272 



BIRD-HUNTING 



of the Delta might be thought to be dry land. The 

 fact is, there is hardly an inch of dry land ; all is 

 water, vast reed-beds, floating islands, and desola- 

 tion, inhabited by water-fowl, fish, otters, frogs, and 

 mosquitoes. All night the deafening croak of 

 millions and millions of frogs is unceasing. When 

 once the navigable channels are left one hardly 

 meets a human being. At long intervals, perhaps, 

 a solitary fisherman paddling his lodka may be seen 

 going the round of his nets. Drum-nets are largely 

 used, of great length, and whenever a long row of 

 sticks was sighted above the water, the contents of 

 the net would be investigated, and if there was any- 

 thing special, like a fine fat Carp, or a Sterlet, it was 

 abstracted for our pot. If by any chance the com- 

 missariat was empty, any passing fishing-canoe was 

 overhauled and the best fish taken for our use. 

 Payment was never made, and the men seemed to 

 take it as a matter of course, so I presumed that it 

 was all fair and square. 



That certainly could not be said for all the doings 

 of our crew, who on occasions looted right and left, 

 snapping up any unconsidered trifles that were eat- 

 able. One evening we were passing a marsh not 

 far from a collection of huts, when they sighted a 

 flock of geese unattended. It was pouring with rain 

 at the time, and we had had a long and wet days 

 journey ; but in an instant two of the men fairly 



