cloud, and the
sun shines brightly, though not too fiercely, from morn till eve.
Nothing could be more delightful than that first experience, especially
as one thought of the object of one's journey and the services of the
coming Sunday. Then the wonderful nights, beginning with the sweet,
bell-like sounds of the innumerable frogs after the birds had ceased. As
I did not sleep I saw and enjoyed all that the nights had to give, and
we had the full moon. First the golden sunlight gradually died away and
the silvery light of the moon appeared, that in its turn, after what
seemed an extraordinarily short time, giving place to the dawn, which
shows itself sometimes more than an hour before the actual sunrise.
Night on the steppes, like the day, is also full of movement, for many
of those who travel long distances prefer to let their horses and
bullocks feed and rest during the long day, when they enjoy their
pasture best, getting their own rest also at the same time, basking in
the sun, and continuing their journey through the night, which is never
really dark.

My second night out, just after midnight, I was startled at seeing a
camel come into view in the moonlight on my right, going in the opposite
direction and dragging a small cart, but making no sound upon the grass.
It looked quite spectral in the moonlight, and was followed by another,
and yet another; then came a bullock, then a horse or two, one after
another, then more camels, all with carts and in single file. Not a
sound could be heard, and only at intervals men walked beside them. It
went on and on, the strange, silent procession, and I could not think
what manner of caravan it could possibly be. All the carts were small,
carefully covered over, and evidently had small loads, though requiring
powerful creatures to draw them; and then all at once I understood. It
was smelted copper being taken down to the railhead from which I had
come, and from the mine to which I was going! I then began to count how
many had still to pass me, and reckoned up a hundred and six, so that
there must have been nearly three hundred in all. They take three months
to go down, load up with stores, and return, and yet I was told that
such transport was cheaper than sending by rail will be when that part
of the government of Akmolinsk is connected with the great
Trans-Siberian line running from Petropavlosk both to Moscow and
Petrograd.

Another time I should take the opportunity affo