ALEXIEVKA FROM THE TUNDRA 



CHAPTER XV. 



ALEXIEVKA. 



Alexievka — The Timber Rafts — The Island — Nests and Eggs — Buffon's 

 Skua — SaiUng for the Tundra — Description of the Tundra — Its Vegeta- 

 tion — Nests of Lapland Bunting and Red-throated Pipit — First Sight of 

 the Grey Plover — Its Nest — Omelette of Grey Plover's Eggs — Birds seen 

 on the Tundra — Eggs collected during the Day — Nest of Anthus gustavi. 



Alexievka is the shipping-port of the Petchora Timber- 

 trading Company. It is a group of houses built upon 

 an island in the delta of the great river, where the ships 

 are laden with larch for Cronstadt. The larch is felled 

 in the forests 500 or 600 miles up the river, and 

 roughly squared into logs varying from two to three 

 feet in diameter. It is floated down in enormous rafts, 

 the losfs beincr bound toQether with willows and hazel- 

 boughs. These rafts are manned by a large crew, some 

 of whom help to steer it down the current with oars and 



