A SUMMER ON THE YENESEI 29 



a fellow-passenger who disturbed the patient by slam- 

 ming a door ; and another traveller, a little merchant 

 of Monastir, hearing that we were trying to obtain 

 oranges, brought a dozen that he was taking home as 

 an especial treat for his wife, and offered half of them 

 for the invalid. Nevertheless there were awkward 

 moments, and neither I nor one of my companions will 

 forget one critical evening when ice became a necessity 

 and the dictionary was mislaid. Then we took the law 

 into our own hands, and went in person to those 

 mysterious and odorous regions whence our food came. 

 The galley door was open. Inside, the cook stood with 

 his back to us, unawares. His face was buried in the 

 soup tureen which was tilted to his thirsty throat. My 

 companion and I looked at each other meaningly ; and 

 then, unperceived, we slunk past on tip-toe to the 

 storeroom. It was locked, but some grinning third- 

 class passengers, who thoroughly entered into the joke, 

 showed us a trick, the knowledge of which was evidently 

 common property, by which the padlock might be 

 slipped aside. We entered like conspirators among the 

 butter-kegs, pickled cabbage, and gory carcases which 

 would furnish our future meals ; and in haste chipped 

 off illicit chunks of ice and stored them in a thermos 

 flask. When we turned round, we found that we had 

 been caught in flagrante delicto by the chiefs of the 

 commissariat department of the ship, who were too 

 speechless at our audacity to interfere. 



We were due to arrive at Monastir on 15 th June, 

 and we were most anxious to reach this town, as we 

 hoped to find a doctor for our companion, who was 



