438 



THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 



[c.llAV. 



to indicate that he was hungry and wanted food, and hawked 

 and pointed with his finger at his throat to let us know that a 

 ra7ii would taste well. He then told us something wdiich we did 

 not then exactly understand, but which we n(jw have reason to 

 interpret as a statement that Noah was the leader of an expedition 

 sent by the Siberian authorities to our relief, and that he was 

 therefore willing in return for sviitable compensation to give us 

 some reindeer. I availed myself of the offer, and purchased three 

 animals for sugar, tea, and a little tobacco. Noah besides was 

 a friendly and easy-going man, who. Christian though he was, 

 travelled ab(Ait with two wives and a large nunib;_'r of children, 



NOAH ELl.SEJ. 



(After a photograph by L. Palauder.) 



who all of course w.juld see the vessel and get their treat of 

 tobacco, clay pipes, sugar, ra^n, &c. 



So much flood water had now begun to collect on the ice, 

 especially near the land, that it was exceedingly difficult to walk 

 from the vessel to the shore and back. Many a proposed land 

 excursion was broken off by somebody, immediately after leaving 

 the vessel, sinking into some deep hole in the ice and thus getting 

 a cold bath. Excursions on land however bes^an to be exceedino-lv 

 interesting to the botanists and zoologists ; and therefore to avoid 

 the inconveniences mentioned I caused a tent to be pitched by 

 the side of the large lagoon between Pitlekaj and Yinretlen, and 



