LEAVING BYSK 287 



judiciously applied would secure us a first -class berth 

 with a second-class ticket, but this experiment in 

 the palm-oil business, which so many writers about 

 Siberia have commented upon, failed to succeed, and 

 I was shown into a second-class compartment. This 

 experience lessened my faith considerably in all those 

 who enlarge upon the proneness of the Siberian 

 oflficials to accept bribes. I do know, however, of 

 one well-authenticated case of this. A certain 

 veterinary surgeon was required to inspect some 

 cattle and to grant a certificate testifying to their 

 perfect health,, which was necessary before they could 

 be sent by rail. It so happened, that he had spent 

 the night previous in card-playing and had lost 

 heavily, so that he was too tired or too lazy to get 

 out of bed to do it. It was only when a payment 

 of so many kopecks per cow had been agreed upon 

 that he signed the certificate. This he did without 

 making the slightest inquiry. Of course, if the 

 Government knew of such cases they would very 

 quickly be stopped and an act would be passed 

 such as it has been found necessary to pass in 

 England, but there has been no agitation to this 

 end. The person who informed me of this incident 

 knew both the peasant who owned the cows and 

 the veterinary surgeon who had selected this means 

 to recoup his losses at cards. Card-playing and 

 vodka drinking appear to account for the downfall of 

 a very large number of officials, who land eventually 

 into the clutches of the money-lenders. They are 

 then in a hopelessly bankrupt condition, so that it 

 is not surprising that they stop at nothing when it 

 comes to taking bribes. The amount expended in 

 card-playing exceeds the budget for national educa- 

 tion, it is estimated, by £600,000, so that it is not 

 at all unnatural if it leads to bribery and corruption 

 in Russia and Siberia. Of course, before a man is 



