276 SIBERIA 



The road was in good condition, passing through 

 some very fine forests. At 5.30 the temperature was 

 5 degrees below freezing point. Our driver informed 

 us that the post sledges were coming in the opposite 

 direction. These were the only sledges we had met 

 on the road for 400 miles, as the general traffic had 

 been stopped. When they got near us I stood up 

 to photograph them, shouting, in Russian, "Stop." 

 Whether it was owing to my bad Russian I do not 

 know, but the officer clutched at his revolver, and it 

 was not until he was. shovm the camera that he would 

 relax his hold. 



The dreaded river near Talmanskalyar, which was 

 supposed to be impassable, proved to be quite safe, 

 and looked as though it would hold out for another 

 two weeks. 



During this stage we enjoyed some very fine shoot- 

 ing, there being very large flocks of woodcock ajid 

 ryabchiks. These and many other species of game 

 birds are very numerous from May to the end of 

 August, the ryabchiks, woodcock, and quail being 

 found in the Altai district from Bysk to Novo- 

 Nicolaevsk. During the threshing season close upon 

 5,000 birds are netted, the majority of which are 

 quails. The brown fox also is common in this part 

 of Russia, while squirrels are scarce. Other birds 

 are the magpie, the blackbird, the pigeon, and a little 

 bird similar to our robin, but much prettier. 

 Pigeons are found in large quantities in the villages 

 and are quite tame. Owing to their being considered 

 sacred by the peasants they are never killed or meet 

 with any ill usage. 



We reached Talmanskalyar at about eight o'clock, 

 and left again in half an hour for sixteen miles over 

 a beautiful sledge road, through forests and down 

 hill for a long distance, and afterwards up a steep 

 valley, the weather all the while being perfect. We 



