40 BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 



been lined with a few bits of grass and dead birch leaves. I had 

 scarcely expected to find Stints nesting in a wood. 



July 2nd was a day neither of us are likely to forget. Rising at 

 seven, we landed with the last load of camping requisites at ten, expect- 

 ing in our ignorance and simplicity to find the horses in the carriages, 

 and the native we had engaged to accompany us ready. The man 

 soon appeared, but only to tell us he could not go, as he was wanted 

 for fishing or something. Fortunately, Ivan the Finn, from whom I had 

 purchased the first salmon in Devkin bay, was there ; and as soon as 

 he heard we wanted a man, offered his services. He spoke Norwegian, 

 so I engaged him at two roubles a day ; and on the whole he proved a 

 useful acquisition, for he knew the country here thoroughly, and had 

 lived in it all his life. On a warm day it was pleasanter to walk on 

 the windward side of him, as his last wash must have taken place in 

 a past so remote that even he could probably not recollect it ; and 

 his clothes — well, a study of Plate 17 will give a better idea of 

 them than pages of description 1 As Einar Stromsted was also going, 

 I was obliged to ask him if he would object to occupying the same 

 tent as Ivan, and fortunately he raised no difficulties. Then began a 

 long wrangle between Ivan and the head-servant who had charge of 

 the stables, as to the number of horses required and the amount to 

 be paid for them. I was perfectly helpless, for everything had to be 

 translated from English through Norwegian to Russian, and I am con- 

 vinced that Ivan said what he chose, and not what I told Einar; for 

 Ivan did not love the monks, and did not intend them to have too good 

 a bargain. In spite of my repeated orders to take all the horses the 

 servant said were wanted, and pay what he asked, Ivan continued to 

 haggle. Two hours and a half were wasted over all these prelimi- 

 naries, and my small stock of patience more than exhausted. 



Plate 12 represents a group of the servants, mostly connected 

 with the stables, some of whom acted as our drivers. The head man, 

 who drove our carriage, is the second from the left. 



At last, at 1 2.30, we started — one carriage, two waggons with our 



