254 SIBERIA 



of ducks rose on either side as we splashed through 

 the water. A light showed somewhere in the distance, 

 which our driver informed us came from a lonely 

 flour-mill. We could only guess our way. There 

 was, however, some slight indication of a track in 

 the ridges of frozen snow made by the sinking of a 

 cart wheel and which the slight frost had rendered 

 solid. This ridge could be recognised by the bump- 

 ing of the drosky, and very welcome the bumps were. 

 The Siberian drosky is not provided with springs, 

 but rests on two horizontal poles and two other poles 

 at right angles to them and a little higher, which 

 serve the same purpose. A more elaborate system 

 of springs would be broken many times over on 

 those rough roads. The poles, however, are made 

 of a specially selected wood of extraordinary tough- 

 ness. The harness is of very poor quality and comes 

 loose every two or three miles, when the driver has 

 to dismount and tie up the traces anew. However, 

 we surmounted all our difificulties at last, and at 

 eleven p.m. drove triumphantly into the village street 

 of Smolensk. The tinkling of the bells had awakened 

 a watchman, who opened the door of a house as we 

 passed and immediately used his rattle, although he 

 was more than three parts asleep. From his remarks 

 he took us to be officials, for he appeared very anxious 

 to convince us that he had only just entered the 

 house. He directed us to the post station, but we 

 had some difficulty in finding it. We drove up and 

 down the narrow streets in the mud and the darkness, 

 looking for a lighted window where we could knock 

 and make inquiries. The villagers were in bed and 

 their houses in darkness. We found the station at 

 last, however, and having had our supper were glad 

 to stretch our tired limbs and snatch a few hours of 

 sleep. 



On rising next morning we were rather surprised 



