THE HEADMAN AGAIN GETS EXCITED. 355 
what was left in the pot with their knives, fingers, and 
teeth, the “several halves of fme-looking smoked sal- 
mon’' were soon among “the things that were;” and, 
another bottle of punch being opened and pipes lit, -we 
began to enjoy oiu'selves, while thus helping the expiring 
fire to get up the usual amount of smoke. 
We all had our own pipes, fortunately, we having 
carried some that we had got in Japan, and our hosts 
having theirs, which had been obtained through the 
Eussians. Their tobacco, however, Avas running alarm- 
ingly short, it seems; and I never saAV men indulge in 
more extravagant demonstrations of joy than they did 
when Hartman pulled out a pound-plug and told them 
that he Avould not only give them an iron pot, but tliat 
he would fill it with similar pieces, in return for one of 
their long-talked-of mountain-elks. 
The headman, immediately after regaining a state of 
comparative composure, reached for his gun, took aim at 
an imaginary elk, and clucked his tongue, as much as to 
say, “ Wait until I get a chance : Avon’t I fetch one doAvn ?” 
after Avhich he replaced it carefully and intimated his 
readiness for another drink. In this Avay we rested our- 
selves and smoked UAvay for an hour or more; AAdien, 
after bartering a few pieces of tobacco and the second 
empty bottle for several of the cleanest-looking skins, Ave 
passed again through the long passage-AA'ay into the open, 
air, and, accompanied by our hosts, crossed the mud-flat 
in advance of the rising tide, and reached our friends at 
the coal-mine just as they Avere about to return on board 
for the night. We therefore rewarmed ourselves at their 
blazing fire, reshouldered our guns, and skins, and ac- 
