354 ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 



plume ourselves too soon. Tima Fe, perched on the 

 cabin roof or poop of Alexis' boat, lay to with his tiller 

 for a moment as he croaked back his answer to our cheer. 



' England far away. Far, far away,' like the long- 

 drawn howl of some old prairie wolf. 



The boat was thirty feet long, with a ten-foot beam, 

 nearly rlat-bottomed, and drew six feet of water when 

 laden. In the stern was a little cabin, in the centre of 

 which was a table ; on either side of which we lay — 

 Alexander and Yakoff, Hyland and myself. It was only 

 constructed for two persons, but with movable planks 

 we managed f or a.11. 



In the middle of the boat was a hold, where, above the 

 barrels and skins, slept the five Samoyeds who formed 

 the crew. Here, also, when she was not cooking, lived 

 old Anka, always sewing away at skins, and with her a 

 little red fox. She had also kept three charming little 

 blue foxes at Scharok, but all had died. 



There was little to do on the boat, so I made a pack 

 of cards, with which Hyland and I played Nap. 



September \<\th. — NE. A very wild day, with inces- 

 sant heavy snow. These boats can only run before the 

 wind, so with this wind it was useless to think of moving. 

 For the idea was either to make for the channel behind 

 Sengenski Island, or to run for the Petchora mouth. 



' There was much excitement this morning, for the 

 karbass dragged her anchors ; but after a bit we got 



