The men, though accustomed to the place, crossed them-
selves devoutly--while dragging the boats, warning the lieu-
tenant not to approach too near the shore; for there were
traditions that whoever should gaze too long on Nenasytets
would at last see something at which his mind would be
disturbed. They asserted, also, that at times there rose
from the whirlpool long black hands which caught the un-
wary who approached too near, and then terrible laughter
was heard through the precipices. The Zaporojians did
not dare to drag boats along in the night-time.
No man could be received into the Brotherhood of the
Saitch who had not crossed the Cataracts alone in a boat;
but an exception was made of Nenasytets, since its rocks
were never under water. Of Bogun alone blind minstrels
sang as if he had stolen through Nenasytets; still belief
was not given to the song.

The transfer of the boats occupied nearly all the day,
and the sun had begun to set when the lieutenant resumed
his place in the boat. But to make up for this the succeed-
ing Cataracts were crossed with ease, for the rocks were
covered entirely, and after that they sailed out into the
quiet waters of the lower country.

Along the way Skshetuski saw on the field of Kuchkasi
the enormous mound of white stone raised at command of
Prince Yeremi as a memorial of his visit, and of which Fan
Boguslav Mashkevich had spoken in Lubni. From there
it was not far to the Saitch. But the lieutenant did not
wish to enter the Chertomelik labyrinth in the dark; he
determined therefore to pass the night at Hortitsa.
He wished to meet some Zaporojians and announce him-
self, so that it should be known that an envoy and no one
else was coming. Hortitsa, however, appeared to be empty;
which surprised the lieutenant not a little, for he had
learned from Grodzitski that a Cossack garrison was always
stationed there against Tartar attacks. He went himself
with some of the men a considerable distance from the
shore to reconnoitre; but he could not go over the whole
island, for it was more than five miles long, and the night
was coming down dark' and not very clear. He returned
then to the boats, which meanwhile had been dragged up
on the sand, and a fire had been made as protection against
mosquitoes.

The greater part of the night passed quietly. The Cos-
sacks and flie guides slept by the fire. Only the guards