136 BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 



the river in a boat rowed by two Lapps, and we soon learnt that he 

 had been sent to look after us by the telegraphist at Pulozero, in 

 answer to urgent telegrams from Mr. Skjoerseth. The man had left 

 that place in a boat, but had been stopped by ice on the lake after 

 rowing five or six versts, and was obliged to walk round the lake to 

 the lower end where he had picked up the Lapps. This man turned out 

 a jewel of the first water, and was our constant attendant during the 

 next month. As his was the better boat, we decided to take it, after 

 a little argument with his Lapps who asked five roubles each to row 

 back, and accepted two. I mention these little matters of prices as 

 some guide for future travellers in their dealings with this class of 

 men. From my experience of Russian Lapland, the rouble is the 

 cheapest thing there. I have known men ask five roubles for a 

 salmon, and then take a small bucketful of potatoes in exchange. 

 Mr. Skjoerseth explained that the men earned so much money in 

 winter they hardly knew what to do with it, for their wants were few. 



Our new men worked well. The Russian and one Lapp, rowing 

 on the front seat, joked and laughed all the way, while the other Lapp 

 steered with an air of importance, as if he were in charge of a 500- 

 ton ship. He steered splendidly, and never lost a foot ; very different 

 to the old rascal in the second boat who wandered sweetly anywhere 

 and everywhere, all the time talking and boasting. The consequence 

 was his boat was soon far behind, and finally arrived an hour after 

 we did. 



The Lapps stopped on the way to show us a duck's nest, which 

 turned out to be another Goldeneye's with four eggs. This tree had 

 been used so long that three successive holes had been cut to reach 

 the eggs. We heard from the men there was a large nest on the top 

 of a tall pine tree a short distance ahead. The description pointed 

 to an Osprey's, and raised our hopes unduly, for on reaching the tree 

 the bird proved to be a Merlin sitting on some old nest — probably a 

 Hooded Crow's; a serious disappointment, slightly relieved by the 

 safe arrival on the ground of five fresh eggs of the usual dark type. 



