down through the port-hole rendered it far more
pleasant than existence in a prison cell. He knew, too, that, dull as it
was in the cabin, there would be little to see on deck, for the shores
of the rivers were everywhere flat and low.

After twenty-four hours' travel the steamer stopped. Since Godfrey had
been in Russia he had naturally studied the geography of the empire, and
knew a good deal about the routes. He guessed, therefore, that the halt
was at Kasan, the capital of the old Tartar kingdom. It was a break to
him to listen to the noises overhead, to guess at the passengers who
were leaving and coming on board, to listen to scraps of conversation
that could be heard through the open port-hole, and to the shouts of
farewell from those on board to those on shore as the vessel steamed on
again. He knew that after two hours' more steaming down the Volga the
vessel turned up the Kama, a large river running into it and navigable
for 1400 miles. Up this the vessel steamed for three days and then
reached Perm. In the evening Godfrey and his companions were disembarked
and, strictly guarded as before, were marched to the railway-station,
placed in a special carriage attached to a train, and after twenty-four
hours' travel at the rate of about twelve miles an hour reached
Ekaterinburg. This railway had only been open for a year, and until its
completion this portion of the journey had been one of the most tiresome
along the whole route, as the Ural Mountains intervene between Perm and
Ekaterinburg; their height is not great here, and the railway crosses
them at not more than 1700 feet above sea-level.

On arriving at the station half the prisoners were at once placed in
vehicles and the others were sent to the prison. Godfrey was one of the
party that went on at once. The vehicle, which was called a telega, was
a sort of narrow waggon without springs, seats, or cover; the bottom was
covered with a deep layer of straw, and there were some thick rugs for
coverings at night. It was drawn by three horses. Godfrey was in the
last of the four vehicles that started together. His soldier guard took
his place beside him, four mounted Cossacks rode, two on each side of
the procession. The driver, a peasant, to whom the horses belonged,
cracked his short-handled whip and the horses sprang forward. Siberian
horses are wiry little animals, not taking to the eye, but possessing
speed and great endurance. The post-houses are situated f