The bad
skins had been taken off, the others cut to fit, and now only required
sewing into their places. As a matter of course Godfrey and Luka took
their meals with the Ostjaks and greatly enjoyed the change of diet.
They gladdened the hearts of their hosts by producing a packet of tea,
of which a handful was poured into a pot of water boiling over the fire.
The liquor was drunk with delight by the Ostjak men and women, but
Godfrey could not touch it, for some of the fish had already been boiled
in the water, which the Ostjaks had not thought it necessary to change.

At night he went out again with them in the boats for a short time to
see them spear salmon. A man holding a large torch made of strips of
resinous wood stood in the bow of the boat, and on either side of him
stood an Ostjak holding a long barbed spear. In a short time there were
swirls on the surface of the river. These increased till the water round
the boat seemed to boil. The Ostjaks were soon at work, and in half an
hour twenty fine salmon were lying in the bottom of the boat, and then
having caught as much as there was any chance of selling the natives
they returned to their yourts. The next morning the work on the boat
was resumed, and as all the women assisted it was finished in a very
short time. Then melted fat was poured into the seams, and the whole
boat vigorously rubbed with the same. By twelve o'clock it was finished.
Then there was a little fresh bargaining for two salmon spears, a supply
of torches, half a dozen common fox skins, and three large hides for
stretching over the boat at night. Some of the lines and fish-hooks were
also bought, and a few fish for present consumption, then Godfrey and
Luka took their places in the boat, and bidding farewell to the Ostjaks
paddled out into stream.

The boat was some twenty feet long and six feet wide in the centre. It
was almost flat-bottomed, and drew but two or three inches of water. A
flat stone had been placed on a layer of clay in the bottom, and they
had taken with them a bundle of firewood. Godfrey was in the highest
spirits. It was true that the real dangers of the journey had not yet
begun, but so far everything had gone very much better than he had
anticipated. He had not thought there would be any chance of recapture,
for he knew that unless they came into the towns the Russians took no
trouble about the escaped convicts. All the convicts with whom he had
spoken had agreed that there