Letters of Anton Chekhov (Tchekhov) - Penn State University

Letters of Anton Chekhov to His Family and Friends with biographical sketchPOKROVSKAYA STANITSA, June 23, 1890.I have told you already we are aground on a sandbank. At Ust-Stryelka, where the Shilka joins the Argun (see map), the steamerwent aground in two and a half feet of water, struck a rock, andstove in several holes in its side and, the hold filling with water, thesteamer sank to the bottom. They began pumping out water andputting on patches; a naked sailor crawled into the hold, stood upto his neck in water, and tried the holes with his heels. Each holewas covered on the inside with cloth smeared with grease: they lay aboard on the top, and stuck a support upon the latter which pressedagainst the ceiling like a column. Such is the repairing. They werepumping from five o’clock in the evening till night, but still thewater did not abate: they had to put off the work till morning. Inthe morning they discovered some more holes, and began patchingand pumping again. The sailors pump while we, the general public,pace up and down the decks, criticize, eat, drink, and sleep; thecaptain and his mate do the same as the general public, and seem inno hurry. On the right is the Chinese bank, on the left is the stanitsa,Pokrovskaya, with the Cossacks of the Amur; if one likes one canstay in Russia, if one likes one can go into China, there is nothing tohinder one. It is insufferably hot in the daytime, so that one has toput on a silk shirt. They give us dinner at twelve o’clock, supper atseven.Unluckily the steamer Vyestnik coming the other way with a crowdof passengers is approaching the stanitsa. The Vyestnik cannot go oneither, and both steamers stay stock-still. There is a military bandon the Vyestnik, consequently there has been a regular festival. Allyesterday the band was playing on deck to the entertainment of thecaptain and sailors, and consequently to the delay of the repairing.The feminine half of the public were highly delighted; a band, officers,naval men … oh! The schoolgirls were particularly pleased.Yesterday evening we walked about the Cossack settlement, wherethe same band, hired by the Cossacks, was playing. Today we arecontinuing the repairs.The captain promises that we shall start after dinner, but he promisesit listlessly, gazing away into space—obviously he does not mean192