the three longest and widest
streets in that city of wide and long streets. The centre one and
longest is called the Nevkoi Prospekt, or the Neva Perspective. The
names of other two may be translated Resurrection Perspective and Peas
Street. The larger streets in the city are called Perspectives. Even
the cross streets in Saint Petersburg are mostly wider than Bond Street,
and often as wide and long as Regent Street. Many canals intersect the
city, and enable bulky goods to be brought to within a short distance of
all the houses by water; so that heavily-laden waggons are never seen
ploughing their way through the streets, as in most cities. There are
no narrow lanes or blind alleys either, the abode of poverty and
pestilence, within the precincts of the palaces of the wealthy and
great. Here, truly, poverty and rags are removed out of sight; but
still they do not cease to dwell in the land. While our young
travellers were standing looking at the Alexander Column, their
fellow-voyager, Mr Henshaw, joined them. As he had been much in all
parts of Russia, he was able to give them a great deal of interesting
information.

"I would advise you first to get a general view of the city, and then
study details," said he. "Get a knowledge of the plan of the city, and
the mode in which it is constructed; then examine the outside of the
more important buildings; and, lastly, visit their interiors when they
contain anything worth seeing. The first thing you should do to-morrow
morning is to ascend the Admiralty tower; the scene from thence, as you
look down into the streets, teeming with their countless multitudes, is
very interesting, while you will also obtain a perfect bird's-eye view
of the whole city and surrounding land and water. We will now, if you
please, take a stroll along the quay beyond the Winter Palace. There
are many objects in that direction worth remarking."

Cousin Giles gladly assented to the proposal, and, returning to the
river, they continued eastward along its banks, passing the front of the
Winter Palace. Near to it they stopped to look at a magnificent pile,
called the Hermitage, which is about as unlike the residence of a
dweller in the wilderness as anything in nature can well be. Mr
Henshaw promised them a sight of the interior another day, and told them
it contained some of the most magnificent rooms in the world, and was
full of fine pictures, rich articles of _vertu_, and numberless v