ng. Beggars often
ask alms in the interest of particular saints, and this one had
attached himself to Elias.

We met many sledges laden with goods _en route_ to the fair which
takes place every February at Irbit. This fair is of great importance
to Siberia, and attracts merchants from all the region west of Tomsk.
From forty to fifty million roubles worth of goods are exchanged there
during the four weeks devoted to traffic. The commodities from Siberia
are chiefly furs and tea, those from Europe comprise a great many
articles. Irbit is on the Asiatic side of the Ural mountains, about
two hundred versts northeast of Ekaterineburg. It is a place of little
consequence except during the time of the fair.

After entering Europe, we relied upon the stations for our meals,
carrying no provisions with us except tea and sugar. We knew the
peasants would be well supplied with edibles during Christmas
holidays, and were quite safe in depending upon them. A traveler in
Russia must consult the calendar before starting on a journey, if he
would ascertain what provision he may, or may not, find among the
people.

Congour was the first town of importance, and has an unenviable
reputation for its numerous thieves. They do not molest the post
vehicles unless the opportunity is very favorable, their
accomplishments being specially exercised upon merchandise trains.
Sometimes when trains pass through Congour the natives manage to steal
single vehicles and their loads. The operation is facilitated by there
being only one driver to five or six teams. This town is also famous
for its tanneries, the leather from Congour having a high reputation
throughout Russia. Peter the Great was at much trouble to teach the
art of tanning to his subjects. At present, the Russians have very
little to learn from others on that score. Peter introduced tanning
from Holland and Germany, and when the first piece of leather tanned
in Russia was brought to him he took it between his teeth and exerted
all the strength of his jaws to bite through it. The leather resisted
his efforts, and so delighted the monarch that he decreed a pension
to the successful tanner. The specimen, with the marks of his teeth
upon it, is still preserved at St. Petersburg.

While waiting for dinner at Congour, I contemplated some engravings
hanging in the public room at the station. Four of them represented
scenes in "Elizabeth, or the exiles of Siberia," a story which has
been tra