Letters of Anton Chekhov (Tchekhov) - Penn State University

Anton ChekhovIRKUTSK, June 7, 1890.… The steamer from Sryetensk leaves on June 20th. Good Christians,what am I to do till the 20th? How am I to dispose of myself?The journey to Sryetensk will only take five or six days. I have greatlyaltered the route of my journey. From Habarovsk (look at the map*)I am going not to Nikolaevsk, but by the Ussuri to Vladivostok,and from there to Sahalin. I must have a look at the Ussuri region.At Vladivostok I shall bathe in the sea and eat oysters.It was cold till I reached Kansk; from Kansk (see map) I began togo down to the south. Everything is as green as with you, even theoaks are out. The birches here are darker than in Russia, the green isnot so sentimental. There are masses of the Russian white servicetree,which here takes the place of both the lilac and the cherry.They say they make an excellent jam from the service-tree. I tastedsome of the fruit pickled; it was not bad.Two lieutenants and an army doctor are travelling with me. Theyhave received their travelling expenses three times over, but havespent all the money, though they are travelling in one carriage. Theyare sitting without a farthing, waiting for the pay department tosend them some money. They are nice fellows. They have had fromfifteen hundred to two thousand roubles each for travelling expenses,and the journey will cost them next to nothing (excluding, of course,the cost of the stopping places). They do nothing but pitch intoeverybody at hotels and stations so that people are positively afraidto present their bills. In their company I pay less than usual …. Todayfor the first time in my life I saw a Siberian cat. It has long softfur, and a gentle disposition.… I felt homesick and sent you a telegram today asking you tosubscribe together and send me a long telegram. It would be nothingto all of you, inhabitants of Luka, to fling away five roubles.… With whom is Mishka in love? To what happy woman isIvanenko telling stories of his uncle? … I must be in love with Jamaisas I dreamed of her yesterday. In comparison with all the “jeunes*Chekhov’s family had, during his absence, a map of Siberia on thewall by means of which they followed his progress.179