. The boy travellers in the Russian empire: adventures of two youths in a journey in European and Asiatic Russia, with accounts of a tour across cb representPETER 11. scenes in tbe lives of tbe Czars, togetber witb tbeir portraits. One of tbe tombs was covered witb a black clotb, and we asked tbeguide wbat it meant. Tbat is tbe tomb of Jobn tbe Terrible, said be, and tbe black clotbis to sliow tbat lie assumed tbe cowl of a monk an liour or so before be wanted to atone for bis many cruelties, and tliis is tbe way be did it. Tbe guide furtber told us tbat in ancient times wb
. The boy travellers in the Russian empire: adventures of two youths in a journey in European and Asiatic Russia, with accounts of a tour across cb representPETER 11. scenes in tbe lives of tbe Czars, togetber witb tbeir portraits. One of tbe tombs was covered witb a black clotb, and we asked tbeguide wbat it meant. Tbat is tbe tomb of Jobn tbe Terrible, said be, and tbe black clotbis to sliow tbat lie assumed tbe cowl of a monk an liour or so before be wanted to atone for bis many cruelties, and tliis is tbe way be did it. Tbe guide furtber told us tbat in ancient times wben any one wisbedto present a petition to tbe Czar be came to tbis cliurcb and placed tbepaper on one of tbe tombs. By a long-establisbed custom wbicb bad tbeforce of law, no one but a Czar could remove it. In tbis way tbe rulercould be readied wben all otber means of approacbing bim were unavaila-ble. Wbat a pity tbe custom does not continue to tbe present time! Tbe only emperor buried bere is Peter II., son of Alexis and grand-son of Peter tbe Great. As before stated, tbe Imperial burial-place basbeen at St. Petersburg since tbat city was CUPOLAS ON RUSSIAN CHURCHES. 247 While the Czars were crowned in the Cathedral of the Assumptionand bnried in that of St. Michael, they were baptized and married in thatof the Annunciation, which was the next we visited. Its floor is of jas-per and agate, and it has nine cupolas, heavily covered with gilding. Thecross on the centre cupola is said to be of solid gold—a statement open toa good deal of doubt, though by no means entirely improbable when weremember what treasures are stored in the Kremlin. Tlie interior of thischurch is covered with frescos, and like the others is adorned with pict-ures set in precious stones. Mentioning the cupolas of this church reminds us that the cupolas ofthe Russian churches vary all the way from one up to thirteen, the num-ber being nearly always odd. Usually they have five cupolas; the build-i
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