. The Russian road to China . hat are nevercurried or taken into a stable through the bitterestwinter. The best animals procurable are none toogood for climbing the passes away from the river-courses. The whole outfit can be bought for threehundred roubles in any of the interior towns. For drivers, there is a class of yamshik teamsters,who spend their lives guiding the sledge-caravanswhich carry the local traffic. One of these men, IvanKurbski, can guide you through a whole province,and lodge you every evening with some hospitablefriend or recommended host. Whether he has him-self been over al
. The Russian road to China . hat are nevercurried or taken into a stable through the bitterestwinter. The best animals procurable are none toogood for climbing the passes away from the river-courses. The whole outfit can be bought for threehundred roubles in any of the interior towns. For drivers, there is a class of yamshik teamsters,who spend their lives guiding the sledge-caravanswhich carry the local traffic. One of these men, IvanKurbski, can guide you through a whole province,and lodge you every evening with some hospitablefriend or recommended host. Whether he has him-self been over all the changing by-paths in thewilderness of the Zabaikalskaia Oblast, or whetherhe mentally photographs the directions of his friendsregarding each village, is an unsolved mystery. When the days journey is done, Ivan will driveslowly down the crooked street of the village he hassettled upon for the nights repose, looking keenlyfor landmarks visible only to him in this country,where every village and every house is mate to all. SLEDGING SOUTHWARDS SLEDGING IN TRANSBAIKALIA 127 the rest. Sometimes he will ask a question of one ofthe innumerable urchins. But generally he seems ofhimself to hit upon the desired domicile. Day afterday he will take you the sixty versts, lead you to thevillage stores to replenish the supply of candles orsugar, bring you surely to food and shelter at night,and take off all the burden of care for the outcomeof each days journey. If for the third member of your personal suite youcan get an old-time servant to keep the guns clean,build the camp-fires when midday tea is to be takenout of doors, bring in the baggage and rally the bestresources of each halting-place, you are doublylucky. You will be sedulously tended, and betreated partly as a prince, partly as a helpless baby. Of this order is Jacov Titoff. Not the smallestpersonal service that he can render will you be per-mitted to do for yourself. The telling of unpleasanttruths will be carefully avoided
Size: 1242px × 2011px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjecttranssi, bookyear1910
