100 FORESTRY IN LITHUANIA 



country is for the most part flat, and only diversified here 

 and there by small lakes, and patches of fir and birch 

 plantations. The intermediate stations were all crowded 

 with soldiers ; but no authentic particulars of information 

 could be learned anywhere respecting the insurrection 

 which had thus drawn them out from their various 

 winter quarters. We had learned much more about its 

 progress, whilst we were yet at a distance, from English 

 and French and German newspapers, than we seemed 

 likely to learn in the country disturbed by it. 



' A run of about four hours by railway brought us to 

 Grodno, where we were received by a cousin of the 

 Count ; and, having dressed hastily at the hotel, went to 

 dine with Prince and Princess Lubecki, who received us 

 with the utmost kindness. I was agreeably surprised 

 to find that the Princess, who is an aunt of the Count, 

 spoke English ; and this circumstance, joined with the 

 hearty friendliness of all the party, tended not a little to 

 secure for me a most agreeable evening in this land of 

 strangers, 



' Our breakfast next morning presented the novelty of 

 tea served up in tumblers, accompanied with cigarettes, 

 and, from that time until midday, there was an uninter- 

 rupted succession of visitors coming in to see the Count. 

 We went out for luncheon to a neighbouring restaurant, 

 and met a number of Russian officers who had been 

 playing billiards there. The demeanour of the Russian 

 officers, especially those of the Imperial Guard, is gene- 

 rally marked by great courtesy ; but, upon the present 

 occasion, I must confess, they exhibited it only in scant 

 measure. In fact, one of them did not scruple to stretch 

 his hand rudely over the table and help himself to a 

 portion of bread which had been placed for our party. 

 Whether he did it intentionally, or from inadvertence, I 

 cannot say ; but a significant smile which passed, at the 

 same moment, over the face of one of his brother officers 

 who observed him, forced me to believe that they were 

 trying how far they might venture to show their contempt 



