EXPEDITION TO THE ALTAI 139 



were impassable owing to an unusually heavy fall 

 of snow. Moreover, the sledges that had passed 

 along before us had worn deep holes in the road. 



The general idea of sledging is of a swift, easy 

 motion over the firm surface of the snow at an 

 average pa:ce of from 12 to 14 miles an hour, to 

 the " tintinnabulation of the bells." In our case 

 the bells were present, it is true, but the speed was 

 not exhilarating, and the jolting of the vehicle, as 

 it alternately subsided into a. hole or rose on the 

 edge of one, soon persuaded us that we were entering 

 upon a journey of a rather difficult and not too 

 agreeable description. Our luggage, with hay piled 

 upon it, served us for seats, and it was not very 

 long before we were shaken down into positions 

 which cramped our limbs and impeded the circulation 

 of the blood in our legs, causing us to feel the 

 cold very acutely. The speed soon settled down to 

 about five miles an hour, and our road took us 

 along the trade route on the River Obi, by which 

 all the traffic is done with the Wonderland of the 

 Altai mountain group; but the winter was nearly at 

 an end and the traffic had worn the road very badly. 



In pla;ces, owing to the weight of the sledge, the 

 horses were brought to a standstill, so that when 

 we reached the first village, that of Bersk, we 

 decided to change our cumbrous vehicle for one 

 of lighter make. Travellers often buy their own 

 sledge to avoid changing, but this is not always 

 wise, as it is frequently impossible to decide before- 

 hand upon the most suitable conveyance for the 

 different stages of the journey. Our first driver 

 only charged us 7s. for a 12 -mile stage; but we 

 discovered, on attempting to make a bargain with 

 his successor, that we would have to paly the same 

 amount for the next one of not more than 8 miles. 

 To prevent collusion, therefore, between this man 



