We found our carriage waiting for us at Kansk, whither it had been forwarded; we reached that place in one which had been kindly lent to us by M. Vassielevsky; we then started direct for Irkoutsk, where we now are, and I think it likely we shall go no farther this year, but leave till next summer our visit to the Trans-Baikal, and then I certainly expect we shall return to Petersburg by the winter roads.

Irkoutsk is not at all an ugly town, on the contrary it is rather pretty, though as yet I have seen but little of it. I will shortly try and give you some idea of it, as well as of the inhabitants. I have not mentioned that I had a most beautiful little malachite paper-weight presented to me, with native gold on the top. M. Vassielevsky gave it to me, and it is impossible for me to retain it in my possession without an order to do so, which I am obliged to be very careful of; for, were I to lose it, there would be a chance of my remaining in Siberia for ever, as I should be sent to the mines for defrauding the government. Much as I like Siberia, it would lose some of its charms were my stay compulsory from choice I should not object.

I fully expected to find a letter from you lying at the post-office, whither my husband went immediately on our arrival. I cannot tell you how ill I bore the disappointment.

Society in Irkoutsk-The Volkonskoi Family-Artists in Exile_The Princess and the sleepy Englishman-A Russian's Opinion of the English Aristocracy-Saintly Pugilism-The Domavoi, or House Spirit-Earthquake.

Irkoutsk, January 1851.

I HAVE had to go through the usual round of visits necessary for strangers to make on their first arrival. From the Princess Troubitskoy, whose acquaintance we made at the Governor-General's, I got a list of the persons to whom it is considered indispensable for us to introduce ourselves, Madame Mouravioff having kindly invited her to meet us. To the Princess Volkonskoi we had letters. These ladies, with four or five exceptions, are the persons with whom we visit most. Unfortunately within the last month death has occurred in three of the best families here, which has naturally thrown a gloom over this circle of society; then also the absence of the Governor-General makes a great difference, as all are very gay when he is here. Now, with the exception of a few dinner-parties, there are no amusements whatever going on in the town. This, as you are aware, suits me far better than all the gaieties they could offer; and we have social intercourse, which is very enjoyable.

I dare say you would like to know how we are lodged.

We have four very nice rooms, in the house of a merchant's widow, to which there is a separate entrance, rendering them very agreeable; we have also a kitchen to ourselves, and what I find comfortable is that it is separated from the dwelling-house, being on the opposite side of the court-yard. The house itself is pleasantly situated on the banks of the Angara, which is now a mass of ice; having been frozen over on the 10th of December, and on the 11th being strong enough to bear. To the astonishment of everyone here, Alatau has been bathed constantly in this river; the water is so cold that no one ever dreams of bathing in it; our little man enjoys his plunge amazingly. Every river we have passed since his birth he has been bathed in.

In this town we find many exiles; indeed they are fairly established here, some of them possessing very handsome houses. Those with whom we visit most are the Troubitskoy and Volkonskoi; in whose houses we generally meet their companions in misfortune. Although these men are not blameless, it is impossible not to feel a deep interest in them; they are some of Russia's cleverest men grown old in exile.

The first house we visited was that of Volkonskoi, and we found there a most agreeable family; the daughter is on the point of marriage with the private secretary of the Governor-General. The princess is a clever woman, and many an agreeable evening have we passed with her. She has lived to regret her voluntary banishment; which must be keenly felt by one who is fond of society, the great world, and all its pleasures. She had been but a short time married ere her husband was banished.

CHAP. XI.

A PRINCE IN EXILE.

241

Speaking of our journey, the prince remarked, with a smile, that the result of travelling was at times very peculiar; for an example' said he, 'take myself. I was an impetuous youth, I went to Germany, France, and England, I then returned to my own country, where I unfortunately found that the effect of those travels was to lead to Siberia and the mines.' The prince is a great favourite with us, his manners are so simple and unostentatious. Any morning at an early hour, if chance led you to the market, where he is well known to every peasant, there you would find him purchasing the day's provisions for the family; and after he had passed up and down, and haggled here and there, and gathered all the news from his different friends, for he has many among the peasantry, you might see him wending his way home with geese or turkeys, or something or other, under his arm, and wearing an old cap and coat which would be almost rejected by the poorest peasant, but with a mien dignified and noble, and a countenance that it would do your heart good to see. He has land on which he grows different crops, which, it is said in Irkoutsk, his wife purchases from him. The house in which she dwells with her children is large and commodious, but the prince occupies an apartment in a small building in the court-yard.

As a characteristic of the man, I must describe to you a visit he paid to see an exhibition of horsemanship. He delights in novelty as much as any one, but he is never to be seen among the gentry of the place: he pays like the peasantry, and takes his position beside them. I asked him why he did so; with a smile he replied:

R

"You surely would not have me presume; you know I am one of them, and I always like to keep my place.'

The prince often gives us a call; and on one of these occasions he asked leave to bring a companion in exile who has a great taste for drawing, and by means of his pencil maintains himself and a brother who is unfortunately deranged, grief having impaired his intellect. He paints flowers and birds, which he executes in most exquisite style, but unhappily his colours are bad, fading entirely away at the end of a few years. Mr. Atkinson presented him with a box of Winsor and Newton's, with which Mr. Barissoff was charmed; he came several times to watch my husband drawing, and to admire his colours, before he spoke of his own miserable ones.

His first introduction to us was amusing. The prince had made the appointment; and, when they entered the room, he presented his companion by patting him on the head, and saying, 'Allow me to introduce to you a conspirator.' The little man could not help smiling, for indeed he is no bigger than I am, if as big; there was something so ludicrous in the idea of this little man, with his irresistible expression of gentleness, being a conspirator, that the prince himself, after saying it, laughed heartily. It is a source of great pleasure to Barissoff to call upon my husband whenever he can manage to absent himself from his brother, who cannot endure his absence, and who often becomes greatly excited, so that he is afraid to leave him long alone.

I have been presented with a few beautiful sketches by Mr. Barissoff, which have been made expressly for