THE START FOR GANAL 217 



a teaspoonful was sufficient to restore broken limbs 

 or sprains. The hunters told me that Vasska had 

 insisted that they should bring to him the heart of 

 every sheep we shot ; he intended to sell the powder 

 in China, where he could obtain a high price for this 

 quaint medicine, greatly appreciated in that country. 

 Vasska was no fool, and secured a profit where he 

 could. 



On the morning of July iS we started back for 

 Ganal. The silent old man led the way, and in a 

 couple of hours brought our caravan to the main path, 

 which we followed down to the villao-e. At four we 

 were once more pitched on the same spot opposite the 

 settlement, and greatly enjoyed the salmon and milk 

 which were sent to us by the natives. Our horses 

 were dead beat ; some of them had fallen lame, others 

 had injured their backs, which showed large sores. 

 During a stampede which took place in the morning- 

 one of the stallions had bitten another badly, and they 

 were altogether not in a marching condition.'* Never- 

 theless, we were determined to quit this God-forsaken 

 country, and our men, no less desirous to return to 

 their homes, proved of great assistance in the execu- 

 tion of our long, dreary marches to the coast, which 

 we did much quicker than when we advanced inland. 



* In Kamchatka dogs are castrated, ponies never ; hence the trouble. 



