SPORT IN THE CRIMEA. 



can neither get nor make such tea in England, and 

 once away from Russia, you must be content to leave 

 the blessings of tea, ' swejie ikra ' (fresh caviare), 

 and the soothing papiros (cigarette) behind you ; 

 for numerous as tobacconists are in England, I 

 know none where really good cigarette tobacco can 

 be bought, such as you smoke in the Crimea. 



Meanwhile, as we are still here, let us lie on our 

 backs and enjoy the delicious weed, watching the 

 yemstchik arrange that wonderful puzzle of old 

 cord which constitutes the harness of a troika. At 

 last the horses are ready, and depositing ourselves 

 and game on the jolting vehicle, we let our legs 

 swing over the side, and if used to the motion 

 manage to get a great deal of pleasure out of the 

 drive home. 



As the evening closes in over these wild waste 

 lands, a stillness and peace seem to come with it 

 of which one has no knowledge in the towns. The 

 piping of the quails, the long soft wail of the 

 coolik (curlew), and even the notes of the German 

 hunting horn on the other droshky far in front, all 

 seem to make fitting music for the hour and scene ; 

 and as the stars begin to shine out from a sky of 

 infinite depth and metallic blueness, the oojai 

 domoi (home already) is spoken not without an 

 accent of regret, though limbs are tired and steppe 

 roads rough. 



