40 SIBERIA 



him, and stand there until it passes the next verst- 

 man.i He then returns to his cabin (numbered with 

 the distance from Moscow in versts), where, if he is 

 married, his wife, and perhaps a baby, await him. 

 These men are usually exiles. The lonely verstman 

 was often in my thoughts. 



We made our way to the dining-car for dinner 

 and were surprised at the luxurious equipment of 

 this compartment, with its easy chairs and lounges 

 upholstered in Russian leather. A piano at one end 

 and a library containing many books in English 

 and other languages at the other add to the comforts 

 of the journey. The dinner was equal to that pro- 

 vided by a good English commercial hotel and the 

 charges were very moderate. 



After dinner every one became very sociable. 

 Parties were made up at cards and dominoes. Some 

 played chess ; one of the passengers possessed a 

 phonograph, and a concert or two helped to pass 

 the evening very pleasantly. On retiringi to our 

 compartment we pressed an electric button marked 

 " attendant " and asked for our beds. The attendant 

 raises the back of the seat, opens it out, and presses 

 certain electric buttons ; short steel supports spring 

 out of the side upon which the bed rests. Having 

 spread the clean linen he announces that the bed 

 is ready, and with a polite " Good-night " leaves us 

 to decide who shall take the top bunk. Before 

 retiring to bed I went to the back of the train 

 and stood for some time looking across the silent 

 steppes. 



The train threaded its way through the darkness 

 with huge lanterns on the engine, and I noticed 

 that the verstmen had lanterns showing green. The 

 stars were unusually large and brilliant, the pale 



' One Russian verst is equal to o'66 mile. 



