curlews, and mews. In the reeds at the side of the river
was heard such an uproar, such a plashing of water, such a
sound of wings, that you would have said there was either
a war or a council of birds. Beyond Kremenchug the shores
became lower and open.

"Oh, look, my master!" cried. Jendzian, suddenly; "the
sun is roasting, but snow lies on the fields."

Skshetuski looked, and indeed on both sides of the river,
as far as the eye could reach, some kind of a white cover-
ing glittered in the rays of the sun.

"Hallo! what is that which looks white over there?"
asked he of the pilot.

"Cherry-trees!" answered the old man.

In fact there were forests of dwarf cherry-trees, with
which both shores were covered from beyond the mouth of
the Psel. In autumn the sweet and large fruit of these
trees furnished food to birds and beasts, as well as to peo-
ple losing their way in the Wilderness. This fruit was also
an article of commerce which was taken in boats to Kieff
and beyond. When they went to the shore, to give the oars-
men time to rest, the lieutenant landed, with Jendzian,
wishing to examine the bushes more closely. The two
men were surrounded by such an intoxicating odor that
they were scarcely able to breathe. Many branches were
lying on the ground. In places an impenetrable thicket
was formed. Among the cherry-trees were growing, also
luxuriantly, small wild almond-trees covered with rose-
colored blossoms, which gave out a still more pungent odor.
Myriads of black bees and yellow bees, with many-colored
butterflies, were flitting over this variegated sea of blos-
soms, the end of which could not be seen.

"Oh, this ' is wonderful, wonderful! '" said Jendzian.
"And why do not people live here? I see plenty of wild
animals too."

Among the cherry-trees gray and white rabbits were
running, and countless flocks of large blue-legged quails,
some of which Jendzian shot; but to his great distress he
learned from the pilot that their flesh was poisonous. On
the soft earth tracks of deer and wild goats were to be seen,
and from afar came sounds like the grunting of wild boars.
When the travellers had sated their eyes and rested,
they pushed on farther. The shores were now high, now
low, disclosing views of fine oak forests, fields, mounds,
and spacious steppes. The surrounding country seemed so