In Western Europe they would not attract much attention, but "in the kingdom of the blind," as the French proverb has it, "the one-eyed man is king"; and in a flat region like Eastern Russia these hills form a prominent feature.

Though they have nothing of Alpine grandeur, yet their well-wooded slopes, coming down to the water's edge--especially when covered with the delicate tints of early spring, or the rich yellow and red of autumnal foliage--leave an impression on the memory not easily effaced.
On the whole--with all due deference to the opinions of my patriotic Russian friends--I must say that Volga scenery hardly repays the time, trouble and expense which a voyage from Nizhni to Tsaritsin demands.
There are some pretty bits here and there, but they are "few and far between." A glass of the most exquisite wine diluted with a gallon of water makes a very insipid beverage.

The deck of the steamer is generally much more interesting than the banks of the river.

There one meets with curious travelling companions.

The majority of the passengers are probably Russian peasants, who are always ready to chat freely without demanding a formal introduction, and to relate--with certain restrictions--to a new acquaintance the simple story of their lives.
Often I have thus whiled away the weary hours both pleasantly and profitably, and have always been impressed with the peasant's homely common sense, good-natured kindliness, half-fatalistic resignation, and strong desire to learn something about foreign countries.