Page:Morgan Philips Price - Siberia (1912).djvu/102

 68 transactions, for which they had been waiting all the morning, and that took at least an hour. I then explained what I wanted to a red-faced youth across the counter, who seemed partially to understand, and retired to the corner of the room. I waited till the hand of the clock had once gone round and then was asked by another red-faced youth if I would explain again what I wanted.

After another half-hour's wait I was informed that I had come to the wrong counter, and must go to the other end of the room, where another beautiful specimen of this menagerie was perched up on a high stool. It took roughly fifteen minutes for my ideas to filter in, another fifteen minutes for them to digest, thirty minutes more for them to be executed, and fifteen minutes more for the final signing of paper and handing over of cash. I left with the conviction that next time I had occasion to visit a Siberian bank on business, I should have to make a day's expedition, and take all my meals with me, and possibly even a bed for the night.

But I sympathized with the occupants of that bank, although they greatly inconvenienced me. They made a heroic attempt, while I was there, to put on the mantle of Western civilization, and to imitate, as far as they could in their crude, child-like way, an economic institution which was obviously beyond their powers of comprehension. The spirit was willing, but the flesh was weak. Nevertheless the beginnings of greater things were there ready for development, and I am one of those who believe that the Slavs some day will develop their crude human material on Western lines.

I must now relate something of our relations with