i;o TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



started, at eight o'clock in the evening, it was for Uima 

 that we rowed, having decided upon that place as being 

 in the more direct line for Walduski. 



In the boat we had a grand romp, in which Carl 

 and Hospodeen Piottuch principally figured, Carl, with 

 his long legs, getting hopelessly mixed up with rugs, 

 ' choubas ' (fur coats), guns, and grub baskets. Piottuch 

 kept chaffing all the people in the boats as we passed, 

 almost as much banter passing as if a couple of London 

 cabbies were the speakers. 



A cold mist at night made our guns red-rusty. 

 Piottuch in mad pursuit of an Owl, and Carl killing 

 two Kooks (which are very rare here) out of a mixed 

 flock of Books and Hooded Crows, were the only other 

 events. Towards morning I got my three hours' sleep, 

 which would have been hard work earlier in the midst 

 of the row. 



July 15. 



It was about 7 o'clock a.m. on Monday, the 15th of 

 July, that we reached Uima. We had ' tchai,' and 

 after discussing our plans, decided to proceed at once 

 to Walduski, whence we shall send Nicholai for tobacco, 

 letters, etc., it being only six Yersts from Archangel. 



When about three or four versts short of Walduski, 

 Alston and Carl and I landed, the boat going on. Just 

 as I landed a Kite came close overhead, and with No. 7 

 shot I rolled it over, but it recovered itself before 

 touching the ground and made off. No. 4 shot would 

 have killed it. 



We walked under a broiling sun to Walduski, and 

 drank on the way two ' krinkas ' (bowls) of cold milk, 

 and most delicious it was. The milk is always kept in 

 ice-houses, which are attached to every farmhouse, large 

 or small. This made thirty-nine bowls of milk this trip. 



We also drank and washed from a deep well, in which 



