CHAP. XVII. 323 CHAPTER XVII. New Year's Day in Russia-Festivities in Barnaoul-Chief of the Cossacks-Peculation by Government Officials-A Birthday Ball— Champagne v. Vodky-Approaching Departure from Barnaoul. Barnaoul, January 1853. THE time is fast drawing nigh for our departure; our friends would not hear of our starting till after Christmas. We have had no end of balls, concerts, and theatricals; more gaiety than usual this year, in honour of the new Natchalnick, Colonel Stroleman having succeeded Colonel Sokolovsky, who has been promoted to the rank of General. There is always a grand ball given by the Natchalnick on new year's eve to the whole town. It is really a pretty and joyous sight, a brilliant assemblage full of mirth, congratulating each other as the bells toll forth the new year. At the moment, which is watched for with the greatest care, the champagne is poured out, and there is a general kissing all round. The new year is a grand festival in Russia-a constant round of visiting. The ladies sit at home on the first day, and receive the visits of the gentlemen, and after that the ladies visit each other. To return to the ball: it was intended to be very brilliant. The ladies had done their utmost to promote the general effect, by each one having a magnificent new dress for the occasion: and it was curious to see the post arrive; the number of cases was extraordinary. By the way, whilst I think of it, let me thank you for the trouble you were at in selecting my dress, or rather dresses; the green is very pretty and effective, at night it looks a beautiful blue. The ribbon à la Pompadour is splendid and much admired; I am glad ribbons are again in fashion, I am very fond of them, I wore the white dress for the grand ball; the material is very pretty; again thanks for everything. Well, about the middle of the evening, the brilliancy of the ball was completely clouded by an unlooked-for accident; the lights went out, and left us almost in total darkness. As I told you before, the candles and various other articles come from the fair of Irbit. Now, the Strolemans were unprepared for so large a number of lights as they needed this year, and had therefore to purchase some stearine candles in Barnaoul, which burnt pretty well till about half the candle was used, and then they did not choose to burn any longer, and went right out. A servant came and attempted to light them, but they would not catch, and he then brought the steps to examine into the matter, and found there were no wicks. A few others were procured, but nothing like sufficient to light up the rooms as they ought to have been; they are very large. I quite felt for our host and hostess, for they must have been annoyed, particularly this being their first ball since he has been made Natchalnick. Naturally it was a disappointment to the ladies, the beauty and freshness of their dresses being entirely lost; and it is said such trivial things make up a woman's life. CHAP. XVII. NEWS OF OLD FRIENDS. 325 The last ball I was at I was a little troubled how to arrange for a head-dress: I had never bought one; what on earth should I have done with flowers whilst travelling? In Irkoutsk I managed capitally, as Miss Basnin sent me fresh flowers each time I went out. I was the only one so indulged. Here we cultivated some in our rooms, and I had used the last; what was to be done? I would willingly have gone without, but that could not be. A sudden idea crossed my husband's mind, so I sent to Miss Annossoff for some ivy leaves, when he made me a beautiful wreath interspersed with red berries made from sealing-wax on the heads of pins, it really looked nice. The ladies begged of me to give them the wreath, when they divided its leaves amongst them, and each one planted her sprig, as a remembrance of my last ball in Barnaoul. I believe I have not mentioned our meeting here a young man from Kopal, where he had been on government service; from him we gathered a great deal of news of the place, and of our old friends, and all the changes that have taken place since we left. Had any of our old acquaintance known he would have met us, what messages we should have received! This young man made terrible complaints of the dreadful fatigues of the journey, and we learned that, instead of riding on horseback, he had been carried between two horses. When I expressed my surprise, he enquired how I had travelled; and when I said I had ridden, and, moreover, the last summer in the steppe, 123 days successively, he replied, 'I was tired to death in crossing, I wonder you are not dead.' Among the several officers in Kopal for whom we retained feelings of friendship, was the chief of the Cossacks, a most worthy man. During our sojourn among them, many circumstances occurred which enabled us to form a just estimate of this man's character: the care which he bestowed on those under his charge; his sorrow when he saw his men cut down by sickness, and nothing provided to alleviate their sufferings. Here they had to winter, exposed to all the rigour of the climate; and his own small resources were constantly drawn upon to supply a few comforts to the sick and dying: but, alas! these were small in comparison with their wants. Late in the autumn the caravans arrived with stores, consisting principally of rye-flour, black croop (a grain much used for food), also oats for the artillery horses. These articles were delivered in Kopal, and placed under the care of the chief of the Cossacks. When the flour was examined, it was found to be of the worst description, and scarcely fit for horses; the grain sent for them was also bad. Ismaeloff objected to receive these stores from the contractors, and sent a report to the proper quarter in Omsk, saying he had rejected the whole of the rye-flour as unfit; he also urged that other supplies should be sent forthwith, or the people would have nothing to subsist on. To this despatch he received a reply which showed that the contractors had not been inactive, telling him that his conduct had already been complained of, and they were indignant at his rejecting flour of a superior quality to that which they had agreed to supply; also CHAP. XVII. MALEVOLENT PERSECUTORS. 327 that the general under whose authority and inspection these stores had been purchased was perfectly satisfied; and suggesting to the commander that he had better attend to his own duties instead of meddling with those of his superiors, whom he had only to obey. From this period his removal and degradation were decided on by those high in office under the Governor-general. Had his despatch reached Prince Gortchakoff, there is no doubt that the real delinquents would have been exposed, and the poor Cossacks would have received wholesome food. Ismaeloff was deemed too dangerous to be left in a position where he could communicate with the prince, and measures were instantly adopted to prevent it. Up to this period all letters, despatches, and other papers, were delivered to the chief of the Cossacks, when they were sealed up in bags by him, and sent under charge of three Cossacks to Aiagooz, and thence by the Cossack post to Omsk. An order was received from the prince, saying that in future the despatch bags were to be made up by the civil authorities, by whom they would be forwarded under a guard of Cossacks. By this arrangement, every letter or report which the Cossack chief wrote could be examined and suppressed, if necessary. This placed Ismaeloff under the surveillance of the head of the civil department and the officers in Omsk. At length his enemies succeeded in concocting a series of charges against him, which were laid before the Governor-general, by whom the Cossack chief was summoned to Omsk. Knowing that his insidious foes would stop at nothing to effect his ruin, and |