178 KA MSCHA TKA . [chap. 



Emerging from the eastern entrance of the narrows we found 

 ourselves passing through a flat, uninteresting plain which extended 

 as far as the sea. Here the scenery is scarcely more interesting 

 than that at the mouth of the Thames. A cold wind swept over the 

 dreary reaches of the river, and Ijehind us an ink-black sky gave 

 warning of approaching bad weather. At 4. p.m. we passed Nischni 

 or Lower Kamschatka, once the capital of the peninsula, a village 

 of some importance with twenty houses and a church, and a popula- 

 tion of 150. It lies a little way off the main river upon a smaller 

 stream, and just opposite, upon the other bank of the Kamschatka, 

 the Eaduga, a river about forty yards wide at its mouth, flows in 

 from the south. A canoe shot out to intercept us as we passed, 

 bringing a letter for Petropaulovsky from the Ivluchi pope, who had 

 left that village just before us on the preceding day, and shortly 

 afterwards we saw another boat paddling hard after us. We 

 stopped to let it approach, and soon recognised Jacof, whose gloomy 

 face told us that Verglaski had not been found. He had apparently 

 gone down the river for some distance, and had then turned back 

 and proceeded towards Kluchi. Here the track had become 

 obliterated, and Jacof had been obliged to give up the search. 

 Poor old Verglaski ; his quiet methodical ways had endeared him 

 to all of us, and Jacof was much distressed at his loss. In the 

 summer he would have had no difficulty in finding enough to subsist 

 on, but at this season hardly any fish were left, and the settlements 

 being so far apart, and upon the other side of the river, it was more 

 than doubtful if he would ever have a chance of reaching one of 

 them. 



Paddles were once more resumed, and we were discussing the 

 advisability of proceeding to the mouth of the river without 

 stopping, when we perceived the smoke of a steam launch in the 

 distance. By our glasses we soon made her out to be a stranger, 

 and all doubts as to the arrival of the MarcJiesa were thus at an 

 end. She proved to be the launch of the wah-us-schooner Nemo, 

 bound to Nischni Kamschatka. She had on board the first officer — 



