208 SIBERIA 



was not at all afraid of the bear, and explained 

 that he had killed several with his large knife alone, 

 but he admitted that he was desperately afraid of 

 the mountains. I was feeling very ill by this time, 

 so I decided not to spend another night up there 

 and in that small tent. The hunter's assistance and 

 companionship were very welcome on the journey 

 to the camp, which we reached late the same 

 evening. My interpreter remarked that I looked very 

 unwell, and I was very sick for about an hour. I 

 attributed it to my having swallowed some solder 

 from the tin which contained oxtail soup, which I 

 had drunk so hurriedly in the little tent. I have no 

 doubt also that the snow and ice water we had been,' 

 drinking, and the poor bread we were eating, tog'ether 

 with the tinned food, had something to do with my 

 illness. I went to sleep by the fire. During previous 

 nights, sleeping in our fur coats in front of a big 

 fire kept us warm enough, but this night the wind 

 blew a hurricane and the thermometer was very far 

 below freezing point. 



I awoke very early in the morning to find that my 

 eyes were closed with inflammation and that I could 

 only bear to open them for a few seconds at a time. 

 As soon as daylight appeared I gave the order to 

 pack up, which was gladly obeyed, as my illness 

 and the state of my eyes made any further climbing 

 out of the question ; but I , determined to return 

 and conquer the last few yards of that mountain at 

 some future date. We rode the first twenty miles in 

 a bitter cold wind and through a driving snow- 

 storm, sheltered only by trees. My eyes were very 

 painful and I could not see for above five to ten 

 seconds at a time, consequently the branches of the 

 trees swept across my face, leaving severe scratches ; 

 the marks on my nose will probably remain with 

 me till I die. The faces of the whole party were 



