UP THE DON AND VOLGA. 257 



of the beam in the sand. All hands then bore down 

 on the long end of the beam, while the steamer was 

 hauled forward by working the capstan. 



This process was slow and not always sure. Some- 

 times, when the free passengers were complacently 

 perched along the beam holding it down, something 

 slipped and all were precipitated into the water. 

 Passengers are expected to take an interest in over- 

 coming the difficulties at these shallow places. The 

 sounding-pole betrays the fact that the water is three 

 inches deeper on one side of the boat than the other. 

 All passengers are then required to crowd over to the 

 deep water side to help ease her off. 



Sometimes a station consisted of a housed hulk, and 

 sometimes the steamer merely thrust her nose up 

 against the bank to let passengers on or off. In the 

 latter case a plank was run ashore and a hand-rail im- 

 provised by means of a sounding-pole and the shoul- 

 ders of a couple of roustabouts, one on deck, the other 

 ashore. 



The passengers were the most interesting, and often 

 the most amusing, not to say instructive, objects seen 

 on the trip. There was a light-haired, light-eyed lady 

 with a shrill voice, who flirted all the way with the 

 captain and wanted to give orders for him down the 

 speaking-tube. Some of these orders are given in 

 English on Russian boats, the choicest one of them all 

 being " shtop-a-leetle." To hear this lady shout shrilly 

 in the speaking-tube " shtop-a-leetle," was one of the 

 diversions of the journey, and will always be associated 

 with my reminiscences of the Don. 



There was a gray-whiskered army officer who tried 



