OUR FIRST LANDINGS 53 
whatever of the old huts of the Raskolniks. Only there 
were two or three heaps of drift-wood piled up ready 
for carrying away. The river's mouth was wide and 
muddy; and all the land about was rolling, lichened, 
and filled with snow in the hollows. An idea was 
passing through my mind that we might have to land 
here for good. And although this was greatly against 
my hopes you may be sure I looked about pretty criti- 
cally. But it was a bad camping ground; there seemed 
not to be a single hollow where a tent could be secure 
from the winds. 
I shot a red-throated pipit, and we saw a pair of 
twist-tailed skuas. 
We were walking slowly along when we distinctly 
heard a sound like a shot fired. A few minutes more 
and we heard a second. But after thinking it over we 
concluded it must have been a cracking of the ice. 
It is in the nature of such enterprises as this that 
the interest, and whatever of excitement may exist, 
must be rather for those who are doing the things 
than for those who come thus to them at second- 
hand. Could I but put my readers fairly into our 
position ; could I but put into them the thoughts and 
a certain eagerness which inspired us, then I think 
they would be carried on. Then the dry facts would 
have a living interest. For see. We had reached, 
actually reached the land which so many had gibed at 
our hopes of reaching We had now three times been 
