EUROPEAN BIG GAME 163 



:\.\\ invitation to join an expedition into the province of Novgorod, 

 organised by Count Alexander Miinster, son of the distinguished 

 Ambassador of that name so well known to us from his long 

 residence in England. 



Our third 'gun' was M. Constantine Dumba, First Secre- 

 tary to the Austrian Embassy, whose agreeable companionship 

 added considerably to the pleasure of the trip. 



With these gentlemen I arrived at Malo Vyschera, a 



-:ation 152 versts down the direct line from St. Petersburg to 



.[oscow, at 7.30 P.M., March 2 14, 1889, had supper, and after 



packing ourselves, our trusty henchmen, and our provisions 



into country sledges which baffle description, started a la 



belle ctoile at 9.15 p.m. The moon was nearly at her full, the 



thermometer at — 9° Reaumur (about 9° Fahr., or 23 degrees of 



frost), and not a breath of wind. The sensation of gliding 



along through the silent night, comfortably wrapped up and 



^tended at full length on the hay with which each sledge was 



nply provided, was most enjoyable. The weird beauty of the 



rest scenery by moonlight, the countless rows of dark firs, 



the silvery birches, the sudden clearings, all exciting the 



imagination, whilst the constant jolts and dislocation of the 



body, resulting in curses loud as well as deep, forbade sleep 



till the small hours. I had, however, begun to slumber, 



when we were tumbled out to change sledges at a small village 



liled Falkova, at about 1.15 a.m. While fresh horses and 



drivers were being collected we had tea in the principal room 



of the posting house, which we found very clean, dry and 



'mfortable. I am afraid we disturbed the family in their beds 



:i the top of the stove, which may sound strange in English 



irs ; but these stoves, being made of brick and cement and 



i)Out the sizf; of a pianoforte van, whole families can, and do, 



eep atop of them without inconvenience. At 2 a.m., or a little 



Iter, we were again en route. 



I have experienced extreme cold in various quarters of the 

 '.obe, but recollections of nocturnal expeditions in Canada at 

 hristmas time, and of middle watches on the fore bridge 



