PACK-HORSES 145 



men, fearing no competition and alleging that it was 

 the busiest time of year, took advantage of us accord- 

 ingly, and charged the exorbitant sum of two roubles 

 a day for each pony and the same for each man ; nor 

 could they be induced to go for less. The\' thoroughly 

 realised that we were in their power, and their terms 

 had to be accepted. The night was bitterly cold, and 

 the lack of blankets, which we had omitted to unpack 

 in order to make an early start, was sorely felt. 



On the following morning our departure was most 

 unwillingly postponed until eleven a.m., our horses 

 obstinately refusing to be loaded. The same opera- 

 tion had to be repeated three or four times over, and 

 although the men appeared accustomed to the job, 

 and no novices in the art of packing, hardly had we 

 oone two hundred vards ahead when a general stam- 

 pede took place, the young toals joining with their 

 mothers in wild contusion, and our baggage Hying in 

 all directions. Luckily no serious harm resulted from 

 this indescribable luclec, save a long and tedious delay. 

 The path led through monotonous birch woods with a 

 dense undergrowth of scrub, and crossed several side- 

 waters of the Avatcha. Our horses kept constantly 

 stumbling against roots of trees, and one of them fell 

 into the stream, damping our precious Hour. There 

 was not a sign or track of animals of any kind, even 



