290 A SUMMER ON THE YENESEI 



and the work begins in A^^ril ; but in the year of which 

 I write the snow was so soft that the horses fell through 

 the surface, and most of the wood had to be drawn by- 

 human haulage. The logs were squared roughly on the 

 river-bank, and then loaded into the lighters for ship- 

 ment to Nosonovsky. Between them, the Ragna and 

 the Shule carried five thousand of the logs ; and as they 

 were worth on an average £2 or £3 apiece, they were a 

 valuable freight to risk among the ice in the Kara Sea. 



At first we found it strange to hear English spoken 

 again, and to have our meals prepared for us, instead of 

 having to cook the dinner and then wash up afterwards 

 as we had done all the summer in the hut. Indeed, life 

 in the ship seemed so luxurious and up-to-date, and the 

 shipping around made the place appear so populous and 

 civilised, that it was hard to realise that we were still 

 living beside one of the vastest wildernesses in the 

 world. In fact, the crew, most of whom had never 

 visited the country before, were sometimes slow to 

 understand that the Yenesei is not a place where risks 

 may be taken lightly. The two young wireless operators, 

 who had no duties to perform while the ships lay at 

 anchor, took the little motor-boat one morning, and 

 went over to shoot on the mainland, about fifteen miles 

 away. They did not return at night, and on the 

 following morning there was a good deal of anxiety 

 felt on their account, for the river was choppy, and 

 blizzards were sweeping over the tundra. Mr. Lied 

 took out a search-party in one of the tug boats and 

 looked for them all day, but without success. Towards 

 nightfall, however, they regained the ship. They had 



