e
conversion of one of them to Christianity is a very rare occurrence.
My attention was called to their mosques in the villages we passed,
the construction being quite unlike that of the Russian churches. A
tall spire or minaret, somewhat like the steeple of an American
church, rises in the center of a Tartar mosque and generally overlooks
the whole village. No bells are used, the people being called to
prayer by the voice of a crier.

These Tartars have none of the warlike spirit of their ancestors, and
are among the most peaceful subjects of the Russian emperor. They are
industrious and enterprising, and manage to live comfortably. Their
reputation for shrewdness doubtless gave rise to the story of the
difficulty of catching a Tartar.

At the stations we generally found Russian smotretals with Tartar
attendants. Blacksmiths, looking for jobs, carefully examined our
sleighs. One found my shafts badly chafed where they touched the
runners, and offered to iron the weak points for sixty copecks. I
objected to the delay for preparing the irons. "_Grotovey, Grotovey;
piet minute_" said the man, producing the ready prepared irons from
one pocket and a hammer and nails from another. By the time the horses
were led out the job was completed. I should have been better
satisfied if one iron had not come off within two hours, and left the
shaft as bare as ever.

The Tartars speak Russian very fairly, but use the Mongol language
among themselves. They dress like the Russians, or very nearly so, the
most distinguishing feature being a sort of skull cap like that worn
by the Chinese. Their hair is cut like a prize fighter's, excepting a
little tuft on the crown. Out of doors they wore the Russian cap over
their Mohammedan one--unconsciously symbolizing their subjection to
Muscovite rule.

These Tartars drove horses of the same race as those in the Baraba
steppe. They carried us finely where the road permitted, and I had
equal admiration for the powers of the horses and the skill of their
drivers.

In the night, after passing Malmouish, the weather became warm. I laid
aside my dehar only a half hour before the thermometer fell, and set
me shivering. About daybreak it was warmer, and the increasing
temperature ushered in a violent storm. It snowed and it blowed, and
it was cold, frosty weather all day and all night. We closed the
sleigh and attempted to exclude the snow, but our efforts were vain.
The little crevices admitted