2o6 A SHOOTING TRIP TO KAMCHATKA 



further. This plan necessitated a hard chnib, which 

 took us three long hours. Then we found ourselves 

 at an elevation of 6,000 feet, the highest point in 

 the neighbourhood after the Kamchatka peak, and 

 commanded on all sides many miles of country. 

 The General pointed out to me the different vol- 

 canoes rising above the numerous ranges on the dim 

 horizon. East of us we could plainly see the Jupa- 

 novskaia Sopka [sopka is the local term for a peak), 

 an extinct volcano of over 8,000 feet, while due 

 south rose, hardly visible, the graceful cone of Vil- 

 utcha some hundred miles distant in a straifrht line : 

 but such was the transparency of the atmosphere that 

 its outline was clearly defined against the light 

 northern sky. The imposing mass of the V^ershina 

 stood out at close quarters, and the lake seemed 

 but a tiny blue speck lost in the depths of the moor. 

 A few old rams enjoying their siesta would have 

 greatly heightened the beauty of the picture, but 

 alas ! none were to be seen. The mosquitoes had 

 followed us even to these heights, where we might 

 have expected to be at last free from their persecution. 

 We sat down to lunch in the middle of a snowfield, 

 hoping in this way to get rid of the tiresome insects, 

 but were soon to be mistaken, as they presently 

 swarmed round us as thick as ever. The two animals 



