30 A SUMMER ON THE YENESEI 



seriously ill. In the ordinary course, we should have 

 arrived at midday, but at 11 a.m. the wind rose so 

 much that for the sake of the barge, the steamer was 

 obliged to anchor for two hours. Behind the barge 

 was towed a scow full of empty fish barrels, and as the 

 river grew choppy, these began to shift about perilously. 

 Half a dozen men went off in the dinghy to make them 

 fast, but before they could reach the spot, some of the 

 cargo had rolled off, and floated away gaily down the 

 Yenesei. Then some spars on the deck of the barge 

 were blown bodily overboard, and there was some con- 

 fusion before all was made secure. At length the boat 

 returned, but the crew were in such a hurry to scramble 

 aboard out of the rain, that they omitted to make fast 

 the painter, and two minutes later the boat was seen to 

 follow the barrels down the river. The steamer had 

 then to slip the cable and go off to pick up the boat. 

 Altogether we did not arrive at Monastir until after 

 seven o'clock. 



We lost no time in inquiring for the doctor. He 

 came on board at once, and was able to reassure us 

 about our companion, whose illness had fortunately 

 taken a turn for the better during the day. We were 

 lucky to find him at home ; for his district includes a 

 million square versts of country, and it must take a 

 good deal of travelling to cover it all, if indeed he ever 

 succeeds in doing so. 



I did not see much of Monastir, and that not under 

 the most favourable conditions ; but, on the whole, I do 

 not think that I have ever seen a more dreary-looking 

 place. Miss Curtis and I went ashore late in the 



