rney, however, was far from uninteresting. They passed various
parties of traders with their waggons going to the fair; also a group of
exiles on their way to Siberia, already weary and footsore, though they
had performed but a short portion of their long journey. There were
woodcutters in the forests, and peasants in the few patches of
cultivated ground which here and there appeared. Mr Allwick, too, had
travelled over the greater part of Russia, and gave them much
information about the country.

"I divide the population of Russia into five classes," said he, "with
the Czar, forming a sixth, at their head. First come the _mujicks_ or
peasants, who form the great mass of the population; then come the
_svestchenniks_ or priests, who are mostly sprung from them, and are
often looked upon as but slightly their superiors; the third class are
the _pameshtchiks_, the landed proprietors and serf owners. In the
fourth class may be included the _chinovinks_ or civil functionaries;
and the _grajdanuns_ or citizens; while in the fifth may be reckoned the
military of all ranks.

"Of the mujicks or peasants, upwards of two-thirds are serfs or slaves.
The other portion have either purchased their liberty or have been
liberated by their masters. They are completely under the control of
their masters, who can flog them or imprison them, but may not take away
their lives nor remove them from the land on which they were born. An
owner may, however, let his serf out to some other master for hire. The
greater number of servants in Saint Petersburg and Moscow are serfs
belonging to landed proprietors, who receive a part of their wages.
Many serfs follow trades, and some have become wealthy merchants. Some
have purchased their freedom for large sums, but in other instances
masters have refused to grant their serfs their freedom, who thus,
though rolling in riches, remain with the chains of slavery round their
necks, liable at any moment to be called back and compelled to do their
lord's bidding, even in the most menial capacity. They have the general
faults of slaves, being cringing, cunning, and delighting in falsehood;
but they are intelligent, kind-hearted, and merry, and honest when
property is entrusted to their charge. Their dress consists of a cap, a
long sheepskin coat in winter, and a cotton one in summer, a red-striped
shirt, worn outside their very full breeches, and high leather boots on
grand occasions; but usually t