legs and marched on, intent upon a grapple. When within fifteen paces the fatal ball was sent on its mission, and the shaggy monster fell dead, the skin adding one more trophy to the spoils of Egor.

About two versts farther we came to a broad and rapid river, apparently not very deep. There being no means of getting over the stream except by fording it, we plunged boldly in, and soon found the water, which was extremely cold, up to our boots, and frequently as high as our knees: happily, it proved no deeper. We shortly reached the opposite shore and struck into the forest, pursuing a mere track, along which we proceeded slowly, sometimes nearly up to the saddle-flaps in mud and water, at others riding over large stones and trunks of trees, which lay across the path in every direction.

This was a most dreary ride-nothing but dense forest, without a single opening to afford so much as a glimpse of the surrounding country. Toward noon we had a thunder-storm, which echoed loudly through the forest, accompanied by heavy rain. Some large Siberian cedars afforded us shelter during the storm, which continued more than an hour. When it was over we rode on, but were soon completely drenched by the droppings from the trees. Portions of the forest were so thick that the light of day was entirely excluded; indeed, it was frequently necessary to cut our way through the branches, which rendered our progress very slow.

Although there are many bears and other dangerous animals in these wilds, strange to say we did not meet with any. Our great risk was a fall in the midst of rocks and prostrate trees, which might be attended with painful consequences. After a while our veteran hunter, who became a sort of leader of the party, left the track we had been pursuing for some time, and struck off toward the southwest. Forcing our way through thick underwood for about an hour, we emerged at last from the dark forest at the foot of a steep ascent overlaid with huge blocks of stone. Rough as this appeared, it was more agreeable than the woods and morass we had been floundering in for so many hours. Both patience and great care were required in riding up this rugged hill. As we ascended the height, we heard the roaring of water, and supposed by the sound there must be a fall not far distant. From the great noise we expected to find a large stream; but, on approaching, it

turned out to be a small one, tumbling down a steep and rocky bed in a succession of snow-like waterfalls. This we had to cross? no very pleasant prospect, as a false step might pitch both horse and rider into the foaming water. Our steeds, however, stepped carefully, placing one foot firmly down before lifting the other. The difficulty being soon overcome, we continued our course upward, and at eight o'clock reached the Katchkanar, after a tedious ride of eleven hours on horseback. The old hunter proposed stopping for the night at the foot of some high rocks: this I was not unwilling to do, and accordingly we dismounted, wet and stiff enough. All hands set to work and made a great fire, which blazed up fiercely. After this I gave each man a glass of brandy, my companion and myself taking a little also to qualify the water we had received during our ride. The musquitoes being here in abundance, my friend took his post on the smoky side of the fire, obstinately refusing to leave it on any account.

Although tired, I could not rest without taking a look at the upper part of the mountain. Seizing my rifle, I began to ascend the rocks, and in about half an hour stood on their summit. When there, a most rugged scene burst upon my view: the jagged top of the Katchkanar was towering far above into the deep blue vault of heaven; the rocks and snow were tinged by the setting sun; while lower down stood crags overtopping pine and cedar trees, and lower still, a thick forest sloped along till lost in gloom and vapor.

I now turned toward the west, and walked to a high crag overlooking the valley; here I seated myself to watch the great and fiery orb descend below the horizon, and a glorious sight it was. Pavda, with its snowy cap, was lighted up, and sparkled like a ruby; the other mountains were tinged with red, while in the deep valleys all was gloom and mist. For a few minutes the whole atmosphere appeared filled with powdered carmine, giving a deep crimson tint to every thing around. So splendid was this effect, and so firm a hold had it taken of my imagination, that I became insensible to the hundreds of musquitoes that were feasting on my blood. Excepting their painfully disagreeable hum, no sound, not even that of the chirping of a bird, was to be heard: it was truly solitude.

Soon after the sun went down a white vapor began to rise in

the valleys to a considerable height, giving to the scene an appearance of innumerable lakes studded with islands, as all the mountain tops looked dark and black. I was so riveted to the spot by the scene before me that I remained watching the changes until near eleven o'clock, when that peculiar twilight seen in these regions stole gently over mountain and forest. The effect I can not well describe; it appeared to partake largely of the spiritual. I now thought it was quite time to return to our camp-fire, and, arriving there a little before twelve o'clock, found the people sleeping and my companion lying near the fire covered over with a cloak, as he said, "to keep the devils off." He had neither slept nor dared to look out. The humming sound of millions of musquitoes was something awful: the high rocks sheltered them from the wind, so that we soon found we had got into the very regions of torment. As it was utterly impossible to endure this, I proposed to remove our encampment to the top of the rocks, where the current of air might relieve us of our tormentors and let us rest in peace; this was at once acceded to by all. So, taking up a burning brand, I clambered to a spot a little higher up, where I pitched on a desirable location. I soon had a fire blazing, having selected the neighborhood of plenty of fallen timber, and the men came round with the horses and our traps. In this place, where the breeze kept fanning us, not a musquito dared show his proboscis.

Once more settled down, we found time to be hungry, and accordingly ordered tea. Who could paint our despair when the men proclaimed that there was neither tea, nor a kettle to boil water, both having been left behind. We had plenty of provisions, with brandy and Ouralian nalifka, and these enabled us to make a meal. There is, however, nothing which can be compared to the beverage "that cheers but not inebriates," and makes the traveler supremely comfortable after a day of hard toil. We sat talking over our misfortune and the anticipated pleasures of the morrow till past one o'clock, then lay down on the rocks and wrapped ourselves up for the night; but the joint effects of wine and smoke had given me a violent headache, which prevented me sleeping. A little before three o'clock I was up, and my toilet made by rubbing the smoke out of my eyes and giving myself a shake. Day was rapidly dawning over those boundless forests of Sibe

64

SUNRISE ON THE MOUNTAINS.

ria. Long lines of pale yellow clouds extended over the horizon; these became more luminous every few minutes, until at length they were like waves of golden light rolling and breaking on some celestial shore. I roused up my fellow-traveler that he might partake with me in my admiration of the scene, and a most splendid one it was. The sun was rising behind some very distant hills, and tipping all the mountain tops with his glorious rays: even the dark pines assumed a golden hue. We sat silently watching the beautifully changing scene for an hour, until hill and valley were lighted up: my friend could no longer repress his feelings. "This is a glorious sight!" he exclaimed; "if it were not for these d―d musquitoes, I should like to spend a month here.”

Having broken our fast with a crust of bread and a glass of Ouralian, we prepared for our ascent to the summit. Our rifles were first examined, as they might be required should Bruin feel disposed to dispute our right of way through his domain, this being his summer residence. All was found right; so, strapping my sketching traps across my back, and with rifle over my shoulder, we marched off, my old hunter pointing out the way. The other two men were left in charge of the horses.

A short distance from our encampment we found a confused mass of rocks thrown about in the wildest disorder, evidently having tumbled from the upper part of the mountain. Some were of such huge dimensions that it is difficult to comprehend the colossal power that had hurled them from their rocky beds. We scrambled over this labyrinth to a small valley; on the other side of this the Katchkanar reared his jagged crest.

This little valley was carpeted with short grass and numerous plants, in flower or just budding. A month later, and this will be a garden of iris, geraniums, roses, and peonies, amid scenes of the wildest grandeur. Here also were growing clumps of magnificent pines and Siberian cedars (Pinus cembra). From a high, decayed branch of one, I brought down with my rifle a “gluckaree"-a splendid male bird, which my old hunter said weighed thirty pounds: there are many of them in this region. Having reloaded, we proceeded across the valley, and then began the real

ascent.

It was a chaotic mass of large loose rocks, with snow filling up many of the cavities; in other places we passed under huge blocks,

SUMMIT OF THE KATCHKANAR.

65

over which it would have been no easy task to climb. Farther up we met with large patches of snow, and walked over them without difficulty; at length we were at the foot of the high crags of the Katchkanar. We found many of these crags standing up like crystals, some not less than 100 feet high, composed of regular courses, with pure magnetic iron ore between their beds, varying from one inch to four inches thick. In some places cubes or crystals of iron project from the solid rock three and four inches square; and again, in other portions of these rocks the whole mass seems to be of iron, or some other mineral substance.

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I now determined to ascend one of the highest crags. ing one, I put down my rifle and all other things, excepting a small sketch-book, and commenced climbing. I found it exceedingly difficult; but, after much labor and some risk, I sat on one of the highest pinnacles with my feet dangling over, in which position I began writing a note to a friend. The view to the east, looking into Siberia, is uninterrupted for hundreds of versts, until all is lost in fine blue vapor. There is something truly grand in looking over these black and apparently interminable forests, in which.

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