66 THE RED FOREST AND 



Ikra (fresh caviare) was nearly two shillings a 

 pound, and fresh butter tenpence. It is one of the 

 unpleasant characteristics of the Russian tradesman 

 that you must always bargain with him for the 

 merest trifle. It is only fair to say for him that it 

 is the fault rather of his customers than himself ; 

 for in Kertch, where we were known, the trades- 

 men, knowing that the English residents did not 

 care to haggle about a bargain, would ask the price 

 they meant to accept in the first instance, instead 

 of adding on an extra charge to be gradually taken 

 off to please the customer. 



Whilst waiting in the post-station for my horses 

 to be put to, I chanced on the following passage in 

 a Russian book of travels, by one Ivan Goutcharoff, 

 which I have taken the liberty of translating for 

 the benefit of my readers. Speaking of his sojourn 

 in England, he says : 1 1 did not make the acquain- 



* tance of any families, so that 1 only saw the women 



* in the churches, shops, opera-boxes, streets, &c., so 

 ' that I can only say (and that to prevent your being 

 ' offended at me for neglecting this subject) that they 

 ' are very beautiful, well built, and of a wondrous 

 ' complexion, though they eat much meat and sweets 

 ' and drink strong wine. Yet in other nations you 

 ' will not find so much beauty as among the masses 

 'in England. Don't judge of English beauty (as 

 ' Russians too often do) by the red-haired gentlemen 

 1 and dames who come out from Kngland under the 



