PESANKA TO SCHAROK 183 



ning and flying, or sang like grasshoppers from the tops 

 of mounds. I found four of their little ones crouchino- 

 in the grass. They were all downy, but with big strong 

 legs. 



The little stints I could not understand. They were 

 now about in lots of six, nine, or ten, chasing one 

 another round and about, as on the Kriva all that 

 time ago. 



And I watched four pairs of red-necked phalaropes 

 for a long time, with no result, at least towards finding 

 their nests. They swim well, in a curious, jerky, perky 

 way, with heads straight. They somehow recalled to 

 me a crinolined lady by Leech, picking her way across 

 the street in the pages of Punch. Mincing — that is the 

 word — the red-necked phalarope seems to mince. 



And then, while I was looking at a red-throated diver, 

 it swam to the farther side, and then I could see it through 

 the glass sitting in the reeds. So I made a circle, and 

 came quietly upon it, whereupon it stretched out its 

 long neck, and shot down a lane of shallow water that 

 led from its nest, and away out into the lake, cutting the 

 water for many feet, just as an old pike does when you 

 have him by the lip. 



But now I had weighed to more purpose the question 

 of our course. 



If the ice was really away from the Waskina, ought not 

 a message to be left waiting there for Powys should he 

 call ? If Scharok harbour were open out to sea, then 



