JOURNEY FROM ST. PETERSBURG. 17 



smaller fairs in various places, and were thus more exten- 

 sively distributed over the empire. I make mention of 

 this because of the opportunity which doing so affords for 

 giving a brief illustration of the way in which business 

 was carried on then, and probably is still. A booth was 

 hired by the friend entrusted with the work. Here his 

 books were displayed for sale, He was well acquainted 

 with Russian modes of dealing, and thoroughly acquainted 

 with the Russian language in so far as it was used in 

 trade and commerce. In answer to the question, ' What 

 have you got here ?' He showed his stock. In answer to 

 the offer ' I'll take a thousand if you will take pocket 

 handkerchiefs in exchange,' he might say, ' I shall do so for 

 half the amount of the purchase money if we can agree 

 on terms ;' and thus one bargain might be made. To the 

 oext inquirer he showed his books and pocket handker- 

 chiefs; and in his sale to him he might dispose of one half 

 of the pocket handkerchiefs, and 500 tracts and books, for 

 cash and a quantity of logwood. To a third inquirer he 

 would show books, pocket handkerchiefs, and logwood. 

 And proceeding thus he had so to order his bargains as to 

 get the whole of his original stock disposed of, and the goods 

 taken in exchange disposed of for others which could be 

 sold in St. Petersburg, or exported if they were not such. 

 On this occasion there passed through his hands in the 

 course of these transactions, besides pocket handkerchiefs 

 and logwood, amongst other things which I have forgotten, 

 a horse, a quantity of feathers, and a quantity of quills. 



The skill of the salesman is manifested in never taking 

 anything in barter for which he may not be able to find a 

 purchaser, and in never taking anything at too high a price. 

 If he can he will make a profit on every transaction ; but 

 what he relies on is making a profit on the sum of the 

 transactions. In our case we were less desirous of a profit 

 than of avoiding any loss, and securing a wide distribu- 

 tion for our books. We knew beforehand that our books 

 would be sold at an exhorbitant profit. But this would 

 be done in localities to which we could not ourselves gain 



