PETCHORA 



253 



Leaving Lompozhenskaia, we drove through a park- 

 Hke country among isolated groups of spruce, skirting 

 the denser forest on our left, and with willow bushes 

 between us and the Mezen River on our right. In the 

 opener parts the sledging was smooth and good generally, 

 but bad when we entered the forests or willow-covered 

 ground. 



On the river, as we crossed or followed its course for 

 some versts at a time, the sledging was also usually good. 



In our third stage — between Zaozorskaia and Zheros- 

 kaia, and about 50 versts from Mezen — we plunged down 

 an almost perpendicular bank and dashed out upon the 

 Peza River and crossed to the other side. The Peza here, 

 close to its juncture with the Mezen, appeared to be 

 about two-thirds of a verst in width. We expected to 

 make closer acquaintance with the Peza on our return 

 journey from Ust Zylma (a return journey which we 

 did not make!). 



We observed the small boats which will probably be 



our means of descending the Peza — scallop-shaped, with 

 rough cabins amidships. 



As we passed on we found at the stations that the 

 natives turn out en masse to witness our arrival and 

 departure. We are evidently approaching less beaten 

 tracks, as their increasing curiosity shows plainly 

 enough. 



