OUR FIRST LANDINGS 53 



whatever of the old huts of the Raskolniks. Only there 

 were two or three heaps of drift-wood piled up ready 

 for carrying away. The river's mouth was wide and 

 muddy ; and all the land about was rolling, lichened, 

 and filled with snow in the hollows. An idea was 

 passing through my mind that we might have to land 

 here for good. And although this was greatly against 

 my hopes you may be sure I looked about pretty criti- 

 cally. But it was a bad camping ground ; there seemed 

 not to be a single hollow where a tent could be secure 

 from the winds. 



I shot a red- throated pipit, and we saw a pair of 

 twist-tailed skuas. 



We were walking slowly along when we distinctly 

 heard a sound like a shot fired. A few minutes more 

 and we heard a second. But after thinking it over we 

 concluded it must have been a cracking of the ice. 



It is in the nature of such enterprises as this that 

 the interest, and whatever of excitement may exist, 

 must be rather for those who are doing the things 

 than for those who come thus to them at second- 

 hand. Could I but put my readers fairly into our 

 position ; could I but put into them the thoughts and 

 a certain eagerness which inspired us, then I think 

 they would be carried on. Then the dry facts would 

 have a living interest. For see. We had reached, 

 actually reached the land which so many had gibed at 

 our hopes of reaching We had now three times been 



