The first thing I saw in Krementshug was a Jew, and the second a goat, which came leaping along the road. The Jew is the same in all zones and climates, but the goat of the steppos is far inferior in animation, agility, and cunning to our mountaineers, although it is still considered to rank so far above the sheep, that the shepherds declare they ca-n keep no flock of sheep together without mingling a number of goats w-ith them, to qualify their stupidity. Their short legs and clumsy movements, however, and the long hair, which hangs all round them, give them rather the appearance of polai' beai-3 than of the sprightly race that bound about amongst our hills and rocks. One might as well expect an ox to skip from crag to crag, as one of these heavy goats of the steppe.
Like almost all the towns of South Russia, Krementshug is new and prosperous, and partakes, with Odessa, of the advantages of the increasing trade of the Black Sea ; but, though it has some considerable buildings, the stone quarries in the vicinity produce no stone fit for paving, and the inhabitants have not yet learned to employ their granite reefs for this purpose.
They have little of the speculative spirit of the natives of Great Russia, and are mostly devoted to agriculture and cattle-breeding. Krementshug (a name which signifies ' the city of fire-stones") is the principal post for the whole government of Poltava, which furnishes itself here with many articles from the Crimea and Bessarabia as well as with those of the Levant coming by Odessa, and with the productions of the Polish forests, which come down the Dnieper.
Notmthstanding the advantage of tlie river, however, the exports are next to nothing. Only when the price of corn rises very high in Odessa, does a small quantity of wheat find its way from Krementshug ; but, in general, it is all consumed in the country, either in the form of bread or of spirits. Wool, honey, and flax are commonly the only articles of exportation.
Nature has unfortunately committed the mistake of impeding the navigation of the broad deep and beautiful river Dnieper, by crossing it at the lower part of its course, with diagonal rocky reefs. These reefs, by hindering the navigation, had also served as so many stations for retiring barbarism, as lately in the case of the " Cossacks of the Waterfalls," as they were called. Had these waterfalls not existed, who can teU how far the trade and ciwhzation of ancient Greece might not have spread along the Dnieper, or what resistance this country might not have offered to the invasion of the northern tnbes. During the last fifty years, indeed, great efforts have been made by the various governments to remove the obstacles presented to the navigation of the river by these reefs ; and to their exertions, as well as to the general improvement that has taken place in southern Russia, may we attribute the fact, that the trade of the Dnieper has tripled and quadrupled within that period.
During our evening's walk we saw several new houses in the course of erection, the usual symptom of a thriving community. We had not, however, the satisfaction to perceive in our inn any indication of the prosperity and abundance said to prevail in Krementshug, for our excellent travelling appetites were forced to be satisfied with tea and some little meat patties (pirogas) which we had brought with us from Poltava. We asked for eggs — " Directly, directly," was the answer; " but — but they are not quite fresh." Not being quite fresh signified, we found, that they were already inhabited by young chickens. W'e begged for some milk. " Yes, yes, certainly," and then came an inquisition into the case. " Ah! we had plenty." " Well then give us some cold meat, or some chops." " Oh! dear, our chops were all eaten yesterday — we had such nice ones!"
We were forced to console ourselves, as well as we could, with the idea that it is the private hospitality of Krementshug which stands in the way of the prosperity of its inns, and wrapping oiurselves in our bearskins, \vr slept till the following morning, when we started forth to cross the Dnieper.