s down with the current, following obediently the windings
of the river, and the polemen are on the watch. On the banks grow small
hawthorn bushes and tamarisks, interrupted by patches of reeds and small
clumps of young trees, among which poplars always predominate. They are
not the tall, slender poplars which tower proud as kings above other
trees, but quite a dwarf kind with a round, irregular crown. When the
day draws near to a close I give the order to stop. Palta thrusts his
pole into the river bottom, and, throwing all his strength and weight on
to it, forces the stern of the boat to swing round to the land, where
another of the crew jumps out on to the bank with a rope. He makes it
fast round a stump, and our day's voyage is ended.

The gangway is pushed out and a fire is lighted in an open space among
the trees, and soon the teapot and rice-pan are bubbling pleasantly. I
remain sitting at my writing-table and see the moonlight playing in a
streak on the surface of the river. All is quiet and silent around us,
and even the midges have gone to rest. I hear only the brands crackling
in the camp fire and the sand slipping down the neighbouring bank as the
water laps against it. A dog barking in the distance is answered by
Dovlet and Yolldash.

Now steps are heard on board, and Islam Bay brings my supper. The
writing-table is converted into a dining-table, and he serves me up rice
pudding with onions, carrots, and minced mutton, fresh bread, eggs,
cucumbers, melons, and grapes. What more could a man want? It was very
different when we were wandering on the endless sands. If I want to
drink I have only to let down a cup into the river which gently ripples
past the boat. The dogs keep me company, sitting with cocked ears
waiting for a titbit. Then Islam comes and clears the table, I close the
tent, creep into my berth, and enjoy life afloat on my own vessel, where
it is only necessary to loosen a rope to be on the way again.

After a few days we come to a place where the river contracts and forces
its way with great velocity between small islands and great heaps of
stranded driftwood. Here Palta has plenty of work, for he has constantly
to keep the boat off from some obstacle or other with the pole.
Frequently we bump up against poplar trunks which do not show above the
water, and then the boat swings round in a moment. Then all the crew
jump into the river and shove the boat off again.

A distant noise is heard, an