34 A SHOOTING TRIP TO KAMCHATKA 



magnificently turned out fjvYkas had conveyed them 

 to their home ; a third one had been kindly placed 

 at our disposal. To my amazement our coachman 

 addressed me in English ; I understood he had spent 

 several years in America as a stud groom, and was 

 now enjoying a well-earned rest in our fellow- 

 traveller's service. Towards evening we bravely 

 faced the odour of the passages, and holding our 

 noses rushed out of the hotel for a drive. All the 

 party met at the Circus, where we witnessed some fine 

 equestrian performances and a couple of elephants 

 playing chess. The secretary and the consul joined 

 us there after a somewhat curious experience. Their 

 jehu had driven them from the station to a most 

 unmentionable place, known in the town as the 

 " Museum," and they had had the greatest difficulty 

 in the world to reach the hotel. 



We were most anxious to resume our journey in 

 order to catch the boat at V^ladivostok on the 14th of 

 June. A special train had been fitted out for the 

 minister, who attached us informally to his person, 

 and we were assured that we should be able to leave 

 Irkutsk on the following night. Next morning my 

 first visit was to the real Museum, and I was obligingly 

 shown over it by the curator, Professor Pershine. 

 There stood a fine Oris aiiiDioji, from the Altai', 



