54 BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 



velvet cap witli flat crown, a crucifix on his chest suspended by a 

 chain, and a small medal attached to a red ribbon ; a fine face, clearly- 

 showing ability of no mean order — in fact, a man in the best sense of 

 the word. Most unfortunately he only spoke Russian and Finnish, 

 so the conversation had to be carried on through Einar and Ivan; 

 and I much doubted whether the latter correctly interpreted all 

 I said. The Father's greeting was not warm; but I had a letter 

 from the Russian Minister of the Interior, and this, combined with an 

 explanation of how the fire arose, smoothed matters considerably. 

 He explained the fire was on Government property, not that of the 

 monastery. I afterwards learned that a monk had dropped a match 

 last year after lighting a cigarette, which had resulted in a large 

 area of the Imperial Forest — or rather birch scrub — being burnt, 

 with a loss to the monastery of some hundreds of roubles. The 

 results of this fire were still visible on our road to the lake. The 

 fact is, a light might almost as well be placed among loose gunpowder 

 as in reindeer-moss when it is really dry. The interview closed with 

 an invitation to have some refreshment in the guest-house ; tea, cold 

 salmon in jelly, and delicious brown bread ; but tea was the only 

 thing we really cared for after yesterday's torments, for we were still 

 too feverish for food. I had the pleasure of again meeting this 

 gentleman in 1903 on the Russian mail-steamer, when he presented 

 me with his portrait, which is reproduced on Plate 63. 



Our troubles were not over yet, however. On reaching the sea 

 coast, I had to interview the Police Superintendent or some similar 

 official, and he wanted to detain us until he knew the amount of 

 damage the fire had caused, information which, he explained, would 

 require at least five or six days to obtain. If it was a bad fire, then 

 he must take a number of men and cut trenches round it to stop its 

 spreading through the peat. Again that letter of the Minister of the 

 Interior did us good service ; and at last I wrung from him per- 

 mission to depart. I was really sorry though for the poor fellow ; 

 the conflict in his mind as to whether he was going to get into most 



