dressed in white, and it is facetiously asserted
that they are forbidden to sit down during the day for fear of
disturbing the harmony and destroying the purity of their spotless
linen. The service is excellent. The waiters watch and divine the
wishes of the guests, instead of the guests having to watch, seek,
and sometimes scream for the waiters, as is too often the case in
England. Here the attendants do everything for the visitor; cut
up his _pirog_ (meat, or fish patty), so that he may eat it with
his fork; pour out his tea, fill his _chibouk_, and even bring it
to him ready lighted. The reader perceives that there is a certain
Oriental style about the Russian _traktirs_. The great article
of consumption in them is tea. Every one orders tea, either by
itself, or to follow the dinner; and the majority of those who
come into the place take nothing else. You can have a tumbler of
tea, or a pot of tea; but in ordering it you do not ask for tea at
all, but for so many portions of sugar. The origin of this curious
custom it is scarcely worth while to consider; but it apparently
dates from the last European war, when, during the general blockade,
the price of sugar in Russia rose to about four shillings a pound.

All sorts of stories have been told about the quantity of tea consumed
by Russian merchants, nor do I look upon any of them as exaggerated.
From twelve to twenty cups are thought nothing of. I have seen
two merchants enter a _traktir_, order so many portions of sugar,
and drink cup after cup of tea, until the tea-urn before them is
empty; yet the ordinary tea-urn of the _traktir_ holds at least
a gallon, or a gallon and a half.

"Tea," says M. Gerebtzoff, "has become, for every one, an habitual
article of consumption, and replaces, advantageously for morality,
brandy and beer; for on all occasions when a bargain has to be
concluded, or when a companion has to be entertained, or on receiving
or taking leave of a friend, tea is given instead of wine or brandy."
Indeed, I not only observed that in the Moscow _traktirs_ nearly
every one drank tea, but that it was a favourite beverage with
all classes on all occasions. The middle and upper classes take
tea twice or three times a day,--always in the morning, and often
twice in the evening. The _isvostchik_, who formerly had a reputation
for drunkenness, which travellers of the present day continue to
ascribe to him, appears to prefer tea to every other drink. Such,