. The peasantry have pride enough to resist this arbitrary
measure in the only way which is open to them; that is, by keeping their
children out of the schools. Education not being compulsory here as it
is in Norway and Sweden, little benefit is consequently derived from the
schools. With a view to utterly obliterate the Polish language it is
even made a penal offence by Russian law to use it in commercial
transactions.

The Polish peasantry as a whole are by no means a prepossessing race.
Naturally dull, they are furthermore demoralized and degraded by a love
of spirituous liquors, these being unfortunately both cheap and potent.
As regards the nationality of Poland, her fate is certainly decided for
many years to come, if, indeed, it be not settled for all time.
Dismembered as she is, every new generation must amalgamate her more and
more completely with the three powers who have appropriated her
territory and divided the control of her people among them. We continue
to speak of Poland as a distinct country, though the name is all that
remains of its ancient independence. The map of Europe has long since
been reconstructed in this region,--Austria, Germany, and Russia coolly
absorbing the six millions of Poles, Warsaw becoming thus the capital of
Russian Poland.

We enter the city by the Praga suburb, crossing the lofty iron bridge
which here stretches over the Vistula, nearly two thousand feet in
length.

The city extends about six miles along the left bank of the Vistula, and
upon very high ground. The river is navigable at most seasons of the
year, extending the whole length of Poland from north to south, its
source being the Carpathian Mountains, and its mouth at Dantzig. The
city covers a great surface in proportion to the number of inhabi