AT KRASNOYARSK 269 



each horse was doubled. Magpies were as common as 

 ever ; jackdaws much less so. Hooded crows disap- 

 peared soon after leaving Tomsk. Ravens were rather 

 more numerous than before. Bullfinches were plentiful 

 in the woods, and snow-buntings on the plains. The 

 great tit was only occasionally seen. House-sparrows 

 were very common, but we saw no tree-sparrows. We 

 reached Krasnoyarsk on Monday the 2nd of April, and 

 paid our first visit to Herr Dorset, the government " Vet." 

 of the district. He was a German, and kindly placed 

 himself at our disposal as interpreter. He introduced 

 me to a M. Kibort, a Polish exile, who engaged to 

 procure me skins of birds, and send them to England. 

 We visited the governor, who gave me a " Crown 

 padarozhnaya" and an open letter of introduction to all 

 the officials. In Krasnoyarsk prices were as follows: 



Wheat 40 kop. per pood. 



Flour 60 



Swan's-down . . . 12 to 15 rbl. ,, 



Goose-down .... 8 rbl. ,, 



Feathers .... 3 rbl 



Pitch 3 to 3$ rbl. 



Hemp seed .... 20 kop. 



We spent the evening at the house of SiderofFs 

 agent, Mr. Glayboff. We also bought some fine pho- 

 tographs of the gold mines and other places. 



A warm south-west wind blew all Sunday, and 

 continued during the night. In Krasnoyarsk we found 

 the streets flooded, and everybody travelling upon wheels. 

 In the evening the post refused us horses on the plea 

 that sledging was impossible. There was nothing for it 

 but to go to bed. In the morning the south-west wind 

 was as warm as ever. The red hills of Krasnoyarsk 

 were almost bare. We were obliged to take to wheels, 

 and organise a little caravan. Equipage No. i was a 



