UP THE DON AND VOLGA. 265 



ment being indicated by the sawing of an imaginary- 

 violin. 



Not to be tempted, however, by the blandishments 

 of resin and catgut, as manipulated by the talent of 

 the Lower Volga, I hastened aboard the steamer. I 

 got aboard in time to shut the window of my cabin 

 against a hurricane of dust that sprang up and ob- 

 scured everything at the distance of a hundred yards. 

 As we paddled away nothing was to be seen of Tzar- 

 itzin but the dust of its streets, which had been con- 

 verted into a dense cloud, and which completely hid 

 the city from our view. 



The cabins were spacious and left nothing to be 

 desired, save sheets and a pillow. Since every traveler 

 in Russia is supposed to carry these articles with him, 

 the steamboat people consider they have made ample 

 provision for the comfort of their first-class passengers 

 by providing broad, soft lounges for them to lie down 

 on at night. The steamboats carry no bed linen, 

 though the trips occupy several days. In every other 

 respect the cabins are superior even to those on the 

 Fall River Line and other crack American steamers. 



The cuisine is very good. You can dine a la carte 

 on sturgeon and champagne, or you can get a four- 

 course table d'hote dinner with a half bottle of drink- 

 able Crimean claret for a couple of rubles. Or, if you 

 are economical, and care to do in Russia as plenty of 

 the Russians do, you can forage for yourself whenever 

 the steamer calls at a town, and obtain from the 

 steamer nothing but hot water to make your tea. 



The arrangements are better than on the Don 

 steamers, where at dinner-time every window of the 



