was not entirely successful.  The snow was of the right consistency for a school boy’s frolic, and would have thrown a group of American urchins into ecstacies.  Whenever our pace quickened to a trot or gallop, the larboard horse threw a great many snowballs with his feet.  He seemed to aim at my face, and every few minutes I received what the prize ring would call ’plumpers in the peeper, and sockdolagers on the potato-trap.’

We drove into Barnaool about forty-four hours after leaving Tomsk.  At the hotel we found three rooms containing chairs and tables in profusion, but not a bed or sofa.  Of course we were expected to supply our own bedding, and need not be particular about a bedstead.  The worst part of the affair was the wet condition of our furs.  My sheepskin sleigh robe was altogether too damp for use, and I sent it to be dried in the kitchen.  Several of my fur garments went the same way.  Even my shooba, which I carried in a bag, had a feeling of dampness when I unfolded it, and in fact the only dry things about us, were our throats.  We set things drying as best we could, and then ordered dinner.  Before our sleighs were unloaded, a policeman took our passports and saved us all trouble of going to the station.

In the evening I accompanied Dr. Schmidt on a visit to a friend and fellow member of the Academy of Science.  We found a party of six or eight persons, and, as soon as I was introduced, a gentleman despatched a servant to his house.  The man returned with a roll of sheet music from which our host’s daughter favored us with the “Star Spangled Banner,” and “Hail Columbia,” as a greeting to the first American visitor to Barnaool.  On our return to our lodgings we made our beds on the floor, and slept comfortably.  The dampness of the furs developed a rheumatic pain in my shoulder that stiffened me somewhat inconveniently.

We breakfasted upon cakes and tea at a late hour in the morning, and then went to pay our respects to General Freeze, the Nachalnik or Director of Mines, and to Colonel Filoff, chief of the smelting works.  Both these officers were somewhat past the middle age, quiet and affable, and each enjoyed himself in coloring a meerschaum.  They have been engaged in mining matters during many years, and are said to be thoroughly versed in their profession.  After visiting these gentlemen we called upon other official and civilian residents of the city.

Barnaool is the center of direction of the mining enterprises of the Altai mountains, and has a population of ten or twelve thousand.  Almost its entire business is in someway connected with mining affairs, and there are many engineer officers constantly stationed there.  I met some of these gentlemen during my stay, and was indebted to them for information concerning the manner of working mines and reducing ores.  The city contains a handsome array of public buildings, including the mining bureau, the hospital, and the zavod or smelting establishment.  General Freeze,