VIII.] 



NAVIGATION OF THE YENISEJ. 



271 



Cossack Feodor, was taken on board. He however proved now 

 as unskilful a pilot as before. Notwithstanding his experience 

 in 1876, when he several times ran the Ymer aground, he had 

 not yet got a clear idea of the difference between the build of 

 an ocean vessel and of the common flat-bottomed Yenisej 

 lighters, and his conception of the responsibility of a pilot was 

 expressed by his seeking, when he was allowed to take his own 

 course, to forget in the arms of sleep all dangers and difficulties. 

 Mr. SerebrenikofF and the captains of the vessels were there- 

 fore themselves compelled by means of frequent soundings, 

 which were commonly made from a steam launch in advance, to 





THE STEAMER " FRASER." 



endeavour to find out the proper course. The navigable water 

 between the level islands covered with bushy thickets and rich 

 grassy meadows was often very narrow, but appears to have 

 been pretty deep, as, even when the vessels went forward with- 

 out the guidance of a skilful pilot, there was a depth of from 

 5 to 30 metres ; and after a fisher, who knew the river better 

 than Feodor, had been taken on board, it was found possible to 

 go at full speed between the more southerly of the Briochov 

 Islands^ in a depth of 30 to 50 metres. On 14th August the 

 vessels reached Tolstojnos, where a very well preserved simovie 

 is situated about 70^ 10' N.L., 370 kilometres south of Port 



' "Willi tliis name, for want of aiiotlier, T denote all the innumerable 

 islands wliich lie in the Yenisej between G9' 45' and 71' N.L. 



