210 SIBERIA 



small round heads and a coat of bear or sheep skin 

 tied round the middle, and their boyish faces and 

 high cheek bones are eloquent of vigour and strength. 

 The Kalmucks wear the same skin coat all the year 

 round, summer and winter. They evidently think 

 that what will keep out the cold will keep out the 

 heat. If a man's happiness depends upon the few- 

 ness of his wants, the Akkem Kalmuck must be the 

 happiest man alive. 



I was delighted to be able to distribute some 

 chocolate amongst the children, who had collected 

 in the hut to welcome their mysterious white friends. 

 Two of the Kalmucks had come ten miles to see 

 us. They had never heard of England, Europe, St. 

 Petersburg, Moscow, or, in fact, of any place farther 

 than Bysk, yet they were as happy as mortal man 

 can expect to be. There is plenty of fresh air in 

 these huts, as they are open at the top. iWe were 

 made very welcome and I had a chance to ask 

 many questions. As for the hut itself, it seemed a, 

 little palace to us after sleeping so many nights in 

 front of our camp fire. We slept comfortably that 

 night rolled in our coats on the floor of the hut, the 

 fire being kept up all night. I tried to draw the 

 inflammation out of my eyes before the fire, but 

 without success. 



We were up early next morning, as we wished 

 to reach Katunda as soon as possible. Before we 

 went, I sold the rifle which I had bought at Bysk to 

 one of the Kalmucks who had followed us to the 

 mountains, and he was very pleased. He paid me 

 in Russian money and appeared to be fairly well to 

 do. He had made money out of cattle, and this last 

 summer had done exceptionally well by hunting. 

 He and another Kalmuck had quite the monopoly of 

 the hunting ground. They were very sorry when we 

 mounted our horses and commenced our second day's 



