s。　　I　approached　noiselessly　behind　the　bushes　and　saw　a　whole　flock　of　blackcock　scratching　in　the　snow　and　picking　out　the　berries。　　While　I　was　surveying　this　scene；　suddenly　one　of　the　blackcock　jumped　up　and　the　rest　of　the　frightened　flock　immediately　flew　away。　　To　my　astonishment　the　first　bird　began　going　straight　up　in　a　spiral　flight　and　afterwards　dropped　directly　down　dead。　　When　I　approached　there　sprang　from　the　body　of　the　slain　cock　a　rapacious　ermine　that　hid　under　the　trunk　of　a　fallen　tree。　　The　bird's　neck　was　badly　torn。　　I　then　understood　that　the　ermine　had　charged　the　cock；　fastened　itself　on　his　neck　and　had　been　carried　by　the　bird　into　the　air；　as　he　sucked　the　blood　from　its　throat；　and　had　been　the　cause　of　the　heavy　fall　back　to　the　earth。　　Thanks　to　his　aeronautic　ability　I　saved　one　cartridge。
  So　I　lived　fighting　for　the　morrow　and　more　and　more　poisoned　by　hard　and　bitter　thoughts。　　The　days　and　weeks　passed　and　soon　I　felt　the　breath　of　warmer　winds。　　On　the　open　places　the　snow　began　to　thaw。　　In　spots　the　little　rivulets　of　water　appeared。　　Another　day　I　saw　a　fly　or　a　spider　awakened　after　the　hard　winter。　　The　spring　was　coming。　　I　realized　that　in　spring　it　was　impossible　to　go　out　from　the　forest。　　Every　river　overflowed　its　banks；　the　swamps　became　impassable；　all　the　runways　of　the　animals　turned　into　beds　for　streams　of　running　water。　　I　understood　that　until　summer　I　was　condemned　to　a　continuation　of　my　solitude。　　Spring　very　quickly　came　into　her　rights　and　soon　my　mountain　was　free　from　snow　and　was　covered　only　with　stones；　the　trunks　of　birch　and　aspen　trees　and　the　high　cones　of　ant　hills；　the　river　in　places　broke　its　covering　of　ice　and　was　coursing　full　with　foam　and　bubbles。
  CHAPTER　IV
  A　FISHERMAN
  One　day　during　the　hunt；　I　approached　the　bank　of　the　river　and　noticed　many　very　large　fish　with　red　backs；　as　though　filled　with　blood。　　They　were　swimming　on　the　surface　enjoying　the　rays　of　the　sun。　　When　the　river　was　entirely　free　from　ice；　these　fish　appeared　in　enormous　quantities。　　Soon　I　realized　that　they　were　working　up…stream　for　the　spawning　season　in　the　smaller　rivers。　　I　thought　to　use　a　plundering　method　of　catching；　forbidden　by　the　law　of　all　countries；　but　all　the　lawyers　and　legislators　should　be　lenient　to　one　who　lives　in　a　den　under　the　roots　of　a　fallen　tree　and　dares　to　break　their　rational　laws。
  Gathering　many　thin　birch　and　aspen　trees　I　built　in　the　bed　of　the　stream　a　weir　which　the　fish　could　not　pass　and　soon　I　found　them　trying　to　jump　over　it。　　Near　the　bank　I　left　a　hole　in　my　barrier　about　eighteen　inches　below　the　surface　and　fastened　on　the　up…　stream　side　a　high　basket　plaited　from　soft　willow　twigs；　into　which　the　fish　came　as　they　passed　the　hole。　　Then　I　stood　cruelly　by　and　hit　them　on　the　head　with　a　strong　stick。　　All　my　catch　were　over　thirty　pounds；　some　more　than　eighty。　　This　variety　of　fish　is　called　the　taimen；　is　of　the　trout　family　and　is　the　best　in　the　Yenisei。
  After　two　weeks　the　fish　had　passed　and　my　basket　gave　me　no　more　treasure；　so　I　began　anew　the　hunt。
  CHAPTER　V
  A　DANGEROUS　NEIGHBOR
  The　hunt　became　more　and　more　profitable　and　enjoyable；　as　spring　animated　everything。　　In　the　morning　at　the　break　of　day　the　forest　was　full　of　voices；　strange　and　undiscernible　to　the　inhabitant　of　the　town。　　There　the　heathcock　clucked　and　sang　his　song　of　love；　as　he　sat　on　the　top　branches　of　the　cedar　and　admired　the　grey　hen　scratching　in　the　fallen　leaves　below。　　It　was　very　easy　to　approach　this　full…feathered　Caruso　and　with　a　shot　to　bring　him　down　from　his　more　poetic　to　his　more　utilitarian　duties。　　His　going　out　was　an　euthanasia；　for　he　was　in　love　and　heard　nothing。　Out　in　the　clearing　the　blackcocks　with　their　wide…spread　spotted　tails　were　fighting；　while　the　hens　strutting　near；　craning　and　chattering；　probably　some　gossip　about　their　fighting　swains；　watched　and　were　delighted　with　them。　　From　the　distance　flowed　in　a　stern　and　deep　roar；　yet　full　of　tenderness　and　love；　the　mating　call　of　the　deer；　while　from　the　crags　above　came　down　the　short　and　broken　voice　of　the　mountain　buck。　　Among　the　bushes　frolicked　the　hares　and　often　near　them　a　red　fox　lay　flattened　to　the　ground　watching　his　chance。　　I　never　heard　any　wolves　and　they　are　usually　not　found　in　the　Siberian　regions　covered　with　mountains　and　forest。
  But　there　was　another　beast；　who　was　my　neighbor；　and　one　of　us　had　to　go　away。　　One　day；　coming　back　from　the　hunt　with　a　big　heathcock；　I　suddenly　noticed　among　the　trees　a　black；　moving　mass。　　I　stopped　and；　looking　very　attentively；　saw　a　bear；　digging　away　at　an　ant…　hill。　　Smelling　me；　he　snorted　violently；　and　very　quickly　shuffled　away；　astonishing　me　with　the　speed　of　his　clumsy　gait。　　The　following　morning；　while　still　lying　under　my　overcoat；　I　was　attracted　by　a　noise　behind　my　den。　　I　peered　out　very　carefully　and　discovered　the　bear。　　He　stood　on　his　hind　legs　and　was　noisily　sniffing；　investigating　the　question　as　to　what　living　creature　had　adopted　the　custom　of　the　bears　of　housing　during　the　winter　under　the　trunks　of　fallen　trees。　　I　shouted　and　struck　my　kettle　with　the　ax。　　My　early　visitor　made　off　with　all　his　energy；　but　his　visit　did　not　please　me。　　It　was　very　early　in　the　spring　that　this　occurred　and　the　bear　should　not　yet　have　left　his　hibernating　place。　　He　was　the　so…called　〃ant…eater；〃　an　abnormal　type　of　bear　lacking　in　all　the　etiquette　of　the　first　families　of　the　bear　clan。
  I　knew　that　the　〃ant…eaters〃　were　very　irritable　and　audacious　and　quickly　I　prepared　myself　for　both　the　defence　and　the　charge。　　My　preparations　were　short。　　I　rubbed　off　the　ends　of　five　of　my　cartridges；　thus　making　dum…dums　out　of　them；　a　sufficiently　intelligible　argument　for　so　unwelcome　a　guest。　　Putting　on　my　coat　I　went　to　the　place　where　I　had　first　met　the　bear　and　where　there　were　many　ant…hills。　　I　made　a　detour　of　the　whole　mountain；　looked　in　all　the　ravines　but　nowhere　found　my　caller。　　Disappointed　and　tired；　I　was　approaching　my　shelter　quite　off　my　guard　when　I　suddenly　discovered　the　king　of　the　forest　himself　just　coming　out　of　my　lowly　dwelling　and　sniffing　all　around　the　entrance　to　it。　　I　shot。　　The　bullet　pierced　his　side。　　He　roared　with　pain　and　anger　and　stood　up　on　his　hind　legs。　　As　the　second　bullet　broke　one　of　these；　he　squatted　down　but　immediately；　dragging　the　leg　and　endeavoring　to　stand　upright；　moved　to　attack　me。　　Only　the　third　bullet　in　his　breast　stopped　him。　　He　weighed　about　two　hundred　to　two　hundred　fifty　pounds；　as　near　as　I　could　guess；　and　was　very　tasty。　　He　appeared　at　his　best　in　cutlets　but　only　a　little　less　wonderful　in　the　Hamburg　steaks　which　I　rolled　and　roasted　on　hot　stones；　watching　them　swell　out　into　great　balls　that　were　as　light　as　the　finest　souffle　omelettes　we　used　to　have　at　the　〃Medved〃　in　Petrograd。　　On　this　welcome　addition　to　my　larder　I　lived　from　then　until　the　ground　dried　out　and　the　stream　ran　down　enough　so　that　I　could　travel　down　along　the　river　to　the　country　whither　Ivan　had　directed　me。
  Ever　traveling　with　the　greatest　precautions　I　made　the　journey　down　along　the　river　on　foot；　carrying　from　my　winter　quarters　all　my　household　furniture　and　goods；　wrapped　up　in　the　deerskin　bag　which　I　formed　by　tying　the　legs　together　in　an　awkward　knot；　and　thus　laden　fording　the　small　streams　and　wading　through　the　swamps　that　lay　across　my　path。　　After　fifty　odd　miles　of　this　I　came　to　the　country　called　Sifkova；　where　I　found　the　cabin　of　a　peasant　named　Tropoff；　located　closest　to　the　forest　that　came　to　be　my　natural　environment。　　With　him　I　lived　for　a　time。
  *　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*
  Now　in　these　unimaginable　surroundings　of　safety　and　peace；　summing　up　the　total　of　my　experience　in　the　Siberian　taiga；　I　make　the　following　deductions。　　In　every　healthy　spiritual　individual　of　our　times；　occasions　of　necessity　resurrect　the　traits　of　primitive　man；　hunter　and　warrior；　and　help　him　in　the　struggle　with　nature。　It　is　the　prerogative　of　the　man　with　the　trained　mind　and　spirit　over　the　untrained；　who　does　not　possess　sufficient　science　and　will　power　to　carry　him　through。　　But　the　price　that　the　cultured　man　must　pay　is　that　for　him　there　exists　nothing　more　awful　than　absolute　solitude　and　the　knowledge　of　complete　isolation　from　human　society　and　the　life　of　moral　and　aesthetic　culture。　　One　step；　one　moment　of　weakness　and　dark　madness　will　seize　a　man　and　carry　him　to　inevitable　destruction。　　I　spent　awful　days　of　struggle　with　the　cold　and　hunger　but　I　passed　more　terrible　days　in　the　struggle　of　the　will　to　kill　weakening　destructive　thoughts。　The　memories　of　these　days　freeze　my　heart　and　mind　and　even　now；　as　I　revive　them　so　clearly　by　writing　of　my　experiences；　they　throw　me　back　into　a　state　of　fear　and　apprehension。　　Moreover；　I　am　compelled　to　observe　that　the　people　in　highly　civilized　states　give　too　little　regard　to　the　training　that　is　useful　to　man　in　primitive　conditions；　in　conditions　incident　to　the　struggle　against　nature　for　existence。　　It　is　the　single　normal　way　to　develop　a　new　generation　of　strong；　healthy；　iron　men；　with　at　the　same　time