316 TRAVELS OP A NATURALIST 



first that it was odd, next that it was a little serious, and 

 then Piottuch with a long face said, ' Tres mal chose, 

 Monsieur.' 



All our baggage had now to be conveyed to another 

 house lower down the river, at the other end of the 

 now partially submerged meadow, in order to have it 

 safely across a deep ' kouria' before it was too late. This 

 was accomplished just in time, the baggage carried upon 

 poles on our shoulders for 1J versts. 



A rapid back-stream now poured into the ' kouria ' and 

 flooded all our ducking-ground, bearing along with it 

 masses of ice and snow. The ducks flew overhead and 

 appeared in reduced numbers. 



The whole of the willow-swamps on the far side of the 

 river were under water by 4 p.m., and we sat anxiously 

 awaiting the arrival of the men from Ust Zylma, who had 

 gone back yesterday to save a day's work with their 

 horses, with orders to return for us with five sledges. Of 

 course, horses could not come, as we learned when at last 

 the men arrived. 



The force of the ice from the Zylma and the Pischma 

 rivers (the Pischma having also broken up), had opened 

 lanes of water along both shores of the Petchora, leaving, 

 however, the centre still solid. 



The men had brought a boat upon a sledge across the 

 centre ice, and after tea and food we started to walk back, 

 leaving our heavy luggage to come later, when a boat 

 could reach the shore near the house, and leaving two 

 yemstchicks in charge. 



It was only when we saw the great turmoil on the 

 great river at the mouths of the Pischma and Zylma 

 that we fully realised the grand force which must have 

 caused it. 



We were ferried across the lanes of water, narrow at 

 the west shore and broad at the Ust Zylma side, and 



