The paddles wore struck regularly and slowly to prevent drifting down the stream.
[Illustration: TEN MILES AN HOUR.] One boat with two men rowing and another steering attempted a race with the steamer and fairly passed us, though we were making ten miles an hour.

All these natives are very skillful in managing their boats.
When we passed near a boat we were greeted with '_Mendow, mendow,'_ the Mongol word of welcome.

Sometimes we were hailed with the Russian salutation of '_sdrastveteh_.' In one boat I saw a Goldee belle dressed with considerable taste and wearing a ring in the cartilage of her nose.

How powerful are the mandates of Fashion! This damsel would scorn to wear her pendants after the manner of Paris and New York, while the ladies of Broadway and the Boulevards would equally reject the Goldee custom.
The natives of this part of the Amoor have a three-pronged spear like a Neptune's trident, and handle it with much dexterity.

The spear-head is attached to a long line, and when a fish is struck the handle is withdrawn.