THE COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE. 61 



without artificial stuffing. In the course of his duties he 

 had to travel about from zavod to zavod ; but he never 

 did so without his lackej', his cook, and every accessory to 

 his personal comfort, in a large, lumbering travelling car- 

 riage, drawn by four horses. It was so fitted up as to 

 form a sleeping car by night, and then be folded up to 

 form a little sitting room by day, the boot being well 

 stocked with wines, provisions, and dainty snacks of every 

 kind. 



' Somewhere between Ekaterineburg and AUipieff, he 

 stopped one night to take supper, after which his ser- 

 vants put him comfortably to bed in his conveyance. 

 They then thought they would have a Utile jollification on 

 their own account, and took the yemstchik or hired driver 

 along with them. Just for a few moments had they got 

 permission ; but the minutes sped past, and they took no 

 note of time ; and as the " baron" was fast asleep he knew 

 not how time was flying. At last the horses got impatient 

 at being left out in the cold, and they set off quietly to 

 trot home again. But after a little they had to descend a 

 steep hill on the road, and as there was no one there to 

 put on the brake to guide or to check them, the ponderous 

 vehicle soon overpowered them, and began to rattle down- 

 wards at breakneck speed, threatening to smash every- 

 thing to splinters. The extraordinary rocking, rumbling, 

 and jolting of the monstrous carriage soon awoke poor 

 Peter to a sense of his danger, and opening the window 

 and yelling out to know the reason why, he found himself 

 alone, with four runaway horses madly tearing along. 

 Realising his position, and not knowing but that at any 

 moment he might be either hurled into the ravine below 

 or dashed against a tree on the upper side of the road cut 

 out on the hill-side, he thought it would be better to choose 

 a lesser evil, and throw himself out head foremost upon the 

 road. The decision was soon made, and he took what he 

 thought might be a leap for life, with no worse results 

 than a good bruising and a roUirig in the dust. But his 

 troubles did not end here. He had no sooner sat down to 



