mselves with homes, and they proceeded at once to erect
houses. A great many of the structures thus built were mere huts or
shanties, made of any rude materials that came most readily to hand, and
put up in a very hasty manner. It was sufficient that the tenement
afforded a shelter from the rain, and that it was enough of a building to
fulfill the condition on which the land was granted to the owner of it.
The number of these structures was, however, enormous. It was said that
in one year there were erected thirty thousand of them. There is no
instance in the history of the world of so great a city springing into
existence with such marvelous rapidity as this.

During the time while Peter was thus employed in laying the foundations
of his new city, the King of Sweden was carrying on the war in Poland
against the conjoined forces of Russia and Poland, which were acting
together there as allies. When intelligence was brought to him of the
operations in which Peter was engaged on the banks of the Neva, he said,
"It is all very well. He may amuse himself as much as he likes in
building his city there; but by-and-by, when I am a little at leisure, I
will go and take it away from him. Then, if I like the town, I will keep
it; and if not, I will burn it down."

[Illustration: Situation at St. Petersburg.]

Peter, however, determined that it should not be left within the power of
the King of Sweden to take his town, or even to molest his operations in
the building of it, if any precautions on his part could prevent it. He
had caused a number of redoubts and batteries to be thrown up during the
summer. These works were situated at different points near the outlet of
the river, and on the adjacent shores.

There was an island off the mouth of the river which stood in a suitable
position to guard the entrance. This island was several miles distant
from the place where the city was to stand, and it occupied the middle of
the bay leading toward it. Thus there was water on both sides of it, but
the water was deep enough only on one side to allow of the passage of
ships of war. Peter now determined to construct a large and strong
fortress on the shores of this island, placing it in such a position that
the guns could command the channel leading up the bay. It was late in
the fall when he planned this work, and the winter came on before he was
ready to commence operations. This time for commencing was, however, a
matte