sufficient reason to fear us. M. Schmaleff quitted us at break of day, and set off for Tiguil, on the western coast, to complete the visit of his government[66]. We left Apatchin almost at the same time. Our retinue being less numerous we made more expedition. Having passed the plain in which this ostrog is situated, we met the Bolchaïa-reka, upon which we journeyed for several hours. We followed it through all its windings, sometimes in the middle of a forest, and sometimes at the foot of steep and dreary mountains, which arise at intervals on its banks. Fifteen wersts from Malkin we left this river, because the current began to put in motion the ice which was broken in different places; and before we reached this ostrog, we crossed the Bristraïa. We arrived about two o'clock. The distance from Apatchin is sixty-four wersts, and having no change of dogs, we were obliged to stop, to give them time to rest. The toyon of Malkin came to meet M. Kasloff, and offered him his isba. Considerable preparations had been made for our reception, which induced us to pass the night there. He treated us with the utmost respect, and entertained us in the best manner he could. I regretted that his cares had not extended to the article of our repose. Mine was terribly interrupted by the noise of our steeds, to which I was not yet accustomed. The shrill and incessant howlings of these cursed animals, seemed close at my ears, and prevented me from sleeping during the whole night. It is necessary to have heard this nocturnal music, the most disagreeable I ever experienced, to judge of what I suffered in habituating myself to it; for in the course of my journey I was obliged to learn to rest in defiance of it. After a few bad nights, sleep at last overpowered me, and I was insensible to all noise. By degrees I became so inured to the cries of these animals, that I could repose in the midst of them in perfect tranquillity. I shall mention in this place, that the dogs are only fed once a day, at the end of their journey; their repast consists commonly of a dried salmon distributed to each of them. The ostrog of Malkin is similar to those which I have already described. It contains five or six isbas and a dozen balagans, is situated upon the border of the Bistraïa, and surrounded with high mountains. I had no time to visit the hot springs that are said to be in this neighbourhood, the waters of which are strongly impregnated with sulphur; and one in particular, issuing from the declivity of a hill, forms at the bottom a bason of tolerably clear water.