36

EXCURSIONS ON THE TCHOUSSOWAIA.

CHAPTER III.

EXCURSIONS ON THE TCHOUSSOWAIA.

ALL was prepared for my departure at eight o'clock this morning, but a great snow-storm approaching from the higher region of the Oural, I was told that I must on no account leave till this had passed. It was well I remained, as it commenced to blow most furiously, and the snow fell so thick that we could not have descried objects a boat's length before us. The storm continued without intermission until past three, when the weather cleared up. I then determined to walk along the north bank of the river, and take a sketch of some fine rocky masses about a verst distant; but in this I was disappointed. I had proceeded a short distance only, when the snow-storm began again with redoubled vigor, which compelled me to seek shelter in the nearest dwelling. I turned back and entered a respectable cottage, where I found two women, who treated me with extreme kindness. It was difficult to make them understand a word of my Russian; however, I suppose the storm spoke for me. When they had given me a seat, one of them brought some preserved fruit and a plate of small nuts, which I was entreated to eat: the nuts were from the Siberian cedar, and are much liked here. After remaining two hours and the storm moderating, I thanked these kind people and hastened back to my quarters, as I saw that we should have a stormy night. I crossed the Tchoussowaia to the east bank, telling the men to follow me up the stream with the boat; I then walked on, and in about half an hour arrived at a fine rocky gorge; the precipices on either side are limestone broken into very beautiful forms, with small pine and larch trees growing from the fissures. Here I sketched two views, each displaying some curious geological feat

ures.

My companions, having come up, rowed me across the river, and I continued my walk along the bank about six versts. Here I sketched another beautiful scene-a splendid mass of limestone,

RAPID CURRENT.-A FRIEND.

37

with the river rushing past its base, and nearly filling up a cavern in the rocks, which, as I am informed, can be entered in summer when the water is low. These scenes must be exceedingly beautiful in June and July, when the shrubs and flowers of numerous species are in bloom. After great labor, my men succeeded in hauling the boat to this place; farther they could not go, as the rocks rose up 100 to 150 feet nearly perpendicular on both sides of the river, and the water rushed through the gorge with extraordinary force. Seating myself in the boat and pointing up the river, the crew began to pull in good earnest, but our progress was very slow, and it soon became evident that it was utterly impossible to propel the boat against the rapid current of the narrow passage. With all our efforts, we had only ascended the river about fifteen versts in eleven hours, but we glided down to the pristan in less than an hour. While eating my dinner, I was told that a gentleman had been waiting for me several hours; that he had just gone out, and would return in a quarter of an hour. I could not imagine who this could be; however, the mystery vanished when my kind and hospitable host of Outkinskoï walked into the room. He had heard that I was weather-bound at Chaitanskoï, and determined to see me once more, even if he could not induce me to return to his house. He urged me strongly and in the most friendly manner to accompany him, promising to send me back in a boat with a crew of five men who would stop at any point I directed. I readily availed myself of his kindness, as it would enable me to sketch the scenes I had passed through in the storm. We started a little before eight o'clock to ride through a Siberian or Ouralian forest, as this part of the Tchoussowaia is in Europe. My friend's tarantass was a light carriage placed on four wheels, and four long poles which rest on the axle-trees; thus it is rendered elastic (patent axles and springs would be useless in this region). To make it more comfortable, a quantity of straw was put into the bottom, covered with a rug, and several pillows were placed at the back.

To this machine we had six horses, four yoked to it, managed by a driver sitting in front, while a boy had charge of the two leaders. The speed at which we started was kept up through the village to the foot of a steep hill, where commenced the toils of a forest drive. A more wild and gloomy road I had never entered

38

A FOREST DRIVE.-NARROW ESCAPES.

upon. The first hour we had daylight, and then a dusky twilight, gradually shading into darkness, crept over every thing. In some parts of our road I saw magnificent pine trees, that might be called giants of the forest: there they stood in all their vigor and strength, bidding defiance to the storm; others were observed which, like these, had once equally defied the tempest, but now showed the marks of lightning in their shattered limbs, which trembled with every blast. Hundreds lay around in all stages of decay, convincing proofs of the ravages of time, while young plants and saplings were growing of every age, from a seedling to a tree.

Our pace was almost, reduced to a walk in consequence of the darkness, which had been increased by the dense character of the forest. At times I could see neither the men nor the horses; all around was shrouded in impenetrable gloom. On looking upward, I could just perceive, through the dim obscurity, gnarled and twisted branches extending over us, looking like huge serpents ready to seize their prey. About ten o'clock the moon rose slowly, and shed her silvery light over wood and glen, giving the different objects in one direction a spectral appearance; while to our right, where her rays touched the summits of the rugged crags, a deeper shade settled along their base. As the light became stronger, our drivers pushed on their horses, and soon we were going at a great speed along a more even track. Suddenly a man rode out from a dark mass of rock directly toward us, which caused the drivers to stop our vehicle. My host said something to the man, which caused him to gallop away at full speed, and the clatter of his horse's hoofs was soon lost in the distance. He was my friend's servant, ordered to be waiting about half way, that he might speed on and announce our approach, that supper might be ready for us on our arrival. The latter part of our journey was slow and over very rugged ground. Despite all the care taken by our drivers, we had some narrow escapes; twice we were nearly tumbled out; and in one case, had we actually turned over, we should have been precipitated into a very deep glen; but incidents like these are common enough in these wild regions. At a quarter past twelve o'clock I again entered the hospitable dwelling of my Russian friend, whose wife, daughter, and servants rivaled each other in giving me a warm welcome.

I walked out early the next morning, and observed a boat pre

FLOUNDERING IN THE SNOW.

39

paring for me, and at ten o'clock left my kind friends, although they used every means to induce me to remain a few days. We had a bright sunny morning, quite warm, which made every thing look gay, and gave a warm tone to the forest scenes. When I had got into my boat, the men plied their oars well, and sent the little shallop rapidly along. All at once the wind began to roar as it rushed through the narrow valley, a certain harbinger of a coming storm. "No morning sun lasts a whole day." The sun was soon obscured, and dark clouds came rolling over the hills, pouring down rain and sleet, which almost blinded us. We pulled up and got into shelter under some large pines-a poor protection against the icy blast, which made us all shiver. After waiting more than an hour, my crew urged me to go on, as the storm would continue all day. They were right. When we arrived in Chaitanskoï we were completely drenched, and almost frozen with sitting eight hours in an open boat. Again my wishes had been frustrated. At four o'clock this morning the thermometer stood at 15o R., with a keen cutting wind from the north. I had been told that some magnificent scenery might be met with near one of the mountain torrents, about ten versts distant, which could only be reached by walking over the mountain. An Ouralian hunter having consented to be my guide, I started at five o'clock to penetrate the forest: road or track there was none. We descended, in the first place, the bank of the Tchoussowaia about a verst, then began the ascent of a very steep and rugged hill toward the north: this was a work of difficulty, and occupied two hours. Here we observed both new and old snow, in some places very deep. My guide pointed out the ravine to which we were going, which appeared distant not more than a verst, but we found that this was the most laborious part of our walk. The snow often broke through with us, and many times we were to the middle in the upper crust, and as frequently floundering about among fallen trees, half buried in the snow.

At times I almost feared we must give in, but my English spirit said No, and on I went, determined not to be beat by my woodsman; besides, I had good reason to think that my friends in Ilimskoï supposed that no one but a Russian or Ouralian could accomplish the journey at this time of the year. I did, however, and was not disappointed in the scenery. I came to a deep and nar

40

A MUTINY.-THE ROBBERS.

row gorge, formed most probably when the Oural was upheaved; the rocks have been rent asunder, and dolomite peaks are forced into rugged and picturesque forms. Occasionally a torrent of water pours through this ravine, which must add much to its grandeur; at this time there was scarcely any thing of a stream, the frost having closed up the supply; but later in the day, when the snow is melting on the mountains, the water will come down in a perfect flood; from two o'clock until eight o'clock its roar will be tremendous.

Having made a sketch and collected some shells from the limestone rocks, we began to retrace our steps, which we found much more difficult, as the snow was already very soft. This compelled us to seek another route through a more dense part of the forest, not yet touched by the sun's rays. After a most fatiguing walk, we arrived at the village at one o'clock, to the great astonishment of my friends, who never expected that I should succeed.

I decided to remain a day or two in Ilimskoï and sketch several fine scenes on the river; to some I must walk, to others go in my boat. On one of these excursions up the river I noticed a remarkable change in my men, and that my orders were obeyed with great reluctance; this induced me to watch their conduct more closely. The result was the discovery of a mutiny on board my little craft, having for its chief the servant-boy, who seemed to have imbibed the idea that, as I understood little of their language, he could direct the men. During my stay in Ilimskoï I had made a small map of the river, with the names of all the villages, and had marked those at which I ought to stop for the night. For some cause unknown to me, the lad had decided with the boatmen that they should stop at other places, which probably they liked better, supposing this could easily be done without my knowledge. I was not slow in showing him that the best-conceived plans will sometimes fail.

There are some remarkable rocky scenes between Chaitanskoï Pristan and Ilimskoï; the limestone rocks are broken and twisted into every variety of form, rising in many parts 300 or 400 feet in height.

In some places the strata are forced into a vertical position, with jagged peaks. The following view shows one of these disruptions, to which has been given the name of the Four Brothers,