erable expense to the authorities in the days of
its state endowment.

Nearly every Russian is a natural musician, and cannot only sing in
tune, but can take a part "by ear." The man with the _balaleika_,
or _garmonka_, is always sure of an admiring audience, whether in
town or village; and there is not a tiny hamlet in the empire but
resolves itself, on holidays, into a pair of choral societies--one
for male and one for female voices--which either parade up and down
the village street, singing, without, of course, either conductor
or accompaniment, or sit in rows upon the benches outside the huts,
occupied in a similar manner.

Occasionally, but very rarely, you may see a party of Russian children,
or young men and women, playing, in the open air, at one of two
games. The first is a variant of "prisoner's base"; the other is a
species of ninepins, or skittles, played with a group of uprights
at which short, thick clubs are thrown. The Russian youth--those
who are energetic enough to practise the game--sometimes attain
considerable proficiency with these grim little weapons, and make
wonderful shots at a distance of some thirty yards or so.

As for the middle-class Russian sportsman, he forms a class by
himself, and is a very original person indeed, unless taught the
delights of the chase by an Englishman. In his eyes the be-all and
end-all of a true sportsman is to purchase the orthodox equipment
of a green-trimmed coat, Tyrolese hat, and long boots, and to pay
his subscription to a shooting club. He rarely discharges a gun;
the rascally thing kicks, he finds; and the birds _will_ fly before
he can point his weapon at them as they crouch in the heather at
his feet; of course he is not such a fool as to fire after they
are up and away. As a rule, however, he goes no farther afield
than the card-table of the club-house. Why should he? He has bought
all the clothes; and what more does a man need to be a sportsman?
I cannot honestly affirm that I ever saw one of these good fellows
actually fire off a gun; for whenever I have been informed that
such an event is about to take place, I have always done my best
to put two or three good miles, or a village or two, between myself
and the Muscovitish "sportsman."

_THE KIRGHIZ AND THEIR HORSES_

_FRED BURNABY_

The aspect of the country now underwent an entire change. We had
left all traces of civilization behind us, and were regularly upon
the Steppes. Not the Ste