honour assigned to them, to add as it were some splendour to our humble domicile. Looking on these objects of superfluity, I often thought how far a noble mind, when not corrupted by fortune, or crushed by adversity -placed though he may be amidst most trying circumstances can be useful to others. This certainly was evidenced by the example set by the donor of these souvenirs. I have myself witnessed him struggling with poverty, as he was compelled to maintain himself by the labour of his own hands; but in spite of his limited. means, he was never weary of assisting his compatriots in their difficulties; by his advice, his intercession, his personal services, and not unfrequently even by his purse. Our landlady who was well off, thrifty and hospitable, though rustic in her manners, behaved towards us with great kindness, not in the manner in which it is customary to treat boarders in our own towns, where they have bread dealt out to them by morsels, and every additional comfort calculated and bargained for; but she considered us rather as guests whom Providence had brought under her roof. Whatever her house possessed was placed at our service as nice cakes, and good cream, and other articles of the best quality, such as made our food, not only palatable, but almost luxurious. Yet I cannot say but that the appearance of some of the dishes was very strange, and at first repulsive to us. Such were the roast duck, with a cold sauce prepared of vinegar and cream, and a meat pudding boiled in milk. But amidst a variety of dishes, which were at each meal brought on our table, we had only to choose, and need not be hungry. After a day or two, it suddenly became very hot. It seemed as though we had made an abrupt leap from winter to summer. One day we were obliged to have a fire in the stove, and on the next the heat was intolerable. The whole face of the earth was then brown, and the trees naked; but now we saw grass springing up, plants sprouting, trees bursting into leaves; and the hollyhock appearing in bloom. The change was as sudden as it was marvellous. We could scarcely believe that within the short interval of eight hours, Nature had effected such a great change. What had become of spring? what of that spring in which our senses are filled with such rapturous delight, and which divides the frost of winter from the sultriness of summer? Here the leap is instantaneous. Yesterday the warmest clothing hardly sufficed to keep me warm; to-day again, the heat is so intense that we are obliged to cool the water we wish to drink with ice. The day was everlasting, and whether we clothed our eyes or awoke from sleep, day-light was constantly streaming in at the windows, and circling over the horizon. No dew was to be met with here; and the earth had none the whole summer. Oh, lovely spring of my country! how I shall ever remember, and ever long for thee! CHAPTER IX. Rapidity of vegetation-Preparations for the fisheries in the Oby Gulf-Performance of a religious riteA family farewell-A touching scene-Site of Berezov -Streets-Structure of the houses-Churches-Burial places-Menzikov's corpse-His grave Graves of other exiles — Classification of the inhabitants-Provisions-A Siberian school. - WITH all these drawbacks, however, I must confess that Berezov did not appear to me so terrible as various reports had represented it. There is a proverb which says, "that even the Devil was handsome when he was young; and this might be as fitly applied to certain regions in the regenerating season of spring. In July everything around Berezov, appeared in new and gay apparel. Larch trees were decked with tiny leaves of the freshest verdure, filling the air with sweet perfume. The grass, quickened by the moisture of the thawing soil, grew incredibly fast. The river Soswa overflowing its banks far and wide, presented to the eye an immense expanse of water, encircling with her arms numberless islands covered with willows, and disappearing in the distance like a mirror of clear azure. Nearer us, it is rolling and roaring, and dashing its foaming billows against the precipitous banks of the town. Along the shore lay a number of fishing-boats and barges, prepared for a voyage to the Oby sea. They formed a forest of masts, curiously rigged and decked with numberless coloured flags, which flaunted on the air. Smaller craft were plying to and fro between the shore, and the larger vessels freighted with stores and provisions. These preparations, unusual in this remote spot at any other season, rendered the town quite animated. Our host, though an aged man, had engaged to take part with others in a fishing expedition; the fishing season on the Oby sea, being for the inhabitants of this part of the world, what the harvest season is in other countries. |