Thomas Henry Barker

“ I slept in the Fort Stolovoya or Hotel, where my lodgings were free, but I hired the cook for food. However, I lunched and suppered with the Director in an adjoining house. My bedroom was beautiful, and I was attended to entirely by two convicts, both of whom were most patient, watching every want, and the elder one was a splendid valet, who insisted on dressing me like a baby. The poor men here are from all parts of the Russian Empire, and commit murder and offences often through vodka spirit, and have to live in repentance ever after. ”

“ My driver, an honest fellow said 40 copecks quite enough and he had 2 glasses of tea out of the pot. I was tucked in again in the farmyard, and one of the sons, a handsome young fellow, held open the two leaved gate, to let the "Karata" and pair out -- He was clad in a fur cape, yellow leather boots, and a tunic to his knees of soft magenta colour. The whole surrounding was like a medieval English farm, the costumes like English peasants of the time of Edward 1st, but rather more luxurious. The great grandfather was a patriach with long hair and beard. ”

“ I completed a letter of 18 sheets to you last night at 12 o'clock, but I had to be up at six o'clock this morning, and as I could not trust anyone at the Hotel with money for stamps for postage, I have left the letter in my valise until Sunday, and it will very likely travel in the same train with myself to Tomsk. You must excuse my writing just now, as I have a slight gathering on my right little finger and I have to hold it out straight when I write; it is so painful. ”