File:Siberia and the exile system (1891) (14785822653).jpg

Identifier: siberiaexilesyst02kennuoft (find matches)
Title: Siberia and the exile system
Year: 1891 (1890s)
Authors: Kennan, George, 1845-1924
Subjects: Siberia (Russia) -- Description and travel
Publisher: new York : Century
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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low gown was thrown a splendid redsilk scarf a yard wide and five yards long, hanging in softfolds from the left shoulder and gathered up about thewaist. On his head he wore a high, pointed, brimless hatof orange felt, the extended sides of which fell down over hisshoulders like the ends of a Russian bashlik, and were linedwith heavy gold-thread embroidery. From a cord about hiswaist hung a large, flat, violet-velvet bag, which had a curi-ously wrought bronze stopper and which looked like a clothbottle. Every part of the costume was made of the finestmaterial, and the general effect of the yellow gown and hat,the dark-blue facings, the red scarf, and the violet bag wasextremely brilliant and striking. The wearer of this richecclesiastical dress was a Buriat about sixty years of age,of middle height and erect figure, with a beardless, some-what wrinkled, but strong and kindly face. He representedthe northern Mongol rather than the Chinese type, and A VISIT TO THE SELENGINSK LAMASEKY 83
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THE GRAND LAMA. 84 SIBERIA seemed to be a man of some education and knowledge ofthe world. He greeted us easily and without embarrass-ment, and when we had all taken seats he listened with animpassive countenance to the ingenious but highly coloredstory into which Khainuief translated my modest accountof ourselves, our plans, and our object in coming to the la-masery. Whether he believed it all or not I have no meansof knowing; but from the subsequent course of events, andfrom statements made to me in Selenginsk after our returnfrom Kiakhta, I am inclined to believe that Khainuiefsdiplomacy — not to give it a harsher name — was crownedwith success. The bright-witted interpreter certainlyplayed his part to perfection, and he even had the cool as-surance to make me say to the Grand Lama that GovernorPetrof in Irkutsk had particularly recommended him (Khai-nuief) to me as a valuable and trustworthy man, and thatit was at the request of the governor that he came with usto the lamasery

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