710 COXE’s TRAVELS IN RUSSIA .

the Swedes by Peter tile Great, and confirmed to the Ruffians by the peace of Ryftadt,in 1721.

The reformation was firfl introduced into Livonia and Efthonia in 1522, and foon em-braced by all ranks of people. The Lutheran religion is the molt prevalent j but all otherfedts are tolerated.

Narva and its fuburbs, according to a geographical divifion, are fituated partly in In*gria, and partly in Efthonia, as the river Narova divides thole two provinces; but,in the divifion of governments eftablilhed by the Emprefs, is comprifedin Ingria , or thegovernment of St. Peterfburgh.

Narva Hands on the Narova, near one hundred miles from Peterfburgh, twenty-fourfrom the point where that river iffues from the lake, and eight miles from its mouth,where it falls into the Gulf of Finland . The homes are built of brick ftuccoed white,and it has more the appearance of a German than of a Ruffian town. In the fuburbs,called Ivangorod , the coloffal remains of an ancient fortrefs, built by Ivan Vaffilievitchthe Great, impend in a picturefque manner over the fteep banks of the Narova.

The principal exports are hemp, flax, timber, and corn; the imports, fait, tobacco,wine, falted herrings, fpices, tea, fugar, and other grocery wares.

I did not omit vifiting the two falls of the river Narova, which have been pompouflydefcribed by feveral travellers, but appear trifling and uninterefting to thofe who havefeen the fall of the Rhine at Schaffhaufen, of the Dahl, near Gefle, in Sweden , and theftupendous catarafts of Trolhastta. The breadth of the river is two hundred feet, andthe perpendicular height of the falls fcarcely exceeds twenty. The fteep and chalkybanks of the river, its rapid and turbid ftream, and a rocky ifland which feparates thetwo falls, form a rugged and picturefque fcene,much heightened by the foam and roar-ing of the cataraft.

Near Narva is the fpot celebrated for the victory which Charles the Twelfth, in thenineteenth year of his age, gained over the Ruffian army (1700). Authors prone toexaggeration, and willing to render more marvellous the exploits of the Swedilh hero,have diminifhed his army to three thoufand, and increafed the Ruffians to one hundredthoufand. The fa£t feems to be, that Charles headed, on that memorable day, at leaftnine thoufand men, and the Ruffians did not exceed thirty-two thoufand *. And it isno wonder that the veteran troops of Sweden , led on by their undaunted monarch,fhould triumph over a raw undifciplined army, commanded by generals at variancewith each other. Six thoufand Ruffians, including thofe drowned in attempting topafs the Narova, fell in this engagement; but the confequences were ftill more fatal tothe Ruffian arms, as the whole artillery was loft, and the greater part of the infantryfurrendered to the conqueror. The number ofprifoners was fo great, that the officerswere only detained; the reft were driven, like a flock of fheep, to the diftance of a leaguefrom Narva , and difmiffed.

Peter the Great , not difpirited with this lofs, exclaimed, “ I expefted that the Swedeswould beat my troops •, but in time they will teach us to conquer them.” Nor wasthis predi&ion long before it was verified. In lefs than five years from the defeat atNarva , he revenged the difhonour of his arms on that unfortunate day, by taking thetown by affault; and ga've a Angular proof of his humanity. Ele traverfed the ftreetson horfeback, with his drawn fword in his hand, reftrained his troops from pillage,killedtwo who refufed to defift, placed guards at the doors of the principal houfes and before

* See L’Eveftpie’a Hift. de Ruffle, vol. iv. p. 169.

the