AFTER a three weeks' passage from England, we landed at Bolderaa, the Port of Riga, from which it is nine miles distant ; the bar across the river at this place, rendering it impracticable for large vessels to proceed beyond. Getting our luggage ashore, and settling with the custom-house officers, detained us two days here.
The inn is kept by a German family of the name of Kleiburg, who speak English well ; the accommodation of the house is good, and it is respectably conducted. We dined at the ordinary, at which the master and mistress of the house preside. Contrary to our English custom, the dishes are sent up singly, or in pairs, one at top, and one at bottom, and the table is filled up in the length with ornamented flower-baskets, baskets of fruit, and pickles, &c.
The neatness of an English kitchen was very strongly contrasted here, and gave me no prepossessing expectation of the cleanliness of the people ofthis country. It resembled much more a blacksmith's shop than a kitchen in England, and I could almost have imagined myself suddenly transported to the dominions of Pluto, so black and disagreeable looked all around me.
The kitchen range was a raised hearth of brick or stone about the height of a common table, and extending the whole width ofthe lower part of the building, with a fire ofwood blazing from one end to the other upon it : over this are placed different sized iron pots, which, with a large knife and spoon, were the only utensils that seemed to be necessary here. Iam notsure that there was a table, the stove itself serving that purpose, as I have since very often seen.
From hence to Riga we went by water, and arrived there late in the evening. This town is well known, from its importance in the commercial world : it is said to have had at one time 40,000 inhabitants, though now its population does not exceed 30,000 : from hence its size may be in some measure estimated.
It presented to me much of novelty, though little that is not too well known to need description here. We walked around its ramparts, which I am told is a permission never granted to strangers ; however, we passed unmolested, and enjoyed the first clear frost of a Russian winter. The shops of Riga are very poor and insignificant in their appearance, few of them being so good as the best shops in our country towns. The trade, however, is considerable. Among the articles of exportation, the principal are,
1st, Hemp, w 7 hich is chiefly brought down from Russia and Poland by means of the navigation of the Dvjna. As soon as it arrives, which is commonly about the middle ofMay, it is sorted according to its quality, by persons sworn to that office, and is then exported at different prices, and under various denominations. Polish hemp is of a softer and more tender nature than Russian hemp, and in general, that which is distinguished by a bright green colour is preferred. There is likewise some hempgrown in Livonia, which, though inferior to the best of the other kinds, is valuable to the merchants, because, being brought by land carriage during the winter, it is ready for exportation before the arrival of the chief supplies, which are detained by the freezing of the Dvina.
2nd, Flax which is grown in the government of Riga, and is brought to the town in sledges during the winter.
3rd, Corn from Russia and Poland, Lithuania, Courland, and Livonia. The exportation is chiefly confined to wheat and rye, as the barley and oats are of an indifferent quality, and are only used for home consumption. The wheat is sent to Holland, France, and Spain ; the rye to Sweden and Holland.
4th} Hemp-seed from Russia and Poland, is exported to Holland for the supply of the oilmills.
5th, Linseed for sowing, from Lithuania, Courland, and Livonia. This is sent in the autumn to the Hanse Towns, Holland, and Flanders. A small quantity is sometimes exported to England, and more to Ireland. As it is unfit for its purpose if stale, the sellers are called upon to make oath, that what they produce is the fresh seed of the year. All that is not exported before the winter, is sent to Holland to be crushed for oil.
6th, Fir timber, including masts and spars, deals and planks. The masts are brought from forests in Polish and Russian Ukraine, on the banks of the rivers Briganskie, Desna, and Soeltz, which are branches of the Dnieper. By means of this river, and the canal which unites it with the Dvina, they are conveyed the whole distance by water-carriage, and generally arrive at Riga in the month ofMay, after having been no less than eighteen months on their route.
The Riga timber is considered superior to that exported from Memel, and bears a much higher price.