96 R. P. HORNBY'S DIARY. 



to keep the waves out when going up rapids ; 

 but we were so low in the water that it was 

 always necessary for two or three of us to 

 walk up the banks whenever we came to 

 rough water, and we were never without the 

 feeling that one mistake would mean the 

 upsetting of all of us. 



We started at about 8.30, after shaking 

 hands with about fifty or sixty persons who 

 had gathered to see us off, and, amid a chorus 

 of good-byes (huversti), pushed off from the 

 shore. The first 7 miles were easy going, as 

 the water was sluggish, and so two or three of 

 the Finns were able to scull us along, whilst 

 we sat still and fed the birds. We started with 

 some fourteen Three-toed Woodpecker, but 

 only three survived until the third day, the 

 others all dying of cold and hunger, and acting 

 as food to the birds of prey, as soon as they 

 had breathed their last. We were rather glad 

 than otherwise when they were all dead, as 

 they had to be fed with ants' eggs one by one, 

 which took an enormous time, as ants' eggs 

 were hard to get. 



Upper Muonioniska was our first stop, but 

 we only stayed there long enough to collect the 

 eggs the people had ready for us, and drink 

 a cup of coffee, and then on to Katkesuando, 



