Along  we  flew  in  a  swift  gallop  without  for  a  moment
slacking  pace,  passing  no  one,  nor  having  our  imageries
relieved  by  any  pleasing  scenery ;  nothing  but  a  level,
illimitable  expanse  of  prairie  ;  no  farms,  no  baying  dogs,
no  lowing  cattle  nor  squeal  ing  swine  ;  the  voice  of  nature
was  as  mute  as  the  songs  of  the  dead.  Thus  we  jour-
neyed for  more  than  two  hours,  when  through  the  riven
clouds  there  broke  out  a  flood  of  moonlight  by  which  we
saw  ahead  the  outlines  of  a  house.  It  was  the  first  post-
station  out  of  Ekaterineburg ;  our  yemstchik  drove  into
the  yard  on  a  dash  and  then  shouting  stoi  to  his  horses,
he  stopped  with  such  suddenness  that  my  companion  and
I  were  thrown  forward  against  the  driver's  seat.
We  did  not  delay  here  long,  taking  only  sufficient  time
to  change  horses  and  drink  a  glass  of  tea.  In  this  con-
nection I  wish  to  say  that  no  where  in  the  world  can
such  tea  be  had  as  in  Russia  or  Siberia.  I  have  drunk
this  delightful  beverage  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the  world,
including  San  Francisco,  where  I  indulged  my  love  for  it
in  a  Chinese  restaurant,  and  my  opinion  is  that  the  Chi-
nese make  the  poorest,  while  the  Russians  make  the  best
tea  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  world.  The  excellence
of  the  tea  made  in  Russia  is  partly,  if  not  wholly,  due,
as  they  themselves  claim,  to  the  fact  that  tea  shipped
over  water  loses  much  of  its  flavor  aiid  essential  quality.
