All morning we were tidying up our equipment and each was thinking what a piece of the pie he will get from this campaign. While we were doing the hard job like pulling teeth with a rigging, Valentin was sitting leaning back in a chair, indulging in dreams and memories.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5WybpmQmpH
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Oh Astrakhan! The land blessed by the Creator. Full-flowing Volga and endless steppe. You are the castle between the wild north and the swaggering south. You are the center of trade and GDP growth of the region!
"Watch out! Step aside!" Valentin cried, but Nicodemus didn't stay on his feet and overboard.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZo4D17ucl
"You are so out of place!" said Valentin to Nicodemus when he, all wet, climbed on board. "Welcome on board!"401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSikoQ2fRnb
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Oh Gulnara! You are the star of the Khan's Chancellery! Looking at your beauty, Kazanians are stupefied, Muscovites drool right on their beards and Persians on their knees supplicate to become a mistress in their harem.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ql4Sj8omV
And you are a prankster and a virgin besides, Valentin knows that!
"I hope that captain knows what he is doing," said Valentin interrupting his dreams, "otherwise, I think our ship will be crashed against the rocks."401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSet1KUbk0C
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There was a terrible crack, our ship, and so not very strong, fell apart in half and then into several more parts. All upside down, legs above heads. Wet and angry, we got ashore, the horses scattered in different directions. Sailors from passing ships laughed and pointed fingers at us.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZt3nUDlbrG
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"Sailed!" Nicodemus exclaimed and wept.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLSYqbvxi4
Nicolas wasted no time wanted to hang the captain. But Valentin forbade it, and actually the shore was treeless, only shrubs around. The captain went out of need in the bushes, and escaped from there.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEc8oYeAnO
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After spending the night, our detachment moved along the shore up the river.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1q2Cj27V5
I was even glad that we were stuck. I was not in a hurry to fight, I was attracted to botany. The Lower Volga has a rich and varied flora.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCzY5vDo2H
I rejoiced when sometimes Valentin's stomach was seized cause of drinking koumiss before sailing, and our column stopped for an hour or two. At this time, I could walk through the surrounding bushes and collect plants for my herbarium, or carefully dig up a flower in order to study its roots.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wpKbPXpAa
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You know, here in the lower reaches of the Volga there is real magic. Not abstract magic told by shabby middle-aged women and men who want to correct their unfortunate teenage feelings. And the real sinister magic that can kill. There was a dismal silence as the sun was going down.401Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KT4Dno5GS
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"I'm so scared, I feel like this is my last campaign," I said to the setting sun, "I have done (especially said) so many bad things in my life. I can't fix anything. I must pay for everything. Oh the Creator, reduce my wages!"
