SPORTING APPLIANCES. 17 



But then the voyage takes, I think, from a 

 fortnight to three weeks, while by rail a third 

 of that time suffices. 



But whatever you do, don't trust to the 

 chance of obtaining any of your sporting 

 appliances in Russia. Even at the best shops 

 guns, rifles, and all other sportsmen's tools 

 are cheap and nasty ; and unless you can take 

 your own powder with you from England, you 

 are little likely to get anything fit to shoot 

 with in the Caucasus and Southern Russia. 



The steamers from Odessa to Poti only 

 run twice a week during the summer, while 

 in winter they do not even do that as a 

 regular thing. Small storms have a great 

 eflPect on the minds of Russian mariners ; the 

 harbours along the Black Sea coast are none 

 of them very good, so that communication 

 by water between Odessa and Poti is often 

 interrupted. 



With true travellers' luck, the train we 



VOL. I. C 



