TRIP TO VLADIKAVKAZ AND KARBARDA 209 



predated. This Crown podorojnaya is the prerogative 

 of aU engaged on official business, and is also readily 

 and courteously granted to travellers who have had the 

 forethought to provide themselves with commendatory 

 letters of introduction. 



There is yet another type of podorojnaya, the Courier, 

 a " clear the line " order, bestowed only on Govern- 

 ment messengers and very, very important persons. 



To be clear of the nuisance of having to apply for a 

 fresh licence to travel each time we took the road, we 

 adroitly manoeuvred a comprehensive Crown podo- 

 rojnaya which passed us anywhere, and held good 

 thoughout the rest of our stay. 



The telega and the tarantass are the vehicles 

 provided on these post-road journeys and there are no 

 springs in either, for these conveyances have to be 

 proof against the roughest roads and the onslaughts of 

 the amateur mender. Besides, the more springs to your 

 carriage the more horses does the postmaster consider 

 you require, although one would imagine that the 

 thing ought to work out contrariwise. 



The telega is simply an oblong wooden box, a sort of 

 primitive coracle, set right on to the wheels, of which 

 there are four. The passenger sits on the floor, which 

 is about a foot below the gunwale, on an interlacement 

 of rope called a pereplot. The driver has a little board 

 fixed just below the outer edge of the shay, near the 

 tails of the horses, or, as an alternative, bounds about 

 loose on the luggage. How he adheres to the oscillating 

 heap for a moment is a perfect mystery, for he gets the 

 brunt of the jolts as he drives ventre-d-terrc up hill. 



