The Bashkirs got ready and they all started: some mounted on horses, and
some in carts. Pahom drove in his own small cart with his servant, and
took a spade with him. When they reached the steppe, the morning red was
beginning to kindle. They ascended a hillock (called by the Bashkirs a
shikhan) and dismounting from their carts and their horses, gathered in
one spot. The Chief came up to Pahom and stretched out his arm towards
the plain:
"See," said he, "all this, as far as your eye can reach, is ours. You
may have any part of it you like."
Pahom's eyes glistened: it was all virgin soil, as flat as the palm of
your hand, as black as the seed of a poppy, and in the hollows different
kinds of grasses grew breast high.
The Chief took off his fox-fur cap, placed it on the ground and said:
"This will be the mark. Start from here, and return here again. All the
land you go round shall be yours."
Pahom took out his money and put it on the cap. Then he took off his
outer coat, remaining in his sleeveless under coat. He unfastened his
girdle and tied it tight below his stomach, put a little bag of bread
into the breast of his coat, and tying a flask of water to his girdle,
he drew up the tops of his boots, took the spade from his man, and stood
ready to start. He considered for some moments which way he had better
go--it was tempting everywhere.
"No matter," he concluded, "I will go towards the rising sun."
He turned his face to the east, stretched himself, and waited for the
sun to appear above the rim.
"I must lose no time," he thought, "and it is easier walking while it is
still cool."
The sun's rays had hardly flashed above the horizon, before Pahom,
carrying the spade over his shoulder, went down into the steppe.
Pahom started walking neither slowly nor quickly. After having gone a
thousand yards he stopped, dug a hole and placed pieces of turf one on
another to make it more visible. Then he went on; and now that he had
walked off his stiffness he quickened his pace. After a while he dug
another hole.
Pahom looked back. The hillock could be distinctly seen in the sunlight,
with the people on it, and the glittering tires of the cartwheels. At
a rough guess Pahom concluded that he had walked three miles. It
was growing warmer; he took off his under-coat, flung it across his
shoulder, and went on again. It had grown quite warm now; he looked at
the sun, it was time to think of breakfast.
"The first shift is done, but there are four in a day, and it is
too soon yet to turn. But I will just take off my boots," said he to
himself.
He sat down, took off his boots, stuck them into his girdle, and went
on. It was easy walking now.
"I will go on for another three miles," thought he, "and then turn to
the left. The spot is so fine, that it would be a pity to lose it. The
further one goes, the better the land seems."
He went straight on a for a while, and when he looked round, the hillock
was scarcely visible and the people on it looked like black ants, and he
could just see something glistening there in the sun.
"Ah," thought Pahom, "I have gone far enough in this direction, it is
time to turn. Besides I am in a regular sweat, and very thirsty."
He stopped, dug a large hole, and heaped up pieces of turf. Next he
untied his flask, had a drink, and then turned sharply to the left. He
went on and on; the grass was high, and it was very hot.
Pahom began to grow tired: he looked at the sun and saw that it was
noon.
"Well," he thought, "I must have a rest."
He sat down, and ate some bread and drank some water; but he did not
lie down, thinking that if he did he might fall asleep. After sitting a
little while, he went on again. At first he walked easily: the food had
strengthened him; but it had become terribly hot, and he felt sleepy;
still he went on, thinking: "An hour to suffer, a life-time to live."
He went a long way in this direction also, and was about to turn to
the left again, when he perceived a damp hollow: "It would be a pity to
leave that out," he thought. "Flax would do well there." So he went on
past the hollow, and dug a hole on the other side of it before he turned
the corner. Pahom looked towards the hillock. The heat made the air
hazy: it seemed to be quivering, and through the haze the people on the
hillock could scarcely be seen.
"Ah!" thought Pahom, "I have made the sides too long; I must make this
one shorter." And he went along the third side, stepping faster. He
looked at the sun: it was nearly half way to the horizon, and he had
not yet done two miles of the third side of the square. He was still ten
miles from the goal.
"No," he thought, "though it will make my land lopsided, I must hurry
back in a straight line now. I might go too far, and as it is I have a
great deal of land."
So Pahom hurriedly dug a hole, and turned straight towards the hillock.