We got off early on the 8th, and, although the surface of the snow
was still soft, I found we got forward much better than on the day
before. Travellers in this country during the spring should always
take advantage of the night; indeed, the sun in the day being
excessively hot, shining upon you for fourteen hours, and thawing
a deep snow, is sufficient to prove the advantage of travelling by
night. A tedious spring day, in a high northern latitude, with a hot
sun reflected from the glassy surface of an immense snow-covered
plain, entirely destitute of trees, not only inflames the eyes, but
creates a lassitude of the body and mind. We had now a plain to
cross of about a hundred versts in length, and about twenty versts
in breadth, bounded on either side by steep mountains. Here the
snow, which we frequently fathomed, was often four, and never less
than three orshins deep, a measurement equal to from seven to nine
English feet. We got away early on the 12th of May, and took care to
move briskly, the surface being frozen, and still strong enough to
bear the deer. The guide directed his course towards the centre of
the plain, from an idea that when the snow became soft, we should
find it not so deep there as close under the mountains. However, it
proved the contrary; and we were not a little alarmed at the fearful
distance that lay between us and the only places where we could
procure food for our deer, now scarcely able to crawl, either by
driving or coaxing.
Although I beat the road myself for them, on snow-shoes, they
plunged in so deeply as to be obliged to stop and lie down every
ten or twelve yards, panting for breath. My Karaikee interpreter,
with one of the Tongusees, drew the sledge after them; and about one
o’clock in the day we were all so worn down we were obliged to rest
ourselves. To add to our disappointment the nearest mountain appeared
yet a considerable distance off. After a while the driver said we
must continue our journey, and force the deer on in the best way
we could, for if they remained twenty or thirty hours more without
food, they would be too weak to proceed at all, and must perish in
the snow. Indeed, I was well aware of the danger, and was prepared to
walk as long as I had a sinew to support my tired limbs.
Having been every day since I left Towisk on snow-shoes, I became
a practised pedestrian in this way; nor found myself inferior to
the natives of the country. In fact, without snow-shoes, I should
have been like a man in the middle of the ocean, who knew not how
to swim, and was without even a chip to save him from drowning. It
was impossible to drive through such snows, when a deer with the
greatest difficulty carried a small portion of baggage, and when that
oftentimes was obliged to be taken from his back to enable him to
extricate himself. I had taken care also to teach my servants to walk
in snow-shoes whilst in Kamtchatka.
Between six and seven in the evening I thought I perceived the last
row of trees which intercepted our view of the mountains; and we
pushed eagerly on to pass it. Our disappointment was excessive when
we could plainly distinguish two more intersections; but again,
not seeing anything beyond them, we consoled ourselves with the
idea that those were certainly the last. Arriving at them, we were
chagrined to find the largest stream we had yet encountered. This,
however, after being completely soaked through, and our strength
almost exhausted, we contrived to pass. When on the other side, there
were yet some versts between us and the foot of the mountain, which
the Karaikee declared he was too weak to accomplish. The Tongusee
likewise complained, but said we were now so near that, if I could
give him a little food of any sort to recruit his strength, we might
remain on the spot where we were until the baggage-deer came up with
us, while he would take his own to the mountains to pasture. I now
recollected that my cook formerly kept in my sledge one of the small
vessels with the deer’s feet he had boiled down. On examination I
found it, together with a little salt, and we were all not a little
rejoiced thereat, being at a great distance from my baggage, and
having taken nothing but water all the day. As we had no bread, and
but a small portion of jelly for each person, we were obliged to make
up the deficiency by drinking two or three large draughts of water.
Scanty as was our repast, we were all much refreshed. I had often
supped more plentifully, but certainly never with a better appetite.
Immediately after, the Tongusee, whom I armed with a Spanish knife
and a spear to protect him against the bears, left us, whilst the
Karaikee and myself collected wood, made a large fire, and placing a
quantity of bushes before it on the snow, wrapped ourselves up in our
parkas and went to sleep.
Between three and four in the morning of the 13th, I was awaked by
the arrival of my servants and the baggage-deer. They had followed
the track we had made, without which, they said, the deer would
never have been able to accomplish the distance. We now got a good
breakfast, and then started again under the hottest sun I had yet
experienced. Both deer and men suffered so much from the heat they
could scarcely crawl, and it was eleven o’clock before we arrived at
the mountain. Our deer were obliged to go to the summit before moss
could be procured.
After getting over the first mountain, on looking round to examine
our party, we found these two fellows had absconded with two of
the reindeer that were not laden. This was a most unpleasant
circumstance, as I was told that they knew the road better than any
of the rest. The road proved like that before described, except that
the snow was not quite so deep. Descending the mountain, we came to
an open stream, narrow, deep, and rapid, and were obliged to make a
bridge to take over the sledges, the deer going about a verst higher
up, where there was a spot fordable. One of them had the slender
remains of my stock of biscuit and my skin coverings on his back,
which he contrived to shake from him into the stream; and, before
we could recover them, the biscuits were all completely soaked and
spoiled. Pitching our tent on a rising ground on the opposite side,
I dried a dozen of them that were not broken in the sun; the rest we
consumed at once, as we perceived they would not keep in that state.