PETCHORA 371 



tackle and unmanageable sail, the men deserve all credit 

 for the attempt, and though they are no sailors, in our 

 acceptation of the word, they certainly showed some 

 little sense and handiness in bringing her so close up to 

 the point as they did, and making the best of a bad job. 



Kuja was visible in the distance, out of our course, 

 over a succession of low-level pasture-ground and other 

 islands, and in the foreground was a small village, with 

 pasturage around, and cattle feeding upon it, two Samo- 

 yedes' chooms, and piles or ricks of hay supported on 

 platforms to save it from the overflow of the river (or 

 even heaped up on the roofs of the houses). A number 

 of boats lay in front of the village, close under the low 

 bank upon which the latter was built. The name of this 

 village was Meekitsa. 



Not long afterwards we arrived at Kuja, and there 

 found the cutter and Captain Engel. In the evening we 

 went over to an island opposite in the hope of getting 

 Ducks' eggs. AVe found a Pintail's nest and eggs, 

 shooting the ? , a Great Snipe's with three, putting the 

 bird off — the nest, a deepish cup lined with dry grass in 

 a dry part of an opening amongst the willow-scrub. 



We also found a Ked-necked Phalarope's nest with 

 four eggs — putting the bird off — the nest, a shallow cup 

 of dry grass lined with dry old birch-leaves laid flat on 

 the bottom and coming up part of the sides ; placed in a 

 a dry tuft in a small marshy puddle, in which marsh- 

 marigold was growing, and round which plants of 

 aureola-weed * were beginning to appear. 



The Phalaropes were very abundant and very tame, 

 and at nearly every green-fringed pool they were 

 to be seen in pairs or small flocks uttering their ' tick, 



'■ Veratriim album, J. A. H. B., 1900. We called this Aureola- 

 weed from its growing where we found the Yellow-breasted Bunting 

 [Einberiza aureola) in 1872. 



