I didn’t even want to stop in Yalta: I boarded the ship “Peter the Great” directly, and before its departure, I sat on it alone for a whole day. My sister and Mrs. Sabanskaya wrote farewell notes to me; I answered them; but it was as if from another part of the world.
While living with my sister, I met the doctor and operator Mr. Vanzetti: he comes from Padua. Sick people flock to him from all over the Crimea; he honorably maintains the glory of the famous University of Padua. Here I also met the Russian artist Mr. Chernetsky. He is an excellent landscape painter. I saw many excellent views of the Crimea that he took, which he intends to publish in lithographs. He promised to give me some of them, and kept his word, giving me the opportunity at all times to remember the delights of Taurida.
Sitting alone on the ship, I had time to run through in my mind everything I had seen in the Crimea. The southern coast presents a striking contrast with the northern steppe part of the peninsula. There is a dry, waterless, sun-scorched steppe where the poor Nogais roam; here is an earthly paradise, lush vegetation, blessed climate, sea, mountains, royal gardens and palaces! But the main treasure of Crimea is its sea harbors. The harbors of Sevastopol are priceless for Russia: in one of them our entire Black Sea Fleet fits safely and establishes our dominion on the Black Sea!
With extensive knowledge, with the tireless activity of Count Vorontsov, this region is flourishing every year. Count Vorontsov combines a deep state mind with extraordinary simplicity in manner. He knows how to listen to everyone, hug everyone, inspire confidence and love in everyone. Taurida and the Novorossiysk region owe their roads, ports, trade, agriculture and education to him.
Our steamship "Peter the Great", controlled by the skillful captain Miller, weighed anchor on May 4th at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Among the passengers was Mr. Voitsekhovich, an official of special assignments under the Chief Prosecutor of the Holy Synod, a very educated man and a pleasant conversationalist. We sailed along the entire majestic midday coast of Taurida. Cape Ai-Todor, Oreanda, Alupka, Simeiz, Foros, the Baydar Gate, the formidable cliffs of Cape Fiolent and the ancient St. George Monastery, hanging over the abyss of the waves, flashed before us. Having rounded the Chersonesus lighthouse and leaving the entrance to Sevastopol Bay to the right, we went out into the open sea towards Odessa.
The next day in the morning the Kinburn Spit opened, reminiscent of the immortal, invincible Suvorov! When the Turks landed here in 1787 and began to dig in with a rampart, they rushed to inform Suvorov about this. “God have mercy! don't bother them! - the commander cried. - Let everyone get ashore! Then it will be easier for us to throw them into the sea!” And so it happened: the Kinburn victory became one of the most glorious feats of Russian weapons.
At 8 o'clock in the morning the military steamer "Meteor" met us at sea, greeting us with a flag. At noon we were already approaching Odessa. The view of Odessa from the sea is delightful! The city spreads out like an amphitheater on a high bank; beautiful buildings, boulevards, stairs going down to the sea make a majestic impression. There are two harbors here: Quarantine and Volnaya (Practical), completely separated from each other. Our ship entered Practical Harbor, since we came from the Crimean port and were not subject to quarantine.
As soon as we landed, L.K. Lazinov, director of the Odessa customs - my old good friend from Moscow and St. Petersburg - came to the pier to meet me. He saved me from all the hassle with luggage and friendly invited me to stay with him. I gratefully accepted his hospitality.
Odessa, formerly the poor Tatar village of Gadzhibey, which had a small Turkish fortification, was taken by storm on September 14, 1789 by Russian troops under the command of De Ribas, with the participation of the Black Sea Cossacks led by Ataman Zakhary Chepega and Anton Golovaty. In 1794, by order of Empress Catherine II, a new military and commercial port was founded here, named Odessa in memory of the ancient Greek colony of Odessos.