1044 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



then a substantial frame structure hav- 

 nig elaborate window-frames and fancy 

 gables. 



The people, too, are of large, sturdy 

 frames. The long and neglected beards 

 of the men give them a fierce, coarse ap- 

 pearance, in sharp contrast with the 

 "childlike and bland" expression of their 

 clean-faced Chinese neighbors. 



According to our calendar, we are in 

 the first week of July, and find our thin 

 clothing is very comfortable; but to look 

 at the peasants at the stations one would 

 conclude winter had set in early. The 

 men wear fur caps with ear protectors 

 to turn down and magenta and other 

 brisfht-colored calico blouses belted, with 

 baggy trousers tucked mto great heavy 

 boots. The women are equally well pro- 

 tected by thick "non-hobble" skirts, 

 clumsy shoes, and heads closely wrapped 

 in kerchiefs or shawls. 



Our train being a "limited," stops are 

 made only at the more important places, 

 at some of which 20 minutes are allowed 

 passengers to stretch their legs. 



We pace the platform, dodging the 

 vigilant guard while gathering in a few 

 shots with the kodak. At some of the 

 first stops the brave guards were very 

 annoying, almost to rudeness, threaten- 

 ing to appropriate the kodak if we at- 

 tempted to use it. Naturally the risk 

 only adds zest to our efi^orts, and but few 

 opportunities escape. 



WE re;turn to the; land of bread and 



BUTTER 



At the stations where stops are made 

 numbers of peasants are gathered, offer- 

 ing at very reasonable prices that stafl:' 

 of life which is so much missed and 

 so greatly craved by travelers in Japan 

 and China — good sweet bread — sold here 

 in a variety not only of colors, but in 

 size, from the black loaf two feet in 

 diameter down to rolls of ordinary size, 

 but of extraordinary sweetness. We 

 have, too, again resumed the habit which 

 is said to be spreading — butter. The 

 general cultivation of rice in Japan and 

 parts of China make pastures scarce, so 

 that milk and butter was there omitted 

 from our menu. But here, on these vast 



meadows, are pastured great droves of 

 handsome cattle. 



The recollection of the bread, butter, 

 Dutch cheese, wild strawberries, and 

 cream purchased from these farmer 

 people will always be associated with the 

 Transiberian journey, since our lunch- 

 basket was daily augmented by pur-, 

 chases of these wholesome supplies. 

 While the food served in the dining-cars 

 is as good as could be expected, we 

 greatly enjoyed the occasional breakfasts 

 and daily lunch of our own providing. 



From now on to Moscow no more 

 changes of cars will be necessary, much 

 to our relief, as during the first five days 

 and nights from Peking we have been 

 enlivened by five changes of cars and 

 several encounters with customs officials, 

 interspersed with exhibits of our pass- 

 port to any inquiring mind embodied in 

 a form wearing Russian clothing who 

 chanced to feel a curiosity to read some 

 of our life's secrets contained in that 

 document. 



THRONGS OE IMMIGRANTS 



Many emigrant trains are met filled 

 with people who have been induced to 

 pull up from the cities or more thickly 

 settled western country to try their for- 

 tunes in the great Northeast. The Rus- 

 sian government is offering farms and 

 many extraordinary inducements to set- 

 tlers, and great numbers are availing 

 themselves of the opportunity. At many 

 of the stations these people are gathered 

 around in family groups, using their 

 bundles of clothing and belongings to 

 recline or sit upon while awaiting the 

 train which is to convey them on to their 

 destination. Some of these tired mothers 

 trying to quiet and relieve the wants of 

 their crying children present truly pa- 

 thetic scenes. 



It seems strange that so many profes- 

 sional beggars are encountered at these 

 small settlements, where employment for 

 the unskilled must be so abundant. 



On the third day of July we were dis- 

 appointed when passing lake Baikal by 

 encountering a hard rain, which pre- 

 vented our seeing much of this wonder- 

 ful body of water, the sixth largest lake 

 on the globe. Its level is 1,500 feet above 



