SPRING THAW DIFFICULTIES 227 



A river flows through the village, and this we 

 negotiated in a honle-irtade canoe rowed by a 

 youthful native. The canoe had been hollowed out 

 of the solid trunk of a big tree, presumably with an 

 axe. There had been a bridge over the river, but the 

 villagers had removed it on account of the speed of 

 the current, swollen by the spring floods. So rapid 

 was the streani, that we had to pull some loo yards 

 up current before crossing, in order to make a point 

 opposite. We paddled as hard as possible and 

 inanaged to escape being carried away; but we were 

 nearly upset more than once. The water of the river 

 was beautifully clear, the streaM at this part being 

 about 40 feet deep, and swarming with fish. 



Once across, we waded through the deep mud of 

 the village to the house of the merchant whom we 

 had come to see. The house itself is large and com- 

 Itnodious for that part of the world. The wooden 

 gateway and boarded railings enclose about an acre 

 of land. We were heartily welcolned and conducted 

 to the best roottis, which were very clean, handsomely 

 furnished, and ornamented with beautiful palms, 

 which seem" to flourish very well in Siberia. We 

 found our host very entertaining. He had ai. German 

 clock hung on the wall, the hands of which indicated 

 two o'clock, although it was then about seven in the 

 evening. It was explained to us that the clock was 

 merely an ornamental feature, and that for the time 

 of day both he and the rest of the villagers went by 

 the sun. 



We had a long and interesting conversation after 

 dinner and then retired. It was a pleasure to find 

 ourselves confronted by two feather beds, made on 

 the floor, but scrupulously clean. After six weeks of 

 very rough quarters a night's rest such as we enjoyed 

 on this occasion was something to be grateful for. 

 Among other advantages, this was the only house 



