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4

and still not a word from Ghijigha. We had on hand at this time 7 Rabbits and 20 lbs of beans. Something had to be done at once. As it would not do to rely on that uncertain mode of procuring a livelihood I determined to go to Markova. Illia and Constantine were going up next day believing that the sleds had reached Markova from Ghigigha and the natives were drinking tea, and dancing out their Easter week as is their custom.

I did not believe the Ghijigha sleds had arrived but I could send down the deer I had sent Mr Scammon on for, and if absolutely necessary purchase some of the horses belonging to the priest for food.

The evening of the 2d I left the station taking with me one rabbit and two lbs of bread, part of a little I had been saving for sickness, with a sufficient supply of tea. Of tea we always had an abundance, and but for it we would have suffered much more than we did. Fortunately the traveling was good, and I rode half of the way, and without that assistance I should have had great trouble in getting through as I was extremely weak and very sick. The next day at 10 A.M. the whole population of Markova turned out to greet us, thinking ours were the Ghijigha sleds, not one as yet having returned, though some of these had been absent 45 days. I was asked to the house of Parvil Mordofskoi, where it was likely I could get more to eat than elsewhere, and had the breast of a grouse for my supper