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Jottmgs from Russia. 323

JOTTINGS FROM RUSSIA.

[The following are extracts from letters of Charles Palache, '91, who has been
attending the International Geological Convention at St. Petersburg, as the repre-
sentative of Harvard Universitj-- As the title indicates- they are hasty notes made
en [route, with no thought of publication, and with little or no chance for revi-
sion.—Ed.]

Moscow, July 28, 1897.
A T LAST we are across the border into the New World that
has aroused so much expectation in us all, and perhaps not a
little fear as well. So far our experiences have been only of
the pleasantest, and the auguries seem good for our further ad-
vance. And now I am in Moscow, a fact of which I have con-
stantly to reassure myself, so unreal and impossible does it
seem. Here at last is a city that does not disappoint one's
expectations, but even far surpasses our wildest dreams.
Strange and new in every feature, new architectural forms, new
people and customs, and above all, a richness of coloring that
quite defies description, and is the most impressive feature of
the scene. Last evening in the long fading light of the north-
ern summer day, I stepped within the walls ot the Kremlin
with B. and for a few moments we stopped in wonder. It was
a feast of color. On either hand, large palaces of a buff
colored stucco framed a church and cloister in fronti The
cloister was of a faint pinkish color, also in stucco, its roof of
a tender green which is nearly the green of old copper,, but
still different, and above that rose a cluster of the bulbous
domes so characteristic of the country, covered with polished
gold, and here part of them with a deep blue that seemed in the
soft light like richest plush. I was continually surprised to
find such harmony among such apparantly harsh combina-
tions. But every turn showed us new vistas, each with a new
or greater charm. Here the famous great bell Ivan, there and
on every side, church after church, each with its cluster of
gilded domes, each surmounted with the Greek cross. Finally
the parapet where we could look off across the Moskawa river
to the city beyond with its countless domes and spires all gilded
and shining in the fading light. The impressions of that first
real sight of Russia are deep and lasting in my memory.

324 The University of California Magazine.

But I must tell you how we got there. We awaked to find
ourselves in Warsaw early Sunday morning. We passed clear
around the city in our car, going from one depot to another,
and saw the situation on the Vistula and the strong fortifica-
tions which surround it on every hand. Our baggage deposited
in the station, we walked up into the town, crossing the long
bridge over the Vistula and passing through winding streets to
a hotel, where we should spend the night. On the whole we
found Warsaw without great interest other than that which lies
in her varied and war-filled history. There are few remarka-
ble memorials of the past, no collections, no great palaces. It
was the street life that was the main attraction, and that was
very lively and interesting. The Polish type is attractive, still
thoroughly European, but better than expected. There were
more good-looking and well-dressed women on the streets than
I have seen before for many a day. It seems strange to have
so many memorials of Dresden in this out-of-the-way place.
But you know the Saxon kings held the Polish crown for a
time, and left many monuments behind. The main park is the
Saxon garden, delightfully laid out in the center of the city.
The same Count Bruehl, who left his name in Dresden, has left
here a great palace, and in other ways one associated what one
saw with the Saxon capital. We heard an excellent concert by
a large symphony orchestra in the evening in a little garden
in the open air out in the suburbs. You see in the programme,
with the Russian and Polish side by side, how much alike the
two languages must be when spoken. The next morning, Mon-
day, found us at the station together, with forty other members
of the Congress ready to take the train to Moscow. Of this
trip of 800 miles, requiring twenty-nine hours, there is not so
very much to say. Our train was an express, but we seemed

to stop at most of the stations. The carriages were of all
classes, but better than the German ones in being made with
corridors, so that one could go from car to car quite unhindered.
Moreover, the conductors or guards paid no attention to one's
movements, and one could get off at stations or move about the
train almost as freely as in America, which was a tremendous
relief in a long journey.

Jottings from Russia. 325

The country is a plains country, like our prairies in some
parts, but different in being for great stretches covered with
forests of birch, pines or oak, and in being well watered and
wonderfully green and fresh in those parts used for pasture.
The harvest of grain was in full swing, all hand-reaped by what
seems a very scanty population.

Moscow, Jtdy 29, 1897.

Yesterday was a busy and pleasant day. We had to go
to the bank for money, the first thing, and as the banks do not
open until ten o'clock, there was time to kill. So 1 wandered
about the Market, taking photos of the peasants with their
vegetables heaped high on curious wagons, and of many of the
fine horses with their strange gear that are to be seen on every
hand. By the time we had obtained our money and paid for
the Ural excursion at the Congress bureau, the morning was
gone. We lunched at the Eremitage restaurant in true Russian
style, waited on by men, for once not in the conventional dress
coat, but clad all in white, full trowsers, a long white blouse
with a sort of cord belt of magenta color on which hang their
corkscrew, purse, etc. The lunch was also Russian enough
with Caviar, Russian white wine and Russian cigarettes, the
mutton cutlets being more ordinary. Lunch over, we joined a
crowd at the University for the first excursion. One hundred
and fifty strong, we steamed away up into and through the
Kremlin, down to and across the river and on to a canal where
a steamer awaited us. Half an hour's steaming up the river,
which winds along with a low meadow bank on one side and a
steep escarpment thickly clad with birches and dotted with vil-
las on the other brought us to our landing place, and we walked
up through the woods to a restaurant which crowns the heights.
The geology shown us was practically nothing, and in that re-
spect the excursion was really absurd; but the view from that
portico was incomparable. Aiforeground of green meadow land
with forest masses on either hand and in the more distant center
framed the great city with its innumerable spires and domes,
campaniles and gates, — the great dome of the Saviour Cathe-
dral like a golden globe glittering in the center. There was little

326 The University of California Maga2ine.

detail to be seen except in one or two monasteries which lay far
out of the city, and with their strange forms of dome and
church and brilliant coloring, gave life to the scene. The total
effect was wonderful, fairy like, a dream of the East, and I
was not sorry to sit there till evening, watching the shadows
slowly creep upon the distant city. Our point of view was
called the Sparrow Hills. Here I met Prof. Lawson just ar-
rived in Moscow.

Post Riajsk fidy ji, 1897.

We are on our way to the Ural at last, well on our way in
fact, since the first night is past. We are in the midst of a
boundless plain, level as the prairie; the horizon broken by
occasional patches of forest or the dome of a village church.
The forest is mostly birch, the Russian national tree. The
harvest of grain, Egyptian corn, (Brosso), or potatoes, is
mostly harvested, and the yellow stubble fields dotted with
cocks of grain sheafs, are only broken by the brown of the sum-
mer-fallowed portions. A village is near at hand; low mud,
(adobe) huts, heavily thatched with straw, straggle along on
either side of one long street. A few trees, generally one or
more four-armed wind mills to grind the grist, and for the rest,
the one-horse wagons bringing in the grain to the stacks; a field
of buckwheat white in blossom — a single peasant woman
trudging along the dusty road, legs to the knees wrapped about
with gray cloth, the feet in grass sandals with cross lacings, the
chief garment, a long coat of yellowish color with a bright red
border, and on the head a gay handkerchief. Thus a bit of
living color in the monotonous and dreary scene. Our train is
a special one of about twelve cars to contain our two hundred
excursionists. The cars are both first and second class, the
former painted in bright blue, the latter in yellow. The ar-
rangements of both are the same, fairly good for this country,
but nothing to boast of.

Batraki near Syczan on the Volga, August i, iSgy.
We reached here early this morning after the second night
out from Moscow. After our breakfast of dry bread and tea
(clear, weak and with lemon in true Russian fashion) and after

Jottmgs from Russia. 327

a muster of our large crowd of excursionists for the purpose of
explaining our day's trip, we all tramped down to the banks of
the Volga and boarded the paddle-wheeled tug-boat which
awaited us. After the long and dusty journey by rail, it was a
great delight to get out into the fresh air of the river ; and I sat
surrounded by several congenial friends, high in the bow,
breathing in the pure air, and singing out of pure exuberance
of spirits. We went down stream for an hour, passing on the
bank two of the simple Russian villages crowded with Sunday
holiday visitors, all in their bright red frocks and queer sandals
or high felt boots. We landed on the bank at the base of a
high bluff whose rocks were full of fossils, whose striking simi-
larity to those Prof. Lawson and I had laboriously collected at
home, added another feature to the many that reminded us of
California. It was a warm day, the sky filled with floating
white clouds, the hills round about bare and brown and
the roads deep in dust, so that it was very easy to imagine our-
selves in the California foothills. But the aspect of the people
quite banished the analogy; especially when on our return, we
met the oddly-shaped boats crowded to the brim with the scarlet-
f rocked, bearded fellows, their one lanteen sail filled to the gen-
tle down stream breeze. We Americans (half a dozen at least)
left the crowd on landing and hurried off to the luxury of a bath,
— the first in many days, and not less delightful than neces-
sary. This past, we searched for fossils and soon whiled away
the two hours before return. At 2:30 we got back to "break-
fast," which was served on tables set in box cars (freight cars),
which are doubtless to be our traveling restaurants from now
on. The afternoon was spent in a second excursion up stream,
where we again bathed, and where I took my first lesson in
swimming (imagine in the Volga), which I am determined shall
not be my last.

Our crowd is overwhelmingly German, two-thirds at least.
Some twenty-five Americans, ten English, six Italians, six
French, six Mexicans, two Japanese, ten Russians, and the
rest of German speaking races, make a rough estimate of our
varied party. So far all has gone well, and the splendid organ-

328 The University of California A/agazifie.

ization of the arrangements bespeaks a prospect of a pleasant
journey.

The Volga is here a large river, but hardly impresses one as
so great as the largest river in Europe should be. It is, per-
haps, half a mile wide, but not uniformly deep, and in many
places is cut up by sand banks into many channels. The
water is dirty brown, not muddy, but discolored and runs at a
goodly rate. There is much traffic on its surface — huge barges
towed up and down by paddle-wheeled steamers, large pas-
senger steamers, smaller sailing craft, and lastly, huge rafts of
timber flitted out for the long journey they make with little
houses, and provided v^•ith huge rudders to guide them in the
winding channel. On the whole, Central Russia makes a pleas-
ant impression on the passer-by. A purely agricultural coun-
try and seemingly not very thickly inhabited, it seems to be
fairly fertile, and gives a fair return to the peasant labor.
These are a rather poor and stupid looking lot on the whole, but
seem happy and not discontented. Their raiment is poor, often
ragged, but whether this is due to poverty, I do not know.
Coarse features are the rule, and short, stout figures. The
hair, red or black — often in heavy beards, and the head
crowned with a heavy mop, falling to the same length all
around with curious effect.

When we left the supper station last evening, we Ameri-
cans got together and gave them three times three Rahs! and a
"Rossia" on the end. The huge crowd of Monjiks who had
gathered to see us eat and depart seemed pleased and amused,
and as our train pulled out, returned our cheer with interest
though not in concert, their cry being apparently much like our
Hurrah! It was pleasantly done and well meant.

Wia20vayah, AugJist 7, iSpy.

You don't know what a curious feeling of unreality there
was about receiving your letter last night in this so out of the
way corner of the world. Here we are in the midst of the
Urals, seemingly cut off entirely from civilization, for none of us
have heard a word of what is going on outside of our train since

Jottings from Russia. 329

we left Moscow. And still your letter comes to me from far off
California, your familiar address unaltered, as simply as though
I were in my room at Cambridge. Thank you for making this
connecting link for me. Monday we had a glorious day on the
Volga, starting from the big trading city of Samara, going up
stream with two landings — lunch on board and after a bath, re-
turning in ihe evening amid the most magnificent coloring I
have ever seen. During the night we went on again, and in
the morning made a short halt for an excursion, then on again
to Oufa where we arrived about three in the afternoon. . Car-
riages were here awaiting us, and we went off in long procession
through crowds of peasants staring with good natured curiosity,
through streets in which each house bore flags of welcome,
through a gaily flagged triumphal arch to the top of the hill,
where, escorted by hundreds of the inhabitants we saw the
geology. We were already in a country of Tartars — more
properly Tatars — fine strong fellows with distinctly Mongolian
features. Thence we drove to the Town Museum, where a
most hospitable reception awaited us from the local officers.
Champagne was passed and we drank the toast offered by the
President of the Museum, which was answered by our Ameri-
can, Dr. James Hall, the patriarch of our flock. Thence to a
bath in the river, tea in the station garden, (the omnipresent,
"tchai" which is always in order in Russia), and so to bed.
The next morning, Wednesday, found us at Acha, a tiny
station, but really in the Urals for the first time. From here
we walked along the railway some ten or twelve miles through
the very pretty valley of the Sim to Miniar. The scenery re-
minds one of the Santa Cruz Mountains, though not quite so
bold. It was a very hot day, and you may believe we were not
sorry to find half way a huge "deposit" of beer and soda
water (gift of the foundry and mine people of Miniar), cool and
good, with which to eat our cold lunch. Our meals were at all
hours that day, the main meal was eaten at about 4 o'clock on
our arrival at Miniar ; but not before having had a bath in the
river. After that we walked up to the town (the railway sta-
tions are nearly always from two to four miles from the town

330 The University of California I\Iagazine.

for military reasons), saw the big iron foundry, climbed one of
tlie neighboring hills for a widespread view and walked back
in the falling darkness through the wide streets of the town,
in which stood all the population. We were glad to get to the
train, and after "tchai" to crawl into our bunks.

Thursday was in a way a repetition of the previous day,
but with more pronounced hospitality and more enjoyment.
Reaching the station Simskaia in the early morning (the dis-
tances we move ahead each day are small, and so the train re-
mains still all night, thus giving us a good sleep). We took a
short walk to see the geological section there, and then by
droschke and by tramway (a five-mile road built for our con-
venience !) we were taken to the town of Simsk, where is a sec-
ond large iron foundry. Here we were ushered into the large
house of the proprietor and into the garden, where we found a
huge pavilion decorated with flags of all nations and with fra-
grant evergreens, erected for our entertainment. Wine, beer,
drinks of all sorts were served by the hostess and her daughters,
and the host and his brother officers were everywhere with
smiling faces and urgent hospitality. Reluctantly leaving the
tables we took a glorious walk up the canyon near at hand ;
climbed the highest hill and drank in the view of mountain, val-
ley, lake and town. I may as well say that so far the geology
has been of little special interest to me, as it has dealt wholly
with fossils and stratified rock. In two or three days we will
come into regions v^'here minerals and volcanic rocks play their
part. At present 1 learn more by going out with Prof. Lawson
and other Americans to the summits, from which we study the
forms in a more general way.

Returning we had a glorious bath in the clear cold water of
the lake, and were then taken to the house, where there was
singing by the ladies and others. But dinner vvas the event,
and we were soon all in the pavilion — careless of a heavy pas-
sing thunder storm and occupied to the full with a fme meal
with only too much wine as accompaniment. Soup, delicious
fish, fowl and roast, all with strange flavors but good. Toasts
were offered by the representatives of most of the nations, the

Jottings from Russia. 331

Italians being far the best, in delivery at least. The Americans
raised a cheer for the host and Russia, and sang "For He Is a
Jolly Good Fellow." The Germans and Russians sang na-
tional songs in turn — some music was introduced, and after the
lively ones had each had a turn with the ladies of the place
and the excursion, some peasants (two men) gave us a Russian
dance. Then all sang the grand hymn of "God Bless the No-
ble Czar" — and we rode off under the stars for the train again.
Stick is geology in the Urals!

Friday morning we found ourselves in a pouring rain, true
Ural weather. So out came high boots and waterproofs and we
all turned out for a seven mile tramp along the railroad to Oust-
Kataff. Here again in a gaily decorated pavilion was a break-
fast prepared by local officials. The usual Russian "prepara-
tory snacks" consisting of caviar, salt fish, cheese, etc.; and
then the meal of fish pie, cold suckling-pig with a sauce of sour
cream and horse-radish, pickled cucumbers, cake and oranges
and lastly boiled caidiflotver and beans ! You may imagine that
beer and wine are more or less necessary to carry off such a meal.
Then came a walk to the town, as usual three or four miles
away — fossil hunting — mutual staring competition between ex-
cursionists and natives who followed us by hundreds — a Ger-
man tries to ride and dislocate his elbow, thus increasing the
number in the hospital car. Return at dusk to dinner in the
restaurant train, "tchai" and bed.

This morning we are in the station of Wiazovayah, and
while the party makes a short local excursion I am writing in
the station. Presently we take wagons for a thirty-mile drive
to the iron mines of Bakal, where we spend the night. The
rain still hangs over and the warmest clothing we have is not
too warm for comfort.

I hardly need to emphasize, after the above narrative, the
wonderful hospitality that we are receiving on every hand.
When we remember that we are really "dead-heads" it is al-
most humiliating to see the way we are greeted on every side.
Officials salute us, peasants uncover as we pass, all show the
liveliest interest in making us comfortable and at home.

\To be continued.'\

332 The University of California Magazi^ie.

THE

University of California Magazine

(Official Organ of the Alumni Association.)

PUBLISHED MONTHLY DURING THE COLLEGE YEAR

BOARD OF EDITORS.

Cottm«//orj— Professors Wm. Carey Jowes and Thomas R. Bacok.

Ex-Officio Alumni Editors— W. R. DAVIS, President Of the Alumni Association,
James Sutton, Secretary of the Alumni Association.

Editors— B.. A. OvERSTREET, '98 (chief editor), Miss Marion Whipple, '98, Miss
Mary Bell, '98, Charles E. Fryer, '99, Harold S. Symmes, '99, Willaed G.
Parsons, '99.

'Business Manager — WILL C. RussELL.

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The magazine is on sale at Bancroft's and Abbott's in Berkeley ; at the Stu-
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IVT BRUNETIERE, the eminent French critic and editor of
the Revue des Deux Mondes, who has recently been lec-
turing in America, pays a high compliment to President Gil-
man's work in the organization of Johns Hopkins University.
"When the endowment was made," he says, "they went to

the remotest part of California to look for a former

professor of Yale, Mr. Daniel Oilman With the

correctness of eye, and the rapidity of decision which are his
characteristic traits and make him an eminent man, Mr. Gil-
man acknowledged that the occasion was unique. He saw that
in a city like Baltimore, if one had the good sense to waste

Adaptation of Love for Love. 373

rage for " My Aunt Bridget " and "Charley's Aunt " has had
a bad effect on those in New York who train for genteel
comedy.

As a whole, however, the play was well staged and well
acted. The success of the performance — the audience stayed
to applaud it heartily at the end — made one wish that it might
be the first of many such revivals, and that Professor Syle, or
someone as skilful, as he, might be the adapter for a profes-
sional company. GEO. P. Baker.

[—The Editor exprosses his thanks to Professor Baker of Harvard for his
kindess in sending this account of the play. ]

374 T^'^^ University of California Magazine.

JOTTINGS FROM RUSSIA.

[From the letters of Charles Palache, '91.]

Slatoonst, August gth, 1897.
A RRIVED here early this morning, we made an excursion to
study the hills between the station and the town, and hav-
ing lost the excursion and returned to the station with an hour
before lunch, I sit down for a little chat. As I said in my last,
we have had a two days' trip away from the railroad. And
such a trip as it was ! At last I know what it really is to travel
in Russian vehicles, and have a keen sense of " Ural weather."
About noon (by local time, which is two hours in advance of the
St. Petersburg time by which we eat, sleep and travel,) the
crowd of travelers distributed themselves by twos in the strange
looking vehicles which had been waiting about all morning.
Imagine a long buck-board, the platform made of springy
birch-poles with wide interspaces, mounted on rather low
wheels, very loose on the axles and rickety looking. Place in
the middle of the platform a big basket of wicker-work, (a wash
woman's basket on a large scale,) half filled with hay and just
long enough to let you stretch your legs out when sitting up
straight. A seat for the driver in his long leather coat, so
placed that he sits higher than his passengers. Two scraggy,
tough little broncos to pull it, one in the shafts with the high
wooden arch over his head, which serves to hold the shafts to-
gether and at the same time to bind them to the collar by which
the draft is made — the other attachment by a loose whiffle tree,
on one side a single rein, pulling his head down and out as far
a check attached to the shafts will allow. Such is a poor sketch
of the most common vehicle in this part of Russia, the
" brachka" as it is called, or when a horse runs on either side,
a "troika." Sometimes a folding cover is provided, and then
it is called a "tarantass." Sometimes the basket is replaced by a
box or sort of platform on which four people sit, back to back.

Jottings. 375

The buck-board form is, however, universal and gives a sway-
ing, jerky motion to the vehicle, which is not so bad on a smooth
road but becomes horribly tiresome on the rough roads, which
seem to be the rule here. Off went our seventy wagons ;
horses at full gallop in a race for place, drivers yelling and
cracking whips, wagons creaking, passengers shouting to
friends or to driver. Occasionally along the route, the road
would widen out into a dozen tracks and then the drivers would
send their horses at tremendous pace to try for a place ahead.
To look forward or behind at the mass of plunging horses and
swaying wagons threading here or there was a sight to remem-
ber. When going along down hill in close order at full galop,
(the shaft horse always trots, however,) it is rather terrifying
at first, for they leave only a few feet between the wagons, and
when the column is brought to a halt, the horses often climb up
on the next wagons' back before they can stop. Again at a
halt, the drivers all push up as far as possible, and there is a
jam and a crush, apparently inextricable. But on they go
again, scrambling for place, swearing at one another and lash-
ing their horses. Away we went for five solid hours, through
a country of heavy woods of birch and pine — more or less moun-
tainous, but the slopes not very steep, and the valleys wide
and grassy, dotted with clumps of trees. Rain fell at intervals,
but was not heavy. It was night-fall with heavy, lowering
clouds when we passed through the village of Bakal, going on
to the mines where we were to find quarters. We were divided
into parties, entertained by two hosts. I fell into the party
which was taken high up on top of the mountain ; and here in
a log house we found a good warm dinner awaiting us. We
slept on straw, ten in a room, and I for one had a restless night.
We woke at our leader's call at 2 130 A. A\.; made a poor toilet,
had a rather forlorn breakfast, and then walked through rain
and heavy mist a mile and a half down to the other house where
we were to find our leader, Tschernycheff. He had lost his
voice through a cold, and at the same time seemed to have lost
h's \ .'.I d, for throughout the day, we were sent about aimlessly

376 The University of Caifornia Magazine.

and ignorant of what we were to do. We waited two miserable
hours, (which might just as well have been passed in bed,)
made a tour of the huge pits where the iron ore is mined, and
then again waited — cold and dismal till lunch and departure.
Altogether that Sunday is memorable for its discomforts and
mismanagement. Our descent was marked by a break about
midway of the forty versts, (twenty-five miles,) at the town of
Satuka. We were led into an iron smelting plant where they
were just ready to make a run of iron into pigs. The fiery
liquid streams were beautiful, and still better, gave out an
intense heat, very acceptable to our tired, cold bodies. There
was also an outcrop in the town which we had to see, and we
proceeded on foot up the main street in the midst of a crowd,
containing, I should think, nearly every man, woman and child
in the town, certainly not less than three thousand. The mass
of brakhas and troikas moving and turning in the broad street,
the crowd of staring but very good natured natives made a
lively picture, and I was sorry that it was too dark to obtain
any photographs of the scene. Wet and tired we reached our
train at nightfall, and were glad enough to get on some dry
clothes and eat some warm dinner.

Tcheliabinsk, Asia, A7ignst ijth, iSpj.
I find it hard to realize in any adequate degree that I have
crossed the Urals, and that Europe is behind me. Last night
the sun went down in a golden haze behind the low range of the
eastern Ural foothills. I have put the question to myself time
and again, to make sure it was so. There is little here to show
it. We are again on the Steppe which so far in Siberia differs
not at all from the plains of Russia. Only in the weather do
we note a marked difference, for after a solid week of rain, fog,
damp and discomfort, we are suddenly transported to heat and
dust.

Avgnsi 12, i8gy.
Thursday was a memorable day. Leaving Slatonst early,
the train pulled up to a small station on the summit of the pass

Jottings. 377

over the main chain and watershed of the Urals. It was a
glorious morning of sun and masses of floating clouds, inspirit-
ing and inspiring. We all tumbled out and trooped off through
the rather flat and marshy meadows that run all through the
ridge summits here ; even through the forests, for a mile and a
half toward a rocky peak, Alexandrofskiasopka, which rises
abruptly above the level ridge. Once on the rocks, it was a
sort of race for the summit, which 1 was the first to reach,

though closely followed by B , R and L ; and later

by others, chiefly Americans. A magnificent panorama lay
beneath us — the most interesting part being, of course, that on
the Asiatic side. Range after range of level-topped, tree-clad
mountains, with here and there peaks rising, like our own,
above the general level. Of these the most prominent was the
Taganai group, a little higher than we were, about four thou-
sand feet. Toward the east a level sky-line formed by the dis-
tant Siberian plain ; with a new feature, many lakes lying in
flat basins. The fresh breeze, the unwonted sunshine, the
grand shifting cloud masses, the color of rock and forest were
all delightful, and we left unwillingly after an hour spent on
the summit. At the foot we found some wine, with which we
drank adieu to our leader, Tschernycheff, who is replaced by
another, Karpinsky. I forgot to say that most of the party
stopped short of the summit, on a point a hundred feet below,
leaving the craggy ridge for a few of us. We photographed
one another in all sorts of seemingly dangerous positions, but
there was really no difficulty of any sort there. We returned
to lunch, and then the train took us on to Miass. Here we took
wagons, ever the same helter-skelter sort of things and drove
a short way, passed the lake of llmen, to the gold placers, where
the whole process was shown us: — the mining of the gravel,
which is simple, (it is not very rich,) the washing — the clean-
ing of the riffles where the gold is caught with quicksilver, and
finally the retorting of the amalgam. The sight was novel to
a majority of the party. To us familiar with the refined
methods of California, the process was crude and wasteful ; and

378 The University of California Magazine.

it seemed a wonder that it was profitable. The scene was ren-
dered picturesque by the crowds of workmen and women, (Bas-
keeri and Tartars,) who stood about in their ragged, clumsy
looking garments and straw sandals. The carriages took us up
again as evening fell, and a dusty ride of two versts brought us
to the town where we had to run the gauntlet again — bowing
to left and right of a staring crowd who lined the streets. Our
dignity was rather lessened by the village herd of several hun-
dred scrawny cattle which was meandering through the main
street at the same time with us. We were landed at the main
house of the town, which proved to be a sort of theater, where,
amid garlands of evergreens the tables were set for supper —
the hospitality of the mine owners. The full moon lighted us on
our way to the station.

This morning we made an early start to visit the famous
mineral localities near Miass, chiefly in a range of hills known as
the Ilmen mountams, and all day long my hammer has been
going incessantly. It has been far the most interesting day for
the mineralogists, and as I was in luck and made some of the
best finds of the day, I felt well repaid for my hard work.

Kychtym, Asia, Aicg. //, i8gy.

We awoke this morning to find a lowering, clouded sky and
rain. We were up early, and after "tchai" were sent off in
batches of thirty at half-hour intervals for a twenty-verst ride
to and through a gold mine. The rain had pleasantly laid the
dust, and the ride in the fresh damp air with the jingling bells
and rapid motion was pleasant. Our way lay for several miles
out of Tchliabinsk along the great Siberian road, over which so
many exiles have plodded their weary way. It is a broad road,
fully one hundred feet wide, rather winding and slightly undu-
lating, but in this part fairly level. The roadbed of granite
sand is smooth and good, the first good road we have been on.
It runs for long stretches through forests of white birch, and a
double row of especially large ones is planted all alon^i, giving a
charming effect.

Jottings. 379

Medrioroivdiansk (near Nisck?ii Tagilsk), Aiig. ig, i8gj.

We went down the gold mine, to which I referred ; a small,
new quartz mine, very clean, lighted by incandescent lights
and easy and interesting to see. The mill was primitive, a sort
of improved arastra process, and 1 suppose they may save 50
or 60 per cent of the gold. We were then served to a cold
lunch by the mine people, and visited a neighboring village, an
entirely new type, which we took to be characteristic of the
Siberian Steppe, but it may not be so. The houses are
wretched affairs of mud, two-thirds under ground, with a single
window flush with the earth, and a heavy roof of earth resting
upon birch brush. We went into one of the hovels and found
it stuffy and miserable, but despite the earth floor and dark-
ness it seemed clean and habitable. The effect of these low
huts, with their dome-like roofs merging with the soil all about,
was very queer and miserable.

After returning and looking about the town, we took a train
for the next station, Kychtym, this time on the Ural railway,
turning toward the north. Oh ! a queer incident in the market
at Tcheliabinsk. I stepped out of the carriage to look at some
wares in a little booth, and the first article 1 put my hand on
was a whetstone from Nezv Hajupshiref

The afternoon of the 15th was consumed in preparation for,
and discussion of, a fme dinner given by the director of the
local iron works. His house was palatial in size, though very
plain in finish. The dinner was good and very lively. Before
sitting down you are ushered into a side room to partake of the
"Sakusska," or appetizer. Here is a table set with a variety
of dishes — cold and salt fish, caviar, cold meats, pickles, occa-
sionally some hot stew or made dish, and bread and butter.
The proper form is to take first a glass of vodke (the Russian
name for pure alcohol), or of the many other drinks set out,
such as port, sherry, cognac, bitters, etc.; then a bite of as
many of the edibles as you wish, and then another glass of the
liquors. Often the Russians eat what would be a good lunch
at this table. Then follozcs the 'pxo'per me3.\. We had soup, in

380 The University of California Magazine.

which is generally served a sort of doughnut with a chopped
meat center (pirogga), then a fish pie. Then roast beef with
half a dozen kinds of vegetables served on the same platter,
and the whole elaborately decorated with cut vegetables on sil-
ver skewers and with pastry forms. Then grouse, the bird be-
ing attested by placing on either platter a specimen in full
plumage, rather well mounted in some cases. Following this
was cauliflower and green peas served with sweet butter sauce.
Lastly, a fruit pudding. Sherry, port, beer, claret and white
wine were on the table from the beginning, and one took what
they wished. Coffee was served after we had left our seats,
and the speeches, of which we always had too many, began
early in the evening. Before breaking up we had some sing-
ing; the Russians, Americans and Germans each in term giv-
ing some characteristic songs. We sang the "Tavern in the
Town," and "Swanee River."

{To he continued.)

SONG.

Had my love but eyes to see

The dark held no secrets from me,
Had my love but power to speak

To love had not hurt me so.
But Love is blind, they say,—
And my Love is dumb— I know.
Loving is pain— let them say what they may.
If pain is not all,
All has not come to me,
For love were not pain
Could it once speak, and see.

J. C. '99.

/ J

mi.

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