266 THROUGH RUSSIA ON A MUSTANG. 



saloon is apt to frame the unkempt head of one of the 

 third-class passengers, who regards with wolfish in- 

 terest the contents of your plate and speculates 

 vaguely as to the probable sensation on the palate of 

 the various dishes as they come in. 



Every Russian passenger carries tea and su^ar, 

 usually in a little calico bag. Bread and lemons are 

 bought at the stopping places, and every steamer 

 keeps a lubberly, unwilling sort of youth, whose duty 

 is to provide plenty of hot water. Teapot and glasses 

 are obtained from the steward, and the Russian family 

 by means of these ingredients manage to pass no 

 small share of their time drinking tea and sweetened 

 water. The Russian would probably rebel against the 

 insinuation of sweetened water, but the straw-colored 

 fluid that is yielded by the overtaxed leaves after the 

 teapot has been replenished over and over again with 

 hot water is not to be converted into tea by a mere 

 politeness of the tongue. 



Life on the boat was dull. The men played cards 

 and the women read novels. There was a spacious 

 promenade deck, but no promenaders to speak of, 

 though the nights were moonlight and the weather all 

 that could be desired. By walking round the deck a 

 few times one made himself conspicuous. If, per- 

 chance, one of the Russian travelers took to strutting 

 up and down, it was some vain young peacock of an 

 officer who had nothing to recommend him but a new 

 uniform, or some giddy member of the opposite sex 

 posing for the admiration of the men. Russians 

 rarely walk for exercise, they being in this respect 

 thoroughly Oriental. 



