Therefore, we were forced to visit the village Soviets and change our horses.

Our own mounts we had given to the Tartar and Cossack who helped us at the mouth of the Tuba, and the Cossack brought us in his wagon to the first village, where we received the post horses.

All except a small minority of the peasants were against the Bolsheviki and voluntarily assisted us.

I paid them for their help by treating their sick and my fellow traveler gave them practical advice in the management of their agriculture.

Those who helped us chiefly were the old dissenters and the Cossacks.
Sometimes we came across villages entirely Communistic but very soon we learned to distinguish them.