266 A SUMMER ON THE YENESEI 



a few bottles of cognac for his own use, but these were 

 confiscated with the rest. The ofiicer also searched 

 Prokopchuk's house, but needless to say he found 

 nothing, for the wily Gerasim Androvitch had already 

 placed his stock of vodka in a safe hiding-place in the 

 tundra. 



During those last days our relations with Prokopchuk 

 were rather strained. We had agreed to pay him for 

 the repairs, etc., of the hut, but the bill when presented 

 was made out for twenty roubles more than the sum 

 agreed upon. Vassilli was sent to point out the "mis- 

 take," and as the result of his negotiations, Gerasim 

 deleted the objectionable items without demur. He 

 had not expected us to pay them, and would have 

 despised us if we had. It was just his way of doing 

 business. He invited himself to supper in the evening, 

 and his dignified geniality was such that it was im- 

 possible to turn the cold shoulder to him, fraud though 

 we knew him to be. 



Joseph Gerasimvitch was a more serious problem. 

 At first he had been too shy to visit us uninvited ; but 

 since the expedition to Kazachye, he frequently called 

 in the evening as he returned along the river-bank from 

 his work at Kutcherenkofi"'s fish station. For the first 

 day or two he sat silent in the corner, then gradually 

 he spoke out his mind. 



Like most big and simple-minded people, the Giant 

 was extraordinarily patient and slow to wrath ; but 

 equally, when it was kindled, his anger was fierce and 

 deep. Now it flamed up red-hot against his father's 

 treatment of his mother. Mrs. Gerasim Prokopchuk 



