370 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



We left the bay about 4.30, and with a favourable 

 wind made some 22 versts. We turned in, and when 

 we awoke at 12 noon we found the boat again lying-to 

 and the men asleep on shore with the small boat over 

 them as a shelter. 



Seebohm gave them a rare fright, jerking the boat off 

 and waking them up with a start to a perfectly erect 

 position. They took the rough awakening very good- 

 humouredly. We were under the impression that their 

 hauling the boat up was a plant on their part, but we 

 found that it was really not their fault that the wind was 

 not suitable for the clumsy rig and build of the boat. 

 Our sail is lug-shaped, with a looping in the centre at 

 the bottom, but will not work on a tack, and is of no use 

 whatever unless the wind is right astern. Oh for a trim 

 little Scotch fishing-boat. We are 80 versts (54 miles) 

 from Alexievka still, and the birds will breed oh ! soon ! ! 

 soon now ! ! 



A peasant in the village near where we lay brought us 

 Swans' eggs, but we did not purchase, as he had no bird 

 to show with them, and he wanted a rouble for three. 

 They looked small, and we believed them to be Bewick's 

 Swans. They were taken, he said, four days ago on the 

 tundra 20 versts off, and there were four in the nest, of 

 which one had since been eaten. He told of a place by 

 name, Pionofskaia za Ostrofka some 50 versts beyond 

 Alexievka, where there were many Swans, and he also 

 spoke of Stanavoialachta, another place which had before 

 been recommended to us. 



The wind changing a little for the better about one 

 o'clock we again started. It was amusing, at the same time 

 that it was annoying, to see the clumsy attempt made to 

 weather the point, sailing full three points off the wind. 

 It was not weathered, and the oars had to be resorted to. 

 Considering the clumsiness of the boat and unwieldy 



