LEAVING BYSK 267 



Ariried with this, our reaching Nicolaevsk was 

 assured, ahhough there was every possibility of the 

 roads breaking up and imprisoning us in some out- 

 of-the-way village. I recommend all travellers in 

 winter to make a point of procuring such 3: post- 

 master's pass, the importance of which can hardly 

 be over-estimated. In summer it can be dispensed 

 with for the portion of the route between Bysk and 

 Novo -Nicolaevsk, as the river steamers ply there, 

 but beyond Bysk it is useful both in summer and 

 winter. The post road is specially kept for the mail 

 and for the use of Government ofificials, all other 

 traffic being prohibited, and this renders possible si 

 more rapid rate of progress. Our sledge was 

 brought into the yard and loaded with our belong- 

 ings, much to the regret of our host and hostess, who 

 were very sorry we were leaving them' and expressed 

 their longing to be back in dear old England. We 

 noticed that the bells on our drosky were tied up, 

 and were infoitried by our moujik that it was not 

 permissible for the bells to sound when passing 

 through a town. The change was so agreeable, after 

 the incessant clanging to which we had been treated 

 for so long, that when we got out of the town we 

 preferred to continue without freeing the bells. The 

 first stage to Skubensky is down dale and over hill. 

 The cold north-east wind had dried up the roads, and 

 we managed to cover ten miles in the excellent time 

 of i|^ hours. Just after reaching the village we went 

 through a stream 18 inches deep, then over a bridge. 

 Although the boundary railings and gate are reached 

 after a drive of eight miles, the village itself extends 

 for another two miles farther. Like most Siberian 

 villages, it lies in a hollow, surrounded by a' circle 

 of picturesque hills, which protect it from' the north 

 and north-east winds. Skubensky is some six miles 

 in circumference. As we drove into the village we 



