336 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



and has brought the aforesaid now-figured imps of 

 iniquity from their dens. Ugh ! 



After we returned eight fresh Duck's eggs were brought 

 to us, and three young Kavens. We bought the former 

 to eat, and one of the latter to prepare as a specimen. 



M. Znaminsky and M. Sacharoff returned and brought 

 us a few small birds, but nothing rare. They shot six 

 Ducks. 



Late this evening we went down to Habarika on the 

 steamer, which trip took two hours for the 30 miles (40 

 versts). The steamer is now going at the rate of four 

 miles an hour. Our course was winding or zig-zagging 

 from shore to shore, and for fear of running on sandbanks 

 only 10 Ibs. steam pressure to the inch was applied. 



The land on the west side of the river is flooded now 

 almost to the base of the Timanski range of mountains, 

 which, opposite Habarika, are about 50 English miles 

 distant. The pilot told us that for 40 versts to the west the 

 whole land is one sheet of swamp and water. The bank 

 of the river is well defined, however, by 

 the growth of willow and alder. Inland, 

 at irregular distances, stand large trees or 

 clumps of trees apparently spruce which 

 have the tops conspicuously dressed and 

 pruned to indicate the summer roads after 

 the overflow has subsided, and which are 

 visible over the undergrowth of willow, etc., at a great 

 distance. 



June 3, 4, 5. 



Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the 3rd, 4th, and 5th 

 of June, were spent at Habarika, a little hamlet of about 

 a dozen houses which stands on an earth cliff on the side 

 of a ' kouria ' or backwater from the river, and is generally 

 safe from even the higher floods which cover the sur- 

 rounding country. The land at and immediately sur- 



