322 ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 



up all day. I sometimes had an idea that, with a little 

 resolution, he might have shaken off his complaints. I 

 had told Alexander that he was not well — had a chill. I 

 did not know what chill might be in Russian, but 

 explained that the cold and wet had affected him. 



' Ah,' says Alexander, ' I know, " pros-to-deelsa," yes, 

 yes, "pros-to-deelsa." (The Russians often used this 

 word ; it means, I take it, 'with a cold.') So down I go 

 to Hyland, and coming into the tent with a very serious 

 face, I say, ' Hyland, you are very bad. There is no 

 doubt about it. What you have got is nothing less than 

 Pros-to-deelsa ! ' 



' Pros — what, sir ? ' says Hyland, in much concern. 



' Pros-to-deel-sa,' I repeat, ' a Russian complaint.' 



' Good gracious ! ' says poor Hyland, looking wofully 

 blue, 'you don't really think so. How ever could I have 

 taken that ? ' 



' Well,' say I, ' I don't know how you took it, but 

 you 've got it. Now I 'm going off for a day or two, and 

 there will be no one to nurse you, so you must shake 

 yourself together. What you want is a good sharp walk 

 every day. That will put you right.' 



So I left. We went S.W., crossing the Barakova, 

 through a marshy country, and gradually rising some 

 hills. Here we were overtaken by a thunderstorm, and 

 old Marrk often stopped to take in Dutch courage from 

 a bottle of vodki. I tried to give him a little lecture 

 on temperance. 'Marrk,' said I, 'vodki not good.' 



