354 ICE-BOUND ON KOLGUEV 
plume ourselves too soon. Tima Fé, perched on the 
cabin roof or poop of Alexis’ boat, lay to with his tiller 
for a moment as he croaked back his answer to our cheer. 
‘England far away. Far, far away,’ like the long- 
drawn howl of some old prairie wolf. 
The boat was thirty feet long, with a ten-foot beam, 
nearly flat-bottomed, and drew six feet of water when 
laden. In the stern was a little cabin, in the centre of 
which was a table; on either side of which we lay— 
Alexander and Yakoff, Hyland and myself. It was only 
constructed for two persons, but with movable planks 
we managed for all. 
In the middle of the boat was a hold, where, above the 
barrels and skins, slept the five Samoyeds who formed 
the crew. Here, also, when she was not cooking, lived 
old Anka, always sewing away at skins, and with her a 
little red fox. She had also kept three charming little 
blue foxes at Scharok, but all had died. 
There was little to do on the boat, so I made a pack 
of cards, with which Hyland and I played Nap. 
September 14th.—NE. A very wild day, with inces- 
sant heavy snow. These boats can only run before the 
wind, so with this wind it was useless to think of moving. 
For the idea was either to make for the channel behind 
Sengenski Island, or to run for the Petchora mouth. 
‘There was much excitement this morning, for the 
karbass dragged her anchors; but after a bit we got 
