176 SIBERIA IN EUROPE. CHAP. xv. 



which had deposited itself on the floors of the houses. An 

 extensive series of wooden fortifications protected the houses 

 from being carried away by the ice. For four months of 

 the year the village was a busy scene, full of life and 

 activity, but for the remaining eight months a solitary man 

 and a dog kept watch over the property of the Company, 

 and even they had to desert their charge and escape to the 

 shore during the breaking-up of the ice. 



Three rooms were generously placed at our disposal, and 

 we proceeded to make ourselves as comfortable as the cir- 

 cumstances would permit. Our first care was to buy a brace 

 of willow-grouse and a bean-goose for the pot ; our next to 

 purchase eggs of the yellow-headed wagtail, bean goose, 

 willow grouse, and long-tailed duck. A nest of the white 

 wagtail, which we found, contained remarkably brown eggs ; 

 it was made chiefly of roots, and a little stalky grass lined 

 with reindeer hair. The next day, peasants brought us two 

 nests of the yellow-headed wagtail ; these also were com- 

 posed of fine roots and dry leafy grass, the inside lined with 

 reindeer hair; one had, besides, two small feathers and a 

 piece of duck-down. 



The mosquitoes, that of late had tried us severely, were 

 now giving us a respite, driven back by the cold north wind 

 and occasional snowstorms. All day I kept indoors, going 

 out but for half an hour, when I bagged a Siberian chiff-chaff 

 and a red-throated pipit, perched in a tree. The nests came 

 in plentifully. The first day of our stay were brought in to 

 us those of the blue-throat, the redpole, the reed-bunting, the 

 willow- warbler, two of the bean-goose, with the goose snared 



