Dan Meinertzhagen's Diary. 92 



We were much astonished at finding in our 

 bill 160 kr. for the girl's wages, as she had 

 never spoken about it before. However, we 

 were very sorry to leave, and so were 

 they apparently, to lose us. No doubt 

 many people in 'Niska will be able to have 

 such little luxuries as Singer's sewing machines 

 with the few extra kroners we have left 

 behind us. 



Bob gave the boy his fishing rod, and we 

 left many little things at the house, which they 

 seemed to appreciate. 



Leaving Upper 'Niska we encountered two 

 rapids. The men are really wonderful at 

 getting up these ; two punt behind, and one in 

 the bows, while we walk up the shore. Occa- 

 sionally a tow-rope is used up the worst rapids. 

 More birds seem to be found on the rapids 

 than on the flat reaches of the river. Both 

 the common Sandpiper and the Merganser 

 abound on all the rapids, and we have shot 

 several. The Merganser give capital shots ; 

 they come flying down at a great pace. The 

 ones we kill are almost invariably males in 

 full moult. Both this bird and the common 

 Sandpiper are called in Finnish, after the 

 rapids, koskilo and koski sippi. We also 

 saw plenty of Divers of both sorts. The 



