Letters of Anton Chekhov (Tchekhov) - Penn State University

Letters of Anton Chekhov to His Family and Friends with biographical sketchTO HIS SISTER.THE STEAMER “MURAVYOV,” June 29, 1890.Meteors are flying in my cabin—these are luminous beetles thatlook like electric sparks. Wild goats swim across the Amur in theday-time. The flies here are huge. I am sharing my cabin with aChinaman—Son-Luli—who is constantly telling me how in Chinafor the merest trifle it is “off with his head.” Last night he got drunkwith opium, and was talking in his sleep all night and preventingme from sleeping. On the 27th I walked about the Chinese townAigun. Little by little I seem gradually to be stepping into a fantasticworld. The steamer rocks, it is hard to write.To-morrow I shall reach Habarovsk. The Chinaman began to singfrom music written on his fan.198