CHAPTER IX. 



Bird's-nesting on the Golcliika — A morning call— Grey phalarope — 

 Dunlin — A Dolgan — Red-throated divers — Pintail duck — Richard- 

 son's skua — Peregrine falcon — Sylkin's perplexity — Willow-grouse — 

 Vino — A fish hunt — White-fronted geese — Grey plovers — A narrow 

 escape — A bird pirate — Plovers' eggs. 



About fifteen versts from Golcliika, up the valley of 

 the Golchika River, was a marsh containing a number 

 of small lakes. Sylkin said that several years before, 

 Mr. H. L. Popham had found the nest of the chorna 

 chika — either the long- tailed or pomatorhine skua — 

 there. He gave such a glowing account of the ducks 

 and geese which bred along the river-bank that I 

 arranged to go there with him, accompanied by Vassilli, 

 as soon as the floods caused by the melting of the 

 snow should have subsided sufficiently. This was not 

 until 11th July. Sylkin had promised to call for us 

 at 9 a.m. At five o'clock, however, we were aroused 

 by a very inebriated Yurak who beat upon the door, 

 crying out to his "sister" to give him some medicine 

 for his headache ! Vassilli, whose manner with the 

 natives was perfect, being a blend of patronage and 

 camaraderie, went out, and after some difficulty per- 

 suaded the sufferer to go away and sleep off his carouse 

 at home. 



In the usual happy-go-lucky native way, Sylkin 



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