Soon I noticed his forehead was wet with perspiration and that he was wiping it and his neck on his sleeves.
"Now it is good and warm!" he exclaimed.
In a short time I was also forced to take off my overcoat and soon lay down to sleep without any covering at all, while through the branches of the fir trees and our roof glimmered the cold bright stars and just beyond the naida raged a stinging cold, from which we were cosily defended.

After this night I was no longer frightened by the cold.
Frozen during the days on horseback, I was thoroughly warmed through by the genial naida at night and rested from my heavy overcoat, sitting only in my blouse under the roofs of pine and fir and sipping the ever welcome tea.
During our daily treks Ivan related to me the stories of his wanderings through the mountains and woods of Transbaikalia in the search for gold.
These stories were very lively, full of attractive adventure, danger and struggle.

Ivan was a type of these prospectors who have discovered in Russia, and perhaps in other countries, the richest gold mines, while they themselves remain beggars.

He evaded telling me why he left Transbaikalia to come to the Yenisei.

I understood from his manner that he wished to keep his own counsel and so did not press him.