The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-02
TRAVEL IN RUSSIA.
Difficulties and Oddities Of thePost Roads
i'm That Country.

in That Country.
have Travelled about five hundred
miles from here. 10 the Persian: border
and back. on the post road, writes Il
Tiiiis. Russia. correspondent ID tn" s't.
Louis iiioh, ijrJHJ"Eftt. and find IT, IN
many respects. ;tn excellent discipline
in patience. can not complain OF the
speed of travel. for they have line
hurSc~. and wien once on the road we
covered six, eight. and even thirteen
mile, in an hour. The provoking part
i the DELAY. which seems almost ineyi-
fable. at the post-hOu~cs where We
changed horses.
Upon our arrival at the station our
conductor must first present his pa
doroshnc." or road passport, have it
examined and registered, beforethe Or
der for fresh team can be given. In
the meantime the horses, which have
brought us thus far are being very de-
ibcratelr unhitched to make room for
the new ones when they are brought
out. Instead of keeping these horses
here to rest, and be ready for the next
carriage which may be returning over
their route. they are sent back with
their driver, at once and without aload,
10 the place IIOIll Willcn We IOOh LuCAA.
After our carriage has been standing
for an indefinite time ready for horses,
and we have been sitting in it, or walk
ing about trying TO believe we enjoy
the scenery, a man comes sauntering
out from the stables with a bundle of
ropes and straps, which prove to be
the reins for tne team, which viii come
some time These are thrown down,
and we wait still longer. Finally au-
other man comes out leading one,g or,
AT most, two horses. When he has
them in position he VIII probably find
that he I.;:s forgotten some part of the
harness. Vigorous shouting will in due
time summon another man, who must
come down to the road to see for him.
self what is wanted, aud then 20 back
to hunt in the dark stable for tire lost
strap. When the two pole horses are
at length tied into place, another pair
must be brought, for they drive four
abreast. 1t is more than likely that a
long discussion will ensue to find out
whether these horses are in their prop
er places, and perhaps one or two must
be removed. Ii it is Il hard road, so
that six horses are necessary, the next
step is to bring the whiifie- trees for the
leaders and tie them to the end of the
pole. After they are adjusted to the
satisfaction of the whole company, tho
last pair of horses are sent fOr, the
loose lines tied TO all the bits, and we
are ready to start. We thought we
were doing very well when our team
was ready in half an hour, but it was
often much more. They do not seem
to see the use of Il buckle when straps
can be tied. nor IS Il strap necessary
when Il rope can he used. The traces
are all rope; the pole is held firmly in
its place by ropes attached TO the axle
and twisted up with short pieces of fire.
wood. .
When once started, our trials are not
vet ut an end. for trace may come
united or need readiustment and we
| must stop to have it attended to. They
| seem never to carry an extra rope, but
| if one breaks it must 9e tied up some
way. Then while We are standing still.
| the horses will probably improve tine
! opportunity TO have fight, for tie
! post-horses all bite and kick and some-
| times they get up Il very lively skirmish
| if they get ut one another where they
are free.
! Another occasional delay comes when
/ the carriage must be oiled. This was
! done once each day. All the men ut
| the pOst-house must be present to see
| that it is done rightly, and no thought
of preparing the horses at the same
| time seems TO occur to them. L do not
understand the Russian language, but
! | have begun very seriously to doubt
! whether it has any word to express the
idea OF hurry. At any rate. there is no
use in trying to stir the man up, unless
ii be by the presentation of a small
piece of money, and this becomes ex-
pensiye where so many are engaged in
every process. | have received this ad-
vice and | think it is good: Ii YOUR
! driver seems inclined to 90 too fast for
Your comfort, urge him to drive faster.
but give him no money, and the effect
will certainly be to slacken his speed
The arrangement of these convey
ances is peculiar and complicated. If
| you wish to make II journey on this
| government road You must first get
padOrOshne. which is the government
document giving you a right to horses
| and the Use OF the pOst-hOuseS. Then
Il carriage must be selected. This also
belongs to the government, and the
conductor is a man whom they send
along to have charge of the vehicle
| uNIlH0 inc W HOIc lOuTHcN IIC - HOG
the driver, but rather 4 sort of super
intendent The horses do not be.ong
to the government, nor do they belong
to any one organization, but the man
in charge of each post-house has his
own horses, which he hires out at
rate fixed by the government. They
send along Il driver with each team. or
two when six horses are taken. AS L
have said, these drivers take the
horses back aS soon as they complete
the stage. If the different men could
trust each other a combination would
be effected which would enable them to
get twice the work out of their horses,
and greatly diminish the expense of
travel
The drivers and other attendants are
| strengthening men with their monde
script apparel and huge hats The
most common hcadgcar is the great
brown fur. cap. SOME of these that l
| have seen can not be less than eighteen
or twenty inches in diameter rt the
bottom. They wear these i'll summer
as well as winter.
This might seem 4 good field for
American enterprise to try and estab-
| liSh a more systematic arrangement,
! but 1 can not recommend it as promis-
ing prompt or complete success.
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