CHAPTER VII. 



KAMSCHATKA (continued). 



We begin the river journey — Our rafts — Bad weather — Werchni Kamschatka— 

 Melcova — A fish curral — Replenish our stores — Melcova church — Kuklankas and 

 parkas — Extortionate demands of the natives — Curious marl cliffs — Mashura — 

 Rows with the people — Leprosy — Piles of driftwood — Onset of the cold weather 

 — Tschappina — -We sight the great volcanoes — Our camp -life — Wild fruits — 

 Renewed quarrels with the natives — An awkward dilemma — We win the game. 



On the morning of September 1st our horse-boys departed on their 

 return journey to Petropaulovsky. Wliether it is owing to the 

 depression peculiar to the country, so enlarged upon by Kittlitz, I 

 cannot say, but there seems to be an utter lack of geniality among 

 these people. They took their wages resignedly, and bade us an 

 unceremonious adieu. Handshaking — the kindly custom in Scan- 

 dinavia and other nothern countries on the termination of an 

 engagement between master and man — appears to be unknown in 

 Kamschatka. Perhaps after all it was better, for I do not suppose 

 that any of us felt any great degree of affection for Vodki, and at 

 a later period of our journey, fist -shakings would have better 

 expressed our feelings towards the greater proportion of the people 

 with whom we were brought in contact. 



Having despatched a letter to the yacht with instructions as to 

 the date of departure for the rendezvous at the mouth of the river, 

 we went down to the stream to make the necessary preparations 

 for our voyage. The only species of boat used in the interior of 

 the country is the dug-out canoe, — a clumsily-shaped craft made 



