156 ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 



myself were seated, would slide away sideways down the 

 decline, until it really seemed that we must be shot or 

 dropped into the stream of the ravine itself. And the 

 heavy-laden sleighs were often in difficulties, especially 

 that which carried our big barrel. However, all ended 

 well. 



We slept soundly enough till a little past mid-day, 

 and though we would have had the tent larger had that 

 been possible, we were a little better used to our com- 

 pany. 



We had tea with ham and figs, and again gave the 

 Samoyeds pork, which they seemed to like better than 

 before. 



We found them very averse to making a fire ; indeed 

 they said that as they had no wood it could not be done, 

 and that we must hurry on. But I started picking 

 moss, and Hyland did the same. And when they saw 

 our game, and that a fire we would have, they made 

 a virtue of necessity, and soon had brought us much 

 moss and creeping birch. 



I let them have the lighting of it, for I hoped that 

 we should see some curious way of obtaining fire or 

 sparks, but was disappointed ; for out of their clothes 

 they brought Russian matches, and used them. 



Long before we left Kolguev we had to all intents 

 and purposes become, in the matter of patience and the 

 readiness to delay, three-parts Samoyed. But in these 

 first days of our pilgrimage we found them very trying, 



