THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



251 



:/■-" 



I 





ffff'il 



■j ■ * 



ft 



■ - ■ " "■ ...•'' ..;■'- 



Photograph by Gilbert Grosvenor 



CAB DRIVER AT NIZHNI NOVGOROD 



The great fair city, where once the buyers of the world journeyed for barter and trade, 

 is now almost as much a deserted place during the fair season as once it was in the northern 

 mid-winter. Like Russia's martial spirit, it lies dead — perhaps beyond the hope of resur- 

 rection ! 



with more of doggedness than abandon 

 or sprightliness. 



All of these women soldiers belong to 

 the everywhere popular "battalions of 

 death," who are pledged not to retreat 

 or surrender. Their effect upon the men 

 soldiers has been twofold : some regard 

 them as inspired saviors of the country, 

 a sort of Joans of Arc ; while others are 

 inclined to jeer and make scurrilous re- 



marks. In no instances, though, have the 

 men given evidence that they regard the 

 formation of women's battalions as a re- 

 flection upon themselves. 



SPRING BEDS UNKNOWN TO THE MOUJIK 



But, then, these private soldiers, over 

 whose sleeping forms I have often stum- 

 bled on the dark decks and in unexpected 

 corners of docks and highways and sta- 



