A Russian Journey (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1899 Excerpt: ... ASIA AT NIJNI. Give me that melon of Khiva, Luscious and round and fair;--Its mate for the Lord of China Across the steppes they bear--And place on the tray beside it, Worthy of sheikh or khan, Peaches that grew in the gardens Of the golden Zerefshan. And a cup of Flowery Pekoe--Tea of the mandarins--Gathered in dewy morning, Just when the spring begins. (Keep for the peasant and Tartar, The bowls of the dark Bohea Plucked when the heats of summer With rank leaves load the tree.) Ali, what ravishing flavors I Not the wine of the Rhine, Not of Tokay, nor the nectar Won from the Cyprian vine, Nor Sicily's oranges rarest, Nor sweetest figs of Dalmatia, Rival the Flowery Pekoe And the spicy melons of Asia I 'HE most important article of merchandise at Nijni is tea. Of the fifteen million pounds of fine quality brought to Russia through Kiachta, some goes direct to Moscow, but the larger part finds its way to the Fair, whence it is distributed over the empire. Piled up in the warehouses were thousands of packages about two feet square--frames covered with skins in which the precious contents had come securely on boats and camels and sledges to Perm, and thence down the Kama and up the Volga to Nijni. Over the whole Russian Empire and Central Asia tea is the universal drink and luxury. Here was the delicate green tea for the dainty Moslems of the cities who would sip it in the booths, between their prayers, and when the effusion was exhausted, eat the leaves, holding them between the thumb and finger; and brick tea for the mass of the people, and for the Kirghiz and Kalmuck rovers of the steppe--the refuse of the tea-crop, pressed into solid cakes, and in the towns mixed with milk and drank from bowls into which bread is dipped the while, and in the nomad yourts ...