VARDOTOKOLGUEV 31 



Now we crept up along the edge of the ice, going 

 north-east and making from three to six knots. But at 

 last we were able to change our course to the east, and 

 then, going at eight or nine knots speed, we bore down 

 to the south-east. 



It was two o'clock in the afternoon when we first 

 sighted long low fog clouds, evidently lying above some 

 land. It could be no other than Kolguev Island. Then 

 I for one felt very happy ; it seemed as if we were doing 

 pretty well. 



The men, of course, as is always their way, kept saying 

 they could see cliffs, mountains, and so on. But I think 

 it was all but six o'clock before we really made out land 

 that we could swear to, and even then it was constantly 

 obscured, as the fog lay down about it. 



And now ducks became more frequent. Flocks of 

 king eider were clotted about, and elegant long-tailed 

 ducks in large lots were incessantly diving close to the 

 boat. Few birds are more strikingly beautiful or more 

 graceful in the water than the long-tailed duck. The 

 drake when in full plumage has a white head and neck, 

 and long white shoulder feathers ; but early in the 

 summer as it was, we saw out of many hundreds of these 

 birds only one or two drakes which still had their fine 

 colouring, though they kept their long tail feathers till 

 quite late on in the year. However, as I shall have 

 something to say of these and other birds later on, I will 

 keep now to the voyage itself. 



