The Russian road to China (1910) (14572069870)

Identifier: russianroadtochi00bateuoft (find matches)

Title: The Russian road to China

Year: 1910 (1910s)

Authors: Bates, Lindon Wallace, 1883-1915

Subjects: Trans-Siberian railroad Siberia (Russia) -- Description and travel China -- Description and travel

Publisher: Boston Houghton Mifflin company

Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto

Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

Text Appearing Before Image:

ongols, and whichthey set up for worship among their other gods.The lama was beheaded, they say. That was severalyears ago, however; since then Gigin has beenphotographed at the races and elsewhere. At last we break away from the group and returnto our lodgings at Varlakoffs. We are informed next day that among the in-vitations so lightly and uncomprehendingly ac-cepted was one to take dinner with the mayor ofthe Russian settlement. We are expected there-fore toward evening. So, late in the day, we girdon our greatcoat and move out heavily. Down thestreet we fare forth to the house of the host. Afine well-fed man is this mayor, with the cordialgrip and the slow smile of good-fellowship. He wearsa very long beard. He has taken a fancy to the em-broidered green and pink Chinese ear-tabs as a sub-stitute for the big fur cap of his own people. Theear-tabs are about as appropriate to his burgo-master build as baby-blue ribbon on the tail of afighting bull-pup. Otherwise, deerskin boots and

Text Appearing After Image:

o THE CITY OF THE REBORN GOD 245 hunting-coat, he is the real Siberian. In the mayorslarge sitting-room, along the wall against which thetable stands, is a rank of bottles of divers heightsand fatness, like recruits out for their drill. Thesamovar of shining brass leads the array. Fourdifferent-sized glasses stand at each plate, and theintervening area is covered with platters of sausages,cheese, bread, sprats of every conceivable variety,and a medley of cold zakuska dishes. The mayor reaches for the vodka. Please, none ! we blurt out. The mayor looks hurt. Then an idea takes formin his head, and he shouts something to his Chineseboy, who promptly shuffles through the door intothe street. Out of the window we catch a glimpse of him turn-ing into the establishment across the way, wherePokrins clerk sells the wherewithal to make aRussian holiday. The Chinese boy emerges witha bottle, and trots back across the street with thecurious gait made requisite by the unattached thick-soled slipp

lamas the russian road to china 1910 book illustrations description and travel china siberia russian empire russia images from internet archive

1910

University of Toronto

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public domain