254 THE JENNEATTE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



said he could go to Bulim and return in five days. When 

 asked if he could go quicker with or without me or Melville, 

 he indicated that it made no difference. Melville decided 

 that Kusmah had better go alone. Kusmah acquiesced, but 

 on the following Friday we were surprised to learn that he 

 was going to take Nicolai Shagra with him. I have not 

 mentioned that the second day after our return to the vil- 

 lage, Nicolai came to us and w r anted a written paper from 

 us, which he promised to forward to Bulun at the earliest 

 opportunity. I wrote a paper in English and French, which 

 Wilson put into Swedish, and Lauderback into German ; 

 and all four versions of this document, together with a 

 picture of the ship and a drawing of the American flag, 

 were sewed up in oil-skin and given to Nicolai, who handed 

 them to his wife, and that good woman put them in her 

 cupboard for safe keeping. They were never forwarded. 

 Subsequently, Melville and I prepared despatches for the 

 Minister at St. Petersburg, for the Secretary of the Navy, 

 and for Mr. James Gordon Bennett ; but Melville sent noth- 

 ing by Kusmah. 



The day after we arrived it was decided that I should go 

 to Bulun, as I was in the best physical condition and the 

 most available person. For more than two weeks my pro- 

 jected trip was talked about by us and by the men. I was 

 to bring back food and deer sleds for the w r hole party, and 

 also to take the despatches which we had prepared. After 

 my return from Kusmah's house, however, Melville decided 

 that Kusmah should go alone, and as he promised to be 

 back in five days he decided not to send any despatches by 

 him, but to take them himself. He seemed to think that 

 Kusmah ought to get there and back quicker if he went 

 alone, and was very much disappointed when he learned that 

 Nicolai Shagra went witli him. 



This man Kusmah was a robber, who had been exiled 

 there and was dependent upon the natives in a great mea- 

 sure. He could not leave his home without official permis- 

 sion ; but he took the responsibility in this emergency, and 



