A SUMMER ON THE YENESEI 185 



men in their long boots and canvas weather-coats. The 

 red-haired man became more officious than ever, and 

 pushed them all into their places while he gave them his 

 views on photography. It is a curious thing that, all 

 the world over, a man who is speaking about his own 

 job never patronises his audience. It is only when he 

 talks some kind of " shop " in which he is only an 

 amateur that he is prone to condescend. If my 

 rapacious friend had been asked to explain the difference 

 between omul and nyelma, or some other (to him) 

 equally ridiculous question about fishing, he would have 

 replied simply enough. As it was, he gave himself great 

 airs, as he explained the camera to the rest of the party, 

 and lectured them pragmatically upon their behaviour. 

 He was the only one who could write, and after the 

 sitting, he laboriously traced some hieroglyphics in my 

 pocket-book, to which address a print was to be sent 

 from England. 



After saying farewell to the balaganers, I went for 

 a long ornithological ramble over the tundra, the results 

 of which are chronicled elsewhere, and towards evening, 

 returned to Golchika. Most of the natives were still 

 away, and for some time I looked in vain for someone 

 to ferry me over the river. Presently a Yurak put 

 off in a tiny canoe, and when I hailed him, he very 

 obligingly turned back and took me in as passenger. 

 However, instead of turning down the river to the 

 hut, which was about a furlong away, he paddled 

 across to the island, and said that he was going to 

 the Antonoffs' house. I asked him again to take me 

 to the other side, whereupon he explained volubly 



