330 The University of California I\Iagazine. 



for military reasons), saw the big iron foundry, climbed one of 

 tlie neighboring hills for a widespread view and walked back 

 in the falling darkness through the wide streets of the town, 

 in which stood all the population. We were glad to get to the 

 train, and after "tchai" to crawl into our bunks. 



Thursday was in a way a repetition of the previous day, 

 but with more pronounced hospitality and more enjoyment. 

 Reaching the station Simskaia in the early morning (the dis- 

 tances we move ahead each day are small, and so the train re- 

 mains still all night, thus giving us a good sleep). We took a 

 short walk to see the geological section there, and then by 

 droschke and by tramway (a five-mile road built for our con- 

 venience !) we were taken to the town of Simsk, where is a sec- 

 ond large iron foundry. Here we were ushered into the large 

 house of the proprietor and into the garden, where we found a 

 huge pavilion decorated with flags of all nations and with fra- 

 grant evergreens, erected for our entertainment. Wine, beer, 

 drinks of all sorts were served by the hostess and her daughters, 

 and the host and his brother officers were everywhere with 

 smiling faces and urgent hospitality. Reluctantly leaving the 

 tables we took a glorious walk up the canyon near at hand ; 

 climbed the highest hill and drank in the view of mountain, val- 

 ley, lake and town. I may as well say that so far the geology 

 has been of little special interest to me, as it has dealt wholly 

 with fossils and stratified rock. In two or three days we will 

 come into regions v^'here minerals and volcanic rocks play their 

 part. At present 1 learn more by going out with Prof. Lawson 

 and other Americans to the summits, from which we study the 

 forms in a more general way. 



Returning we had a glorious bath in the clear cold water of 

 the lake, and were then taken to the house, where there was 

 singing by the ladies and others. But dinner vvas the event, 

 and we were soon all in the pavilion — careless of a heavy pas- 

 sing thunder storm and occupied to the full with a fme meal 

 with only too much wine as accompaniment. Soup, delicious 

 fish, fowl and roast, all with strange flavors but good. Toasts 

 were offered by the representatives of most of the nations, the 



