We carried the baidarka up a small stream and launched it in quite a large and picturesque lake.

We added to our equipment two native baidarkas for hunting and a bear dog belonging to an old Russian hunter, Walter Matroken.

He was the chief's son, and already an expert in hunting and in handling the baidarka.

Quickly regaining the baidarka, we paddled as noiselessly and rapidly as possible up the main stream of the marsh to a small lagoon, which now at high tide had sufficient water to float us.