THE LENA DELTA. 761 



before me. But his condition is serious indeed, and he 

 can neither keep up with us nor be carried. Reaching 

 anywhere in four days with him disabled is out of the 

 question ; and it looks as if I must send the doctor and 

 Nindemann ahead for assistance. 



Before getting Ericksen up to our halting place with 

 the doctor, I went ahead to send Nindemann and Alexey 

 on in the deer tracks, to see if we were close to a river 

 mouth ; but upon reaching the place at two p. m., I 

 found they had gone in chase of four deer which had 

 appeared in my absence. While waiting for results 

 built a fire. At three Nindemann and Alexey returned, 

 having seen a herd of seven or eight deer, but they 

 were unable to get a shot. At 3.20 went ahead again. 

 This time the doctor and I brought up the rear to pre- 

 vent Ericksen giving up, and we succeeded in advanc- 

 ing him a mile by 4.20. Here we crossed what I con- 

 sider a river mouth, from the enormous masses of wood 

 piled up on its southern shore, and as I had instructed 

 Mr. Collins, Nindemann, and Alexey to deposit their 

 loads here, and proceed in quest of game, I announced 

 this as the camp. If game can be obtained w r e are all 

 right, but if not, here must some decision be made 

 about sending forward for relief. 



At 5.30 hunters returned, saw plenty of tracks but 

 no deer. Supper at six. Light southeast wind. Ba- 

 rometer 29.87 at 50°. Temperature 29°. When we 

 halted at noon for dinner a little snow-bird flew around 

 us and finally lighted upon my flagstaff which I carry. 

 Mr. Collins immediately exclaimed, " That is good luck, 

 Captain." Such small things even are noticeable in our 

 kind of life. During the afternoon we saw what I took 

 to be a gate-post, with slots for fence-rails ; but Ericksen 

 says it was a loggerhead for a grain-boat or vessel of 

 that kind. 



