FOREST FIRES 253 



care which natives take to extinguish every trace of 

 fire in the smouldering ashes by pouring water on to 

 it and trampHng over it with their feet ; this they do 

 for the protection of their forests, whose value they 

 thoroughly understand. The numerous fires we came 

 across in Amurland were mostly due to the careless- 

 ness of the inhabitants, who will sorely regret it in 

 the near future. In Kamchatka we never saw trace 

 of a forest fire. 



We recrossed the river, which we found no deeper 

 than before, withcnit accident, and reached Kluchi in 

 the afternoon. There I learnt from Podprougine that 

 my wife and Littledale had come to visit the hot 

 springs, and were now at the settlement of Paratunka. 

 I accordingly decided to proceed no further that day, 

 and to return to Petropavlosk with my companions. 



An hour later, on nearing the hamlet, I found a large 

 party gathered to watch the miraculous fishing in the 

 small stream which fiows out of the lake. Besides 

 Litdedale and my wife, Tallent was there taking snap- 

 shots, as well as the doctor of the Yakut, who had 

 returned from his cruise in the north. This time I was 

 proud to show my trophies, which were attentively 

 examined by the whole party. The doctor had brought 

 back most interesting photographs of the Anadyr and 

 Providence Bay country, and told me that wild sheep 



