According to Russian custom, somebody was to be thanked for the meal.  As the dinner came from the provisions in the servants’ sleigh we presented our acknowledgments to Madame Rodstvenny.  With the forethought of an experienced traveler the lady had carefully provided her edibles and so abundant was her store that my supply was rarely drawn upon.  We were more like a pic-nic party than a company of travelers on a long journey in a Siberian winter.  Mademoiselle was fluent in French, and charming in its use.  The only drawback to general conversation was my inability to talk long with Madame except by interpretation.  In our halts we managed to pass the time in tea-drinking, conversation, and sometimes with music of an impromptu character.  I remember favoring air appreciative audience with a solo on a trunk key, followed by mademoiselle and the captain in a duett on a tin cup and a horn comb covered with letter paper.

There was very little scenery worthy of note.  The villages generally lay in single streets each containing from ten to a hundred houses.  Between these clusters of dwellings there was little to be seen beyond a succession of wooded ridges with stretches of open ground.  The continued snow-scape offered no great variety on the first day’s travel, and before night I began to think it monotonous.  The villages were from ten to twenty miles apart, and very much the same in general characteristics.  The stations had a family likeness.  Each had a travelers’ room more or less comfortable, and a few apartments for the smotretal and his attendants.  The travelers’ room had some rough chairs, one or two hard sofas or benches, and the same number of tables.  While the horses were being changed we had our option to enter the station or stay out of doors.  I generally preferred the latter alternative on account of the high temperature of the waiting rooms, which necessitated casting off one’s outer garment on entering.  During our halts I was fain to refresh myself with a little leg stretching and found it a great relief.

The first movement at a station is to present the padaroshnia and demand horses.  Marco Polo says, that the great Khan of Tartary had posting stations twenty-five miles apart on the principal roads of his empire.  A messenger or traveler carried a paper authorizing him to procure horses, and was always promptly supplied.  The padaroshnia is of ancient date, if Marco be trustworthy.  It is not less important to a Russian traveler at present than to a Tartar one in earlier times.  Our documents were efficacious, and usually brought horses with little delay.  The size of our party was a disadvantage as we occasionally found one or two sets of horses ready but were obliged to wait a short time for a third.  Paul had a permit to impress horses in the villages while I carried a special passport requesting the authorities to ’lend me all needed assistance.’  This was generally construed into despatching me promptly, and we rarely failed with a little persuasion and money, to secure horses for the third sleigh.