102 SIBERIA 



which was worse than Kourgan. We ordered the 

 sledge in plenty of time to drive us to the station, 

 but the man came late and it was an open question 

 whether we could catch the express or not. The fine 

 Kirghiz horses can go very fast when put to it, 

 so we promised tea-money to our driver if he caught 

 the train. I left my English friend at Kainsfc. He 

 was trying to induce the merchants to use his firm's 

 cold store at Riga, offering to advance them 75 per 

 cent, of the value of the goods at current bank-rates. 

 The butter merchant proposed to accompany me to 

 the train. Telling me to hold my revolver in 

 readiness in my breast pocket, he jumped into the 

 sledge and we were soon in the midst of the dark 

 Siberian steppes. The sledge never carries lamps. 

 iWe passed by one or two forests on the way that 

 were pitch black in the darkness. Near the station 

 we saw a beautiful meteor shoot from east to south. 

 On my friend making inquiries I was glad to find the 

 train had not gone. Thawing ourselves after the cold 

 journey we sat down to lunch. One bell rang, which 

 h.6 thought was the signal for the approach of the 

 train ; but the second bell rang, and when I asked 

 my friend what it was he informed me that the train 

 had just come in. iWiien a third bell rang it occurred 

 to me all at once that it was my train. I rushed out 

 of the waiting-room on to the platform just as the 

 train started, and waved my hands for the station-, 

 master to stop the train. This he did, or I should 

 have been left in that place of desolation for two 

 more days, waiting for the next train. I was glad 

 to feel myself once more in the clean and luxurious 

 first-class carriage of the International iWagonlits : 

 it was like stepping back into civilisation. Kainsk 

 may be pleasant enough in summer, but it is a very 

 rough place in winter. 



Once in my compartment I could not help think- 



