CHAP. xxn. HOMEWARD BOUND. 289 



drift-wood and the prostrate willows that had fallen with the 

 crumbling away of the banks. Yellow-headed wagtails, red- 

 throated pipits, and reed buntings were here in abundance. 

 I could not stay, however, for the sun was scorching hot, and 

 the mosquitoes were swarming around. 



I spent the night with Captain Taylor and Captain Arendt 

 on board the Triad, giving a helping hand in superintending 

 the loading of the schooner. The heat was so intense that I 

 could scarcely bear the suffocation of my mosquito-veil, 

 and seldom put it on. The consequence was I was more 

 bitten in those few hours than I had been during the whole 

 of my previous stay. I did not turn in till 6 A.M., and woke 

 at 11, and spent my day making out our bills of lading 

 for Captain Arendt. At 5 o'clock on Sunday, August 1st, 

 we finally bade farewell to the tundra and to our wandering 

 life, and began our journey towards Europe and civilisation. 

 We left Alexievka in tow of the steamer, reaching the bar 

 soon after midnight. The cutter signalled ten feet of water ; 

 as we were drawing so much, as was to be expected, we 

 were soon aground. I sat up with the captain all night, as 

 we tediously manoeuvred through the shallow water. We 

 had just lit the fire to cook some supper, when Engel sud- 

 denly heaving anchor, we got under weigh again. The 

 captain took the helm, and I remained below cooking the 

 steaks and making the coffee ; but we were soon aground 

 once more, and we ate our meal in the cabin. For some 

 hours we went on, sometimes aground, sometimes scraping 

 the bank, until at last we crossed the bar; then Engel 

 towed us until we sighted the beacon at Dvoinik ; all sails 



u 



