FETCH OR A 395 



It just shows how utterly unreHable all information 

 obtainable here is, and the unbusinesslike, careless way of 

 Eussian mercantile transactions of any kind. We almost 

 cease to believe now any statement made even in print, if 

 by an ordinary Eussian man of business. 



We are now quite uncertain what is best to be done, 

 and how to return. Our heavy baggage will be an incum- 

 brance by the river route, and if we decide to go by the 

 latter we should leave this place in a week or ten days at 

 latest. We have fixed nothing yet. 



Birse writes that the Dvina ice was expected to break 

 up about the 7th of May (Old Style), and again that the 

 Dvina was quite clear of ice some days before the 14th of 

 May (Old Style) = '26th of May (New Style). So the ice 

 on the Dvina and Petchora rivers must have broken up 

 within a few days of one another. The Petchora appeared 

 to be quite clear of ice on the 23rd of May (New Style). 

 He writes also that on the ^;^*|^ of April they were luxuriat- 

 ing on Snow Buntings, which could be bought at half a 

 kopek each. 



I have forgotten to mention the return of Simeon and 

 Feodor from an unsuccessful raid against the Swan and 

 her nest. They returned, reporting that the bird had 

 gone into the trap, but that only a bunch of the breast 

 feathers were left, and that it was much too small and 

 weak to hold a Swan. They have gone again to try 

 what can be done, and also to search for another nest. 



We feel somewhat unsettled until we can finally decide 

 by which route we can return home. There can be no 

 comparison as regards comfort between the two, nor as 

 regards expense. The sea route is far and away more 

 comfortable and less troublesome, and less expensive, and, 

 after all, the difference in time of our arrival at home would 

 be only a fortnight or three weeks later. From here to 

 Copenhagen would cost us about ^612, and from Arch- 



