`emacs-version' is a variable declared in Lisp.
-- loaded from "/usr/src/bs/BUILD/xemacs-21.1.12/lisp/version.el"
Value: "21.1 (patch 12) \"Channel Islands\" XEmacs Lucid"
C-x v i doesn't cause the buffer to be put in RCS mode. You have to
kill the buffer and reopen the file for emacs to notice.
I think this used to work.