P ETC MORA 313 



those on the rising grounds between are patches of short 

 reddish-brown turf easily trampled into sticky mud. 



Behind the bank to the north stretches away a great 

 plain between the Zylma and Petchora Kivers, covered 

 with forest and swamp, overgrown with alder and willow 

 and birch, from which the occasional half-formed song 

 of the Eedwing is heard. 



Between the level and the river is a long slope, upon 

 which, and on the shore, and on the snow-covered ice 

 and open patches of water, the Ducks were crowded in 

 countless thousands when we arrived. 



Beyond the river are low-lying willow-swamps extend- 

 ing for miles to the soutli, backed by pine- wood. To the 

 w^est pine-woods appear, and the sweep of the Zylma 

 issuing from them in the distance ; and nearly due east — 

 three versts off — is the high land behind Ust Zylma, the 

 horizon capped with pine-wood. 



On a still morning, with a gentle easterly breeze, the 

 sound of the church-bells in the town was distinctly 

 heard. 



Such is our ducking-ground, as written down on the 

 spot, before the flight of Ducks commenced. Little did we 

 dream of the change that was to take place in less than 

 twenty-four hours. 



I chose my stance behind an old willow ; two thick 

 arms broken and bent to the ground, about the level of 

 my head, afforded excellent concealment on two sides, 

 and behind me I bushed up the spot with branches. My 

 malitza I turned outside-in, and strapped tight round my 

 chest, to smoothe down the wrinkles at the shoulder for 

 ready shooting. The colour of the reindeer fur was 

 wonderfully adapted to the surrounding ground, almost 

 exactly agreeing with the dark mud, the reddish-brown 

 grass, and the smudged snow. 



But notwithstanding this advantage I w^as soon obliged 



