302 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



AVe returned again to camp, and had more tea, pipes, 

 papirosse ; and M. Znaminsky — quite a ton of a man — 

 and Piottuch had a race on snow-skates. About one 

 o'clock we repaired to our ' caches,' and made them as 

 comfortable as we could for a couple of hours' sleep — or 

 otherwise. My ' cache ' was on the bank of the Petchora, 

 amongst willows. On one side an open hollow ran inland 

 almost parallel with the river, and up which it was ex- 

 pected the Geese would fly low to some surface water 

 higher up, where M. Znaminsky was posted. 



On my other side was the great river, and before me 

 an open space also presumed to be a good place for Geese 

 to pass. I faced the east and the rising sun. The night 

 was frosty but not cold, and I was well wrapped up in 

 my malitza, fur cap, and Cordings long waterproof boots, 

 and I had also a rug and ground sheet. 



Seebohm was posted at the lower end of the hollow on 

 my right, opening off the river and about 250 yards from 

 my post ; and M. Znaminsky was about the same distance 

 above me. 



It was light all night, light enough for me to write up 

 my journal in my rough note-book, keeping a bright 

 look-out for the expected Geese at the same time. 



May 15. 



The first bird in the morning of Saturday, the 15th of 

 May, to sound a note was a Hooded Crow, sinistra ah 

 nice comix. Next, after such a favourable prognosti- 

 cation, my expectations were raised by hearing the trump 

 of a Swan, to the southward beyond the forest of low, 

 mixed birch and alder, but he never showed. 



The sun rose at four minutes to three, topping the 

 steep mud bank of the far side of the river, and the sky 

 prior to its appearance had a deal of rich colour about it 

 — crimson, lake, and gold. 



