314 ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 
defeats him is six. He goes over this again and again, 
but always with him it is ‘ sikkus.’ 
August 20th.—At last our stay with our simple friends 
was over. We were to share their society and that of 
the Russians from to-day. 
We went in a fine procession down to Scharok. There 
were two sleighs laden with our things. Katrina was 
there, and baby, and Mrs. Uano in a brand-new scarlet 
cotton Russian dress. The effect of this was striking, for 
as she had pulled it on over her old skin panitsa, not 
a button of them all would meet. Really she did look 
very funny—something like a toad in a cactus flower. 
Verrmyah’s warrii was bogged on the way, but we 
managed to get it out. 
We raced into Scharok. I was driving my old team 
of five, and beat them all but Verrmyah. I never could 
quite catch him. 
The appearance of the huts was already changed. 
Fires were burning, and odds and ends of tackle lying 
all about. From the mast-head floated the red flannel 
flag. 
The principal person who came out to meet us was the 
trader himself, Alexander Samarokoff. I admit I was 
agreeably surprised. I had expected to see some low 
ruffian trader, and instead here we had a handsome, 
bronzed, black-bearded man, with clear, keen grey eyes, 
and a manner absolutely self-possessed. 
