44 



A SHOOTING TRIP TO KAMCHATKA 



till evening. The anchor had to be fixed ashore and 

 towed from board by steam power, but efforts were of 

 no avail, the depth of water being only 2J feet, while 

 the Amur drew 3^ feet. W^e finally managed to get 

 afloat with the aid of the Suiigari, which, being 

 smaller, drew less water. 



THE S.S. "AMUR" on THE SHILKA RIVEK. 



The banks of the Shilka were quite lovely with 

 their overhanging precipitous cliffs, covered by pine 

 and larch. Large stretches of burnt forest bore 

 witness to numerous wood fires. Small villages were 

 scattered here and there, with their small wooden 

 church towering over each of them. They are all 

 stanitsas, and are inhabited by descendants of the 



