Here they found the king seated on a throne, and attended by all the principal nobles of his court.They wished bad first impression very much to cultivate a good understanding with Russia, on account of the trade and commerce of that country, which was already very great, and was rapidly increasing.First came a troop of horses that belonged to the king.It extends for a mile or two bad first impression along the banks of a deep and still river, which furnish most complete and extensive facilities for the docks and ship yards.The doors of the palace and the halls and entrances leading to the apartments of the embassadors were guarded by twenty four soldiers, who were stationed there as sentinels to protect the precincts from all intrusion.The windows, too, and the roofs of bad first impression all the houses, were crowded with spectators.But Peter, when he arrived, would not occupy the palace at all, but went into a quiet lodging among the shipping, where he could ramble about without constraint, and see all that was to be seen which could illustrate the art of navigation.The land here is not of much value for cultivation, on account of the long and bad first impression dreary winters and the consequent shortness of the summer season.He very seldom attended any of the great parades and celebrations which were continually taking place in honor of the embassy, but went only to the houses of men eminent in private life for their attainments in particular branches of knowledge, or for their experience or success as merchants or navigators.In the spring of the year 1697, he thought that bad first impression the time had come for carrying this idea into effect.They related all the details of the plot, and gave the names of the principal persons concerned in it.