CHAP. V. A DOG'S SAGACITY. 121 I maintain that she was fully aware of my horror of dirt, and had rolled herself in the mud purposely to annoy me, because I had not waited for her to dine first. The creature stood staring at me instead of lying down, and, when I took the whip, she knew, because she had seen me whip the other dogs, but never fled when I did so, but stood calmly beside me; it was, moreover, the first time I had ever seen a speck of dirt on her coat, and she must have gone some little distance, as there was no mud anywhere near. -- I will give you another instance of their sagacity. When in Bisk, Colonel Keil lent Mr. Atkinson a dog, which he said was excellent for birds - her name was Calypso she was a great coward, having a thorough dread of the water, which she had to encounter many times on our way to Altin-kool. As I before stated, Jatier was indulged and used to sit in the balagan by the side of her master, and Calypso at a respectful distance without. It happened, however, one day that Jatier gravely offended her master, so he gave her a thrashing, whereupon she deemed it prudent not to come too near. Calypso, who had observed all, but sat perfectly still, now stealthily approached her master, and, finding she received a caress, took courage, and walking round him, seated herself in Jatier's place. The tables were turned, and Jatier was dishonoured. Happening to look up from my tea, I saw Calypso screwing up her nose, and making grimaces at Jatier: I make no doubt but they thoroughly understand each other. Poor Calypso's reign was of short duration, for Mr. Atkinson, never long angry with any animal, once more caressed his favourite. No sooner had he done so, than she entered the balagan, and gave Calypso a thorough thrashing, as if she had been the cause of her disgrace, and then drove her out, and reinstated herself in her former position. My letter will appear to you a very strange one, all in detached pieces, but you must excuse it, for my occupations are of so varied a nature, that I find it difficult to collect my thoughts for letter-writing. Since I left you in February last, I have travelled in a carriage 6,267 versts, on horseback 2,040, in boats and on a raft 760. This is the distance we have gone in the direct road; but I have done much more, having been on several excursions on horseback; for instance, the very evening after our arrival here, we went on a trip of 17 versts. This year my husband has travelled 10,705 versts in a carriage, 2,290 on horseback, and 1,490 in boats, exclusive of divers excursions for sketching of 40 or 50 versts distance; so, you see, the ground we have gone over is immense : A contented Spirit-Slovenly Cook-Supplicating for a WhippingArrival of Spring-Sultan Souk-Novel Introduction-Shock of an Earthquake—Mountain Excursions-Easter Festivities—Loan of my Watch-Demand for Medicine-chest-Amusing Circumstance-Scenery of Kopal-A dropping Well-Enormous Mass of Snow-Large Tomb-Valley of the Karatal-Venerated Ruins-Religious Conversation-Visits from Kirghis Friends-Domestic Servants-A LovePotion-The course of true Love,' &c.-The Baron's LaundressCastigation of a Wife-Enormous Snakes. Kopal, May 3rd, 1849. We have been much amused, on reading your letter, at the proposition you make, of our sending to an adjoining town for a bed. Koolja, the nearest, is a Chinese town; what they possess there in the shape of beds I do not know. Spirit I know they have, for Yarolae has been often for it; but to a Russian town, we should have to send 1,000 versts there, and the same distance back; therefore, we had a hearty laugh over your letter. My hope is, that I shall never be worse off than I am at present. A hard couch and hard fare I am accustomed to. Many a good lesson have I learned on this journey, and one is, how little is required to nourish our bodies. On our first arrival here I was dainty; but all this is passed. The only thing I cannot bring my mind to eat is horseflesh, though we have eaten it many a time unknowingly. One of the things I enjoy more than anything else is rice, which I invariably refused on our arrival, on account of its dirty appearance; but now, after scraping off the outside, I really enjoy it, as you would also, were you deprived of every kind of vegetable. One day the Baron, seeing me busy removing the dirt from the rice, asked if I had been in the kitchen; to my reply in the negative, he said he thought perhaps I had seen what he had that morning. On going to speak with the cook (a soldier), he observed the rice on the table, well washed, and looking beautifully white, and beside it a horrible-looking cloth. He demanded of George what that was; a clout,' he replied; but what clout?' said the Baron; 'to boil the rice in.' But he questioned further about the clout, and at last drew from him that it was a foot-binder,' literally, the rag which the peasantry as well as soldiers wrap round the feet instead of stockings! 6 After this éclaircissement we had cleaner rice, for George, under dread of the birch, had to bring each morning the pudding-cloth, to undergo a critical examination. Scarcely a day passes without the poor fellow receiving some two dozen strokes of the birch; dirty though he is, I always feel sorry for poor George. A story is told in Kopal, that the poor fellow is accustomed to go to the guard-house, when dinner is over, to receive the birch (that being his most leisure time). He once presented himself; on being asked what he wanted, he said he had come to be whipped; he was told that no orders had been given about him, CHAP. VI. A SULTAN'S GRIMACES. 125 and that he had better go home, but he would not, and begged earnestly of the guard to give him the rod. They steadfastly refused; he said, with tears in his eyes, that he was sure he deserved it. He did not wish to have the trouble of returning, as he had supper to prepare; he supplicated so earnestly for them to comply with his request, that, to be rid of his importunities, they yielded to his wish. Right glad am I to tell you that winter is passed, and spring with all its charms is here. All Nature looks smiling and lovely. In February I was gathering wild flowers on the steppe, and in the sheltered nooks of the mountains. During winter we were complete prisoners; now, again, we walk or ride daily. It was mournful, in the miserable cold weather, to witness so many poor creatures being carried to their last home. The hospital is directly opposite our windows, so that we see all that is going on. The fine weather is a relief to everybody; it also brings visitors from the Kirghis. Amongst the most frequent is old Sultan Souk. Many an hour does he pass in our rooms, and one of the great attractions is a small travelling looking-glass. goes into my bed-room, where it hangs against the wall, and stands for an hour or more, making all kinds of grimaces, and laughing loudly; it is probably the first time he ever saw his own face. He sadly wished to persuade me to present it to him; he coaxed me out of a pair of scissors, and took them to his armourer, who made others from them the first that were ever manufactured in the steppe. They were given to the Baron, who promised them to me, but, learning that we thought - He |