64 THE RED FOREST AND 



the moujik's clothes are as simple and inexpensive 

 as his diet : in winter a toga of sheepskin, with the 

 woolly side in, a scarf round his waist and sheep- 

 skin hat on his head, a pair of long boots that cost 

 him more than all the rest of his outfit, but are un- 

 rivalled for their long wearing qualities ; in sum- 

 mer a calico shirt ; and summer and winter you may 

 see his wife and brats going about, in snow or sun- 

 shine, with nothing but a single linen garment 

 between them and the weather. His winter outfit 

 is perhaps a trifle costly, as compared to the rest of 

 his expenditure, but then it is wonderful how long 

 one suit of clothes will last a moujik ; and like a 

 wise man he always prefers old clothes to new, so 

 long as they will hold together. 



With such a thrifty peasantry, and so much 

 valuable land, surely better results might be 

 obtained. 



I believe that the whole of the misery of Russia, 

 her political discontent, her Nihilism, and the foul 

 crimes of which it has been the cause, are due, not 

 to the autocratic form of government under which 

 she exists, and to which, in spite of the outcry of 

 the few, the majority of Russians are firmly wedded, 

 but to the utter want of religious training amongst 

 all classes, and to that widespread corruption in the 

 official world, from which all who come in contact 

 with it suffer continually. Were there less com- 

 pulsory military service, more religious training, 



