WE START DOWN STREAM 119 



pipers, the first we had yet seen in Ust-Zylma. We 

 also brought down two Temminck's stints, and afterwards 

 secured our soHtary example of the Little ringed-plover 

 (C Tfiinor). I shot at it as it rose from and again alighted 

 upon a swampy, hummocky strip of tundra land. The 

 next day a peasant brought us a fine cock willow-grouse, 

 our first, clothed in about half its summer costume. We 

 had also a nest given to us of the wheatear, with one ^^^ 

 in it, and the female bird caught upon it. 



We had for some time been on the look-out for a boat 

 in which to make the journey down the river, and by the 

 exertion of Piottuch and the kind help of M. Znaminski, 

 who was much interested in our expedition, we succeeded 

 in obtaining one which suited us very well. A wooden 

 cabin, not unlike a large dog- kennel, occupied the centre, 

 and was just large enough for us to recline in at full 

 length ; and at the back of it was a covered space, where 

 our baggage could be packed secure from the heavy rains 

 which occasionally occur in summer. It had one mast, 

 on which we could hoist a square sail whenever the wind 

 was favourable. The current would of course usually be 

 in our favour, but we were also provided with four oars, 

 which, though incapable of propelling the boat at much 

 speed, would be useful in crossing the stream, and in 

 giving her way enough to make the rudder of some use 

 in a calm. We engaged four boatmen, two Russians, a 

 Samoyede, and a half-breed, all of whom possessed 

 some knowledge of the river, while the latter had the 

 additional advantage of being what passed in this district 

 as an enthusiastic sportsman. We left Ust-Zylma on 

 Thursday, the loth of June, and sailed down to Habariki 

 with a fair wind and a strong current. The banks of the 

 river were covered with birch and spruce woods, alter- 

 nating with willow-swamps. On our way we landed at 



