12 
RUSSIA IX EUROPE 
convenience and necessities, but with uncivilized nations nature 
dominates and man becomes subject to its influence. The char- 
acter and habits of the Russians are therefore largely fashioned 
by their environments, which vary little in different localities. 
Russia has only two seasons, summer and winter. During 
the long Arctic winter the people are without occu])ation, save 
the tending of flocks morning and night ; the days are short and 
sunless y*tlie nights long; the houses, Avithout ventilation, are 
hot and close ; the air bad. Even in my room, in the largest and 
best hotel in St. Petersburg, the windows in early November 
Avere sealed so tight that a breath of air could not get in. The 
rooms Avere heated by steam, Avhich could not be shut off, and 
the only ventilation Avas by a small hole in the Avail, through 
Avhich a little fresh air could enter. The peasants Avear the same 
clothes night and da}' ; all sleep together on the large stoves, and 
are required by their ])riests to bathe every Saturday evening, 
using the vapor bath instead of soap. A large room or cave is 
dug in the earth and heated very hot ; here they sit or lie doAvn ; 
fan themselves Avith a Avhisk brush ; a profuse perspiration opens 
and cleanses the pores of the skin ; they then often plunge into 
an icy stream or bathe in cold Avater. They lead idle, listless lives 
in winter, and Avhen Avinter ends are little inclined to Avork. Then 
folloAv the long, hot summer days, the heat fully as enervating as 
the bitter cold. Without mental or bodily activity, they become 
heavy and lethargic. Their food for generations has been mea- 
ger, of the poorest kind, almost entirely vegetal, and unsuitable 
to the climate. Those avIio survive to mature age have great 
})OAver of endurance, Avhich often becomes stolid stubbornness or 
passive courage and resignation. They are gentle-hearted, have 
little imagination, and therefore no inventive faculty. Every 
peasant, Avhether man or Avoman, Avears a shee[>skin in Avinter, 
bright colors in summer, the garment of nomadic triVjes, not 
Avorn by any other Euroi)ean race. They have little desire to 
rule others, or to make the tril)es Avhom they conquer subserv- 
ient, and are therefore admirably fitted for the Avork of })eaceful 
agricultural colonization. Wages are very Ioav. Tlie manager 
of the telegraph service of one section of Russia, Avith twenty- 
tAVO offices under him, told us that his salary Avas 1,100 rubles, 
or about S550, a year ; that the operators Avere on duty tAventy- 
four hours every other day and received 15 rubles, or 87.50, 
a month. Wallace tells us that “ a family of five, man and 
