i68 BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 



several pleasant days with in Tromso in 1901. Anything more dread- 

 ful than the chaos on the deck of the America I have never seen ! In 

 the centre were thirty ponies, some of which had been to Franz Josef 

 Land the year before. A rough roof of boards had been erected over 

 them to give some slight shelter from the weather. This and the 

 forecastle were occupied by 240 dogs of all ages, chained up in groups. 

 Only one of our large dog-shows could give any idea of the pande- 

 monium ; many were within effective fighting distance, and constantly 

 made use of their opportunities, several men with heavy whips being 

 employed in settling the little differences. Every foot of space not 

 occupied by horses or dogs was covered with heaps of cases piled up 

 in all directions till locomotion became a difficulty. I only hope 

 Captain Coffin enjoyed fine weather during the first part of his voyage, 

 and so had time to reduce things to order before encountering the ice. 

 Staff and crew numbered thirty-nine men, the greater part of whom 

 were Americans. The ship appeared to be well fitted for its work, 

 and for the comfort of the men. She sailed the next day, and I trust 

 her second attempt to reach a high northern latitude will prove more 

 successful than the first. 



We were detained two days at Hammerfest which we spent on the 

 hills round the town, seeing little of interest beyond some Purple Sand- 

 pipers with young in down. Fourteen Ravens were congregated on 

 a hillside, disturbed from some feast. A few Mealy Redpoll, Red- 

 throated Pipits, Shore-Larks, Temminck's Stints, Long- tailed Duck, 

 and Red-throated Divers formed the remainder of the bird-population, 

 a very scanty one. 



That voyage down the Norwegian coast is rather a weary time 

 after its novelty is gone, and one is anxious to reach home. Fourteen 

 days were occupied in travelling from Kola to Hull, enough to go to 

 New York and back ! Still we were favoured with fine weather the 

 whole way, especially on the North Sea, and reached Hull in the 

 SS. Eldorada early on July 20th. 



And now a last word respecting the birds recorded in the pre- 



