The French fleet Avas away hull down on the port quarter, the grand, showy, big tricolours at the peak.just topping the horizon, and the English fleet we could not see, for the reason assigned in the Critie, which I have never yet heard disputed, and shall therefore give in preference to any other. About 830 something very like a three-decker under full sail, suffering terribly from refraction, came in view. A tail white column standing out of the sea. The haze gradually expanded as we advanced, and at last " land " was reported from the bows, and a hapless wight was despatched up into the clouds, to make any statements which might strike him as to the general configuration and THE PLACE OP RENDEZVOUS. 2lo geographical characteristics of the coast wo were approacliiny, and to look out for " the British fleet at anchor," or afloat, as the case might be.
I am not aware that his information was important or curious, and he only confirmed the profound observation of Sir Fretful Plagiary, after a lengthened sojourn among the sea gulls; but, at about nine o'clock, even landsmen could make out " land " with good telescopes, and were obliged to abandon the secret joys in which they had indulged at the tlisappointment of the Quarter-master, when he found that " a Tegular fog-bank" had been mistaken by him for terra Jirma, and to admit that the " cloud," after all, was a " material guarantee " of the Czar, and belonged indeed to Russland. The canvas of the line-of-battle ship gradually resolved itself into a tall, snow-white pillar, some 200 feet above the level of the sea. which marks Cape Fontana, south of Odessa, and by degrees, as we rose the land, a white light-house, a guard-house, a Avhite telegraph-house and station, white farmhouses, white villa*; embowered in green trees, pagodas, minarets, domes, and church spires appeared in view, and clustered together, till we had a day-dream of Constantinople and Naples together with a dash of Boulogne in it, and Odessa came in sight.
As I am neither a voluntary tourist, a universal gazetteer, nor a photographer, I shall not attempt to describe the city, which must, indeed, be well known to Englishmen, though few artists can do justice to it. These barbarous Russians have a rare knack of building graceful, light, cheerful, and clean-looking cities, which even the " Stones of Venice " might not utterly despise; and, if it be distance which lends enchantment to the view, they have at least the satisfaction, denied to more civilized people, of saying there is one point of view from which their cities win the.senses. As we slowly drew up to our inevitable *' five mile.s S. by E. of Odessa," we passed a wonderful creation, which, compared to the slow ertbrts of oar ancient builders, seemed almost the work of enchantment.
There stood an extensive city, built on the curve of a high sea-shore, with descending terraces and broad riights of steps to the beach, which was enclosed by broad quays and the walls of ports and ca,scmated batteries, all.shining brightly in the morning sun. Broad esplanades, or boulevards, lined with trees towards the sea-front, ran along the top of the bank, with a background of stately mansions, worthy of the best " rows " near the Regent's Park, and we could see a numerous and gaily-dressed crowd of men and women passing VOL. IT, 'f along the promenade, gazing on the dark clouds of smoke which were slowly drii'tmg in on them from the distance. Behind. and in continuation of this esplanade, are splendid residences, with pillared poiiicoes and ornamented peristyles, magnificent public institutions — the temples erected by Despotism to Civilization, in hope of making peace with her — barracks, palaces, governor's house, prisons, rising in front of a confused but graceful mass of domes, columns, steeples, and spires.
One huge dome is of an intense ultra-marine blue, and is topped by a gilt cupola; another is of bright green, surmounted by a golden star; here is a Greek temple, there a Tartaresque-looking mosque; there an unmistakeable " little Bethel," here a Byzantine church; again, an Eastern mmaret-like spire; further on, an indubitable Sir Christopher Wren steeple: and, next to it, a grand dome and cupola, which at once remind you of St. Peter's or St. Paul's. This beautiful city is surrounded on the left by woods, bestudded with the houses of Princes and Counts engaged in the corn trade, and of merchants deeply interested in the state of the English barometer. There is one dismantled three-masted vessel inside the port, but the quay at the upper end of the harbour encloses a considerable number of small coasting vessels; and even now we can see some small boats creeping down for shelter along the coast under the batteries.