Camels at Work—Winter.Camels at Work—Winter.
France is Russia’s ally, and well and faithfully have they both kept the terms of their alliance. We are a new friend only, but it was the British flag the populace demanded, at the beginning of the war, in Petrograd. They went in vast numbers to the British Embassy, and asked for it; and our Ambassador (Sir George Buchanan), though he had only two, handed one of them down, asking them to take care of and return it. They received it with the utmost reverence, bent down and kissed it, as many as could get near, and then, in procession, went cheering and singing through the streets of the capital, the British flag carried high before them.
During the visit of the Fleet earlier in the year to Cronstadt a party ofmoujikswere in aboat within the harbour; and, in their excitement to get near and see all they could of a British warship, they upset their boat, and were thrown struggling into the water. Instantly some twenty of our bluejackets (officers and men) dived amongst them, and in the shortest possible time had them safe in their righted boat again. This made a great impression in Russia, and, though news travels slowly in that vast country, this story went everywhere, continually evoking the comment, “Then it’s true, all that we’ve been told about them—and theirofficersdived in to save the lives of poor peasant folk!” It is a tremendous link between us and them to feel, as they do, that, while claiming all the rights of rank and authority, we feel human ties to be supreme. And just as we read of the British officer early in the war lying wounded in both legs, but lifting himself up with difficulty and crying, “Nowmy bonny lads, shoot straight and let them have it!” so we read of the Russian officer who addresses his men under similar circumstances as “little pigeons”—a special Russian term of endearment. Thus, while there is leadership in the officers of both countries, yet towards their men there is, as boys would say, “no side.”
We have only now to read and watch thecourse of events to keep free from prejudice and suspicion, as we try and discern the signs of the times, and the forces already at work will quite naturally and normally bring the two peoples together in enduring friendship. It is a most significant thing, surely, that three writers so utterly different from each other in their whole outlook upon life as the great surgeon, the popular novelist, and the independent thinker[15]should go to the Holy Land for totally different objects, andallfind the Russians, above all other nationalities, get very close to their hearts, both for what they were themselves, and for what it was so evidently in them to become.
The most important link of all, however, and that which I have kept in mind in everything I have written, between ourselves and Russia, is that our two races are at heart deeply religious people. The difference between us is that the devout Russianshowshis religion in every possible way, while the Englishman, with his characteristic reserve, seems to hide it or to speak about it with difficulty. When I was talking last year with a British officer in a specially responsible position, and religion came to be mentioned,he said very shyly and with hesitation, “Well, I have my bit, but I don’t talk much about it, though it’s everything to me, and I could not live without it.” It’s “everything” to us and to the Russians, though our public expressions of it are so entirely different. And in Russia once again, as, in former experiences in my episcopal work, I have found that the religious men—when they are the real thing—are all round the best men.
And thus I come to the end, hopefully confident about our relations with the Russians and our work in the world together. This book was asked of me, and pressed upon me at a specially busy and harassing time, and as it has had to be written amidst many distractions and interruptions its imperfections and deficiencies, as I well know, are many, yet it has been a most congenial task to write it. It has been written throughout with the one desire, while giving as true a description of Russia and its people’s life as I could, to lead my own countrymen to view them with a friendly eye and a kindly heart. This is essential if we are to have sound and stable relations with each other. Treaties and other diplomatic agreements are indeed mere “scraps of paper” without it, and when the Prime Ministeraddressed the deputies from the Russian Duma at a luncheon given them in the House of Commons in 1909, he truly and appropriately said that it is not enough to let governments sign treaties and agreements, but the nations themselves must have feelings of friendship for each other, without which all agreements and alliances are not worth the paper on which they are written. I believe—firmly and thankfully I believe it—that our feelings towards those of whom I have written are already those of sympathy and friendship. I am sure it is so in their feelings towards us, and that we are in consequence going to find in Russia not only a new ally but a very faithful one, and a loyal and true friend for many generations.
FOOTNOTES:[14]Boris Lebedev, in the February number of theRussian Review.[15]Sir Frederick Treves, Mr. Robert Hichens, and Mr. Stephen Graham.
[14]Boris Lebedev, in the February number of theRussian Review.
[14]Boris Lebedev, in the February number of theRussian Review.
[15]Sir Frederick Treves, Mr. Robert Hichens, and Mr. Stephen Graham.
[15]Sir Frederick Treves, Mr. Robert Hichens, and Mr. Stephen Graham.
Archangel,210,221.
Berlin, Social conditions in,202-03.
Catharine the Great,27.
Cleanliness of Russians,59-60.
Climate of Russia,31-32;
of Siberia,179-81.
Convict Labour,149.
Duma, The,25,160,226,267.
Ekaterinburg,40,222,223,244;
Convent at,83;
Bishop of,80,83.
Elizabeth, The Grand Duchess,81,133,134-37.
English Church, position of in Russia,1-2,205-10;
relations with Russian Church,90-93,210-13,226-27;
work of in Russia,89-91,175-79,221-24;
relations with the Jews,228sqq.
Germany, contrasted with Russia,201.
Ikons, Ubiquity of,21-24,54,100,121;
at the Kremlin,29;
“worship of” by peasants,57;
in churches,87,104;
the blessing of,82.
Jews in Russia,26;
religious work among,218,228sqq.;
persecution of,234-35,240;
as soldiers,241-42,246.
Kirghiz, The,8,37,53,89,164sqq.,255.
Kremlin, The,29,31.
Language, The Russian,7-11.
Libau,7,36,219-20.
Magdalena, Abbess,83.
Moscow,7,8,12,28,31,33,138,175,192,250,251;
the Archbishop of,78-83;
English Church at,218.
Neva, The,14,251;
the blessing of,112-13.
Nicholas II,2,113,118,122sqq.,156-57,254-56.
Nicholas, The Grand Duke,113,132.
Orthodox Church in Russia, relations with the State,71-74;
clergy of,74sqq.;
their relations with the people,92-94;
services,91-94,101-05;
arrangement of churches,102-05.
Passport system, The,16-18.
Peter the Great,27,72.
Petrograd,27,31,83,101,112,125,157,168,175,190,192,195,199,212,251,252,263;
English Church at,216.
Poles, relations with Russia,25,42-44,241.
Riga,7,30,83,220.
Samovar, The,36,171.
Siberia,7,12,17,19,40,52,89,110,123,124,152,159,168sqq.,244,251,259;
the prisons in,141-51.
Steppes, The,8,162sqq.
Students, Problem of,192sqq.;
numbers of,192;
at Geneva and elsewhere,194-95.
Tea, how drunk in Russia,37.
Tiumen, Abbot of,87-89.
Travelling in Russia,11-14;
by sledge,32;
on the Steppes,170-75.
Tsarevitch, The,125-26.
Vodka, Prohibition of,41,42,51,155;
attraction of,65,256-57.
Volga, The,14,16-17,44.
Warsaw,10,29,31,228sqq.;
Archbishop of,75-78.
Wolves,179,181-83.
MAP ILLUSTRATING THE AUTHOR’S JOURNEYS IN RUSSIAMAP ILLUSTRATING THE AUTHOR’S JOURNEYS IN RUSSIA
Printed by A. R. Mowbray & Co. Ltd.
London and Oxford
TRANSCRIBERS' NOTESPage viii: In the list of illustrations, page for the Convent at Ekaterinburg corrected from 87 to 78Page 43, 239: Spelling of Russification/Russifaction as in originalPage 81: intercommunion standardised to inter-communionPage 82: anteroom standardised to ante-roomPage 112: out-door standardised to outdoorPage 175: tarntass corrected to tarantassPage 180: Tolstoy's standardised to Tolstoi's
Page viii: In the list of illustrations, page for the Convent at Ekaterinburg corrected from 87 to 78
Page 43, 239: Spelling of Russification/Russifaction as in original
Page 81: intercommunion standardised to inter-communion
Page 82: anteroom standardised to ante-room
Page 112: out-door standardised to outdoor
Page 175: tarntass corrected to tarantass
Page 180: Tolstoy's standardised to Tolstoi's