untries in which
I have travelled Russia certainly bears off the palm in the matter of
hospitality."

An interesting feature of a Russian meal, luncheon, or dinner, is its
preliminary, the _zakouska_. It probably dates from the time when guests
came from long distances, as they do still in the country, and would be
hungry upon their arrival, and yet would have to wait until all the
guests had come. It would be, and indeed in some houses to which I have
been is still, understood, that if you were asked for a certain time the
dinner would follow in the course of an hour or two; and so the "snack"
was provided, and laid out upon the sideboard. The great dinners or
banquets in London are "7 for 7-30," to give time for guests to
assemble.

The _zakouska_, however, remains the custom still at every meal, and
consists of caviare sandwiches, _pate de foie gras_, and various kinds
of deliciously cured fish. Strangers to the country, not understanding
this particular custom, for it is provided in the drawing-room,
ante-room, or in the dining-room itself, sometimes enjoy it so much and
partake so freely, that they feel unequal to the meal which follows, and
then have the pain of seeing their host and hostess quite mortified and
hurt by their not doing full justice to the good things provided. I
remember being entertained at supper in Libau by the good consul and his
family, at the St. Petersburg Hotel, when the _zakouska_ provided was so
abundant and attractive that we all decided that we could not go beyond
it to anything more substantial.

Another special and characteristic feature of Russian life, and one
which it seems impossible to transplant to another country, for many of
my friends have tried it, is the _samovar_ or large urn with a central
flue for burning or smouldering charcoal. The _samovar_ is always near
at hand, and ready to be brought in at short notice to furnish what one
can only call the national beverage of tea. The steaming urn is a very
cheerful object in the room, and when tea is made and guests are served,
the teapot is placed on the top of the central flue and everything is
kept bubbling hot. On the steppes I used to boil my eggs in the space
between the flue and the outside cover, though this was not held to be
good for the tea. Tea is provided and enjoyed everywhere in Russia,
drunk very hot, rather weak and almost always with sugar, though _not_
with lemon except in great houses and hotels. "Slices o