THE KHINGAN REGION 55 



to land us at that place in two clays and a half. Our 

 impedimenta were forthwith transported to the deck 

 of the SujiQan\ fuel was collected, and after havincr 

 bade farewell to the Isvolskys, who were starting a 

 few hours later, we left Blagovestchensk at three a.m. 

 on the loth of June. That day was the hottest we 

 had yet experienced. Our launch steamed at full speed 

 in mid-stream, averaging fourteen miles an hour with 

 the priceless help of the current. At first the banks 

 of the Amur were low ; poplar, ash, and willow grow- 

 ing profusely on both sides. As we advanced, the river 

 orrew narrower, till we neared the Khinoan reo'ion, 

 where, for a hundred miles, it flows through compara- 

 tivelv narrow o-oro-es, and the countrv becomes wilder, 

 mountainous, and highly picturesque. Precipitous 

 cliffs overhang the water ; the woods alter in charac- 

 ter, giving place to fir, oak, and occasional cedars. 

 We stopped at a village called Poyarkovo in order 

 to get supplies, but there was nothing to be obtained 

 for love or monev, save a few cq-os and some milk. 

 The houses were clean and tidy, and the inhabitants, 

 Cossacks, appeared to be well off In the evening we 

 witnessed a thunderstorm such as I have rarely seen. 

 Flashes of lightning swept the skies unceasingly for 

 over two hours, whilst a most beautiful purple sunset 

 lit up the horizon to the east. A deluge of rain poured 



