RED TAPE 271 



been snowing every day for the last three months, 

 and the streets of the town were in a dreadful 

 condition. Many sleighs, of the roughest work- 

 manship, were traversing the country in every 

 direction, some drawn by bullocks, the majority 

 by shaggy little horses. We took all our heavy 

 luggage, our heads 'and (trophies, and though at 

 first the Customs authorities were very suspicious, 

 as soon as they knew we did not intend proceeding 

 that same day their attitude changed. They made 

 a very perfunctory examination of our goods, books 

 claiming their chief attention, and allowed us to 

 have everything packed in matting, roped, sealed, 

 and forwarded by Klemenski and Company, the 

 forwarding agents. 



On March 2nd our long-expected passports 

 arrived. We were jubilant, but alas ! our joy was 

 short-lived. There were no permits for firearms 

 and, what was still worse, no pass for the post road. 

 Messrs. Peterson and Hansen left with Duke Lan's 

 son, who was travelling to Peking. Mr. Hansen, 

 however, was stopped at Bakti, as he had no permit 

 from the Governor-General, and detained for one 

 day. I only mention this incident to show that 

 the difficulties of travelling in Russia are not 

 exaggerated. Every detail must be thought out 

 months before. Telegrams are cheap in Russia, 

 though as the average telegraphic operator's know- 

 ledge of English is nil and telegrams are sent 

 phonetically, the orthography is pretty well mauled 

 in transmission. I should not like to say how 

 many wires George despatched, but on March 6th 

 in desperation we decided to leave for Bakti. It 

 was, at any rate, "a day's march nearer home," 

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