396 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



angel to England about the same money. Thus we 

 should have all the additional expense between this and 

 Archangel, which is easily calculated (or rather, between 

 Ust Zylma and Archangel), and which amounts to 300 

 roubles for two persons. 



July 2. 



We lost the whole of the day, the 2nd of July, owing 

 to the absence of our two men and this north wind. "We 

 were kept prisoners, all owing to our clumsy, unshapely, 

 unmanageable hulk of a boat, with its tangled confused 

 gear, chainless anchor, keelless bottom, cramped room, 

 and utter incapacity for any kind of useful work or 

 for going in any direction a single point in the wind. 

 Oh, for a Newhaven herring-boat, or a keeled boat of 

 any kind ! 



We are enduring forced inactivity with the tundra 

 in sight, and no doubt lots of Swans breeding on the 

 islands around and only requiring searching for. 



Our men returned, again unsuccessful. The Swan had 

 never returned to the nest. They were there a whole 

 day watching. They brought the four eggs back. 



July 3. 



On the morning of Saturday, the 3rd of July, the wind 

 actually proved favourable, quite gentle enough — oh ! 

 wonderful to relate — for our old tub of a boat, but 

 still from the northward, and cold. 



If this north wind continues much longer we shall 

 certainly be very late in getting home by sea — which 

 route, however, we have finally decided upon. The 

 far-out mouths and channels of the great river are 

 now blocked up with Arctic ice, which will remain 

 there as long as the north winds continue, and delay 

 greatly the arrival of vessels. 



The river water has fallen, however, about six feet 



