Page:Ossendowski - The Shadow of the Gloomy East.djvu/68

52 Christianity, great scientists and scholars, inspired poets, and a &hellip; police defending till quite lately the rights of the throne, civilisation, and church.

I could give many instances of heathen psychology and pagan customs familiar to the Russian people, but I think it will be most instructive if I describe what I saw personally in the Pskov, and several years later In the Black Sea province.

Pskov was visited by extremely heavy rainfalls. Immense areas of fields and pastures were turned into vast lakes, which joined the numerous marshes and pools. Rivers flooded the roads, and the villages were cut off from the outer world. The crops were totally destroyed. The peasants were threatened with famine.

The Masses celebrated in the villages brought no help. The rain continued for days and days. The elder men in the village began to throw out hints that the "ancient gods were wroth with the people, which had forsaken them," and that the time had come when they should be implored to relent. Then the cottages hummed with mysterious murmurs. It was evident that the peasants were making ready.

It was at the end of July or the beginning of August.

One evening crowds of the older peasants with their womenfolk were seen moving along the bank of the marshy river in the direction of the forest which covered the surrounding hills. I joined them, having taken advantage of the invitation extended to me by my host, the old Justice of the village of Plochova.