272 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



during that time wherever we desire amongst the islands 

 of the river and delta. We paid him for one month in 

 advance. 



April 23. 



On Good Friday, the 23rd of April, a tall dark Polish 

 Jew, who spoke German, came and called to see us. He 

 is employed by M. Sidoroff to brew ale for the steamer, 

 and lives at Kuja. 



After some conversation he mentioned the two English- 

 men who were at Pifiega last year, and that he translated 

 for them, and purchased for them, or brought to them 

 about fifty crosses of old silver. He is only very casually 

 mentioned in Rae's book. 



He gave us some information about the Old Believers, 

 which I will mention later. 



In the evening Seebohm and I started in the smaller 

 pavoska for Umskaia, to get Kookshas (Siberian Jays) and 

 Bullfinches. Our adventures varied enough for quite a 

 'Chapter of Accidents,' or 'The Adventures of a 

 Pavoska.' 



First, going up the Petschorski Pischma we were 

 overturned three times in five minutes, the pavoska, 

 which was strapped on to a country sledge at Celechen- 

 skaia, having become top-heavy and its centre of gravity 

 displaced. These three upsets played mischief with the 

 sides of the pavoska and smashed the outrigger, and the 

 rest of our journey was a series of constantly repeated 

 misfortunes, which from being simply ludicrous became 

 to say the least of it extremely tiresome. 



Before reaching Umskaia we were upset fifteen times. 

 The ' yemschick ' on our second stage, from Keeslaia to 

 Umskaia, cleverly repaired the outrigger, by replacing 

 and tightening up the crossbar which passes behind the 

 sledge and keeps the outriggers in their places, but it did 

 not prevent the upsets. 



