PETCHORA 251 



or western side of the river. The kouria begins its 

 existence in a marshy piece of ground above the town, 

 and continues about 10 versts to the sea. Opposite is 

 a long island, then another branch of the river, then 

 islands covered with small trees, and then the main 

 channel of the Mezen, with the far shore clothed in 

 forest. The total width is about 6 versts. At present 

 all is, of course, clothed in white, and it is impossible for 

 us to distinguish between the river and the low-lying 

 islands. 



We unpacked all our luggage and took it into the 

 station-house, and in the evening we called upon the 

 Ispravnik M. Taratin. He showed us Rae's photo- 

 graph, and gave us letters to the Ispravniks at Ust 

 Zylma and at Ijma. M. Taratin informed us that he had 

 heard of M. Polzam's visit to the Petchora last year, 

 and said that he collected principally fossils, but also a 

 few birds. 



There are one or two fine flocks of Snow Buntings 

 close to the town, feeding apparently on the great waste 

 heaps of manure which are thrown out and form a steep 

 bank between the town and the kouria. There must be 

 many hundreds of pounds' worth of manure thrown away 

 here, unless in summer vessels come into the kouria to 

 take it away. 



April 10. 



On Saturday, the 10th of April, we shot a few of 

 the Buntings and bought another from a boy who was 

 engaged in snaring them, and we were told that a 

 fortnight later we could buy a hundred of them for 

 a rouble. 



To-day we were invaded by numerous Mezenites, and I 

 arrived at the following useful conclusion for travellers : 

 ' Take as much luggage and as many curios as possible 

 on a long journey. There is infinite pleasure in having, 



