Moscow,
Saturday,
12th Decr. 1903
My Dearest Mary,
I have just received a batch of letters from Mr Grove, British Consul, viz 4 from your dear self, one from Frank, a very kindly one from Henry Duckworth, one from Mr Hermann Decker, & one from Ellis Edwards.—I did not get any letters at Omsk; in fact I did not remember having asked you to write there. I was there only one day, as I could not afford to miss ⟨the⟩ Express for Moscow, as I should have had to wait 2 days for another. I will write for the letters to be sent home. It took me 4 days to travel from Omsk here, thro' the Oural Mountains & over the Great Volga Bridge. I enjoyed the rural scenery much; we had a splendid Observation Car & sat best part of the daylight in it. The daylight lasts only about 8 or 9 hours. I was berthed in a beautiful car with a Polish gentleman, who for some reason