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CHAPTER X.
AMONG GERMAN COLONISTS.
Skilful Boatmen—Adventures in a Row-boat—The German Colonies—Their
Prospering—and Decay—Mennonite Colonies—Their Principles—A Visit
—An Oasis in the Desert—Peace and Plenty—A Miracle of Co-operation—
Land for All—Successful Prohibition—A Wonderful Record of "Crime"
—"No Priests, Policemen, Publicans, or Paupers"—Co-operation and
Competition.
To get to some of the so-called German Colonies, where my
business led me, I took one of the great Volga steamers from
Samara to Volsk, haying to complete the journey, some
twenty-four miles, in a row-boat. I first took note of the great
relief-work organised by Countess Schouvaloff on her large estate close
by, and then went to a " contractor " to order a boat and two
oarsmen to take me to the village of Basel, in the German
Colonies. I had often heard of the skill of these Volga
boatmen, and was looking forward with considerable anticipation
to seeing it for myself during a pleasant ride on the bosom of
" Mother Volga." When I came to the river I was
unpleasantly surprised by finding a wretched-looking, half-rotten,
wooden box of a boat, manned by two rowers whose looks
inspired me with anything but confidence. I returned to the
" contractor" and remonstrated, but was met with the eternal,
ambiguous Russian expression " Nitchevo "! I had no time
to try elsewhere, so decided to run the risk and trust to my
swimming abilities if any calamity should occur.
On leaving the shore one of the rowers at once gave evidence
of his incapacity; probably he had never touched an oar before.
At every stroke he plunged his oars perpendicularly into the
deep, at the same time half rising from his seat. The other,
who plainly considered himself the " captain," gave up rowing
altogether, took his seat opposite his " crew," and issued
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