CHAPTER X 



ON THE WAY HOME FROM NOVO-NICOLAEVSK 



My train companions — Tea and conversation — A steppe thunder- 

 storm — Kainsk — Dining facilities — A menu — Siberian cats — 

 Kourgan — Boarding the Siberian International Wagon-lits 

 Express — We meet General Kourapatkin — His personality — 

 My fellow-passengers— "A good old English gentleman"— 

 Missionaries — Naval officers — Mountaineering — Big game in 

 the Far East — Russian officers — A pleasing incident — Unfair 

 criticism— Zlatoust — The Birmingham of Siberia— Emigrant 

 trains — Bashkirs — Ufa — Other aboriginal tribes — Samara — 

 The Volga Bridge— Tula— Moscow. 



The slow post train on which I was leaving this 

 interesting country was composed of five carriages. 

 I secured a berth, having as companions a post-office 

 clerk and a merchant bound for Moscow. They 

 could not speak a word of English, so I thought it 

 an excellent opportunity to increase my knowledge 

 of Russian, and after making them understand my 

 mission to Siberia, and thoroughly scrutinising them 

 to see what kind of characters they were, I fell 

 off to sleep feeling quite comfortable and satisfied 

 that I was in the company of honest men, whi|cb 

 is a. consideration when travelling alone in this 

 country. 



I dreamt of good Old Engla:nd and home, and that 

 the sledge which wais taking me there had fallen 

 through the ice of the River Obi. Just as I was 

 gliding comfortably under the ice I awoke. It was 

 about seven o'clock. The morning was lovely, with 



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