"Vladimir" and the 50-gun frigate "Alexander". This descent is richly furnished. "Across the Dnfpr," an eyewitness says, "three floating bridges with railings were built in Zaranfa, for protection from the sun and rain, equipped with a roof, which was covered with green oilcloth. Between the two extreme places, on which the spectators were seated, there were stages from which the ships were supposed to leave. Wednesday a platform intended for Empress, Count Falkenstein and the highest noble persons, was distinguished by his magnificent and tastefully decorated jewelry. “Brocades, golden fringes, garlands, pearls and flowers decorated the canopies built on the shore for their majesties,” adds de Ligne. “From the imperial palace to the verya, which was almost half a mile away, the path was leveled and covered with green cloth, 2 fathoms wide... The Empress appeared easily, in a gray cloth hood, with a black satin cap on his head. Count Falkenstein was also dressed in a simple tailcoat; Prince Potemkin, on the contrary, shone in a richly embroidered gold uniform, with all the orders.”
The Russian ambassador Bulgakov came to Kherson from Constantinople, and important meetings about Turkish affairs took place; this will be a real congress. Potemkin had a large army gathered here, more than 150 thousand. The Turks, for their part, staged a naval demonstration - their squadron appeared near the mouth of the Dnieper; Catherine had to postpone the proposed trip to Kinburn. War, however, was not expected so soon.
Tosif P defeated Segur with his besfds. "During the day he walked around the neighborhood, and since I,” says Segur, “was lucky enough to please him, he went on further walks with me, simply taking me by the arm. In conversations with me, he made it clear to me that he had little sympathy for Catherine’s ambitious plans. In this regard, he liked Franchi’s policies. “Constantinople,” he said, “will always be the subject of envy and strife, as a result of which the great powers will never agree on the division
Turshi.“ He was not amazed by the rapid success of Russian enterprises. “I see more brilliance than dBla,” he said; “Potemkin is talented, but he is more capable of starting a great enterprise and bringing it to completion. However, everything is possible if you spend money and don’t feel sorry for people. In Germany or France, we would not dare to think that this is being done without much difficulty.”
Such walks were repeated later, in the steppe, when the travelers moved further to the Crimea. At one stop, in the evening, "when we separated from the empress, Joseph P, wanting to take advantage of the beautiful night, took me by the arm and went for a walk with me. We walked for quite a long time along this vast plain, where the gaze found no obstacles. At the sight of several camels and Tatar shepherds wandering in the steppe, the emperor said to me: "What a strange journey. Who would have thought that I would wander through the Tatar steppes with Catherine II, along with French and English envoys. This is a completely new page in history."
“It rather seems to me,” replied Segur, “that this is a page from a thousand and one nights, that my name is Jaear, and that I am walking with Haleom Harun al Rashid, in disguise as usual.”...
WHOOP. TAVRIDA.
On May 17, leaving Kherson, Catherine 2 days later entered Crimea, named again as in ancient times.
times, Tavrida. At the very entrance, a detachment of Tatar horsemen, richly dressed and armed, came to meet them; “The monarch,” says Segur, “wanted that during her stay in the Crimea she would be protected by the Tatars, despising women, enemies of the Christians, and only recently conquered by her authorities. This unexpected experience of gullibility was a success, like any brave feat.
“Agree, dear Segur,” de Ligne said to me, laughing, “that the 12 thousand Tatars with whom we are surrounded could cause alarm throughout all of Europe if they decided to suddenly drag us to the shore, put the august empress and the powerful Roman emperor on ships and take them to Constantinople, to the great pleasure of His Majesty Abdul Gamet, lord and commander of the faithful!..” Fortunately, these thoughts did not come to the minds of the magnanimous sons of Mohammed. “.