In one hut there was the only pretty native we had seen, a young creature with an infant, whom she rocked in the most ingenious of cradles. A Russian officer, struck with the young lady’s charms, purchased her on the spot, and arranged her transport to his quarters with as much _sang-froid_ as if he had been ordering a case of champagne to be sent there. Conolly bought a cradle similar to the one we had just seen, but not the kid which was lying in it! Returned to the Russian village to pick up the sportsmen. Return of game, nil. It is said this race of Gilaks is fast becoming extinct, through the ravages of small-pox. [Sidenote: July 31.] According to previous arrangement Madame Furnhjelm came to see the ships, bringing with her the wife of Captain Riskoff of the Russian Navy, she also speaking English. We steamed up the river; but the afternoon setting in rainy, after going some 15 miles with little variety of scene, we anchored and had tiffin and then back, having recourse to whist, Madame Riskoff playing a remarkably good game. Conolly and self had made up our minds, if we could get the use of a small steamer, to go up the Amoor and Usuri rivers so as to join the _Rodney_ at Vladivostock by going about 150 miles overland after leaving the Usuri. [Sidenote: Flag in _Salamis_.] As the time for the departure of the _Salamis_ to save the mail at Shanghai was at hand, and the Governor still absent, I wrote a private note to the Commandant, asking if he could provide me with a steamer; but in Russia a subordinate dare not take the slightest responsibility; so the reply, official, and written in the best of English, was vague. He could let me have a steamer as far as Hovorafka, the junction of the Usuri, but had no power to send her beyond, and that the post horses had been removed from Bonsey on account of the border war; this was the place we should have landed at, to cross over to Vladivostock. However, a telegram announced the arrival of the Admiral in Castries Bay, so I deferred the departure of _Salamis_ until noon of the 2nd, while I was prepared to depart at that hour by either route. [Sidenote: Aug. 1.]